Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B47/00—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls
  • A63B47/02—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls for picking-up or collecting
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B47/00—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
  • A63B53/14—Handles
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2209/00—Characteristics of used materials
  • A63B2209/08—Characteristics of used materials magnetic

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for collecting golf balls and relates particularly to a magnetic golf ball collecting device that permits a golfer to easily pick up a golf ball without having to bend over or straining their knees and back.
• Prior art devices consist of a pliable plastic tube having an inside diameter slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball, which when pressed down hard on a golf ball grips the ball.
• Other devices comprise a soft rubber suction cup which functions in a similar manner.
• Such prior art devices can be attached to the end of a shaft, for example, to the grip of a golf club, so that the device can be used to collect a ball from ground level without bending down.
• Such devices generally function in an acceptable manner, they tend to be somewhat bulky and can be difficult to attach to and/or remove from the grip of the golf club. Because the attachment of the device relies on friction or a screw-thread connection, considerable force may be required to attach or remove the device.
• the present invention was developed with a view to providing a golf ball collecting device that can be easily attached to and removed from the end of a shaft, such as the grip of a golf club, without the application of undue force.
• References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.
• a magnetic golf ball collecting device comprised of a rubber cup with a magnet attached on the underside of the outer surface of the rubber cup.
• a magnetic golf ball collecting device comprising a cup adapted to successfully hold a golf ball therein, the cup incorporating some magnetic material to enable the device to be attached by magnetic force to the end of an elongate object, wherein the elongate object with the device attached thereto can be used to retrieve a golf ball from ground level without having to bend down.
• said magnetic material comprises a first metal disc which is attached to a rear face of the cup.
• said elongate object is a golf club, and the golf club handle is provided with some magnetic material in connection therewith.
• the magnetic material provided in connection with the handle comprises a second metal disc which is attached to the top end of the handle grip.
• said first and second metal discs are both magnets, which are attached to the cup and the grip respectively with opposite poles facing outwards, so that when the first and second metal discs are brought into close proximity they attract each other and the device is held on the grip by magnetic attraction.
• the golf club collecting device may further comprise a golf ball marker, also made from magnetic material, for marking the location of a golf ball on a putting green when the ball is removed to permit other players to putt.
• a golf ball marker comprises a third metal disc which can also be attached to the handle of the golf club by magnetic attraction, and which can be placed on the green or picked up from the green without bending down using the golf club.
• said third metal disc is also a magnet which can be held on the handle grip between the first and second discs.
• the golf ball collecting device may further comprise an accessory comprising a clip adapted to slide onto a belt or the edge of a bag and having some magnetic material incorporated therein, wherein the cup and/or the marker can be attached to the accessory by magnetic force.
• said clip is made of resilient material and comprises a substantially planar member in a U-shaped configuration, having a gap between facing surfaces of a size to accommodate the thickness of a belt or fabric snugly therein.
• at least of one of said facing surfaces is provided with one or more protrusions adapted to grip the belt or fabric between the facing surfaces.
• said cup comprises a substantially hemispherical concave surface having an inner diameter similar in size to the outer diameter of a golf ball.
• said cup further comprises an annular protrusion extending inwards around the circumference of the cup and adapted to grip the outer surface of the golf ball.
• said cup is made from a suitable resilient material and is shaped to hold a golf ball therein by friction between the annular protrusion and the surface of the golf ball.
• the annular protrusion is made from a suitable resilient material and the golf ball is held in the cup by friction between the annular protrusion and the surface of the golf ball.
• a golf accessory in the form of a clip adapted to slide onto a belt or the edge of a bag and having some magnetic material incorporated therein, wherein a cup and/or a marker incorporating some magnetic material can be attached to the accessory by magnetic force, the cup being adapted to successfully hold a golf ball therein.
• the clip is made of resilient material and comprises a substantially planar member in a U-shaped configuration, having a gap between facing surfaces of a size to accommodate the thickness of a belt or fabric snugly therein.
• at least of one of said facing surfaces is provided with one or more protrusions adapted to grip the belt or fabric between the facing surfaces.
• magnetic material will be understood to refer to any suitable material having the properties of a magnet, or capable of being attracted by, or acquiring the properties of, a magnet.
• Figure 1 is an exploded section view of a preferred embodiment of the golf ball collecting device according to the present invention.
