PORTABLE DEVICE FOR WASHING GOLF BALLS

Abstract

A golf ball cleaning apparatus includes a housing having an internal cavity configured to retain a golf ball and cleaning liquid. The apparatus further includes a water jet system and a power source compartment. The water jet system is in the internal cavity of the housing and includes a pump and a water jet opening through which cleaning liquid is directed to engage a golf ball placed within the housing. The power source compartment is integrated within the housing and configured for housing a power source. The apparatus may further include a pump chamber for housing the pump and a golf ball holder having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface may be in direct contact with the golf ball during cleaning. The water jet opening may extend between the inner surface and the outer surface, and may be in fluid communication with the pump chamber.

Claims

1. A golf ball cleaning apparatus comprising: a housing having an internal cavity configured to retain a golf ball and cleaning liquid; a water jet system in the internal cavity, wherein the water jet system comprises a pump and a water jet opening through which cleaning liquid is directed to engage a golf ball placed within the housing; and a power source compartment integrated within the housing and configured for housing a power source.

2. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bowl positioned within the internal cavity of the housing, wherein the bowl is sized and shaped for holding the golf ball, and wherein the water jet opening extends through the bowl.

3. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a pump chamber for housing the pump; and a golf ball holder having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is configured for being in direct contact with the golf ball during cleaning, wherein the water jet opening extends between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the water jet opening is in fluid communication with the pump chamber.

4. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a bottom housing portion and a top housing portion, wherein the top housing portion is attached to the bottom housing portion in a closed configuration, and wherein the top housing portion is at least partially removed to provide access to the internal cavity when the housing is in an open configuration.

5. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the top housing portion is configured to swivel relative to the bottom housing portion such that the top housing portion swivels away from the bottom housing portion in the open configuration.

6. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water jet system further comprises a filter configured to prevent debris from entering the pump.

7. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the filter is a removable mesh screen adapted for easy maintenance and cleaning.

8. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is sized and shaped to be portable and fit within a cup holder of a vehicle.

9. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of a dishwasher safe material for easy cleaning of the housing.

10. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an activation switch operatively coupled to the power source compartment.

11. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power source compartment is in the top housing portion.

12. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conduit that is sized and shaped for housing wires that extend between the power source compartment and the pump.

13. A golf ball cleaning apparatus comprising: an enclosed housing having a bottom portion, a top portion removably coupled to the bottom portion, and an internal cavity that is sized and shaped for holding a golf ball and cleaning liquid; a golf ball holder positioned in the bottom portion of the housing, wherein the golf ball holder comprises an inner surface having a water jet outlet opening, an outer surface having a water jet inlet opening, and an internal passageway that extends between the water jet inlet opening and the water jet outlet opening; a pump positioned in the bottom portion of the housing; and a power source positioned in the top portion of the housing, wherein the pump is operatively coupled to the power source.

14. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein the pump is configured for directing cleaning fluid through the water jet inlet opening.

15. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a pump chamber for housing the pump, wherein the golf ball holder is positioned between the pump chamber and the top portion of the housing.

16. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein of the golf ball holder further comprises: a debris inlet opening in the inner surface; a debris outlet opening in the the outer surface of the golf ball holder; and an internal debris pathway extending between the debris inlet opening and the debris outlet opening.

17. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an outer chamber surrounding the pump chamber, wherein the outer chamber and the pump chamber are separated by a wall, wherein the debris outlet opening is in fluid communication with the outer chamber.

18. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 16, wherein the inner surface of the golf ball holder is in a shape of a bowl having a bottom surface and a curved sidewall extending upwards from the bottom surface, and wherein the debris inlet opening is adjacent to the bottom surface of the bowl, and wherein the water jet outlet opening is in the curved sidewall of the bowl such that the debris inlet opening is positioned between the bottom surface of the bowl and the water jet outlet opening.

19. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 17, wherein the golf ball holder is positioned atop the wall.

20. The golf ball cleaning apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an activation switch operatively coupled to the power source.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention according to the embodiments. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the particular arrangements illustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary and are not to be considered as limiting of the scope of the invention or the claims herein in any way.

[0015] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a portable golf ball washing device in closed and open configurations, respectively, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B are top views of a bottom housing portion of a portable golf ball washing device with and without a pump positioned therein, respectively, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional cut away views of a bottom housing portion of a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a top view of a bottom housing portion of a portable golf ball washing device with a golf ball holder positioned therein, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 7A is a bottom view of a golf ball holder for use in a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIGS. 7B-7E are cross-sectional and cut away views of a golf ball holder for use in a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 7F is a perspective view of a golf ball holder for use in a portable golf ball washing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention is for a golf ball cleaning apparatus that is easily portable, easy to maintain, and inexpensive to construct. The golf ball cleaning apparatus includes a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, a water pump disposed inside the housing, and a bowl that is sized and shaped for holding a golf ball and that has openings therein for allowing pressurized water to flow through and debris to fall out. A golf ball placed inside the housing is cleaned using a water jet, and therefore does not require a brush to engage with the golf ball.

