Floating golf ball cup insert

[0001] This invention relates to golf practice devices. More particularly, it refers to a golf cup insert mounted in an annular vertical hole in a polymeric panel covered with a synthetic turf used for practice putting and chipping, the golf cup insert mounted so that it will move transversely in the vertical hole.

[0002] Golfers, whether professional, amateur, or social are intensely interested in improving their short game of putting and chipping which frequently adds unnecessary strokes to a given round of golf. As a result, many man made putting surfaces have been created to provide putting practice in and around the golfer's home or office. A golf putting surface made of polymeric materials such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,803 is one such putting surface. Each putting surface requires a vertical hole suitable for placement of a golf ball receiving cup. A synthetic turf is placed over the top surface and allowance is made for a hole in the synthetic turf for the cup. In addition, side rails are employed and the synthetic turf is tucked under an edge of the rail. A problem occurs when the synthetic turf stretches or contracts or the polymeric panel expands or contracts. The turf can move with respect to the cup opening or bubble up if it does not have room to expand under the side rail. A solution is needed to solve this problem.

[0003] This invention solves the synthetic turf movement problem by providing a golf cup insert that floats transversely within a hole in the polymeric substrate adapted to receive the golf cup insert. Sufficient room is allowed under the side rail to permit expansion of the synthetic turf or polymeric panel.

[0004] The cup insert can be inserted from the top deck surface or from the bottom of the polymeric panel. When not in use, the hole in the polymeric panel is covered with a plate to create a smooth surface over the hole in the polymeric panel. The inside diameter of the polymeric panel ventricle hole is slightly wider than the outer diameter of a flange molded around an upper portion of the cup insert. The cup insert is molded with the flange at the same level as the top surface of the polymeric panel. The flange prevents the carpet or synthetic turf to fold down into a gap between the edge of the cup insert and the polymeric panel hole. A predetermined vertical edge of the cup insert rises above the flange but below the finished height of the synthetic turf. The synthetic turf then sits tightly around the cup insert and causes the cup insert to move transversely as the synthetic turf expands or moves.

[0025] Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the floating golf ball cup insert 10 has an annular flange 12 abutting at least a part of hole 14 in a polymeric panel 16. The top surface 36 of the polymeric panel 16 is covered with synthetic turf 18. A bump rail 20 covers an edge 42 of the synthetic turf 18. A cover plate 24 covers an unused hole 14 in the polymeric panel 16.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the golf cup insert 10 is inserted into the annular hole 14 in a polymeric panel 16. The golf cup insert 10 has at least three lock notches 26 and a descending skirt 28. An arch 46, below each lock notch 26, and integral with wall skirt 28 has a top surface 48 spaced below a bottom surface of flange 12. An annular edge 22 of golf cup insert 10 projects upwardly from an inner edge of the flange 12. The upwardly directed edge 22 is less than the vertical thickness of the synthetic turf 18. Golf cup insert 10 has an internal annular wall 30 and a bottom surface 32 penetrated by multiple drain holes 34.

[0028] A polymeric panel 16 can have any number of annular holes 14 that have a diameter of one-quarter to one and one-half inch wider than the outer diameter of flange 12. Generally, the annular holes are about one-half inch wider than the outer diameter of the flange 12. If a hole 14 is to be used for receiving a golf cup insert 10, inserted from the top of the hole, then the hole 14 has a molded integral annular lock ring 38 with multiple locking slots 40 as shown in FIG. 3. The golf cup insert 10 shown in FIG. 2 is dropped into hole 14 so that an arch 46 passes through slot 40 and flange 12 rests on lock ring 38. As shown in FIG. 4, the golf ball cup insert 10 is turned to prevent the cup insert 10 from being pulled upward from hole 14. The flange 12 will be flush with top surface 36 of the polymeric panel 16. A space 50 between the outer edge 52 of flange 12 of about one-quarter inch permits movement of cup insert 10. Such movement can be caused by stretching or expansion of synthetic turf 18 pressing against vertical edge 22 as seen in FIG. 6. If the synthetic turf 18 expands, its edge 42 is accommodated by opening 44 in an inside surface 54 of bump rail 20 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0029] A typical movement of golf cup insert 10 is shown in FIG. 5 by the direction of the arrow.

