Power unit for golf cart and the like
OwnerAlbert E. Baakinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered transport unit which may be removably adapted to a standard golf bag cart or the like of the type having a pair of oppositely disposed wheels. A battery and a motor sit at opposite ends of a pivotally mounted power frame positioned between the wheels of the cart. A powered drive wheel is aligned with the wheels of the cart. The relative positions of the battery, motor and pivotal mounting allows the unit to achieve a zero resultant force on the cart's handle at a chosen motor output. A power control unit adaptable to the handle of the cart allows the user to activate and regulate the action of the drive wheel.
Claims10
A power unit to supply powered movement to a cart of the type having a frame, one pair of spaced and aligned support wheels, and a handle projecting from said frame generally perpendicular to the axis of said support wheels for manually pivoting said frame on said wheels in a vertical plane and for steering in a horizontal plane, including in combination:
- a manually operated control unit;
- an electric motor having a drive shaft output;
- a drive wheel adapted to be impelled by said drive shaft output;
- said drive shaft output of said electric motor being responsive to said manually operated control unit;
- and
- means for detachably securing the power unit to said frame and for positioning said drive wheel substantially centered between said support wheels so that the point of contact of said drive wheel with the ground is substantially aligned with the points of contact of said support wheels with the ground.
A power unit to supply powered movement to a cart of the type having a frame and a pair of spaced and aligned support wheels, including in combination:
- a manually operated control unit having switching means and a battery;
- an electric motor having a drive shaft output;
- a drive wheel adapted to be impelled by said dirve shaft output;
- said drive shaft output of said electric motor being responsive to said manually operated control unit;
- means for positioning said drive wheel intermediate and spaced from said support wheels so that the point of contact of said drive wheel with the ground is aligned with the points of contact of said support wheels with the ground;
- a power frame having a forward section, a trailing section, a top edge and a bottom edge;
- said drive wheel having a wheel shaft fixed to said drive wheel and rotatably mounted on said power frame so that said drive wheel protrudes below said power frame;
- said motor being located in said trailing section of said power frame, said battery being located in said forward section of said frame and said wheel shaft being attached to said power frame;
- a yoke having a cross-member and two approximately parallel sides,
- attachment means located on said cross-member for fixedly engaging said cart and having a pair of knobs, and
- pivot means located in each of said sides to pivotally engage said power frame whereby said drive wheel is enabled to maintain contact with the surface of travel throughout changes in the terrain;
- and
- a bracket mounted on the elongated portion of said cart, said bracket having a pair of slots therein spaced apart an amount equal to the spacing of said knobs whereby said knobs and said brackets form a quick connect joint for the engagement of the cart and the unit to supply powered movement at the power frame.
A motorized cart including in combination:
- an elongated frame;
- one pair of oppositely disposed and aligned support wheels, with each of said wheels joined to said frame by an axle mount;
- a handle projecting from said frame generally perpendicular to the axis of said support wheels for manually pivoting said frame on said wheels in a vertical plane and for steering in a horizontal plane;
- a manually operated control unit for mounting on said frame;
- a motor for attachment to said frame and in electrical connection with said control unit, and
- a single drive wheel mechanically coupled to said motor and substantially centered between said support wheels so that the point of contact of said drive wheel with the ground lies in a substantially straight line with the points of contact of said support wheels with the ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.