A golf trolley

Abstract

A golf trolley including a display screen coupled thereto, wherein the golf trolley includes a body; the body includes an articulated or rotatable coupling and the display screen, or a portion thereof, is connected to the body via the coupling, wherein the display screen or a portion thereof is rotatably coupled to the body via the coupling.

Description

[0001] A Golf Trolley

[0002] The present invention relates to golf trolleys, in particular to powered golf trolleys that include a display screen.

[0003] Many powered golf trolleys include fixed display screens which are capable of displaying various pieces of information to the user. The known display screens tend to be located within housings defined by a portion of the trolley. However, such display screen typically need to be angled relative to the frame / handle of the trolley in order that they can be easily seen by the user. This can cause problems in terms of folding or collapsing the trolley for storage or transportation. It also increases the risk of damage to the display screen. In order to minimise the distance that the screen projects from the frame or handle of the trolley, display screen provided on golf trolleys tend to be oriented in a landscape orientation.

[0004] However, golf holes tend to be "long and thin" in their dimensions. As such, representations of individual golf holes are better displayed on a display screen which is oriented in a portrait orientation.

[0005] The present invention addresses the issue of providing a golf trolley with a display screen having a portrait orientation, while minimising problems associated with folding or collapsing the trolley for transportation and storage and the risk of damage to the screen.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a golf trolley including a display screen coupled thereto, wherein the golf trolley includes a body; the body includes an articulated or rotatable coupling and the display screen or a portion thereof is connected to the body via the articulated or rotatable coupling, wherein the display screen or a portion thereof is rotatably coupled to the body via the coupling.

[0007] It should be noted in the context of the present invention that the display screen forms part of the golf trolley. Thus, the display screen is permanently coupled to the golf trolley body, i.e., the display screen forms an integral part of the golf trolley body.

[0008] By rotatably coupling the display screen to the body via the articulated / rotatable coupling, the display screen may have a first configuration for folding or collapsing the trolley (i.e., a storage configuration) and a second configuration for viewing by a user when using the trolley (i.e., an operational configuration). For example, in the first configuration, the screen may be arranged substantially parallel to and optionally adjacent to a portion of the golf trolley body. Furthermore, in the second configuration, the screen may be angled with respect to a plane of the body, for example.

[0009] In an embodiment of the invention, the golf trolley is a powered golf trolley. In other words, the golf trolley includes a source of electrical power. This is typically in the form of a rechargeable battery. In such embodiments, the display screen is suitably powered by the source of electrical power carried by the golf trolley. The use of the electrical power from the golf trolley means that the display screen does not need its own source of power. Thus, a display screen powered by the golf trolley may not include a separate battery or other power source. It will be appreciated that in such embodiments, the display screen may include one or more electrical wires which electrically connect the display screen to the electrical power source of the trolley.

[0010] The display screen may be rectangular in shape. In such embodiments, a portion (e.g., one end) of the display screen may be connected to the articulated / rotatable coupling such that the display screen pivots or folds relative to the body. The display screen may have a pair of opposed first sides and a pair of opposed second sides. In such examples, the first sides may be longer than the second sides. In embodiments in which an axis of rotation extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the trolley, if one of the shorter (i.e. second) sides is connected to the coupling, the display screen may be arranged in a portrait orientation. Alternatively, if one of the longer (i.e. first) sides is connected to the coupling, then the display screen may be arranged in a landscape orientation.

[0011] Moreover, in embodiments in which an axis of rotation extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the trolley, if one of the shorter (i.e. second) sides is connected to the coupling, the display screen may be arranged in a landscape orientation. Alternatively, if one of the longer (i.e. first) sides is connected to the coupling, then the display screen may be arranged in a portrait orientation.

[0012] In an embodiment of the invention, the body carries a second display screen and the articulated or rotatable coupling is disposed between the first display screen and the second display screen, wherein the first display screen pivots or rotates relative to the second display screen. Thus, the second display screen may be fixed relative to the body and the first display screen may rotate or articulate relative to the second display screen. In such embodiments, the first and second display screens together may display respective portions of an image. Thus, they may cooperate to display between them a predetermined image.

[0013] In such embodiments, the first display screen may have a first configuration in which it overlies at least a portion of the second display screen, and a second configuration in which it is pivoted away from the second display screen. Thus, the skilled person may consider the first configuration to be a closed configuration. In such a configuration, the first display screen may face and be arranged adjacent to the second display screen whereby both screens are protected and neither screen is visible to a user. Furthermore, the skilled person may consider the second configuration an open configuration is which both screens are visible to a user.

[0014] In one embodiment of the invention the articulated coupling is a hinge joint that has a single axis of rotation. This is a simpler and more robust articulated coupling. Alternatively, the articulated coupling may be a universal joint or a ball and socket joint which permits rotation of the display screen relative to the body about three axes. (i.e. rotation about the X, Y and Z axes). In a further alternative embodiment, the body defines a fulcrum about which the display screen rotates.

[0015] Suitably, the display screen is fixed to the golf trolley body. In other words, the display screen suitably forms part of the golf trolley. It will be appreciated that in the context of the present invention the term fixed should be taken to mean "non-detachable". Thus, in such embodiments, the display screen is not detachable from the body. Accordingly, the display screen is suitably fixed to the trolley, but is capable of rotation relative to the trolley body.

