Golf tee dispenser and method for storing and dispensing a golf tee

Abstract

A method and device to store and dispense golf tees. A stylized housing that incorporates unique design features to maintain a plurality of golf tees in a stacked arrangement for optimized storage. A novel dispenser is affixed to the housing that works with gravity to present golf tees to the golfer on a one-at-a-time basis. As a golf tee is removed, another rotates into the presentation orientation.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A golf tee dispenser comprising at least a housing with an internal cavity configured to store at least one golf tee, said dispenser comprising:
 a housing open end,   a housing internal cavity forming a gap;   a dispensing outlet set around at least a portion of said open end; the dispensing outlet comprising a central slot in communication with the internal cavity; said internal cavity comprising a slot with a pair of internal faces, each of said pair of internal faces comprising at least one depression extending at least partially into the internal cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the pair of internal faces each comprise complementary stabilizing bars. 
     
     
         3 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the pair of internal faces each further comprise complementary rounded intrusions. 
     
     
         4 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises a lanyard, wherein one end of the lanyard is mechanically coupled with the housing at a point adjacent to the closed end of the internal cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 4  wherein the lanyard is coupled with the housing such that when the housing is suspended by the lanyard, the open end of the internal cavity is generally perpendicular to the lanyard. 
     
     
         6 . A golf tee dispenser comprising at least a housing and a dispensing outlet,
 the housing comprising at least an internal cavity, the internal cavity being configured to store at least one golf tee, further the internal cavity being bounded by an upper housing surface, a lower housing surface, a left-side housing surface, a right-side housing surface, a housing closed end and a housing open end, an internal cavity width being the distance between the left-side housing surface and the right-side housing surface, the internal cavity width being at least the length of a golf tee, the internal cavity further configured whereby a gap being established between at least a portion of the upper housing surface and at least a portion of the lower housing surface, the gap extending at least a portion of the distance from the housing open end of the internal cavity to the housing closed end of the internal cavity, the gap being at least the diameter of the stem of a golf tee,   the dispensing outlet comprising at least an internal face and an external face, a dispensing face thickness being thereby defined as the distance between the internal face and the external face, the dispensing outlet being configured to removably mount to the housing whereby the internal face being adjacent to the open end of the internal cavity of the housing, the dispensing outlet further comprising a central slot, the central slot being defined by a slot height and a slot width, the central slot connectively coupling the internal cavity of the housing with the external face of the dispensing outlet, the slot height being at least the height of the gap, the slot width being at least the internal cavity width.   
     
     
         7 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 6  wherein the housing is configured to resemble a firearm magazine. 
     
     
         8 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 6  wherein the dispensing outlet further comprising a provision to prevent a golf tee from being inadvertently dispensed. 
     
     
         9 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 6  wherein the dispensing outlet being composed of an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of golf tees arranged in alternating-single-stack orientation. 
     
     
         11 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 6  wherein the housing further comprises a lanyard, wherein one end of the lanyard is mechanically coupled with the housing at a point adjacent to the closed end of the internal cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The golf tee dispenser of  claim 11  wherein the lanyard is coupled with the housing such that when the housing is suspended by the lanyard, the external face of the dispensing outlet is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis of the lanyard. 
     
     
         13 . A method for storing and dispensing a plurality of golf tees, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing one or more golf tees in a golf tee dispenser having an internal cavity with a dispensing outlet attached at an open end, whereby the internal cavity is bound by one or more intrusions to form a gap to allow a single tee to pass at a time;   dropping a single tee small end through the dispensing outlet while capturing the single tee large end with a lip of the dispensing outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of pulling the single tee downwards to remove the single tee from the dispensing outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  whereby said step of pulling causes a second tee to drop with a small end out of the dispensing outlet, and a large end of the second tee captured by a lip of the dispensing outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  whereby the single tee large end is captured at one side of the dispensing outlet, and the second tee large end is captured at an opposing side of the dispensing outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of removing the dispensing outlet from the housing; inserting at least one golf tee into the open end of the internal cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of further inserting a second golf tee into the open end by alternating the placement of a large end of the golf tee relative to the at least one golf tee inserted creating an alternating-single-stack arrangement of stored golf tees. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of affixing the dispensing outlet onto the housing, thereby enclosing the at least one golf tee and second golf tee within the internal cavity of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of suspending the housing with dispensing outlet by a housing closed end opposed to the open end; and utilizing gravity to dispense a golf tee, by compelling a lowermost stored golf tee to rotate through a central slot of the dispensing outlet, and suspending the golf tee by the large end with a stem and small diameter end of the golf tee being externally accessible. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of removing the suspended lowermost golf tee; and repeating the dispensing and removing steps until the plurality of golf tees has been exhausted.