Abstract
A vehicle enclosure (14) and method and system of installation using an adhesive-backed attachment device (1) having a base (4) with an adhesive backing (10) and a stud (12) or a socket (2) that engages a conventional a conventional snap (8). The adhesive-backed attachment device is preferably flexible so that it may be attached to uneven surfaces of a vehicle, such as a golf cart (15). The adhesive-backed attachment device eliminates unsightly brackets, drilling or screwing into the golf cart and cuts down on installation time of golf cart enclosures. The studs and sockets may also be integrated into a new roof (14) for retrofitting an existing golf cart.
Claims
1. A method for installation of a vehicle enclosure on a body of a golf cart, the method comprising: attaching conventional snaps proximate to a side edge of the vehicle enclosure; attaching an upper edge of the vehicle enclosure to a roof of the golf cart using a first attachment means; attaching adhesive-backed attachment devices to the conventional snaps; attaching one of the adhesive-backed attachment devices to the body of the golf cart using the adhesive backing; repeating the attaching of one of the adhesive-backed attachment devices to the body of the golf cart using the adhesive-backed attachment of the remaining conventional snaps; and attaching any remaining unattached portions of the golf cart enclosure to the golf cart using a second attachment means.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first attachment means and/or second attachment means comprises adhesive-backed fasteners.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first attachment means and/or second attachment means comprises conventional snaps.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first attachments means and/or second attachment means comprises rails.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first attachments means and/or second attachment means comprises clips.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second attachments means comprises hook and loop fasteners.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second attachments means comprises zippers.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second attachments means comprises sleeves.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an adhesive-backed attachment device of the present invention having a socket as an engagement means;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an adhesive-backed attachment device of the present invention having a stud as an engagement means;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a conventional stud of a conventional snap;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a conventional socket from a conventional snap;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention attached to a golf cart using adhesive-backed attachment devices;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section view along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention secured to a golf cart roof;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a cutaway side view of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention attached to a curved surface using a conventional socket and a flexible adhesive-backed attachment device;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an inner surface of a golf cart roof having adhesive-backed attachment devices integrated therein;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of installation of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention on a roof of a golf cart; and
[0020] FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method of installation of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention on a body of a golf cart.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered accessories in the drawings is as follows:
TABLE-US-00002 1. adhesive-backed attachment device 2. socket 3. engagement means 4. base 5. rear surface 6. front surface 7. conventional stud 8. conventional snap 9. securing means 10. adhesive 11. peel away cover 12. stud 13. conventional socket 14. vehicle enclosure 15. golf cart 16. upper edge 17. inner surface 18. roof 19. side edge 20. outer surface 21. body 22. attachment means 23. zipper 24. sleeve 25. curved surface 26. side edge 27. rear edge 28. attaching conventional snap to enclosure 29. attaching enclosure attachment device to conventional snap 30. cleaning surface 31. securing the enclosure attachment device to surface 32. repeating previous step 33. attaching remaining portions of enclosure 34. attaching conventional snap to enclosure 35. attaching upper edge to roof 36. attaching enclosure attachment device to conventional snap 37. cleaning surface 38. securing the enclosure attachment device to surface 39. repeating previous step 40. attaching remaining portions of enclosure
[0022] With reference to FIG. 1, a top perspective view of an adhesive-backed attachment device 1 of the present invention having a socket 2 as an engagement means 3 is illustrated. The adhesive-backed attachment device 1 comprises a base 4 having a rear surface 5 and a front surface 6. The socket 2 extends upward from a central location of the front surface 6 of the adhesive-backed attachment device 1. The socket 2 is attachable to a conventional stud 7 of a conventional snap 8, as illustrated in FIG. 3. A securing means 9, such as adhesive 10, is located on the rear surface 5 of the base 4 to allow a user to secure the adhesive-backed attachment device 1 to a surface, such as a golf cart. The adhesive 10 is preferably covered by a peel away cover 11. The expanded surface area provided by the larger size of the base 4 provides additional contact area between the base 4 and a surface that the adhesive-backed attachment device 1 is being secured to. The adhesive-backed attachment device 1 may be made of a rigid material, such as plastic, metal and so forth, or of a flexible material, such as rubber, silicone and so forth, to allow a user to attach the adhesive-backed attachment device 1 to a curved surface, as illustrated in FIG. 7.
