| 摘要 |
A golf ball retriever includes a self-contained module having a plurality of curved, resilient prongs in the form of cantilevered springs and a housing with a side wall, an open end and a closed end. An end cap having an aperture associated with each prong is disposed across the open end of the housing and retains the prongs. One of the prongs has a shoulder cooperating with a portion of the end cap to form a latching mechanism. A push button arrangement disengages the latching mechanism allowing an axial compression spring to move the prongs from a first position having the prongs substantially disposed within the housing to a second position having the prongs substantially extending from and through the housing's open end. The resilient, elastic prongs bias the push button arrangement toward a latched position. The cantilevered configuration of the prongs places them in a biased relationship with the side wall of the housing and urges the prongs toward the second, extended position. The cooperation between the bias of prongs and the bias of the axial spring permits actuation of the golf ball retriever using an axial spring having a smaller spring rate and a shorter length than required to fully extend the prongs if the spring rate of the prongs were not present.
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