Appeal 2006-2550
Application 10/750,710
Appellants invented a golf tee. Independent claims 1 and 43 are
representative of Appellants’ claimed invention and read as follows:
1. A golf tee, comprising:
an elongate shaft having opposed upper and
lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted
into an underlying surface; and
a support cup that is configured to support a
golf ball from beneath, the support cup merging
with the shaft, the support cup having a base
portion having a concave upper surface and further
including at least three arcuate support prongs
projecting upwardly from the base portion, the
support prongs defining a discontinuous annulus
about the periphery of the support cup; wherein the
base portion upper surface has a radius of
curvature of less than 0.6 inch, such that a golf ball
resting on the support prongs does not contact the
base portion upper surface.
43. A golf tee, comprising:
an elongate shaft having opposed upper and
lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted
into an underlying surface; and
a support cup that is configured to support a
golf ball from beneath, the support cup merging
with the shaft, the support cup having a base
portion and further including at least three arcuate
support prongs projecting upwardly from the base
portion, each of the support prongs having a
convex contact surface and being of a secant
length such that the total contact area between the
contact surfaces and a golf ball resting on the
contact surfaces is between about 0.0036 and
0.0045 in2.
2
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