WO2018069601A1

WO2018069601A1 - Device for cleaning the wheels of a golf cart

Info

Publication number: WO2018069601A1
Application number: PCT/FR2017/052707
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lucien Cany
Original assignee: Lc Concept
Priority date: 2016-10-10
Filing date: 2017-10-03
Publication date: 2018-04-19
Also published as: FR3057173A1; FR3057173B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (D) for cleaning the wheels (110, 120, 140, 150) of a golf cart (C), comprising a frame (200) including a space (220) for receiving the wheels of the cart (C), said space (220) being provided with: at least one fluid spray nozzle (410, 420, 430) directed towards the wheels; and at least two rollers (510, 520, 530) for supporting, driving and guiding the wheels in rotation. The device is characterised in that the at least one nozzle (410, 420, 430) can move in translation (F2) along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels (110, 120, 140, 150). The invention can be used to clean the wheels of a golf cart.

Description

DI SPOS ITIF FOR CLEANING THE WHEELS OF A GOLF TROLLEY

FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of cleaning golf accessories and including adaptations to ensure the cleaning of the wheels of a golf cart in the best conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A golf cart is a means of transport of various accessories used for the practice of golf (clubs, putters, balls, etc ...) - Such a device moves on wheels and accompanies the golfer on his course. These wheels are likely to be dirty.

There exists in the prior art a plurality of solutions for cleaning the wheels of a golf cart.

A first solution implemented consists of a single washing station composed of a water projection means connected to a water supply network. The user ensures the cleaning of his truck and in particular the wheels of his truck.

Nevertheless, the soil and other soils (grass, leaves, etc.) are likely to adhere to the wheels which requires more pressure, a brushing operation and the possible addition of cleaning products. Similarly, the amount of water used and the management of the evacuation of the water loaded with dirt have led designers to imagine devices dedicated to this cleaning and made available to golfers or structures welcoming golfers.

Among these devices, the document DE4133667 describes a device having two chambers spaced from the track width of the wheels, with nozzles with high water pressure and front openings for the entry of the wheels. The wheels are each supported on two parallel support rollers. The rear roller is set slightly higher than the front roller. One side of the equipment of one of the support rolls has a turbine wheel arranged to intercept a portion of the jet of a nozzle, and thus to rotate the wheels during cleaning. The nozzles are fed by a high pressure pump by drawing water from a storage tank which is connected to a water source. If such a device offers a compact configuration and low water consumption, it has several disadvantages, among them:

- It is dedicated to two-wheeled carriages while a portion of golf carts has three wheels,

the cleaning of a rotating wheel by a fixed nozzle does not always make it possible to obtain a good cleaning of the wheel,

- Its configuration requires an entry movement into the cleaning chambers and an exit movement on the same path that can be soiled.

Another device described by DE3923213 describes a system for washing the wheels of a golf bag trolley. It has a pair of rollers between two flanges to support the wheels of the carriage, with a drive mechanism for at least one roller. It further comprises a hose connectable to a mains water supply with a series of outlet nozzles arranged to spray all parts of the carriage wheels with a cleaning medium.

As for the previous device, this device can not adapt to several models of trolleys and in particular to trolleys with three wheels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

On the basis of this fact, the applicant has conducted research aimed at proposing a device for cleaning the wheels of a golf cart. This research led to the design and implementation of a wheel cleaning device of a new golf cart to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the invention, the device for cleaning the wheels of a golf cart comprises a frame including a reception volume of the wheels of the carriage,

said reception volume being equipped:

at least one nozzle for projecting a fluid directed towards the wheels,

- At least two support rollers for driving and guiding in rotation of said wheels. This device is remarkable in that said at least one nozzle is movable in translation along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels.

This feature is particularly advantageous in that it allows the reception of several configurations of trolleys without depending on a fixed spacing of the wheels. Indeed, the mobility of the nozzle ensures its passage along a parallel race to the axis of rotation of the wheels regardless of the position of the wheel or wheels that come to rest on the rollers.

It also ensures the passage of the nozzle in front of the wheels whether they are coupled or alone.

In addition, the mobility of the nozzle increases the effective span of the jet of fluid which optimizes the cleaning.

According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, the device comprises three nozzles arranged on a common rail. This configuration avoids round trips too long in length (race divided by three) and duration (also divided by three), which makes it easier to drive in translation of the nozzles. In addition, the presence of three nozzles divides by three the consumption of water and air. The movement of the at least one nozzle is motorized. According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, said nozzle ramp is set in translation movement back and forth by means of a cylinder controlled by a control unit. This means of moving in translation is simple, inexpensive and easy to implement.

According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, said at least one nozzle is of brush-jet type. This brush jet associated with mobility optimizes the washing of the wheels and especially the cheeks of the wheel.

According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, said at least one nozzle is connected to sources of water supply and / or air. Thus, the device of the invention is likely to offer the user a drying phase of the wheels of his truck preventing them from getting dirty due to their moisture output device. The implementation of this drying phase is a major step forward in this regard. that proposed devices of the prior art which proposed only washing.