[0023] With reference to FIG. 2, a top perspective view of an adhesive-backed attachment device 1 of the present invention having a stud 12 as an engagement means 3 is illustrated. The adhesive-backed attachment device 1 comprises a base 4 having a rear surface 5 and a front surface 6. The stud 12 extends upward from a central location of the front surface 6 of the adhesive-backed attachment device 1. The stud 13 is attachable to a conventional socket 13 of a conventional snap 9, as illustrated in FIG. 4. A securing means 9, such as adhesive 10, is located on the rear surface 5 of the base 4 to allow a user to secure the adhesive-backed attachment device 1 to a surface, such as a golf cart. The adhesive 10 is preferably covered by a peel away cover 11.
[0024] With reference to FIG. 3, a top perspective view of a conventional stud 7 of a conventional snap 9 is illustrated.
[0025] With reference to FIG. 4, a top perspective view of a conventional socket 13 from a conventional snap 9 is illustrated.
[0026] With reference to FIG. 5, a side view of a vehicle enclosure 14 of the present invention attached to a golf cart using adhesive-backed attachment devices 1 is illustrated. An upper edge 16 of the vehicle enclosure 14 is attached to an inner surface 17 of a golf cart roof 18 using conventional studs 7 and adhesive-backed attachment devices 1, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Side edges 19 of the vehicle enclosure 14 are attached to an outer surface 20 of a body 21 of the golf cart 15 using conventional sockets 13 and adhesive-backed attachment devices 1. The vehicle enclosure 14 is also attached to the golf cart 15 using attachment means 22, such as conventional snaps 8, hook and loop fasteners, zippers 23, sleeves 24 and so forth.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 6, a partial cross-section view along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 of a vehicle enclosure 14 of the present invention secured to a golf cart roof 14 is illustrated. An upper edge 16 of the vehicle enclosure 14 is attached to an inner surface 17 of the golf cart roof 18 using conventional studs 7 and adhesive-backed attachment devices 1.
[0028] With reference to FIG. 7, a side cutaway view of a vehicle enclosure 14 of the present invention attached to a curved surface 25 using a conventional socket 13 and a flexible adhesive-backed attachment device 1 is illustrated. The flexible adhesive-backed attachment device 1 may also be user inside curves, such as an inner corner of a golf cart roof 18.
[0029] With reference to FIG. 8, a bottom view of an inner surface 17 of a golf cart roof 18 having adhesive-backed attachment devices 1 of the present invention integrated therein. The adhesive-backed attachment devices 1 are integrated into side edges 26 and a rear edge 27 of the golf cart roof 24 to allow a user to easily secure a vehicle enclosure 14 to the roof using conventional snaps 8 and without having to modify the roof 18.
[0030] With reference to FIG. 9, a flow chart illustrating a method of installation of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention on a roof of a golf cart is shown. First, conventional snaps are attached proximate to an upper edge of a vehicle enclosure 28. Then, adhesive-backed attachment devices are attached to the conventional snaps 29. Next, an inner surface of the roof is cleaned 30. Then, an adhesive-backed attachment device is secured to the inner surface of the roof using a securing means 31. Next, the previous step is repeated until each adhesive-backed attachment device is secured to the inner surface of the roof 32. By attaching the adhesive-backed attachment devices to the roof while the adhesive-backed attachment devices are attached to the conventional snaps and the golf cart enclosure, a user does not have to measure out attachment points on the roof and can instead eyeball the installation by starting at one corner of the vehicle enclosure and working along the upper edge of the enclosure attaching each adhesive-backed attachment device one-by-one to the roof. Finally, the remaining portions, such as side edges, bottom edges, etc., of the vehicle enclosure are attached to the golf cart using an attachment means, such as adhesive-backed fasteners of the present invention, conventional snaps, hook and loop fastener, zippers, sleeves and so forth 33.
[0031] With reference to FIG. 10, a flow chart illustrating a method of installation of a vehicle enclosure of the present invention on a body of a golf cart is shown. First, conventional snaps are attached proximate to a side edge of a vehicle enclosure 34. Then an upper edge of the vehicle enclosure is attached to a roof of the golf cart using an attachment means, such as adhesive-backed fasteners of the present invention, conventional snaps, roof cover, rails, clips and so forth 35. Next, adhesive-backed attachment devices are attached to the conventional snaps 36. Next, the surface of the golf cart body is cleaned 37. Then, one of the adhesive-backed attachment devices is attached to the body of the golf cart using a securing means 38. Next, the previous step is repeated until each adhesive-backed attachment device is attached to the surface of the body 39. Finally, any remaining unattached portions of the golf cart enclosure, such as side edges, bottom edges, etc., are attached to the golf cart using an attachment means, such as adhesive-backed fasteners of the present invention, conventional snaps, hook and loop fastener, zippers, sleeves and so forth 40.
[0032] It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.
