JPH0798082B2 - Four-wheeled golf cart - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a golf cart used by a caddy or a player to carry a caddy bag on a golf course, and more particularly to a so-called standing golf where the caddy or the player rides in an upright posture. Regarding the cart.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a golf cart of this type,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,549 issued Mar. 4, 986
A three-wheel standing riding type golf cart disclosed in the specification is known.

This conventional golf cart is provided with a frame supported by one front wheel and left and right rear wheels, and the rear end of the frame is provided with a step board on which the driver stands up. Has been. This step is located lower than the axle of the rear wheels, and when the driver gets on the step, the center of gravity of the vehicle body is lowered as much as possible to stabilize the golf course even on a rugged golf course. It is designed to be able to run the same way.

The frame of this golf cart is formed in a rectangular box shape so as to accommodate various parts such as a battery and a differential device. The frame is provided on the left and right sides of the front part of the frame to support the caddy bag. A holding device is provided. The frame is also provided with a foldable steering wheel shaft for steering the front wheels and a foldable support device for holding the steering wheel shaft in the upright position. The steering wheel shaft and the supporting device extend obliquely upward from the front and rear ends of the frame so as to be close to each other in the assembled state,
A handle connected to the upper end of the steering wheel shaft is located above the step.

The upper surface of the frame has a flat surface for accommodating both the steering wheel shaft and the supporting device when the steering wheel shaft and the supporting device are folded. When the steering wheel shaft and the supporting device are assembled, the frame has a flat surface. The portion surrounded by the upper surface of the steering wheel, the steering wheel shaft and the supporting device is merely an unused space.

[0006]

By the way, in such a golf cart, not only the function of carrying a caddy bag but also the items kept by the player during the round and towels and balls required for caddy service are provided. It is desirable to have a structure that can store such small items.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional golf cart, since the upper surface of the frame is used as the steering wheel shaft and the storage space for the supporting device, small articles are placed in the portion surrounded by the upper surface of the frame and the steering wheel shaft and the supporting device. It is not possible to set up a basket for storage.

Therefore, when newly installing a basket on the golf cart, it is necessary to secure a space for this installation at another portion on the frame.
There are problems that the frame becomes large, and the basket overhangs around the frame, which hinders driving operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. The empty space on the frame can be effectively used to install a storage compartment, and the storage compartment can be reached in a posture in which the storage platform is still on the platform. An object of the present invention is to provide a four-wheel standing golf cart in which small items can be easily put in and taken out, and the small items do not hinder the steering wheel operation.

[0010]

Therefore, in the present invention, a chassis frame supported by a pair of steerable left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels to which driving force is transmitted, and the chassis frame are covered. A vehicle body cover is provided, and at the rear part of the undercarriage frame, there is provided a stepping board located between the rear wheels, on which the driver rides in an upright posture.
The front of the chassis frame is provided with a carrier that supports the lower portion of the caddy bag and extends in the left-right direction, and a handle support portion that extends diagonally upward and rearward from the rear of the carrier and above the vehicle body cover. A steering handle for steering the front wheels is provided on the upper end of the support portion, and, when the vehicle body cover is viewed from the side, in a space portion surrounded by the upper surface of the vehicle body cover and the handle support portion, It is characterized by a storage case.

[0011]

According to this structure, the handle supporting portion is
As it extends diagonally upward and rearward above the body cover,
A space portion is formed between the handle support portion and the upper surface of the vehicle body cover so as to be widely opened toward the riding position of the driver. Since the storage compartment is installed in this space, the empty space created above the body cover can be effectively utilized as the storage space for the storage compartment, and the storage space around the body cover and chassis frame can be It is not necessary to form a new installation part.

Moreover, since the storage compartment is located below the steering wheel and at the knees of the driver who has stood upright, the driver can reach the storage compartment while still riding on the platform and take out and put in small articles. Not only can this be done easily, but the presence of small items can also be easily checked from the boarding position.