Thus, according to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, the device implements

a washing cycle by supplying water and putting in motion said at least one nozzle,

- A drying cycle by supplying air and moving said at least one nozzle.

According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, said frame forms a platform formed of a transverse slot into which the wheels of the carriage are at least partially inserted,

said slot giving access to said home volume positioned below.

This slot or window is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels and is transverse to the movement of the carriage which engages the device by one side of the platform and leaves on another side.

This open configuration on both sides prevents the truck from returning to the surface traversed by the truck before cleaning.

For example, a trolley to clean three wheels rolls on the platform under the action of the user until his front wheel is housed in said slot. A wash / dry cycle can start. The carriage is lifted slightly to disengage the wheel and then pushed to introduce the two rear wheels into said slot for a new wash / dry cycle.

According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, said slot is provided with a longitudinal central notch on its two transverse edges. This notch ensures good positioning of the third wheel, prevents a portion of the carriage other than the wheels come into contact with the frame and facilitates its release.

Still to facilitate this reception of the third wheel which is conventionally smaller in diameter than that of the first two, the device comprises three drive rollers and / or guide whose parallel axes are arranged at different heights and whose center distance allows the support of wheels of different diameters. The basic concepts of the invention having been described above in their most elementary form, other details and characteristics will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows and with reference to the appended drawings, giving nonlimiting example, an embodiment of a wheel washing device of a golf cart according to one invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of an external perspective view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention accommodating the small front wheels of a carriage shown in the form of its frame and wheels;

Figure 2 illustrates the device of Figure 1 accommodating the two large rear wheels of the carriage;

Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a sectional view of the reception area of the device accommodating the large wheels along the section plane III-III defined in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of a sectional view of the reception area of the device accommodating the small wheels according to section plane IV-IV defined in Figure 2;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are schematic external perspective view drawings of the device respectively illustrating the starting point, median and arrival of the stroke of the nozzles;

Figure 8 is a schematic drawing of a top view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a schematic drawing of a front view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a schematic drawing of an external perspective view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention accommodating the wheels of a two-wheeled carriage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the drawing of Figure 1, the device referenced D as a whole ensures the cleaning of the wheels of a golf cart C of which only the frame and the wheels are illustrated.

This golf cart C is of the type comprising a chassis

100 supported by four wheels:

two main rear wheels 110 and 120 coaxial associated with the ends of the same axle 130, two stabilizing front wheels 140 and 150 coaxial associated with the ends of the same axle 160 offset from the first 130.

A substantially horizontal connecting arm 170 ensures the connection between the two axles 130 and 160 being arranged to connect the middle of the two axles 130 and 160. Thus, the two stabilizing front wheels 140 and 150 are positioned between the two raceways two rear wheels 110 and 120.

Another steering arm 180 projects at an upward angle from the middle of the axle 130 and ends with a user handle 181 (not shown).

A bag (not illustrated) containing the various accessories to be transported used for the practice of golf (clubs, putters, balls, etc.), is associated with this frame 100 to complete the carriage C.

This carriage configuration is only used as a non-limiting example to illustrate the functionality of the device D which one of the advantages is to allow the cleaning of the wheels of several types of golf trolleys (manual, electrical, two, three , four wheels). An example of a two-wheeled manual truck C accommodated by the same device D is illustrated by the drawing of FIG.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the device D for cleaning the wheels of the golf cart C comprises a substantially horizontal and parallelepipedal frame 200 which is associated on one side of its upper surface, a cabinet or control unit 300 providing control and the power supply of the different functional subassemblies of the device D. This frame 200 is here integrated in the ground S and is completed in particular on its two longitudinal sides by a grating G grating.

This frame 200 forms, on its upper surface, a platform formed of a longitudinal opening 210 giving access to a lower volume of reception 220 of the wheels of the carriage C. Under the action of its user, the carriage C moves (arrow Fl) on the ground S, the grid G and the upper surface of the frame 200 until the wheels 140 and 150 are introduced into the opening 210 which is sized to accommodate them partially simultaneously. This opening 210 is therefore arranged transversely relative to the movement of the carriage C (arrow Fl).

As illustrated in more detail in the drawings of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, this reception volume 220 is equipped with three nozzles 410, 420, 430 for projecting a fluid. These nozzles 410, 420, 430 are positioned in the frame so that their respective jet is oriented towards the wheels. These nozzles are movable in translation (double arrow F2) along an axis of displacement parallel to the axis of the wheels.

As illustrated in more detail in the drawings of FIGS.

4, this reception volume 220 is equipped with three rollers 510, 520, 530 for supporting, driving and guiding the rotation of said wheels.

According to the preferred embodiment but not limiting illustrated, these three rollers whose axes are parallel to each other and to the axis of rotation of the wheels of the carriage C are distributed as follows:

a first roller 510, said motor, connected to a geared motor (not shown) controlled by the control cabinet 300,

a second free-form roller 520 of the same diameter as the first and arranged at a lower height,

a third roller 530 also free of diameter less than the first two, disposed between the first two and at a height less than that of the first two.

The difference in height facilitates the exit of the wheels.

