GB2466942A

GB2466942A - Golf stroke counter

Info

Publication number: GB2466942A
Application number: GB0900263A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lien-Hsin Lee
Original assignee: MOLDETK PRECISION CORP
Current assignee: MOLDETK PRECISION CORP
Priority date: 2009-01-08
Filing date: 2009-01-08
Publication date: 2010-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2029-01-08
Also published as: GB0900263D0; GB2466942B

Abstract

A golf counter includes a casing 1, which has a center coupling hole 13, a series of symbols 12 and a plurality of recessed holes 11 disposed at the top side and equiangularly spaced around the center coupling hole, a rotating face member 2, which has raised portions 211 protruding from beneath the face wall 21, a center coupling shaft 221 coupled to the center coupling hole of the casing for allowing vertical movement of the rotating face member relative to the casing to force the raised portions into engagement with the recessed holes or to disengage the raised portion from the recessed holes and for allowing rotation of the rotating face member relative to the casing after disengagement of the raised portions from the recessed holes, and a spring member 23 for imparting a downward pressure to the rotating face member toward the casing. The rotating member also has a viewing hole 212 in the face wall through which symbols 12 may be viewed. The counter may also be embedded with magnets 311 to enable attachment to external objects.

Description

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GOLF COUNTER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a golf counter for counting the strokes during a golf game and more particularly, to such a golf counter, which comprises a rotating face member secured to a casing subject to the effect of a helical compression spring and rotatable relative to the casing to show one of a series of symbols (numerals) marked on the top wall of the casing.

2. Description of the Related Art:

Most golf courses consist of eighteen holes. During a golf contest, every player performs one round of 18-hole as one cycle.

These eighteen holes spaced from one another at a different distance. People usually play golf in groups. Each player records the score on a score card with a pen. Therefore, people usually carry a score card and a pen in the pocket for recording the score after a performance. It is inconvenient to record the scoe in this manner. Further, a beginner may forget the number strokes actually played, raising a dispute. An electronic scorer with push button may be used for counting strokes during a golf game. However, an electronic scorer is heavy and big. It is inconvenient to use an electronic scorer with push button during a golf game.

There are commercial rotory golf counters for counting the

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strokes by means of rotating a face member. However, these commerical rotary golf counters commonly have a complicated structure, not suitable for automatic production. There are known simple designs of rotary golf counters. However, these simple designs of rotary golf counters have the drawback of inaccurate positioning.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a golf counter that eliminates the drawbacks of conventional designs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a golf counter, which is suitable for mass production to reduce the cost. It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf counter, which can be made of metal, wood or plastics to satisfy different market requirements. It is still another of the present invention to provide a golf counter, which is easy to operate and has a high reliability.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a golf counter comprises a casing, a rotating face member and a helical compression spring. The casing comprises a center coupling hole, a series of symbols marked on the top surface thereof and equiangularly spaced around the center coupling hole, and a plurality of positioning portions equiangulai'1y spaced around the

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center coupling hole. The rotating face member is rotatably attached to the casing, comprising a plurality of positioning portions for engaging the positioning portions of the casing to lock the rotating face member to the casing, a through viewing hole cut through top and bottom sides thereof for showing one of the symbols of the casing, a center coupling shaft downwardly * extended from the center of the bottom side thereof and coupled to the center coupling hole of the casing for allowing vertical movement of the rotating face member relative to the casing between a bottom elevational position where the positioning portions of the rotating face member are forced into engagement with the positioning portions of the casing to lock the rotating face member to the casing and a top elevational position where the positioning portions of the rotating face member are disengaged from the positioning portions of the casing for allowing rotation of the rotating face member relative to the casing. Further, the center coupling shaft has a bottom head. The helical compression spring is mounted on the center coupling shaft and stopped between the bottom head of the center coupling shaft and the bottom wall of the rotating face member to impart a downward pressure to the bottom * head and to further force the positioning portions of the rotating face member into engagement with the positioning portions of the * casing.

Further, the casing and the rotating face member are be selectively made from metal, wood or plastics through a mass production process.

Further, an ornamental plate is fastened to the bottom side S of the casing for decorative purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf counter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the golf counter according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the golf counter according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the present invention, showing the rotating face member lifted relative to the casing.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate form of the golf counter according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the golf counter used with a clip (I).

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the golf counter used with a clip (II).

DETAILED DESCRiPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a golf counter in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a casing 1 and a rotating face member 2.