Further, since the steering wheel is steered above the storage case, the storage case does not hinder the operation of the steering wheel, the front view is not obstructed, and the steering operation is not affected at all.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

The automatic four-wheel golf cart shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG.
And a chassis frame 10 as shown in FIG. The chassis frame 10 has its front part supported by a pair of left and right steerable front wheels 2a, 2b and its rear part supported by a pair of left and right drivable rear wheels 3a, 3b. A prime mover (not shown) is attached to a substantially central portion of the chassis frame 10, and the power of the prime mover is supplied to the rear wheels 3 via a power transmitting device (not shown).
It is adapted to be transmitted to the axles 22 of a and 3b. The chassis frame 10 including the prime mover and the power transmission device
The front wheels 2a, 2b and the rear wheels 3a, 3b are covered with a vehicle body cover 30 from above.

The chassis frame 10 is, as shown in FIG.
A frame main body 11 formed of a frame pipe integrally configured in a rectangular shape, and a front frame 12 integrally fixed to the central portion of the front end of the frame main body 11 and extending between the left and right front wheels 2a and 2b. ing. Frame body 1
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, 1 is located below the axles 21 of the front wheels 2a and 2b and the axles 22 of the rear wheels 3a and 3b, and from the rear of the front wheels 2a and 2b to the rear wheels 3a and 3b.
It extends substantially horizontally behind b, and on the upper surface of the rear end of the frame body 11, there is provided a step board 13 on which the driver rides in an upright posture. Therefore, the step 13
Between the left and right rear wheels 3a, 3b,
It is provided at a position lower than 2.

The front frame 12 is provided with two frame pipes 12a and 12b which are parallel to each other and a cross pipe 12c which connects the frame pipes 12a and 12b. As shown in FIG. 2, the front frame 12 passes through above the axles 21 of the front wheels 2a, 2b and projects forward, and four caddy bags are provided on the front end portion thereof via a bracket 14. A carrier 15 for assembling and mounting B _{1 to} B ₄ in a row in the left-right direction is assembled. Further, the front frame 12 is formed by narrowing the arrangement interval of the frame pipes 12a and 12b, whereby the steered angle of the front wheels 2a and 2b is sufficiently secured, and at the same time, the front wheels 2a and 2b. The tread is narrower than the treads of the rear wheels 3a and 3b.

The frame main body 11 is provided with two parallel left and right frame pipes 11a and 11b and a cross pipe 11c for connecting the frame pipes 11a and 11b. The rear portion of the frame body 11 is reinforced by a portal frame pipe 16. The gate-shaped frame pipe 16 is fixedly erected on the left and right two frame pipes 11a and 11b, and is positioned adjacent to the front of the axle 22 of the rear wheels 3a and 3b. Gate frame pipe 16
The left and right shoulders of the pair of support pipes 17a, 17
b is fixed. The support pipes 17a, 17b penetrate the upper surface 30a of the vehicle body cover 30 and are led out obliquely forward and upward.
The upper portions of are connected by a connecting pipe 17c extending in the left-right direction. And the support pipes 17a, 17b
A support member 18 extending in the left-right direction is fixed to the upper end of the. The support member 18 is for holding the upper portions of the caddy bags B _{1 to} B ₄ placed on the carrier 15.
Both left and right ends thereof are formed by bending forward. Due to this bending, among the _four caddy bags B _{1 to} B ₄ , the caddy bags B ₁ and B ₄ located at the left and right ends are held so as not to fall sideways.

The rear portion of the front frame 12 is reinforced by a portal frame pipe 19. The gate-shaped frame pipe 19 includes the two frame pipes 12 on the left and right sides.
It is fixedly erected on a and 12b and is positioned adjacent to the rear of the axle 21 of the front wheels 2a and 2b. The central portion of the gate-shaped frame pipe 19 and the support pipes 17a and 17b
The head pipe 32 is fixed between the central portion of the connecting pipe 17c that straddles. The head pipe 32 extends obliquely upward and rearward from the rear side of the carrier 15, and like the support pipes 17a and 17b, the head pipe 32 is provided.
Penetrates the upper surface 30a. A steering shaft 33 is rotatably supported on the head pipe 32. Steering axis 3
3 extends obliquely rearward and upward from the upper end of the head pipe 32. In the case of the present embodiment, these steering shafts 33 are provided.
The head pipe 32 constitutes a handle support portion.
A steering handle 31 is connected to the upper end of the steering shaft 33. The steering wheel 31 is located above the step 13 and is operated by a driver who rides on the step 13. The lower end of the steering shaft 33 is connected to the front wheels 2a and 2b via a known link mechanism (not shown).

