Golf cart having an improved roof

A motorized golf cart having a double wall thermoformed canopy fixedly connected to and supported over a chassis. The canopy has a bottom wall with fastener holes passing therethrough. A frame is provided to support the canopy having a front generally rectangular member and a rear inverted U-shaped member with apertures for passage of bolts therethrough. Blind fasteners are positioned in the bottom wall fastener holes and bolts passed through the frame apertures and into the blind fasteners to securely mount the canopy to the frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to golf carts and, more particularly, to a 
motorized golf cart having an improved roof. 
2, Prior Art 
Various different roofs, tops, canopies and umbrellas exist in the prior 
art intend for use with motorized golf carts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,238 to 
Healey discloses a golf cart roof for stowing golf clubs and other golf 
accessories. U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,695 to Jones et al. discloses a golf cart 
with a windshield attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,175 to Gerber discloses 
a golf cart roof having a downwardly turned edge about its periphery. 
Inverted U-shaped tubular members support the roof about its periphery. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,430 to McCoy discloses a solar powered golf cart with 
solar cell panels supported on its roof. 
As noted from the above references, roofs for golf carts, apart from 
shielding occupants from sun and rain, can provide other functions. 
However, roofs of the prior art are not without their disadvantages. One 
disadvantage with prior art golf cart roofs is that they have relatively 
bland or plane shapes because of the types of supports necessary to 
properly support a roof over the golf cart and the type of roof. 
Another disadvantage with prior art roofs is that they are relatively 
complicated to properly attach to the roof supporting structure. 
Another disadvantage with prior art roofs is that their connection on a 
roof supporting structure is relatively unattractive. 
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a 
relatively simple, inexpensive and visually attractive roof for a golf 
cart. 
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a new type of 
roof for a golf cart that is relatively easy, inexpensive and visually 
attractive to connect to a motorized golf cart. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing problems are overcome and other advantages are provided by an 
improved roof structure for a motorized golf cart. 
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a motorized golf cart 
is provided comprising a chassis, a drive means, a roof structure having a 
top, and means for connecting the top to the chassis. The top is a 
twin-sheet thermoformed member comprised of a relatively rigid 
thermoplastic material having a top wall, a bottom wall and a space 
therebetween at predetermined locations. The bottom wall has fastener 
holes passing therethrough. The means for connecting the top to the 
chassis comprising a roof support frame means having a front section and a 
rear section. The support frame means has apertures therethrough for 
passage of mounting bolts. Blind fasteners are positioned in the bottom 
wall holes and into the space between the top and bottom walls. Mounting 
bolts, passed through the apertures into the blind fasteners, securely 
mount the top to the support frame whereby the top connection is 
relatively easy, inexpensive and has a relatively attractive appearance. 
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a motorized 
golf cart is provided having a chassis, drive means and a roof structure. 
The roof structure comprises a relatively rigid canopy, frame means for 
supporting the canopy over a section of the chassis, means for positioning 
the canopy on the frame means, and means for fixedly connecting the canopy 
to the frame means. The canopy is comprised of a double walled 
construction having a relatively hollow center with holes passing through 
a first underside wall of the canopy. The means for supporting the canopy 
over a section of the chassis has a front inverted generally U-shaped 
member and a rear inverted generally U-shaped member. The front and rear 
members have top portions with apertures therethrough for mounting bolts 
to be mounted, at least partially, therein. The means for positioning the 
canopy on the frame means allows for the canopy to be placed on the frame 
means top portions at a predetermined position and comprises recesses in 
the underside wall of the canopy. The means for fixedly connecting the 
canopy to the frame means comprises fastener means position-ed, at least 
partially, in the canopy center through the holes in the underside wall of 
the canopy with the bolts and the fastener means cooperatingly fixing the 
first underside wall to the frame means top portions whereby the canopy is 
fixedly connected to the frame means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a rear perspective view of a golf cart 
10 incorporating features of the present invention. In the embodiment 
shown, the golf cart 10 generally comprises a chassis or body 12, wheels 
14, a motor 16 for driving the wheels 14, a passenger sitting area 18, a 
golf bag storage area 20, a utility storage area 22, and a roof structure 
24. The roof structure 24 generally comprises a roof or top 26, a front 
support frame 28 and a rear support frame 30. The roof 26, in the 
embodiment shown, substantially covers the entire chassis 12, but is 
mainly provided to shield occupants and contents of the golf cart 10 from 
such things as hot sunlight or rain. In the embodiment shown, the roof 26 
is a substantially rigid structure comprised of a thermoplastic material. 
