Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7055642
Timestamp: 2017-12-17 06:57:25
Document Index: 754917333

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n6', 'art.\n7', 'art.\n8', 'art.\n9', 'art.\n11', 'art.\n13', 'art.\n14', 'art.\n15', 'art.\n16', 'art.\n18', 'art\n1']

Patent US7055642 - Practical and entertaining recreational vehicle - Google Patents
The present invention provides for a practical and entertaining form of recreational transportation, easily transportable to weekend events. It is a compact transport kart (10), designed to carry at least one human passenger. It also transports its passenger across open road, or off-road terrain. The...http://www.google.com/patents/US7055642?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7055642 - Practical and entertaining recreational vehicle
Publication number US7055642 B1
Application number US 10/278,652
Also published as US7407032
Publication number 10278652, 278652, US 7055642 B1, US 7055642B1, US-B1-7055642, US7055642 B1, US7055642B1
Inventors Gary C. Chambers, Chance A. Chambers
Original Assignee Chambers Gary C, Chambers Chance A
Patent Citations (25), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (16), Classifications (14), Legal Events (6)
Practical and entertaining recreational vehicle
US 7055642 B1
1. A transport kart capable of transporting at least one human passenger through use of a most unique type of container for said human passengers to sit and ride upon during transport, whereby said transport kart comprises:
a) a container representative of the common ice-chest or common cooler and of sufficient size and structure to provide the primary means of support and seating for said human passenger to sit and ride upon,
b) at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, said rear wheel spaced apart from said front wheel, said wheels being mounted for rotation to at least one frame,
c) at least one support pad attached to said at least one frame and including means for retention of said container, said container retained on said support pad by said means for retention whereby said support pad is positioned to extend support from said wheels to said container,
d) and at least one power source retained upon said transport kart and including at least one rotational output, means to drivingly connect at least one said rotational output to at least one wheel, and in a manner that provides propulsion for said transport kart while rolling upon said wheels,
whereby through the use of such a unique type of container to support and carry one or more human passengers, one can now omit several elements previously required by the prior art, and without any loss of capability, thereby simplifying the device over the prior art to solve the problem of providing a more compact and lightweight human transport vehicle.
2. The transport kart of claim 1, wherein said container includes a stowage space, whereby providing convenient stowage of ones ice and refreshments.
3. The transport kart of claim 1, wherein said container includes an opening for at least partial concealment of said power source, whereby providing for a more compact device with added shielding and insulation for said human passenger.
4. The transport kart of claim 1 wherein said container includes means for ventilation for allowing unwanted heat to escape.
5. The transport kart of claim 1, further including means to provide steering control for allowing said human passenger directional control of said transport kart.
6. The transport kart of claim 1, further including means to provide speed control for allowing said human passenger speed control of said transport kart.
7. The transport kart of claim 1, further including means to provide brake control for allowing said human passenger braking control of said transport kart.
8. The transport kart of claim 1, further including a pull handle, whereby allowing manual pulling or towing of said transport kart.
9. The transport kart of claim 1, further including a tow bar, whereby an additional wagon, cart, or other device could be attached for towing by said transport kart for providing additional transport of passengers or cargo, or for conducting other functions.
10. The transport kart of claim 1, further including means to provide steering control and means to provide speed control for said human passenger to operate while riding upon said transport kart.
11. A transport kart providing for a most practical and entertaining means of human transportation by providing for attachment of a selectable container which is substantially representative of the common ice-chest or common cooler to provide the primary means of support and seating for at least one human passenger to sit and ride upon during transport, whereby said transport kart comprises:
a) at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, said rear wheel spaced apart from said front wheel, said wheels being mounted for rotation to at least one frame,
b) at least one support pad attached to said at least one frame and including means for retention of said selectable container, said selectable container to be retained on said support pad by said means for retention whereby said support pad is positioned to extend support from said wheels to said selectable container between said frame and said selectable container,
c) and at least one power source retained upon said transport kart and including at least one rotational output, plus means to drivingly connect at least one said rotational output to at least one wheel, and in a manner that provides propulsion for said transport kart While rolling upon said wheels,
whereby through attachment of such a unique type of container to support and seat one or more human passengers, one can now omit several elements previously required by the prior art, and without any loss of capability, thereby simplifying the device over the prior art to solve the problem of providing a more compact and lightweight human transport vehicle.
12. The transport kart of claim 11, further including means to provide steering control for allowing said human passenger directional control of said transport kart.
13. The transport kart of claim 11, further including means to provide speed control for allowing said human passenger speed control of said transport kart.
14. The transport kart of claim 11, further including means to provide brake control for allowing said human passenger braking control of said transport kart.
15. The transport kart of claim 11, further including a pull handle, whereby allowing manual pulling or towing of said transport kart.
16. The transport kart of claim 11, further including a tow bar, whereby an additional wagon, cart, or other device could be attached for towing by said transport kart for providing additional transport of passengers or cargo, or for conducting other functions.
17. The transport kart of claim 11, further including means to provide steering control and means to provide speed control for said human passenger to operate while riding upon said transport kart.
