GB2443914A

GB2443914A - Ball collector

Info

Publication number: GB2443914A
Application number: GB0720710A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eddy Louis Cyril Rolando
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-04-21
Filing date: 2007-10-23
Publication date: 2008-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2027-10-23
Also published as: WO2008129240A1; GB201017852D0; GB0720710D0; US20100087265A1; CN101663072A; GB0707762D0; GB2443914B

Abstract

A device 1 for collecting balls and subsequently positioning them comprising a body 2 having a concavity 6 in its base leading to a pair of arms at one end along a pathway 10 which leads from the concavity to the arms 16 and includes a summit 26 over which the ball passes to prevent the ball from rolling back down the pathway, thus capturing the ball in the arms. Preferably the collector is made of plastics material that will not deform under the weight of a golf ball. The collector may include a telescopic handle and a stand to enable the device to be supported. Preferably the device is used for collecting golf balls and then positioning them on a golf tee.

Description

Ball Collector The present invention relates to a device for picking up

balls, particularly golf balls.

For golfers, one form of practice is to go to a driving range, where they can practice their swing, driving balls without disturbing other golfers on a course. The golfer can make a large number of repeated drives into the driving area. The golf balls are allowed to remain where they fall, typically being gathered by the proprietor of the driving range at the end of each day. As a result the golfer requires a large number of golf balls, each of which have to be placed on a tee before driving.

Automated devices for placing balls of tees have been devised. However, these are substantial devices, often requiring high installation costs, and high maintenance costs. As a result they are expensive for golfers to use and, in what can be an expensive spud., add yct another element of cost. Ac result only a small number of driving ranges have such devices.

It is therefore usually necessary for the golfer to place each ball of the tee before each drive. This requires a lot of bending which can be time consuming, tiring and even cause injury to the golfer's back, or aggravate and old injury.

Other devices have been suggested which enable a golfer to pick up a ball and :... place it on a tee without bending. These generally consist of a device including *::::* 25 grabbing means at the end of a handle, usually approximating the shaft of a golf club.

These are difficult to use requiring the co-ordination of gathering and grabbing the ball, and then releasing the ball while balancing it on the tee.

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The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for .. * .: 30 picking up a ball and with a view to placing in position.

According to the invention there is provided a ball collector comprising a body having a ball guidance pathway including a concavity on its underside to fit over the ball, leading to a pair of arms at one end sized to hold the ball but allowing the ball to be removed from the top of the arms, the pathway having a summit between the concavity and the arms to prevent the ball from travelling back down the pathway.

In use, the device is placed over the golf ball, and while the golf ball is kept on the ground the device is pulled back, guiding the ball along the pathway and into the arms of the device. The device can then be lifted, picking up the golf ball, which can be placed on the tee. The device is then lowered out of the way leaving the golf ball of the tee. Once in the arms of the device the ball cannot roll back along the pathway due to the presence of the summit.

Preferably the ball collector is made of a plastics material of a hardness such that it will not deform under the weight of a golf ball.

Preferably the device will further comprise a handle. Conveniently this handle may be telescopic.

Typically the summit will form part of edge formations along a bottom edge of the guide, capturing the golf ball.

Preferably the end of the body opposite to the arms also includes a ball manoeuvring formation. This formation will typically comprise a depression sized to accept a substantial portion of the ball, with a cut on in the base.

Preferably the handle further includes a stand, to enable to device to be *...

* 25 supported.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will . St..

* now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying ** drawings, in which:

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Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a device according to the invention, without a handle; Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic of the device of Figure 1 picking up a ball; Figure 4 is a schematic of the device of Figure 1 placing the ball on a tee; Figure 5 is a back view of the stand for the device; Figure 6 is a front view of the stand of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of the stand of Figure 5 on the device of Figure Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the device thereshown comprises the ball placer 1 according to the invention. The devices includes a body 2 of moulded plastics material, of a hard enough substance not to deform under the weight of a golf ball.

The body is provided with a concavity 6 in it base near one end 8, sized to capture a golf ball, the concavity 6 covering the majority of the ball, but allowing a small portion of the ball to extend from beneath the concavity to enable movement of the ball in relation to the device.