Preferably, the roof 26 is formed from a twin-sheet thermoforming process 
as will be described below. The front support frame 28 is generally 
comprised of a tubular member having generally four sides and forming a 
square or rectangle shape. However, any suitable type of front support 
frame can be provided. The rear support frame 30 is generally comprised of 
a tubular member having a generally inverted U-shape. The front support 
frame 28 has two legs 32 and 34 and upper and lower center sections 36 and 
36A therebetween. The front support frame lower center section 36A is 
suitably connected to the chassis 12 at the front of the golf cart 10 as 
shown. The upper center section 36 of the front support frame 28 is 
connected to a front portion of the roof 26 as will be described below. 
The second support frame 30 generally comprises a first leg 38, a second 
leg 40 and a center section 42 therebetween. The second support frame legs 
38 and 40 are suitably connected to the chassis 12 at their bottom ends 
behind the seating area 18. The second support frame center section 42 is 
suitably connected to the roof 26 at a rear portion of the roof as will be 
described below. As described above, the second support frame 30 generally 
comprises a inverted U-shape. However, in the embodiment shown, the second 
support frame legs 38 and 40 each have a bent or offset section 44. The 
bent or offset sections 44 of the legs 38 and 40 are provided such that 
the bottom ends of the legs 38 and 40 are connected to the chassis 12 at a 
suitable location such that the second support frame 30 will not interfere 
with an occupant's entry or exit from the golf cart 10 or storage of golf 
bags in the golf bag storage area 20. However, the frame 30 can 
nonetheless provide support for the relatively large roof 26 proximate its 
rear portion whereby the roof 26 is capably supported by the front and 
rear support frames 28 and 30 and can cover a substantial amount of the 
chassis or body 12. In the embodiment shown, the first support frame 
center section 36 is relatively longer than the second support frame upper 
center section 42. Thus, the distance between the second support frame 
legs 38 and 40 is relatively smaller than the distance between the first 
support frame legs 32 and 34. The relatively wide distance between the 
first support frame legs 32 and 34 can allow for positioning and mounting 
of a relatively wide windshield/sunshield (not shown), at the front of the 
golf cart 10. The relatively narrow distance between the second support 
frame legs 38 and 40 is provided such that the second support frame 30 
does not interfere with or inconvenience a passenger of the golf cart 10 
during entry, exit or occupation in the sitting area 18 and gives a 
general open feeling for an occupant even though the occupant is 
relatively substantially covered by the roof 26. The rear support frame 
can also have a rear windshield/sunshield (not shown) connected thereto. 
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the front and rear support 
frames may be replaced with a single frame member, or two side frame 
members, or more than two frame members. 
Referring now also to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the roof or top 26 
will be further described. As described above, the roof 26 is generally 
comprised of a relatively rigid thermoplastic material. In a preferred 
embodiment, the thermoplastic material is polyethylene. However, any 
suitable type of material may be used. The roof 26, also known as a sun 
canopy, generally comprises a top wall 46, a bottom wall 48, a front 
portion 50, rear portion 52, and two side portions 54 and 56. Preferably, 
the roof 26 is manufactured by a twin-sheet thermoforming process in which 
hollow products are produced at relatively high rates of speed, also 
commonly known as twin-sheet forming or dual-sheet forming. The twin-sheet 
thermoforming process is generally used as an alternative to blow and 
rotational molding. A good description of twin-sheet forming can be found 
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,306 to Dresen et al. which is incorporated by 
reference in its entirety herein. Generally, in twin-sheet forming, two 
sheets of material are first each mounted onto an appropriate thermoform 
vacuum mold. Each of the molds is a one sided mold having vacuum ports 
provided therein intended to draw the sheet of material against the mold 
when the sheet of material is heated so as to generally conform to the 
shape of the mold. Following the formation of each of the two sheets of 
material, the two mold halves, each of which is one sided by itself, are 
brought together compressing the two sheets of material therebetween. The 
two mold halves then compress the two sheets of material therebetween with 
the material of the roof 26 still being hot so that the two thermoplastic 
sheets of material that form the roof 26 are pressed together under 
pressure while continually in a semi-molten state. Thus, where the two 
sheets of material which form the roof 26 are pressed together, the 
material of each of the sheets fusses together with the material of the 
other sheet forming a continuous, seamless unitary structure at each such 
junction. Thus, at junctions between the two sheets that form the roof 26, 
the top wall 46 and the bottom wall 48 are substantially unitary with no 
space therebetween. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the top 
wall 46, bottom wall 48 and junctions between the two walls have a 
thickness of about 0.12 inch. However, any suitable thickness can be used 
and may also be varied at different locations. Areas of the roof 26 in 
which there is no junction of the two sheets of material that form the 
roof have a space 58 between the top wall 46 and bottom wall 48. In a 
preferred embodiment of the invention, the top side of the top wall 46 is 
textured during the thermoforming process to give the top wall 46 an 
attractive appearance, reduce the visibility of dirt or dust on the roof 
26 and allow for better run-off of rain from the top wall 46 of the roof. 
