Abstract:
A portable golf cart curtain assembly that is able to be installed by one golfer in a matter of minutes on any golf cart and provide a substantial barrier to the elements. Its extensible framework is designed to remain place despite the twisting of the golf cart frame and any jostling of the golf cart as it traverses about the course. A set of rubber grommets keeps any movement of the assembly quiet as metal on metal contact is eliminated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an extremely versatile portable side curtain system for a golf cart (or similarly sized utility vehicle) that is adapted to provide protection from the outside elements and ease of installation for the user. More particularly, to a universal golf cart side curtain assembly that is quiet and is designed to stay in place despite the twisting of the golf cart frame as it traverses over a golf course terrain. 
         [0002]    Ardent golfers shoot a round of golf despite the wind and rain. Additionally, most ardent golfers own their own golf carts or rent a golf cart each time they shoot a round of golf. One way to mitigate the elements while on the course is to enclose the golf cart sides with fabric curtains. These curtains have special requirements in that they will receive little attention. They must be mildew proof, waterproof, strong enough to withstand a direct hit from a golfball, partially transparent, rigid enough to prevent being blown into the cart in a cross breeze and designed so as to allow quick access and entry. 
         [0003]    Conventional curtains have been available on golf carts for years, however generally they zipper, snap or hook and loop fasten to close and/or attach to the golf cart. This is time consuming and frustrating at best for the user. Secondly, the present golf cart curtains on the market now are very bulky which makes them problematic to take home when they are wet. Hence the reason for such lackluster sales and poor market presence. 
         [0004]    Henceforth, a universal golf cart side curtain that could quickly be installed on a rented golf cart would fulfill a long felt need in the golf industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a portable, universal golf cart curtain that is able to be installed by one golfer in a matter of minutes on any golf cart and provide a substantial barrier to the elements. 
         [0006]    It has many of the advantages mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new golf cart curtain assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
         [0007]    In accordance with the invention, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved golf cart curtain assembly that is portable and easily transportable. 
         [0008]    It is another object of this invention to provide an improved golf cart curtain assembly capable of protecting the passengers in a golf cart from stray golf balls. 
         [0009]    It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved golf cart curtain assembly that can be quickly installed on any golf cart and does not impede the driver&#39;s visibility. 
         [0010]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide for an improved golf cart curtain assembly that can easily be opened and closed and is not susceptible to being blown into the cabin of the golf cart. 
         [0011]    It is yet a further object of this invention to provide improved golf cart curtain assembly that is waterproof and resists mold and mildew accumulation as well as damage from golf balls. 
         [0012]    The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are discussed in greater detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exterior front view of the curtain; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the curtain; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an interior back view of the curtain; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the curtain rod; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is cross sectional view of the curtain rod taken through the hanger slot; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the hanger bracket; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the hanger bracket; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the golf cart side curtain assembly cane showing the general arrangement of all components; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the hanger brackets and telescoping curtain rod; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a golf cart with the hanger brackets installed; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a golf cart with a side curtain assembly showing a partially open curtain; 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a golf cart with a side curtain assembly showing a fully drawn curtain; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a second embodiment hanger bracket. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The golf cart side curtain apparatus that is described in detail below, is easy to transport as well as remove and install by one person, on any golf cart. It is also mildew and mold resistant, waterproof and windproof. 
         [0027]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0028]    Looking at  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  it can be seen that the side curtain  2  is made of a waterproof flexible cloth with the peripheral edges  4  stitch hemmed back onto the body of the curtain. Preferably the curtain material is treated so as to prevent mildew and mold from forming on it surfaces. A transparent plastic window  6  is constrained into a central cutout  8  in the main curtain body. Two parallel linear fabric sleeves  10  are vertically sewn onto the curtain  2  on either side of the window  6 . The bottom of each sleeve is stitched shut. Into these sleeves  10  are weighted rods  12 . These rods serve to hold the curtain  2  draped in a generally planar vertical configuration. This prevents the curtain  2  from being blown onto or sucked onto the driver and passengers as well as adding mass to the curtain  2  to prevent a stray golf ball from transferring its energy through the curtain to the passengers. Hollow steel pipe/tubing has been shown to work well. A fabric handle  14  is sewn to the interior side of the curtain  2  to allow the opening and closing of the curtain  2 . Fabric loops  18  are stitched about the upper hem  20  so as to constrain rings  16  although other ring retention means may be used such as hook and loop fasteners, dome fasteners or zig zag stitching. The rings are of a resilient, non rusting material such as stainless steel, brass, or a polymer that slidingly engage the telescoping curtain rod  22 . 
