Patent application title: APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING AN INVERTED, TRUNCATED PYRAMIDAL SHAPE OF STACKED GOLF BALLS WITHIN A TRAY AND FORMING ON TOP AN UPRIGHT, PYRAMIDAL SHAPE OF STACKED GOLF BALLS
Inventors:
Gregory Joseph Kelly (Duluth, GA, US)
IPC8 Class: AB65D8562FI
USPC Class:
1 1
Class name:
Publication date: 2017-06-22
Patent application number: 20170174415
Abstract:
A tray for stacking golf balls into a truncated, inverted pyramidal shape
and upon which may be stacked on top a regular pyramidal stack of golf
balls that self-supports to retain its shape. The tray includes a base,
four diverging walls and a rim. The walls are between the rim and the
base. The base has a plurality of curved rails that have convex surfaces
within an inward facing side of the tray. The curved rails are separated
from each other in succession by flattened regions. The rim has holes for
securing rope handles. Golf balls may be poured into a hopper on the rim
of the tray to stack the golf balls in the tray first in an inverted
pyramid shape manner and then in a regular pyramid shape manner.Claims:
1. A golf ball stacking tray, comprising: a tray positioned so that a
base of the tray is in a substantially horizontal position, the base
having retention portions and non-retention portions, the tray having a
rim and having diverging walls that diverge from a periphery of the base
to the rim, the rim defining an outer periphery that is wider in
dimension than that of the diverging walls, the retention portions and
the non-retention portions being configured and arranged to retain a base
layer of uniformly-sized golf balls in position with respect to each
other over the retention portions and between neighboring ones of the
non-retention portions, the tray being formed to stably support, without
tipping over, a stack of uniformly-sized golf balls, inclusive of the
layer of uniformly sized golf balls, that altogether resemble an
inverted, truncated pyramidal shape.
2. The golf ball stacking tray of claim 1, wherein the rim has a plurality of holes, further comprising: two handles that pass through a respective pair of the holes so that holding onto two of the handles together enables the tray to be carried in a stable manner with the tray containing golf balls.
3. The golf ball stacking tray of claim 2, wherein the two handles are each made of rope and are knotted beneath the holes.
4. The golf ball stacking tray of claim 1, wherein the base has a plurality of rails spaced apart from each other by regions, each of the rails having a convexly curved surface that rises to elevations higher than that of the regions with the base in a substantially horizontal orientation, the convexly curved surface of each of the rails being within an inward facing side of the truncated, inverted pyramid shape.
5. In combination, the golf ball stacking tray of claim 1 and a hopper on the rim, the hopper having walls that extend in a converging manner away from the rim of the tray.
6. In combination, the golf ball tray of claim 1 and a stack of golf balls within confines of a space bounded by the base and the diverging walls, the stack of golf balls being stacked to resemble the inverted, truncated pyramidal shape within confines of the space, the base layer of the golf balls defining a plurality of rows of the golf balls in linear relationship with each other for each of the rows.
7. The combination of claim 6, further comprising: a further stack of golf balls that are stacked in a self-supporting manner to resemble an upright, pyramidal stack of golf balls, the further stack being atop the inverted, truncated pyramidal stack and supported in a stable manner by the inverted, truncated pyramidal stack to extend beyond confines of the space bounded by the diverging walls and the base.
8. The combination of claim 5, wherein the base and the diverging walls bound a space, the stack of golf balls being within confines of the space bounded by the base and the diverging walls; and a further stack of golf balls that are stacked in a self-supporting manner to resemble an upright, pyramidal stack of golf balls, the further stack being atop the inverted, truncated pyramidal stack and supported in a stable manner by the inverted, truncated pyramidal stack to extend beyond confines of the space bounded by the diverging walls and the base and being within confines of the hopper.
