Power assisted golf cart

Claim 2

In a manually operated golf cart comprising a frame for supporting a golf bag in a position inclined from vertical, said frame having a lower portion adapted to abut the ground when the cart is at rest to partially support said golf bag, and a pair of spaced wheels rotatably attached to the frame to provide the support for said frame when the cart is in motion, the improvement comprising: a pair of electric motor means located adjacent the respective wheels; and a pair of drive train means connecting each electric motor meanS to its adjacent wheel respectively for driving said wheel with said motor, each said drive train means including an elastic drive belt to insulate each electric motor means from its associated wheel so that shocks on the wheels are at least partially insulated from the electric motor means.

Claim 3

A golf cart as recited in claim 1 wherein each electric motor means includes a drive pulley having a truncated V-shaped groove circumscribing said pulley, and wherein said drive belt has a circular cross section, the diameter of said drive belt adapted so that the drive belt fits within the groove in the drive pulley upon tensioning of said drive belt by application of power by said electric motor means, said drive belt sufficiently loosely wound around the drive pulley so as to otherwise ride on the edges of the groove in the drive pulley, so that the drive belt is maintained in frictional engagement with said drive pulley when the electric motor means operates to propel the cart forwardly and slips if power is accidentally applied when the cart is motivated backwardly to prevent damage to said electric motor means.

Claim 4

A manually operated golf cart as recited in claim 2 wherein said drive train means additionally includes an idler pulley adapted to be circumscribed by the drive belt, and a plurality of reduction gears attached to said idler pulley and adapted to drive the associated wheel.

Claim 5

In a manually operated golf cart having a frame adapted to support a golf bag in a position inclined from vertical, a pair of spaced wheels rotatably attached to the frame and adapted to support said frame when the cart is in motion, the improvement comprising: a pair of electric motors located adjacent each of the wheels respectively and adapted to drive said wheels; and a pair of drive train means interposed between each electric motor and its adjacent wheel, each said drive train means including a drive pulley attached to the output shaft of the electric motor, said drive pulley having a circumferential groove having a V-shaped configuration, an elastic drive belt adapted to circumscribe said drive pulley and having a circular cross section, an idler pulley having a diameter large relative to the diameter of the drive pulley, said drive belt adapted to circumscribe said idler pulley, a sequence of reduction gears attached at one end to the idler pulley and the other end to the axle of the wheel, and one-way clutch means interposed between the axle and the wheels so that the wheel is rotatable with respect to said axle in the forward direction only, the diameter of said belt adapted so that the belt fits within the groove of the drive pulley when the vehicle is powered forwardly so that the drive belt remains in frictional engagement with the drive pulley, said drive belt being sufficiently loosely wound around the drive pulley so as to otherwise ride on the edges of the groove in the drive pulley so that said drive belt is moveable with respect to said drive pulley.

Claim 6

In a manually operated golf cart having a frame adapted to support a golf bag in a position inclined from vertical, a pair of spaced wheels rotatably attached to the frame and adapted to support said frame when the cart is in motion, the improvement comprising: a pair of electric motors located adjacent each of the wheels respectively and adapted to drive said wheels; and a pair of drive train means interposed between each electric motor and its adjacent wheel, each said drive train means including a drive pulley attached to the output shaft of the electric motor, said drive pulley having a circumferential groove having a V-shaped configuration, an elastic drive belt adapted to circumscribe said drive pulley and having a circular cross section, an idler pulley having a diameter large relative to the diameter of the drive pulley, said drive belt adapted to circumscribe said idler pulley, a sequence of reduction gears attached at one end to the idler pulley and the other end to the axle of the wheel, and one-way clutch means interposed between the axle and the wheels so that the wheel is rotatable with respect to said axle in the forward direction only, the diameter of said belt adapted so that the belt fits within the groove of the drive pulley when the vehicle is powered forwardly so that the drive belt remains in frictional engagement with the drive pulley, said drive belt being sufficiently loosely wound around the drive pulley so as to otherwise ride on the edges of the groove in the drive pulley so that said drive belt is moveable with respect to said drive pulley.

Claim 7

A golf cart as recited in claim 4 wherein the interior portion of the V-shaped groove is flat so that said groove has a trapezoidal configuration.

Claim 8

A golf cart as recited in claim 4 wherein the drive pulley is coated with a phenolic resin to increase the surface friction of said drive pulley.