Patent Application
20070216180
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for a golf car.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Golf cars are often provided with headlights. Golf cars equipped with headlights often have a front cowl designed to include apertures and other features to accommodate headlights. Such cowls are typically not suited for use in applications where headlights are not provided. Thus, conventional golf cars typically require two front cowl designs, one design that can accommodate headlights and another design that can be used when headlights are not provided. While conventional designs and methods for providing golf cars with headlights are suitable for their intended uses, they are subject to improvement.
The present teachings provide for a rear body; a front cowl opposite the rear body; a trim assembly mounted to the front cowl; an aperture in the trim assembly; and a headlight mounted within the aperture.
The present teachings further provide for a cowl trim for a golf car including: a first aperture; a second aperture; a first headlight mounted within the first aperture; and a second headlight mounted within the second aperture.
The present teachings also provide for a golf car including: a front cowl; a cowl trim mounted to said front cowl, and a headlight mounted to said cowl trim. Said cowl trim includes a top portion; a top flange of said top portion, said top flange in flexible contact with said front cowl; a bottom portion opposite said top portion; a first side portion rigidly mounted to said front cowl; and a second side portion opposite said first side portion, said second side portion rigidly mounted to said front cowl.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. Throughout this specification, like reference numerals will be used to refer to like elements.
A golf car according to the present teachings is illustrated in
A front cowl trim 20 can be mounted to the front cowl 16. A first headlight 22A and a second headlight 22B can be mounted to the front cowl trim 20. A seat assembly 24 can be mounted to the rear body 18. With additional reference to
The front portion 26 and the rear portion 28 can further include a series of through holes operable to receive suitable fasteners. For example, a first set of through holes 38A and 38B can extend through the cowl trim 20 from the front portion 26 to the rear portion 28. The through holes 38A and 38B can be proximate to the top portion 30 of the cowl trim 20. Further, the through hole 38A can be proximate to the first aperture 36A and the through hole 38B can be proximate to the second aperture 36B. The through holes 38A and 38B can be any suitable through holes operable to receive a suitable fastener for securing the cowl trim 20 to the front cowl 16.
The front portion 26 and the rear portion 28 can further include a second set of through holes 40A and 40B. The second set of through holes 40A and 40B can each extend through the cowl trim 20 from the front portion 26 to the rear portion 28. The through holes 40A and 40B can be located between the bottom portion 32 and the first set of through holes 38A and 38B. The through holes 40A and 40B can be any suitable through holes operable to receive a suitable fastener for securing the cowl trim 20 to the front cowl 16.
The front cowl trim 20 can further include a center portion 42 between the first and the second apertures 36A and 36B. The second set of through holes 40A and 40B can be located in the center portion 42. The center portion 42 can include, at the front portion 26 of the front cowl trim assembly, one or more depressions 44, which can resemble slits in a vehicle grill. The depressions 44 can also be provided at the rear portion 28 (
As illustrated in
The first bosses 46A can be located around the first aperture 36A. As illustrated, one boss 46A′ can be positioned between the first aperture 36A and the top portion 30 and two bosses 46A″ can be positioned between the first aperture 36A and the bottom portion 32. The second bosses 46B′ can be located around the second aperture 36B. As illustrated, one boss 46B′ can be positioned between the second aperture 36B and the top portion 30 and two bosses 46B″ can be positioned between the second aperture 36B and the bottom portion 32.
As illustrated in
With reference to
The first side portion 34A can include one or more first side apertures 54A. The first side apertures 54A can be recessed within the first side portion 34A. The first side apertures 54A can have any suitable size or shape operable to accommodate a suitable fastener to secure the first side portion 34A to the front cowl trim 20.
The second side portion 34B can include one or more second side apertures 54B. The second side apertures 54B can be recessed within the second side portion 34B. The second side apertures 54B can be similar to the first side apertures 54A and can have any suitable size or shape operable to accommodate a suitable fastener to secure the second side portion 34B to the front cowl trim 20.
