IP Library Granted Patent US 7,438,652
Granted Patent B2
US 7,438,652 · App. 11/397,630 · Granted Oct 21, 2008

Golf ball marker

Assignees: SRI Sports Ltd.; Dunlop Sports Enterprises Ltd.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,438,652
App. No.
11/397,630
Granted
Oct 21, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ball marker is provided with a pivotal member ( 2 ) that is constituted by a hinged portion ( 5 ), a shaft piercing portion ( 6 ) and an insertion portion ( 7 ) and allowed to pivot, and a main body ( 3 ) that allows the pivotal member ( 2 ) to be inserted therein and shaft-engaged thereto, and in this structure, when the hinged portion ( 5 ) is raised upright on the surface of the main body ( 3 ), the insertion portion ( 7 ) is also raised upright on the back surface of the main body ( 3 ) cooperatively, and when the hinged portion ( 5 ) is laid down on the surface of the main body ( 3 ), the insertion portion ( 7 ) is also laid down on the back surface of the main body ( 3 ) cooperatively, so that a housing section used for housing the insertion portion ( 7 ) is formed on the back surface of the main body ( 3 ); thus, the insertion portion ( 7 ) is made virtually flush with the back surface of the main body, with the hinged portion ( 5 ) and the insertion ( 7 ) portion being laid down. The objective of the present invention is to provide a golf ball marker that can be visually recognized easily even from a distant location when it is placed on the green face and used, and is superior in portability.

Claims (49)

1. A golf ball marker formed by die casting, comprising:

a pivotal member that includes a plate-shaped hinged portion, a shaft piercing portion formed along one side face of the hinged portion, and a pin-shaped insertion portion formed in a manner so as to stick out downward from a side face of the shaft piercing portion, the pivotal member being pivotable around an axial line of the shaft piercing portion; and

a main body that allows the shaft piercing portion to be fitted thereto and the pivotal member to penetrate so as to be shaft-engaged thereto via a shaft extending through the shaft piercing portion and the main body, wherein

when the hinged portion is raised upright on a front surface of the main body by the pivotal movement of the pivotal member, the insertion portion is also raised upright on a back surface of the main body cooperatively,

when the hinged portion is laid down on the front surface of the main body by the pivotal movement of the pivotal member, the insertion portion is also laid down on the back surface of the main body cooperatively,

a housing section for housing the insertion portion is formed on the back surface of the main body,

in a state in which the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down, the insertion portion is made either substantially flush with the back surface of the main body or housed in the back surface of the main body,

wherein a step portion having a shape corresponding to the shape of the hinged portion is formed on the front surface of the main body, and in the state in which the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down, the hinged portion is made substantially flush with the surface of the main body, and

wherein a magnetic member is embedded in the hinged portion, a suction face is formed in the step portion, a magnet being embedded on the back side of the suction face, and the hinged portion and the insertion portion are allowed to be kept in the laid-down state by having the magnetic member and the magnet attract each other with the suction face interposed therebetween.

2. The golf ball marker according to claim 1 , used together with a clip having a suction plate made from a magnetic material and a hook capable of clipping clothes, wherein

the golf ball marker is allowed to be held on the clip by having the magnet embedded in the back surface of the suction face and the suction plate attract each other.

3. A golf ball marker comprising:

a pivotal member that includes a plate-shaped hinged portion, a shaft piercing portion formed along one side face of the hinged portion, and a pin-shaped insertion portion formed in a manner so as to stick out downward from a side face of the shaft piercing portion, the pivotal member being pivotable around an axial line of the shaft piercing portion; and

a main body that allows the shaft piercing portion to be fitted thereto and the pivotal member to penetrate so as to be shaft-engaged thereto via a shaft extending through the shaft piercing portion and the main body, wherein

when the hinged portion is raised upright on a front surface of the main body by the pivotal movement of the pivotal member, the insertion portion is also raised upright on a back surface of the main body cooperatively,

when the hinged portion is laid down on the front surface of the main body by the pivotal movement of the pivotal member, the insertion portion is also laid down on the back surface of the main body cooperatively,

a housing section for housing the insertion portion is formed on the back surface of the main body, and

in a state in which the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down, the insertion portion is made either substantially flush with the back surface of the main body or housed in the back surface of the main body, the ball marker being formed in a disc shape when the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down.

