The present disclosure relates generally to a recreational vehicle accessory, and more particularly to an improved portable accessory adapted to removably mate and secure about a dashboard.
Recreational vehicles, such as by way of example, golf carts, boats, RVs, and utility side-by-side vehicles, may include some type of cubby for storage. Conventionally, these cubbies are not conveniently located on the recreational vehicle and require stopping the vehicle, dismounting from the vehicle and/or reaching to awkward locations for items stored in such cubbies. Additionally, such cubbies are often odd shaped and do not keep the drivers items secure, especially, for activities such as off-road driving, stop and go driving, and/or driving in rough, uneven or unpaved terrain.
In instances utilizing golf carts, such as golf outings, participants often carry multiple tools, for example, tees, range locators, golf balls, hand towels, etc, that need to be easily accessible for repeated usage. The cubbies on golf carts are not convenient or structured for such use and tools and items such as a drivers' licenses, wallets, cellular phones, and/or purses may shuffle around out of sight and be forgotten when the golf outing is completed.
Therefore, Applicant desires systems and methods for a recreational vehicle accessory without the drawbacks presented by the traditional systems and methods. Further, Applicant desires a portable accessory tray for securing items therein and configured to be portable and mountable between various recreational vehicles.
In accordance with the present disclosure, accessory devices for use with recreational vehicles are provided for portable storage of items. This disclosure provides improved accessory systems, devices, and methods that are convenient, efficient, portable and safe for the user, particularly when used with recreational vehicles and the like.
One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a recreational vehicle accessory including: a tray, an extension, and an adaptor. In some examples, the adaptor may interface with the recreational vehicle and the extension.
In some examples, the accessory may include a cover for covering said tray. The cover may be a partial cover. The cover may be a split cover.
The tray may include a compartment. The tray may include a set of compartments.
Another embodiment of the disclosure, in a golf cart having a dashboard, an accessory adapted to removably mate about said dashboard, including: a tray, a set of compartments in the tray, an extension and an adaptor. The adaptor may interface with the recreational vehicle about the dashboard on one end and with the extension on a second end.
In particular examples, the accessory may include an accessory fixture.
Still in another embodiment of the present disclosure the tray may include a full compartment, a subcompartment, and/or a midsize compartment. The full compartment, subcompartment and/or midsize compartment may make up a set of compartments in any combination.
A kit may include an accessory including a tray, an extension, and an adaptor.
The above summary was intended to summarize certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Embodiments will be set forth in more detail in the figures and description of embodiments below. It will be apparent, however, that the description of embodiments is not intended to limit the present inventions, the scope of which should be properly determined by the appended claims.
Embodiments of the disclosure will be better understood by a reading of the Description of Embodiments along with a review of the drawings, in which:
In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward,” “rearward,” “left,” “right,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.
Referring now to the drawings in general and
The accessory 10 may include a cover 18 for covering the tray. The cover 18 may be a full cover, a divided cover, a partial cover and/or a split cover, by way of example. The cover 18 may be attached to the tray 12. The cover 18 may be removable from the tray 12. The cover 18, by way of example, may be hinged on one side of the tray 12. The cover may be made, by way of example, of PVC plastics, metals and/or wood.
The tray may include a first side wall 25, a second side wall 27, a front wall 20 and a back wall 22. The tray 12 of the accessory 10 may also include a compartment housed within the walls. The tray 12 of accessory 10 may include a set of compartments. The set of compartments may include at least one full compartment 21 spanning from a wall of the tray to another wall of the tray. The set of compartments may include a subcompartment 23. The set of compartments may include at least two subcompartments 23. The at least two subcompartments may, in some examples, share a common dividing wall 24. The set of compartments may include a mid-size compartment 26. In some examples, the tray 12 may be made of PVC plastics, metals, and/or wood.
In some examples, the accessory may include a cover 18 for covering said tray. The cover 18 may be a partial cover. The cover may be a split cover.
The accessory 10 may include one or more securing mechanism 29. By way of example, the securing mechanism may include a latch, a snap, a magnet, a bungee cord type attachment, a biased edge and/or a hook.
The accessory 10 may include attachments 34 (see
In some embodiments, the extension 14 has a length L, the length L mounting the tray 12 spaced apart from the recreational vehicle. In other examples, extension 14 may be a support (as shown in
Adaptor 16 may secure the accessory 16 to a steering wheel assembly of a recreational vehicle (see
The accessory may be portable and mountable between recreational vehicles.
