1. A collapsible golf cart comprising:
a frame having a first portion and a second portion;
a front wheel mount pivotally connected to the first portion of the frame, the front wheel mount being pivotable about a first axis;
a front wheel rotatably connected to the front wheel mount, allowing for rotation of the front wheel about a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis, the front wheel mount further allowing for arcuate movement of the front wheel about the first axis;
a pair of rear wheel members, each said rear wheel member having a first end and a second end, the first end of said each rear wheel member being pivotally connected to the second portion of the frame;
a pair rear wheels, each said rear wheel being rotatably connected to the second end of one of the said rear wheel members;
a handle connected to the second portion of the frame; and
a collapsing mechanism moveable between a first position and a second position, the collapsing mechanism being connected to the first portion of the frame and to the rear wheel members, the front wheel moving away from the second portion of the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the first position and the front wheel moving towards the second portion of the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the second position, the rear wheels moving away from the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the first position and the rear wheels moving towards the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the second position.
2. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cart further includes a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism maintaining the cart in a first configuration when the collapsing mechanism is in the first position, and the locking mechanism maintaining the cart in a second configuration when the collapsing mechanism is in the second position.
3. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the frame is pivotally connected to the second portion of the frame, the first portion moving away from the second portion when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the first position, and the first portion moving towards the second portion when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the second position.
4. The cart as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first portion of the frame is substantially perpendicular to the second portion when the collapsing mechanism is in the first position, and the first portion of the frame is substantially parallel to the second portion when the collapsing mechanism is in the second position.
5. The cart as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cart further includes a first link rod, the first link rod connecting the collapsing mechanism to the first portion of the frame.
6. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cart further includes a second locking mechanism, the second locking mechanism preventing pivoting of the front wheel mount and arcuate movement of the front wheel about the first axis when engaged.
7. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cart further includes a second link rod, the second link rod connecting one of said rear wheel members the collapsing mechanism.
8. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said rear wheel member includes a first strut and a second strut, the first strut being longer than the second strut.
9. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collapsing mechanism is a sleeve, the collapsing member being slidable along the frame.
10. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle is pivotally connected the frame.
11. The cart as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cart further includes a third locking mechanism, the third locking mechanism preventing the handle from pivoting when engaged.
12. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cart further includes a cup holder, the cup holder being connected to the handle.
13. The cart as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cup holder is integral to the handle.
14. The cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cart further includes a brake, the brake preventing the front wheel from rotating about the second axis when engaged.
15. The cart as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cart further includes a brake control, the brake control being located on the handle, the brake being engaged by the control.
16. (canceled)
17. The combination as claimed in claim 29, wherein the collapsing mechanism is moveable between a first position and a second position, the golf cart being in the first configuration when the collapsing mechanism is in the first position and the golf cart being in the second configuration when the collapsing mechanism is in the second position.
18. (canceled)
19. The combination as claimed in claim 29, wherein the means for moving the rear wheels towards the frame or away from the frame includes a second link rod, the second link rod connecting the collapsing mechanism to one of the rear wheel members, the second link rod moving said one of the rear wheel members away from the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the first position, and the second link rods moving said one of rear wheel members towards the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the second position.
20. The combination as claimed in claim 29, further including means for locking the golf cart in the first configuration or in the second configuration.
21. A method for collapsing a golf cart from a first configuration to a second configuration, the golf cart including a frame with a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being pivotally connected to the second portion; a front wheel mount being pivotally connected to the first portion of the frame; a front wheel being rotatably mounted on the front wheel mount allowing arcuate movement of the front wheel about a first axis and rotation of the front wheel about a second axis, the first axis being substantially parallel to the first portion and the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis; a pair of rear wheel members being pivotally connected to the frame; a pair of rear wheels, each said rear wheel being rotatably mounted to one of the rear wheel members; and a handle being pivotally connect to the second portion of the frame; the method comprising:
moving the front wheel about the first axis;
pivoting the rear wheel members towards the second portion of the frame;
pivoting the first portion of the frame towards the second portion of the frame; and
pivoting the handle towards the second portion of the frame.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the front wheel is moved substantially 90 degrees about the first axis.
23. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the rear wheel members are pivoted towards the frame, causing the rear wheels to move from being substantially aligned along a pair of parallel axes away from the frame to being substantially aligned along a pair of intersecting axes near the frame.
24. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first portion of the frame is pivoted from a position substantially perpendicular to the second portion of the frame to a position substantially parallel to the second portion of the frame.
25. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the handle is pivoted to a position substantially parallel to the second portion of the frame.
26. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the handle is pivoted to a position between the rear wheels.
27. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the front wheel is moved to a position generally perpendicular to the rear wheels, the rear wheels being substantially aligned along a pair of axes.
28. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the front wheel is moved to a position adjacent the rear wheels and between the axes.
29. A combination of a collapsing mechanism and a golf cart, the golf cart including a frame with a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being pivotally connected to the second portion; a front wheel being rotatably connected to the first portion of the frame; a pair of rear wheel members being pivotally connected to the second portion of the frame; a pair of rear wheels, each said rear wheel being rotatably mounted on one of the rear wheel members; the collapsing mechanism comprising:
means for pivoting the first portion of the frame towards the second portion of the frame or away from the second portion of the frame, means for pivoting including a link rod, the link rod connecting the collapsing mechanism to the first portion of the frame, the link rod moving the first portion of the frame away from the second portion of the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the first position, and the link rod moving the first portion of the frame towards the second portion of the frame when the collapsing mechanism is moved towards the second position; and
means for moving the rear wheels towards the frame or away from the frame.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of monitoring cell adhesion or cell spreading comprising:
a) providing a device operably connected to an impedance analyzer; said device comprising:
i) a non-conductive substrate,
ii) a plurality of electrode arrays and at least two connection pads positioned on said substrate, wherein each electrode array comprises at least two electrode structures, each of which comprises multiple electrode elements, further wherein the electrode structures of each electrode array have substantially the same surface area and are fabricated on a same side of said substrate, further wherein the electrode elements of each electrode structure of an electrode array are connected together to a common connection pad; and
iii) a test portion of said substrate coated with a test biological molecule or an organic compound, and a control portion of said substrate optionally coated with a biological molecule or organic compound, wherein each molecule or compound is independently selected from the group consisting of a DNA molecule, an RNA molecule, a protein, a polypeptide, an oligopeptide, an antibody, a ligand, a peptide, a receptor, one or more proteins or compounds present in the extracellular matrix (ECM), a molecule or compound capable of binding an integrin, and a cell surface receptor;
b) introducing a cell or cell population to said test portion and to said control portion;
c) performing a series of impedance measurements of said test portion and said control portion;
d) determining the change in impedance and optionally a cell index (CI) of said test portion and the change in impedance and optionally a cell index (CI) of said control portion;
e) comparing said change in impedance of said test portion to said change in impedance of said control portion or comparing said cell index (CI) of said test portion to said cell index (CI) of said control portion; and
f) determining whether cell adhesion or cell spreading on the test portion is different from that on the control portion if said comparison demonstrates a significant change in impedance.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises at least two test portions, wherein said biological molecule or said organic compound is positioned on said at least two test portions optionally in different concentrations, further wherein said impedance measurement is performed for each of said at least two test portions and said change in impedance and optionally said cell index (CI) is determined for each of said at least two test portions.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two test portions are at least two test wells and said control portion is a control well, wherein said at least two test wells and said control well are perpendicularly oriented to a longitudinal axis.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cell is a eukaryotic cell or said cell population is a eukaryotic cell population.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said eukaryotic cell is a human cell or said eukaryotic cell population is a human cell population.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cell is a B-lymphocyte, T-lymphocyte or other immune cell or said cell population is a B-lymphocyte population, T-lymphocyte population or other immune cell population.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said series of measurements are performed at regular time intervals.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said series of measurements are performed at irregular time intervals.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said compound or biological molecule is capable of effecting cell adhesion or spreading if said comparison demonstrates a significant change in impedance.
10. The method according claim 9, wherein said biological compound or organic compound increases cell spreading or cell adhesion if change in impedance of said test portion is significantly greater than that of said control portion.
11. The method according claim 9, wherein said biological compound or organic compound is an inhibitor if change in impedance of said control portion is significantly greater than that of said test portion.