US20080274837A1

US20080274837A1 - Slope indicator

Info

Publication number: US20080274837A1
Application number: US11/800,206
Authority: US
Inventors: Brian Ming Li
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-04
Filing date: 2007-05-04
Publication date: 2008-11-06

Abstract

A slope indicator for fastening to the ground of a putting green to indicate the slope during the game of golf is disclosed to include a housing having a transparent top face and a pointed bottom anchoring rod for fastening to the ground, a fluid sealed in the housing, and a bubble formed in the fluid inside the housing and shifted in the fluid subject to the tilting condition of the housing to give an indication of the slope of the ground to which the slope indicator is fastened.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf gears and more particularly, to a slope indicator for use in the game of golf to indicate the slope of the ground for reference before the player is putting the golf ball toward the hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a golf ball is driven to the putting green during the game of golf, a putter shall be used to putt the golf ball toward the hole. At this time, the putting angle and force must be properly controlled so that the golf ball can be accurately putted toward the hole. Because the putting green is a slope ground and the slope of the ground around the location of the golf ball is a critical factor that will affect putting, the player must figure out the slope of the ground before putting the golf ball toward the hole. However, it is difficult to measure the slope of the ground with the eyes without an implement. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a slope indicator practical for use in a putting green to indicate the slope of the ground before putting the golf ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a slope indicator, which is practical for use in the game of golf to indicate the slope of the ground for reference so that the player can accurately putt the golf ball toward the hole.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the slope indicator comprises a hollow watertight housing, the housing having a transparent top face and an anchoring member perpendicularly extending from the center of a bottom wall thereof; a fluid filled in the hollow watertight housing; and a bubble formed in the fluid inside the hollow watertight housing and positioned in the center in the fluid when the hollow watertight housing is kept in horizontal, the bubble being deviated from the center in the fluid to a deviated position in the fluid when the hollow watertight housing is tilted.
Further, the anchoring member has a bottom opening in communication with the inside space of the hollow watertight housing through which the fluid is filled in the hollow watertight housing, and a sealing ball sealed to the bottom opening to stop the fluid inside the hollow watertight housing.
Further, the anchoring member is a pointed rod member for fastening to the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slope indicator in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the slope indicator in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an applied view of the present invention, showing the slope indicator fastened to the ground and the position of the bubble shifted in the fluid.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing the position of the bubble shifted in the fluid.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing the slope indicator fastened to the ground of a putting green.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a slope indicator 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a hollow watertight housing 1. The housing 1 has a transparent top face 12, and a pointed anchoring member 11 perpendicularly extending from the center of its bottom side. The pointed anchoring member 11 has a bottom opening 111 on its pointed bottom end. The transparent top face 12 is formed of a transparent plate member and fixedly bonded to the housing 1.
During fabrication of the slope indicator 100, a fluid 2 is filled through the opening 111 of the pointed anchoring member 11 into the inside of the housing 1, and a ball 3 is inserted into through the opening 111 into the inside of the pointed anchoring member 11 and bonded to the inside wall of the pointed anchoring member 11 at a location about 1.5˜2.5 mm from the opening 111 by ultrasonic sealing. Thereafter, the opening 111 of the pointed anchoring member 11 is sealed with a sealing groove to prohibit leakage of the fluid 2. When the slope indicator 100 is made, a bubble 21 is in presence in the fluid 2 inside the housing 1 and visible from the outside through the transparent top face 12. By means of the pointed anchoring member 11, the slope indicator 100 can be fastened to the ground of the putting green so that the user can determine the slope of the ground of the putting green subject to the location of the bubble 21 in the fluid 2 inside the housing 1 before putting the golf ball into the hole.
Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, when a golf ball is driven to the putting green during the game of golf, the user can fasten the pointed anchoring member 11 of the slope indicator 100 to the ground of the putting green at the location of the golf ball, keeping the bottom wall of the housing 1 in close contact with the ground. At this time, the bubble 21 moves in the fluid 2 from the center position to a deviated position subject to the slope of the ground around the slope indicator 100. In actual practice, if the slope indicator 100 is tilted leftwards, the bubble 21 moves rightwards to a position in the fluid 2 away from the center of the housing 1 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Through the transparent top face 12, the user can see the position of the bubble 21 in the fluid 2, and figure out the slope of the ground around the slope indicator 100 subject to the position of the bubble 21 in the fluid 2. With accurate information of the slope of the ground around the location of the golf ball, the user can put the golf ball toward the hole accurately.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various 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

1. A slope indicator comprising:

a hollow watertight housing, said housing having a transparent top face and an anchoring member perpendicularly extending from the center of a bottom wall thereof;

a fluid filled in said hollow watertight housing; and

a bubble formed in said fluid inside said hollow watertight housing and positioned in the center in said fluid when said hollow watertight housing is kept in horizontal, said bubble being deviated from the center in said fluid to a deviated position in said fluid when said hollow watertight housing is tilted.

2. The slope indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anchoring member has a bottom opening in communication with the inside space of said hollow watertight housing through which said fluid is filled in said hollow watertight housing, and a sealing ball sealed to said bottom opening to stop said fluid inside said hollow watertight housing.

3. The slope indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anchoring member is a pointed rod member for fastening to the ground.