Land vehicles – Wheeled – Tiltable vehicles – stabilized by attendant or article
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-07
2004-04-06
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Tiltable vehicles, stabilized by attendant or article
C414S462000, C224S274000, C280SDIG005, C280SDIG006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715774
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the sport of golf, and more particularly to golf cars or carts and golf club carriers.
On a golf course, golfers often carry their own golf clubs in a golf club bag. The golfers may walk the entire course with the golf club bag held by a strap swung over their shoulder. A typical set of golf clubs may include 12 golf clubs or more. The set of clubs thus is often heavy and cumbersome to carry over an entire course. A caddie may accompany the golfer to aid in carrying the golf clubs.
Wheeled golf club carriers, also known as pull or push carts, have been developed to permit golfers to wheel their clubs over the course, by pulling the carrier by hand. The golf club carriers typically permit a golf bag to be attached by straps, and the golf bag is thus transported over the entire golf course by the golfer pulling or pushing the carrier. Such manual golf club carriers and the associated walking of the entire course however lead to slow golf games, which can be a major problem on popular golf courses. Moreover, some golfers fatigue or are incapable of walking an entire golf course, which can require 4 kilometers of travel or more.
Motorized golf cars capable of carrying two golfers and having a golf bag bay for carrying the golfers golf bags and typically having electric or internal-combustion motors, also are known. These golf cars are known colloquially as golf carts, and the two terms are used interchangeably herein. Some courses even require such carts to speed golf play. These motorized golf carts typically move along specially-designated areas, or cart paths, on the golf course so that golfers can proceed with ease quickly throughout the golf course. Some golf courses permit golf carts to travel not just on the cart paths, but also over the entire course, including fairways. However, this travel can damage the golf course. For example, when a fairway is wet, the golf carts can leave muddy track marks on the fairway or even on the greens. For this reason, many golf courses confine motorized golf carts to the cart paths.
When using a motorized golf cart, golfers typically place their golf bags in the golf cart and strap them in. They do not remove the bags during play, since the bags with the clubs are heavy and the golf bag must be lifted to be strapped in. Typically, the bottom of the bag sits at least 0.3 meters from the ground, and the straps are even higher. The lifting of the golf bag in the first place is also burdensome.
On a course where the motorized golf carts are confined to the cart paths, golfers without caddies typically golf as follows: (1) The golfer drives his cart to a tee, decides what club to use and removes that club from the golf bag located in the golf cart, and then tees off; and (2) the golfer then drives the cart along the path to a location near the golf ball, guesses which one or two clubs might be proper, removes the clubs from the golf bag situated or attached to the golf cart; and then walks to the golf ball with the clubs in hand, and hits the ball. This second step continues until the golfer has placed the ball in the cup.
A problem occurs when a golfer selects the wrong club or clubs from the bag in the motorized cart. Improper selection can occur for example because of the lie or by mistaking the distance of the ball or the wind speed at the location of the ball. The golfer then must walk back to the cart and replace his clubs with a proper club. Since his ball may be a long distance from the golf cart, a long delay can result. Moreover, his partner in the motorized golf cart, which typically has two seats, could have driven the motorized cart to a new location, leading to even longer delays.
If two players are using a motorized cart on a golf course where motorized carts are permitted on the fairway, a similar problem may occur: the first golfer may choose one or two clubs, and the second golfer will drive the cart to a new position. If the first golfer has chosen the wrong clubs and must return to the golf cart at a new location to exchange clubs, the speed of play can be drastically reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,084 discloses a piggyback golf bag for use in a riding golf cart. An attachment device can connect the golf bag to the golf cart. The golf bag when attached to the golf cart rides in a compartment and must be lifted onto the golf cart.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,193,256 and 5,482,304 disclose trailer devices for golf equipment. The golf equipment trailer of the '256 patent does not function as a golf club carrier, which is defined herein as a manually-movable golf club carrier, such as push or pull cart. The pull-type golf cart of the '304 patent is attachable solely to a bicycle, and appears not to be intended to be detachable during play but rather that the bicycle be ridden on the golf course.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to permit golfers to easily attach a golf club carrier to a motorized golf cart. Another alternate or additional object is to permit golfers to take all their clubs with them as they travel about a golf course on a motorized golf cart. Yet another alternate or additional object of the invention is to reduce the use of motorized golf carts on fairways and playing surfaces on a golf course. Still a further alternate or additional object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of lifting required by a golfer on a golf course. One other alternate or additional object of the present invention is to speed the play of golf on a golf course.
The present invention provides a golf cart with a detachable golf club carrier comprising a motorized golf cart for movement over a ground surface, the golf cart having a motor and a first hitching device. A manually-operable golf club carrier has at least one wheel and a second hitching device removably connected to the first hitching device, the second hitching device and the first hitching device being connectable while the at least one wheel is on the ground surface.
The golf club carrier thus can be easily attached and detached to the motorized golf cart, without any lifting, as the golf cart is driven and then stopped at various points along a cart path or anywhere on the course. The golfer can unhitch the golf club carrier and wheel it, along with all the golfer's golf clubs, to a desired location on the course. Any club can be selected. The first golfer's companion, if any, in the golf cart can drive the cart on to the next desired location, without worrying that the first golfer will need to return due to improper club selection. The first golfer can then wheel the golf club carrier to the next ball location or back to the motorized golf cart, where it can be easily reattached without lifting.
In a highly preferable embodiment, the wheels of the golf club carrier are retractable from the ground surface when the second hitching device is connected to the first hitching device. The golf clubs and the carrier thus are better protected on the cart, as ground disturbances are not transferred via the wheel of the golf club carrier as the golf cart is driven. Moreover, reverse motions of the cart will not cause the golf club carrier to jackknife or be damaged.
However, the wheel of the golf club carrier could remain on the ground in a less preferable embodiment. The golf club carrier then preferably includes at least one shock absorber.
The first hitching device may include a bar and the second hitching device a latch for latching onto the bar. Preferably, the first and second hitching devices attach at a single location. However, the first hitching device may connect to the second hitching device at more than one location.
Preferably, the golf club carrier has two wheels and further includes an axle connecting the two wheels. The motorized golf cart preferably has two seats, and four wheels. The present invention is advantageously used with the two seats, since this permits a companion to continue to travel as the first golfer is using the detached golf club
Davidson Davidson & Kappel LLC
Morris Lesley D.
Yeagley Daniel
LandOfFree
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