Abstract:
An accessory organizing device for a golf car having a longitudinal member, a mounting bracket for mounting the device to the vertical support bars of a golf car, and accessory holders which engages with the longitudinal member. The longitudinal member has grooves or slots along at least a portion of the length of the longitudinal member. Accessory holders are supported by the longitudinal member by engagement with the grooves. The accessory holders are removeably or adjustably engaged with the grooves. Accessory holders and be adjustable in position and orientation along the longitudinal member to suit the user&#39;s needs. Accessory holders can be specific for a particular device such as a phone or a GPS device, or be a general receptacle such as a pouch or a tray for holding various accessories as desired by the

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of accessory organizing devices for use with a golf car, and in particular accessory organizers which are removable and portable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A golfer often carries accessories when on the golf course. To allow for ease of playing, accessories are often left on the golf car. The accumulation of accessories in a golf car can lead to disorganization. Due to the small size of the golf car, it may be difficult to arrange items as desired. Furthermore, due to the short term rental nature of a golf car, a user cannot permanently place organizational devices customized for the user&#39;s convenience in the golf car. 
         [0003]    Current organizational devices are difficult to mount, and may be large, bulky or heavy. Some require mounting to the roof of the golf cat or higher up on the golf cart which would require the golfer to reach up. Other devices are permanently or semi-permanently installed. 
         [0004]    The present inventor has recognized the need for an efficient system of organizing accessories. 
         [0005]    The present inventor has recognized the need for an accessories organization system which is easily configured and mounted. The present inventor recognized the need for an accessories organization system that is easily disconnected from the cart and is sized to be easily transportable by a golfer to and from the cart. The present inventors recognized the need for an accessories organization system that does not interfere or bother a fellow golf car rider. 
         [0006]    The present inventor has recognized the need for a portable accessories organization device which can be adapted to many different type of golf cars. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An accessory organizing device for a golf car which comprises a longitudinal member, a mounting bracket for mounting the device to the vertical support bars of a golf car, and accessory holders which engages with the longitudinal member. The longitudinal member has grooves or slots along at least a portion of the length of the longitudinal member. Accessory holders are supported by the longitudinal member by engagement with the grooves. The accessory holders are removeably or adjustably engaged with the grooves. Accessory holders and be adjustable in position and orientation along the longitudinal member to suit the user&#39;s needs. Accessory holders can be specific for a particular device such as a phone or a GPS device, or be a general receptacle such as a pouch or a tray for holding various accessories as desired by the user. 
         [0008]    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, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the accessory device mounted on the supports of the golf car. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the accessory device with accessory holders. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the mounting mechanism of the accessory device. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a mounting mechanism, 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the longitudinal member. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an accessory holder in engagement with the longitudinal member. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the mounting mechanism. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a view along line  8 - 8 ′ of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a view along line  9 - 9 ′ of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the alternate embodiment of the mounting mechanism of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the mounting mechanism of  FIG. 6  connected to a vertical support bar. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    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. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates the accessory organizing device  10  being used on both the driver&#39;s side and passenger side of the golf car, also known as a golf cart. The accessory organizing device  10  comprises a longitudinal member  70  onto which accessory holders  40  are remnovablely attached. The accessory organizing device  10  is mounted to vertical support bars  20  of the golf car through the use of a mounting bracket  30 . The mounting bracket  30  has a longitudinal member support portion  50 , and a vertical support bar  20  mounting portion  60 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a longitudinal member  70 . Longitudinal member  70  has a rectangular cross section  75 , which as illustrated in  FIG. 2  is a square. The cross sectional area is not limited to a four sided regular polygon, and can be any suitable shape. The cross sectional area may have greater or fewer than four sides depending on the number of engagement surfaces desired. A greater number of sides will allow for more surfaces to engage with the accessory holders. 
         [0024]    Each side  72  of the longitudinal member  70  has at least one groove  80  or slot along the length of the longitudinal member ( FIG. 4 ). The longitudinal member may have a T-slot groove as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , or the longitudinal member may have a cross sectional area of a different shape, such as a trapezoidal shape. In one embodiment, the longitudinal member is the Bar or rail disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 200210122691 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,438, each herein incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present description. The longitudinal member can also have more than one groove or slot extending along the length of the longitudinal member on a side of the member. 
         [0025]    In one embodiment, the longitudinal member  70  is of a length which extends for a portion of the width of the golf car, such as half the width, or a distance which spans one passenger seating area such as the driver or passenger seating areas, or a length which spans a portion of the length of the driver or passenger seating area. In use, each user, such as the driver and the passenger, brings their portable accessory organizing device to be mounted to their respective driver and passenger side vertical supports. Each user can adjust the height of the device to suit the user&#39;s positioning needs. Each user&#39;s accessory organizing device can be custom configured to have an array of accessory holders customized to each user and custom positioned as desired by the user. Accessory holders can be provided for a variety of accessories. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates various accessory holders which can be used with the longitudinal member  70 . Accessory holders can be clips  40   a  for holding gloves or other accessories such as hats, bags, or food items such as bags of chips. Accessory holders can be a platform  40   b  to mount a GPS or GPS bracket or a mobile device. The accessory holders may be specific to particular accessories, such as a sunglasses holder (not shown), or the accessory holders may be designed to hold general accessories such as a tray  40   c,  a pouch  40   d  for holding various items. The accessory holders are attached to the longitudinal member. 
