US20170304696A1

US20170304696A1 - BioPeg TetherTee

Info

Publication number: US20170304696A1
Application number: US15/485,459
Authority: US
Inventors: Jefferey Frederick Brandenburg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-04-24
Filing date: 2017-04-12
Publication date: 2017-10-26

Abstract

This invention relates to the golf industry, it is comprised of 2 tees connected with a line that tethers the 2 tees together which minimizes the possibility of loss. The invention is used for teeing up, or elevating the golf ball from the ground when the rules allow so. The invention is designed to eliminate waste, save time, increase safety, and soften the environmental impact of traditional golf ball tee manufacture.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

No. 62/326,771 filed on Apr. 24, 2016
The BioPeg TetherTee is an invention designed specifically for the game of golf, more specifically, for the portion of the game which requires or allows for the elevation of the golf ball from the ground. The BioPeg TetherTee can be used in the course of regular play, but is also used on the practice facility. The BioPeg TetherTee is manufactured using both recycled and non-recycled plastic, thru a production process called injection molding. The BioPeg TetherTee serves many purposes; utilization of the BioPeg TetherTee saves time that would normally be exhausted searching for a conventional golf tee, after the ball it was supporting has been struck. The BioPeg TetherTee, also reduces waste, as it is rarely broken, rarely lost, and very durable when compared to what the industry of golf regards as, ‘regular conventional golf tees made of wood, or plastic,’ not tethered or attached to another item anchoring and reducing the possibility of loss.
The use of the item is very simple, the ball is placed on either of the ends of the hard, pointed item, and is then inserted into the ground until the ball that was placed on the item comes to a point of desired elevation from the ground, the other hard pointed plastic end, is then inserted into the ground to an indicated depth, this prohibits the other end supporting the golf ball, from being struck away from the golfer to unknown areas, away from the person striking the ball. The ends are interchangeable, so one will act as a tether/anchor, while the other is supporting the golf ball. The BioPeg TetherTee also serves as an environmentally green product. As a result of its durability, and non-disposable nature, it is estimated that the BioPeg TetherTee can save more than 245,000 trees annually.
The BioPeg TetherTee design is engineered in a manner that allows the ‘tethering line’ to run through the middle of the unit, and out of the lower center of the unit body at an angle. The design is unique, in that the design does not allow the tethering line to interfere with either the golf ball or the operation of the club. The BioPeg TetherTee design is also reversible, either of the two end units of the device can be used to either support and elevate the golf ball, or as the anchoring end.
Additionally, the BioPeg TetherTee, increases the safety level of golf practice, while on the designated driving range. Every year hundreds of golfers suffer injury from being struck by golf balls. During practice, golfers using ‘traditional’ golf tees, find themselves wandering beyond the designated area for golfers to hit golf balls. The practitioners, or golfers, will wander out into the area deemed as the landing area for golf balls, or often wander out in front of other golfers practicing and hitting golf balls. They do so unknowingly, looking for their traditional golf tee, with their focus on the ground, they lose track of where they are in relation to the immediate surroundings, trying to locate the traditional non-tethered tee.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The BioPeg TetherTee is an invention designed specifically for the game of golf, more specifically, for the portion of the game which requires, or allows for, the elevation of the golf ball from the ground. The invention addresses the short comings of both the traditional wooden golf tee, and its newer plastic counterpart. The traditional wooden golf tee and the plastic tees modeled after it, are susceptible to loss and breakage. The BioPeg TetherTee, is a combination golf tee and anchoring system, that helps prevent loss, and is manufactured from durable plastic, for re-use. Traditional golf tees stand, and are used independent, and are not connected or attached to any other object that would it allow it to function in the manner that the BioPeg TetherTee functions. For reference: British patent #12941 of 1889, and British patent #36 of 1892, and U.S. Pat. No. 570,821, “Combined Golf Tee and Score Card,” 1896, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,670,267, William Lovell, in 1925

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The design of the item is very simple. It is used to tee up a golf ball. The ball is placed on either of the ends of the hard, pointed item, and is then inserted into the ground until the ball that was placed on the item comes to a point of desired elevation from the ground, the other hard pointed plastic end, is then inserted into the ground to an indicated depth, this prohibits the other end supporting the golf ball, from being struck away from the golfer to unknown areas. The ends are interchangeable, so one will act as a tether/anchor, while the other is supporting the golf ball. Tethering/anchoring the end to a specified spot eliminates the possibility of loss when used correctly. The BioPeg TetherTee also serves as an environmentally green product. As a result of its durability, and non-disposable nature, it is estimated that the BioPeg TetherTee can save more than 245,000 trees annually.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS

FIG. 1. Is a transparent view of the passage that runs in a length wise direction from the top of the BioPeg TetherTee towards the pointed bottom end. The length wise passage has 2 different diameters the first portion of the hollow passage closest to the top end is larger than the section of the passage that is closer to the sharpened lower bottom end.

FIG. 2. The drawing illustrates the hollow passage that runs through from one side of the BioPeg TetherTee to the other side width wise.

FIG. 3. The illustration shows a view from the top, or widened, end of the BioPeg TetherTee,

FIG. 4. Shows a view of the bottom of the pointed end of the BioPeg TetherTee.

