GB2221661A

GB2221661A - Remotely controlled golf cart or trolley on endless tracks

Info

Publication number: GB2221661A
Application number: GB8913321A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Slater
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-06-10
Filing date: 1989-06-09
Publication date: 1990-02-14
Also published as: GB8913321D0; GB8813767D0

Abstract

A golf cart or trolley 10 for carrying a golf bag 11 is supported on left and right endless tracks 16, 17 independently driven by electric motors 24, 25 under the control of signals from a hand-held transmitter. The speeds and the relative speeds of the motors may be controlled in proportion to the movements of control members from datum positions. The hand-held device (Fig. 4) may have a button (31a) to energise the transmitter and further buttons (32a, 33a) for steering commands, or (Fig. 7) may have a trigger (72) for speed control and a knob (73) movable in a slot (74) for steering control. The trolley or cart has a hollow base (12), e.g. of moulded plastics, from which extends an upright structure (36) which may be hollow at the top (37) to receive an umbrella. A removable slat with an openable and closable top (52) may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEiEENTS IN OR REIATIIiG TO GOLF CARTS OR TROLLEYS This invention relates to golf carts or trolleys arranged for supporting a golf bag.

According to one aspect of the invention a golf cart or trolley is mounted on endless track means.

There may be left and right endless tracks.

The cart or trolley may include means for driving the endless track means.

The driving means may comprise electric motor means. There may be two electric motors respectively for driving left and right endless tracks.

The cart or trolley may include a detachable set.

The cart or trolley may include a hollow element for receiving the stem of an umbrella.

According to another aspect of the invention a golf crt or trolley comprises means enabling the cart or trolley to be remotely driven.

The invention includes a cart or trolley as above and a device for remotely controlling the cart or trolley.

The cart or trolley may include a receiver adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation and energize means for driving the cart or trolley.

The driving means may comprise means for independently driving left and right ground supports.

The ground supports may comprise endless tracks.

Tile device may comprise means for transmitting electromagnetic radiation.

The radiation may be on two frequencies and the receiver may be arranged to discriminate the frequencies and selectively energize left and right driving means in response to the frequencies.

The device may include manually operable means for controlling the transmitter and for selecting transmission of one or both frequencies.

The device may comprise means for controlling the speed of the cart or trolley and means for steering the cart or trolley.

The controlling means may vary the speed in dependence on movement of a control member from a datum.

The means for controlling the speed may comprise a trigger.

The speed may be proportional to the movement of the trigger from a datum.

The steering means may comprise a control element movable to left and right of a datum.

The steering means may control the speed of both left and right endless track means in dependence on the movement from the datum.

The left and right endless track means may respectively increase and decrease in speed if the movement is to the right, and vice versa.

The amount of increase/decrease may be proportional to the extent of movement.

From a further aspect a device for remote control of a vehicle on left and right endless tracks comprises means for varying the relative speeds of the tracks.

The invention may be performed in various ways and to specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf cart or trolley; Fig. 2 is a side view of part of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a control device; Fig. 5 is circuitry; Fig. 6 is an underneath view of a modified cart; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a control device; and Figs. 8 and 9 show circuitry.

A golf trolley or cart 10 arranged for carrying a golf bag 11 has a hollow base 12, for example moulded of plastics, including a top wall 13 providing an opening 14 into the interior 15. The cart 10 is mounted on left and right endless tracks 16, 17 having formations which engage on wheels 18, 19, 20 rotatable on axles (e.g.

18a) in the base 12 and forming left and right supports 21, 22.

As indicated diagrammatically the front wheels 20 are on sliding axles 20a and are biassed forwards by springs 23 to tension the respective track 16 or 17 and to cushion respective wheel 20 against impact with an obstacle. Three wheels are shown on each side but there could be more.

The left and right supports are independently driven by battery-powered electric motors 24, 25 in the interior 15 under the control of unit 26, the motors driving the rear wheels 18 through transmissions 26a.

