WO2002094383A2

WO2002094383A2 - Improvements relating to tee devices

Info

Publication number: WO2002094383A2
Application number: PCT/NZ2002/000099
Authority: WO
Inventors: Burton Frederick Roux Silver
Original assignee: Burton Frederick Roux Silver
Priority date: 2001-05-18
Filing date: 2002-05-20
Publication date: 2002-11-28

Abstract

A tee device includes a flexible, tubular, and optionally tapered, tee cup (1) having an open end (2), preferably with an outwardly extending lip (10), for supporting a ball such as in golf or a golf-like game. The flexible tee cup may be combined with a relatively rigid tee stem piece (20). One end of the stem piece is tapered (22); the other end has an enlarged head (23). The tapered end of the tee stem piece may be fitted through an aperture in an end wall of the flexible tee cup to support the tee cup above ground level when the tapered end is inserted into a ground surface.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO TEE DEVICES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to tee devices and particularly to tee cups. In particular it relates to a flexible tee cup suitable for supporting a ball in a golf or golf-like game.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Tees are used in golf and golf-like games to elevate and support a ball slightly above ground level while a player prepares his or her shot, swings a club and strikes the ball. The tee is used particularly when the ball is first played at each hole. Known tees are in the form of a stem, one end of which is tapered to facilitate insertion of that end of the stem into the ground. An enlargement at the other end of the stem has a concave surface. In use the ball is supported on at least part of the concave surface. The tee is relatively rigid.

In golf or golf-like games using substantially non-spherical balls, the tee can be required to support the ball in a range of orientations. But a traditional tee does not readily support a non-spherical ball, such as an ovoid ball, in all possible orientations.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a flexible tee cup which can be used to support a ball about to be stuck. Preferably such a flexible tee cup can be used with or without a relatively rigid tee stem.

In one aspect the present invention may be said to consist in a tee cup having a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and the second end being at least partially closed, the open end of the tubular body presenting a support surface for supporting a ball. Preferably the tubular body has a round transverse cross-section.

Preferably the round cross-section is substantially circular.

Preferably the tee cup has a radially outwardly extending lip at the first open end of the tubular body, the support surface being provided by the lip.

Preferably the tubular body tapers toward the second end.

Preferably the tubular body has an end wall at the second end.

Preferably the end wall has a central zone and the thickness of the end wall in the central zone is less than the thickness of the end wall outside that zone.

In another aspect the present invention may be said to consist in a package containing a flexible tee cup and a relatively rigid tee piece, the tee cup including a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and the second end being at least partially closed, the open end of the tubular body presenting a support surface for supporting a ball, and the tee piece including an elongate stem with a tapered end, and a head at the other end of the stem, the head having a larger diameter than the stem.

In another aspect the present invention may be said to consist in a tee including a flexible tee cup and a relatively rigid elongate stem, the tee cup having a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and presenting a support surface for supporting a ball, and the relatively rigid elongate stem having a tapered end, and a head at the other end of the stem, the head having a larger diameter than the stem, wherein the stem is fitted in an aperture in the second end of the tubular body with the head located inside the tubular body and the tapered end protruding beyond the second end of the tubular body. In another aspect the present invention may be said to consist in a method of supporting a ball on a flexible tee cup, the tee cup comprising a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and the second end being at least partially closed, the open end of the tubular body presenting a support surface for supporting the ball, the method comprising the steps of locating the tee cup with the support surface uppermost and slightly above ground level, and resting the ball on the support surface.

The invention may further be said to consist in any alternative combination of parts or features here mentioned or shown in the accompanying drawings. Known equivalents of these parts or features which are not expressly set out are nevertheless deemed to be included.

BRIEF LIST OF FIGURES

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a tee cup.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tee cup of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative tee cup. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tee cup of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tee cup of Figure 3 fitted to a known tee.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings it will be appreciated that a tee cup according to the invention may be implemented in various forms. Many details of tees and/or tee cups will be understood by a skilled reader and have been omitted. The following embodiments are given by way of example only. Figures 1 and 2 show one possible embodiment of a tee cup. The tee cup is made of a flexible material such as plastics or rubber, for example synthetic rubber. The tee cup has a flexible tubular body 1 with a circular transverse cross-section. One end 2 of the tubular body is open. The edge 3 of the open end of the tubular body provides a support surface for supporting a ball (not shown). The tubular body has a substantially cylindrical length portion 4 adjacent the open end of the tubular body. The tubular body has a tapered portion 5 extending from the cylindrical length portion toward an end wall 6 at the other end of the tubular body.

Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative tee cup having features similar to those shown in Figures 1 or 2 and which are numbered similarly. In the tee cup shown in Figures 3 and 4, a lip 10 extends radially outwardly from the end of the cylindrical length portion at the open end of the tubular body. As may be best seen in Figure 4, the radial cross-section of the lip tapers outwardly to the outer perimeter 11 of the lip.

The outer surface of the cylindrical length portion of the tubular body is plain. The outer surface of the tapered portion of the tubular body has a series of ribs or annular steps 12 having sequentially smaller diameters.

