Motor vehicles – Steered by walking attendant
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-14
2002-11-05
DePumpo, Daniel G. (Department: 3611)
Motor vehicles
Steered by walking attendant
C180S019200, C280SDIG005
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474427
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to wheeled devices, in general and to devices for transporting equipment and goods in particular. More particularly, the present invention relates to wheeled devices for use in carrying a load, particularly in sporting and recreational pursuits, as well as for use in transporting equipment and people. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a golf buggy or cart for use in carrying, particularly on the steering member of the buggy or cart, a set of golf clubs in a golf bag during a round of golf. The present invention relates to a golf buggy or cart having at least one or more, preferably two, different operational modes being a “ride” or “ride-on” mode in which the golfer sits on the buggy or cart whilst travelling around the golf course and a “walk” or “walking” mode in which the golfer walks behind, or beside, the buggy whilst the buggy is in use wherein the golf bag containing the golf club set is supported on suitable supports provided on or attached to the steering member used to steer the buggy.
Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to various forms of the golf buggy it is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is not restricted to the described embodiments, but rather the scope of the present invention is broader by encompassing other arrangements and forms of the wheeled device and their use in other applications then specifically described.
It is to be noted the word “buggy” used in the present invention includes devices variously known as golf buggies, golf carts, golf bags with wheels, and the like including motorised vehicles. The word buggy will be used for ease of description to refer to these devices and is not meant to be limiting in any way. Accordingly, any wheeled device for carrying a golf bag is included within the scope of the term “buggy”. Furthermore, the buggy is described with reference to its in use orientation so that words such as forward, up and the like refer to its ordinary use orientation.
When playing a round a golf it is usual for the player to have a buggy or cart to carry and transport the players golf bag and clubs from hole to hole during the round. Existing buggies can range from a simple two wheeled frame having a single support for retaining the bag on the buggy and a handle for pulling or pushing the buggy all the way up to large motorised vehicles referred to as carts, capable of transporting two or more people together with all of their golfing needs as well as other needs such as food and drink or even other equipment for the maintenance of the golf course.
For elderly golfers or when difficult terrain is encountered, manually pushing or pulling the golf buggy for 18 holes becomes extremely tiring, due in part to the effort required to manocuvre the buggy around corners and to traverse rough terrain. Attempts have been made to reduce the effort required by providing a motorised buggy. Whilst the inclusion of a motor reduces the effort of pushing or pulling the buggy around the golf course, such motorised buggies can not be used as ride on buggies for a variety of reasons. Further, such buggies are not so versatile to allow golfers to walk behind the buggy for the first part of the round, optionally using the motor, and then ride on the buggy for the last few holes of the round when they become tired. Whilst most golfers are fit and active enough to complete the first 9 holes of a golf round, many players including young and fit players have difficulty in completing the last 4 or 5 holes of a round of golf. Therefore, there is the need for a simple, compact and inexpensive golf buggy which can be used in a walk mode for the first 10 to 14 holes or so and then be used as a ride-on buggy for the remaining 4 to 8 holes or can be used in situations where the golfer wishes to ride on the buggy. Such a buggy, if it were provided would enable many more golfers, particularly elderly golfers and less fit golfers to play 18 holes for as soon as they became tired they could adapt the buggy into the “ride-on” mode to complete the round. Of necessity, the combined walking buggy and ride on buggy needs to be compact and of light weight to permit handling and dismantling yet strong and sturdy enough for it to be a ride-on buggy and have a sufficiently powerful motor to transport the player and his golf bag and golf clubs from hole to hole even over hilly terrain or similar.
Therefore, there is a need for a golf buggy convertible between a walking mode and a ride on mode which will allow a golfer to use the buggy as a walking buggy for some holes and a ride-on buggy for the remaining holes.
Accordingly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a golf buggy which is adaptable for use as a ride on buggy or a walking buggy by being convertible between the two different modes.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide a motorised buggy convertible between a walking buggy and a ride-on buggy that can be quickly and easily disassembled for transport in the boot or trunk of a motor vehicle or automobile.
A still further aim is to provide a variety of convertible buggies with different features and different motor arrangements that can be used in differing conditions.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wheeled device adapted for carrying or transporting a load, particularly a golf buggy or cart for carrying a golf club containing a set of golf clubs, said device including:
a wheel assembly having at least a pair of ground contacting wheels capable of pivotal movement to alter the direction of travel of the wheeled device;
a steering member connected to the wheel assembly such that movement of the steering member causes corresponding movement of the wheel assembly to alter the direction of travel wherein,
the steering member is provided with a load supporting or carrying means for supporting the load in use of the wheeled device such that the load supported by the load supporting means moves in accordance with movement of the steering member.
Typically, the wheeled device of the present invention is a golf buggy or cart. More typically, the buggy or cart is provided with a seat. More typically, the seat is movable between at least two different positions wherein one of the positions corresponds to a “ride-on” position in which the golfer sits on the buggy whilst another position corresponds to a “walking” position in which the golfer walks behind or beside the buggy. Even more typically, the buggy is convertible between the at least two positions by movement of the steering member, preferably movement in the vertical plane.
Typically, the load is a golf bag and golf clubs. More typically, the golf buggy is adapted to carry and transport a golf bag containing golf clubs. More typically, the buggy of the present invention is particularly adapted for use with a so called “suit-case” style of golf bag in which the golf club heads are orientated downwards so as to lower the centre of gravity of the golf bag and clubs to aid stability for the buggy. More typically, the golf bag is openable along a centre line to provide access to the clubs in the manner of a luggage suit case. Even more typically, the suit case style golf bag is provided with a hinge arrangement, preferably located at the rear of the bag along the centre line to assist in opening of the suit case style golf bag to provide access to the golf clubs.
Typically, the wheel assembly includes an axle and a pair of spaced apart wheels located at either end of the axle. More typically, movement of the steering member causes corresponding movement of the axle to move the pair of wheels. Even more typically, movement of the steering member in one direction, say to the left hand side of the golfer, causes the buggy to move to the right hand side.
Typically, the steering member is fixedly connected to the wheel assembly. Alternatively, the steering member is movably connected to the wheel assembly such that the steering member can adopt a number of different posi
DePumpo Daniel G.
Killworth, Gottman Hagan & Schaeff, L.L.P.
Winner Tony
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