Golf Tee Extender

Abstract

A golf tee made by over molding process that has a softer upper flexible portion and a stiffer lower spike portion. The upper flexible portion and the lower spike portion are joined together at a joining point where two different stiffness materials can come together. With the over molding process, strong mechanical interlocks may be formed while using two different materials as well as using various mixture of a same material having two different stiffness.

1 . Golf tee comprising:
 an upper flexible portion and a lower spike portion made from over molding process wherein the lower spike portion and the upper flexible portion are made from materials with different stiffness, wherein the upper flexible portion and the lower spike portion are joined together at a joining point.   
     
     
         2 . Golf tee of  claim 1  wherein the upper flexible portion has an interlocking protrusion and the lower spike portion has a corresponding female cavity with an opening such that when the material used for the upper flexible portion is poured over the lower spike portion, a mechanical interlock is formed by the interlocking protrusion accepted by the corresponding female cavity. 
     
     
         3 . Golf tee of  claim 2  wherein the shape of the interlocking protrusion is an elongated finger accepted by the corresponding female cavity, penetrating into a substantial portion the lower spike portion. 
     
     
         4 . Golf tee of  claim 3  wherein the elongated finger has a gripping surface. 
     
     
         5 . Golf tee of  claim 2  wherein the shape of the interlocking protrusion is a long substantially cone-shaped finger accepted by the corresponding female cavity, penetrating into at least a substantial length of the lower spike portion. 
     
     
         6 . Golf tee of  claim 5  wherein the long substantially cone-shaped finger completely penetrates from the joining point, through the length of the lower spike portion, to a tip end of the lower spike portion, such that the material used for the cone-shaped finger is visible near the tip end. 
     
     
         7 . Golf tee of  claim 2  wherein the shape of the interlocking protrusion is a substantially mushroom-shaped finger accepted by the corresponding female cavity, wherein the substantially mushroom-shaped finger has a larger end that is substantially larger than the size of the opening of the female cavity such that the substantially mushroom-shaped finger may not be removed through the opening. 
     
     
         8 . Golf tee of  claim 7  wherein the lower spike portion also has a passage between the opening of the corresponding female cavity and the corresponding female cavity, and wherein the larger end of the mushroom-shaped finger is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the passage such that the substantially mushroom-shaped finger may not pass through the passage. 
     
     
         9 . Golf tee of  claim 3  wherein the length of the upper flexible portion extending beyond a dimple of the tee is less than about 0.15 inch. 
     
     
         10 . Golf tee of  claim 3  wherein the length of the upper flexible portion extending beyond a dimple of the tee is more than about one inch such that the flexible upper portion may be cut to desired length. 
     
     
         11 . Golf tee of  claim 1  wherein the lower spike portion has an interlocking protrusion and the upper flexible portion has a corresponding female cavity with an opening such that when the material used for the upper flexible portion is poured over the lower spike portion, a mechanical interlock is formed by the interlocking protrusion accepted by the corresponding female cavity. 
     
     
         12 . Golf tee of  claim 11  wherein the shape of the interlocking protrusion is an elongated finger accepted by the corresponding female cavity, penetrating into a substantial portion the upper flexible portion. 
     
     
         13 . Golf tee of  claim 12  wherein the elongated finger has a gripping surface. 
     
     
         14 . Golf tee of  claim 11  wherein the shape of the interlocking protrusion is a long substantially cone-shaped finger accepted by the corresponding female cavity, penetrating into at least a substantial length of the upper flexible portion. 
     
     
         15 . Golf tee of  claim 14  wherein the long substantially cone-shaped finger completely penetrates from the joining point, through the length of the upper flexible portion, to about a bottom of the upper flexible portion, such that the material used for the cone-shaped finger is visible near the bottom of the upper flexible portion. 
     
     
         16 . Golf tee of  claim 11  wherein the shape of the interlocking protrusion is a substantially mushroom-shaped finger accepted by the corresponding female cavity, wherein the substantially mushroom-shaped finger has a larger end that is substantially larger than the size of the opening of the female cavity such that the substantially mushroom-shaped finger may not be removed through the opening. 
     
     
         17 . Golf tee of  claim 16  wherein the upper flexible portion also has a passage between the opening of the corresponding female cavity and the corresponding female cavity, and wherein the larger end of the mushroom-shaped finger is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the passage such that the substantially mushroom-shaped finger may not pass through the passage. 
     
     
         18 . Golf tee comprising:
 an upper flexible portion, a middle stem portion, and a lower spike portion made from over molding process wherein the upper flexible portion, the middle stem portion and the lower spike portion are made from materials with different stiffness, wherein the upper flexible portion and the middle stem portion are joined together at a first joining point and the middle stem portion and the lower spike portion are joined together at a second joining point, wherein the upper flexible portion has a first interlocking protrusion and the middle stem portion has a first corresponding female cavity with a first opening such that when the material used for the upper flexible portion is poured over the middle stem portion, a first mechanical interlock is formed by the first interlocking protrusion accepted by the first corresponding female cavity, and wherein the middle stem portion has a second interlocking protrusion and the lower spike portion has a second corresponding female cavity with a second opening such that when the material used for the middle stem portion is poured over the lower spike portion, a second mechanical interlock is formed by the second interlocking protrusion accepted by the second corresponding female cavity.   
     
     
         19 . Golf tee of  claim 18  wherein the first interlocking protrusion and the second interlocking protrusion have gripping surfaces. 
     
     
         20 . Golf tee of  claim 19  wherein the shape of the first interlocking protrusion and the shape of the second interlocking protrusion are substantially different.