The outside of the end wall has a protrusion 13 and the inside has a central well 14 which provides the end wall with a central zone 15 of decreased thickness.

Figure 5 shows the tee cup of Figures 3 and 4 fitted with a relatively rigid tee 20. The tee is a known tee and has a stem 21 with a taper 22 at one end and an enlargement or head 23 at the other end. In a known use of the tee the tapered end is inserted into the ground and a ball is placed on a concavity 24 in the top side of the tee head.

To fit the tee cup with the tee, the tip of the tapered end of the tee stem is first located in the well on the inner side of the end wall of the tee cup. The tee is then forced further into the tee cup to pierce the central end wall zone and to locate the tee head in abutment with the inner tapered surface 25 of the tubular body of the tee cup as shown in the cross- sectional view of Figure 5. The tee is retained in position as shown in Figure 5 by frictional engagement of the pierced end wall of the tee cup around the tee stem, and the resilience inherent in the flexible tee cup.

The tapered tubular body of the tee cup can accommodate a range of sizes of tees. The tee is simply pushed into the tee cup until the circumference of the enlarged head engages a corresponding circumference of the tapered inner wall surface of the tubular body. If necessary a part of the tapered length of the tubular body can be cut off to accommodate fitting of the tee.

In an alternative tee cup, not shown, the end wall of the tee cup is provided with an aperture through which the tee stem can be fitted without requiring the end wall to be pierced.

The flexible tee cup may be used with or without a relatively rigid tee or tee stem. When used in conjunction with a relatively rigid tee or tee stem, which is commonly made of wood or plastics, the tee cup provides some protection from breakage of the rigid tee parts.

The flexible tee cup may be packaged together with a relatively rigid tee or tee stem, either as separate components or combined together.

In an alternative tee device, not shown, a relatively flexible tee cup is moulded with relatively rigid tee stem to provide a tee device having an upper flexible tee cup with an integral relatively rigid stem protruding from a lower end. The lower end of the tee stem is preferably tapered. The upper end of the tee stem preferably includes shaping to provide for keying of the tee stem to the flexible tee cup when moulded together.

In use as a tee device, the flexible cup is placed with the open end uppermost, on the ground or in a shallow depression in the ground, or if combined with a rigid tee stem, with the tee stem forced at least part way into the ground to support the tee cup. The tee cup can be used with a cut-down tee in hard ground and still provide sufficient elevation of the ball above ground. A ball is then placed on the tee cup where it is supported ready for striking.

The described tee cup provides a wider support for the ball making it easier to rest or balance the ball on a tee device with such a tee cup. Even non-spherical balls, such as eccentric, ovoid or egg-shaped balls, for example, can be readily placed on and supported by a tee device with the described tee cup. This makes the tee cup suitable for supporting a wide range of spherical and non-spherical balls, such as can be used in golf and golf-like games.

Although the tee cup is particularly suitable for use with non-spherical balls, where known tees can be unsatisfactory, the tee cup can be used with spherical balls and, with its wider supporting area, is particularly suitable where players although using spherical balls still have some difficulty in positioning, balancing or maintaining the ball on known tees.

The lip of lipped tee cups, for example as shown in Figures 3 and 4, provides an enhanced supporting surface for the ball.

The tee device is often dislodged or relocated during a strike, or an attempted strike, of a ball supported by the tee device, such as during tee-off. A tee cup as described is more easily visually located and retrieved than the known tees, because it is larger and therefore more easily seen than known tees. Similarly, the tee cup is less dense and therefore less likely than known tees to fall under ground cover and be obscured.

The tee cup has a larger surface area than known tees, providing greater opportunity for labelling or branding.

Claims

CTATMS:

1. A tee cup having a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and the second end being at least partially closed, the open end of the tubular body presenting a support surface for supporting a ball.

2. The tee cup as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tubular body has a round transverse cross-section.

3. The tee cup as claimed in claim 2 wherein the round cross-section is substantially circular.

4. The tee cup as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the tee cup has a radially outwardly extending Up at the first open end of the tubular body, the support surface being provided by the lip .

5. The tee cup as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tubular body tapers toward the second end.

6. That tee cup as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tubular body has an end wall at the second end.

7. The tee cup as claimed in claim 6 wherein the end wall has a central zone and the thickness of the end wall in the central zone is less than the thickness of the end wall outside that zone.

8. A package containing a flexible tee cup as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and a relatively rigid tee piece including an elongate stem with a tapered end, and a head at the other end of the stem, the head having a larger diameter than the stem.

9. A tee including a flexible tee cup and a relatively rigid elongate stem, the tee cup having a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and presenting a support surface for supporting a ball, and the relatively rigid elongate stem having a tapered end, and a head at the other end of the stem, the head having a larger diameter than the stem, wherein the stem is fitted in an aperture in the second end of the tubular body with the head located inside the tubular body and the tapered end protruding beyond the second end of the tubular body.

10. A method of supporting a ball on a flexible tee cup, the tee cup comprising a flexible tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being open and the second end being at least partially closed, the open end of the tubular body presenting a support surface for supporting the ball, the method comprising the steps of locating the tee cup with the support surface uppermost and slightly above ground level, and resting the ball on the support surface.