9. A method of stacking golf balls, comprising: positioning a tray so that a base of the tray is in a substantially horizontal position, the base having retention portions and non-retention portions, the tray having a rim and having diverging walls that diverge from a periphery of the base to the rim, the rim defining an outer periphery that is wider in dimension than that of the diverging walls; retaining a base layer of uniformly-sized golf balls in position with respect to each other over the retention portions and between neighboring ones of the non-retention portions; stably supporting, without tipping over, a stack of the uniformly-sized golf balls, inclusive of the base layer, to resemble an inverted, truncated pyramidal shape.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: passing two handles through a respective pair of holes in the rim so that holding onto two of the handles together enables the tray to be carried in a stable manner with the tray containing golf balls.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: knotting the two handles beneath the holes, the two handles being made of rope.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising stacking golf balls within confines of a space bounded by the base and the diverging walls to form the stack of the golf balls.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the base has a plurality of rails spaced apart from each other by regions, each of the rails having a convexly curved surface that rises to elevations higher than that of the regions with the base in a substantially horizontal orientation, the convexly curved surface of each of the rails being within an inward facing side of the truncated, inverted pyramid shape;
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising; placing a hopper on the rim, the hopper having walls that extend in a converging manner away from the rim of the tray; and pouring the golf balls into the hopper to stack the golf balls to resemble the inverted, truncated pyramidal shape within confines of the space and to also resemble an upright, pyramidal shape atop the inverted, truncated pyramidal shape that is supported in a stable manner by the inverted, truncated pyramidal stack and extends beyond confines of the space to be within confines of the hopper and that is self-supporting to retain the upright, pyramidal shape.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the hopper from the rim of the tray with the golf balls remaining stacked to resemble the inverted, truncated pyramidal shape within the confines of the space and to resemble the upright, pyramidal shape beyond the confines of the space in a manner that remains self-supporting to retain the upright, pyramidal shape.
16. In combination, a device that supports stacks of golf balls, comprising: a tray having a base, a rim and diverging walls that diverge from the base to the rim, the base having recessed portions and non-retention portions; a bottom stack of golf balls that resemble an inverted, truncated pyramidal shape within confines of the tray, the bottom stack including a base layer of uniformly-sized golf balls retained in position with respect to each other over the recessed portions and between neighboring ones of the non-retention portions; and a top stack of uniformly-sized golf balls atop the bottom stack, the top stack of uniformly-sized golf balls resembling an upright pyramidal shape and self-supporting on the bottom stack.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a tray for stacking golf balls, and more particularly pertains to a tray for stacking golf balls in an inverted, truncated pyramidal fashion within confines of the tray and stacking further golf balls on top in an upright, pyramidal fashion beyond the confines of the tray.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0004] It is generally desirable at golf practice areas, such as driving ranges, to provide golfers with large supplies of golf balls for use during a practice session. In an effort to provide a tray for stacking and dispensing golf balls, which allows the balls to be stacked for ease in dispensing by a golfer, the present inventor devised an invention in the form of a tray pursuant to U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,138 B1, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference, that provides for ease of dispensing of all stacked balls and is portable by the average golfer or golf facility employee. The tray is for stacking and dispensing golf balls that will not deteriorate or become damaged as the result of repeated forceful contact with golf balls with the tray. The present inventor also devised U.S. Pat. No. D470,702 S directed to a golf ball stacking tray portion. Conventionally, golf balls are of uniform size.
[0005] Further, the present inventor is the inventor of U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,982 B2, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference. That patent describes a hopper having two pyramidal shells, wherein each of the two pyramidal shells is truncated and has a respective open substantially rectangular rim defining a respective open base of a different dimension than that of the other. The two pyramidal shells are joined together where each is truncated so as to converge together and define a funnel opening between the shells.
[0006] One of the shells is configured to form a self-supporting stack of uniformly-sized golf balls arranged in a plural number of layers atop each other as a stacking tray closes the open base of this first shell and the golf balls are poured through the other, second, shell, to fill the first shell. The second shell is configured to form a further self-supporting stack of golf balls arranged in a different plural number of layers stop each other as a further stacking tray closes the open base of this shell and the golf balls are poured through the first shell to fill the second shell.
