Back to results
US 9,381,413 B2Granted
Golf tee with rigid stake and flexible crown
AssigneeGreenKeepers of Delaware
InventorsFrancis Carroll, James Carroll, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A golf tee has a stake made of a rigid material such as a rigid polymer, combined with a flexible crown with flexible projections and possibly also a flexible pivot point. This reduces resistance at impact, producing less friction and low ball spin. As a result, distance and accuracy are improved. The fusion of the rigid and flexible materials provides a tee that can tolerate repeated hits and be used over and over.
Claims13
A golf tee comprising:
- a crown having a plurality of flexible, elongated projections made of a first material for supporting a golf ball, the flexible, elongated projections having inner and outer surfaces that are outwardly angled;
- a stake made of a second material which is less flexible than the first material;
- and
- a pivot point portion located between the crown and the stake, the pivot point portion having a first end that terminates at a bottom of the crown where the elongated projections are joined and an opposite second end,
- wherein the bottom of the crown tapers inwardly and meets an outwardly extending annular shoulder at the first end of the pivot point portion such that a radius of the annular shoulder is larger than a radius of the bottom of the crown.
2 more elements
A golf tee comprising:
- a crown having a plurality of flexible, elongated projections for supporting a golf ball, the flexible, elongated projections having inner and outer surfaces that are outwardly angled;
- a pivot point portion having a first end that terminates at a bottom of the crown, a second end opposite the first end, and sidewalls which are continuously curved from the first end of the pivot point portion to the second end thereof, the second end of the pivot point portion defining a tee height indicator,
- the crown and the pivot point portion being formed as one-piece of a first material;
- and
- a stake having an end abutting the second end of the pivot point portion wherein no part of the stake is received in the crown and the pivot point portion, the stake being made of a second material which is less flexible than the first material.
2 more elements
A golf tee, comprising:
- a crown having a plurality of flexible, elongated projections for supporting a golf ball, the flexible, elongated projections having inner and outer surfaces that are outwardly angled;
- a pivot point portion having a first end terminating at a bottom of the crown, a second end opposite the first end, and sidewalls which are continuously curved from the first end of the pivot point portion to the second end thereof,
- the crown and the pivot point portion being formed as one-piece of a first material;
- and
- a stake having an end abutting the second end of the pivot point portion wherein no part of the stake is received in the crown and the pivot point portion, the stake being made of a second material which is less flexible than the first material, and
- wherein the bottom of the crown tapers inwardly and meets an outwardly extending annular shoulder at the first end of the pivot point portion such that a radius of the annular shoulder is larger than a radius of the bottom of the crown.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.