Body cover 30 in head pipe 32
The part led out above is covered with a decorative cover 35. The decorative cover 35 extends obliquely rearward and upward from the front portion of the vehicle body cover 30.
A space 36 is formed between the upper surface 30a of the vehicle body cover 30 and the upper surface 30a of the body cover 30 so as to expand toward the riding position of the driver when the golf cart is viewed from the side. Then, on the upper surface 30a of the vehicle body cover 30 which is the bottom of the space 36,
A storage case, for example, a storage basket 40, which is used when the player stores his or her belongings and small items, is fixed. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage car 40 is located below the steering wheel 31 and at the knees of the driver who rides on the platform 13. The storage car 40 has the support pipes 17 a on both left and right sides. , 17b are located.

In the thus constructed automatic four-wheel golf cart, the decorative cover 35 for covering the head pipe 32 is provided.
Extends above the upper surface 30a of the vehicle body cover 30, the decorative cover 35 and the upper surface 30a of the vehicle body cover 30 are
A space 36 is formed between and to expand toward the riding position of the driver. Since the storage basket 40 for storing the goods is installed in this space 36, the vehicle body cover 30
It is possible to effectively utilize the empty space generated on the upper side as the installation space for the storage basket 40.

Therefore, the body cover 3 having a limited size is used.
It is not necessary to secure a dedicated space for installing the storage basket 40 around 0, and the parts can be arranged without difficulty, and the vehicle body cover 30 and the chassis frame 10 can be prevented from becoming large.

Moreover, the storage basket 40 is composed of the steering handle 3
Since it is located below 1 and at the knees of the driver standing upright on the platform 13, the driver can reach the storage car 40 in a posture in which the driver remains on the platform 13. Therefore, when putting small articles in or out of the storage basket 40, it is not necessary to go down from the platform 13 and walk around the golf cart, and the small articles can be easily put in and taken out and the presence or absence of the stored small articles can be checked. It can be done easily from the position.

Further, the steering handle 31 is provided in the storage basket 40.
Since it is steered above, the storage basket 4
0 does not interfere or obstruct the forward field of view, and does not affect the driving operation at all.

[0025]

According to the present invention described in detail above, since the empty space generated above the vehicle body cover can be effectively utilized as an installation space for a storage case, the space around the vehicle body cover or chassis frame of a limited size can be effectively utilized. It is not necessary to secure a dedicated space for installing the storage case, and accordingly, the parts can be arranged without difficulty and the body cover and the chassis frame can be prevented from becoming large.

Moreover, since the storage compartment is located below the steering wheel and at the knees of the driver standing upright on the step, the operator can reach the storage room while still riding on the step. . For this reason, when putting small items in and out of the storage case, it is not necessary to get off the platform and walk around the golf cart, and it is easy to put in and take out the small items and it is easy to check the presence of the stored small items from the riding position. Can be done. Further, there is an advantage that the storage case does not hinder the operation of the steering wheel and does not hinder the forward view, and the driving operation is not affected at all.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an automatic four-wheel golf cart according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a chassis frame of an automatic four-wheel golf cart.

FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing a chassis frame of an automatic four-wheel golf cart.

[Explanation of symbols]

2a, 2b ... front wheels, 3a, 3b ... rear wheels, 10 ... chassis frame, 13 ... step, 15 ... carrier, 30 ... vehicle body cover, 31 ... steering handle, 32, 33 ... handle support (head pipe, steering shaft) ), 36 ... space, 40 ... storage (storage basket).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A chassis frame supported by a pair of steerable left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels to which driving force is transmitted, and a vehicle body cover for covering the chassis frame. A rear step is provided between the rear wheels, on which a driver rides in an upright posture, and a front portion of the chassis frame supports a lower portion of the caddy bag and a carrier extending in the left-right direction. A handle support portion extending diagonally upward and rearward from above the carrier behind the carrier is provided, and a steering handle for steering the front wheels is provided at the upper end of the handle support portion, and the body cover is provided. When viewed from the side, in the space portion surrounded by the upper surface of the body cover and the handle support portion,
A four-wheel standing golf cart with a storage compartment.