GB2420163A

GB2420163A - One-way rotation control mechanism for golf cart

Info

Publication number: GB2420163A
Application number: GB0425052A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-12
Filing date: 2004-11-12
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Also published as: GB0425052D0

Abstract

A one-way rotation control mechanism used in a golf-cart's wheel to control one-way rotation of the wheel on a wheel axle is disclosed to include a bushing (3) affixed to the wheel axle (1), and a clutch member (4) detachably mounted in and fixedly connected to the wheel to control rotary coupling between the wheel and the fixed bushing at the wheel axle in one rotational sense.

Description

* 2420163

ONE-WAY ROTATION CONTROL MECHANISM FOR GOLF CART

The present invention relates to an electric golf cart and more specifically, to a one-way rotation control mechanism used in an electric golf cart's wheel for controlling one-way rotation of the wheel.

In an electric golf cart, a one-way bearing 9 (see Figure 1) is used and mounted on the wheel axle to support the wheel for one-way rotation control.

This design of one-way bearing 9 is effective, but the bearing tends to be covered with dust in use. When covered with dust, the one-way bearing 9 becomes liable to malfunction. In this case, the one-way bearing 9 must be removed from the wheel axle and thoroughly cleaned. However, when the user removes the one-way bearing 9 from the wheel axle, the internal needle rollers 91 may fall out of the one-way bearing 9. It is difficult to re-install the needle rollers 91 in the one-way bearing 9. Therefore, users usually will send the whole is electric golf cart to the distributor for repair when the one-way bearing 9 is damaged. It is expensive to send the whole electric golf cart to the distributor for repair.

An object of the present invention is to overcome or alleviate at least some of the above problems.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a one-way rotation control mechanism for a golf cart comprises a bushing fixed to a wheel axle or wheel and a clutch member detachably mounted on and fixed to the wheel or wheel axle to provide rotational coupling between the wheel and the fixed bushing in one rotational sense.

Such a one-way rotation control mechanism for use in an electric golf cart's wheel for controlling one-way rotation of the wheel, is easily detachable for convenient maintenance. If the clutch malfunctions, the user can disconnect the clutch member from the wheel and remove it from the bushing easily for sending to the distributor for repair work.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded view of a conventional one-way bearing; Figure 2 is a sectional view showing a one-way rotation control mechanism installed in a wheel according to the present invention; Figure 3 is an exploded view of a part of the present invention; s Figure 4 is an exploded view of the assembly shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is an elevational view of a part of the present invention, showing the clutch mounted on the second bushing; Figure 6 is an exploded view showing the relationship between the clutch and the wheel axle according to the present invention; Figure 7 is an assembly view of Figure 6; Figure 8 is an exploded view of a part of the present invention, showing the structure of the clutch and the relationship between the clutch and the second bushing; Figure 9 is an assembly view of Figure 8; is Figure 10 is a front view of Figure 9.

Referring to the various drawings attached herewith, a detailed description of the structural features of a one-way rotation control mechanism for golf cart of the present invention is as follows: Referring to Figures 2 to 10, particularly Figures 2 and 3, a one-way rotation control mechanism is used in a golf-cart, which comprises a wheel 2, a bearing 21 and a first bushing 23 mounted in the wheel 2, and a wheel axle I inserted through the axial bore 211 of the bearing 21 and the axial bore 231 of the bushing 23 to support rotation of the wheel 2. The wheel 2 has first and second diametrically opposed recesses 24 and 25.

The one-way rotation control (clutch) mechanism comprises a second bushing 3, a clutch member 4, an outer cap 5, and an inner cap 7. The second bushing 3 comprises a rear large diameter portion 32, a front small diameter portion 34 (Figure 8), an axial bore 31 (Figures 3 and 14) axially extending through the rear large diameter portion 32 and the front small diameter portion 34, a collar 33 (Figures 3 and 14) extending around the periphery between the rear large diameter portion 32 and the front small diameter portion 34, a locating hole 32 (Figure 3) radially extending through the rear large diameter portion 321 across the axial bore 31, and a locating groove 342 (Figure 8) extending around the periphery of the front small diameter portion 34 along the distal end remote from the collar 33. A pin 12 is inserted through the locating hole 321 of the second bushing 3 and a radially extending locating hole 11 of the wheel axle I to affix the second bushing 3 to the wheel axle 1.

