Abstract:
A folding collapsible golf cart includes a front main shaft holding an upper golf bag cradle, a handle pivoted to a front end of the front main shaft and locked in one of a series of angles between the collapsed position and the extended working position, a rear main shaft pivoted to a rear of the front main shaft and locked between the collapsed position and the extended working position and holding a lower golf bag cradle and a wheel bracket, two wheel holder frames bilaterally pivoted to the wheel bracket and holding a respective wheel, and two links bilaterally coupled between the wheel holder frames and a mounting frame at the rear end of the front main shaft. The handle has curved portions, which prevent the handle from touching the heads of the golf clubs kept in the golf bag carried on the upper golf bag cradle and the lower golf bag cradle.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to golf carts, and more particularly to a folding collapsible golf cart, which comprises a folding collapsible main shaft unit, and a folding collapsible handle pivoted to the main shaft unit. 
     Various golf carts are known folding collapsible. FIGS. from  1  through  4  show a folding collapsible golf cart according to U.S. Pat. No. RE33,939. This structure of folding collapsible golf cart comprises a front main shaft  8  and a rear main shaft  9  pivoted together and turned between the extended position and the collapsed position, retractable handle  7  coupled to the front main shaft  8 , an upper golf bag cradle  81  and a lower golf bag cradle  91  respectively mounted on the shaft body  82  of the front main shaft  8  and the shaft body  92  of the rear main shaft  9  and adapted to hold a golf bag  80 . The retractable handle  7  has a rod member  71  inserted into the front main shaft  8 , and releasably locked by a tightening up screw  70 . This structure of folding collapsible golf cart is still not satisfactory in function. The drawbacks of this structure of folding collapsible golf cart are numerous and outlined hereinafter. 
     1. Because the handle  7  bears much pressure when moving golf cart on the ground, the tightening up screw  70  wears quickly with use. 
     2. The retractable handle  7  can only be moved axially relative to the front main shaft  8 , its angular position is not adjustable. 
     3. Because the shaft body  92  of the rear main shaft  9 , the shaft body  82  of the front main shaft  8  and the rod member  71  of the retractable handle  7  are aligned in a line, the heads  901  of the storage golf clubs  90  may touch the rod member  71  when moving the golf cart on the ground, causing a damage to the heads of the golf clubs, and simultaneously producing noises. 
     The present invention provides a folding collapsible golf cart, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. According to one aspect of the present invention, the folding collapsible golf cart comprises a front main shaft holding an upper golf bag cradle, a handle pivoted to a front end of the front main shaft and locked in one of a series of angles between the collapsed position and the extended working position, a rear main shaft pivoted to a rear of the front main shaft and locked between the collapsed position and the extended working position and holding a lower golf bag cradle and a wheel bracket, two wheel holder frames bilaterally pivoted to the wheel bracket and holding a respective wheel, and two links bilaterally coupled between the wheel holder frames and a mounting frame at the rear end of the front main shaft. The handle has curved portions, which prevent the handle from touching the heads of the golf clubs kept in the golf bag carried on the upper golf bag cradle and the lower golf bag cradle. According to another aspect of the present invention, the handle comprises two parallel rod members respectively mounted with a respective toothed engagement block, the front main shaft has its front end fixedly mounted with a toothed locating block pivotally coupled between the toothed engagement blocks at the rod members of the handle by a pivot bolt, and a locking lever is coupled to one end of the pivot bolt and turned between the locking position and the unlocking position to lock/unlock engagement between the toothed locating block and the toothed engagement blocks. According to still another aspect of the present invention, the front main shaft has a curved portion curved forwardly upwards toward the upper golf bag cradle, the rear main shaft has a curved portion curved backwardly upwards toward the lower golf bag cradle, and the rod members of the handle have a respective curved portion curved backwardly upwards, such that a big space is left between the golf bag and the handle after the mounting of the golf bag on the upper golf bag cradle and the lower golf bag cradle, preventing the rod members of the handle from touching the heads of the golf clubs kept in the golf bag. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a folding collapsible golf cart according to U.S. Pat. No. RE33,939. 
     FIG. 2 s a side view of a part of the folding collapsible golf cart shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 2 collapsed. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a folding collapsible golf cart according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an oblique rear side view of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 6, showing the locking lever set in the locking position. 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective rear side view in an enlarged scale of the locking lever according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional bottom view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention, showing the front main shaft and the rear main shaft extended out. 
