Apparatus for assisting putting practice

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus (100) for assisting putting practise configured for indoor golf. The apparatus features a box comprising a base (107), front wall (109), rear wall (111), first side wall (113), second side wall (114), a top putting surface (115) a hole (120) similar to a real golf green hole, and a collector (122) with an outlet (123) located below the hole. An opening (111a) is provided between the putting surface and the rear wall. Balls (20) either fall through the hole (120) and collector (122), or those which miss the hole (120) fall through the opening (111a). Thereafter, they fall on the first slope (125), travel down it to a second slope (128) to an exit opening (131), and enter a rotator (135,135B) with compartments (137,137B). Rotating the rotator (135,135B) aligns a ball (20) in a compartment with a cut-out (132), returning the ball to the putting surface (115). This portable apparatus (100) enables continuous putting practise with an automatic ball return system, replicating an authentic golf green experience indoors.

1 . An apparatus for assisting putting practise, said apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
 a box having a base ( 107 ), a front wall ( 109 ), a rear wall ( 111 ), a first side wall ( 113 ), a second side wall ( 114 ), and a top surface configured as a putting surface ( 115 );   a hole ( 120 ) disposed on the putting surface ( 115 );   a collector ( 122 ) disposed beneath the hole ( 120 ), the collector ( 122 ) having an outlet ( 123 );   a first slope ( 125 ) disposed within the box operatively below the putting surface ( 115 ), extending from the rear wall ( 111 ) and inclined downwards towards the front wall ( 109 );   a second slope ( 128 ) disposed adjacent to the first slope ( 125 ), inclined downwards towards the second side wall ( 114 );   an exit opening ( 131 ) disposed on the second side wall ( 114 ) adjacent to the second slope ( 128 );   a cut-out ( 132 ) disposed on the second side wall ( 114 ), axially aligned parallel with the exit opening ( 131 );   a rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) disposed on the second side wall ( 114 ), the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) having a plurality of compartments ( 137 ,  137 B) arranged circumferentially, configured to receive a golf ball ( 20 ) from the exit opening ( 131 ) and dispense the golf ball ( 20 ) through the cut-out ( 132 ) onto the putting surface ( 115 ) upon rotation;   a shaft ( 139 ) extending from the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B);   a compression spring ( 141 ) disposed on the shaft ( 139 );   indexing washers ( 142 ,  142 B 1 ,  142 B 2 ) configured to facilitate rotation of the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) by a predefined angle;   a plurality of screw jacks ( 145 ) attached to the box for leveling the putting surface ( 115 ); and   and optionally a spirit level configured to indicate when the putting surface ( 115 ) is level.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the putting surface ( 115 ) is covered with artificial grass made of wool felt. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising an opening ( 111   a ) at a rear edge of the putting surface ( 115 ), configured to capture a golf ball ( 20 ) that misses the hole ( 120 ). 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the collector ( 122 ) has a bottom inclined towards the outlet ( 123 ) to ensure the golf ball ( 20 ) rolls out. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the first slope ( 125 ) is inclined at an angle ranging from 1.5° to 2.3°. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the second slope ( 128 ) is inclined at an angle ranging from 3.5° to 6°. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) includes compartments selected from a group of compartments consisting of six compartments ( 137 ) and eight compartments ( 137 B), and the predefined angle of rotation is 60° and 45°. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each compartment ( 137 ,  137 B) of the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) is inclined at 5° to the horizontal axis to facilitate ball movement. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dais ( 150 ) adjacent to the front wall ( 109 ) for a user to stand on while practicing. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear wall ( 111 ), the first side wall ( 113 ), and the second side wall ( 114 ) extend beyond the putting surface ( 115 ) and are raised for preventing golf balls ( 20 ) from leaving the putting surface ( 115 ). 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising an extrusion ( 124 ) fitted to the collector ( 122 ) to guide the golf ball ( 20 ) which falls on the first slope ( 125 ) through the opening ( 111   a ) around the collector ( 122 ). 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the box is made of plywood, and the first slope ( 125 ) and the second slope ( 128 ) are made of corrugated plastic sheeting material. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pedal ( 152 ) operatively connected to the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B), configured to rotate the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) when pressed. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising an internal wall ( 130 ) disposed at the end of the first slope ( 125 ) to stop the golf ball ( 20 ) quietly. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the exit opening ( 131 ) is provided with a collar ( 147 ) to prevent the golf ball ( 20 ) from jamming on the second slope ( 128 ). 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the cut-out ( 132 ) is provided with a half-collar ( 148 ) to assist the golf ball ( 20 ) in compartment ( 137 ,  137 B) of the rotator to smoothly fall on the putting surface ( 115 ). 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the collector ( 122 ) is configured such that the golf ball ( 20 ) falling into the hole ( 120 ) makes a sound similar to that of a golf ball falling into a real golf hole. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) is configured to line multiple golf balls ( 20 ) and dispense them one at a time upon rotation. 
     
