Abstract:
An one-way rotation control mechanism used in a golf cart&#39;s wheel to control one-way rotation of the wheel on a wheel axle is disclosed to include a bushing affixed to the wheel axle, and a clutch mounted in and fixedly connected to the wheel to control linking between the wheel and the fixed bushing at the wheel axle in one direction

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an electric golf cart and more specifically, to a one-way rotation control mechanism used in an electric golf cart&#39;s wheel for controlling one-way rotation of the wheel.  
         [0002]     In an electric golf cart, a one-way bearing  9  (see  FIG. 1 ) is used and mounted on the wheel axle to support the wheel for one-way rotation control. This design of one-way bearing  9  is functional, however it tends to be covered with dust. When covered with dust, the one-way bearing  9  becomes unable to function well and may break easily. In this case, the one-way bearing  9  must be removed from the wheel axle and well cleaned. However, when the user removes the one-way bearing  9  from the wheel axle, the internal needle rollers  91  may fall out of the one-way bearing  9 . It is difficult to re-install the needle rollers  91  in the one-way bearing  9 . Therefore, people usually will send the whole electric golf cart to the distributor for repair when the one-way bearing  9  is damaged. It is expensive to send the whole electric golf cart to the distributor for repair.  
         [0003]     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore main object of the present invention to provide a one-way rotation control mechanism for use in an electric golf cart&#39;s wheel for controlling one-way rotation of the wheel, which is easily detachable for convenient maintenance. According to the present invention, the one-way rotation control mechanism comprises a bushing affixed to the wheel axle, and a clutch mounted in and fixedly connected to the wheel to control linking between the wheel and the fixed bushing at the wheel axle in one direction. In case the clutch cannot function well, the user can disconnect he clutch from the wheel remove it from the bushing easily for sending to the distributor for a repair work. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a conventional one-way bearing.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing a one-way rotation control mechanism installed in a wheel according to the present invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a part of the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is an elevational view of a part of the present invention, showing the clutch mounted on the second bushing.  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view showing the relationship between the clutch and the wheel axle according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 7  is an assembly view of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a part of the present invention, showing the structure of the clutch and the relationship between the clutch and the second bushing.  
         [0012]      FIG. 9  is an assembly view of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 10  is a front view of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 through 10 , an one-way rotation control mechanism is used in a golf cart, which comprises a wheel  2 , a bearing  21  and a first bushing  23  mounted in the wheel  2 , and a wheel axle  1  inserted through the axial hole  211  of the bearing  21  and the axial hole  231  of the bushing  23  to support rotation of the wheel  2 . The wheel  2  has a first locating groove  24  and a second locating groove  25  respectively disposed at the two opposite sides thereof.  
         [0015]     The one-way rotation control mechanism comprises a second bushing  3 , a clutch  4 , an outer cap  5 , and an inner cap  7 . The second bushing  3  comprises a rear big diameter portion  32 , a front small diameter portion  34 , an axial hole  31  axially extended through the rear big diameter portion  32  and the front small diameter portion  34 , a collar  33  extended around the periphery between the rear big diameter portion  32  and the front small diameter portion  34 , a locating hole  321  radially extended through the rear big diameter portion  32  across the axial hole  31 , and a locating groove  342  extended around the periphery of the front small diameter portion  34  along the distal end remote from the collar  33 . A pin  12  is inserted through the locating hole  321  of the second bushing  3  and a radially extended locating hole  11  of the wheel axle  1  to affix the second bushing  3  to the wheel axle  1 .  
         [0016]     The outer cap  5  is mounted in the first locating groove  24  of the wheel  2 , comprising a first circular chamber  50  of a relatively bigger diameter, which accommodates the clutch  4 , a second circular chamber  51  of a relatively smaller diameter, which is axially connected to the first circular chamber  50  and accommodates the collar  33  of the second bushing  3 , an annular step  511  provided on the inside between the first circular chamber  50  and the second circular chamber  51  and stopped against the outer side  331  of the collar  33 , and a plurality of through holes  512  axially extended through the front and rear sides thereof and spaced around the first circular chamber  50  and the second circular chamber  51 .  
