WO2011037452A1

WO2011037452A1 - Device for depositing, storing and cleaning golf balls

Info

Publication number: WO2011037452A1
Application number: PCT/NL2010/000136
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michiel Leonard Van Donkersgoed; Pieter Sjoer Alofs
Original assignee: Amidon B.V.
Priority date: 2009-09-24
Filing date: 2010-09-23
Publication date: 2011-03-31
Also published as: NL1037318C2

Abstract

Device in which golf balls can be deposited and/or stored and/or cleaned, wherein the device consists of a bin which is covered on the top side with one or more plates or grids which have openings such that golf balls can drop there through, and wherein the bottom of this bin consists of one or more inclining surfaces lying at an angle such that they cause golf balls to roll to a lower point due to the force of gravity.

Description

Device for depositing, storing and cleaning golf balls

Description :

Golf premises usually have a practice facility. When practising this sport use is normally made of golf balls hired from the operator of this accommodation. These golf balls are then hit by golfers toward a field designated for this purpose. Once they have been hit, the golf balls are usually collected again by the operator of the

accommodation. These golf balls are by then often soiled by grass, sand and other fouling, while golfers prefer to practise with clean golf balls which look like new. The golf balls are sometimes washed using a golf ball washer, as known from for instance the American patent 3,083,389. The golf balls are then stored in baskets, bins or an apparatus for dispensing golf balls before being hired out again. As a result of the ever increasing popularity of the sport of playing golf, more and more intensive use is being made of the practice facilities of these premises. At the moment there are premises where as many as fifteen million golf balls are hired per year.

The drawback of this method of operation is that it is very labour-intensive and that malfunctions can occur in the apparatus for dispensing golf balls when they are filled with golf balls which are not completely clean. A second drawback is that the ball baskets have to be lifted, which can result in medical problems for staff. A third drawback is that the brushes used in existing golf ball washers can become clogged with grass fibres, whereby they no longer clean properly.

This invention has for its object a new device in which golf balls can be deposited and/or stored and/or washed in simple manner and which is constructed such that it can be set up in simple manner. Because the balls no longer need to be lifted, but can simply be deposited, medical and back complaints can hereby be prevented. Cleaner golf balls further provide greater satisfaction for the golfers.

According to a preferred embodiment, the invention consists of a bin wholly or partially buried up to about ground level and having on the top side one or more grids, whereby a golf ball collector can travel thereover. When the golf ball collector is brought to a halt on the grid, the baskets of the golf ball collector can simply be emptied into the bin since the grids have meshes such that golf balls can drop therethrough.

Situated in the bin are sprayers from which flows for instance water or other cleaning liquid which washes possible dirt from the golf balls. Owing to the force of gravity and water pressure the balls roll to a deeper part of the bin where the balls are cleaned on a grid by a large quantity of cleaning liquid. The separating partitions arranged in the bin ensure that grass, sand and other fouling are in turn separated from the cleaning liquid, whereby this liquid can be reused. The golf balls can then be transported, for instance using a lift, directly to a dispensing device for golf balls.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device as in Fig. 1, wherein an upper part is removed and roughly a quarter part is removed along the line A-A.

Fig. 3 is a side view, wherein roughly a quarter of the device is removed along the line A-A. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, wherein roughly a quarter of the device is removed along the line A-A.

The device as shown in Fig. 1 to 4 consists of a bin 1 with a depositing and storage compartment 2 and a cleaning compartment 3, wherein the depositing and storage

compartment 2 is separated from cleaning compartment 3 by wall 4. Located in wall 4 is an opening 5, wherein the underside of this opening 5 connects to the upper side of surface 7 and of grid 20 so that golf balls can displace without obstacle from the depositing and storage compartment to the cleaning compartment. Situated above this opening 5 is an outflow for cleaning liquid 11 which can be situated on both sides of partition 4. The depositing and storage compartment 2 is covered on the top side with one or more grids 6, wherein these grids 6 have openings such that golf balls can pass therethrough. Cleaning compartment 3 is covered on the top side with a plate or grid 8 in order to ensure that no golf balls can drop from the top side into cleaning compartment 3. Arranged in cleaning compartment 3 are partitions 9,10, wherein the top side of partition 9 is higher than the top side of partition 10. Partition 9 does not run all the way through to the bottom of cleaning compartment 3, so that cleaning fluid 22 can flow

thereunder. Cleaning compartment 3 provides space for an installation for discharging golf balls, such as for

instance a golf ball lift 21. An installation for pumping cleaning liquid 12 is situated in cleaning compartment 3. One or more ribs 13 are arranged in the depositing and storage compartment 2 for strengthening purposes in order to absorb the earth pressure from outside, these ribs being of a form such that golf balls cannot remain lying thereon. The depositing and storage compartment has one or more bottom surfaces 14 lying at an angle such that golf balls do not remain lying thereon. Situated in the depositing and storage compartment 2 is a conduit 15 provided at one or more locations with openings through which cleaning liquid can flow out so that the golf balls can be prewashed. Bin 1 is provided with one or more support legs 16, which are

optionally connected to each other by a cross beam 17, and one or more lifting points 18 to facilitate transport and placing of bin 1. One or more reinforcements 19 are present on one or more sides, wherein the upper side of the upper reinforcement is located at the same height as the upper side of grids 6. The other reinforcements serve to provide resistance to the earth pressure as well as serving as anchoring, whereby the device cannot displace upward out of the ground.

The interior of bin 1 has a smooth surface structure in order to prevent the possibility of dirt attaching thereto .

Claims

1. Device in which golf balls can be deposited and/or stored and/or cleaned, wherein the device consists of a bin which is covered on the top side with one or more plates or grids which have openings such that golf balls can drop therethrough, and wherein the bottom of this bin consists inter alia of one or more inclining surfaces lying at an angle such that they cause golf balls to roll to a lower point due to the force of gravity, and wherein a partition is arranged in the bin, thereby creating a

depositing and storage compartment and a cleaning

compartment, wherein the cleaning compartment can also serve as reservoir for cleaning liquid.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that two partitions of unequal height are arranged on the bottom of the reservoir for cleaning liquids, wherein the higher partition has openings on the underside.

3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a liquid pump is arranged in the cleaning

compartment which pumps the cleaning liquid via a conduit system to one or more outflows.

4. Device as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3,

characterized in that one or more bottom surfaces of the device can move partially or wholly relative to the rest of the device.

5. Device as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3,

characterized in that one or more side surfaces can move partially or wholly relative to the rest of the device.