Divot Repair Tool

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/734,750, filed on Jun. 5, 2024, and currently pending; the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The invention relates a divot repair tool that provides improved manipulation to twist the ground around a divot mark to close the hole inward toward the center of the divot and includes a prong portion with prongs configured vertically along a prong axis that is substantially orthogonal to the plane of the handle with the top prong longer which allows for an economically easier angle to promote the repair of bail marks that improves the playing conditions of the green.

Divot repair tools are used to repair divot marks on a golf green and usually include two prongs that extend from a handle. The prongs typically extend horizontally out from the handle wherein an axis between the prongs is parallel with or even in alignment with the plane of the handle. The prongs are inserted into the ground around a divot and then the handle is pressed downward toward the ground to lift the ground to lift the divot. This does not cover the divot with fresh grass but rather just lifts the divot and leaves a dirt spot on the green. Some people will resort to flipping existing tools to insert the prongs vertically and then move the entire divot tool inward toward the center of the divot in an attempt to push fresh ground and grass into the divot area. This is not ergonomic and difficult to close up the mark requiring increased hand pressure especially for some with arthritic hands.

An exemplary divot repair tool has a handle that extends along a plane and a prong portion having a first prong and second prong configured along a prong axis that is substantially orthogonal to the handle, or plane of the handle. This configuration enables easier manipulation of the divot repair tool to twist the ground around the divot inwards to close the divot hole with the thumb comfortably sitting at the twist point of the tool requiring less wrist and arm motions. The vertical prongs enable better repair of the divot. An exemplary divot repair tool is made of a monolith, made from a single piece of material, such as a molded material or sheet of planar material that is cut and further manipulated to create the divot repair tool as described herein. A piece of metal may be stamped to form the general planar shape of the divot repair tool and then this stamped piece may be twisted to configure the prong axis substantially orthogonal from the handle plane and thereby form the twisted portion between the prong portion and handle.

An exemplary divot repair tool has a handle and a prong portion including a pair of prongs with a twisted portion therebetween. The twisted portion is a twisted extension of the handle.

The length of the divot repair tool along the length axis from the handle end to the end of the tool may be about 50 mm or more, about 65 mm or more, about 75 mm or more, about 100 mm or less and any range between and including the length values provided. The overall length of the divot repair tool along the length axis may be 3.7 inches or about 94 mm. The handle has a length from the handle end to the tool end of the handle as measured along the length axis of the handle. This length may be about 40 mm or more, about 50 mm or more, about 65 mm or more, about 75 mm or less and any range between and including the length values provided. The length of the handle along the length axis may be 2.2 inches or about 56 mm. The handle has a width that extends from the first edge to the second edge along the width axis. The handle width may be about 10 mm or more, about 15 mm or more, about 20 mm or more, about 25 mm or more and any range between and including the width values provided. The length of the handle may be twice the width, or three times the width or even about four times the width of the handle and any range between and including the ratios provided. These ratios of length to width may be important for hand manipulation of the divot repair tool. The handle has a rounded handle end for comfort in the hand when using the divot repair tool. The handle has a thickness from a first surface to a second surface and this thickness may be uniform across the handle. The thickness may be about 1 mm or more, about 2 mm or more, about 2.5 mm or more, about 3 mm or more and any range between and including the thickness values provided. Again, the divot repair tool may be made out of a single piece or planar material that is stamped or otherwise cut and then twisted to form the divot repair tool.

The twisted portion is an extension from the handle that is twisted, wherein the first edge changes in orientation from the handle to the outer edge of the second prong and the second edge changes in orientation from the handle to the outer edge of the first prong. The first prong and second prong extend along a prong plane that is substantially orthogonal to the handle plane.

The first prong is longer than the second prong to reduce the force required for insertion into a ground surface. The length of the prongs is from the connected end, or most distal edge of the prong connector, to the extended end, and may be about 15 mm or more, about 20 mm or more, about 25 mm or more, about 30 mm or more, about 40 mm or more and any range between and including the length values provided. Also, the extended ends of the first prong and second prong have a prong axis that extends therethrough that is substantially orthogonal to the plane of the handle or width axis of the handle. The handle plane is defined by the planar surface of the first surface and second opposing surface that extend parallel wherein the handle is planar having a thickness from the first surface to the second surface. The divot repair tool has a twisted portion that couples the prong portion to the handle.

The prongs are also planar, each having a first surface and second surface that are parallel. The plane of the first prong and second prong are substantially orthogonal to the plane of the handle. The first prong has a length that is greater than the length of the second prong. There is a prong offset distance between the first prong extended end and the second prong extended end. This enables easier insertion into a ground surface as described herein. The extended ends of the prongs extend at an end-angle to aid in the insertion of the prong into the ground.