In the embodiment shown, the top wall 46 generally comprises a relatively 
gentle transverse and longitudinal curve forming a slight dome shape. The 
curve of the top wall 46 increases in slope proximate the front portion 
50. The top wall 46 also forms relatively sharp drop-offs to form the side 
portions 54 and 56. In addition, the top wall 46 has a relatively steep 
drop-off at the rear portion 52 and flanges outwardly at the rear portion 
52 and the rear areas of the side portions 54 and 56. The side portions 54 
and 56 are substantially identical to each other and have front sections 
60 and rear sections 62. The front section 60 is generally longer than the 
rear section 62. However, the rear section 62 is generally wider than the 
front section 60 and flanges outwardly as described above. In a preferred 
embodiment, the rear sections 62 have hand grips or impressions 63. 
The bottom wall 48 generally forms a center structural rib 64, a first 
longitudinal structural junction 66, a second longitudinal structural 
junction 68, a front support frame receiving area or depression 70, a rear 
support frame receiving area or depression 72 and a windshield/sunshield 
receiving area or depression 74. The windshield/sunshield receiving area 
74 is generally intended to receive a top portion of a 
windshield/sunshield (not shown) which may be mounted to the front support 
frame 28. The front support frame receiving area 70, as shown best in 
FIGS. 4 and 8, generally is recessed in the roof 26 to form a channel for 
receiving the front support frame upper center section 36, at least 
partially, therein. Two junctions 76 and 78 are provided in the receiving 
area 70 for structural support reasons as will be described below. Located 
in the front support frame receiving area 70 are two mounting holes 80 
passing through the bottom wall 48 into the space 58 for passage of blind 
fasteners therethrough as will be described below. However, any suitable 
number of mounting holes may be provided and may be located in any 
suitable location in the front support frame receiving area. The width and 
length of the front support frame receiving area are substantially the 
same as the width and length of the front support frame upper center 
section 36 such that when the roof 26 is connected to the front support 
frame 28, the roof 26 may be supported on the front support frame 28 with 
the front support frame being received in the front support frame 
receiving area 70 which can substantially maintain the roof 26 in a 
predetermined position while fasteners are attached to the roof 26 and 
front support frame 28 as will be described below. The rear support frame 
receiving area 72, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, is substantially the 
same length and width as the second support frame center section 42 and 
can receive, at least partially, the second support frame center section 
42 therein. The rear support frame receiving area 72, in the embodiment 
shown, comprises two mounting holes 82 passing through the bottom wall 48 
into the space 58. The mounting holes 82 are generally intended to receive 
blind fasteners therein. However, any suitable type of fastener and any 
suitable number or location of mounting holes may be provided. The rear 
support frame receiving area 72 can substantially receive the rear support 
frame center section 42 therein for positioning of the roof 26 on the rear 
support frame 30 prior to attachment of fasteners between the rear support 
frame 30 and the roof 26 as will be described below. Because the front and 
rear support frame receiving areas 70 and 72 are recessed, the recesses 
provide a means for positioning the roof on the support frames at a 
predetermined position. The recessed feature of the receiving areas 70 and 
72 also improve the aesthetic appearance of the mounting of the roof 26 to 
the support frames 28 and 30. 
Referring now also to FIG. 10, an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of 
the mounting of the rear support frame 30 to the roof 26 is shown. 
Generally, a blind fastener 84 is positioned in a mounting hole 82. The 
blind fastener 84 is generally provided to take advantage of the structure 
of the roof 26 having spaces therein to provide a relatively simple, 
inexpensive and visually aesthetic or substantially hidden connection of 
the rear support frame 30 to the roof 26. In a preferred embodiment of the 
invention, threaded inserts such as JACK NUT or WELL-NUTS threaded 
inserts, trademarks of Emhart Industries, Inc. of Shelton, Conn., can be 
used. Generally, a shaft portion 88 of the blind fastener 84 extends 
through the mounting hole 82. A flange portion 90 of the blind fastener 84 
is generally sandwiched between the bottom wall 48 and the top of the 
second support frame second section 42. A mounting bolt 86 inserted 
through an aperture or mounting hole 43, extending through the rear 
support frame center section 42, can pass into the blind fastener 84 and 
make mating contact with threads in the shaft portion 88 such that when 
the mounting bolt 86 is properly screwed into the blind fastener 84, the 
blind fastener 84 will collapse as shown in FIG. 10 against the inside 
portion of the bottom wall 48 whereby the collapsed portion of the blind 
fastener 84 and a head 87 of the mounting bolt 86 substantially retains 
the rear support frame center section 42 in the rear support frame 
receiving area 72 thereby connecting the roof 26 to the rear support frame 
30. 