         [0017]     The clutch  4  comprises a flat circular body  40  inserted into the first circular chamber  50  of the outer cap  5 , which flat circular body  40  having a rear side  425  stopped at the inner side  330  of the collar  33  of the second bushing  3 , a plurality of mounting through holes  401  axially extended through the flat circular body  40  and respectively aimed at the through holes  512  of the outer cap  5 , a center opening  41  cut through the center area of the flat circular body  40  for the passing of the front small diameter portion  34  of the second bushing  3 , a plurality of protruding portions  42  and recessed portions  411  respectively formed in the flat circular body  40  and alternatively spaced around the center opening  41 , a plurality of springs  44  respectively mounted in the recessed portions  411 , and a plurality of needle rollers  43  respectively mounted in the recessed portions  411  and respectively supported on the springs  44 . Each protruding portion  42  has a smoothly inwardly curved bearing surface  421  kept in contact with the front small diameter portion  34  of the second bushing  3 . Each recessed portion  411  defines a spring chamber  4111 , which receives one spring  44 , and a needle roller chamber  411 , which receives one needle roller  43 . The spring chamber  4111  has one lateral side terminating in a vertical wall  4113  that forms a part of the adjacent protruding portion  42 , and the other lateral side disposed in communication with the needle roller chamber  4112 . The needle roller chamber  4112  has two vertical sidewalls  4114  and  4115  and an inner wall  4116  connected between the two vertical sidewalls  4114  and  4115  (see  FIG. 10 ). Each spring  44  has one end  441  stopped at the vertical wall  4113  of the respective spring chamber  4111 , and the other end  442  stopped at the periphery of the respective needle roller  43 . The inner wall  4116  is obliquely connected between the two vertical sidewalls  4114  and  4115 . After mounting of the front small diameter portion  34  of the second bushing  3  in the center opening  41  of the clutch  4 , the distance between the front small diameter portion  34  of the second bushing  3  and the part  8  of the inner wall  4116  of the needle roller chamber  4112  adjacent to the respective spring chamber  4111  is greater than the diameter of the needle rollers  43 , however the distance between the front small diameter portion  34  of the second bushing  3  and the other end of the inner wall  4116  of the needle roller chamber  4112  is smaller than the diameter of the needle rollers  43 .  
         [0018]     The inner cap  7  is mounted in the second locating groove  25  of the wheel  2 , comprising a plurality of screw holes  711  respectively aimed at the mounting through holes  401  of the clutch  4  and the through holes  512  of the outer cap  5 .  
         [0019]     Screw bolts  54  are respectively mounted in the through holes  512  of the outer cap  5  and the mounting through holes  401  of the clutch  4  with the respective threaded shanks  541  respectively threaded into the screw holes  711  of the inner cap  7  to secure the outer cap  5 , the clutch  4  and the inner cap  7  together.  
         [0020]     After mounting of the clutch  4  on the second bushing  3 , a spring washer  35  is fastened to the locating groove  342  to secure the clutch  4  in place. Further, a washer  38  is mounted on the front small diameter portion  34  and stopped between the spring washer  35  and the clutch  4 .  
         [0021]     When rotating the clutch  4  in one direction (the clockwise direction), each needle roller  43  will be moved toward one vertical sidewall  4115  of the respective needle roller chamber  4112  far away from the respective spring chamber  4111  for free rotation, and therefore the clutch  4  can be freely rotated. On the contrary, when rotating the clutch  4  in the reversed direction (the counter-clockwise direction), each needle roller  43  will be moved toward the other vertical sidewall  4114  and will be jammed between the body  40  of the clutch  4  and the front small diameter portion  34  of the second bushing  3  to stop the clutch  4  from rotation. Because the clutch  4  is fastened to the outer cap  5  and the inner cap  7 , clockwise rotation of the clutch  4  causes the wheel  2  to be synchronously rotated. Therefore, the clutch  4  controls one-way rotation of the wheel  2 .