[0007] The golf ball stacking and dispensing apparatus may be able to provide a regular pyramidal stack of balls of as many as 204 in number. At a rate of three balls per minute, a full stack of balls using a stacking tray thus will support a practice session of approximately 70 minutes. Additionally, the preferred maximum pyramidal stack of balls provided by the apparatus--eight balls in height--is sufficiently short so that an average golfer can dispense balls therefrom without discomfort or other unease.
[0008] By contrast, repeated dropping of golf balls onto a stacking tray having sharply angled interior edges, whether rectilinear or beveled or otherwise shaped, eventually will result in damage either to the edges, or to the balls, if the rails are not strong enough to withstand repeated impact of the balls on them. As a consequence, the rails will become pitted and otherwise misshapen, and the base layer of golf balls will not be sufficiently organized to support a pyramidal stack. Indeed, once the edges are sufficiently pitted, damaged or otherwise misshapen, a pyramidal stack will no longer be able to be supported by the stacking tray, once the hopper is removed.
[0009] In addition to damage to and eventual ruin of the sharply angled stacking tray for its intended purpose, repeated dropping of golf balls onto the sharply angled edges of the rails eventually will result in damage to the balls, themselves. That is especially true where the edged rails are made from sufficiently durable, impervious material, such as concrete, to withstand repeated impact by dropped balls. In such case, the balls themselves, whose covers have been shown by common experience to be subject to damage by contact with the edge of a golf club, will be damaged and eventually rendered useless by repeated dropping onto the rigid, sharply angled edges of the rails.
[0010] The rims of the open bases of the hopper may be of the same dimension and each used with a tray of different dimension. Thus, with respect to a first pyramidal shell, one tray is arranged external for golf ball stacking so that the first pyramidal shell sits on the tray and thus is without confines of the first pyramidal shell when closing the open base of the first pyramidal shell. With respect to the second pyramidal shell, the other tray is arranged internal for golf ball stacking so as to be within confines of the second pyramidal shell when closing the open base of the second pyramidal shell.
[0011] If desired, the hopper may have just one pyramidal shell, with perhaps an opposite pyramidal shell for purposes of pouring in golf balls. Two different sized trays may be used on the one pyramidal shell for forming two different size pyramid stacks of golf balls. The smaller of the trays is inserted within the confines of the pyramidal shell so that its underside is coplanar with a rim of the open base of the pyramidal shell. The golf balls are poured through the truncated opening of the pyramidal shell to form the stack. After removing the hopper, the hopper may then be placed to sit atop the larger tray, which closes the open base but remains outside the confines of the hopper. Additional golf balls are poured through the truncated opening to form an additional pyramidal stack of the additional golf balls.
[0012] With the inventions of U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,138 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,982 B2, a method is provided of forming different size pyramidal stacks of golf balls. According to this method, golf balls are poured through a second pyramidal shell of a hopper to fill a first pyramidal shell having an open base that is closed by a stacking tray, thereby forming a self-supporting pyramidal stack of uniformly-sized golf balls of a plural number of layers. The second and first pyramidal shells are truncated and joined together at the truncations to form a funnel opening between the shells. After the pyramidal stack of balls is formed, the hopper is removed from the stacking tray, leaving the self-supporting pyramidal stack of balls alone on the stacking tray. Further golf balls are poured through the first pyramidal shell, which has a differently dimensioned open base that is closed by a further stacking tray, to form a further self-supporting pyramidal stack of golf balls of a further plural number of layers that is different that the first-mentioned plural number of layers, the stacking tray and the further stacking tray being of different dimensions. After the further stack is formed, the hopper is removed from the further stacking tray, leaving the further self-supporting pyramidal stack of golf balls alone on the further stacking tray.
[0013] The present inventor also has patents directed to forming a pyramid stack of golf balls by inverting a pyramidal shaped stacking device. Those patents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,832 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,312.