18. A method of providing transportation for at least one human passenger in a most practical and entertaining manner through providing a transport kart that utilizes a most unique type of container to support and seat its passenger during transport, whereby said method comprises:
a) providing a container representative of the common ice-chest or common cooler and of sufficient size and structure to provide the primary means of support and seating for said human passenger to sit and ride upon,
b) providing at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, said rear wheel spaced apart from said front wheel, said wheels being mounted for rotation to at least one frame,
c) attaching at least one support pad to said at least one frame and including means for retention of said container,
d) retaining said container on said support pad by said means for retention whereby said support pad is positioned to extend support from said wheels to said container between said at least one frame and said container,
e) and providing at least one power source retained upon said transport kart and including at least one rotational output, plus means to drivingly connect at least one said rotational output to at least one wheel, and in a manner that provides propulsion for said transport kart while rolling upon said wheels,
whereby, when providing for use of this most unique type of container to support and seat one or more human passengers for transport, one can now omit several elements previously required by the prior art, and without any loss of capability, thereby also providing for a more compact and lightweight form of human transportation.
It happens far too often when one wishes they could pull out some type of compact transport device from the back of their vehicle to carry them to their final destination. This might occur when one arrives at a weekend event and then realizes that they must then walk a significant distance to actually reach the site of that event. Some events can be so large, that the walk from the parking lot to the event, is nearly a mile. Still other events can require miles of walking, just to see all the attractions.
As stated above, the present invention provides for adequate weekend transportation, and does so in a most efficient and practical manner. This is achieved through the use of this most unique body element, a common ice-chest or common cooler. Use of a common cooler allows one to take advantage of its many built-in features and benefits. To start with, the cooler type body is already suited for carrying ice and refreshments, and with the kart configured in this manner, eliminates the need to carry that separate cooler as required when using the prior art. It then further eliminates the need for those additional racks and support means to secure that cooler during transit. The size and shape of a particular cooler body can also be chosen to best meet ones needs, for example to allow the carrying of additional passengers. Use of a common cooler further provides for a multitude of functions that eliminates many of the components required by the prior art, ones which are required when transporting humans. This makes the transport kart simpler in design, more compact, and lower in cost. These benefits are explained in more detail below.
providing a transport kart which is compact and small in size, able to maneuver in tight quarters and crowds where prior art can not,
It should be noted that the drawings are illustrations for the purpose of this disclosure, and do not define limits of this disclosure.
120 body element
121 front wheel
122 rear wheel
123 power source
128 chassis
135 support pad
220 body element
223 power source
228 chassis
235 support pad
320 body element
323 power source
335 support pad
FIG. 2 depicts the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but showing a side cut-away view of body element 20, to better depict this one configuration of the present invention. It better depicts use of chassis 28 to support power source 23, along with wheels 21 and 22 mounted for rotation. Use of a chassis type element is a well-known and common means for integrating the components of a wheeled device into a single contiguous unit. This, or even other means for assembly are acceptable.
Propelling of this transport kart is accomplished by incorporating a means to drivingly connect a rotational output of a power source, to at least one wheel. Many such means are known, and are in common use today. FIG. 2 depicts one such means, comprising a centrifugal clutch 27, mounted on a rotational output 24 of power source 23, with a chain 25 rotatively connecting centrifugal clutch 27 to a sprocket 26, depicted mounted on rear wheel 22. This is only one common method of drivingly connecting a rotational output from a power source to at least one wheel for the propelling of a wheeled vehicle. Various other methods, plus methods for providing 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, etc, could also be used. Intermediate devices can be inserted into the drive system as well. Examples might be a multi-shift transmission, or a variable speed belt drive, or multiple chains, sprockets and shaft combinations as depicted in FIG. 2B, or others which have not been depicted for the purpose of this disclosure). These are all means commonly employed in such popular recreational vehicles as go-karts, mini-bikes, snowmobiles, 4-wheelers, golf-carts, etc, with components readily available on the commercial market. It should also be noted that this is true for all the common or well-known types of methods or means mentioned throughout these discussions.
Additionally in FIG. 2, is depicted a possible attachment method for retaining of body element 20 to chassis 28, using common threaded fasteners such as a fastener 30. A series of these threaded fasteners could be placed through holes, such as a hole 34, drilled proximate to the bottom perimeter of body element 20, and threaded into support pads, such as a support pad 35, located strategically around chassis 28. Other attachment methods may again be acceptable for retention and desired positioning of the body element as FIGS. 2A and 2B begin to illustrate. These would be acceptable providing one skilled in the art gives adequate consideration to positioning and proper distribution of the loads imposed upon the body over a sufficient amount of support pad area, thereby preventing unacceptable deformation of the body element under those loads.
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U.S. Classification 180/312, 180/908, 180/313, 280/87.043
Cooperative Classification Y10S180/908, A45C2009/005, B62B2204/06, B62B2207/00, B62B2202/52, B62B5/085, B62B5/0026
European Classification B62B5/08C, B62B5/00P