Abstract:
A dolly specially suited for use with the game apparatus of the games referred to as “Bags”, “Beanbag Toss” or “Corn Hole.” The dolly includes a support frame, a lifting frame, wheels, and a handle for transporting goals. Drink holders, a storage container and a score indicator can be deployed on the support frame.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/965,742, filed Aug. 22, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A game, commonly known as “Bags”, “Beanbag Toss”, or “Corn Hole” is played by two or more participants and comprises the use of several weighted bags known as beanbags, and two wedge-shaped goals. Each goal has a hole on its angled top surface, and the object of the game is to toss a beanbag into the hole. This is a very popular game at social gatherings, especially outdoors during nice weather. The game has recently become popular on college campuses. There are now Corn Hole tournaments that include many games in a large field being played simultaneously. 
         [0003]    To play the game, the two goals are spaced apart on a lawn and the participants stand adjacent to a near goal and toss a beanbag toward the distant goal, attempting to toss the beanbag into the hole of the distant goal. The goals are spaced significantly apart in order to present a challenge to the participants in tossing beanbags in the respective holes. 
         [0004]    To set up the game, the wedge-shaped goals need to be carried to their desired locations from their places of storage. The goals are large and often heavy due to being constructed of wood or another durable material. Since the game of Corn Hole is usually played outside in a yard, hand carrying the goals from inside the house or other place of storage to place the goals spaced apart on the lawn can be a cumbersome task, particularly during a tournament situation where many goals must be placed at a far distance from the storage location. 
         [0005]    Also, during storage, transportation, and cleanup after the games, beanbags are often lost and the beanbags must all be checked, recounted, and found before the game can begin. 
         [0006]    Also, Corn Hole is a social game, often played at parties and social gatherings, in which the participants may be holding some sort of drink and/or snack food. Given that this game is often played outdoors, it is difficult for the participants to find a safe place to place their drink and/or snack while playing the game on the lawn. Drinks and snack foods placed on the grass can be knocked over or trampled by the players or others. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, during casual backyard games, the participants keep track of the score by memory, out of which often rise discrepancies and disagreements. In official tournaments, scoreboards are used, but they are often flimsy, hard to read, and prone to being blown about by the wind. 
         [0008]    The present inventor has recognized the need for an apparatus to aid in the transportation of the goals required for the game of Corn Hole. 
         [0009]    The present inventor has recognized the need for an apparatus to effectively contain and hold the beanbags during storage and transportation. 
         [0010]    The present inventor has recognized the need for an apparatus that provides a support and securing apparatus for food and/or drink for the participants of the game of Corn Hole. 
         [0011]    The present inventor has recognized the need for an apparatus that provides an effective, sturdy, and accurate scoring means to keep track of each team&#39;s score in a game of Corn Hole. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention provides a dolly apparatus for use with the game apparatus of “Bags”, “Bean Bag Toss” or “Corn Hole.” The dolly includes a support frame, a lifting frame, wheels, and a gripping handle for transporting goals. 
         [0013]    Drink holders, a storage container and a score indicator can be deployed on the support frame. 
         [0014]    According to one embodiment drink holders are resiliently clamped to the support frame and can be slid vertically and rotated on the support frame for desired positioning, outward for a deployed position and offset and inward for storage. 
         [0015]    According to one embodiment, a convenience console is deployable from the support frame. The console can be hingedly mounted on the support frame, or can be detachable and movable between alternating positions including a deployed position and a stored, retracted position. The console preferably has cup holders, clips on the sides for retaining snack bags, other compartments as needed, and can have a flat-surface table-like area for various other uses. 
         [0016]    The storage container can be a bag attached to the support frame or console for holding beanbags. The bag can be of mesh or other material, and can be re-openable and re-closeable by means of a variety of sealing means, for example, by a zipper. 
         [0017]    The score indicator can be a scoring meter with movable team indicators. The meter can be a thin board made of plastic, wood, or other material with notches or lines representing points to be aligned with team-specific tabs, clamps or pegs. The meter can be removably mounted to the support frame or retract into and out of the support frame, or fold down against the frame for storage. The scoreboard can be rigid and rigidly held by the frame to ensure stability while the scoreboard is extended and on display. 