The outer cap 5 is mounted in the first locating recess 24 of the wheel 2, and defines a first circular chamber 50 of relatively large diameter which accommodates the clutch 4, a second circular chamber 51 of a relatively small diameter which is axially connected to the first circular chamber 50 and accommodates the collar 33 of the second bushing 3, an annular step 511 provided on the inside between the first circular chamber 50 and the second circular chamber 51 and stopped against the outer side 331 of the collar 33, and a plurality of through holes 512 axially extending through the front and rear sides thereof and spaced around the first circular chamber 50 and the second circular chamber 51.

The clutch member 4 (Figure 3) comprises a flat cylindrical body 40 inserted into the first circular chamber 50 of the outer cap 5, the body 40 having a rear side 425 (Figure 2) stopped at the inner side 330 of the collar 33 of the second bushing 3, a plurality of mounting through holes 401 axially extended through the flat circular body 40 and registering with the respective through holes 512 of the outer cap 5, a center opening 41 cut through the center area of body for receiving the front small diameter portion 34 of the second bushing 3, and a plurality of protruding portions 42 and recessed portions 411 respectively formed in the body 40 and alternately spaced around the center opening 41. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a plurality of springs 44 are mounted in the respective recessed portions 411, and support a plurality of needle rollers 43 also mounted in the respective recessed portions 411. Each protruding portion 42 has a smoothly inwardly curved bearing surface 421 kept in contact with the front small diameter portion 34 of the second bushing 3. Each recessed portion 411 defines a spring chamber 4111, which receives one spring 44, and a needle roller chamber 411, which receives one needle roller 43. The spring chamber 4111 has one lateral side terminating in a vertical wall 4113 that forms a part of the adjacent protruding portion 42, and the other lateral side disposed in communication with the needle roller chamber 4112. The needle roller chamber 4112 has two vertical sidewalls 4114 and 4115 and an innerwall 4116 connected between the two vertical sidewalls 4114 and 4115 (see Figure 10) . Each spring 44 has one end 441 stopped at the vertical wall 4113 of the respective spring chamber 4111, and the other end 442 stopped at the periphery of the respective needle roller 43. The inner wall 4116 is obliquely connected between the two vertical sidewalls 4114 and 4115. After mounting of the front small diameter portion 34 of the second bushing 3 in the center opening 41 of the clutch member 4, the distance between the front small diameter portion 34 of the second bushing 3 and the part 8 of the innerwall 4116 of the needle rollerchamber4ll2 adjacent to the respective spring chamber 4111 is greater than the diameter of the needle rollers 43, however the distance between the front small diameter portion 34 of the second bushing 3 and the other end of the inner wall 4116 of the needle roller chamber 4112 is smaller than the diameter of the needle rollers 43.

The inner cap 7 is mounted in the second locating groove 25 of the wheel 2, comprising a plurality of screw holes 711 respectively aimed at the mounting through holes 401 of the clutch 4 and the through holes 512 of the outer cap 5.

Screw bolts 54 are respectively mounted in the through holes 512 of the outer cap 5 and the mounting through holes 401 of the clutch 4 with the respective threaded shanks 541 respectively threaded into the screw holes 711 of the inner cap 7 to secure the outer cap 5, the clutch 4 and the inner cap 7 together.

After mounting of the clutch member 4 on the second bushing 3, a spring washer 35 is fastened to the locating groove 342 to secure the clutch member 4 in place. Further, a washer 38 is mounted on the front small diameter portion 34 and stopped between the spring washer 35 and the clutch 4.

