PORTABLE GOLF BALL HOLDER

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable golf ball holder, which is convenient for golf players to carry balls with them for use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In golf, players sometimes lose a ball by hitting it into a pool or a forest. For this reason, players have to carry golf balls with them. In general, players carry golf balls in their pockets. However, the pocket bulging with balls may cause discomfort in the movement of the player and affect the performance. For the sport of golf, there is a need to develop a specialized ball holder for golfers to carry golf balls with them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a portable golf ball holder, comprising a ball holder and a clip.

The ball holder includes a flexible frame. The frame has a front end, an opposing rear end, and two sides. The frame includes at least one ball-holding unit. The ball-holding unit has an entrance at the front end of the frame. The entrance has a width less than the diameter of a golf ball. The frame has a circular hole at the inner edge of the entrance. The circular hole runs through the two sides of the frame. The diameter of the circular hole is less than the diameter of the golf ball. The frame further has a pair of expandable frame arms tangent to the entrance. The wall of the circular hole at the inner edges of the pair of frame arms matches the curved surface of the golf ball to form a curved recess for accommodating the golf ball.

The clip is disposed on the rear end of the frame of the ball holder and has a clip body. The upper end of the clip body has a bent portion connected to the frame to form a clip groove with an opening facing downward.

When the golf ball is forced into the pair of frame arms from the entrance of the ball-holding unit of the ball holder, the elasticity of the pair of frame arms enables the entrance to recover automatically after being expanded, so that the golf ball is accommodated in the frame through the curved recess. When at least one of the ball-holding units of the ball holder holds a golf ball, a golfer can carry the golf ball for use during sports by simply attaching the clip body of the clip to the waistband/or belt. When the golf ball is forced to move toward the front end of the frame, the pair of frame arms will be expanded to open the entrance, such that the player may grab the golf ball from both sides of the frame to move the golf ball toward the front end, that is, the golf ball is taken out from the curved recess of the frame arms for use. The overall structure enhances the convenience for golfers to carry golf balls with them for use.

Preferably, the bent portion at the upper end of the clip body of the clip is integrally connected to a base formed on the rear end of the frame of the ball holder. The lower end of the clip body is close to the base, so that the opening is gradually reduced toward the clip groove. When the opening of the clip groove is opened by the clip body, the deformation elasticity of the bent portion enables the opening of the clip groove to recover. When the clip body is attached to the waistband/belt of the player, the recovery ability of the opening enables the clip body to have a positioning effect on the clip.

Preferably, a connecting portion is provided on the rear end of the frame of the ball holder. The bent portion of the clip is connected to a base plate. One side of the base plate has at least one coupling portion corresponding to the connecting portion. The connecting portion of the frame and the coupling portion on the base plate of the clip have a male buckle and a female buckle groove to match with each other. The male buckle and the female buckle groove are engaged with each other, so that the clip is connected to the rear end of the frame of the ball holder. The male buckle is detachably connected to the female buckle groove, so that the ball holder can be selectively assembled with different clips. Alternatively, one side of the base plate of the clip has a plurality of coupling portions each configured for connection of the ball holder, such that golfers can carry more golf balls for use.

Preferably, at the inner edges of the pair of frame arms, the recessed depth of the curved recess is greater than the diameter of the circular hole by 2 to 4 mm. The curved recess with a sufficient recessed depth is able to accommodate part of the surface of the golf ball, so that it is not easy for the golf ball to disengage from the frame arms via the two sides of the frame.

Preferably, the width of the entrance is less than the diameter of the circular hole by 2 to 4 mm. When the golf ball is placed into the pair of frame arms from the entrance, the entrance will not be expanded excessively, so the pair of frame arms can maintain good resilience. The pair of frame arms have chamfers corresponding in position to the entrance. The golf ball is guided by the chamfers to be placed into the pair of frame arms, such that it is easier for the golf ball to be placed into the pair of frame arms.

Preferably, two trays are formed on the pair of frame arms at two sides of the entrance, so as to increase the width of the frame. The inner edges of the two trays follow the curved recess and have concave surfaces corresponding to the spherical surfaces of two symmetrical vertices of the golf ball. The concave surfaces of the two trays hold the spherical surfaces of the two symmetrical vertices of the golf ball, so that the frame arms can hold the golf ball stably.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the present invention, illustrating that a golf ball is to be placed in the ball-holding unit;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the present invention when in use, wherein the clip is attached to the player's waistband;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the present invention, illustrating another implementation of the clip disposed on the rear end of the frame;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the present invention, illustrating a further implementation of the clip disposed on the rear end of the frame; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the present invention discloses a portable golf ball holder 10, comprising a ball holder 20 and a clip 30.

The ball holder 20 includes a flexible frame 21. The frame 21 may be made of a plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel material. The frame 21 has a front end 210, an opposing rear end 211, and two sides 212. The frame 21 includes at least one ball-holding unit 22. There are two ball-holding units 22 in this embodiment. Each ball-holding unit 22 has an entrance 23 at the front end 210 of the frame 21. The entrance 23 has a width H less than the diameter D of a golf ball 1. The frame 21 has a circular hole 24 at the inner edge of the entrance 23. The circular hole 24 runs through the two sides 212. The diameter D of the circular hole 24 is less than the diameter D of the golf ball 1. The frame 21 further has a pair of expandable frame arms 25A, 25B tangent to the entrance 23. The wall of the circular hole 24 at the inner edges of the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B matches the curved surface of the golf ball 1 to form a curved recess 26 for accommodating the golf ball 1.