     FIG. 11 is another bottom view in an enlarged scale of the present invention, showing the front main shaft and the rear main shaft extended out. 
     FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 10 but showing the pivot bolt pressed, the locking plate disengaged from the first circular coupling plate of the first mounting frame and the first circular coupling plate of the second mounting frame. 
     FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 11 but showing the pivot bolt pressed, the locking plate disengaged from the first circular coupling plate of the first mounting frame and the first circular coupling plate of the second mounting frame. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention, showing the front main shaft and the rear main shaft collapsed. 
     FIG. 15 is similar to FIG. 14 but showing the pivot bolt pressed. 
     FIG. 16 is a side view of the present invention, showing a golf bag carried on the upper golf bag cradle and the lower golf bag cradle. 
     FIG. 17 is a bottom view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention, showing the locating block meshed between the first engagement block and the second engagement block, the locking lever set in the locking position. 
     FIG. 18 is similar to FIG. 17 but showing the locking lever turned to the unlocking position. 
     FIG. 19 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of FIG. 18, showing the positioning plate installed in the locking lever. 
     FIG. 20 is another side view of the present invention, showing the angular position of the handle adjusted. 
     FIG. 21 is another side view of the present invention, showing the upper golf bag cradle and the handle collapsed. 
     FIG. 22 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of a part of FIG. 21 when viewed from another angle. 
     FIG. 23 is a side view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention, showing the handle and the upper golf bag cradle collapsed, the front main shaft turned relative to the rear main shaft. 
     FIG. 24 is a side view in an enlarged scale of the present invention, showing the folding collapsible golf cart collapsed. 
     FIG. 25 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of the present invention, showing the folding collapsible golf cart collapsed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. from  5  through  25 , a folding collapsible golf cart in accordance with the present invention comprises a handle  1 , a front main shaft  41 , a rear main shaft  42 , an upper golf bag cradle  43 , a wheel bracket  6 , two wheel holder frames  61 , and two wheels  64 . The handle  1  comprises two rod members, namely, the first rod member  11  and the second rod member  12  arranged in parallel. Two engagement blocks, namely, the first engagement block  21  and the second engagement block  22  are respectively mounted on the rod members  11  and  12  of the handle  1 . The rod members  11  and  12  each have a transversely extended axle hole  111  or  121  near one end. The engagement block  21  and  22  are respectively injection-molded from plastics, each comprising a toothed face  210  or  220  disposed at one side, an axle hole  211  or  221  axially extended through the center of the toothed face  210  or  220 , and a transversely extended coupling hole  214  or  224 , which receives the rod member  11  or  12 . The first engagement block  21  further comprises a protruded portion  213  axially extended from the border area of the flat outer end  212  thereof A locating block  23  is fixedly mounted on one end, namely, the front end of the front main shaft  41 , and meshed between the engagement blocks  21  and  22 . The other end, namely, the rear end of the front main shaft  41  is fixedly mounted with a first mounting frame  51 . The upper golf bag cradle  43  is pivotally coupled to the front main shaft  41  by a pivot  410 . The locating block  23  is injection-molded from plastics, comprising two toothed faces  231  and  232  disposed at two distal ends thereof and adapted for engaging the toothed faces  210  and  220  of the engagement block  21  and  22 , a radially extended mounting hole  230 , which receives the front end of the front main shaft  41 , and an axle hole  234  axially extended through the center of the toothed faces  210  and  220 . The front main shaft  41  has an axle hole  411  transversely disposed near the front end. After insertion of the front end of the front main shaft  41  into the mounting hole  230  of the locating block  23 , a pivot bolt  20  is inserted through the axle hole  121  of the second rod member  12 , the axle hole  221  of the second engagement block  22 , the axle hole  234  of the locating block  23 , the axle hole  411  of the front main shaft  41 , the axle hole  111  of the first rod member  11  and the axle hole  211  of the first engagement block  21 , and then a locking lever  3  is coupled to the pivot bolt  20 , and then a positioning plate  30  is fastened to the pivot bolt  20  to secure the locking lever  3  in place. The locking lever  3  is injection molded from plastics, comprising a recessed positioning portion  31 , which receives the positioning plate  30 , an axle groove  32  backwardly extended from the recessed positioning portion  31  for the passing of the pivot bolt  20 , and a stop portion  321  disposed at one end of the axle groove  32  (see FIGS.  8  and  9 ). The positioning plate  30  comprises an embedded metal block  301  and a screw hole  3011  formed on the metal block  301  and threaded onto the threaded rear end  201  of the pivot bolt  20 . After installation, the locking lever  3  can be turned between the locking position where the top side  33  of the locking lever  3  and the upper part  351  of the inner side  35  of the locking lever  3  are respectively stopped at the bottom side  2131  of the protruded portion  213  and the flat outer end  212  of the first engagement block  21  (see FIG.  17 ), and the unlocking position where the stop portion  321  of the locking lever  3  is stopped at the threaded rear end  201  of the pivot bolt  20 , and gaps A and B are respectively left between the top side  33  of the locking lever  3  and the flat outer end  212  of the first engagement block  21  and between the upper part  341  of the outer side  34  of the locking lever  3  and the and bottom side  2131  of the protruded portion  213  of the first engagement block  21  (see FIG.  18 ), enabling the first engagement block  21  and the second engagement block  22  to be disengaged from the locating block  23 , and therefore the handle  1  is allowed to be turned relative to the locating block  23  and the front main shaft  41  to the desired angle. 