The unit 26 is remotely controlled by a user from a device 27 which may be a plastics moulding providing a handle 28 and housing a battery-poweredtransmitter 29fly.5 of electromagnetic radiation associated with an aerial 30.

The device 27 includes switch 31 having operating button 31a which when pressed by a user's finger energizes the transmitter 29. On top of the device 27 are left and right switches 32, 33 having buttons 32a, 33a selectively operable by a user's thumb to control the associated motors 24, 25 of the left and right drivable supports 21, 22.

Releasably mounted in the opening 14, for example by releasable catches 35, is an upright structure 36, for example moulded of plastics, and having an opentopped hollow top portion 37 for removable receipt of the stem 38 of an umbrella 39.

The structure 36 is shaped to have upper and lower pairs of arms 40, 41 for receiving the bag 11 which can be held in place by releasable means which in the form shown are elastic rope 42 having hooks 43 at its ends engageable in apertures in the arms. In one arrangement the lower hooks 3 are arranged to locate in apertures in the catches 5 in a manner such that the catches cannot be released until the hooks are detached from the catches.

Rings 44 may be connected to an arm 40 for supporting other items.

A seat 50 in the form of a stem 51 removably locatable in an aperture in the housing and having an openable and closable top 52 may be carried by the cart 10.

The transmitter 29 is powered by battery 60 and the unit 25 by battery 61.

Switch 31 is normally open and switches 32, 33 normally closed so that operation of button 31a closes switch 31 to energize transmitter 29 which emits radiation 64, 65 on two frequencies on respective lines 62, 63 incorporating switches 32, 33 via aerial 30 to unit 26 which includes a receiver 66 and a discriminator 67 so that if signal 64 is present an output appears on line 68 to drive left motor 24 and if signal 65 is present an output appears on line 69 to drive right motor 25.

Thus if switch 31 is closed, both signals 64, 65 are present and both motors 24, 25 are driven, at equal speeds, and the cart 10 moves forwards in a straight line. If now button 32a is pressed to open switch 32, signal 64 ceases, motor 24 stops whilst motor 25 continues to operate and the cart thus veers to the left. Similarly by opening switch 33 and closing switch 32 the cart can be steered to the right. By selective operation of buttons 32a, 33a, the cart can be remotely manoeuvred as desired.

Use of the tracked supports resists sinking of the cart into soft ground.

A modified arrangement is illustrated in Pigs. 6 to 9. In this case the front ends of the endless tracks are mounted on free-wheel sprockets and at the rear the nylon tracks extend round and are driven by sprockets on output shafts from respective left and right side electric motors incorporating gear boxes. There are three load wheels on each side between the sprockets rotatably mounted on the chassis.

A hand-held control transmitter 70 includes aerial 71, a trigger 72 for speed control and a knob 73 movable in a slot 74 to left and right for steering control.

The speed of the cart is proportional to the angular movement of the trigger rearwards from a forward zero speed initial position. The trigger is biassed by a spring (not shown) to the forward position.

The transmitter 70 is rechargeable battery powered and includes logic circuits 75 outputting to an encoder modulator 76 which outputs to a crystal oscillator 77 which drives a power amplifier 78. Variable resistors 79, 80 control the speed and steering respectively. The output from the encoder is a square wave and in repeated cycles. Each cycle comprises a uniform signal with two gaps or spaces. The size of both gaps is varied similarly (increase or decrease) by the speed control.

The relative sizes of the gaps is varied by the steering control. The gaps control the speeds of the respective motors, the first gap being associated with the left hand motor.

The oscillator is energized by the square wave.

Electric circuitry 81 in the cart includes aerial 82, decoder 83 outputting to left side and right side controls 84, 85. Left side and right side motors 86, 87 are associated with switches 88, 89 operable by relays 90, 91.

