GB2340091A

GB2340091A - A wheel support for a golf cart

Info

Publication number: GB2340091A
Application number: GB9816748A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Liao
Original assignee: Unique Product and Design Co Ltd
Current assignee: Unique Product and Design Co Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-31
Filing date: 1998-07-31
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-31
Also published as: GB2340091B; GB9816748D0

Description

2340091 TITLE: WHEEL SUPPORTER AND SHAFT FOR A GOLF CART

BACKGROUND OF THE MENTION

This invention relates to a wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart.Particularly to one having a structure for easy assemblage and collapsing.

Conventional golf carts are generally made col tapsible. with a whe_el supporter and shaft capable to be collapsed and assembled by a user. so as to be easily ca rr 1 vKJ with a small dimensions or stored in a car trunk after collapsed.

Nowadays, there are two kinds of conventional wheel supporters and shafts for a golf cart.

A first kind of conventional wheel supporter and shaft is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. including a wheel sup- porter I consisting of a metal plate unit 11. The metal plate unit 11 has a pin 5 to pivotally connect a recover spring 4 and a push member 3, a shaft hole 111 for a shaft 21 of a wheel 2 to insert therein. The push member 3 has a projecting pointed member 31 in an intermediate portion, a groove 32 under the pointed member 31, and an engage. plate portion 33 formed in an upper portion. The recover spring 4 has one end hooked on the metal Plate unit 11, and the other end hooked at a middle point of the push member 3. controlling engagement and disengage.- ment of the groove M of the push member 3 and an annular groove 211 of the shaft 21.

Ibis conventional wheel supporter and shaft is convenient in handling, but its structure is a little complicated for assemblage or collapsing.

The second kind of conventional wheel supporter and shaft is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, including a wheel supporter 1. which has a rectangular opening 11 and an insert hole 12. a coil spring 13 contained in the opening 11. and an engage block 3 elastically urged by the coil spring 13 and normally located in the. opening 11,to able to be half pushed out of the opening 11. The engage block 3 has a protruding hook 31 in a left longitudinal side of an outer block portion engaging an inner wall of the opening 11. and an L-shaped position hook 32 with a sloped surface extending inward from the outer block portion. A wheel shaft 20 has one end firmly connected to a wheel 2 and the other end portion 21 formed with a distal square end 23 facing the sloped surface of the Lshaped position hook 32 of the engage block 3 located in the wheel supporter 1, and an intermediate groove por- tion 22 to engage the L-shaped position hook 32.

In handling the second conventional wheel supporter and shaft. the wheel shaft 20 is inserted in the insert hole 12 of the wheel supporter 1, with the other end portion of the wheel shaft 20 engaging the L-shaped 215 position hook.32 of the engage block 3, finishing assemblage of the wheel supporter 1 with the wheel shaft 20. On the contrary. if the wheel shaft 20 is to be pulled I out of the whee-1 supporter 1, the push block 3 is pushed up (in Fig. 4. or inward) to compress the coil spring 13, forcing the L---,hap(--d position hook 32 disengage from the other end portion 21 of the wheel shaft 20 to free.

05. the whee I -,-haf't 20 from the whee I supporter 1.

However. the second conventional wheel supporter and shaft is also handy to handle, but its structure is also complicated for assemblage and collapsing.

Two US Patents of Granted Nrs. 5.029.946, and 5,466.051 have been acquired by the same applicant of this application made to improve them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The. purpose of the invention is to offer a wheel.upporter and shaft for a-golf cart, having a simpler structure than the conventional ones for easy assemblage and collapsing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings. wherein 20 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first conventional wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the First conventional wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart; 25 Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a

3.

second conventional wheel supporter and shaft for a golf eart; Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the socond conventional wheel supporter and shaft for a golf 05. czirt, showing the wheel shaft disengaged from the wheel supporter; Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the second conventional wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart, showing the wheel shaft engaged - with the wheel supporter; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a whc--.-,--l supporter and shaft for a golf cart in the present invention; Figure 7 is a cross-7sectional view of the whe.e.1 supporter disengaged from the wheel sha.rt in the present invention; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the wheel supporter engaged with the wheel shaft in the present invention; and, 20 Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the wheel supporter engaged with the wheel shaft in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED E14BODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a wheel supporter and shart -for a golf cart in the present invention, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.- includes a wheel shaft 1 having a 4L.

round end to fix firmly with a wheel 1 and the other end Protruding out of a wheel I and shaped rectangular and having a recessed rectangular circumferential groove 11 ol:' smailer size than the rest portion. A wheel supporter 2 has a rectangular hole 21 formed in a lower end for the wheel shaft 10 to fit therein. an aperture 22 formed in a bottom wall defining the hole 21, a projecting ear 23 formed respectively at two sides of the aperture 22 for pivotally connecting an eccentric push member 25 with a pin shaft 24. The eccentric push member 25 has a curved engage surface 251 able to insert through the aperture 22 into the hole 21 and a curved push means 252 extending down for a hand to push and pull.

