US20060059644A1

US20060059644A1 - Golf ball cleaning pouch

Info

Publication number: US20060059644A1
Application number: US10/949,662
Authority: US
Inventors: Creg Steele
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-23
Filing date: 2004-09-23
Publication date: 2006-03-23

Abstract

A cloth lined carrying pouch in which golf balls are inserted and carried during play. If carried in a golfer's pocket, movement during walking causes golf balls to be cleaned and the dirt to be retained in the interior of a cloth lined pouch. If attached to an object such as a golf bag or golf cart, movement of the object during play helps to remove dirt from the golf balls, and rubbing the golf balls while they are inside the pouch can further clean them.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to golf ball cleaning devices, and more particularly relates to portable golf ball cleaning pocket devices.
2. Background Information
When playing golf, the golf balls become soiled and the golfers typically prefer to clean them before their next stroke. There are numerous prior art devices for cleaning golf balls. The problem with most of the prior art is that these devices are fairly cumbersome and must be carried on a golf bag or cart, or, if the cleaner is hand-carried, they are fairly large and unwieldy. What is needed is a very simple golf ball cleaning device that can be carried by a golfer in his or her pocket. One form of a prior art golf ball cleaning device is for a golfer to simply carry a rag with him/her. The disadvantage of this method is that the rag itself will become soiled and, if placed in the golfer's pocket, will soil the inside of his or her pocket. However, not cleaning the golf balls and putting them in the golfer's pocket will also result in the golfer's pants becoming soiled as well.
What is needed is a golf ball cleaning device that is easily portable in the pocket of a golfer and which effectively cleans golf balls in a simple manner. Whereas other golf ball cleaning devices contain moving parts and mechanical structures, a better golf ball cleaning device would not have moving parts that could break down, would be simple to use, and inexpensive to manufacture.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other advantages are achieved by a golf ball cleaning pouch of the current invention. In its simplest form, the golf ball cleaning pouch of the current invention is a cloth lined pouch that is configured to hold one or more golf balls. The cloth-lined pouch is made up of a front side and a back side and is joined on three sides. The joining of these three sides defines a closable opening on the top edge of the cloth-lined pouch. A closure means for closing the pouch is located along the top edge of the cloth lined pouch. The closure means can be a flap that snaps into place, a flap that attaches by other means such as a hook and loop fastener, a draw string, a flap with a magnetic catch or any other type of snap or other conventional closure mechanisms. The pouch also has a means for attaching to an object, such as the golfer's belt, a part of the golf bag, a golfer's belt loop, or other structures that are convenient for the golfer.
The cleaning pouch is configured for the golfer to insert one or more golf balls into the pouch. The golfer then seals the pouch and attaches it to an object for carrying. This can be attached to the golfer's belt or golf bag. The golf pouch is configured so that movement of the golf balls in a moving object, such as a moving golf cart or the golfer's pocket as he walks, results in the cleaning of the golf ball by the interior of the cloth lined pouch. This also leaves the golfer's pocket unsoiled with the soil contained on the interior of the cloth-lined pouch. The attachment means can be a strap with a hook and loop fastener for attaching the cleaning pouch to an object for transport. The attachment means can also be a strap with a mechanical snap for attaching it to the object for movement.
The golf ball cleaning pouch can also be configured to have a carrying pouch within it. The golf balls would be placed inside the cloth pouch, which would be placed inside the carrying pouch. The carrying pouch would be configured as the cloth lined pouch is in the version described above; that is with a front side, a back side, joined at three sides and a closable opening on the top edge. The cloth pouch could be configured to insert into the carrying pouch or it could be permanently mounted inside the carrying pouch. The carrying pouch and/or the cloth pouch would include a closure means. The carrying pouch includes an attachment means for attaching the pouch to an object for carrying.
The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the golf ball cleaning pouch of the invention with a drawstring.
FIG. 2 shows a version of the cleaning pouch of the invention with a closeable flap.
FIG. 3 shows a version of the invention with a closeable flap and ball markers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
A preferred embodiment of the golf cleaning pouch of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows the golf ball cleaning pouch 10 of the invention, which includes a cloth lined pouch 12, a closeable opening 14, an attachment means 16 and a drawstring 18. The attachment means 16 is provided to secure the golf ball cleaning pouch 10 to the golf club bag, the belt of the golfer, or some other object so that it may be transported from one sight to another. The attachment means 16 can be a hook and loop closing strap as shown, or can use a mechanical snap 26 as shown in FIG. 2.
In addition to having a drawstring 18 with an optional slider, the golf ball cleaning pouch of the invention can have a sealable flap 20, which may be closed by a mechanical snap 22 or by hook and loop closures 24 as shown in FIG. 2.
The preferred material for the golf ball cleaning pouch is a nylon exterior surface with a cloth lining. The cloth lining serves to clean dirt and debris off of a golf ball as it is inside the pouch and being transported from place to place. The cloth also serves to absorb moisture from the surface of the golf ball so that the golf ball emerges from the pouch cleaner drier than when it entered.
FIG. 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the golf ball cleaning pouch 10. This version includes a cloth lined pouch 12, a sealable flap 20, a hook and loop closure region 24, which closes the sealable flap 20, and an area on the pouch that is provided for attachment of ball markers 28. These can be removed and used as ball markers when playing golf, and the golf ball cleaning pouch also serves as a storage place for ball markers used in the game of golf. Similarly, a version of the golf ball cleaning pouch can also include tee pockets 32, which are provided as convenient storage places for golf tees 34. The golf ball cleaning pouch 10 of the invention can also include additional pockets on its surface for holding a pencil to be used in scoring a scoring card, or other small articles that are useful and commonly used in the game of golf.
While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A golf ball cleaning pouch, for use with golf balls comprising:

a cloth lined pouch configured to hold one or more golf balls, with a front side and a back side, joined on three sides, and defining a closeable opening on a top edge;

a closure means for closing said cloth lined pouch; and

an attachment means for attaching said cleaning pouch to an object for carrying said cloth lined pouch;

wherein said cleaning pouch is configured for insertion of one or more golf balls, and, when sealed and attached to an object for carrying, movement of said one or more golf balls in said cloth lined pouch results in the cleaning of said golf ball by said cloth lined pouch.

2. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 1 in which said closure means is a sealable flap that is configured to cover and uncover said opening in said cloth lined pouch.

3. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 2 in which said closure means is sealable by means of a hook and loop closure.

4. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 2 in which said closure means is sealable by means of a mechanical snap.

5. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 2 in which said closure means is sealable by means of a drawstring.

6. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 1 in which said closure means is a hook and loop closure.

7. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 1 in which said attachment means is a strap with a hook and loop fastener, and is used for attaching the cleaning pouch to an object for transport.

8. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 1 in which said attachment means is a mechanical snap, and is used for attaching the cleaning pouch to an object for transport.

9. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 6 in which said pouch extends beyond said closure means to provide gripping edges to facilitate opening said pouch.

10. The golf ball cleaning pouch of claim 9 that includes one or more ball markers for attachment to said gripping edges of said pouch.

11. A golf ball cleaning pouch, for use with golf balls comprising:

a carrying pouch configured to hold one or more golf balls, with a front side and a back side, joined on three sides, and defining a closeable opening on a top edge;

a cloth pouch configured for insertion in said carrying pouch, with an opening corresponding to said closeable opening in said carrying pouch;

a closure means for closing said cloth lined pouch; and