     
         19 . A method ( 200 ) for assisting putting practise, said method ( 200 ) comprising:
 providing an apparatus ( 100 ) having a box with a base ( 107 ), a front wall ( 109 ), a rear wall ( 111 ), a first side wall ( 113 ), a second side wall ( 114 ), and a putting top surface configured as a putting surface ( 115 );   leveling the putting surface ( 115 ) using a plurality of screw jacks ( 145 ) attached to the box and optionally confirming the levelness with a spirit level;   putting a golf ball ( 20 ) on the putting surface ( 115 ) towards a hole ( 120 ) disposed on the putting surface ( 115 );   capturing a golf ball ( 20 ) going through the hole ( 120 ) in a collector ( 122 ) disposed beneath the hole ( 120 ); if the golf ball ( 20 ) enters the hole ( 120 ), the collector ( 122 ) has an outlet ( 123 );   directing the golf ball ( 20 ) from the collector ( 122 ) through the outlet ( 123 ) onto a first slope ( 125 ) disposed within the box, the first slope ( 125 ) extending from the rear wall ( 111 ) and inclined downwards towards the front wall ( 109 );   alternatively, capturing a golf ball ( 20 ) that misses the hole ( 120 ) through an opening ( 111   a ) at a rear edge of the putting surface ( 115 ) if the golf ball ( 20 ) misses the hole ( 120 ), and directing the golf ball ( 20 ) onto the first slope ( 125 );   allowing the golf ball ( 20 ) to roll down the first slope ( 125 ) due to its downward inclination;   receiving the golf ball ( 20 ) from the first slope ( 125 ) onto a second slope ( 128 ) disposed adjacent to the first slope ( 125 ), the second slope ( 128 ) being inclined downwards towards the second side wall ( 114 );   allowing the golf ball ( 20 ) to roll down the second slope ( 128 ) towards an exit opening ( 131 ) disposed on the second side wall ( 114 ) adjacent to the second slope ( 128 );   passing the golf ball ( 20 ) through the exit opening ( 131 ) into a compartment ( 137 ,  137 B) of a rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) disposed on the second side wall ( 114 ), the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) having a plurality of compartments ( 137 ,  137 B) arranged circumferentially;   rotating the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B) by a predefined angle using a shaft ( 139 ) extending from the rotator ( 135 ,  135 B), a compression spring ( 141 ) disposed on the shaft ( 139 ), and indexing washers ( 142 ,  142 B 1 ,  142 B 2 ) configured to facilitate the indexing rotation;   aligning the compartment ( 137 ,  137 B) containing the golf ball ( 20 ) with a cut-out ( 132 ) disposed on the second side wall ( 114 ); The cut-out ( 132 ) being axially aligned parallelly with the exit opening ( 131 ), a bottom compartment abutting the exit opening ( 131 ) is aligned with a top compartment, which is rotated to abut the cut-out ( 132 ); and   dispensing the golf ball ( 20 ) from the compartment ( 137 ,  137 B) through the cut-out ( 132 ) onto the putting surface ( 115 ).