JPH074052Y2 - Biodegradable golf tee - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the device] [Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a golf tee that can be decomposed and returned to soil when left outdoors.

[Prior art]

Most golf tees are made of injection-molded plastic in terms of workability, strength, and price, and are left unused after use. In order to recover this from a large golf course, a lot of personnel must be used, and it is made of clay,
There are wooden golf tees, but none of them are sufficiently satisfactory in terms of price and strength.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

When the conventional plastic golf tee is left on the ground or in the water after its intended use, it remains present in the soil or water for a long time and adversely affects the environment. Further, the golf tee having a structure in which clay is hardened has a drawback that the strength is not sufficient.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

Therefore, in the present invention, a golf tee was studied in which the entire product decomposes and decomposes when left to stand and is thereby returned to the ground. As a result, they have developed a biodegradable golf tee formed by adding a microbial degradable organic substance such as starch or modified starch to a polymer. In other words, when using Tee, the tip part is used by inserting it into the soil, so it can be easily biodegradable by microorganisms such as starch and modified starch to polymers such as polyolefin, ABS, polyvinyl chloride, nylon and polyester. By adding organic substances and thinning the entire meat of the tee during injection molding, especially the pin part has a modified cross-sectional shape to widen the contact area with the soil and facilitate the decomposition. . A biodegradable golf tee having a modified pin section is the most preferred embodiment of the present invention. The irregular cross-section as used herein means that the cross-section in the direction perpendicular to the axis is not circular, but has a shape such as a triangle, a star, a flower, or an ammy bar. The amount of microbially degradable organic matter such as starch or modified starch added to the polymer is preferably 10 to 25%. If the amount added is less than 10%, it may take more than 6 months to decompose, which is not suitable for the purpose of the biodegradable golf tee. When the amount of the microbial degradable organic substance added exceeds 25%, the strength is insufficient and it cannot withstand multiple uses. The term "biodegradable organic matter" as used herein means an organic matter that is preferably decomposed by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.), such as starch (grain starch, root crop starch, and modified starch thereof),
It is also a fine powder of a dried plant product and the like, to which an additive such as an unsaturated fatty acid which itself contributes to the decomposition of the polymer by oxidative decomposition in the natural environment is also included. In the case where starch is added, rice starch (particle size 1 μm) is most preferable. Next, corn starch (particle size 20μ-30
μ), potato starch (particle size 50 μ) and the like. The smaller the particles, the better the dispersibility and the uniform mixing, so that uneven product and uneven decomposition can be prevented.

[Action]

With such a structure, it is possible to impart microbial degradability to a plastic golf tee, which is originally not easily decomposed by microorganisms, and will eventually disappear when left in the natural world.

【Example】

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Example 1 15% of rice starch (particle size: 1 μm) was added to polyethylene as a microbial decomposition organic substance. The rice starch masterbatch has a water content of 0.1%. This is melt-mixed at 190 ° C, injection-molded at an extruder temperature of 220 ° C and a molding pressure of 200 kg / cm ² ,
The pin portion (2) shown in Fig. 2 was a golf tee (1) having a star-shaped cross-section structure. When this golf tee was left outdoors and observed over time, 2
It decomposed and disappeared after a month. Example 2 Similarly, the tip was divided into two, the overall structure was thinned, and 15% of rice starch (particle size 1 μm) as a microbial decomposition organic substance was added to polyethylene, and further 30% of wood chip flour was mixed. The rice starch masterbatch has a water content of 0.1%. This is melt-mixed at 190 ℃, extruder temperature 220 ℃, molding pressure 20
Injection molding was performed at 0 kg / cm ² to obtain a golf tee. When this golf tee was left outdoors and observed over time, 1
It decomposed and disappeared after a month.

[Effect of device]

The microbial degradable golf tee of the present invention has sufficient strength when used, but after being left in the natural environment after use, it is reduced to the soil by microbial decomposition, which causes environmental pollution problems. No effect was obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the golf tee of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. (1) Golf tee, (2) Pin part

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A biodegradable golf tee formed by adding a microbial degradable organic substance such as starch or modified starch to a polymer and molding the polymer. 2. The biodegradable golf tee according to claim 1, wherein the pin portion has an irregular cross section.