         [0027]    Due to the various types of accessory holders, the weight on the accessory holder and thus its connection with the groove on the longitudinal member may vary to distribute the weight of the holder and prevent the accessory holder from falling out or shaking during use. Various mechanisms for providing the desired weight, forces of the accessory holder in securing it to the longitudinal rail along the grooves can be used. 
         [0028]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , each accessory holder has a groove engagement portion  90   a,    90   b  which is inserted into the groove  80 . Accessory holders such as a hook can have a segment which is inserted into the groove by sliding the engagement portion  90   a  in from the end of the longitudinal member. Other accessories may have a groove engagement component which can be snap fitted into the groove. Other accessory holders can have a groove engagement component and also a brace to on the outer surface to balance the force or weight of the accessory. 
         [0029]    The accessory organizing device is mounted onto the support bars  20  of the golf car via a mounting bracket  30  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The mounting bracket  30  has a longitudinal member supporting portion  50  and a vertical support bar mounting portion  60 . The longitudinal member supporting portion  50  receives the longitudinal member  70  within a bracket  55  or shaft of a shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the longitudinal member  70 . A tightening mechanism such as a fastening screw  56  is used to secure the longitudinal member  70  to the bracket  55  by, for example, creating pressure on to the longitudinal member. Bracket  55  can also be modified to receive longitudinal members of different cross sectional shapes. The bracket can be modified by use of additional fastening mechanisms to adapt the bracket for receiving longitudinal member of a different cross sectional shape. The longitudinal member  70  may be mounted to the bracket at a distal end of the longitudinal member as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0030]    To secure the longitudinal member  70  to the golf car, the bracket  50  holding the longitudinal member is secured to the vertical support bar  20  of the golf car by a securing mechanism on the vertical support bar mounting portion  60 . The vertical support bar securing mechanism may be a U-Shaped brace  65  which corresponds to the cross sectional shape of a golf car support bar. The U-shaped brace may be detachably secured to the mounting bracket  30 . The U-shaped brace is wrapped around the support bar and secured to the mounting bracket through the use of a fastening screw  66  by, for example, pressure force on to the U-shaped brace. The interior of the U-shaped brace  65  may be lined with material such a rubber to enhance the grip and connection of the U-shaped brace  65  with the vertical support bar  20  and allow for variations in the size of the golf car support bar  20 . In one embodiment, instead of a U-shaped brace, the securing mechanism may be a C-shaped bracket  65   a  ( FIG. 3A ) which can be opened to receive the vertical support bar  20  of the golf car. The C-shaped bracket  65   a  may then be tightened about the vertical support bar  20  using a fastening mechanism such as a fastening screw  66   a.  Any other mechanism for connecting the longitudinal bar to a vertical support bar known to one skilled in the art may also be used. 
         [0031]    In another embodiment, the longitudinal member  70  is secured to a vertical support member  20  using a mounting bracket  30   a  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The mounting bracket has a stationary member  31  and a size adapting member  32 , each having an arm  31   a,    32   a  between which a region for engaging with a vertical support member  20  is formed. The stationary member  31  has a shaft  55   a  for receiving the longitudinal member. A distal end of the longitudinal member is fitted within the shaft, and secured to the shaft  55   a  by a fastening mechanism, such as a screw  55   b,  illustrated in  FIG. 10  which fastens the longitudinal member to the stationary member through aperture  31   c.  One or more ends of the longitudinal member may have a threaded opening  71  for receiving the screw  55   b.  The stationary member  31  further comprises a receiving shaft  33  for receiving the size adapting member  32 . The depth of the receiving shaft  33  for the size adapting member is of sufficient depth to allow the distance between the arms  31   a  and  32   a  to vary. A user adjusts the distance between the arms  31   a  and  32   a  by using a fastening mechanism, such as a screw or bolt (not shown) that extends through the aperture  31   b  in the top of the stationary member and through the adapting aperture  32   b  in the bottom of the adapting member  32  and connects with a nut  55   c  ( FIG. 6 ), which is secured against rotation in recess  56  in the bottom of the adapting member  23 . The top of the stationary member may have ridges  57 . The ridges may be interrupted by a screw head platform  35  about the aperture  31   b  that may be recessed below the tops of the ridges  57   FIG. 8  illustrates the view along line  8 - 8 ′ of  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 9  illustrates the view along line  9 - 9 ′ of  FIG. 7 . 
         [0032]    The arms  31   a  and  32   a  of the stationary member  31  and the size adapting member  32  comprise size adapting corners  34  ( FIGS. 7 and 11 ). The size adapting corners allows for the arms  31   a  and  32   a  to adapt to vertical supports  20  of various areas. As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the size adapting corners  34  allow for the arms  31   a,    32   a  to adapt to vertical supports  20   a  having the large cross section (shown in solid lines) and to vertical supports  20   b  having a smaller cross section (shown in dashed lines). The size adapting corners  34  maybe to designed to suit vertical supports of various sizes, such as those formed by 1 inch (2.5 cm) tubing, or by inch (1.875 cm) tubing. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment, the receiving shaft  33  for the size adapting member is sized to allow for movement of the size adapting member  32  within the shaft  33 . As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the size adapting member  32  is able to tilt within the shaft  33  within a range to better accommodate connection with various vertical supports. The range extends a predefined number of degrees from vertical alignment with the aperture  31   b.    
         [0034]    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.