Golf simulator
DC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A golf simulator comprising:
- a flooring system having a tee area adjacent a green area, a green-side area adjacent said green area, and a ball feed system adjacent said flooring system;
said ball feed system comprising a ball direction system, a plurality of multidirectional feeding tubes and a plurality of ball lifting mechanisms;
wherein each of said bail lilting mechanism includes a housing, said housing comprising a ball entrance depending from said feeding tubes, a vertically hollowed area within said housing accepting balls onto a tee, said tee containing a ball-hit detector;
wherein said ball lifting mechanism includes a linkage having first and second ends, said first end slidably connected to said tee, said linkage also being pivotably connected to said housing;
said linkage being spring biased whereby a second end of said linkage is normally positioned lower than a first end of said linkage thereby positioning said tee at said ball exit;
wherein said ball lifting mechanism includes an actuator pivotably connected to said second end of said linkage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A golf simulator has a flooring system comprising a tee area, a green area, a green-side area and a ball feed system adjacent the flooring system. From measurements taken when the ball is hit, the computer control system computes the next shot position of the ball after it is hit and the corresponding location on the flooring system. A ball feed system collects the ball into a ball feed chute and moves the ball toward a return gutter. When the ball contacts a gutter sensor, the sensor signals a gutter door to open, corresponding to a feed tube. The ball is sent down the return gutter and drops, at the position where the gutter door opened, into a feeding tube and a ball lifting mechanism positions a ball at the appropriate location on the flooring system. This process continues until a player finishes the hole. Accordingly, a player need not touch the golf ball, except when under penalty, more similar to an actual round of golf.
144 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A golf simulator comprising:
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a flooring system having a tee area adjacent a green area, a green-side area adjacent said green area, and a ball feed system adjacent said flooring system;
said ball feed system comprising a ball direction system, a plurality of multidirectional feeding tubes and a plurality of ball lifting mechanisms;
wherein each of said bail lilting mechanism includes a housing, said housing comprising a ball entrance depending from said feeding tubes, a vertically hollowed area within said housing accepting balls onto a tee, said tee containing a ball-hit detector;
wherein said ball lifting mechanism includes a linkage having first and second ends, said first end slidably connected to said tee, said linkage also being pivotably connected to said housing;
said linkage being spring biased whereby a second end of said linkage is normally positioned lower than a first end of said linkage thereby positioning said tee at said ball exit;
wherein said ball lifting mechanism includes an actuator pivotably connected to said second end of said linkage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
a guide rod having first and second ends depending from a solenoid, said first end slidably connected to a solenoid, said second end having a spring seat; and
,a spring disposed between said spring seat and a slidable connection to said second end of said linkage.
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20. A ball feed system comprising:
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a ball return chute substantially adjacent a flooring system, a return gutter adjacent said flooring system and connected to said ball return chute;
a plurality of ball direction systems in communication with said return gutter for directing a golf ball into a feed tube;
wherein said ball direction system includes a plurality of return gutter doors hingeably attached to said return gutter, a door actuator slidably attached to said return gutter door, a ball pusher, substantially beneath said actuator, a ball sensor substantially beneath said return gutter door, and a ball feed tube depending from each of said plurality of ball direction systems;
wherein said door actuator is selected from the group consisting of a pneumatic air cylinder and a solenoid. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A golf simulation comprising the steps of:
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a. hitting a golf shot from a tee;
b. detecting said golf shot hit from a tee;
b. computing the distance and direction of said golf shot;
c. computing a next golf shot position based on said golf shot;
d. translating said next golf shot position to a grid system;
e. determining if computed said next golf shot position is located at a putting hole location; and
f. positioning a golf ball at a location within said grid system corresponding to computed said next golf shot.
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeGolf Simulator LLC
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Original AssigneePar Action Golfd, Inc.
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InventorsPlayforth, Charles W., Kaiser, James R., Pfeiffer, John C., Chamberlain, Stephen B.
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Primary Examiner(s)Martin-Wallace, Valencia
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Assistant Examiner(s)CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
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Application NumberUS09/766,294Publication NumberTime in Patent Office914 DaysField of Search473/132, 473/131, 473/134, 473/135, 473/136, 473/140, 473/151, 473/152, 473/163, 473/166, 473/185, 473/180, 473/182, 473/209, 473/387, 473/168, 473/169, 473/176, 473/133, 473/150-171, 273/317.1, 273/317.2, 273/108, 273/108.1, 273/108.2, 463/1, 463/2, 463/3, 463/49US Class Current473/132CPC Class CodesA63B 2024/0031 at the starting pointA63B 2047/028 pneumatic ball transportA63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminat...A63B 47/025 Installations continuously ...A63B 57/0006 Automatic teeing devices de...A63B 67/02 Special golf games, e.g. mi...A63B 69/36 for golfA63B 69/3658 Means associated with the b...A63B 69/3697 with putting taking place o...