The casing 1 is a hollow cylindrical and bottom-open shell, having a center coupling hole 13 cut through the center of the top wall thereof, a series of symbols (for example, a series of numerals from ll2) 12 marked on the top surface of the top wall and equiangularly spaced around the center coupling hole 13, and a plurality of recessed holes 11 formed in the top wall and equiangularly spaced around the center coupling hole 13 in a staggered manner relative to the symbols 12, and a downward rim 14 extending around the periphery.

The rotating face member 2 is rotatably attached to the top side of the casing 1, having a circular face wall 21, a peripheral flange 213 perpendicularly downwardly extended from the border area of the circular face wall 21 corresponding to the downward rim 14 of the casing 1, a plurality of raised portions 211 protruded from the bottom side of the face wall 21 and selectively engageable into the recessed holes 11 of the casing 1, a through viewing hole 212 cut through the top and bottom side of the circular face wall 21 for showing one of the symbols 12 of the casing 1, a center coupling shaft 22 downwardly extended from the center of the bottom side of the face wall 21 and coupled to the casing 1 for allowing rotation of the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1. The center coupling shaft 22 has a shaft body 221 inserted through the center coupling hole 13 of the casing 1, and a bottom head 222 at the bottom end of the shaft body 221. The shaft body 221 has a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the center coupling hole 13 so that the center coupling shaft 22 can be rotated stably in the center coupling hole 13 without biasing. The bottom head 222 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the center coupling hole 13, avoiding disconnection of the center coupling shaft 22 from the center coupling hole 13.

Further, a helical compression spring 23 is mounted around the shaft body 221 of the center coupling shaft 22 and stopped between the bottom head 222 of the center coupling shaft 22 and the bottom side of the face wall 21 of the rotating face member 2 to impart a downward pressure to the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the casing 1 and the rotating face member 2 can be made of metal, wood or plastics. When rotating the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1, the raised portions 211 of the rotating face member 2 will be forced out of the recessed holes 11 of the casing 1, causing the center coupling shaft 22 to be lifted and the helical compression spring 23 to be compressed by the bottom head 222 of the center coupling shaft 22. After the user rotated the rotating face member 2 to the desired angular position and released the hand from the rotating face member 2, the helical compression spring 23 immediately forces the rotating face member 2 downwards relative to the casing 1, and therefore the raised portions 211 of the rotating face member 2 are forced into engagement with the recessed holes 11 of the casing 1 again.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 again, as stated above, the shaft body 221 of the center coupling shaft 22 has a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the center coupling hole 13 of the casing 1. Therefore, the rotating face member 2 can be rotated smoothly relative to the casing 1. When rotating the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1, the raised portions 211 of the rotating face member 2 are forced out of the recessed holes 11 of the casing 1 and moved along the top surface of the top wall of the casing 1, and at the same time the center coupling shaft 22 is lifted relative to the casing 1 to compress the helical compression spring 23 with the bottom head 222. After the user rotated the rotating face member 2 to the desired position to have the desired symbol 12 be seen through the through viewing hole 212 and released the hand from the rotating face member 2, the helical compression spring 23 immediately forces the rotating face member 2 downwards relative to the casing 1, and therefore the raised portions 211 of the rotating face member 2 are forced into engagement with the recessed holes 11 of the casing 1 again.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the center coupling shaft 22 can be made elastically compressible and having splits for easy installation in the center coupling hole 13 of the casing 1.

Alternatively, the bottom head 222 can be separately made and then bonded to the bottom end of the shaft body 221 after insertion of the shaft body 221 through the center coupling hole 13 of the casing 1 and mounting of the helical compression spring 23 on the shaft body 221.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, a locating member 3 is provided at the bottom side of the casing I opposite to the rotating face member 2. The locating member 3 has a center through hole 32 that has a diameter greater than the diameter of the bottom head 222 of the center coupling shaft 22, a plurality of magnet mounting holes 31 equiangularly spaced around the center through hole 32, and a plurality of magnets 311 respectively mounted in the magnet mounting holes 31. By means of the magnets 311 in the locating member 3, the golf counter can be attached to a magnetically attractive object (steel or iron object).