The front cowl trim assembly 20 can be made of any suitable material. For example, the front cowl trim assembly 20 can be made of a mineral filled polypropylene. One example of a mineral filled polypropylene that can be used is a talc-filled polypropylene.
With additional reference to
With reference to
The front cowl 16 can further include at least one first mount 58, at least one second mount 60, a first side mount (not shown), and a second side mount 62B. Each of the mounts 58, 60, and 62B can be holes or openings in the front cowl 16. As illustrated, the front cowl 16 can include two first mounts 58A and 58B. The first mount 58A can be at the first cut-out portion 56A. The first mount 58B can be at the second cut-out portion 56B. Each of the first mounts 58A and 58B can be positioned to be in alignment with one of the first through holes 38A and 38B respectively when the cowl trim 20 is mounted to the front cowl 16.
As illustrated, the front cowl 16 can include two second mounts 60A and 60B. The two second mounts 60A and 60B can be positioned spaced apart between the first and the second cut-out portions 56A and 56B. The two second mounts 60A and 60B can be positioned to be in alignment with a different one of the second through holes 40A and 40B respectively when the cowl trim 20 is mounted to the front cowl 16.
The first side mount and the second side mount 62B can be substantially similar. The first side mount and the second side mount 62B can be located at opposite sides of the front cowl 16. For example, the first side mount can be located at a side of the front cowl 16 proximate to the first cut-out portion 56A. The second side mount 62B can be located at a side of the front cowl 16 proximate to the second cut-out portion 56B. The first side mount can be positioned so that the first side apertures 54A of the cowl trim 20 can be at least substantially aligned with the first side mount when the front cowl trim 20 is mounted to the front cowl 16. The second side mount 62B can be positioned so that the second side apertures 54B can be at least substantially aligned with the second side mount 62B when the front cowl trim 20 is mounted to the front cowl 16.
Each of the first mounts 58, the second mounts 60, the first side mount, and the second side mount 62B can include a fastening clip 64. As illustrated in
One of the fastening clips 64A-H can be secured to the front cowl 16 at each of the first mounts 58 and the second mounts 60. Two fastening clips 64 can be secured to each of the first side mount and the second side mount 62B. Each of the fastening clips 64 can be secured to the front cowl 16 such that the front cowl 16 is seated between the first flange 66 and the second flange 68.
With the first and second headlights 22A and 22B mounted to the cowl trim 20, the cowl trim 20 can be mounted to the front cowl 16 at the front end 12 of the car 10. The cowl trim 20 can be positioned such that the first through holes 38A and 38B are aligned with the fastening clips 64C and 64F at the first mounts 58A and 58B, respectively; the second through holes 40A and 40B are aligned with the fastening clips 64D and 64E at the second mounts 60A and 60B respectively; the first side apertures 54A are aligned with the fastening clips 64A and 64B at the first side mount; and the second side apertures 54B are aligned with the fastening clips 64G and 64H at the second side mount 62B.
The cowl trim 20 can be mounted to the front cowl 16 using suitable fasteners extending through each of the first set of through holes 38A and 38B, the second set of through holes 40A and 40B, the first side apertures 54A, and the second side apertures 54B to engage the fastening clips 64 at each of the first mounts 58A and 58B, the second mounts 60A and 60B, the first side mount, and the second side mount 62B. The fasteners, which can be threaded, can be secured to the fastening clips 64 by inserting the fasteners through the opening 74 and into cooperation with the threads of the receptacle 72. As the fasteners are inserted through the opening 74 and into cooperation with the threads of the receptacle 72, the fasteners punch holes in the front cowl 16 to secure the trim 20 to the front cowl 16.
With reference to
The front cowl trim 20 can be mounted to most any golf car or light utility vehicle to provide the car with headlights. The front cowl trim 20 can eliminate the need for multiple front cowl designs, such as a design that can accommodate headlights and a design for use in applications without headlights. Thus, the front cowl trim 20 can save engineering and manufacturing resources.
The description herein is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of that which is described are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