Extending from the concavity 6 is a ball guidance path 10. The guide extends along the length of the body 2 and teiids deeper into th hndy covering more of the golf ball, but still enabling a small portion of the ball to rest on the ground when covered by the device. The guide 10 is provided with edge formations 12 along its bottom edges 14 reducing the width of the guide at its bottom edges 14. These formations 12 act to prevent the golf ball from coming out of the bottom of the guide, or from entering the device at this point, capturing the ball within the device, but still with the lower curve of the ball extending out of the device.

The edge formations 12 direct the golf ball along the guide 10 and into arms * 25 16 extending from the other end 18 of the body 2. The arms 16 are shaped such that the golf ball is held securely in the arms and can be lifted and placed on a tee. S...

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* The edge formations 12 include a summit 26 over which the golf ball is : .* manoeuvred into the arms 16. Thus the ball is captured in the arms and prevented S.. * . : 30 from backwards movement along the guide by the summit. The ball is held in the S. arms 16 between the summit 16 and the ends 24 of the edge formations 12.

Referring now to Figure 3, in use, to collect a golf ball using the device, the body 2 is positioned over the ball (Figure 3a) and moved until the ball is captured by the concavity 6. Pressing down lightly on the device, the body 2 is moved backwards rolling the ball along the top 28 of the guide, between the edge formations 12 (figure 3b). Maintaining a slight downwards pressure on the ball backwards movement is continued until the ball appears between the arms 16 and the device is positioned on the ground. Lifting of the device from this position will lift the golf ball captured between the arms 16 (Figure 3c).

Now turning to Figure 4, to deposit the golf ball on a golf tee the ball is lifted in the device and positioned on the tee (Figure 4a) Once the ball is in place, the device can be lowered away from the ball. At this point if the ball is not positioned correctly on the tee this will be felt as the device 1 is lowered and the position can be re-adjusted. Lowering of the device will leave the ball of the tee and then the device can be removed with the open arms 16 passing around the tee (Figure 4b).

is Referring again to Figure 1 and 2, the end 8 of the device, opposite to the arms 16, i prc"ide1 with another means 30 for positioning the ball. This comprises a flared projection 32, flaring upwards and outwards, with the base being open 34. The flaring being sized to fit round the golf ball. This projection allows for a ball to be guided along the ground to a convenience position to be picked up, or stored. In addition, this projection enables balls to be taken out of buckets or other storage devices: the projection 32 is positioned round the ball, which is then rolled up the side of the bucket and out of the top. The flaring 32 holding the ball in the device while it is rolled up the side of the bucket or the like. In addition, this projection enables the user to pick the ball up by using his foot or a similar projection, to support the ball 25 while the device is tilted round it, thus cradling the ball. Thus the ball call be lifted.

This flared projection 32 also balanced the device 1, enabling it to stand flat on the ground for ease of use. * *

** Referring now to Figure 5, 6 and 7, the device may also be used in ** * combination with a stand, particularly where the ground is not completely level, or there is a danger of the device being knocked over accidentally. The stand comprises a plastic moulding 42 which comprising a body 44 from which extend two grips 46, to releasably secure the stand to the shaft 48 of the club. The body also has two arms 50 extending forwards and downwards and a pair of small projection grips 52 orthogonal to the first grips. These grips hold a U shaped metal tube 54. To act as a stand the metal tube is positioned with its ends 56 on the ground acting as legs 58, and supported by the projection grips 52 and arms 50. When the club is to be used, the metal tube 54 is rotated with the grips so that the legs 58 point upwards parallel to the shaft 48 of the club. A cap 60 may be provided for the top of the golf club for holding the legs in position.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, the device can be made of any inflexible material, including wood or metal. *1 * * * St.. * S *5.5

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Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A ball collector comprising a body having a ball guidance

pathway including a concavity on its underside to fit over the ball, leading to a pair of arms at one end sized to hold the ball but allowing the ball to be removed from the top of the arms, the pathway having a summit between the concavity and the arms to prevent the ball from rolling back down the pathway.
2. A ball collector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball collector is made of a plastics material of a hardness such that it will not deform under the weight of a golf ball.
3. A ball collector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further including a handle.
4. A ball collector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the handle is telescopic.
5. A ball collector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the summit will form part of edge formations along a bottom edge of the ball guidance pathway, capturing the golf ball.
6. A ball collector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end of the body opposite to the arms also includes a ball manoeuvring formation.
7. A ball collector as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the handle further includes a stand, to enable to device to be supported.

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