     The rear main shaft  42  has a front end fixedly mounted with a second mounting frame  52 , which is pivotally coupled to the first mounting frame  51  at the rear end of the front main shaft  41 . The lower golf bag cradle  44  is pivotally coupled to one end, namely, the rear end of the rear main shaft  42  by a pivot  420 . The wheel bracket  6  is fixedly mounted on the rear main shaft  42 , and spaced between the second mounting frame  52  and the lower golf bag cradle  44 . The wheel holder frames  61  are respectively pivoted to the wheel bracket  6  at two opposite lateral sides to hold the wheels  64 , each comprising a support  611  pivoted to the wheel bracket  6 , and a link  60  coupled between the support  61  and the mounting frame  51  at the front main shaft  41 . 
     The first mounting frame  51  comprises two lugs  511  disposed at two opposite lateral sides and respectively coupled to one end, namely, the front end  601  of the respective link  60  at each support  61  of the wheel holder frames  61 , and two circular coupling plates, namely, the first circular coupling plate  512  and the second circular coupling plate  513  respectively formed integral with two opposite lateral side walls thereof The circular coupling plates  512  and  513  each have a center pivot hole  5121  or  5131 . The first circular coupling plate  512  has two locating holes  5122  equally spaced from the center pivot hole  5121  at two opposite sides. The diameter of the pivot hole  5121  of the first circular coupling plate  512  is greater than the pivot hole  5131  of the second circular coupling plate  513 . The second mounting frame  52  comprises two substantially circular coupling plates, namely, the first circular coupling plate  522  and the second circular coupling plate  523  respectively formed integral with two opposite lateral side walls thereof corresponding to the circular coupling plates  512  and  513  of the first mounting frame  51 . The circular coupling plates  522  and  523  each have a center pivot hole  5221  or  5231 . The first circular coupling plate  522  has two locating holes  5222  equally spaced from the center pivot hole  5221  at two opposite sides. The diameter of the pivot hole  5221  of the first circular coupling plate  522  is greater than the pivot hole  5231  of the second circular coupling plate  523 . A pivot bolt  53  is mounted in the pivot holes  5121  and  5131  of the circular coupling plates  512  and  513  of the first mounting frame  51  and the pivot holes  5232  and  5231  of the circular coupling plates  522  and  523  of the second mounting frame  52  and fastened up with a stop element  534  to secure the first mounting frame  51  and the second mounting frame  52  together. The pivot bolt  53  comprises a head  533  disposed outside the first mounting frame  51 , a shank  531  inserted through the pivot hole  5231  of the second circular coupling plate  523  of the second mounting frame  52  and the pivot hole  5131  of the second circular coupling plate  513  of the first mounting plate  51 , and a shoulder  532  connected between the head  533  and the shank  531  and inserted through the pivot hole  5121  of the first circular coupling plate  512  of the first mounting frame  51  and the pivot hole  5221  of the first circular coupling plate  522  of the second mounting frame  52 . The stop element  534  is fixedly fastened to the free end of the shank  531  and disposed outside the first mounting frame  51 . Further, a locking plate  50  is mounted on the shank  531  of the pivot bolt  53  and moved between the shoulder  532  and the second circular coupling plate  523  of the second mounting frame  52 , and a spring  55  is mounted around the shank  531  of the pivot bolt  53  and connected between the locking plate  50  and the second circular coupling plate  523  of the second mounting frame  52 . The locking plate  50  comprises a through hole  503 , which receives the shank  531 , and two locking rods  504  perpendicularly extended from one side thereof and adapted for engaging into the locating holes  5222  of the first circular coupling plate  522  of the second mounting frame  52  and the locating holes  5122  of the first circular coupling plate  512  of the