WO2005023620A2

WO2005023620A2 - Accessory for a golf trolley

Info

Publication number: WO2005023620A2
Application number: PCT/NL2004/000620
Authority: WO
Inventors: Grietje Rikstina Schipper
Original assignee: Grietje Rikstina Schipper
Priority date: 2003-09-09
Filing date: 2004-09-09
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Also published as: NL1024252C2; WO2005023620A3; EP1675762A2

Abstract

An accessory for a golf trolley, which accessory comprises a covering which is detachably connectable to a gripping part of a handle of a golf trolley. The covering can comprise a preformed body with a cavity enclosing, in use, the gripping part of the handle and can be provided with an outer surface which is pleasant to handle and which is, or is not, the surface of a separate layer of covering material.

Description

Title: Accessory for a golf trolley

The invention relates to an accessory for a golf trolley. A golf trolley, also called golf cart, is intended for transporting a golf bag with golf clubs and the like over a golf course. For this purpose, such a golf trolley is provided with two or three wheels attached to a frame with a vertical part. To the vertical part, a golf bag can be detachably connected. In most cases, a supporting element is present too which can support the golf bag at the bottom side. As a rule, at the top end of the vertical frame part, a handle is provided with the aid of which the golf player can pull or push the golf trolley forward. The handle can have several shapes, for instance a U-shape with parallel legs and a substantially straight or somewhat bent gripping part located therebetween. The legs of the described U-shape can be bent towards each other in the direction of the ends proximal to the vertical frame part. Many other shapes of handles are conceivable, but in all cases a gripping part is present which, as a rule, consists of a tube section provided with a sleeve of rubber or plastic. A drawback of the known golf trolley is that the handles are rather uncomfortable, at least are not geared to the desires of an individual golf player so that, in particular in hilly terrain where the golf trolley is to be pulled up slopes, the risk of painful hands and even blister formation is considerable. It is self evident that this is unpleasant. Neither does it improve the quality of the game. The invention contemplates obviating this drawback, at least reducing it. To this end, according to the invention, an accessory for a golf trolley is made available, comprising a covering which is detachably connectable around a gripping part of a handle of the golf trolley. In the following, the invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing. Figure 1 schematically shows an example of a golf trolley, with which the invention can be used; Figs. 2 - 5 schematically show a few examples of other known shapes of handles of a golf trolley; Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 schematically show, in perspective view, an example of a handle covering according to the invention. Fig. 1 schematically shows an example of a golf trolley 1 which can be provided with an accessory according to the invention. The golf trolley shown is only one example of the many embodiments of golf trolleys with which the invention can be used. In the example shown, the golf trolley has two wheels 2, a tube frame 3 with a lower support 4 for a golf bag (not shown) and attachment means 5 for a golf bag. Further, the golf trolley has a handle 6, which, in this example, is U-shaped with two substantially parallel legs 7, 8 and a gripping part 9 connecting these legs. Like the frame 3, in this example, the handle 6 is manufactured from bent metal tube material. The gripping part 9 is provided with a fixed plastic or rubber jacket or cover 10. Figs. 2 - 5 show various other shapes of handles of golf trolleys. In all Figures, handles are shown with two legs and one intermediate connecting part forming a gripping part. A handle can also be 7-shaped, i.e. the gripping part having one free end. The handle 20 shown in Fig. 2 has, roughly, a