In assembling the wheel supporter 2 with the wheel shaft 10. firstly insert the wheel shaft 10 together with the wheel 1 in the shaft hole 21 of the wheel supporter 2. with the recessed circumferential groove 11 just facing the aperture 22. Then pull backward the eccentric push member 25, forcing the curved engage surface 2-51 engage the recessed circumferential groove 11, locking the wheel supporter 2 with the wheel shaft 10 in the assembled condition, shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

On the contrary. if the wheel supporter 2 is to be disengaged from the wheel shaft 10, only push swing- ingly down the eccentric push member 215, forcing the curved-up engage surface 251 disengage from the recessed circumferential groove 11. with the wheel shaft 10 pulled out of the shaft hole 21, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

It has to be noted that the protruding end portion or the wheol shaft 10 protruding out of the wheel 1 may OF) gr-Ndua I I.Y on largod to the rear port ion i n correspond ing to the hole 21 also gradually enlarged to the rear portion so that the wheel shaft 10 may easily fit in the shaft hole 21. as shown in Fig. 7.

As can be understood from the aforesaid descrip- tion, -the wheel supporter 2 may be disengaged from the wheel shaft 10 only by pulling or pushing the eccentric push member 25, which is a very simple structure for handling.

While the preferred embodinte-nt of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and unck--rstood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

6.

I CLA IM 1. A wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart comprising a whet-I supporter and a wheel shaft, said wheel --:;haft having one end portion protruding out of a wheel. said protruding end portion formed with a recessed circumferential groove of a smaller size than the rest portion. said wheel supporter having a shaft hole for said wheel shaft to fit therein, an eccentric engage plate located under a bottom wall of said shaft hole.

said eccentric engage plate having a curved-up surface formed in an upper end and able to protrude in through an aperture bored in said bottom wall of said shaft hole and to engage said recessed circumferential groove of said wheel shaft extending in said shaft hole so that said wheel supporter may be locked with said wheel shaft in a stabilized condition by easy hand-ling.

Claims

2. The wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart as claimed in Claim 1,

wherein said protruding end portion of said wheel shaft and said shaft hole of said wheel supporter are both shaped rectangular to fit each other.

3. The wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart as claimed in Claim 1. wherein said protruding end portion of -,aid wheel shaft and said shaft hole of said wheel supporter are both shaped to be gradually enlarged to the rear portion to easily fit with each other.

7.

4. The wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart as claimed in Claim 1. wherein said eccentric engage Plate has a curve-d-up surface. formed in an upper end and a curved push plate formed in a lower end portion for 05 -pushing and pulling.

5. A wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 6 to 9.

8.

CI Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAZKS:

1. A wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart comprising a wheel supporter and a wheel shaft, wherein: said wheel shaft has one end portion protruding out of a wheel, said protruding end portion having a recessed circumferential groove of a smaller size than the remainder of said protruding and portion; and said wheel supporter has a shaft hole for said wheel shaft to fit therein, and an eccentric push member located under a bottom wall of said shaft hole, said eccentric push member having a curved engaging surface formed in an upper end and able to protrude through an aperture in said bottom wall of said shaft hole and to engage said recessed circumferential groove of said wheel shaft extending in said shaft hole so that said wheel supporter may be locked with said wheel shaft in a stabilized condition.

2. A wheel supporter and shaft as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said protruding end portion of said wheel shaft and said hole of said wheel supporter are both rectangular in shape to fit each other.

3. A wheel supporter and shaft as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said protruding end portion of said wheel shaft and said shaft hole of said wheel supporter are both shaped so as to gradually enlarge to the rear to easily fit with each other.

4. The wheel supporter and shaft as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said eccentric push member has a curved surface formed in an upper end and a curved handle member formed in a lower end portion for pushing and pulling.

5. A wheel supporter and shaft for a golf cart, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 6 to 9.

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