[0014] Therefore, while pouring in golf balls into the hopper of U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,982 B2 onto the tray of U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,138 B1 results in the upright stacking of golf balls, while pouring golf balls into the pyramidal stacking device of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,551,832 and 5,695,312 results in an inverted pyramidal stack of golf balls, the present invention combines features of both stacking approaches in the form of a novel golf ball stacking tray and method of stacking.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The method of stacking golf balls in accordance with the invention forms a stack of golf balls resembling an inverted, truncated pyramid and forms on top a further stack of golf balls resembling an upright pyramid that is self-supporting on top. A tray is used to support both stacks, although only the stack resembling the inverted, truncated pyramid is within confines of the tray. The tray has a base, diverging walls and a rim. The diverging walls diverge from the base to the rim so that the rim forms an outer periphery that is wider in dimension than the diverging walls. The base has recessed portions and non-recessed portions that together stably retain golf balls of a base layer of golf balls in position relative to each other. By adding rope handles secured to the rim, the tray may be carried with both golf balls stacks in a stable manner to they do not topple over.
[0016] The recessed and non-recessed portions may define raised rails arranged parallel to each with each rail having a convex surface or may define instead a plurality of individual sockets neighboring each other and arranged in linear relation to each other to form parallel lines of sockets or may holes that individually retain golf balls. The recessed portions may be considered retention portions in the sense that the golf balls are to be retain over them and the neighboring structure of the base may be considered non-retention regions. For instance, if a non-retention region is a rail having a convex curvature, the convex curvature tends to urge the golf balls that land upon the rails to roll off the convex curvature toward the recessed portions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings, while the scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims.
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a top isometric view of the golf ball stacking tray of the present invention with rope handles for carrying the tray;
[0019] FIGS. 2 and 3 show top and bottom views of the tray of FIG. 1, respectively, but without the rope handles;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the tray of FIG. 1, but without the rope handles, in position underneath a hopper of U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,982 B2;
[0021] FIG. 5 shows the tray of FIG. 1, without the rope handles, in which are golf balls stacked in a pyramidal shape; and
[0022] FIG. 6 shows an isometric of a mold used in the manufacture of the rectangular central region of the tray of FIG. 1 to form the convexly curved rails.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Turning to FIGS. 1-5, the golf ball stacking tray 10 of the present invention comprises diverging sidewalls 12 that extend upwardly from a base 14. The base 14 has recessed and non-recessed portions such as a plurality of curved raised rails 16 (non-recessed portions) that are convexly curved from the interior facing side of the tray 10 and concavely curved from the exterior facing side of the tray 10 and arranged in a substantially parallel manner with respect to each other.
[0024] The curved rails 16 (non-recessed portions) are separated from each other in succession by associated flattened regions 18 (recessed portions) between a pair opposite ones of the diverging sidewalls 12. As an alternative to rails, individual socket recesses may be used with each socket holding one golf ball and with the sockets arranged in linear relation to each other. A further alternative would be to provide individual holes for the golf balls to individually be set into the base 14, in which case the base 14 might be sufficiently thick to accommodate the balls being retained in the holes.
[0025] The tray 10 has a topside rim 20 that is substantially flat and extends outward from the diverging sidewalls 12. A pair of rope handles 22 each extend from two respective corners of the topside rim 20 by passing through holes 24 in the corners and are tied into a knot 26 beneath the holes 24 so that the knot is wider than the holes 24. While the drawings show a four-sided truncated pyramid shape for the tray 10, a three-sided truncated pyramid shape instead may be used.
[0026] The width of each flattened region 18 is sufficient to permit a golf ball to rest between neighboring ones of the rails 16. In addition, the upper facing surfaces of each of the rails 16 is convexly curved, thereby preventing the dropped balls from resting thereon and thus assuring that the dropped balls will rest over the flattened regions between neighboring ones of the rails 16.
[0027] Each of the opposing sidewalls 12 that diverge upwardly is adjacent to neighboring ones of the rails 16 to permit the golf balls stack to widen in successively as the tray is filled upwardly to form an inverted pyramid shape to the rim 20. Above the rim, the golf balls may continue to stack by following the form of the hopper 30 of FIG. 4 so as to form the pyramidal stack shape of FIG. 5.