         [0029]    Looking at  FIGS. 4 and 5  the telescoping curtain rod  22  can best be seen. Basically the curtain rod  22  is made of a first section of piping that is slide inside a second, larger section of piping with a suitable clearance between the OD of the first section of piping and the ID of the second section of piping so as to minimize slop yet allow smooth sliding engagement between the two. This sliding engagement allows the curtain rod  22  to lengthen and shorten as need be as the golf cart frame twists. There are also substantial length differences between the pillars on the various types of golf carts and this telescoping rod  22  allows the side curtain assembly to generically fit all golf carts. The distal and proximate ends of the curtain rod  22  each have oblong orifices  24  cut therethrough the piping that reside along the linear axis of the piping. A polymer bushing  26  is fit about the interior of these oblong orifices  24 . This bushing  26  helps to frictionally engage peg  28  as well as silence any metal to metal contact that occurs between the peg  28  and the curtain rod  22  as the golf cart jostles about. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show the curtain rod support  30 . This support  30  is made up of a “J” shaped body having a threaded bore on the short “J” arm  36 , housing a conventional spindle assembly  32  that threadingly engages inwardly toward the Long “J” arm  34  and a circular peg  28  that extends normally from the end of the long “J” arm  34 . The spindle assembly has a retaining pad  38  affixed to its bottom end. Although not shown, there are optional polymer, non marking semi compressible pads that may be affixed to the retaining pad and the inside of the long “J” arm  34  to prevent scratching the golf cart pillars  40 . It is well known in the industry that other means of compression may be used in conjunction with the curtain rod support  30  such as circular clamps, buckle clamps and the like. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  shows how the entire golf cart side curtain assembly is attached to the golf cart  42 . The curtain rod support  30  is placed about the upper end of the golf cart pillar  40  adjacent the golf cart roof such that the peg  28  resides inside the compartment of the golf cart  42 . The spindle  32  is twisted clockwise until the long “J” arm  34  and the retaining pad  38  firmly grip the pillar  40 . The remaining curtain rod supports are affixed to the remaining golf cart pillars  40  at the approximate elevation of the first one. (Ref  FIG. 10 ) The weighted rods  12  are slid to the bottom of the sleeves  10  and the curtain rod  22  is extended and feed through all of the curtain rings  16 . The curtain rod/curtain assembly is lifted and the pegs  28  is inserted through oblong orifices  24  with their bushings  28  so as to constrain and support the curtain rod  30  at their distal and proximate ends.(Ref  FIG. 9 ) Theoretically this should leave the curtain rod  22  residing parallel to the ground and the roof of the gold cart although different golf carts may have a slightly different orientation. 
         [0032]    The curtain  2  may now be slid to the front of the golf cart  42  to allow the passengers to exit as in  FIG. 11  or may be slid to the rear of the golf cart  42  to protect the passengers from the elements and stray golf balls. There is clearance space about the pegs  28  within the oblong orifices  24  that allow for the slight cart frame twisting without moving the curtain rod  22  and curtain  2 . 
         [0033]    The use of the golf cart side curtain assembly is universal for all golf carts despite the dimensions between the golf cart pillars, because of its telescoping curtain rod  22 . In a longer body golf cart the curtain  2  may not extend to cover the entire side opening, however, it will be slid forward to the front end of the rod  22  and will extend far enough rearward to ensure the passengers do not experience any rain upon them. The curtain may be attached at the front to the golf cart pillars by a set of ties (not illustrated) that are nothing more than strings or hook and loop fasteners affixed to the inner and outer sides of the curtain  2  about the peripheral edge. When the curtain  2  does get wet it may be hung to dry. 
         [0034]    There are several variations in cart designs the newer ones of which do not utilize stanchions or support pillars at the four corners of the roof, rather, the rear pillars  40  are positioned closer together toward the centerline of the roof. In this situation there is an alternate embodiment curtain rod support  50  ( FIG. 13 ) that connects to these pillars  40  but has an extension that moves the peg  28  to the outside of the cart. The alternate embodiment curtain rod support  50  is a vice style clamping body. It is a “U” shaped body having a first planar side  54  and a second planar side  52  held in a parallel configuration by a third side  56 , and a clamping face  58  which is capable of being advanced toward the first planar side  54  by the rotation of a screw mechanism  60  which is rotatably attached to the clamping face  58  and also threadably engaged through a threaded bore formed through said second planar side  52 . The third side  56  has an extension  62  projecting therefrom and a peg  28  that extends from said third side. This configuration ensures the peg  28  will be located toward the outside of the cart roof rather than near the cart roof centerline. This allows the curtain rod  22  to hang in the same position as discussed above. 
         [0035]    The above description will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. It also sets forth the best modes for carrying out this invention. There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain readily apparent to others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present invention have been disclosed. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.