         [0018]    In another embodiment, rather than being built-in to be a part of the dolly, a console including the cup-holders and other compartments, with the beanbag carrying bag, and scoring means can all be slipped over the upper frame of a conventional dolly. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment, the Beanbag goal transporting means is achieved through a transporting apparatus that is built into the goals. A retractable handle can be built into a first end of the wedge-shaped goal, and retractable wheels can be built in to the opposite end of the bottom face of the wedge. During play, the handle can slide into the underside of the goal, so as not to interfere with operation of the game. During transportation, the handle can be extended to provide a gripping surface for pulling the goal. The wheels can be pivotally mounted, so that during play, they can be retracted above the bottom face of the wedge, so the wedge can lay flat on the ground. During transportation, the wheels will be pivoted down to a latched, deployed position to make the goal easily wheeled by a person gripping the extended handle. 
         [0020]    According to another embodiment, rather than a two wheeled dolly, a four-wheeled cart can be utilized to transport the goals wherein the cart includes the accoutrements described above with respect to the dollies. 
         [0021]    The invention also provides a useful dolly for possible other applications wherein the dolly includes a drink holder and/or utility shelf and/or a storage container. 
         [0022]    Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dolly apparatus of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 1A  is an enlarged, fragmentary side view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  shown in a folded up condition; 
           [0026]      FIG. 1C  is a side view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  shown in use to pull a goal; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a third embodiment of a dolly apparatus having transportation elements deployed; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the dolly apparatus of  FIG. 3  having transportation elements retracted; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the dolly apparatus of  FIG. 3  having transportation elements deployed; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment dolly apparatus of the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of a fifth embodiment dolly apparatus of the invention with drink holders shown in a deployed position; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the fifth embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  with drink holders shown in a storage position; 
           [0034]      FIG. 8A  is a top view of a bracket taken along line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  is a schematical elevational view of a score indicator according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
         [0037]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/965,742, filed Aug. 22, 2007, the entire specification of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1  illustrates a dolly apparatus  10  having a support frame  12  attached to a lifting frame or lifting plate  14 . The lifting frame  14  supports the weight of the object to be lifted and transported. Wheels  18  are mounted to the lifting frame  14 . The support frame  12 , lifting frame  14  and wheels  18  can all be arranged and configured according to the heretofore known configurations for dollies. Particularly advantageous is a configuration of a folding dolly or luggage carrier such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,969,660; 4,754,985; and 6,012,729, all herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0039]    The support frame  12  includes a first inverted U-shaped frame portion  13  and a second inverted U-shaped frame portion  15  slidably attached to the first portion  13 . The second U-shaped frame portion  15  includes a handle bar  20  that provides an easy gripping surface for an operator to control the movement of the apparatus and pull the apparatus (see  FIG. 1C ). As an option, grip handles  20   a ,  20   b  can be provided extending rearward which allow easy pushing of the dolly apparatus. If the goal  41  has a height when stood up on the support plate  14  greater than the height of the handle bar  20 , the rearward position of the grip handles  20   a ,  20   b  prevents pinching of the user&#39;s hands otherwise caught between the carried target  41  and the handle bar  20 . 
         [0040]    A console  21  is mounted to the second portion  15 . The console  21  is preferably a molded plastic piece that includes a shelf  22  that extends from second portion  15  and includes formed cup-holding recesses or cup-holders  24 . Snack-holding clips  26  for holding snack bags  27  are fastened to the shelf  22 . A beanbag holding bag  28  can be fastened to a front edge of the shelf  22  of any other appropriate position on the dolly. Beanbag holding bag  28  includes a closing means, for example a zipper  30 . 
         [0041]    A scoring meter  32  extends upward from the frame  12 . Scoring meter  32  includes numbered notches or lines  34  indicating score, and tabs, clips, or pegs  36 ,  38  representing Team  1  and Team  2 , respectively. Tabs, clips, or pegs  36 ,  38  are manually movable along scoring meter  32  to keep track of the score of the game. The meter can telescope into a vertical leg  15   a  of the second frame portion  15  or can have a hinge  32   a  that allows the meter to fold down against the handle  20  for storage or transportation. Alternately, other ways of deploying the meter  32  are possible such as by a removable connection, wherein the meter can be removed and put into the bag  28  for storage. 