In a golf cart having a dashboard, an accessory 10 may be adapted to removably mate about the dashboard and includes a tray 12, a set of compartments in the tray, an extension 14, and an adaptor 16. The adaptor may interface with the recreational vehicle about the dashboard on one end and with the extension on a second end.
The extension 14 may include an extension length. The extension length may be structured for mounting the tray 12 spaced apart from the recreational vehicle. In other embodiments, the extension 14 is a support for securing the tray 12 to the recreational vehicle. The extension 14 serving as a support may be a wedge shaped support. The extension may be made of PVC plastics, metals, and/or wood, in some embodiments.
An adaptor 16 may be adapted to secure the accessory 10 to a steering wheel assembly. The adaptor 16 may be adapted, in some examples, to secure the accessory to a cup holder of the vehicle. The adaptor 16 may be adapted, in other examples, to secure the accessory to a dashboard of the vehicle. The adaptor may be constructed of PVC plastics, metals, and/or wood, in some examples.
The accessory 10 may be portable between recreational vehicles.
The accessory may include an accessory fixture attachment 34.
Some embodiments of the invention may include an accessory tray 12 wherein the extension is between about 4″ and about 20″ in length L. The tray may be between about 20″ in length L and about 35″ in length L. The tray 12 may be between about 18″ in width W and about 26″ in width W.
The tray 12 may be between about 1″ in depth D and about 4″ in depth D. The tray should be of a size to be portable and also be large enough to be able to accommodate typical items for a sport outing and items such as a wallet and/or a cellular phone. The tray should be self-supportable by way of the extension.
The tray may include a compartment. The tray may include a set of compartments.
The tray 12 may include a full compartment 21. The full compartment 21 may span a full length of the tray and be between about 4″ and about 6″ in width.
The tray 12 may include a midsize compartment 26. The midsize compartment 26 may be at least half the width of the width W of the tray.
The tray 12 may include a subcompartment 23. The subcompartment 23 may be less than half of the width of the width W of the tray and is less than half the length of the length L of the tray. In some examples the subcompartment 23 may be between about 3″ in length and about 5″ in length and between about 6″ in width to about 9″ in width.
In some embodiments, the tray 12 may include slide doors. Slide doors may be adapted to mount a cell phone, yardage calculating device, rangefinder, swing analysis tool, swing aid, GPS device, scorecard and/or, by way of example, may provide access to an enclosed compartment of the tray 12 that slides out for access. Slide doors may include a mount that holds an attachment upright in easy line of sight. A mount may be considered an attachment 34 in some embodiments.
In some instances, the invention may be considered a self-contained portable tray for organizing tools and equipment. By way of example, tools and equipment may be golf equipment, such as, golf balls, golf tees, repair tools, yardage devices, boating tools, etc. The portable tray may be adapted to include compartments. The compartments may be filled with the tools and equipment such that the portable tray serves to organize and house the tools and equipment for easy transition from home to recreational vehicle and/or between more than one recreational vehicle.
Recreational vehicle accessory 10 may include a tray 12, a cover 18 for the top of the tray 12, and an extension 14. The accessory 10 may include three variable positions, a first cup insert position, a second steering wheel mount position, and a third flush mount position, wherein the extension interfaces with the tray 12 differently in each of the three positions. In the first cup insert position, the extension 14 may attach with a bottom of the tray in a substantially perpendicular position, for example, being secured into interface 34′ (see
The accessory 10 may include one assembly including a tray 12, a cover 18, an extension 14, a lower portion 36 (as in
The extension 14 may have an upper portion 34 and a lower portion 36. The upper portion 34 may fit with a bottom of the tray 12 on one end and interface with the adaptor 16 on the other end and/or, by way of example, may interface with the lower portion 34. The upper and lower portions 34, 36 may be, for example, an aluminum tube, a wood dowel, and/or a plastic tube. In some examples, the portions 34, 36 may be a thermoplastic material, for example injection molded ABS. The upper portion 34 may fit into the lower portion 36. The lower portion 36 may have a larger diameter than upper portion 24. Lower portion 36 may be continuous with and/or adjoin with adaptor 16.