[0028] That is, the hopper 30 is identical to that of U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,982 B2. One pours golf balls into the mouth opening at the top of the hopper 30 and the golf balls tumble into position, first along the rails of the tray 10 to form an inverted, truncated pyramidal shape within confines of a space bounded by the base 14 and the diverging walls 12 and then to form within confines of the converging walls of the hopper 30 (that converge from the rim 20 of the tray 10) a further stack of golf balls that resemble an upright, regular pyramidal shape to sit atop the stack of golf balls forming the inverted, truncated pyramid. By removing the hopper 30, the golf balls remain stacked and revealed as shown in FIG. 5.
[0029] As described, the golf ball stacking tray 10 of the present invention is able to support a truncated, inverted pyramid stack of golf balls and, on top of the inverted pyramid stack, an upright, regular, pyramid stack 40 of golf balls that is self-supporting to retain its pyramidal shape. Although the stack of golf balls within the confines of the tray 10 cannot be seen in FIG. 5 due to the opaqueness of the diverging walls 12, one can envision that there are golf balls stacked within the confines of the tray 10 on the basis of the regular pyramid stack 40 that is shown stacked on top. The present inventor has found that the tray 10 may be dimensioned to hold 178 golf balls within confines of the tray 10 and that by adding golf balls stacked on top in the manner of the regular pyramid shape 40, a 315 golf ball pyramid may then be stacked on top. If desired other size inverted and regular stacked pyramids may be realized by changing the dimensions of the tray 10 and the hopper 30 accordingly.
[0030] The stacking tray of the present invention may be made of any durable, lightweight substance, such as plastic or polymers, and may be formed by a conventional plastic molding technique that uses the mold 50 of FIG. 6. For instance, Stacker, Inc. of Georgia uses such a conventional plastic molding technique to manufacture trays and hoppers for stacking golf balls.
[0031] The use of convex curvature on the rails 16 combined with the diverging sidewalls 12 further promotes the durability of the stacking tray 10, as well as of the golf balls stacked thereon. Repeated dropping of golf balls onto the stacking tray 10 of the present invention (to form the base layer of balls for the inverted pyramidal stack) will not result in damage either to the tray 10 itself, or to the balls.
[0032] As the stacking tray must be able to be used repeatedly to be cost-effective, damage to the tray itself and/or to the balls stacked thereon severely compromises the useful life of any stacking tray having sharply angled edges.
[0033] Although not shown, one can appreciate that the double stacks of golf balls of FIG. 5 (one stack is within confines of a space bounded by the base and the diverging walls of the tray to resemble an inverted, truncated pyramidal shape while the other sits atop to resemble an upright, regular, pyramidal shape) may be stably carried by one holding onto the rope handles of the tray of FIG. 1.
[0034] Stacker, Inc., of Duluth, Ga. manufactures pyramidal-shaped golf ball forms and trays from plastic by using a conventional thermoforming process and equipment to shape, heat and stretch plastic sheets accordingly, such as in accordance with the pyramid shapes shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,695,312 and 5,551,832. Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product. The plastic sheet is heated in an oven to a high-enough temperature that permits it to be stretched into or onto a mold, vacuumed to remove air, and cooled to a finished shape. the equipment may be a small tabletop or lab size machine used to heat small cut sections of plastic sheet and stretch it over a mold and using vacuum.
[0035] In accordance with the conventional thermoforming process, the tray of FIGS. 1-5 are formed by first cutting plastic, which is purchased commercially in sheets, to the size of the mold. The cut plastic is then put in a frame, heated, stretched over the mold, and a vacuum from a conventional thermoforming machine sucks the air out, pulling the plastic to conform the heated, stretched plastic to the shape of the mold surface (such as the exterior). The plastic is then allowed to cool to form the desired finished shape, after which the cooled plastic finished product is removed from the mold. In accordance with the invention, the mold used is a truncated pyramid shape with formations on the truncated part as shown in the mold 50 of FIG. 6.
[0036] Instead of using a thermoforming process, other types of processing plastic techniques may be used, such as injection molding, blow molding, or rotational molding. However, the mold used would look different that that of FIG. 6 to produce the same finished product. Further, such other types of processing plastic techniques require more extensive tooling, injection molding and some kind of rotary molding where the liquid plastic is put in the mold and the mold is spun so the centrifugal force works the plastic in to the desired shape.
[0037] While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as may fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
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