[0030] Any hole 14 not in use is covered with plate 24 having downwardly directed arches (not shown) which fit into slots 40. The plate 24 is turned as shown in FIG. 7 to lock the plate in place. The thickness of plate 24 is such that its top surface is flush with the top surface 36 of the polymeric panel 16. The synthetic turf 18 covers the plate 24 in the same manner as the top surface 36 of the polymeric panel is covered.

[0031] As a first alternate embodiment, a golf cup insert 10a, as seen in FIGS. 9-11, is inserted into hole 14a in a polymeric panel 16a. In this embodiment, there is no integral lock ring 38 as employed in the hole 14 shown in FIG. 3. Instead, the polymeric panel 16a has a pair of integrally molded cylindrical posts 56. The golf cup insert 10a has a bottom flange 58 with a pair of slotted 66 side projections 60. When inserted into hole 14 from the bottom of polymeric panel 16a, as seen in FIG. 9, flange 12a is flush with top surface 36a of the polymeric panel 16a and top edge 22a ends up in the same relative position as a cup insert dropped into the top of the hole 14a. See FIG. 10. The cup insert 10a is secured by a threaded screw 62 and washer 64. The threaded screw 62 engages a bottom end of cylindrical post 56 as seen in FIG. 11. The cup insert 10a moves laterally in slot 66.

[0032] In a second alternate embodiment, cup insert 10b is inserted through the bottom of hole 14b in polymeric panel 16b, as seen in FIGS. 12-14. This embodiment differs from the first alternate embodiment by having three annular openings 68 in an outside edge of bottom flange 70. The molded polymeric panel 16b has cut out side openings 72 with juxtaposed cylindrical posts 74 along an interior surface of wall 76 as seen in FIG. 12. A bottom flange 70 portion around each opening 68 rests on edge 78 of side opening 72 in polymeric panel 16b, as seen in FIG. 14. When inserted in hole 14b from the bottom of polymeric panel 16b as seen in FIG. 12, flange 12b and edge 22b end up in the same relative position with respect to top surface 36b of polymeric panel 16b as a cup insert dropped into the top of the hole 14b. See FIG. 13. The cup insert 10b is secured by a threaded screw 80 and washer 82. The threaded screw 80 engages a bottom end of cylindrical post 74 as seen in FIG. 14. The cup insert 10b can move in any transverse direction within each of annular openings 68. Each post 74 has an outer diameter about one-half the inner diameter of the annular opening 68.

[0033] In a third alternate embodiment, cup insert 10c is inserted through the bottom of hole 14c in polymeric panel 16c, as seen in FIGS. 15-17. This embodiment differs from the second alternative embodiment by having four equally spaced apart annular openings 68 in an outside edge portion of bottom flange 84. The molded polymeric panel 16c has cut out side openings 72 with juxtaposed cylindrical posts 74 along an interior surface of wall 76 as seen in FIG. 15. A bottom flange 84 portion around each opening 68 rests on edge 78 of side opening 72 in polymeric panel 16c, as seen in FIG. 17. When inserted into hole 14c from the bottom of polymeric panel 16c as seen in FIG. 15, flange 12c and edge 22c end up in the same relative position with respect to top surface 36c as a cup insert dropped into the top of the hole 14c. See FIG. 16. The cup insert 10c is secured by a threaded screw 80 and washer 82. The threaded screw 80 engages a bottom end of cylindrical post 74 as seen in FIG. 17. The cup insert 10c can move in any transverse direction within each of annular openings 68. The post 74 has an outer diameter about one-half the inner diameter of annular openings 68.

[0034] Optionally, a thin ring 86 (about {fraction (1/32)} inch thick) having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the cup insert edge 22 can be used to cover the space between annular hole 14 and flange 12. In this instance, a {fraction (1/32)} inch annular depression 88 can be created to accommodate the ring 86 on the top surface 36 of polymeric panel 16 as seen in FIGS. 18-19.

[0035] The golf ball cup inserts 10, 10a, 10b, 10c are all made from a high strength polymer such as high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene or polyethyleneterethalate.

[0036] Other equivalent elements can be substituted for the elements set forth above to obtain a floating golf ball insert having substantially the same function and providing substantially the same result in substantially the same way.