초록 ▼

A wheeled carrier for a golf club bag and a set of golf clubs which can be removably secured to a vehicle include a one-piece in situ molded cover and wheeled carrier body pivotly secured to each other. The carrier body includes a rib slidably received in a channel of a vehicle hitch bracket. The h

A wheeled carrier for a golf club bag and a set of golf clubs which can be removably secured to a vehicle include a one-piece in situ molded cover and wheeled carrier body pivotly secured to each other. The carrier body includes a rib slidably received in a channel of a vehicle hitch bracket. The handle, slidably connectors and pivot means are located to one side of a vertical plane opposite two wheels of the carrier body, a hand grip portion of the cover and a latch for securing the cover to the carrier body in the closed position thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end

What is claimed is: 1. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said cover peripheral wall convergingly tapers away from said cover peripheral edge portion toward a converging terminal apex wall portion which defines a hand grip portion, and said terminal apex wall portion curves away from said vertical axis in the direction of a side of said tubular body at which are located said pivoting means and said connecting means. 2. The carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover peripheral edge portion lies in a plane disposed in oblique relationship to said vertical axis in the cover first closed position thereby disposing an upper edge portion above a lower edge portion of said cover peripheral edge portion, and said cover upper edge portion is located at the same side of said tubular body as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 3. The carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said removably connecting means includes first and second relatively vertically slidable connectors defined one by said tubular body and the other by a portion of a vehicle hitch, and said tubular body and vehicle hitch portion have cooperative aperture means adapted to receive a hasp of a lock to prevent unauthorized disconnecting of said removably connecting means. 4. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said removably connecting means includes first and second relatively vertically slidable connectors defined one by a portion of said tubular body and the other by a portion of a vehicle hitch, said tubular body and vehicle hitch portions have cooperative aperture means for receiving a hasp of a lock to prevent unauthorized disconnecting of said removably connecting means, one of said first and second relatively slidable connectors include one of a substantially vertically disposed rib and channel located adjacent said tubular body first end, and the other of said first and second relatively slidable connectors includes the other of said vertically disposed rib and channel of said vehicle hitch portion. 5. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein said pivoting means includes first and second pivot members respectively connected to said cover and said tubular body, and said first and second pivot members include means for slidingly assembling and disassembling said cover relative to said tubular body by relative movement therebetween along a path of travel substantially transverse to said tubular body substantially vertical axis. 6. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein said pivoting means includes first and second pivot members respectively connected to said cover and said tubular body, said first and second pivot members include means for slidingly assembling and disassembling said cover relative to said tubular body by relative movement therebetween along a path of travel substantially transverse to said tubular body substantially vertical axis, said tubular body opening includes diametrically opposite uppermost and lowermost ends, and said tubular body opening uppermost end is located contiguous said first and second pivot members. 7. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein said pivoting means includes first and second pivot members respectively connected to said cover and said tubular body, said first and second pivot members include means for slidingly assembling and disassembling said cover relative to said tubular body by relative movement therebetween along a path of travel substantially transverse to said tubular body substantially vertical axis, first interlocking means between said cover and said first pivot member for strengthening the connection therebetween, and second interlocking means between said cover and said second pivot member for strengthening the connection therebetween. 8. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said pivoting means includes first and second pivot members respectively connected to said cover and said tubular body, said first and second pivot members include means for slidingly assembling and disassembling said cover relative to said tubular body by relative movement therebetween along a path of travel substantially transverse to said tubular body substantially vertical axis, first interlocking means between said cover and said first pivot member for strengthening the connection therebetween, second interlocking means between said cover and said second pivot member for strengthening the connection therebetween, and said first and second interlocking means are each defined by a boss of one of said cover and tubular body received in a relief area of another of said cover and tubular body. 9. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said pivoting means includes first and second pivot members respectively connected to said cover and said tubular body, said first and second pivot members include means for slidingly assembling and disassembling said cover relative to said tubular body by relative movement therebetween along a path of travel substantially transverse to said tubular body substantially vertical axis, said first and second pivot members each include a substantially flat mounting plate portion, and said first and second slidingly assembling and disassembling means include at least one pivot pin and a bearing carried one by said first pivot member and the other by said second pivot member for effecting sliding assembly and disassembly thereof. 10. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein said connecting means includes a connecting portion of said tubular body vertically slidably connected to a connecting portion of a vehicle hitch bracket, and aperture means of each of said connecting portions being in registration for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means. 11. The carrier as defined in claim 4 including a handgrip portion defined by said cover, wheels located adjacent said tubular body first end, and said handgrip portion and wheels are located at an opposite side of said carrier as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 12. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said connecting means includes one of a substantially vertically disposed rib and channel located adjacent said tubular body first end in vertically slidable relationship to each other, one of said rib and channel being carried by said tubular body first end, another of said rib and channel being carried by a vehicle hitch bracket, said cover peripheral wall convergingly tapers away from said cover peripheral edge portion toward a converging terminal apex wall portion which defines a hand grip portion, and said terminal apex wall portion curves away from said vertical axis in the direction of a side of said tubular body at which are located said pivoting means and said connecting means. 13. The carrier as defined in claim 12 wherein said cover peripheral edge portion lies in a plane disposed in oblique relationship to said vertical axis in the cover first closed position thereby disposing an upper edge portion above a lower edge portion of said cover peripheral edge portion, and said cover upper edge portion is located at the same side of said tubular body as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 14. The carrier as defined in claim 12 wherein said removably connecting means includes first and second relatively vertically slidable connectors defined one by said tubular body and the other by a portion of a vehicle hitch, and said tubular body and vehicle hitch portion have cooperative aperture means adapted to receive a hasp of a lock to prevent unauthorized disconnecting of said removably connecting means. 15. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second ooen position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said connecting means includes a connecting portion of said tubular body slidably connected to a connecting portion of a vehicle hitch bracket, aperture means of each of said connecting portions being in registration for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means, said cover peripheral wall convergingly tapers away from said cover peripheral edge portion toward a converging terminal apex wall portion which defines a hand grip portion, and said terminal apex wall portion curves away from said vertical axis in the direction of a side of said tubular body at which are located said pivoting means and said connecting means. 16. The carrier as defined in claim 15 wherein said cover peripheral edge portion lies in a plane disposed in oblique relationship to said vertical axis in the cover first closed position thereby disposing an upper edge portion above a lower edge portion of said cover peripheral edge portion, and said cover upper edge portion is located at the same side of said tubular body as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 17. The carrier as defined in claim 3 including a handgrip portion defined by said cover, and wheels located adjacent said tubular body first end. 18. The carrier as defined in claim 3 including a handgrip portion defined by said cover, wheels located adjacent said tubular body first end, and said handgrip portion and wheels are located at an opposite side of said carrier as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 19. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end byb a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end ooposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said removably connecting means includes first and second relatively slidable connectors defined one by said tubular body and the other by a portion of a vehicle hitch oprtion, said tubular body and vehicle hitch portion have cooperative aqerture means adapted to receive a hasp of a lock to prevent unauthorized disconnecting of said removably connecting means, said cover peripheral wall convergingly tapers away from said cover peripheral edge portion toward a converging terminal apex wall portion which defines a hand grip portion, and said terminal apex wall portion curves away from said vertical axis in the direction of a side of said tubular body at which are located said pivoting means and said connecting means. 20. The carrier as defined in claim 19 wherein said cover peripheral edge portion lies in a plane disposed in oblique relationship to said vertical axis in the cover first closed position thereby disposing an upper edge portion above a lower edge portion of said cover peripheral edge portion, and said cover upper edge portion is located at the same side of said tubular body as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 21. A carrier comorising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said removably connecting means includes first and second relatively vertically slidable connectors defined one by said tubular body and the other by a portion of a vehicle hitch, said tubular body and vehicle hitch portion have cooperative aperture means adapted to receive a hasp of a lock to prevent unauthorized disconnecting of said removably connecting means, a handgrip portion defined by said cover, wheels located adjacent said tubular body first end, and said handgrip portion and wheels are located at an opposite side of said carrier as said pivoting means and said connecting means, said cover peripheral wall convergingly tapers away from said cover peripheral edge portion toward a converging terminal apex wall portion which defines a hand grip portion, and said terminal apex wall portion curves away from said vertical axis in the direction of a side of said tubular body at which are located said pivoting means and said connecting means. 22. The carrier as defined in claim 21 wherein said cover peripheral edge portion lies in a plane disposed in oblique relationship to said vertical axis in the cover first closed position thereby disposing an upper edge portion above a lower edge portion of said cover peripheral edge portion, and said cover upper edge portion is located at the same side of said tubular body as said pivoting means and said connecting means. 23. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having a peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said connecting means includes a connecting portion of said tubular body in vertical downward sliding connecting relationship to a connecting portion of a vehicle hitch bracket, cooperative abutment means of said connecting portions aligned for vertical sliding abutment to delimit downward relative sliding movement of said connection portions, and aperture means of each of said connecting portions being brought into registration by said cooperative abutment means for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means to thereby prevent removal of said tubular body from said vehicle hitch bracket, said connecting portions being defined bya rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and cooperative abutment means of said rib and channel being aligned for relative vertical sliding abutment to delimit the relative vertical downward sliding movement of said rib and channel. 