4. The golf ball marker according to claim 3 , formed by die casting, wherein

a magnetic member is embedded in the hinged portion,

a suction face is formed in the step portion, a magnet being embedded on the back side of the suction face, and

the hinged portion and the insertion portion are allowed to be kept in the laid-down state by having the magnetic member and the magnet attract each other with the suction face interposed therebetween.

5. The golf ball marker according to claim 4 , used together with a clip having a suction plate made from a magnetic material and a hook capable of clipping clothes, wherein

the golf ball marker is allowed to be held on the clip by having the magnet embedded in the back surface of the suction face and the suction plate attract each other.

6. The golf ball marker according to claim 3 , wherein

a step portion having a shape corresponding to the shape of the hinged portion is formed on the front surface of the main body;

a back surface of the step portion is configured as a part of the back surface of the main body; and

in the state in which the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down, the hinged portion touches the stepped portion.

7. The golf ball marker according to claim 4 , used together with a clip having a suction plate and a hook capable of clipping clothes, wherein

the golf ball marker is allowed to be held on the clip by having the back surface of the main body and the suction plate attract each other.

8. A golf ball marker comprising:

a pivotal member that includes a plate-shaped hinged portion, a shaft piercing portion formed along one side face of the hinged portion, and a pin-shaped insertion portion formed in a manner so as to stick out downward from a side face of the shaft piercing portion, the pivotal member being pivotable around an axial line of the shaft piercing portion; and

a main body that allows the shaft piercing portion to be fitted thereto and the pivotal member to penetrate so as to be shaft-engaged thereto via a shaft extending through the shaft piercing portion and the main body, the main body including a step portion having a shape corresponding to the shape of the hinged portion is formed on the front surface of the main body, the step portion having substantially the same plane area as the hinged portion, the step portion being formed at a position apart from the front surface of the main body downward by a length corresponding substantially to the thickness of the hinged portion, wherein

when the hinged portion is raised upright on a front surface of the main body by the pivotal movement of the pivotal member, the insertion portion is also raised upright on a back surface of the main body cooperatively,

when the hinged portion is laid down on the front surface of the main body by the pivotal movement of the pivotal member, the insertion portion is also laid down on the back surface of the main body cooperatively,

a housing section for housing the insertion portion is formed on the back surface of the main body, and

in a state in which the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down, the insertion portion is made substantially flush with the back surface of the main body.

9. The golf ball marker according to claim 8 , formed by die casting, wherein

a magnetic member is embedded in the hinged portion,

a suction face is formed in the step portion, a magnet being embedded on the back side of the suction face, and

the hinged portion and the insertion portion are allowed to be kept in the laid-down state by having the magnetic member and the magnet attract each other with the suction face interposed therebetween.

10. The golf ball marker according to claim 9 , used together with a clip having a suction plate made from a magnetic material and a hook capable of clipping clothes, wherein

the golf ball marker is allowed to be held on the clip by having the magnet embedded in the back surface of the suction face and the suction plate attract each other.

11. The golf ball marker according to claim 8 , wherein

a step portion having a shape corresponding to the shape of the hinged portion is formed on the front surface of the main body;

a back surface of the step portion is configured as a part of the back surface of the main body; and

in the state in which the hinged portion and the insertion portion are laid down, the hinged portion touches the stepped portion.

12. The golf ball marker according to claim 8 , used together with a clip having a suction plate and a hook capable of clipping clothes, wherein

the golf ball marker is allowed to be held on the clip by having the back surface of the main body and the suction plate attract each other.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2012
From: DUNLOP SPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD.
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 028933/0751 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 30, 2012
From: SRI SPORTS LTD.
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 028885/0333 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2006
From: KURODA, AKIO
To: SRI SPORTS LTD.; DUNLOP SPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD.
Reel/Frame 017721/0690 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-120528 · Apr 19, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060234813A1 · Oct 19, 2006