[0026] One or more different embodiments may be described in the present application. Further, for one or more of the embodiments described herein, numerous alternative arrangements may be described; it should be appreciated that these are presented for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting of the embodiments contained herein or the claims presented herein in any way. One or more of the arrangements may be widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as may be readily apparent from the disclosure. In general, arrangements are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice one or more of the embodiments, and it should be appreciated that other arrangements may be utilized and that structural, logical, software, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. Particular features of one or more of the embodiments described herein may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or figures that form a part of the present disclosure, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific arrangements of one or more of the aspects. It should be appreciated, however, that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they are described.

[0027] The present disclosure is neither a literal description of all arrangements of one or more of the embodiments nor a listing of features of one or more of the embodiments that must be present in all arrangements.

[0028] Headings of sections provided in this patent application and the title of this patent application are for convenience only and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

[0029] Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more communication means or intermediaries, logical or physical.

[0030] A description of an aspect with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. To the contrary, a variety of optional components may be described to illustrate a wide variety of possible embodiments and in order to more fully illustrate one or more embodiments. Similarly, although process steps, method steps, algorithms or the like may be described in a sequential order, such processes, methods and algorithms may generally be configured to work in alternate orders, unless specifically stated to the contrary. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described in this patent application does not, in and of itself, indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of described processes may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to one or more of the embodiments, and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred. Also, steps are generally described once per aspect, but this does not mean they must occur once, or that they may only occur once each time a process, method, or algorithm is carried out or executed. Some steps may be omitted in some embodiments or some occurrences, or some steps may be executed more than once in a given aspect or occurrence.

[0031] When a single device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that more than one device or article may be used in place of a single device or article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that a single device or article may be used in place of the more than one device or article.

[0032] The functionality or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices that are not explicitly described as having such functionality or features. Thus, other embodiments need not include the device itself.

[0033] Techniques and mechanisms described or referenced herein will sometimes be described in singular form for clarity. However, it should be appreciated that particular embodiments may include multiple iterations of a technique or multiple instantiations of a mechanism unless noted otherwise. Process descriptions or blocks in figures should be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of various embodiments in which, for example, functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art.

[0034] The detailed description set forth herein in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.

Apparatus

[0035] A golf ball cleaning apparatus 100 in accordance with one aspect of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C. The apparatus 100 has a housing 101 that is enclosed and configured to retain a golf ball and cleaning liquid inside the housing 101 during a cleaning procedure. The housing 101 has a generally cylindrical shape and is sized and shaped to fit in a standard cup holder in a golf cart or other vehicle. The housing 101 is made of a rigid material that may be dishwasher safe so that the apparatus 100 can be easily cleaned. For example, the housing 101 may be made of plastic, metal, glass, or the like, or a combination thereof.

[0036] The housing 101 includes a top housing 102 that attaches to a bottom housing 104. The top housing 102 includes an activation switch 106. It will be readily understood that the apparatus 100 is not limited to having the activation switch 106 on the top surface thereof, and that the activation switch 106 may alternatively be placed on the side of the housing 101 or the apparatus 100 may be remotely activated. In yet another example, the apparatus 100 may be activated by plugging the apparatus 100 into a remote power source and may include a plug receptacle instead of an activation switch 106.

[0037] The top housing 102 may include openings 108 to which a D-ring, carabiner, strap, clip, or the like may be attached for easy transportability. For example, a carabiner may be inserted through the openings 108 and used to attach the apparatus 100 to a golf bag.