Adaptor 16 may have a larger diameter than lower portion 36. Adaptor 16 may be configured to fit within a standard sized cup holder, particularly a cup holder of a recreational vehicle and/or a golf cart. The adaptor 16 may be of a thermoplastic material, and similarly to the lower portion 36, may include a rubberized material and may be expandable in diameter. Adaptor 16 may include a hinge pin 38. Adaptor 16 may also include a clamp upper 40. Adaptor 16 may narrow from a top outer side to a bottom outer side, the narrowing adaptor configured to mate with a cup holder, and/or cup holders of differing sizes. Upper portion 34 may extend through lower portion 36. Upper portion 34 may extend through adaptor 16.
The extension 14 may include a support 32. Support 32 may be an angled support anchoring to a bottom side of tray 12 on one end and to the extension 14 on an opposite end. Support 32, in some examples, may be an aluminum tube, a wood dowel, and/or a thermoplastic piece.
Tray 12 may include a top side and a bottom side. Tray 12 may, for example, be at least partially injection molded ABS. Tray 12 may include a cover 18. Cover 18 may include one or more cover portions and/or be a divided cover (see
The upper portion 34 and lower portion 36 may interface and fit with the tray 12 as shown in
The accessory 10 may include a pivot bracket 78 and/or a set of pivot brackets.
The invention may also be considered a method and system for an accessory 10 of any of the embodiments of the disclosure.
Also disclosed is an accessory kit. The accessory kit may include a tray 12, an extension, an adaptor and a compartment with variable compartment configurations. The kit may include versatile compartment partitions that are adapted to be configured to adjust a set of compartments to varying compartment sizes, for example varying compartments as disclosed. The kit may include any of the accessory parts as previously shown and described.
The invention may be considered a method for securing items between recreational vehicles and a user's residence by way of any of the embodiments disclosed herein for an accessory for a recreational vehicle 10.
Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structure and function. Many of the novel features are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the general claims are expressed. It is further noted that, as used in this application, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4040549 | Sadler | Aug 1977 | A |
4732274 | Bouton | Mar 1988 | A |
5176283 | Patterson | Jan 1993 | A |
5960982 | Perlis | Oct 1999 | A |
6425480 | Krueger | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6732990 | Hudson | May 2004 | B2 |
8256639 | Samuelson | Sep 2012 | B1 |
8381935 | Buck | Feb 2013 | B1 |
8590730 | Buck | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8672175 | Farmer | Mar 2014 | B2 |
8939312 | Buck | Jan 2015 | B1 |
8973776 | Buck | Mar 2015 | B1 |
9078535 | Buck | Jul 2015 | B1 |
9181009 | Buck | Nov 2015 | B1 |
9265370 | Kellow, Jr. | Feb 2016 | B2 |
9783349 | Buck | Oct 2017 | B2 |
9796316 | Siqueira | Oct 2017 | B1 |
20060016719 | Cassese | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060118453 | Hillebrecht | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20070278122 | McCumber | Dec 2007 | A1 |
20080164168 | Gramoy | Jul 2008 | A1 |
20090020450 | Heneghan | Jan 2009 | A1 |
20110036881 | Higgs | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20130153578 | Mansell | Jun 2013 | A1 |
20130170682 | Conrad | Jul 2013 | A1 |
20150216338 | Shendelman | Aug 2015 | A1 |
20160229348 | Farooq | Aug 2016 | A1 |
20160324371 | Herrera, Jr. | Nov 2016 | A1 |
20170008438 | Clark | Jan 2017 | A1 |
20170043724 | Chen | Feb 2017 | A1 |
20170172328 | Shendelman | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170349105 | Karrer | Dec 2017 | A1 |
20170362001 | Buck | Dec 2017 | A1 |
20180079567 | Engel | Mar 2018 | A1 |
20190031397 | Grove | Jan 2019 | A1 |
20190142196 | Barnum | May 2019 | A1 |
Entry |
---|
Lakeside Collection “divided food storage plates”, copyright 2015 https://www.amazon.com/Set-Divided-Food-Storage-Plates/dp/B071KWQZ1W (Year: 2015). |
Gadget Flow “Cup Holder Swivel Tray”, published Mar. 12, 2015 https://thegadgetflow.com/portofolio/cup-holder-swivel-tray/ (Year: 2015). |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62471620 | Mar 2017 | US |