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIGS. 2 and 3 again, an ornamental plate 4 is covered on the bottom side of the locating member 3, having a positioning shaft 41 inserted through the center through hole 32 into the inside of the center coupling shaft 22. It is to be understood that the coupling between the positioning shaft 41 and the center coupling shaft 22 does not hinder rotation of the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1. Further, the ornamental plate 4 can carry a company logo or a commercial design.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 2 again, the ornamental plate 4 can be a flat plate without the aforesaid positioning shaft 41, and a magnet 5 can be mounted in the shaft body 221 of the center coupling shaft 22 for securing the golf counter to a steel or iron object by means of magnetic attraction.

Referring to FIG. 6 and 7, by means of the magnets 311 in the locating member 3, the golf counter can be fastened to a magnetically attractive (steel or iron) clip.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, in the aforesaid embodiments, the rotating face member 2 is provided with the raised portions 211 for engagement with the recessed holes 11 at the casing 1. Alternatively, the rotating face member 2 can be made having recessed holes for engagement with raised portions at the casing 1.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, in the aforesaid embodiments, the rotating face member 2 has a peripheral flange 213 perpendicularly downwardly extended from the border area for attaching to the downward rim 14 of the casing 1 to stabilize rotation of the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing I. Instead of the downward rim 14, the rotating face member 2 can be made having ribs or protruding portions for attaching to the downward rim 14 of the casing ito stabilize rotation of the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1.

As indicated above, the invention provides a golf counter, which has the following features.

1. The casing 1, the rotating face member 2, the helical compression spring 23, the locating member 3 and the magnet 31 are designed for mass production to reduce the cost. Further, the casing 1, the rotating face member 2 and the locating member 3 can be selectively made of metal, wood or plastics to satisfy different market requirements.

2. The locating member 3 can be made having a big number of magnet mounting holes 31 for selectively mounting the magnets 311 subject to the desired amount of magnetic attraction force.

3. By means of the engagement between the raised portions.

211 and the recessed holes 11 and the effect of the helical compression spring 23, the user can rotate the rotating face member 2 relative to the casing 1 conveniently and smoothly. After rotation, the raised portions 211 are automatically forced into engagement with the recessed holes ii to lock the rotating face member 2 in position.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various

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modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

What the invention claimed Is: 1. A golf counter, comprising: a casing, said casing comprising a center coupling hole, a series of symbols marked on a top surface thereof and S equiangularly spaced around said center coupling hole, and a plurality of positioning portions equiangularly spaced around said center coupling hole; a rotating face nember rotatably attached to said casing, said rotating face member comprising a plurality of positioning portions for engaging said positioning portions of said casing to lock said rotating face member to said casing, a through viewing hole cut through top and bottom sides thereof for showing one of said symbols of said casing, a center coupling shaft downwardly extended from the center of the bottom side thereof and coupled to said center coupling hole of said casing for allowing vertical movement of said rotating face member relative to said casing between a bottom elevational position where the positioning portions of said rotating face member are forced into engagement with the positioning portions of said casing to lock said rotating face member to said casing and a top elevational position where the positioning portions of said rotating face member are disengaged from the positioning portions of said casing for allowing rotation of said rotating face member relative to said casing, said center coupling shaft comprising a bottom head; and a spring member mounted on said center coupling shaft and stopped between said bottom head of said center coupling shaft and a bottom wall of said rotating face member to impart a downward pressure to said bottom head and to further force said positioning portions of said rotating face member into engagement with said positioning portions of said casing.
2. The golf counter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing comprises a downward rim downwardly extending around the border thereof.
3. The golf counter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning portions of said rotating face member are raised portions protruded from the bottom wall of said rotating face member, and said positioning portions of said casing are recessed holes formed in the top side of said casing for receiving said raised portions of said rotating face member.
4. The golf counter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotating face member comprises a peripheral flange perpendicularly downwardly extended from the border thereof.
5. The golf counter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locating member fastened to said casing opposite to said rotating face member, said locating member comprising a center through hole for accommodating said bottom head of said center coupling shaft.
6. The golf counter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said locating member has a plurality of magnet mounting holes and a plurality of magnets embedded in said magnet mounting holes for attaching the golf counter to a magnetically attractive external o bj e ct.
7. The golf counter as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an ornamental plate fastened to a bottom side of said locating member, said ornamental plate comprising a positioning shaft inserted into said center coupling shaft of said rotating face member to support rotation of said rotating face member relative to said casing.
8. The golf counter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an ornamental plate fastened to said casing opposite to said rotating face member, and a magnet mounted in said center coupling shaft of said rotating face member for attaching the golf counter to a magnetically attractive external object.