[0038] FIG. 1A depicts the apparatus 100 in a closed configuration where the top housing 102 is aligned with and attached to the bottom housing 104. The top housing 102 and bottom housing 104 may be coupled together using any attachment mechanism that is configured to seal the housing 101 in the closed configuration to minimize liquid leakage and to be strong enough to contain a golf ball therein during cleaning. For example, the top housing 102 and the bottom housing 104 may be coupled together with a threaded connection, tab and groove, friction fit, quick disconnect, bayonet connector, or the like. A compressible seal, such as an o-ring or u-ring may be positioned between the bottom housing 104 and the top housing 102 for leak prevention. In one example, the top housing 102 is coupled to the bottom housing 104 by a friction fit and swivel connection. In this example, the golf ball cleaning apparatus 100 is opened by slightly lifting the top housing 102 away from the bottom housing 104 and swiveling the top housing 102 away from the bottom housing 104. FIG. 1B depicts the apparatus 100 in the open configuration with the top housing 102 swiveled away from the bottom housing 104 in order to give the user access to the internal cavity 110 of the bottom housing 104 to place a golf ball therein or retrieve a golf ball therefrom. As discussed in greater detail below, the swivel point between the top housing 102 and the bottom housing 104 includes a conduit for housing wires that extend between a power source and a pump.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, a golf ball holder 112 is positioned inside the bottom housing 104. The golf ball holder 112 has an inner surface 182 in the shape of a bowl. When a golf ball 132 is positioned inside the bottom housing 104, the golf ball 132 sits in the golf ball holder 112. The golf ball holder 112 is configured for holding the golf ball in place during cleaning. The concave inner surface 182 is in relatively close, direct contact with the golf ball 132. That is, the inner surface 182 has a size and shape that mimics the size and shape of the outer surface of a golf ball 132. The radius of the inner surface 182 is approximately equal to the radius of a golf ball 132. In this manner, the golf ball 132 is held in place and is prevented from rattling around inside the housing 101 during a cleaning.

[0040] The golf ball holder 112 further includes a plurality of openings 122, 124 near the bottom of the golf ball holder 112, as shown in FIG. 1B. The lower openings 122 that are closest to the bottom of the golf ball holder 112 extend through the golf ball holder 112 and allow dirt and other debris to fall out of the golf ball holder 112 and into the lower portion of the lower housing 104. The upper openings 124 that are adjacent to the bottom of the golf ball holder 112 extend through the golf ball holder 112 and allow cleaning liquid to flow therethrough. The upper openings 124 are angled so that cleaning liquid flowing through the openings 124 is directed towards the golf ball 132 that rests on the surface 182 of the golf ball holder 112 and causes the golf ball 132 to spin. The lower openings 122 and upper openings 124 and their roles in directing the flow of the cleaning liquid are discussed in more detail below.

[0041] FIGS. 1B and 1C further illustrate that there is a gap 116 between the outer perimeter of the bowl 112 and the inner surface of the lower housing 104. This gap 116 allows cleaning liquid added to the lower housing 104 to flow into areas below and around the golf ball holder 112. However, in another example, the gap 116 is eliminated and the golf ball holder 112 is in direct contact with the inner surface of the lower housing 104. In this example, cleaning liquid added to the lower housing 104 may flow through the openings 122, 124 and into a pump chamber 134 in the bottom portion of the lower housing 104.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1C, the apparatus 100 further includes a pump 126 housed in a pump chamber 134. The golf ball holder 112 sits atop the pump chamber 134. The bottom portion of the lower housing 104 further includes an outer chamber 136 surrounding the pump chamber 134. As discussed in further detail below, the apparatus 100 is configured so that dirty cleaning solution is directed into the outer chamber 136 in order to prevent dirt and debris from entering the pump chamber 134. Walls 138 that separate the outer chamber 136 from the pump chamber 134 are also configured to support and maintain the position of the golf ball holder 112. As discussed in more detail below, the walls 138 are also configured to allow liquid to flow between the pump chamber 134 and the outer chamber 136 and to prevent solids from flowing therebetween.

[0043] The apparatus 100 is not limited to having a cylindrical housing 101 as depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C. In another example, shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, the golf ball cleaning apparatus 100 has a housing 101 with a tapered outer surface. In this manner, the lower portion 104 of the housing 101 is small enough to fit in a cup holder, while the upper portion 102 of the housing 101 is large enough to accommodate a larger power source and to provide an increased sealing surface between the upper and lower portions of the housing. FIG. 2A also depicts the activation switch 106 on the side of the housing 101 rather than on the top of the housing 101. As discussed above, the location of the activation switch 106 can be adjusted depending on manufacturing or user preferences.

[0044] The golf ball cleaning apparatus 100 includes a water jet system contained within the housing 101. The components of the water jet system are illustrated in FIG. 3. The water jet system includes the pump 126, which is configured for being coupled to a power source 128. The activation switch 106 is also configured for being operatively coupled to the power source 128 such that operating the activation switch 106 causes the pump 126 to turn on or off.