         [0042]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a portion of the dolly apparatus of  FIG. 1 . The console  21  is supported by identical and parallel L-shaped rods  39   a ,  39   b  hung from pivot connections to outsides of the second frame portion legs  15   a ,  15   b , respectively. The pivot connections allow the console to be swung around a top of the second frame portion  15  to the storage location indicated in dashed lines in  FIG. 1A . In the deployed position, since the L-shaped rods  39   a ,  39   b  are located outside the legs  15   a ,  15   b , the shelf and/or rods hold the shelf  22  perpendicular to the second frame portion  15  by pressing against the second frame portion legs  15   a ,  15   b.    
         [0043]    Holes  32   b  for score pegs or indicators for one team are shown in  FIG. 1A . 
         [0044]      FIG. 1B  illustrates the dolly  10  in a folded condition with the console  21  folded to a back side of the dolly and the meter  32  folded against the handle  20 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 1C  illustrates a person P pulling a goal  41  on the dolly  10 . A plurality of beanbags  47  are held within the storage bag  28 . The console  21  is folded over to the back side of the dolly to ensure non-interference with the goal  41  being carried on the lifting frame  14  and the support frame  12 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment comprising a separate dolly  43  and a sleeve console  40 . Sleeve console  40  includes a base  49  that is designed to slip over the support frame  42  of the conventional dolly  43 . The base comprises a box with an open bottom face  49   a  that receives a top portion of the support frame  42 . The base  49  is attached to the heretofore described shelf  22  with the cup-holding recesses  24 , snack-holding clips  26 , and beanbag holding bag  28 . The scoring meter can also be attached to the base in a retractable manner as heretofore described to prevent damage during transportation. The sleeve console can advantageously be molded as a single plastic piece. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 3-5  show a third embodiment of the present invention. Wedge shaped goal the  54  includes a retractable handle  56 , which is manually slidable between retracted and deployed positions.  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  show the retractable handle  56  in deployed, retracted, and partially-deployed positions, respectively. The handle  56  includes a gripping bar  57  attached to two legs  58 ,  59 . The legs are slidably captured in channels  60 ,  61  which afford a limited extension and stop when the deployed position is reached. Alternately, the handle could be permanently fixed in the deployed position. 
         [0048]    A goal hole  44   a  is also shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0049]    On the opposite end of wedge shaped goal  44  are wheels  68  mounted rotatably on brackets  69  which pivot about axes  70  between fixed deployed positions (shown in  FIG. 3 ) and fixed retracted (shown in  FIG. 4 ) positions, that are set by detents  74 ,  76 . An example of this type of wheel elevation adjustment and fixation can be found on the wheel height adjustments on a common lawnmower and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,851, herein incorporated by reference. Alternately the wheels could be permanently fixed in the deployed position. 
         [0050]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein the console  21  is mounted onto a four wheel luggage cart  80 . The console  21  can have the same features and be mounted in the same manner as set forth in  FIG. 1-1A  or can be a separate sleeve console  40  as set forth in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0051]      FIGS. 7 through 9  illustrate another embodiment dolly apparatus  100  having a support frame  102  attached to a lifting frame or lifting plate  104 . The lifting frame  104  supports the weight of the object to be lifted and towed. Wheels  108  are mounted to one or both of the lifting frame  104  and the support frame  102 . The support frame  102 , lifting frame  104  and wheels  108  can all be arranged and configured according to the heretofore known configurations for dollies; particularly advantageous is a configuration of a folding dolly or luggage carrier such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,969,660; 4,754,985; and 6,012,729, all herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0052]    The support frame  102  includes a first inverted U-shaped frame portion  103  and a second inverted U-shaped frame portion  105  slidably attached to the first portion  103 . The second U-shaped frame portion  105  includes a handle bar  120  that provides an easy gripping surface for an operator to control the movement of the apparatus and pull the apparatus. As an option, a grip handle  120   a  can be provided extending rearward, and inclined slightly upward which allow easy pushing of the dolly apparatus. If the goal  41  has a height when stood on the plate  104  greater than the height of the handle bar  120 , the rearward position of the grip handle  120   a  prevents pinching of the user&#39;s hand otherwise caught between the carried target  41  and the handle bar  120 . The members  120 ,  120   a  can be padded for user comfort. 