Ωshape which is manufactured from tube material. The spherical top section of the Ωshape forms a gripping part 21, provided with a fixed rubber or plastic jacket 22. The handle 23 of Fig. 3 is also formed from bent tube with two legs 25, 26 connected by a gripping part 24, which legs are bent towards each other from the gripping part. The gripping part is, once more, provided with a fixed jacket 27 of rubber or plastic. The handle 28 of Fig. 4 is stirrup -shaped and manufactured entirely from plastic. The gripping part 29 is not provided with a separate jacket. Finally, the handle 30 of Fig. 5 comprises two parallel tube sections 31, 32 interconnected at their ends by a plastic connecting piece 33. The connecting piece also forms the gripping part. A separate jacket has not been provided. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 schematically show an exemplary embodiment of an accessory 40 according to the invention. The Figures show a covering in the shape of a hollow, preformed body 41, in this example tubular, of an elastically deformable material such as, for instance, foam plastic or foam rubber or the like. The tubular body has an inside diameter such that it fits well, preferably somewhat clampingly, around a gripping part of a handle of the type shown in Fig. 1. In order to provide the tubular body around the gripping part, a fixed jacket included, if present, the tubular body has a cut 42 provided in longitudinal direction, which enables the tubular body, in a manner indicated with arrows 43 in Fig. 7, to be bent open and placed around the handle at the desired location. The cut surfaces 44, 45 of the cut, abutting against each other in a condition of rest, can be provided, if desired, with an adhesive layer covered with a removable film for attaching the cut surfaces to each other. As a result, the covering cannot be pulled from the handle inadvertently. Instead of an adhesive layer, also other means can be used such as, for instance, Velcro tape provided on the cut surfaces 44, 45. It is possible to utilize several cuts, for instance two diametrically opposed cuts. In the latter case, the material of the tubular body is not required to allow the covering to be bent open in the manner shown in Fig. 7. The use of two or more cuts permits the covering to be built up from shells of non resilient, or less resilient material. Handling the tubular body should be nice and pleasant. If desired, the tubular body can be provided with a layer of covering material which is pleasant to handle, as is indicated in Fig. 7 with 46. . Both natural and synthetic materials can be utilized. Examples are shammy leather, suede, polyester woven, rubber, non-woven synthetic material etc. provided or not provided with surface relief such as, for instance, ribs, burls, perforations, indentations etc. The covering material can be attached to the tubular body in advance, as in the example shown in Fig. 7, but can also be a separate sheet of material that is applied only after the tubular body has been provided around the handle. Such a sheet of separate material can be attached in any suitable manner, for instance by an adhesive means, with Velcro tape, string, snap fasteners etc. The separate sheet can then be designed such that it can be wound around the tubular body and be fastened onto itself by the free end, or such that the separate sheet attaches itself to the underlying tubular body directly, or both. Attachment with cords, Velcro tape etc. adjacent the axial ends of the tubular body is possible too, in combination or not in combination with other manners of attachment. In the case of bent handles, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or of profiled handles as in Figs. 4 and 5, the preformed body can have a corresponding shape. Here, the shape of the internal cavity 47 of the preformed body can differ from the external shape of the handle covering. The shape of the internal cavity can be adapted to the shape of the fixed handle, provided, for instance, with a profiling. The internal cavity should be such that the handle covering can be firmly attached around the fixed handle. Depending on the nature of the material of the handle covering or the cover thereof, information and/or a promotional expression can be depicted thereon through printing or the like. It is noted that of the foregoing, many variants are self-evident for the skilled person with respect to specific design of material, surface relief, covering, manner of attachment, shape etc. A combination with other functions is also possible. In or adjacent an end face, the handle covering can be provided with, for instance, insertion openings (48, Fig. 7) for inserting a tee. Also, means can be provided for containing or including data relating to the owner of the golf trolley. Further, the invention offers the user the possibility to choose a handle covering which is geared to the climatologic circumstances. Perspiration absorbing material for use in warm weather can be considered, water resistant material for use in rainy weather, heat insulating material for wintry weather, etc.

Claims

1. An accessory for a golf trolley, characterized in that the accessory comprises a covering which is detachably connectable around a gripping part of a handle of the golf trolley.

2. An accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the covering comprises a preformed body with a cavity which, in use, encloses the gripping part of the handle.

3. An accessory according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the preformed body is provided with a cut extending in the longitudinal direction of the body, and that the preformed body consists of elastically deformable material which enables the preformed body to be bent open and thereupon be placed around the gripping part.

4. An accessory according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the preformed part comprises a number of shell parts.

5. An accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the covering is provided with means for attaching to each other the cut surfaces facing each other of a cut.

6. An accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in a layer of covering material provided, a least in de condition of use, around the preformed part.

7. An accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer surface of the covering is provided with a relief.

8. An accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer surface of the covering is provided with information and/or a promotional expression.

9. An accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in or adjacent at least one end, the covering is provided with a number of insertion openings for a tee.

10. A golf trolley provided with an accessory according to any one of claims 1 — 9.