U.S. patent application number 11/085571 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-28 for golf cart front-wheel collapsing device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Unique Product & Design Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Gordon Liao.
Application Number | 20060214382 11/085571 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37034425 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060214382 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liao; Gordon |
September 28, 2006 |
GOLF CART FRONT-WHEEL COLLAPSING DEVICE
Abstract
A golf cart front-wheel collapsing device includes two parallel
lower tubes, two stationary annular gears, a rotary cylindrical
gear, a switch and a front wheel. The lower tubes are fixed under a
golf cart frame, having a lower end combined with each stationary
annular gear, with the cylindrical gear located between the
stationary annular gears, and with a coil spring located
respectively between each stationary annular gear and the
cylindrical gear. The switch is positioned in one of the stationary
gears for securing other components in place and operated to engage
and disengage the stationary gears with and from the cylindrical
gear, letting the front wheel removably combined with the
cylindrical gear able to be expanded or folded for collapsing this
device, also adjusting the front-wheel's angle to suit to users of
different heights.
Inventors: |
Liao; Gordon; (Tainan Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIKOLAI & MERSEREAU, P.A.
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
SUITE 820
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Assignee: |
Unique Product & Design Co.,
Ltd.
Tainan Hsien
TW
|
Family ID: |
37034425 |
Appl. No.: |
11/085571 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/47.16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B 3/12 20130101; B62B
2202/404 20130101; B62B 2206/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/047.16 |
International
Class: |
B62B 7/02 20060101
B62B007/02 |
Claims
1. a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device comprising: two
parallel lower tubes fixed under a golf cart frame and having a
lower end bent forward; two stationary annular gears having a hole
for said lower tubes to pass through down; a rotary cylindrical
gear positioned between said two stationary annular gears, a coil
spring respectively fitted between each said stationary annular
gear and said rotary cylindrical; a switch fixed in one of said two
stationary annular gears and having a lateral elongate bar passing
through said lower tubes, said two stationary annular gears and
said rotary cylindrical gear, said two coil springs positioned
between said two stationary annular gears and said rotary
cylindrical gear and passed through by said elongate bar; a front
wheel positioned below said rotary cylindrical gear; handling said
switch engaging and disengaging of said two stationary annular
gears with and from said rotary cylindrical gear so as to enable
said front wheel folded in the space between said two lower tubes
in collapsing said front-wheel collapsing device into a small size
for convenience of storing and carrying a golf cart provided with
said front-wheel collapsing device; at the same time said
front-wheel collapsing device having an angle-adjusting function
for said front wheel for fixing said front wheel at one of many
angles against the ground, said front-wheel collapsing device also
having the function of adjusting the height of the grip of a golf
cart for suiting to users of different body heights; wherein, said
rotary cylindrical gear has a cylinder extending down, and said
cylinder receives a wheel supporter of said front wheel therein and
said wheel supporter is secured stably therein by two V-shaped
springs.
2. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said bent portion of said two lower tubes has a
horizontal state.
3. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said two lower tubes respectively have a bottom
supporter pivotally fixed on a lower end.
4. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said two stationary annular gears respectively have a
round hole and an oval hole for said two lower tubes to pass
through down.
5. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said two stationary annular gears respectively have a
square hole and a rectangular hole.
6. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said stationary annular gears and said rotary
cylindrical gear respectively have their corresponding surfaces
formed respectively with many annular continual teeth for
engaging.
7. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said switch has an eccentric trigger for pulling up and
down for tightening or loosening said two stationary annular gears
with or from said rotary cylindrical gear.
8. The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device as claimed in claim
1, wherein said switch is composed of a rotatable button and an
elongate bar screwed with said rotatable button.
9. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a golf cart front-wheel collapsing
device, particularly to one collapsible to become a small size for
convenience of handling, storing and carrying, and having the
functions of angle adjusting of the front wheel and of height
adjusting of the height of the grip from the ground for suiting to
the height of a user.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A conventional golf cart shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a
front wheel 11, which has to be folded up between the two rear
wheels 12 before collapsing it, so the grip 13 is prevented from
being folded inward, impossible to be collapsed. Then the
conventional golf cart has a collapsed size substantially large,
inconvenient to be stored or carried.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] One purpose of the invention is to offer a golf cart
front-wheel collapsing device possible to collapse the front wheel
to make a golf cart into a small size for convenience of storing
and carrying.
[0006] Another purpose of the inventin is offer a golf cart
front-wheel collapsing device possible to adjust the angle of the
front wheel and also the height of the grip to suit to users of
different heights.
[0007] The golf cart front-wheel collapsing device includes two
parallel lower tubes, two stationary annular gears, a rotary
cylindrical gear, a switch and a front wheel. The two lower tubes
are fixed under a golf cart frame, having a lower end bent forward
and passing through the two stationary annular gears. The rotary
cylindrical gear is located between the two stationary annular
gears, and a coil spring is located between each stationary annular
gear and the rotary cylindrical gear. The switch is fixed in one of
the two stationary annular gear, having a trigger able to be pulled
up and down for operating the switch and a lateral elongate bar
extending through the two stationary annular gears and the rotary
cylindrical gear and the two coil springs for tightening those
annular gears with the cylindrical gear for engaging them together
or loosening them from each other. Then the front wheel can be
folded in between the two lower tubes, and also be adjusted its
angle against the ground and lets the height of the grip of a golf
cart adjustable
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] This invention will be better understood by referring to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional golf
cart:
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the conventional golf cart
collapsed;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment
of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of a
golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the first
embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 6 is another lengthwise cross-sectional view of the
first embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in
the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the first
embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 8 is another transverse cross-sectional view of the
first embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in
the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a golf cart with the first
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the collapsed
condition in the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a side view of a golf cart with the first
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the collapsed
condition in the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a side view of the golf cart with the first
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention, showing it in a used condition;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a side view of the golf cart with the first
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention, showing it in a used condition;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a side view of the golf cart with the first
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention, showing it in a half collapsed condition;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a golf cart with a second
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a side view of the golf cart with the second
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention, showing it in the collapsed condition;
[0024] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a golf cart with the second
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a golf cart with a third
embodiment of a front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth
embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in the
present invention; and,
[0027] FIG. 19 is a front cross-sectional view of the fourth
embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing device in the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] A first embodiment of a golf cart front-wheel collapsing
device in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5,
includes a pair of parallel lower tubes 2, two stationary annular
gears 3A. 3B respectively fixed with the two lower tubes 2, a
rotary cylindrical gear 4 located between and engaging with and
disengaging from the two stationary annular disc gears 3A and 3B, a
switch 5 connected with the lower tubes 2, the two stationary disc
gears 3A, 3B and the cylindrical gear 4, and a front wheel 6
connected with the cylindrical gear 4.
[0029] The two parallel lower tubes 2 are fixed under a golf cart
frame, possible to have a round or squire cross-section, bent to
the front side and provided with an intermediate horizontal stage
21 for receiving the bottom of a golf rod bag 7.
[0030] The two stationary disc gears 3A, 3B are respectively
provided with a round hole 31 and a oval hole 32 (or a square hole
and a rectangular) for the two lower tubes 2 to pass through, many
continual teeth 33 and 34 on an inner annular surface, and a recess
35 only formed in the right stationary annular gear 3B.
[0031] The cylindrical gear 4 is provided with a transverse hole
41, many annular continual teeth 42 respectively formed in two
opposites sides, two coil springs 43 respectively fitted through
the two opposite sides, and a cylinder 44 extending downward.
[0032] The switch 5 has a pivotal shaft 51 pivotally connected with
the recess 35 of the right stationary disc gear 3B, and an
eccentric trigger 52, an lateral elongate bar 53 extending through
the two lower tubes 2, the two stationary annular gears 3A, 3B and
the rotary cylindrical gear 4 transversely with the two coil
springs 43 respectively positioned stably between the two
stationary annular gears 3A, 3B and the cylindrical gear 4.
