Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Storm-front shield – apron – or robe
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-24
2004-08-17
Morrow, Jason (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Storm-front shield, apron, or robe
C296S148000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06776445
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a weather resistant cover for a wheeled vehicle, such as a golf cart, having an existing roof structure.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide a weather shield for a golf cart comprising a pipe frame supporting a roof above a golf cart with additional support members also supported by the golf cart used for hinging a door, securing the door and affixing a front windshield member. A flexible fabric enclosure fits over the frame with a portion of the flexible fabric enclosure comprising the roof For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,859 issued on Nov. 11, 1986 to Kenneth N. Spicher. This structure is for a wheeled vehicle having no existing roof superstructure nor a windshield.
It is also known to provide a “slip type” enclosure that rests on and covers the existing roof structure with zippered sides adapted for ingress and egress. The enclosure is fastened to the existing roof structure with snaps which have been affixed to the top by drilling into the top. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,694 issued on Sep. 27, 1988 to Curtis E. Gruber. Drilling into the top and affixing snaps detracts from the appearance of a golf cart and lowers its resale value and ingress and egress from the enclosure is difficult with the sides lowered and zipped together as the zippers must be unzipped the entire length on both edges of each opening in order to effectively mount or dismount from the cart. See also the U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,275 issued on Jun. 8, 1993 to William Ridge who provides a “slip type” cover for a golf cart that can be removed, rolled up and placed in another bag for storage in the golf cart. The cover of Ridge is held onto the golf cart with bungee straps which pass beneath the cart from side to side. Ingress or egress from the cover of Ridge is further complicated by the single zipper.
It is further known to provide a demountable door assembly for a golf cart, however, in order to remove the demountable door assembly, the mounting bracket must be removed from the framework thus requiring considerable time and work. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,714 issued on Jun. 12, 1990 to Harold Chance.
Additionally, it is known to provide a rigid frame for a wheeled vehicle wherein the frame comprises a bottom frame carried by the vehicle frame, a floorboard carried by the bottom frame a plurality of upright supports having one end attached to the bottom frame and the other end supporting a top frame spaced above the bottom frame. The frame is covered with a flexible cover. Like the Spicher patent above, this frame is adapted to fit to an initially open wheeled vehicle and, in fact, rests upon the existing wheel well supports of the wheeled vehicle. The storage of this cover occupies the same space as the wheeled vehicle thus requiring additional storage space. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,601 issued on Apr. 20, 1993 to Wilmer E. Guillot.
Yet further known is to provide a roll-up panel enclosure for covering a structure having a roof and framework wherein the roll-up enclosure is a slip type fitting over the roof and being attachable with hooks to the bottom of the golf car frame. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,656 issued on Nov. 9, 1993 to Larry W. Carroll. The Carroll enclosure has the same ingress and egress difficulties as Gruber and Ridge.
Other full “bag type” enclosures for a golf cart are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,235 issued on May 10, 1994 to Seymour, et al. and Spencer, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,881 issued on Feb. 14, 1995, however, it is unclear how ingress or egress is possible as the sides adjacent the passenger area appear to be solid. Spencer, et al., is affixed to the golf cart with bungee straps extending from wedging locks on the sides to the fender wells on the cart.
Finally, it is known to provide a door assembly and a golf cart having a top and a door assembly on at least one side of the golf cart wherein the door assembly is a generally C-shaped rigid frame having a top hinge connected at the top open end of the C-shaped frame and a bottom hinge connected at the bottom open end of the C-shaped frame. The hinges are rigidly affixed to the golf cart with sheet metal screws. A flexible cover is connected to the frame and to the cart forming a covered door. Sheet metal screws hold snap fasteners to the golf cart for securing the open edge of the flexible door cover. Another flexible cover extends around the backside of the golf cart and is held on by snap fasteners permanently affixed to the golf cart top and body. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,118 issued on Feb. 28, 1995 to Robert B. Welborn. The snap type fasteners detract from the appearance of the cart when the cover and/or door is removed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A review of the prior art shows a clear need for a weather resistant cover for a golf cart which may be installed or removed in a matter of seconds and wherein the golf cart may be returned to its original condition in a matter of minutes by removing a means for affixing the cover in order to protect the resale value of the golf cart. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a golf cart cover which is removably attached to a framework wherein the framework is removably attached to existing bolts on the golf cart top and further using removable clamps which engage the underneath the golf cart body.
Another object of this invention is to provide a door for a golf cart cover which is removably hinged on a framework wherein the framework is removably attached to existing bolts on the golf cart top and removably engaged with the underneath the golf cart body with removable clamps.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a means for affixing a cover to a golf cart, the means for affixing comprising a header frame attachable to an existing means for mounting a roof to the golf cart, the header frame having downwardly extending frame members affixed thereto, the downwardly extending frame members releasably affixed to an undercarriage of the golf cart.
Additionally, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for affixing a cover to a golf cart comprising a header frame and downwardly extending frame members wherein at least one of the downwardly extending frame members has means for removably mounting a hingeable door frame thereupon, the door frame removably attached to the downwardly extending frame member.
Another feature of this invention is to provide a means for affixing a cover to a golf cart comprising a header frame and downwardly extending frame members wherein the cover comprises multiple fabric portions removably affixed around at least one of existing support posts of the golf cart and secured to the header frame and the downwardly extending frame members.
Still another feature of this invention is to provide a cover for a door frame wherein the door frame has one marginal edge of the door frame hingedly mounted to either a rear door post assembly or a front door post assembly of the golf cart enclosure wherein the door frame is removably hinged upon a means for affixing a cover to a golf cart.
One significant feature of this invention is to provide a door for a golf cart enclosure, wherein the door comprises a door frame, a means for affixing, a means for latching and a cover for the door frame and wherein the door frame comprises top, bottom and side marginal edges secured at the ends thereof in a generally rectangular shape, the means for affixing comprising means for hingedly mounting one marginal edge of the door to a portion of the golf cart enclosure, the means for latching comprising means for latchedly securing another marginal edge of the door to another portion of the golf cart enclosure wherein the cover has means for removably attaching the peripheral edges thereof to the marginal edges of the frame.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a framework for a golf cart cover wherein the framework is removably attached to existing bolts on the golf
Conner David A.
Tracy, Jr. Woodrow
Marsh Richard L.
Morrow Jason
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