Abstract:
A cart apparatus to facilitate the play of disc golf may include but not be limited to a chassis, at least three wheels rotatably coupled to the chassis, a handle member mounted to the chassis, a floor platform mounted on the chassis and at least one seat member retractably mounted on the floor platform such that the seat member descends through the floor platform with the application of a sufficient weight and the seat member ascends through the floor platform after the removal of the weight. The seat member may consist of a seat mounted on a support. When someone sits on the seat the seat support descends through a hole in floor platform until it hits the ground. The ground then supports the weight of the sitter. When the sitter stands up and gets off the seat, the member ascends through the floor platform back to its starting position, or close thereto. Folding or collapsible embodiments of the cart apparatus allow it to be stored or transported more easily. Alternative embodiments provide baskets, consoles and accessories to enhance the ease, convenience and enjoyment of disc golf.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to carts and more particularly to a cart adapted to facilitate the play of disc golf. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Disc golf (sometimes called Frisbee®, Golf, or FROLF) is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, “The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc.” Three basic components go into a course design: Disc Pole Holes, Tee Signs and Tee Pads. A Disc Pole Hole comprises a center pole, chain holder and a basket. A set of chains hang down from the chain holder surrounding the center pole. Surrounding the pole below the chains is a circular basket that serves to catch a disc thrown at the chains of the Disc Pole Hole. The Disc Pole Hole is also commonly known as a basket or a catcher. When the disc drops into the basket the player moves to the next Tee. 
     For each hole, a tee pad provides a firm and level foundation to start play from or “tee off”. Some courses have alternative tee pads for a given hole. Similar to traditional golf, one tee is often closer to the target, allowing multiple players of different skill levels a better chance of competitive play. 
     Analogous to the various types of clubs in traditional golf, there different types of discs in disc golf that are used in different playing situations. The basic types of discs include putters, mid-range discs, and drivers. Putters are designed to fly straight, predictably, and very slowly compared to mid-range discs and drivers. Mid-range discs have slightly sharper edges, which enable them to cut through the air better. Drivers have the sharpest edge and have most of their mass concentrated on the outer rim of the disc rather than distributed equally throughout. 
     Drivers are often further divided into different categories. For example, one manufacturer provides distance drivers and fairway drivers, with a fairway driver being somewhere between a distance drive and a mid-range disc. Other driver categories may include long drivers, extra long drivers and maximum distance drivers. 
     Players, especially experienced players, may carry a dozen or more discs with them, together with accessories such as disc bags, water or other beverage, sunscreen, towels, jacket, umbrella, folding chair and so forth. Discs are typically carried in a duffel bag or something similar and carriers specifically adapted for carrying disks and some accessories are commercially available. 
     United States patent application US2002/0105156 A1 by Glidden, published Aug. 8, 2002, entitled Disc Golf Bagcart discloses a manual cart for carrying disc golf equipment. Glidden, however, does not disclose a cart having a seat or other advantages of the present disclosure. 
     There is a need, therefore, for an apparatus to transport disc golf discs, equipment, accessories, refreshments and other items for the enjoyment of disc golf. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure describes a cart apparatus to facilitate the play of disc golf. The cart may include but not be limited to a chassis, at least three wheels rotatably coupled to the chassis, a handle member mounted to the chassis, a floor platform mounted on the chassis and at least one seat member retractably mounted on the floor platform such that the seat member descends through the floor platform with the application of a sufficient weight and the seat member ascends through the floor platform after the removal of the weight. 
     The seat member may consist of a seat mounted on a support. When someone sits on the seat it descends through a hole in floor platform until it hits the ground. The ground then supports the weight of the sitter. When the sitter stands up and gets off the seat, the member ascends through the floor platform back to its starting position, or close thereto. 