• Figure 2 is a plan view of the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 illustrates the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 attached to a grip of a golf club
• Figure 4 shows how the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 can be easily removed from the grip of the golf club
• Figure 5 illustrates the manner of attaching the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 to a golf club grip together with a golf ball marker
• Figure 6 illustrates an accessory for the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 7 is a side view of the accessory illustrated in Figure 6;
• Figure 8 illustrates the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 together with a golf ball marker attached to a grip of a golf club;
• Figure 9 shows how the golf ball collecting device of Figure 1 together with the golf ball marker can be easily removed from the grip of the golf club.
• a preferred embodiment of the golf ball collecting device 10 comprises a cup 12 adapted to successfully hold a golf ball (not shown) therein.
• the cup 12 incorporates some magnetic material to enable the device to be attached by magnetic force to the end of an elongate object, such as a golf club.
• an elongate object such as a golf club.
• the golf ball can be gripped by the device 10 by aiming the cup 12 at the golf ball and pressing on it slightly, thus allowing the golfer to easily retrieve the ball without having to bend over or kneel and risk straining their knees or back.
• the device 10 can be quickly and easily attached to the golf club, and just as quickly and easily removed after the golf ball has been retrieved.
• the magnetic material comprises a first metal disc 14 which is attached to a rear face of the cup 12.
• the elongate object is a golf club 16, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, and the handle 18 of the golf club is provided with some magnetic material in connection therewith.
• the magnetic material provided in connection with the handle 18 comprises a second metal disc 20 which is attached to the top end of the handle grip 18.
• the first and second metal discs 14 and 20 are both magnets, which are attached to the cup 12 and the handle grip 18 respectively with opposite poles facing outwards, so that when the first and second metal discs are brought into close proximity they attract each other and the device 10 is held on the grip 18 by magnetic attraction.
• the cup can be made from any suitable material such as rubber, plastic, steel/aluminium, Teflon, wood with a rubber ring or lining, or any other material that would hold onto a golf ball successfully.
• the cup 12 comprises a substantially hemispherical concave surface 24 having an inner diameter similar in size to that the outer diameter of golf ball 22.
• the cup 12 further comprises an annular protrusion 26 extending inwards around the circumference of the cup 12 and which is adapted to grip the outer surface of the golf ball 22.
• the cup 12 is made from a suitable resilient material, such as rubber, and is shaped to hold a golf ball therein by friction between the annular protrusion 26 and the surface of the golf ball 22.
• the cup is made from a rigid material, such as steel, and only the annular protrusion 26 is made from a suitable resilient material such as rubber, so that the golf ball is held in the cup by friction between the annular protrusion 26 and the surface of the golf ball.
• the golf club collecting device further comprises a golf ball marker, also made from magnetic material, for marking the location of a golf ball on a putting green when the ball is removed to permit other players to putt.
• the golf ball marker comprises a third metal disc 30 which can also be attached to the handle 18 of the golf club by magnetic attraction.
• the golf ball marker 30 can be placed on the green or picked up from the green without bending down using the golf club 16.
• the third metal disc 30 is also a magnet which can be held on the handle grip 18 between the first and second discs 14 and 20.
• the golf club collecting device further comprises an accessory comprising a clip 40 adapted to slide onto a belt or the edge of a bag (not shown) and having some magnetic material incorporated therein, wherein the cup 12 and/or the marker 30 can be attached to the accessory by magnetic force.
• the clip 40 is made of a resilient material, such as spring steel or plastic, and comprises a substantially planar member 42 in a U-shaped configuration, having a gap 44 between facing surfaces of a size to accommodate the thickness of a belt or fabric snugly therein.
• One of the facing surfaces is provided with one or more protrusions 46 adapted to grip the belt or fabric between the facing surfaces.
• the magnetic material incorporated in the clip comprises a fourth metal disc 48 which is affixed to an external face of the U-shaped planar member 42.
• the clip 40 can be worn by a golfer and used to carry the golf ball collecting device 10 and/or one or more golf ball markers 30 in a readily accessible manner.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Golf Clubs (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36102840

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (9)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2005
  • 2005-06-21 AU AU2005202694A patent/AU2005202694B1/en not_active Ceased
• 2006
  • 2006-02-24 MX MX2007010418A patent/MX2007010418A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-02-24 WO PCT/AU2006/000229 patent/WO2006089360A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-02-24 KR KR1020077019219A patent/KR20070104623A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-02-24 EP EP06704906A patent/EP1853361A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-02-24 US US11/817,049 patent/US20080261714A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-02-24 CA CA002598749A patent/CA2598749A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-02-27 TW TW095106672A patent/TW200638971A/zh unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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