[0016] Suitably, the golf trolley includes a handle portion and the display screen is rotatably coupled to the handle portion of the trolley.

[0017] The skilled person will appreciate that the features described and defined in connection with the invention and the embodiments thereof may be combined in any combination, regardless of whether the specific combination is expressly mentioned herein. Thus, all such combinations are considered to be made available to the skilled person.

[0018] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view from the rear of a golf trolley handle which includes an articulated display screen;

[0019] Figure 2 shows a perspective view from the front of the golf trolley handle shown in Figure 1;

[0020] Figure 3 shows a plan view from above of the golf trolley handle shown in Figure 1;

[0021] Figure 4 shows a side elevational view of the handle shown in Figure 1 with the display screen in an operational configuration; and

[0022] Figure 5 shows a side elevational view of the handle shown in Figure 1 with the display screen in a storage configuration.

[0023] For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms "up", "down", "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "width", etc. refer to the orientation of the components as found in the example when installed for normal use as shown in the Figures.

[0024] The figures show a handle portion 2 of an electrically powered golf trolley. The handle portion 2 includes a pair of handles 4a, 4b and a transverse body portion 6 which is secured to an upper frame portion 8 of the golf trolley. As can be seen in Figure 3, the two handles 4a, 4b and the transverse body portion 6 form a substantially T-shaped arrangement.

[0025] A display screen 10 is hingedly coupled to the transverse body portion 6. The display screen 10 is a conventional touch-screen and is operated by the user's fingers or thumb contacting the screen surface 10a.

[0026] The transverse body portion 6 defines a first recessed portion 12 which receives a front portion of the display screen 10 when the screen is in a storage configuration (shown in Figure 5). In this configuration, the display screen 10 is aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the upper frame portion 8 of the trolley and the transverse body portion 6. In such a configuration, the display screen 10 does not interfere with the folding or collapsing of the golf trolley for transportation and / or storage and it does not increase the folded dimension of the golf trolley. In this way, the display screen 10 is less likely to get hit or damaged during transportation.

[0027] The transverse body portion 6 also defines a second recessed portion 14 which receives a rear portion of the display screen 10 when the display screen is in an operational configuration (shown in Figure 4). In this configuration, the display screen 10 is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis defined by the upper frame portion 8 of the golf trolley. In such a configuration, the screen may be angled by the user for optimal visibility of the screen.

[0028] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the transverse body portion 6 defines a fulcrum 16 about which the display screen 10 rotates. The rotation of the display screen 10 is controlled by a hinge arm 18 (shown in Figures 2 and 4) which is located within an aperture 20 defined by the transverse body portion 6. The hinge arm 18 forms a friction fit within the aperture 20 such that the display screen 10 is retained in the configuration in which it is placed. The skilled person will appreciate that a similar result may be achieved by providing the hinge arm with two detent positions, such that the display screen 10 may be retained or latched in either its storage or operational configurations.

[0029] The display screen is powered by the rechargeable battery (not shown) of the golf trolley. The skilled person will appreciate that wiring connecting the display screen to the electrical power system of the golf trolley may be disposed with a channel (not shown) defined by the hinge arm 18.

[0030] In use, the trolley is unfolded and then the user rotates the display screen 10 by grasping a front portion of the screen and urging it upwards. This causes the display screen 10 to rotate about the fulcrum 16 until the rear portion of the display screen is disposed within the second recessed portion 14 of the transverse body portion 6. The display may then be used as desired.

[0031] After use, the display screen 10 is then rotated to its storage configuration by pressing down on the front portion of the display screen 10. This causes the display screen 10 to rotate about the fulcrum 16 until the front portion of the display screen is disposed within the first recessed portion 12 of the transverse body portion 6. Once the display screen 10 is in its storage configuration, the golf trolley may be collapsed or folded into its transportation configuration without damaging the display screen 10.

Claims

Claims1. A golf trolley comprising a golf trolley body and a display screen coupled thereto, wherein the body includes an articulated or rotatable coupling and the display screen or a portion thereof is connected to the body via the coupling, wherein the display screen or a portion thereof is rotatably coupled to the body via the coupling.

2. A golf trolly according to Claim 1, wherein the golf trolley includes an electrical power source and the display screen is powered by the electrical power source.

3. A golf trolley according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a portion of the display screen is connected to the coupling such that the display screen pivots or rotates relative to the body.

4. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the body carries a second display screen and the coupling is disposed between the first display screen and the second display screen, wherein the first display screen pivots relative to the second display screen.

5. A golf trolley according to Claim 4, wherein the first display screen has a first configuration in which it overlies at least a portion of the second display screen, and a second configuration in which it is pivoted away from the second display screen.

6. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the display screen is rectangular and includes a pair of opposed first sides and a pair of opposed second sides, wherein the first sides are longer than the second sides; and wherein the first sides are arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the golf trolley.

7. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the coupling is a hinge joint that has a single axis of rotation.

8. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the articulated coupling is a universal joint which permits rotation of the display screen relative to the body about three axes.

9. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the body defines a fulcrum about which the display screen rotates.

10. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the display screen defines a fulcrum about which it rotates relative to the golf trolley body.

11. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the golf trolley body includes a handle portion, and the display screen or a portion thereof is rotatably coupled to the handle portion of the golf trolley body.

12. A golf trolley according to any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the display screen is non- detachably coupled to the body.

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