     Folding or collapsible embodiments of the cart apparatus allow it to be stored or transported more easily. Alternative embodiments provide baskets, consoles and accessories to enhance the ease, convenience and enjoyment of disc golf. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure showing a partially exploded view of a seat assembly of the present apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view schematic illustration of a specific alternative folding embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure showing a partially exploded view of a seat assembly of the present apparatus. Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the reference numeral  100  generally designates an apparatus embodying features of the present disclosure. Cart apparatus  100  includes, but is not limited to, a chassis  105  (see  FIG. 2 ) having a front  107  and a rear  108 . Platform or floor  120  may be disposed across chassis  105 . Closed receptacle or cooler  140  may be selectively disposed on floor  120 . Wheels  110 A-C rotatably coupled to chassis  105  facilitate movement of the cart over off-road terrain typical of many disc golf courses. Handle member  115  is mounted to the chassis  105  with, for example, pullpins  109  and circumscribes roughly a perimeter from front wheel  110 A around rear  108  and extending past rear wheel support member  325  to return to front wheel  110 A. Handle  115  allows cart  100  to be pushed (or even pulled) and steered by a disc golf player. 
     Seat  130  may be telescopingly, retractably, slidably, spring or likewise mounted on chassis  105  at aperture  160  in floor  120 . For example, seat  130  may be attached to a seat support pole  163  that is retained in a vertical posture by flange  550  or some other suitable structure fixed to floor  120  around aperture  160 . Upon the application of a downward force such as from sitting on seat  130 , pole  163  retractably descends through aperture  160  and stops when it hits the ground under cart  100 . When the downward force is removed by standing, the pole  163  with seat  130  retracts back up through aperture  160  to its approximate initial position. 
     Continuing with  FIG. 1 , diagonal struts  150 A,B extend from rear wheel support  325  to support struts  155 A,B (not visible, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Toward front end  107 , mud shield  170  may be mounted across handle  115 . 
     Alternative embodiments not shown on the drawings have just the two rear wheels. The front wheel or wheels is replaced with a non-wheeled foot. Locomotion is obtained by pressing down on the handle  115  to pivot the front end  107  of chassis  105  off the ground and then pushing or pulling the handle to move the cart on the rear wheels. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary alternative embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. This side view reveals chassis  105  connecting wheels  110 A-C. Container  125  may be suspended are otherwise attached to handle member  115 . Container  125  may be meshed netting, a bag, a basket preferably of plastic or metal, or some other suitable, preferably see-through support to hold disc golf accessories, refreshments, and so forth. 
     The embodiment of this  FIG. 2  illustrates an assembly  510  for seat  130 . Seat  130  is mounted to floor platform  120  to provide a selectively ascending and retractably ascending action of rod  560  to which seat  130  is mounted. Rod  560  supports seat  130  and is slidably disposed in vertical tube  520  which is mounted to floor  120 . Rod  560  may extend through aperture  160  (see  FIG. 1 ) below floor  120 . Elastic strap or bungee cord  210  is fastened to end  565  of rod  560  and around handle  115  near mud shield  170  such that when one sits on seat  130 , rod  560  slides down through aperture  160  until base  565  hits the ground to support the sitter. End  565  may be splayed or have a foot, pad or flange to help disperse the downward forces and prevent rod  560  from becoming impaled in the ground. Elastic strap  210  stretches and stays stretched as long as someone is sitting in seat  130 . When the sitter stands up and removes their weight from seat  130 , stretched elastic strap  210  recovers and causes rod  560  and seat  130  to retract upwards to an equilibrium position. 
     An alternative embodiment, not shown, provides a spring-mounted rod and tube assembly such that upon sitting on seat  130 , rod  560  compresses a coil or leaf spring or other suitable bias element disposed within tube  520 , for example. The spring remains in compressive resilient tension until the weight is removed from seat  130 , where upon the spring pushes seat  130  back up to its starting position. 
     A further alternative embodiment provides an hydraulic assembly such that downward force on seat  130  compresses a piston in an hydraulic chamber to provide the resilient return force to seat  130  when the downward force is removed. 
     Other biasing or return mechanisms for seat  130  may be employed in alternative embodiments, including powered and mechanized embodiments, as may be a matter of engineering design choice, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Seat assembly  510  of the present disclosure may further provide dampening elements such as rubber washers within tube  520 , for example, to cushion metal on metal contact and also to dampen the resilient forces when seat  130  is impelled back to its starting position when the person stands up. Additionally, specific embodiments of seat assembly  510  provide one or more stops to prevent seat  130  from over-extending out of tube  520  in response to the upward force of the resilient return mechanism. 