The first prong has a first edge along the outer portion of the prong and a second edge proximal to the second prong or along an inner edge of the first prong. The first prong has a thickness from a first surface to a second surface. The first prong has a length from a connected end to the extended end. The extended ends of the first and second prongs extend at an end-angle to produce a pointed surface or edge at the extended end for facilitating ground insertion. As described herein, the end-angle is an angle from orthogonal to the length axis or width axis of the handle. Note that the extended end-angles extend inward toward the handle and towards the opposing prong, wherein the extended end-angle of the first prong extends from the first edge back toward the handle end, and wherein the extended end-angle of the second prong extends from the first edge back toward the handle end.

The second prong has a first edge along the outer portion of the prong and a second edge proximal to the first prong or along an inner edge of the first prong. The second prong has a thickness from a first surface to a second surface. The second prong has a length from a connected end to the extended end. The extended end extends at an angle to produce a pointed surface at the extended end for facilitating ground insertion.

The first twisted portion extends from the handle to the first prong and the second twisted portion extends from the handle to the second prong. The two twisted portions twist from the width axis or the handle to the prong axis hat extends between the first prong and second prong. The prong axis may be substantially orthogonal to the width axis wherein the prong offset angle between the width axis of the handle and the prong axis along the first prong is between 75 degrees and 105 degrees

The summary of the invention is provided as a general introduction to some of the embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to be limiting. Additional example embodiments including variations and alternative configurations of the invention are provided herein.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Some of the figures may not show all of the features and components of the invention for ease of illustration, but it is to be understood that where possible, features and components from one figure may be an included in the other figures. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components.

Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to, the divot repair tool has a handleand a prong portionincluding a pair of prongs extending from a twisted portionbetween the handle and the prongs. The twisted portionis a twisted extension of the handle. The first prongis longer than the second prongand both extend along a prong axisthat is substantially orthogonal to the planeof the handle or width axisof the handle. A prong gap distancebetween the first prongand second prongis shown inand is the distance between the most proximal edges of the prongs. The handle planeis defined by the planar surface of the first surfaceand second opposing surfacethat extend parallel wherein the handle is planar having a thickness(shown in) from the first surfaceto the second surface. The divot repair tool has a twisted portionthat couples the prong portionto the handle.

The prongs are also planar, each having a first surface and second surface that are parallel. The plane of the first prongand second prongare substantially orthogonal to the plane of the handle. The first pronghas a lengththat is greater than the lengthof the second prong. There is a prong offset distancebetween the first prong extended endand the second prong extended end. This enables easier insertion into a ground surface as described herein. The extended ends of the prongs extend at an end-angle to aid in the insertion of the prong into the ground.

The handle has a lengthfrom the handle endto the tool endas measured along the length axisof the handle. The tool end is the end of the plane of the planar handle and the beginning of the twisted portion. The handle has a widththat extends from the first edgeto the second edgealong the width axis. The handle has a rounded handle endfor comfort in the hand when using the divot repair tool. The handle has a thicknessfrom a first surfaceto a second surfaceand this thickness may be uniform across the handle.

The twisted portionis a planar extension from the handle that is twisted, wherein the first edgechanges in orientation from the handle to the outer edge of the second prong and the second edgechanges in orientation from the handle to the outer edge of the first prong. The first prongand second prongextend along a prong plane that is substantially orthogonal to the handle plane, as best shown in. The twisted portion includes the prong connector, the portion of the divot repair toolbetween the prongs and the planar handle, which includes a curved edge between the two prongs. The length of a prong is measured from this curved edge of the prong connector to the extended end of the respective prong.

The first prong has a first edgealong the outer portion of the prong and a second edgeproximal to the second prongor along an inner edge of the first prong. The first prong has a thicknessfrom a first surfaceto a second surface. The first pronghas a lengthfrom a connected endto the extended end. A width of the first prong may about the same as the thickness of the prong. The extended ends of the first and second prongs extend at an end-angle,respectively, to produce a pointed surface or edge at the extended end for facilitating ground insertion. As described herein, the end-angle is an angle from orthogonal to the length axisor width axisof the handle, as shown in. Note that the extended end-angles extend inward toward the handle and towards the opposing prong, wherein the extended end-angleof the first prongextends from the first edgeback toward the handle end, and wherein the extended end-angleof the second prongextends from the first edgeback toward the handle end.

The second prong has a first edgealong the outer portion of the prong and a second edgeproximal to the first prongor along an inner edge of the first prong. The second prong has a thicknessfrom a first surfaceto a second surface. The second pronghas a lengthfrom a connected endto the extended end. A width of the second prong may about the same as the thickness of the prong. The extended end extends at an angle to produce a pointed surface at the extended end for facilitating ground insertion.

Referring now to, the first twisted portionextends from the handleto the first prongand the second twisted portionextends from the handle to the second prong. The two twisted portions twist from the width axis or the handleto the prong axisthat extends between the first prongand second prong. The prong axismay be substantially orthogonal to the width axisof the handle, wherein the prong offset anglebetween the width axisof the handle and the prong axis along the first prongis between 75 degrees and 105 degrees.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.