The clip 30 is disposed on the rear end 211 of the frame 21 of the ball holder 20 and has a clip body 31. The upper end of the clip body 31 has a bent portion 32 connected to the frame 21 to form a clip groove 34 with an opening 33 facing downward.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, when the golf ball 1 is forced into the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B from the entrance 23 of the ball-holding unit 22 of the ball holder 20, the elasticity of the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B enables the entrance 23 to recover automatically after being expanded, so that the golf ball 1 is accommodated in the frame 21 through the curved recess 26. When at least one of the ball-holding units 22 of the ball holder 20 holds a golf ball 1, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a golfer can carry the golf ball 1 for use during sports by simply attaching the clip body 31 of the clip 30 to the waistband/or belt 40. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, when the golf ball 1 is forced to move toward the front end 210 of the frame 21, the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B will be expanded to open the entrance 23, such that the player may grab the golf ball 1 from both sides 212 of the frame 21 to move the golf ball 1 toward the front end 210, that is, the golf ball 1 is taken out from the curved recess 26 of the frame arms 25A, 25B for use. The overall structure enhances the convenience for golfers to carry golf balls with them for use.

According to the above embodiment, preferably, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the bent portion 32 at the upper end of the clip body 31 of the clip 30 is integrally connected to a base 231 formed on the rear end 211 of the frame 21 of the ball holder 20. The base 231 may be integrally formed with the rear end 211 of the frame 21 by plastic injection molding. The lower end of the clip body 31 is close to the base 213, so that the opening 33 is gradually reduced toward the clip groove 34. When the opening 33 of the clip groove 34 is opened by the clip body 31, the deformation elasticity of the bent portion 32 enables the opening 33 of the clip groove 34 to recover. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, when the clip body 31 is attached to the waistband/belt 40 of the player, the recovery ability of the opening 33 enables the clip body 31 to have a positioning effect on the clip.

According to the above embodiment, preferably, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a connecting portion 27 is provided on the rear end 211 of the frame 21A of the ball holder 20A. The bent portion 32A of the clip 30A is connected to a base plate 35. One side of the base plate 35 has at least one coupling portion 36 corresponding to the connecting portion 27. The connecting portion 27 of the frame 21A and the coupling portion 36 on the base plate 35 of the clip 30A have a male buckle 270 and a female buckle groove 360 to match with each other. The male buckle 270 is formed on the connecting portion 27 and the female buckle groove 360 is formed on the coupling portion 36, but not limited thereto. Alternatively, the female buckle groove 360 is formed on the connecting portion 27, and the male buckle 270 is formed on the coupling portion 36. The male buckle 270 has a T-shaped, omega-shaped, or dovetailed cross-section. The female buckle groove 360 has a T-shaped, omega-shaped, or dovetailed cross-section. The male buckle 270 and the female buckle groove 360 are engaged with each other, so that the clip 30A is connected to the rear end of the frame 21A of the ball holder 20A. The male buckle 270 is detachably connected to the female buckle groove 360, so that the ball holder 20A can be selectively assembled with different clips 30A. As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, one side of the base plate 35A of the clip 30 B has a plurality of coupling portions 36A each configured for connection of the ball holder A, such that golfers can carry more golf balls for use.

According to the above embodiment, the present invention may be implemented, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, to prevent the golf ball 1 from getting out from the two sides 212 of the frame 21. The ball-holding unit 22 in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 9 is unchanged, so no further explanation will be given. At the inner edges of the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B, D₂ (equivalent to the diameter of the golf ball) of the curved recess 26 is greater than the diameter of the circular hole 24 by 2 to 4 mm. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the curved recess 26 with a sufficient recessed depth is able to accommodate part of the surface of the golf ball 1, so that it is not easy for the golf ball 1 to disengage from the frame arms 25A, 25B via the two sides 212 of the frame 21.

According to the above embodiment, the present invention may be implemented, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, to make the frame arms 25A, 25B less susceptible to elastic fatigue. The ball-holding unit 22 in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 9 is the same as the ball-holding unit 22 of FIGS. 1 to 3, so no further explanation will be given. The width H of the entrance 23 is less than the diameter D₁ of the circular hole 24 by 2 to 4 mm. As shown in FIG. 4, when the golf ball 1 is placed into the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B from the entrance 23, the entrance 23 will not be expanded excessively, so the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B can maintain good resilience. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B have chamfers 250, 251 corresponding in position to the entrance 23. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the golf ball 1 is guided by the chamfers 250, 251 to be placed into the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B, such that it is easier for the golf ball 1 to be placed into the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B.

According to the above embodiment, the present invention may be implemented, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, to increase the stability of the ball-holding unit 22 for holding the ball. The ball-holding unit 22 in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 9 is the same as the ball-holding unit 22 of FIGS. 1 to 3, so no further explanation will be given. Two trays 28A, 28B are formed on the pair of frame arms 25A, 25B at two sides of the entrance 23, so as to increase the width of the frame 21. The inner edges of the two trays 28A, 28B follow the curved recess 26 and have concave surfaces 280A, 280B corresponding to the spherical surfaces of two symmetrical vertices of the golf ball 1. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the concave surfaces 280A, 280B of the two trays 28A, 28B hold the spherical surface of the two symmetrical vertices of the golf ball 1, so that the frame arms 25A, 25B can hold the golf ball 1 stably.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.