Referring now to FIG. 11, an enlarged partial cross-sectional side view of 
the connection of the front support frame 28 to the roof 26 is shown. 
Similar to the connection of the roof 26 to the rear support frame 30, in 
the embodiment shown, a blind fastener 84 is positioned in a mounting hole 
80 with a shaft portion 88 extending through the hole 80 into the space 58 
and a flange portion 90 being sandwiched between the bottom wall 48 and 
the upper center section 36 of the front support frame. A mounting bolt 86 
can pass through a mounting hole 37 in the upper center section 36 into 
the shaft portion 88 of the blind fastener and be screwed into threads in 
the blind fastener 84 such that fastener 84 can at least partially 
collapse against the inner surface of the bottom wall 48 with the 
collapsed portion of the blind fastener 84 and the head portion 87 of the 
mounting bolt 86 substantially retaining the roof 86 on the front support 
frame 28. Thus, the roof 26 can be connected to the front support frame 28 
in a relatively simple, inexpensive and substantially visibly hidden 
manner to fixedly retain the roof on the front support frame 28. 
Referring now to FIGS. 12A and 12B, an alternate embodiment of the present 
invention is shown. In the embodiment shown, the roof 26 encapsulates a 
fastener bar 92. Bolts 87 extend up through holes 43 in the rear support 
30, through holes 82 in the bottom wall 48 and into fastening portions 94 
in the bar 92. The bar 92 and bolts 87 cooperate to fixedly sandwich the 
rear support 30 with the bottom wall 48 of the roof. 
Referring now to FIG. 13, an alternate embodiment of the present invention 
is shown. In the embodiment shown, the bottom wall 48 of the roof has a 
downward extending beam 96 with horizontal holes 82 therethrough. One hole 
82a is larger than the corresponding other hole 82b. A load spreading 
fastener 98 extends through the larger hole 82a and abuts against the 
inside of the bottom wall 48 proximate the smaller hole 82b and also has a 
flange 100 that abuts against the outside of the bottom wall 48 proximate 
the larger hole 82a. A bolt 87 extends horizontally through the support 
frame 30 into the fastener 98 to fixedly connect the frame 30 to the roof. 
Referring now to FIGS. 14A and 14B, an alternate embodiment of the present 
invention is shown. In the embodiment shown, the bottom wall 48 has a 
downward extending mound 102 formed when the roof is formed. A portion 104 
of the mound 102 is removed to produce an opening through the bottom wall. 
A frame member 106 can extend into the mound. A bolt 87 can be passed 
through holes 82 in the mound 102 and holes 108 in the frame member with a 
nut 110 being connected to the bolt 87 to fixedly connect the roof to the 
frame member 106. 
Referring now to FIGS. 15A and 15B, an alternate embodiment of the present 
invention is shown. In the embodiment shown, a downwardly extending mound 
102 is formed in the bottom wall 48 having holes 82 therethrough. The 
frame member 106 is generally tubular with an open end 112. The mound 102 
is suitably sized and shaped to extend down into the frame member 106 via 
its open end 112. A bolt 87 can pass through holes 108 in the frame member 
and the holes 82 in the mound 102 with a nut 110 being connected to the 
bolt 87 to fixedly connect the roof to the frame member 106. 
Referring now to FIG. 16, an alternate embodiment of the present invention 
is shown. In the embodiment shown, the bottom wall 48 forms a pocket 114 
which does not allow the frame member 106 to extend into the space 58 
between the top and bottom walls of the roof. The bottom wall 48 is 
generally folded over on itself as shown in the drawing. The frame member 
106 is received in the pocket 114 and a load spreading bolt 116 and load 
spreading nut 118 fixedly connect the frame member 106 to the roof. 
Referring now to FIG. 17A, an alternate embodiment of the present invention 
is shown. In the embodiment shown, a roof 26 has a recess 120 for 
receiving a top portion 122 of a frame 124. The roof 26 has upwardly 
extending depressions 126 on opposite sides of recess 120 for receiving 
self-tapping screws 128 (see FIG. 17B). The frame 124 has two side 
sections 130 and 131 and one center section 132 that are bolted together. 
A flat plate 134 is provided having holes 136 for the screws to pass 
through. The top portion 122 of the frame 124 is positioned in the recess 
120 and sandwiched between the plate 134 and the bottom wall 48 in the 
recess 120. The screws 128 (see FIG. 17B) fixedly connect the plate 134 to 
the bottom wall 48 to fixedly connect the frame 124 to the roof 26. FIG. 
17B shows an alternate embodiment wherein the plate 134 is suitably shaped 
to accommodate an angled frame top portion 122. A plate recess 121 is also 
provided in the bottom wall 48. 
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative 
of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by 
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the 
invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all 
such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope 
of the appended claims.