[0045] The water jet system further includes the upper openings 124 in the golf ball holder 112 through which cleaning liquid is directed to engage with the golf ball 132 when the pump 126 is turned on. As such, the upper openings 124 function as water jet inlet openings in the golf ball holder 112. The pump 126 and the golf ball holder 112 are positioned within the bottom housing 104, as depicted in FIGS. 1C, 2B, and 3. Cleaning liquid added to the bottom housing 104 flows into the golf ball holder 112 through the upper openings 124 and engages the outer surface of the golf ball 132 with sufficient force to cause the golf ball 132 to spin, thereby facilitating cleaning of the entire outer surface of the golf ball 132. The water jet system is not limited to the water jet inlet openings 124 depicted in the accompanying drawings. Rather, the apparatus 100 may include more or fewer water jet inlet openings, and the size, shape, angle, and position of the water jet inlet openings may be different from those depicted in the drawings.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, the top housing 102 includes a cover 142 and a mid plate 144 that are coupled together to create a top compartment. The power source 128 is removably positioned within the top compartment, which may also be referred to as the power source compartment. The power source 128 may be a battery that is added to the apparatus 100 by the user. In other words, the apparatus 100 may be supplied to the user without the battery 128. Wires (not shown) extend from the battery 128 to the water pump 126. In another example, the apparatus 100 may be powered by plugging the apparatus 100 into the power source of a golf cart. As such, the power source may be a battery housed in the top compartment, an external battery coupled to the apparatus, a wall socket, or the like.

[0047] The cover 142 is removably coupled to the mid plate 144 so that the top compartment can be accessed by a user. In one example, the cover 142 and the mid plate 144 are coupled together via a tab and groove engagement such that the cover 142 can be rotated and then lifted away from the mid plate 144 in order to access the top compartment. Alternatively, the cover 142 and the mid plate 144 may be coupled together with a friction fit, threaded engagement, or other similar coupling mechanism that allows for the top housing 102 to be easily disassembled for access to the battery 128.

[0048] The mid plate 144 optionally includes a mid plate slide 146. The mid plate slide 146 can be removed from the mid plate 144 in order to give the user access to the wires that connect the battery 128 to the water pump 126. As such, the wires can be easily accessed for repair or replacement. The wires that connect the battery 128 to the water pump 126 pass through a wire conduit 152 in the mid plate 144. The wire conduit 152 also serves as the pivot point about which the top housing 102 rotates relative to the bottom housing 104. When the top housing 102 and bottom housing 104 are coupled together, the wire conduit 152 is positioned within the pivot housing 154 and is configured to rotate relative to the pivot housing 154. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the pivot housing 154 is aligned with a chamber 156 in the bottom of the lower housing 104. The chamber 156 accommodates the wires (not shown) that extend between the power source 128 and the pump 126.

[0049] The golf ball holder 112 is positioned inside the lower housing 104 and sits atop the water pump 126, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 2B. During use, water and optional cleaning solution are added to the lower housing 104 and the water pump 126 is activated using the switch 106. Activation of the water pump 126 causes water to flow through the water jet inlet openings 124 in the golf ball holder 112. Due to the velocity of the pumped cleaning fluid and the size, shape, and angle of the openings 124, water flowing through the openings 124 is pressurized and directed towards the golf ball 132 to clean the golf ball 132 and cause the golf ball 132 to spin. As such, the apparatus 100 cleans a golf ball using cleaning liquid only and does not require brushes. This is advantageous because brushes tend to wear out. In one example, the top housing 102 may include a brush or an abrasive pad extending down from the bottom surface thereof towards the golf ball to facilitate cleaning of the golf ball. The brush or abrasive pad may be removable and replaceable.

[0050] FIG. 4A depicts the lower housing 104 without the golf ball holder 112 and FIG. 4B depicts the lower housing 104 without the golf ball holder 112 or the pump 126. As shown in FIGS. 1C, 2B, 4A and 4B, the pump chamber 134 is surrounded by a wall 138. As shown in FIGS. 1C and 2B, the golf ball holder 112 may include grooves 168 on the underside thereof for engaging with the wall 138 to hold the golf ball holder 112 in place. One side of the surrounding wall 138 includes an opening 164, shown in FIGS. 4B, 5A, and 5B. A filter (not shown) may be positioned in the opening 164 for preventing dirt and debris from entering the pump 126. Thus, the water jet system may further include a filter configured to prevent debris from entering the pump 126. In one example, the filter is a removable mesh screen adapted for easy maintenance and cleaning. A user is able to insert and remove the filter through a slit 166 (shown in FIG. 4B) in the top surface of one side of the wall 138. As such, liquid may flow between the pump chamber 134 and the surrounding chamber 136, but the filter prevents solid particles from entering the pump chamber 134 from the surrounding chamber 136. In another example, the pump 126 may have its own built-in filter covering the pump inlet, thereby eliminating the need for the filter positioned between the pump chamber 134 and the surrounding chamber 136.