     A butterfly bracket assembly helps retain tube  520  in a substantially vertical position. The bracket assembly may include butterfly nut  535  fastened to U-bracket  540  around tube  520  to sandwich bent support plate  530  tightly between butterfly nut  535  and tube  520 . Support plate  530  in turn is fastened to mud shield  170 . Additional structural support for seat assembly  510  is provided in this embodiment by tube  520  fastened to floor or platform  120 . 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. Chassis  105  may be formed from side members  310  connected to rear crossbar  325 . Wheels  110 B,C may be rotatably attached to either side of rear crossbar  325 . Chassis side members  310  attach to front wheel  110 A. Alternative embodiments, not shown, provide a four-wheeled chassis that has two front wheels and two rear wheels. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. Not visible in the top view of  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 4  reveals support struts  155 A,B that extend from rear wheel support member  325  to handle  115  and which are further supported by diagonal struts  150 A,B coupled to chassis  105 . 
     Specific embodiments of the cart apparatus of the present disclosure provide handle  115  having kinked or jointed segments  117 , 118  roughly proximate to floor  120  and front end  107  to accommodate, for example, a large selectively removable cooler  140 . 
       FIG. 5  is a rear view diagrammatic illustration of a specific exemplary embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. Tube  520  mounted vertically on floor  120  houses seat  130  supporting rod  560 , which extends retractably downward below floor platform  120 . When someone is sitting on seat  130 , seat support rod  560  descends down through floor  120  until it hits the ground while putting elastic strap  210  under upward elastic tension. 
     Seat  130  mounted on rod  560  maybe referred to collectively as a seat member. Advantageously, the retractable descending action of the seat member provides a seating mechanism that is substantially independent of the weight of the person who sits on seat  130 . In particular embodiments, elastic strap  210  is sufficiently elastic that even a small woman or a child has sufficient weight to press rod  560  down to the ground. Alternative embodiments provide one or more additional seats for use by one more companion likewise having the descending and retractable ascending action through a hole in the floor platform. 
     If chassis  105  or the seat apparatus  130 ,  560 ,  520 , and so forth (as described above for  FIG. 2 ) were asked to support the weight of a relatively heavy person, however, their weight might cause chassis  105  or the seat apparatus to structurally fail. Pursuant to the present disclosure, however, seat  130  harmlessly descends through floor  120  (at aperture  160 ) so that the ground itself is able to support the weight of the person. Accordingly, cart  100  does not necessarily have to be engineered so as to support the weight of an adult on seat  130 . Therefore, cart  100  may be advantageously manufactured relatively inexpensively without concern for such structural strength. 
       FIG. 6  is a side view schematic illustration of a specific alternative folding embodiment of a cart apparatus of the present disclosure. The present disclosure contemplates methods and structures for a collapsible or foldable embodiment of cart apparatus  100 . For embodiments based on baby jogger carts and other types of collapsible or foldable baby strollers, for example, once the obstructions to folding have been detached and removed, a cart apparatus of the present disclosure may be collapsed or folded for transport or storage in a manner familiar to the manufacturers and users of such strollers. 
     To remove obstructions to folding, for example, wheels  110 A-C may be the quick-release type familiar to bicyclists and which allows a wheel to easily be detached by flipping a cam lock handle at the axel to selectively release  610  the wheel. 
     A collapsible embodiment may provide a removable seat assembly  510  as well as detachable wheels  110 A,B,C. For example, seat assembly  510 , including seat  130 , seat support rod  560 , tube  520 , and base  565  may be selectively removable  620 . The butterfly nut  535  for the seat bracket  540  assembly described in  FIG. 2  may be loosened by turning to release tube  520  from U-bracket  540 . Tube  520  may also be released from its mounting on floor  120 , depending on the mounting means employed a specific embodiment. For example, tube  520  maybe threaded and threadedly attached to a threaded base attached to floor  120 . Alternatively, a pullpin embodiment may provide a spring-biased pin disposed through aligned retaining holes in tube  520  and a tube retaining base or flange mounted on floor  120  such that tube  520  may be selectively attached to or detached from floor  120  via such a pullpin mechanism. 
