Golf Tee Dispenser Deflector and Retainer Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf tee dispensers are often cumbersome and inefficient, as they require multiple openings and agitation to ensure a tee is available, leading to clogging and poor accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A portable golf tee dispenser with a container and cap configuration that uses a deflector to direct a single tee through a resilient retainer opening, preventing clogging and ensuring easy retrieval, while maintaining tees in a vertical orientation and allowing for easy refilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple openings are used in the dispenser, then the probability of a tee being available increases, but the device becomes larger and more cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The single opening is segmented into multiple functional zones: an enlarged opening for tee access, a resilient retainer mechanism for secure holding, and a deflector structure for directional guidance. This segmentation allows one opening to perform the functions that previously required multiple openings.
Solution Approach 2:
A deflector is introduced as an intermediary element between the tee storage area and the opening. The deflector mediates the interaction by directing tees toward the opening while preventing multiple tees from simultaneously accessing it, thus maintaining reliability without requiring multiple openings.
2Ease of operation
If agitation is used to extend a tee through the opening, then a tee becomes available for retrieval, but clogging occurs when multiple tees compete for the opening
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector is positioned to preemptively intercept and redirect tees before they can simultaneously access the opening. By creating preliminary anti-action against the harmful effect of multiple tees competing for the opening, the deflector prevents clogging before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The agitation that causes multiple tees to move toward the opening (which would normally cause clogging) is converted into a benefit by the deflector, which uses this movement to selectively direct single tees through the opening while blocking others, thus preventing clogging.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the container width is reduced to less than tee length, then tees remain in vertical orientation, but the container becomes more compact and may affect tee access
Solution Approach 1:
The opening is enlarged in the horizontal dimension to provide adequate tee access, while the container maintains a compact cross-sectional area. This dimensional differentiation allows the container to be compact overall while the opening provides sufficient access space.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening area is locally enlarged compared to the rest of the container cross-section. This local quality change allows the opening to accommodate tee retrieval while the overall container maintains a compact size that preserves tee vertical orientation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, efficient, and user-friendly method to access a single tee, reducing clogging and ensuring tees remain accessible during use, with the option to refill without disturbing the remaining tees.
Implementation Method 1
The golf tee dispenser utilizes a deflector to deflect some of the tees away from a resilient retainer opening
Implementation Method 2
a resilient retainer opening
Data Source
AI summary
A golf tee dispenser is configured to provide a single tee for retrieval when the golf tee dispenser is agitated. A golf tee dispenser has a deflector to deflect a plurality of tees away from a tee-opening to increase the effectiveness of the tees being extended through the tee opening upon agitation. A golf tee dispenser also has a resilient retainer that is configured to retain a tee by a tee-head until the tee is pulled from the tee dispenser. A resilient retainer is configured to deform or deflect to allow the tee head to pass through the resilient retainer and then return substantially to a pre deformed state. A golf tee dispenser is configured to hold a plurality of tees in a container and a cap is configured to attach to a container opening.