Dallas Wayne Birkhofer

US Patent:

20030106634, Jun 12, 2003

Filed:

Dec 11, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/014982

Inventors:

Jeffrey Adkins - Council Bluffs IA, US
Dallas Birkhofer - Council Bluffs IA, US
Calvin Krohn - Council Bluffs IA, US
Milton Schneider - Omaha NE, US

International Classification:

B32B031/00

US Classification:

156/215000

Abstract:

An ordinary golf ball is cleaned and then treated with an emulsion depositing in the dimples a hologram having the capacity to reflect a pre-selected wavelength of laser-beam. If a player temporarily looses such ball, a hand-held unit directs an infra-red laser beam of said pre-selected wavelength, desirably one not absorbed by atmospheric moisture, such as 1310 nm. Said hand-held unit contains an analyzer evaluating the light reflected back to such analyzer and attributable to such laser beam of said pre-selected wave-length. By evaluating the intensity of such reflected light, the golfer can target the location of the temporarily lost ball. Upon approaching the lost ball the angle at which the unit would be held would be modified for focusing on the lost ball. Earphones, meters, or other diagnostic equipment can monitor the intensity of the light reflected back from such laser beam. Such hand held analyzer of reflected light involves an investment which is small enough that a golf club can include the rental of such a unit as a part of the rental for a golf cart. Preliminary estimates indicated that any country club failing to utilize the present invention will encounter greater losses from lost balls than those practicing the present invention, because the cost of periodically regenerating the hologram for a ball represents such a small fraction of the cost of a replacement ball