Patent ID: 7841615
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: A63B,B62B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A foldable golf cart having a balancing mechanism for maintaining said golf cart in a balanced state for carrying a golf bag and golf clubs, comprising: a first upper cart frame, a second lower cart frame, a first mounting bracket that pivotally connects a lower end of said first upper cart frame to an upper end of said second lower cart frame, a pair of wheels connected to a respective pair of wheel frames, a second mounting bracket that pivotally connects said wheel frame to a mid section of said second lower cart frame, a first pair of first and second connecting rods that respectively connect said first upper cart frame to said wheel frames, a first plate connected to a lower end of said second lower cart frame for supporting a bottom face of a golf bag a third sliding bracket slidably mounted to said first upper cart frame and releasably engageable with a topmost end of said second lower cart frame, said third sliding bracket and said first mounting bracket capable of fixing said first upper cart frame and said second lower cart frame in an extended condition when said golf cart is converted from a compact configuration to said extended configuration, said third sliding bracket and said first mounting bracket capable of releasing said first upper cart frame from said second lower cart frame when said golf cart is converted from said extended configuration to said compact configuration, a swing arm, a fourth mounting bracket that pivotally connects a first end of said swing arm to the upper end of said second lower cart frame, a saddle fixed to a second end of said swing arm for supporting an upper part of a golf bag, a belt connected to said saddle for fastening a golf bag to the saddle, a second pair of third and fourth connecting rods, wherein upper ends of the third and fourth connecting rods extend horizontally though a through-hole in a mid section of said swing arm, said through-hole providing a rotational joint of the third and fourth connecting rods with respect to the swing arm, a further pair of rotational joints of said third and fourth connecting rods being formed at lower ends of said third and fourth connecting rods wherein a pair of rod fittings are respectively fixedly attached to mid sections of said first and second connecting rods, the respective lower ends of the third and fourth connecting rods extending horizontally through respective through-holes provided in each of said rod fittings, said first and second connecting rods performing a first linkage function wherein said wheel frame and said first upper cart frame simultaneously rotate downward toward said second lower cart frame when converting said golf cart from said extended configuration to said compact configuration, said first and second connecting rods performing a second linkage function wherein said wheel frames and said first upper cart frame simultaneously rotate upward, moving away from said second lower cart frame when converting said golf cart from said compact configuration to said extended configuration, said first, second, third and fourth connecting rods jointly performing a third linkage function wherein said first upper cart frame rotates downwards towards said second lower cart frame, and said swing arm simultaneously rotates downwards toward said second lower cart frame when converting said cart from said extended configuration to said compact configuration, said first, second, third and fourth connecting rods jointly performing a fourth linkage function wherein said first upper cart frame rotates upwards away from said second lower cart frame in an extended configuration and said swing arm simultaneously rotates upwards towards a final position when converting said cart from said compact configuration to said extended configuration, the swing arm, in said final position away from the second lower cart frame, supports a golf bag at an inclined angle with respect to said second lower cart frame, locating a center of gravity of said golf cart and golf bag in line with a centerline of said wheel pair, maintaining said golf cart in said balanced state.