Golf Cart Container With Side-Pivoting Cover and Stowed Handle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage containers for golf carts face issues with space efficiency, accessibility, and secure mounting due to interference with cart components and vibration-induced detachment, particularly in the design of prior art containers that cannot be fully opened or stacked efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A compact container design with a box-like body, a cover that pivots over the side walls, and a U-shaped handle that stows over the side walls, minimizing clearance and allowing secure mounting on golf carts, featuring a detent mechanism for secure closure and easy access, and a bracket system for stable attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cover is connected at the vertical centerline of side walls to rotate rearward and overlap the back wall, then the connection is less prone to vibration failure, but the cover interferes with the mounting bracket and supporting cart structure when open
Solution Approach 1:
The cover connection is segmented from the back wall and repositioned to the side walls, allowing the cover to pivot independently without interfering with the back wall mounting bracket. This segmentation resolves the conflict between connection reliability and operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover rotation axis is moved from a vertical centerline connection to a horizontal side wall connection, changing the dimension of rotation. This allows the cover to swing open without obstructing the back wall mounting structure while maintaining secure attachment.
2Reliability
If the container is designed for secure mounting and stable attachment, then vibration-induced detachment is reduced, but the clearance required for mounting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting interface is transitioned from a back wall connection to a side wall connection. This dimensional change allows the container to be securely mounted laterally, reducing the clearance required behind the container while maintaining stable attachment resistant to vibration.
3Reliability
If the cover is designed to fully overlap the back wall when open, then the connection is more secure, but the shape prevents efficient stacking of containers for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The cover design is segmented from the back wall overlap configuration and repositioned to pivot on side wall connections. This allows the cover to remain securely attached while adopting a compact profile that enables efficient stacking of containers for storage.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention, a compact container for mounting to a golf cart, has a box like body with an open top end and a pocket in the back wall that cooperates with a bracket mounted to a golf cart for selectively supporting the container. The invention includes a cover having a flat top wall and a pair of opposing side flaps that extend over the side walls of the body to form a pivotal connection for movement about a first axis of rotation between a closed and an opened position of the container. A U-shaped handle extends over opposing side walls of the body to form a pivotal connection along a second axis of rotation for movement between a raised position and a stowed position of the handle. The first axis is disposed approximately halfway between the second axis and the back wall of the container wherein the top wall of the cover, in the opened position, is flush with, and substantially overlaps, the back wall of the body. Thus, the clearance required for the container is minimized for mounting within the restricted space available on a golf cart.