FIG. 5A. a side view angle

FIG. 5B. Another side view angle that shows the slimmer side of the bottom pointed end.

FIG. 5C. A side view angle that shows the thicker side of the bottom pointed end.

FIG. 6. Picture of one example of the item on the ground, shows how they are tethered together.

FIG. 7. Picture of the BioPeg TetherTee how it is used.

FIG. 8. Individual spike manufactured in black plastic.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

First let's identify what a traditional golf tee is, and how they are used. The purpose of the golf tee, is to hold the golf ball stationary above the ground, before it is hit with a golf club. There are basically two types of golf tees. There are wooden golf tees, and plastic golf tees that are very similar in shape to the wooden counterpart. The typical golf tee is 2.125″, or 2⅛ inches long. According to the R&A Group's rules for golf, a golf tee may not be longer than 4 inches. Additionally, the design of the golf tee cannot change the way the ball moves when struck with a club. This is to prevent golf players from getting an unfair advantage over their competitors by using a special golf tee. Golf should be a game of skill, not who can buy the best golf tees. The construction of a traditional golf tee is quite simple. In the middle is an even diameter shaft, roughly a couple of inches long that flares and widens out into a cup shaped ball support on one end, and the other tapers into a sharp point for insertion into the ground. The wooden golf tee is more widely used than the plastic golf tee. It's also less expensive than plastic. Both the plastic and the wooden tees currently found on the market today, which are very susceptible to breakage, and is one of the most frequently exhausted, and consumed, items in the golf industry equipment market. Every year hundreds of thousands of trees are cut down for golf tee manufacture, and tons of plastics are produced creating unwanted harmful byproducts. The use of traditional tees can also create unsafe conditions on golf practice driving ranges. All of these detrimental pitfalls are eliminated with the BioPeg TetherTee.
The BioPeg TetherTee is manufactured using both recycled and non-recycled plastic, thru a production process called injection molding. The BioPeg TetherTee serves many purposes; utilization of the BioPeg TetherTee saves time that would normally be exhausted searching for a conventional golf tee, after the ball it was supporting has been struck. The BioPeg TetherTee, also reduces waste, as it is rarely broken, rarely lost due to the tethered/anchored design and function, and very durable. The BioPeg TetherTee, by the nature of its design, and the characteristics of the composites used in manufacture, is made to be used time and time again, unlike the more traditional disposable nature of the common golf tee in the aforementioned paragraph #7. The The BioPeg TetherTee is always in reach, and because it is tethered and easily located, golfers are never having to search for a lost tee. Having the The BioPeg TetherTee always within reach, makes it easy to simply place the item back in your pocket, or re-use the item with another practice ball and continue practicing. In areas of high volume practice, moving out and away from your designated hitting spot can result in serious bodily harm.
The BioPeg TetherTee, increases the safety level of golf practice, while on the designated driving range. Every year hundreds of golfers suffer injury from being struck by golf balls. During practice, golfers using ‘traditional’ golf tees, as defined in paragraph #7 find themselves walking out and beyond the safety of the designated area for golfers to practice hitting golf balls. The practitioners will wander out into the area deemed as the target area for flying golf balls, or often wander out in front of other golfers swinging heavy clubs, and hitting golf balls. They do so unknowingly, preoccupied, with their focus on the ground; they lose track of where they are in relation to the immediate surroundings, trying to locate the traditional non-tethered tee, because they have none of them left on their person to continue practicing.

Claims

1. The BioPeg TetherTee, is comprised of a durable plastic elongated spike, another durable plastic elongated spike, and a high visibility connecting line, of which both, the spike, and other spike, are tapered to a point on the one end, and widen on the opposing end to a spindle shaped circular diameter with a flat end; both, a spike, and other spike, are characterized by having two hollow passages; a said hollow passage runs length wise through the middle circumferentially, of a spike, and said other spike, from the widened spindle shaped circular diameter with a flat end, towards the pointed end; the second of the said hollow passages runs through a said spike, and other said spike, and passes through from one side to the other, both a spike, and other spike, are connected by a high visibility line that passes through length wise, the said hollow passage that runs from the widened spindle shaped circular diameter with a flat end a said spike towards the sharpened end, and continues through the said other hollow passage that runs through a spike width wise, from side to side; the line exits the said other passage from the side of a spike, leaving a length of exposed line before entering, the side to side, width direction oriented, said other hollow passage, of the said other spike; the high visibility line travels through the said other hollow passage from the side, and traverses a said hollow passage towards the widened spindle shaped circular diameter with a flat end of the other spike. The line is secured within both a said hollow passage of both a spike, and other spike, nearest the widened spindle shaped circular diameter with a flat end, securing a connection of a said spike with other said spike.

2. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of two spikes black in color with green print on the side, and high visibility green connecting line.

3. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of two spikes white in color with green print on the side, and high visibility green connecting line.

4. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of a spike, and other spike, said other spike is substituted with a weight that sits on the ground acting as the tethered anchor.

5. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of two spikes manufactured from biodegradable material, and biodegradable connecting line.

6. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of two spikes manufactured from high grade Teflon.

7. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of two spikes manufactured from Nylon.

8. The BioPeg TetherTee of claim 1 further comprising of two spikes manufactured of Bamboo.