         [0053]    The second frame portion  105  can be lowered with respect to the first frame portion  103  once a clasp  116  is manually released, to collapse the dolly for storage. The crossbar  103   a , the connectors  103   b ,  103   c  and the vertical members  103   d ,  103   e  are all stationary with respect to the plate  104 . The latch  116 , when released from the member  103   a , can be lowered on a telescopically collapsible tube  116   a  as a crossbar  105   a  and connectors  105   b ,  105   c  move down, the connectors  105   b ,  105   c  being guided on the vertical members  103   d ,  103   e . The connectors  105   b ,  105   c  are fixed to the vertical members  105   d ,  105   e  of the frame portion  105 . The vertical members  105   d ,  105   e  are connected at a top thereof by the handle bar  120 . 
         [0054]    A sack  121  is mounted to the first portion  103 . The sack  121  is preferably a fabric sack with a re-closable top opening  121   a , such as being reclosable by a zipper  130 . The sack is similar to a backpack sack and may have a main compartment  122   a  closed by the zipper  130 , and a smaller, front pocket  122   b  having a top opening  123 , closed by a zipper  124 . The sack  121  can hold bean bags or other items in the main compartment and a watch, car keys and the like in the smaller pocket  122   b . The sack  121  includes a pair of strap assemblies that each includes straps  126   a ,  126   b  that terminate in mutually engageable, strap-fastening elements  127   a ,  127   b . The sack is fastened to the crossbar  103   a  of the frame portion  103  by the straps  126   a ,  126   b  extending above and below the crossbar and being fastened on a front side of the crossbar by the strap-fastening elements  127   a ,  127   b . Bottom straps  128   a ,  128   b  can be used to encircle the frame portion  103  and be connected by mutually engageable strap-fastening elements  129   a ,  129   b.    
         [0055]    A scoring meter  132  extends upward from the frame  102  or from the grip handle  120   a . Scoring meter  132  includes a scoreboard  133  supported on a vertical spindle  135 . The scoreboard  133  includes numbered notches or lines  134  indicating the game score. Colored tabs, clips, or pegs  136 ,  138  are manually movable along scoreboard  133  representing the current game score of each Team  1  and Team  2 . 
         [0056]    The meter  132  can be removable erected onto a bracket  139  that is connected to the handle bar  120  or to the grip handle  120   a . The bracket  139  has an inverted, substantially U-shaped configuration with a notch  141  for receiving a bottom portion  145  of the spindle  135 , the bottom portion  145  located between an upper flange  147  and a lower flange  148  on the spindle  135 . The flanges  147 ,  148  are spaced to cause a resilient or friction fit on the bracket  139  above and below the notch  141  when resiliently slid into the notch. The scoreboard will thus be held vertical above the bracket  139 . When not in use, the meter is removed and put into the bag  28  for storage. 
         [0057]    Two drink container holders  151 ,  153  extend from the vertical members  105   d ,  105   e  of the inverted U-shaped second frame portion  105 . The drink holders  151 ,  153  are advantageously composed of plastic and each include a resilient clamp base  154 , a cantilever bracket  156  extending from the base  154 , and a drink container receptacle  156 . 
         [0058]    The base  154  includes a semi-cylindrical base part  154   a  and two c-clasp parts  154   c ,  154   d  spaced apart along a height of the base part  154   a  and facing toward each other. The c-clasp parts  154   c ,  154   d  resiliently grip the respective vertical member  105   d ,  105   e  against the base part  154   a . Each c-clasp part  154   c ,  154   d  includes an extending tab  154   e  that can be used to pry open the c-clasp parts  154   c ,  154   d  to release the holder from the vertical member, such as for storage, replacement or cleaning. The base  154  can be rotated and slid vertically on the vertical member to orient the receptacle  156  to a desired position or turned inward for storage. Each receptacle has a smaller diameter lower section to retain small diameter containers and a larger upper section for larger containers. 
         [0059]      FIG. 7  shows the drink holders  151 ,  153  pivoted outward such as would be preferable to hold drinks during the bean bag game.  FIG. 8  shows the drink holders  151 ,  153  slid to be offset vertically and then rotated inward to a position between the vertical members such as would require the least storage space for placement of the dolly in a car trunk or in a closet. 
         [0060]    From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.