The first two rollers 510 and 520 are in the form of two cylindrical bodies 511 and 521 associated with an interchangeable tubular liner 512 and 522 facilitating the adhesion of the wheels. The wheel drive is optimized. In addition, the tubular liner 512 and 522 can be easily changed once it is worn.

As illustrated in the drawing of Figure 4, these two first rollers accommodate and drive the large wheels 110 and 120 of the carriage.

The third roller 530 is disposed between the first two to facilitate the reception of smaller diameter wheels as illustrated in the drawings of Figures 1 and 3. Indeed, the spacing and the diameter of the first two rollers 510 and 520 are adapted at larger wheel diameters. This third roller 530 is further equipped at its central zone with two axial stops 531 and 532 facilitating the holding in position of the small wheels 150 and 160 during their rotation.

These two axial stops 531 and 532 have a spacing corresponding to two central notches 211 and 212 formed vis-à-vis the two transverse edges of the opening 210. The notch 211 guides the trajectory of the small wheels 140 and 150 when they enter the reception area 220 and direct them to the space between the two axial stops 531 and 532 of the third roller 530. The notch 212 vis-à-vis guides the output of said small wheels. These notches have another purpose of avoiding that the frame (including the arm 170) does not come into contact with the edge of the opening 210 and prevents the good reception of small wheels or causes their jamming in the device D.

As illustrated in the drawing of FIG. 9, the three nozzles 410, 420, 430 are disposed on a common ramp 400 which is moved in translation movement back and forth (according to the double arrow F2) by means of a jack 440 controlled by the control cabinet 300.

These nozzles are supplied with high pressure water and / or compressed air. The cylinder 440 is supplied with electrical energy to reciprocate the three nozzles 410, 420, 430.

An exemplary operating cycle of the device D is described below.

As illustrated in the drawings of Figures 1 and 3, the carriage C is pushed onto the upper surface of the device D so that its two small front wheels 140 and 150 are positioned through the opening 210 so as to enter the reception zone 220 coming into contact with the rollers 510 and 530. These front wheels 140 and 150 are positioned in the reception area assisted by the notch 211 by coming into contact with the motor roller 510 and the roller lower 530 between the two axial stops 531 and 532.

The motor roller 510 rotates (arrow F3) the wheels 140 and 150 which drive the second roller 530. The nozzles 410, 420, 430 are supplied with water (with or without a cleaning agent) and spray this water on the wheels. These nozzles are driven by a reciprocating movement driven by the cylinder 440 (see Figure 9).

After a number of round trips, the water supply is stopped and compressed air replaces the water to dry the wheels.

Once a predetermined drying time has been reached, the user pushes the carriage C to release the front wheels 140 and 150 of the opening 210 and to bring the rear wheels 110 and 120 above the opening 210 and into the zone 220 as illustrated in the drawings of Figures 2 and 4.

The drive roller 510 drives in rotation (arrow F3) the wheels 110 and 120 which drive the second roller 520. The nozzles 410, 420, 430 are supplied with liquid and spray jet this liquid on the wheels.

These nozzles are driven by a reciprocating movement driven by the cylinder 440 (see Figure 9).

Once washed and dried, the carriage C is then completely released from the device D.

It is understood that the device, which has just been described above and shown, has been for the purpose of disclosure rather than limitation. Of course, various arrangements, modifications and improvements may be made to the example above, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, for example, the device can be indifferently integrated with the ground or elevated associated with access ramps. In addition, the wash cycle (alone without being associated with drying) may be considered sufficient.

Claims

1. Device for cleaning (D) the wheels (110, 120, 140, 150) of a golf cart (C), comprising a frame (200) including a receiving volume (220) of the wheels of the carriage (C) )

said reception volume (220) being equipped with:

at least one projection nozzle (410, 420, 430) of a fluid directed towards the wheels,

at least two rollers (510, 520, 530) for supporting, driving and guiding the rotation of said wheels,

CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said at least one nozzle (410, 420,

430) is movable in translation (F2) along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels (110, 120, 140, 150).

2. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE fact that it comprises three nozzles (410, 420, 430) disposed on a common rail (400).

3. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said at least one nozzle (410, 420, 430) is of the brush type.

4. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said at least one nozzle (410, 420, 430) is connected to sources of water supply and / or air.

5. Device (D) according to claim 2, characterized in that said ramp (400) of nozzles (410, 420, 430) is moved in translation movement back and forth by means of a cylinder (440) controlled by a control unit (300).

6. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said frame (200) forms a platform formed of a transverse slot (210) in which are introduced at least partially the wheels (110, 120, 140, 150) of the carriage (C),

said slot (210) providing access to said home volume (220) positioned below.

7. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said slot (210) is provided with a central notch (211, 212) on its two transverse edges.

8. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE

FACT that it comprises three drive rollers and / or guide (510, 520, 530) whose parallel axes are arranged at different heights and whose spacing allows the support of wheels (110, 120, 140, 150) of different diameters.

9. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT it implements

- a washing cycle by supplying water and moving said at least one nozzle (410, 420, 430),

- A drying cycle by supplying air and moving said at least one nozzle (410, 420, 430).