[0051] The golf ball holder 112 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7A-7F. The golf ball holder 112 has an inner surface 182 and an outer surface 184. The inner surface 182 is shaped like a bowl and has a bottom surface 186 and a curved sidewall 188. The inner surface 182 includes water jet outlet openings 124 and debris inlet openings 122. The debris inlet openings 122 are adjacent to the bottom inner surface 186 and the water jet outlet openings 124 are on the curved sidewall 188. In other words, the debris inlet openings 122 are positioned between the bottom inner surface 186 and the water jet outlet openings 124 such that the water jet outlet openings 124 are higher than the debris inlet openings 122. It will be well understood that the golf ball holder 112 may include a different number of openings and the openings may have different sizes, shapes, and locations than those depicted.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 7A-7C and 7E, the outer surface 184 of the golf ball holder 112 includes a water jet inlet opening 190. An inner pathway 192, shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 7B-7E, extends between the water jet inlet opening 190 and the water jet outlet openings 124. The water jet inlet opening 190 is in fluid communication with the pump chamber 134 so that cleaning fluid ejected from the pump 126 is directed through the water jet inlet opening 190, flows along the inner pathway 192, and exits through the water jet outlet openings 124 at an increased pressure for cleaning the golf ball that is positioned in the golf ball holder 112. As shown in FIGS. 7B-7D, the inner pathway 192 that extends between the water jet inlet opening 190 and the water jet outlet openings 124 is curved and terminates in a ramp for directing the water towards the bottom of the golf ball to cause the golf ball to spin. However, the apparatus 100 is not limited to this arrangement of the water jet inlet, outlet, and pathway. In another example, water that is pumped into the water jet inlet 190 may flow directly through the water jet outlet openings 124 rather than flowing along a curved pathway.

[0053] Before cleaning a golf ball, cleaning liquid is added to the lower housing 104. The amount of cleaning liquid added to the lower housing 104 is preferably enough to substantially fill the pump chamber 134 so that the pump 126 does not draw air. In one example, the apparatus 100 may include a fill line to indicate to the user how much cleaning fluid to add to the lower housing 104. After a sufficient amount of cleaning fluid has been added to the lower housing 104, a dirty golf ball is positioned in the golf ball holder 112 and then the housing 101 may be closed by attaching the top housing 102 to the lower housing 104. Next, the switch 106 may be activated to turn on the pump 126 and start the cleaning process. While the pump 126 is on and the golf ball is being cleaned, waste water that includes dirt and debris from the dirty golf ball may flow out of the golf ball holder 112 through the debris inlet openings 122. The pressurized cleaning liquid flowing into golf ball holder 112 through the water jet outlet openings 124 prevents waste water from flowing out through the water jet outlet openings 124. The debris inlet openings 122 are in fluid communication with internal passageways 196 (shown in FIG. 7B) that direct the waste water through debris outlet openings 194 (shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B). In this manner, waste water is directed into the outer chamber 136 surrounding the pump chamber 134. The filter positioned between the outer chamber 136 and the pump chamber 134 prevents the dirt and debris in the waste water from entering the pump chamber 134. The filter advantageously enables the apparatus 100 to be used several times without changing the cleaning solution. In another example, the cleaning solution may be discarded each time a golf ball is washed and fresh cleaning solution is added to the apparatus each time a golf ball is washed. However, refilling the cleaning solution several times during a round of golf may be too inconvenient for most players.

[0054] As shown in FIGS. 7B and 5A, the outer surface 184 of the golf ball holder 112 includes debris outlet openings 194 that are in fluid communication with the debris inlet openings 122 through internal passageways 196. Dirt and debris that is washed off of the golf ball may settle towards the bottom inner surface 186 of the golf ball holder 112 and may flow through the debris outlet openings 122 and along the passageways 196 to the outside of the golf ball holder 112. In this manner, the dirt, debris, and waste water are deposited into the outer chamber 136 surrounding the pump chamber 134. The debris outlet openings 194 are advantageous for allowing debris to flow out of the golf ball holder 112.

Additional Considerations

[0055] As used herein any reference to one embodiment or an embodiment means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase in one embodiment in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0056] Some embodiments may be described using the expression coupled and connected along with their derivatives. For example, some embodiments may be described using the term coupled to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term coupled, however, may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

[0057] 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. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, or refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

[0058] In addition, use of the a or an are employed to describe elements and components of the embodiments herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense 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.

[0059] Upon reading this disclosure, those of skill in the art will appreciate still additional alternative structural and functional designs for a system and/or a process associated with the disclosed principles herein. Thus, while particular embodiments and applications have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are not limited to the precise construction and components disclosed herein. Various apparent modifications, changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope defined in the appended claims.