Movement of the steering control 73 to the left from a datum central position varies the relative sizes of the two spaces so as to reduce the space associated with the left motor to reduce the speed of the left hand track and increase the space associated with the right motor to increase the speed of the right-hand track so as to steer the cart to the left; similarly movement to the right reduces the speed of the right hand track and increases the speed of the left-hand track to steer the cart to the right. The change in speed is proportional to the extent of movement of the trigger from the forward position.

Any speed from zero to full speed is obtainable; the speed can be changed progressively and smoothly.

The decoder 83 decodes the outputting respective square-waves on lines 84a, 85a dependent on the sizes of the respective spaces in the input signal. The time length of the square wave is proportional to the speed selected.

Speed control circuits 86a, 87a respectively supply motors 86, 87 with pulses of voltage of a mark-space ratio which varies depending upon the speed selected.

The circuits 86a, 87a comprise comparators which compare the time duration (size) of the pulse in the input signal with a datum period generated ill the comparator and the output signal from the circuit 86a, 87a is a signal pulse the duration of which increases with the ratio between the input signal pulse duration and tile datum duration. Each cycle in the transmitter produces a single signal pulse from the comparator.

The motors act as integrators and move at an output speed depending on the mark-space ratio.

When full speed is required le. trigger full back -the respective input square wave to tie circuitry 81 activates control 92 and/or 93 to operate relay 90 and/ or 91 to disconnect circuits 86a and/or 87a and connect one or both motors directly across the supply.

Thus if the steering control is at the left-most position, the left side motor is stationary and the righ-t side motor is at the speed corresponding to the position of the trigger; if the steering control is between the left-most position and central datum the speeds of the left and right side motors are decreased and increased respectively, as compared with the speed selected by the trigger position, in proportion to the distance from the datum. The opposite applies for movement of the steering control to the right from the datum.

Thus any rate of turn from wide gentle turns to tight turns can be obtained, e.g. one metre radius.

The transmitter mQy for example be effective up to 100 metres from the cart. The cart can be moved and steered whatever its orientation to the transmitter.

If desired the circuitry can be modified to enable the cart to be reversed.

The cart can be disassembled and snaky weigh only 13 kilos so as to be readily portable.

The surface of the endless tracks engaging the ground mav be 100 sq. inches (650 sq. cm.) giving a low ground load. The cart has a low centre of gravity, giving good stability.

Claims

1. A golf cart or trolley mounted on endless track means.

2. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 1, having left and right endless tracks.

3. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, having means for driving the endless track means.

4. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 3, in which the driving means comprises electric motor means.

5. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 3, including two electric motors respectively for driving left and right endless tracks.

6. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5, in which the driving means is controllable by remote means.

7. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 6, including a receiver connected to the driving means and adapted to receive electromagnet radiation.

8. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in any preceding claim including a device for remote control of the cart or trolley, the device comprising means for controlling the speed of the cart or trolley and means for steering the cart or trolley.

9. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 8, in which the controlling means varies the speed in dependence on movement of a control member from a datum.

10. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 9, in which the control member comprises a trigger.

11. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 10, in which the speed is proportional to themovement of the trigger from a datum.

12. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 11, in which the steering means comprises a control element movable to left and right of a datum.

13. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 12, having left and right endless tracks whose speed is controlled in dependence on the movement of the element from the datum.

14. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 13, including means for respectively increasing and decreasing the speed of the left and right tracks if the movement is to the right, and vice versa.

15. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in Claim 14, in which the amount of increase/decrease is proportional to the extent of movement.

16. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in any preceding Claim, including a detachable seat.

17. A golf cart or trolley as claimed in any preceding Claim, including a hollow element for receiving, the stem of an umbrella.

18. A golf cart or trolley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, or Figs. 6 to 9, of the accompanying drawings.

19. A golf cart or trolley. comprising driving means by which the cart or trolley can be driven from a remote location.

20. A device for remote control of a vehicle on left and right endless tracks comprising means for varying the relative speeds of the tracks.