Motor vehicles – Steered by walking attendant
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-27
2001-09-04
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Motor vehicles
Steered by walking attendant
C180S208000, C180S906000, C280SDIG006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283238
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a motorized golf bag cart, and, more particularly, to such a motorized cart which is stable and efficient when loaded with a golf bag, but which collapses to an extremely compact size when not in use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of motorized golf bag carts have been developed to carry a golfer's bag while he or she walks a golf course. These carts have taken a number of different configurations, but have generally fallen into two broad categories, namely motor and battery attachments for existing golf bag hand carts, and self contained, complete, motorized carts. Somewhat representative of the first type is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,198 to Chris Kappas, and entitled DETACHABLE POWER UNIT FOR A GOLF BAG CART. In the Kappas patent, an articulated frame includes a battery storage area and a separate motor compartment holding a motor which is positioned immediately above a single drive wheel. The entire frame is removably attachable to a standard two-wheeled golf bag hand cart to convert it to a motorized operation. The drive wheel is chain driven and has no steering capability. Other, similar designs are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,597 to Carmichael, U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,776 to Richard Weirick and U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,065 to James Cotton. Numerous examples of self-contained, motorized golf bag carts also exist. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,612 to Morris Weiss is a four wheel design with a motor driving the front pair of wheels which are steered by an articulating handle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,821 to Charles Craven is a simple two wheel motorized design in which a motor drives a single axle positioned between the two wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,583 to Edwin Nemeth is a three motorized cart in which a battery compartment is attached to a central, elongate frame and a pair of independent motors are attached to respective front drive wheels. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,875 to Robert Clune, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,696 to Lee Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,693 to Masao Nakai et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,103 to James Cartmell, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,167,389, 5,180,023 and 5,749,424 to Eric Reimers.
The prior art motorized golf bag carts, as represented by the above patents, seem to suffer from one of two problems. If they are stable, four wheeled designs, they do not collapse enough to be easily stored and transported. Conversely, the three wheeled designs, although they can generally be collapsed to a smaller storage configuration, are much less stable on sloping or uneven terrain.
It is clear, then, that a need exists for a motorized golf bag cart which incorporates a stable, four wheel design with a relatively wide wheel base, and yet is easily collapsible to a size which allows for efficient storage and transport.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a motorized golf bag cart with a stable, four wheel design. The inventive cart includes a base frame with a battery mounting area positioned immediately ahead of a motor compartment which includes a variable speed drive motor. The battery mounting area is formed by a telescoping tube assembly such that the base frame can be extended to accommodate a storage battery, or retracted to eliminate the battery mounting area during storage and transport. The drive motor is linked to a rear, drive axle via a direct gearing transmission to eliminate problems with drive belts or chains. The drive axle drives a pair of drive wheels positioned on respective opposite sides of the base frame. The drive wheels can be made free wheeling in the event of a dead battery, a failed motor or other drive failure. Positioned on the base frame immediately ahead of the battery mounting area are a first and a second transversely extending tube which are hollow and which are sized to receive respective first and second telescoping support axles. Each axle extends outward from its respective tube and mounts one of a pair of front support wheels. Each axle has a pair of locking pin receptacles spaced and sized to receive a respective one of a pair of spring loaded locking pins which extend through an opening in each tube. The axles thus telescope inward and outward relative to the tubes between an extended, operative position and a retracted, storage position. A bag receptacle is attached to and extends forward from the pair of hollow tubes. An articulating handle is attached to the rear of the base frame, with the handle being hinged in two places to allow it to be folded flush against the base frame when stored. A combination speed control rheostat and switch is mounted on the handle near a grip thereof for convenient motor control. In an alternative embodiment, the first and second, tandem hollow tubes are replaced by a single hollow tube which telescopically accommodates both support axles.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The principal objects of the present invention include: providing an improved motorized golf bag cart; providing such a cart which is extremely stable in operation, yet is collapsible to a small configuration for storage and transport; providing such a cart in which the support wheels are telescopically received in the base frame such that they can be moved from an operative, wide wheel base position to a narrow storage position; providing such a cart in which a base frame includes a battery mounting area which can be selectively collapsed for storage once the battery is removed; providing such a cart which includes an articulating handle which folds to a compact configuration for storage; and providing such a cart which is particularly well adapted for its intended purpose.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
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Cotton James
Fleener Clyde J.
Hansen C. Calvin
Royer Larry G.
Johnson Brian L.
Luby Matthew
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy P.C.
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