US20070149324A1

US20070149324A1 - Golf tee

Info

Publication number: US20070149324A1
Application number: US11/320,242
Authority: US
Inventors: Chang-Tien Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-12-28
Filing date: 2005-12-28
Publication date: 2007-06-28

Abstract

A golf tee includes a support member having a support post and a ball support portion extending from the support post, and a ball support removably mounted on the support member and having a mounting seat detachably mounted on the ball support portion of the support member and a plurality of support claws mounted on the mounting seat to support a golf ball. Thus, the golf tee has two different ways to support the golf ball according to the requirement of different users, thereby facilitating the user operating the golf tee, and thereby enhancing the versatility of the golf tee.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf tee and, more particularly, to a golf tee to support a golf ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional golf tee has a first end formed with an insert that can be inserted into the ground and a second end formed with a ball support portion to support a golf ball. However, the golf club easily hits the ball support portion when the user is swinging the golf club to strike the golf ball.
Another conventional golf tee comprises a support member having a first end formed with an insert that can be inserted into the ground and a second end formed with a mounting portion, and a plurality of support claws mounted on the mounting portion to support a golf ball. However, the golf tee only has a single way to support the golf ball, thereby limiting the versatility of the golf tee.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a golf tee, comprising a support member having a support post and a ball support portion extending from the support post, and a ball support removably mounted on the support member and having a mounting seat detachably mounted on the ball support portion of the support member and a plurality of support claws mounted on the mounting seat to support a golf ball.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a golf tee that can support a golf ball in two different ways.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a golf tee that has two different ways to support the golf ball according to the requirement of different users, thereby facilitating the user operating the golf tee, and thereby enhancing the versatility of the golf tee.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a golf tee in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan exploded view of the golf tee as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partially plan view of the golf tee as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a golf tee in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a plan exploded view of a golf tee in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a plan exploded view of a golf tee in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a golf tee 10 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a support member 20 having a support post 22 and a ball support portion 24 extending from the support post 22, and a ball support 30 removably mounted on the support member 20 and having a mounting seat 32 detachably mounted on the ball support portion 24 of the support member 20 and a plurality of support claws 34 mounted on the mounting seat 32 to support a golf ball 50.
The support post 22 of the support member 20 has a length greater than that of each of the support claws 34 of the ball support 30. The support post 22 of the support member 20 has a cone-shaped lower end that is inserted into the ground. The ball support portion 24 of the support member 20 is integrally formed on and extended from an upper end of the support post 22. The ball support portion 24 of the support member 20 has a top face formed with a recessed portion 242 to receive the golf ball 50. The support member 20 has a first engaging portion 26 located in the ball support portion 24. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first engaging portion 26 of the support member 20 is a screw bore integrally formed in the ball support portion 24 and located in a central portion of the recessed portion 242 of the ball support portion 24.
The support claws 34 of the ball support 30 are disposed at an upright state and are arranged in an annular manner about an axial direction of the mounting seat 32. Each of the support claws 34 of the ball support 30 has a lower end secured to a periphery of the mounting seat 32. Each of the support claws 34 of the ball support 30 has an inner side 344, an outer side 342 and a top face 346 located between the inner side 344 and the outer side 342. The outer side 342 of each of the support claws 34 has a length greater than that of the inner side 344, so that the top face 346 of each of the support claws 34 has an oblique shape and is directed inward toward a central portion of the support claws 34. The top faces 346 of the support claws 34 are used to support the golf ball 50. The ball support 30 has a second engaging portion 36 located on the mounting seat 32 and engaged with the first engaging portion 26 of the support member 20 to secure the ball support 30 to the support member 20. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second engaging portion 36 of the ball support 30 is a threaded rod integrally formed on a bottom face of the mounting seat 32 and screwed into the first engaging portion 26 of the support member 20.
As shown in FIG. 1, the second engaging portion 36 of the ball support 30 is engaged with the first engaging portion 26 of the support member 20 to secure the ball support 30 to the support member 20 so that the ball support 30 is combined with the support member 20 for use.
When in use, the golf ball 50 is supported by the support claws 34 of the ball support 30. In such a manner, the golf ball 50 is lifted by the support claws 34 of the ball support 30 to prevent a golf club (not shown) from hitting the mounting seat 32 of the ball support 30 when the user is swinging the golf club to strike the golf ball 50. In addition, the support claws 34 of the ball support 30 reduce the wind shear force when the user is swinging the golf club to strike the golf ball 50 so that the user can strike the golf ball 50 exactly.
As shown in FIG. 3, the second engaging portion 36 of the ball support 30 is disengaged from the first engaging portion 26 of the support member 20 to remove the ball support 30 to the support member 20, so that the support member 20 is used individually. When in use, the golf ball 50 is supported by the recessed portion 242 of the ball support portion 24 of the support member 20. Thus, the support member 20 has a simple construction, thereby facilitating the user operating the golf tee 10.
Accordingly, the golf tee has two different ways to support the golf ball according to the requirement of different users, thereby facilitating the user operating the golf tee, and thereby enhancing the versatility of the golf tee.
As shown in FIG. 4, each of the support claws 34 of the ball support 30 has an upper end provided with a substantially semi-spherical support block 38 to support the golf ball 50 stably.
As shown in FIG. 5, the first engaging portion 26A of the support member 20A is a shaft hole integrally formed in the ball support portion 24A and located in a central portion of the recessed portion 242A of the ball support portion 24A. The first engaging portion 26A of the support member 20A has a periphery formed with a retaining groove 260A. The second engaging portion 36A of the ball support 30A is a protruding rod integrally formed on a bottom face of the mounting seat 32A and inserted into the first engaging portion 26A of the support member 20A. The second engaging portion 36A of the ball support 30A has a periphery formed with a protruding retaining flange 360A detachably snapped into the retaining groove 260A of the first engaging portion 26A of the support member 20A.
As shown in FIG. 6, the support post 22B of the support member 20B has a length smaller than that of each of the support claws 34B of the ball support 30B. Thus, the support post of the support member has a changeable length, and each of the support claws of the ball support has a changeable length.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A golf tee, comprising:

a support member having a support post and a ball support portion extending from the support post;

a ball support removably mounted on the support member and having a mounting seat detachably mounted on the ball support portion of the support member and a plurality of support claws mounted on the mounting seat to support a golf ball.

2. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ball support portion of the support member is integrally formed on and extended from an upper end of the support post.

3. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support member has a first engaging portion located in the ball support portion, and the ball support has a second engaging portion located on the mounting seat and engaged with the first engaging portion of the support member to secure the ball support to the support member.

4. The golf tee in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first engaging portion of the support member is a screw bore integrally formed in the ball support portion, and the second engaging portion of the ball support is a threaded rod integrally formed on a bottom face of the mounting seat and screwed into the first engaging portion of the support member.

5. The golf tee in accordance with claim 3, wherein the ball support portion of the support member has a top face formed with a recessed portion to receive the golf ball.

6. The golf tee in accordance with claim 5, wherein the first engaging portion of the support member is located in a central portion of the recessed portion of the ball support portion.

7. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support claws of the ball support are disposed at an upright state.

8. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support claws of the ball support are arranged in an annular manner about an axial direction of the mounting seat.

9. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the support claws of the ball support has a lower end secured to a periphery of the mounting seat.

10. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the support claws of the ball support has an inner side, an outer side and a top face located between the inner side and the outer side, the outer side of each of the support claws has a length greater than that of the inner side, so that the top face of each of the support claws has an oblique shape and is directed inward toward a central portion of the support claws.

11. The golf tee in accordance with claim 10, wherein the top faces of the support claws are used to support the golf ball.

12. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second engaging portion of the ball support is disengageable from the first engaging portion of the support member to remove the ball support to the support member, so that the support member is used individually.

13. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the support claws of the ball support has an upper end provided with a substantially semi-spherical support block to support the golf ball.

14. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion of the support member is a shaft hole integrally formed in the ball support portion, and the second engaging portion of the ball support is a protruding rod integrally formed on a bottom face of the mounting seat and inserted into the first engaging portion of the support member.

15. The golf tee in accordance with claim 14, wherein the first engaging portion of the support member has a periphery formed with a retaining groove, and the second engaging portion of the ball support has a periphery formed with a protruding retaining flange detachably snapped into the retaining groove of the first engaging portion of the support member.

16. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support post of the support member has a changeable length.

17. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the support claws of the ball support has a changeable length.

18. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support post of the support member has a length greater than that of each of the support claws of the ball support.

19. The golf tee in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support post of the support member has a length smaller than that of each of the support claws of the ball support.