Automatic cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories, said cart comprising:
- one or more electric drive motors connected to one or more wheels of said cart and fed by an on board battery;
one or more electronic controllers of said motor, or motors;
a plurality of sensors positioned, peripherally, on said cart, including first sensor units dedicated to sense signals emitted by an external ultrasonic signal source associated with the user of the cart, second sensor units dedicated to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart;
one or more microcomputer control units interfacing said sensors and said controller, or controllers, according to an algorithm useful to lead said cart in the proximity of said external ultrasonic signal source;
wherein said external ultrasonic signal source includes at least one ultrasonic signal emitter, wherein said first sensor units include at least one ultrasonic signal receiver, wherein said second sensor units include at least one ultrasonic signal emitter and at least one ultrasonic signal receiver.
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Abstract
An automatic cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories. The cart has at least one electric drive motor connected to at least one wheel of the cart, at least one electronic controller for controlling the motor, and a plurality of sensors peripherally disposed on the cart. The sensors are used to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart and to sense the signals coming from an external signal source associated with the user. A microcomputer control unit analyses information from the sensors and coordinates movement of the cart so that it stays near the user.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. Cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories, said cart comprising:
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one or more electric drive motors connected to one or more wheels of said cart and fed by an on board battery;
one or more electronic controllers of said motor, or motors;
a plurality of sensors positioned, peripherally, on said cart, including first sensor units dedicated to sense signals emitted by an external ultrasonic signal source associated with the user of the cart, second sensor units dedicated to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart;
one or more microcomputer control units interfacing said sensors and said controller, or controllers, according to an algorithm useful to lead said cart in the proximity of said external ultrasonic signal source;
wherein said external ultrasonic signal source includes at least one ultrasonic signal emitter, wherein said first sensor units include at least one ultrasonic signal receiver, wherein said second sensor units include at least one ultrasonic signal emitter and at least one ultrasonic signal receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories, said cart comprising:
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one or more electric drive motors connected to one or more wheels of said cart and fed by an on board battery;
one or more electronic controllers of said motor, or motors;
a plurality of sensors positioned, peripherally, on said cart, including first sensor units dedicated to sense signals emitted by an external signal source, second sensor units dedicated to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart;
one or more microcomputer control units interfacing said sensors and said controller, or controllers, according to an algorithm useful to lead said cart in the proximity of said external signal source;
said microcomputer control unit, or units includes at least one section dedicated to the acquisition of first and second data coming from said peripheral sensors, said first data being related to the location of said external signal source in respect of the cart, said second data being related to the detection of obstacles placed in the path of the cart, at least one section dedicated to interface said electronic controller, or controllers, at least one section dedicated to the processing of data coming from said acquisition section and to the sending of processed data to said control sections. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories, said cart comprising:
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one or more electric drive motors connected to one or more wheels of said cart and fed by an on board battery;
one or more electronic controllers of said motor, or motors;
a plurality of sensors positioned, peripherally, on said cart, including first sensor units dedicated to sense signals emitted by an external signal source, second sensor units dedicated to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart;
one or more microcomputer control units interfacing said sensors and said controller, or controllers, according to an algorithm useful to lead said cart in the proximity of said external signal source;
wherein at least one sensor of said first sensor units coincides with at least one sensor of said second sensor units, said microcomputer control unit transmitting signals for synchronizing the operation of said external signal source in order to distinguish the signal source location phase from the obstacles detection phase.
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20. Cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories, said cart comprising:
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one or more electric drive motors connected to one or more wheels of said cart and fed by an on board battery;
one or more electronic controllers of said motor, or motors;
a plurality of sensors positioned, peripherally, on said cart, including first sensor units dedicated to sense signals emitted by an external signal source, second sensor units dedicated to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart;
one or more microcomputer control units interfacing said sensors and said controller, or controllers, according to an algorithm useful to lead said cart in the proximity of said external signal source;
wherein a covering structure of the mechanical and electrical components of the cart comprises a seating for housing one or more golf bags, said bags being restrained, in a removable way, to two parallel shaped bars positioned longitudinally in correspondence with the sides of the cart, a protection cover of said bags being bound to an auxiliary frame hinged at either end, to said shaped bars such that said protecting cover can be moved from a first position, whereby said cover is rolled up within said covering structure, to a second position whereby said cover is stretched out to protect said bags. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. Cart for transporting golf clubs or other objects and accessories, said cart comprising:
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one or more electric drive motors in driving communication with one or more wheels of said cart;
one or more electronic controllers for controlling one or more of said motors;
first and second sensor systems positioned on said cart;
wherein first said sensor system includes an external ultrasonic signal source associated with the user of the cart and said external ultrasonic signal source including at least one ultrasonic signal emitter, and said first sensor system includes a first sensor unit positioned on said cart and dedicated to sense signals emitted by said external ultrasonic signal source, and wherein said second sensor system includes second sensor units positioned on said cart and dedicated to detect the presence of obstacles in the path of the cart, and wherein said second sensor units include at least one ultrasonic signal emitter and at least one ultrasonic signal receiver; and
one or more microcomputer control units interfacing said first and second sensor systems with said one or more electronic controllers to lead said cart in the proximity of said external ultrasonic signal source and to avoid obstacles.
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Specification