first mounting frame  51 . The diameter of the through hole  503  is smaller than the diameter of the shoulder  532  of the pivot bolt  53  but greater than the diameter of the shank  531 . Normally, the locking plate  50  is forced by the spring  55  against the shoulder  532  of the pivot bolt  53 , keeping the locking rods  504  engaged into the locating holes  5222  of the first circular coupling plate  522  of the second mounting frame  52  and the locating holes  5122  of the first circular coupling plate  512  of the first mounting frame  51 , and therefore the front main shaft  41  and the rear main shaft  42  are locked in the operative position (longitudinally aligned position). When pressing the head  533  to move the pivot bolt  53 , the locking plate  50  is forced backwards by the shoulder  532  of the pivot bolt  53  to compress the spring  55  and to disengage the locking rods  504  from the locating holes  5222  of the first circular coupling plate  522  of the second mounting frame  52  and the locating holes  5122  of the first circular coupling plate  512  of the first mounting frame  51  (see FIGS.  12  and  13 ), and therefore the front main shaft  41  and the rear main shaft  42  are unlocked, and allowed to be turned relative to each other between the operative position and the collapsed position. 
     When adjusting the angular position of the handle  1 , the locking lever  3  is turned from the locking position shown in FIG. 17 to the unlocking position shown in FIG. 18 to move the stop portion  321  to the threaded rear end  201  of the pivot bolt  20 , so that gaps A and B are respectively left between the top side  33  of the locking lever  3  and the flat outer end  212  of the first engagement block  21  and between the upper part  341  of the outer side  34  of the locking lever  3  and the and bottom side  2131  of the protruded portion  213  of the first engagement block  21  for enabling the first engagement block  21  and the second engagement block  22  to be disengaged from the locating block  23 , and therefore the handle  1  is allowed to be turned relative to the locating block  23  and the front main shaft  41  to the desired angle. After adjustment, the locking lever  3  is turned back from the unlocking position to the locking position to force the first engagement block  21  and the second engagement block  22  into engagement with the locating block  23  again (see FIGS.  7  and  17 ). 
     Referring to FIGS. from  21  through  25 , when not in use, the upper golf bag cradle  43  is turned downwards and closely attached to the front main shaft  41 , and then the locking lever  3  is turned from the locking position to the unlocking position, and then the handle  1  is turned to the collapsed position and closely attached to the collapsed upper golf bag cradle  43  (see FIGS.  21  and  22 ), and then the pivot bolt  53  is pressed to disengage the locking plate  50  from the locating holes  5222  of the first circular coupling plate  522  of the second mounting frame  52  and the locating holes  5122  of the first circular coupling plate  512  of the first mounting frame  51  (see FIGS.  12  and  13 ), and then the front main shaft  41  is turned with the handle  1  and closely attached to the rear main shaft  42  (see FIG.  23 ), causing the wheel holder frames  61  and the wheels  64  to be moved with the link  60  to the collapsed front main shaft  41  and rear main shaft  42  (see FIGS.  24  and  25 ). When repeating the aforesaid procedure in the reversed direction, the golf cart is extended out and set in the operative position. 
     Further, the front main shaft  41  has a curved portion  413  curved forwardly upwards toward the upper golf bag cradle  43 , the rear main shaft  42  has a curved portion  423  curved backwardly upwards toward the lower golf bag cradle  44 , and the rod members  11  and  12  of the handle I have a respective curved portion  113  curved backwardly upwards. When a golf bag  40  is fastened to the upper golf bag cradle  43  and the lower golf bag cradle  44 , a big space is left between the golf bag  40  and the handle  1 , preventing the rod members  11  and  12  of the handle  1  from touching the heads  401  of the golf clubs kept in the golf bag  40 .