Golf Flagpole Socket Conical Ejection Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf flagstick sleeves damage the hole and require manual intervention to remove the ball, which is cumbersome and can damage the green.
Innovation Solution
A modified sleeve with a slightly enlarged radius (5 mm) that allows the ball to be ejected vertically with minimal effort, using a third contact point positioned between 271° and 310° relative to the ball's vertical axis, facilitating clean extraction without damaging the hole.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a basket is used in the flagstick socket, then multiple balls can be removed at once, but the hole edge is damaged and the ball release is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the basket component entirely from the flagstick socket, extracting only the essential function of ball removal. The conical socket alone is sufficient to guide and eject the ball without the need for a basket, thereby eliminating the damage to the hole edge while maintaining effective ball removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a basket to push the ball out laterally, the patent inverts the approach by using a conical socket to guide the ball vertically out of the hole. The cone shape naturally directs the ball along its axis, reversing the lateral ejection mechanism of the basket and achieving clean ball removal without edge damage.
2Productivity
If the flag is pulled with the ball inside the hole, then the ball can be removed, but the hole and green edge are damaged due to lateral thrust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a conical socket with a curved surface that guides the ball along a vertical path. The spherical ball interacts with the conical surface, which naturally directs the force vertically upward rather than laterally, preventing damage to the green edge while maintaining efficient ball removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the socket geometry by making it conical rather than cylindrical or basket-shaped. This parameter change in the socket's shape fundamentally alters the force distribution, converting lateral thrust into vertical guidance and enabling clean ball ejection without green damage.
3Ease of operation
If a large convex ring basket is used, then the ball releases well, but the hole edge is damaged and two hands are needed for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ball-release function from the complex basket structure and achieves it through the simple conical socket geometry alone. The cone shape provides natural ball guidance and release without requiring the additional basket component, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical socket is designed to automatically guide and eject the ball through its geometric shape alone, without requiring manual intervention or additional components. The ball self-ejects vertically due to the cone's angle and shape, making the system self-servicing and eliminating the need for two-handed operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Sleeve (10) for a golf flagstick (40) comprising: a lower body (11) configured for insertion 5 into a hole (30) of a golf game; and wherein when a ball (20) is inserted into the golf hole (30) with the flag inserted into said hole (30), a first point of contact (c.1) is defined between the ball (20) and the golf flagstick (40); a second point of contact (c.2) between the ball (20) and a conical base (31) of the hole (30); and a third point of contact (c.3) between the ball (20) and the external surface of the upper body (12) of the sleeve (10); characterized in that on the external surface of the upper body (12) of the sleeve (10) the third point of contact (c.3) is configured at any angular position between 271° and 310° with respect to the Cartesian axis (X,Y) of the ball (20).