     Elastic strap  210  may be selectively detachable from seat support  560 , as may be base  565 , to further facilitate removal of seat assembly  510 . Additionally, seat support  560  may be selectively removed from tube  520 . 
     Floor  120  may also be selectively detached  630  from chassis  105  by releasing pullpins  109  in specific embodiments. In particular, specific embodiments of floor  120  may consist of a molded plastic or other suitable material that is shaped to conform to portions of chassis  105  such that floor  120  can selectively snap on to or off of chassis  105 . Alternative embodiments of floor  120  may be selectively screwed on or otherwise suitably selectively attached to chassis  105  as may be a matter of engineering design choice. Specific embodiments of floor  120  may consist of one or more panel that is hinged or molded so as to be foldable without removal of floor  120 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , chassis  105  is rotated up  640  around the pivot at rear axel support  325 . Handle member  115  is released from chassis  105  by disengaging pullpin  109 . Handle member  115  may then be rotated  650  from the rear downward around pivot  660 . For example, struts  155 A,B may be adapted to have rotatable connections where they connect to handle member  115  to provide pivot point  660 . Chassis  105  and handle member  115  are then collapsed or folded into a relatively flat profile for convenient storage or transport, together with detached wheels  110 A,B,C, and seat assembly  510 . 
     Alternative embodiments do not require that seat assembly  510  be completely detached in order for cart  100  to be collapsible. For example, base  565  may be detached from pole  560  (for example by means of a pull pin connection), butterfly bolt  535  loosened and tube  520  detached from flange  550  such that seat assembly  510  remains loosely and rotatably attached to handle  115  via support plate  530  so that seat assembly  510  can be rotated into a position substantially parallel to handle  115  and co-rotated with handle  115  during the folding process for folding cart  100 . 
     To use cart assembly  100  from its folded state, one simply rotates chassis  105  down along arc  620  and re-attach wheels  110 A,B,C. Restore platform or floor  120  onto chassis  105  in those embodiments where platform  120  had been removed for folding. Rotate handle member  115  up along arc  650  from the rear and attach the front end of handle member  115  to the front end  107  of chassis  105  by re-engaging pullpins  109 . 
     Various alternative embodiments may provide bicycle tires (preferably 20″×1.17″) for wheels  110 , quick release latches for mounting wheels  110 A,B,C so that wheels  110 A-C may be easily and selectively removed and re-mounted, foot rest or mud guard  170  mounted behind front wheel  110 A and a mesh basket of approximately 18″×12″ for at least one of receptacles  125 . Such basket receptacle  125  may snap into place with 4 clamps, for example, made with plastic, for example. Certain receptacles  125  may have one or more small drainage hole. 
     Additional alternative embodiments may further provide platform or floor  120  having holes or indentions to facilitate folding and unfolding. Embodiments having a relatively flat platform  120  may also facilitate correct folding. Alternatively, platform  120  may be selectively removable. 
     Preferably, all bolts and the like may be one or two sizes throughout the apparatus so that a user needs one wrench to work on the apparatus. 
     Certain alternative embodiments may provide a variety of accessories such as for example an accessory bag such as a little back pack selectively attachable to the basket or other receptacle  125 , score card holder (retractable in certain embodiments), umbrella holder, rain cover for basket/receptacle  125 . Specific embodiments provide a console, mounted to handle member  115  or to floor  120 , for example, which provides a variety surface and receptacles such as for example one or more beverage holders, a surface for writing or score keeping or to hold a scorepad, receptacles for car keys, coins, a purse, a personal music player and headphones or ear buds or other miscellaneous items that a disc golf player may not want to carry separately or in his or her pockets. 
     Additional accessories may include but not be limited to, back pack, tool kit, spare bolts for wheels, pencils, trash receptacle, ash tray, extension pole disc grabber, logo hubcap or spinners. 
     Specific alternative embodiments may provide one or more brakes such as wheel chair-type brakes or other suitable brake mechanism to park the apparatus or prevent the apparatus from rolling on an incline during disc golf play. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.