Golf putting floor vent

Abstract

A golf putting practice device adapted to serve as a substitute for a floor vent that fits into a floor duct of a forced air circulation system of a building and includes a ball receiving enclosure and at least one flat support plate member extended outwardly from the ball receiving enclosure. The front wall of the ball receiving enclosure includes a notched portion that provides a golf ball open access to the enclosure when the device is installed into a floor duct. A plurality of apertures are formed in the support plate member to allow for air flow through the plate. A floor air vent cover includes a centrally located closed bottom depression the size of a golf putting cup for receiving and retaining a putted golf ball. The opposite ends of the cover contain air passage openings having tapered sides for directing the air flow away from said depression. The present invention discloses an apparatus for golf putting practice wherein the present invention is an insert having at least one regulation size golf hole disposed therein wherein the insert is complementarily sized and shaped to be inserted into the outlet opening of a conventional heating and ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) system as might occur in the floor of a home or office building replacing a standard vent register. The insert is sized to be removably secured internal of the HVAC outlet so that it can be easily inserted and removed therefrom.

1 . A golf putting practice device  10  adapted to serve as a substitute for a floor vent that fits into a floor duct of a forced air circulation system of a building, said device  10  comprising:
 (a) a substantially flat, rectangular top surface plate  12 , sized to fit over the opening of a floor air vent and having a thin ramp outer edge  26  between 5° to 15° to provide a gradual transition from the floor to the top surface  26  for a golf ball  18  extending around the perimeter of the top surface  12  of;   (b) a cylindrical depression  14  having a circumference generally matching a golf cup on a golf course with a generally closed bottom end  16  to retain the golf ball  18  therein and a top opening  18   a  generally flush with the rectangular top surface  12  and centrally located therein;   (c) a plurality of predetermined openings  28  run across and through the top surface  12  surrounding the golf cup  14  to permit air to flow through the top surface  12  of the practice device  10 ; and   (d) a plurality of support side walls or legs  30  extending generally vertically downward and inset a predetermined distance from the perimeter of the bottom of the top surface  12  to fit inside the vent opening with a snug fit, said vertical legs  30  connect together to form a generally rectangular frame corresponding to the opening of a floor vent to secure the golf practice device within the floor vent.   
   
   
       2 . The golf putting practice device of  claim 1 , wherein the support plate  12  with the inset support walls corresponding to the floor vent opening overlaps outwardly from the floor vent opening to suspend the golf cup in a generally vertical position for receiving a putted golf ball  18  therein during use of the device  10 , said overlap forming a peripheral flange that rests upon the floor surrounding the circumference of a floor duct opening. 
   
   
       3 . The golf putting device of  claim 1 , wherein said support plate  12  and the location of the golf cup  14  places the golf cup  14  generally centered in the floor vent opening. 
   
   
       4 . A golf putting practice device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said golf ball cup  14  and support plate  12  are sized according to the size of a floor duct vent opening into which said device  10  fits. 
   
   
       5 . A golf putting practice device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plate  12  and the open top  18   a  of said ball cup  14  lie in the same plane. 
   
   
       6 . A golf putting practice device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said cylindrical depression  14  is of a generally cup shaped configuration corresponding to a regulation golf cup on a golf course. 
   
   
       7 . A golf putting practice device adapted to serve as a substitute for a floor vent that fits into a floor duct of a forced air circulation system of a building, said device comprising:
 (a) a ball receiving means having a front and rear wall, opposing sidewalls, a closed bottom and a substantially open top;   (b) at least one flat support plate member extended perpendicularly from an upper portion of at least one opposing sidewall, said plate member having a plurality of apertures for the passage of air therethrough; and   (c) said front wall of the ball receiving means having an upper notched portion that provides a golf ball open access to said ball receiving means when the device is installed into a floor duct.   
   
   
       8 . A golf putting device as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said closed bottom of the ball receiving means has at least one aperture for the passage of air therethrough. 
   
   
       9 . A golf practice floor air vent cover, comprising: a substantially flat top surface including a centrally located with respect to the top surface and closed bottom depression for receiving and retaining a golf ball, said depression being sized substantially the same size as a green hole on a golf course, said top surface defining a plurality of openings therethrough permitting air to flow through the top surface, said openings having tapered inwardly slope surfaces and being outside the area of said depression so as to leave an uninterrupted path for a golf ball to travel from the outer edge of said top surface to said depression and to direct the air flow away from said depression, said top surface having downwardly projecting support surfaces corresponding to the opening of the floor vent to secure the golf practice cover. 
   
   
       10 . A golf floor air vent cover as recited in  claim 9 , and further comprising vertical legs projecting downward from said tops surface, said vertical legs being sized to fit a floor vent opening with a snug fit. 
   
   
       11 . A golf floor air vent cover as recited in  claim 9 , and further comprising a rim extending outwardly from said top surface, said rim being inclined downward from said top surface at an angle of less than 15 degrees so as to provide a gradual transition onto the vent cover from the floor for the golf ball into the. 
   
   
       12 . A golf floor vent air vent cover as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said rim forms a frame around said top surface and defines the outer edge of the vent cover; and wherein said depression for receiving a golf ball is located approximately in the center of said top surface; and wherein said openings through the top surface are located so as to provide an unobstructed path from the outer edge of said vent cover top surface to said depression on at least one side of said vent cover top surface. 
   
   
       13 . A golf floor air vent cover as recited in  claim 12  including at least one outer edge or rim that forms a generally straight line edge. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for golf putting practice that will enable a golfer to practice putting in a home or office which is mounted in place of a standard floor mounted heater and ventilation air conditioning register in a heater and ventilation air conditioning system outlet for said home or office; the apparatus including: a rectangular shaped upper surface that is larger than the dimensions of said heater and ventilation air conditioning outlet; a lower wall which extends far enough below said upper surface and inset from the perimeter of said rectangular upper surface a distance that enables insertion of said lower wall into said outlet of the heater and ventilation air conditioning system and supports a bottom of a golf cup; an irregular shaped opening in said upper surface forming a simulated hazard wherein said irregular shaped opening is smaller than the distance between opposing sides of said lower wall; a plurality of stationary vanes running beneath said irregularly shaped opening with said stationary vanes attached perpendicularly to opposing sides of said lower walls transverse to the long axis of said rectangular shaped upper surface; a United States Golf Association regulation sized golf cup suspended beneath a matching diameter opening in said upper surface, disposed adjacent to said simulated hazard and centered between said opposing lower walls along the long axis of said upper surface, which is formed by two cup walls of said golf cup extending from the under side of said upper surface to said bottom of the golf cup and extending on a matching radius between the intersections of said opposing lower walls and the matching radius of said cup walls of said golf cup, supporting said bottom of golf cup with either side of said bottom of golf cup truncated at the cord created by the intersection of the diameter of said bottom of golf cup and said opposing lower walls, with said bottom of the golf cup having a plurality of apertures which enable air flow from said heater and ventilation air conditioning system through said bottom of golf cup. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said apparatus is formed as an integral molded piece from a standard injection grade thermoplastic material which is green in color and said upper surface is textured, simulating a closely sheared grass surface. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said apparatus is formed as a stamped and drawn sheet metal part with said upper surface coated in such a manner as to simulate a putting green surface. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 14  including: a pin with a flag mounted to a top section of the pin; a pin and flag mounting boss on said upper surface, disposed between said golf cup and said simulated hazard in the area between the perimeter of said upper surface and the lower wall, extending up from said upper surface a sufficient height to enable inserting said pin and flag.