When rotating the clutch member 4 in one direthon (the clockwise direction), each needle roller 43 will be moved toward one vertical sidewall 4115 of the respective needle roller chamber 4112 far away from the respective spring chamber 4111 for free rotation, and therefore the clutch member 4 can be freely s rotated. On the contrary, when rotating the clutch 4 in the reverse direction (the counter-clockwise direction), each needle roller 43 will be moved toward the other vertical sidewall 4114 and will be jammed between the body 40 of the clutch 4 and the front small diameter portion 34 of the second bushing 3 to stop the clutch 4 from rotating. Because the clutch member 4 is fastened to the outer cap 5 and the inner cap 7, clockwise rotation of the clutch member 4 causes the wheel 2 to be synchronously rotated. Therefore, the clutch member 4 controls one-way rotation of the wheel 2.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A one-way rotation control mechanism for use in a wheel of a

golf cart for controlling rotation of said wheel on a wheel axle in one direction, the one-way rotation control mechanism comprising: a bushing mounted on said wheel axle inside said wheel, said bushing comprising a large diameter portion, a small diameter portion, an axial bore axially extending through said large diameter portion and said front small diameter portion for receiving said wheel axle, a collar portion extending around the periphery thereof between said large diameter portion and said small diameter portion, a locating hole radially extending through said large diameter portion across the axial bore of said bushing, and optionally a locating groove extending around the periphery of said front small diameter portion; a pin inserted through the locating hole of said bushing and a radially Is extending locating hole of said wheel axle to secure said bushing to said wheel axle; an outer cap mounted in one side of said wheel, said outer cap comprising a first axial bore, a second axial bore axially connected to said first axial bore for accommodating the collar of said bushing, an annular step provided on the inside between said first and second axial bores stopped against said collar, said cap having a plurality of longitudinal through holes circumferentially distributed formed therein and surrounding said first and second axial bores; a clutch member coupled between said bushing and said wheel, said clutch member comprising a flat cylindrical body inserted into said first axial bore of said outer cap and stopped at an inner side of said collar of said bushing, a plurality of mounting through holes axially extending through said flat cylindrical body and registering with the through holes of said outer cap, a center opening cut through a center part of said flat cylindrical body for receiving the small diameter portion of said bushing, a plurality of protruding portions and recessed portions formed in said flat cylindrical body and distributed alternately around said center opening, a plurality of springs respectively mounted in said recessed portions, and a plurality of needle rollers respectively mounted in said recessed portions and respectively supported on said springs, said protruding portions each having a smoothly inwardly curved bearing surface kept in contact with the front small diameter portion of said bushing, each said recessed portion defining a spring chamber which receives one spring and a needle roller chamber which receives one needle roller, each said spring chamber having one lateral side terminating in a vertical wall and an opposite lateral side disposed in communication with said needle roller chamber, said needle roller chamber having two vertical sidewalls and an inner wall connected between the two vertical sidewalls, said springs each having a first end stopped at the vertical wall of the respective spring chamber and a second end stopped at the periphery of one said needle roller, the distance between the front small diameter portion of said bushing and one end of said inner wall of the needle roller chamber of each said recessed portion of said clutch being greater than the diameter of said needle rollers, the distance between the front small diameter portion of said bushing and an opposite end of said inner wall of the needle roller chamber of each said recessed portion of said clutch being smaller than the diameter of said needle rollers, an inner cap mounted in one side of said wheel opposite to said outer cap; and fastening means mounted in the through holes of said outer cap and the mounting through holes of said clutch to secure said clutch member to said inner cap and said outer cap.
2. A one-way rotation control mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring washer fastened to the locating groove of said front small diameter portion of said bushing to secure said clutch member to said bushing, and a washer mounted on said front small diameter portion of said bushing and stopped between said spring washer and said clutch member.
3. The one-way rotation control mechanism as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein said inner cap comprises a plurality of screw holes respectively registering with the through holes of said clutch member and the through holes of said outer cap; said fastening means comprises a plurality of bolts mounted in the respective through holes of said outer cap and said clutch member and threaded into the screw holes of said inner cap to secure said outer cap and said clutch member and said inner cap together.
4. A one-way rotation control mechanism for a golf-cart, the rotation control mechanism comprising a bushing fixed to a wheel axle or wheel and a clutch member detachably mounted on and fixed to the wheel or wheel axle and arranged to provide rotational coupling between the wheel and the fixed bushing in one rotational sense.
5. A one-way rotation control mechanism for a golf-cart, the rotation control mechanism being substantially as described hereinabove with reference to Figures 2 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.
6. A golf-cart incorporating a rotation control mechanism as claimed in any preceding claim.