24. The carrier as defined in claim 23 wherein said connecting means include a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and said cooperative abutment means include at least one flange of said channel abutting an opposite abutting surface of said tubular body. 25. The carrier as defined in claim 23 wherein said connecting means include a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and said cooperative abutment means include a pair of flanges of said channel abutting an opposite an opposing pair of abutting surfaces of said tubular body. 26. The carrier as defined in claim 23 wherein said connecting means include a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and said cooperative abutment means include a pair of angled flanges of said channel abutting an opposite an opposing pair of angled abutting surfaces of said tubular body. 27. The carrier as defined in claim 23 including aperture means of each of said connecting portions in registration for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means. 28. The carrier as defined in claim 27 wherein said aperture means are located in side-by-side walls of said connection portions. 29. The carrier as defined in claim 28 wherein said connecting portions are defined by a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, said channel includes an upwardly opening slot, and the side-by-side wall of the rib is received in said slot. 30. The carrier as defined in claim 27 wherein said connecting means include a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and said cooperative abutment means include at least one flange of said channel abutting an opposite abutting surface of said tubular body. 31. The carrier as defined in claim 27 wherein said connecting means include a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and said cooperative abutment means include a pair of flanges of said channel abutting an opposite an opposing pair of abutting surfaces of said tubular body. 32. The carrier as defined in claim 27 wherein said connecting means include a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, and said cooperative abutment means include a pair of angled flanges of said channel abutting an opposite an opposing pair of angled abutting surfaces of said tubular body. 33. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having a peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an ooening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body. means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said connecting means includes a connecting portion of said tubular body vertically slidably connected to a connecting portion of a vehicle hitch bracket, aoerture means of each of said connecting portions being in registration for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means to thereby prevent removal of said tubular body from said vehicle hitch bracket, said connecting portions beina defined by a rib in sliding relationship to a channel, cooperative abutment means of said rib and channel being aligned for relative vertical sliding abutment to delimit the relative vertical downward sliding movement of said rib and channel, and said abutment means are abutment surfaces of said rib and channel disposed in converging relationship. 34. The carrier as defined in claim 33 wherein said abutment means are abutment surfaces of said rib and channel disposed in downwardly converging relationship. 35. The carrier as defined in claim 33 wherein said aperture means are located substantially at the convergence of said converging surfaces. 36. The carrier as defined in claim 34 wherein said aperture means are located substantially at the convergence of said converging surfaces. 37. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said connecting means includes one of a substantially vertically disposed rib and channel located adjacent said tubular body first end in vertically slidable relationship to each other, one of said rib and channel being carried by said tubular body first end, another of said rib and channel being carried by a vehicle hitch bracket, a handgrip portion defined by said cover, wheels located adjacent said tubular body first end, said hand grip portion being located substantially diametrically opposite said cover pivoting means, said cover peripheral edge portion lying in a plane disposed oblique relationship to said vertical axis in the cover first closed portion thereby disposing an upper edge portion above a lower edge portion of said cover peripheral edge portion, said cover upper edge portion being located on the same side of said tubular body as said pivoting means and said connecting means, aperture means of each of said connecting portions being in registration for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means to thereby prevent removal of said tubular body from said vehicle hitch bracket, cooperative abutment means of said rib and channel being aligned for relative vertical sliding abutment to delimit the relative vertical downward sliding movement of said rib and channel, and said aperture means of each of said connecting portions being brought into registration by said cooperative abutment means for receiving a locking member to prevent disconnection of said connecting means. 38. A carrier comprising a substantially tubular body and a cover each made of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material; said tubular body being defined by a peripheral wall closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an upper peripheral edge portion at a second end opposite said first end which defines an opening of said tubular body; said cover including a peripheral wall having a peripheral edge portion substantially matching said tubular body upper peripheral edge portion to close said opening in a first closed position of said cover relative to said tubular body, means for pivoting said cover relative to said tubular body between said first closed position and a second open position, means for removably connecting said tubular body to a vehicle, said pivoting means and said connecting means are located in substantially vertically spaced and substantially vertically aligned relationship along a substantially vertical plane through a substantially vertical axis of said tubular body whereby pivotal opening motion of said cover is in an upward direction toward a vehicle to which said carrier is adapted to be connected by said connecting means thereby facilitating access to an interior of said tubular body, said connecting means includes one of a substantially vertically disposed rib and channel located adjacent said tubular body first end in vertically slidable relationship to each other, one of said rib and channel being carried by said tubular body first end, another of said rib and channel being carried by a vehicle hitch bracket, a handgrip portion defined by said cover, wheels located adjacent said tubular body first end substantially diametrically opposite to one of said one and another rib and channel, and said hand grip portion being located substantially diametrically opposite said cover pivoting means and above said wheels.