[0033] The front wheel 6 is supported by a wheel supporter 61,
which has two V-shaped springs 62 inserted in the cylinder 44 of
the rotary cylindrical gear 4 for stably connecting the wheel
supporter 61 with the front-wheel collapsing device.
[0034] The teeth 33, 34 and 42 of the two stationary annular gears
3A, 3B and the rotary cylindrical gear 4 can be altered in the
number and shape according to practical needs.
[0035] After the front-wheel collapsing device in the invention has
been assembled together, referring to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the two
stationary annular gears 3A, 3B engage respectively the two side
annular gears of the rotary cylindrical gear 4 after the front
wheel 6 is expanded, with the two coil springs 43 constricted at
the same time, and with the switch 5 tightly pressed by the trigger
52, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. But if the trigger 52 is pulled down
or released, the stationary annular gear 3B is shifted by the
recovering resilience of the two coil springs 43 owing to the oval
hole 32, so the two stationary annular gears 3A, 3B respectively
may disengage from the two side annular gears of the rotary
cylindrical gear 4, forming a gap 30 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. In
this position, the front wheel 6 can be lifted upward with the
rotary cylindrical gear 4 as a shaft to move into the space between
the two lower tubes 2, or collapsed as shown in FIG. 9. Otherwise,
the front wheel 6 can be pulled off the rotary cylindrical gear 4
as shown in FIG. 10.
[0036] Next, if the front wheel 6 is to be expanded for using the
golf cart, the trigger 52 of the switch 5 is swung up to push the
stationary annular gear 3B inward so that the two stationary
annular gears 3A. 3B may engage the rotary cylindrical gear 4 to
expand the front-wheel collapsing device again as shown in FIGS. 5
and 7. Obviously, the handling of the front-wheel collapsing device
is very quick and easy.
[0037] Further, a golf cart carrying a golf club bag 7 is to be
used in a golf link, the switch 5 or the trigger 52 is pulled down
is pulled down, to loosen the engagement of the two stationary
annular gears 3A, 3B from the rotary cylindrical gear 4, so as to
adjust the angle of the front wheel 6 against the ground so the
grip 8 can be adjusted in its height from the ground, as shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12, letting the golf cart usable by users having
different heights. Thus, the front-wheel collapsing device also has
functions of adjusting the angle of the front wheel and of the
height of the grip for users of different heights to use
comfortably.
[0038] Next, if the golf club bag 7 is still placed on the golf
cart with the front-wheel collapsing device collapsed only half and
not completely as shown in FIG. 13 by adjusting the angle of the
front wheel 6 as described above, the front wheel 6 and the two
rear wheels 9 can be kept still not touching the ground to secure
stably the golf cart on the ground, not falling down. And when it
is collapsed completely as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, its size
becomes vary small, convenient for storing and carrying around.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 14, a bottom supporter 22 as an independent
component can be added on the upper part of the bent portion of the
lower tubes 2, replacing the horizontal stage 21. Then the front
wheel 6 and its collapsing device is located under the bottom
supporter 22, which can be folded to make the collapsed size of the
device smaller without the horizontal stage 21, forming a second
embodiment of the front-wheel collapsing device in the present
invention,
[0040] Further, FIG. 17 shows a third embodiment of a front-wheel
collapsing device applied to a golf cart with a single tube by
altering the intermediate portion of the single tube with a
two-tubes structure, Then a golf cart may have the same front-wheel
collapsing device in the present invention;
[0041] Moreover, FIGS. 18 and 19 show a fourth embodiment of a golf
cart front-wheel collapsing device, which has the same structure as
the first embodiment except that the switch 5' is composed of a
rotatable button 54 and an elongate bar 55 screwed with the button
54. Then the rotatable button 54 is rotated tight or loose for
engaging or disengaging the stationary annular gears 3A, 3B with or
from the rotary cylindrical gear 4, in the same way as the first
embodiment does.
[0042] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been
described above, it will be recognized and understood that various
modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *