WO2010052742A2

WO2010052742A2 - Supporting structure, in particular for music instruments such as percussion batteries

Info

Publication number: WO2010052742A2
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000697
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo Pininfarina
Original assignee: Pininfarina Extra S.R.L.
Priority date: 2008-11-10
Filing date: 2008-11-10
Publication date: 2010-05-14
Also published as: WO2010052742A3

Abstract

A supporting structure (1) for utility accessories, in particular for music instruments such as percussion batteries (B, P) and the like, is described, comprising at least one fastening guide (4) and a plurality of fastening means adapted to be secured in a way adapted to be disconnected to such fastening guide (4), such fastening means being arranged for supporting a respective one of said utility accessories (B, P), every vertical section of the fastening guide (4) having a constant azimuth angle with respect to ground or a reference bearing plane of the supporting structure (1), at least one vertical inertial axis (I_V) always perpendicular to ground or to the reference bearing plane and at least one horizontal inertial axis (I_H) always parallel to ground or to the reference bearing plane.

Description

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, IN PARTICULAR FOR MUSIC INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS PERCUSSION BATTERIES

The present invention refers to a supporting structure for utility accessories, such utility accessories being in particular music instruments such as percussion batteries.

As known, often the use in a practical, quick and comfortable way of some utility accessories, such as for example tools, surgical or dental instruments, or even some music instruments, such as percussion batteries or keyboards, require the use of work benches or suitable supporting structures that guarantee that such accessories are within a user' s reach, can be spatially arranged in certain positions kept with accuracy in time.

For example, in the particular case of music instruments, traditionally the supporting structure of some elements of the percussion batteries, such as "torn" and rolling drums, cymbals and "Charleston", is composed of different and separate supports of the pier or tripod type, each one of which is equipped with a base and a vertical rod to which a connection is fastened, connected to a specific instrument, in order to be able to adjust its height from the ground, such tripod-type supports having to be placed one by one in positions that are accurately corresponding with the habits and needs of the musician.

This arrangements implies a relevant, and at the same time obvious, practical inconvenience since, when the battery must be removed and positioned again, relatively long and delicate operations are necessary in order to obtain again the correct position of each instrument. In particular then, the arrangement itself of the battery provides anyway the presence of the user musician, because, since the spatial positions have no geometric reference system, the user himself has to test the arrangement before it can be suited to his needs.

The so-called shelf or "rack" type structures are also known, but, as known, such structures are very difficult to assemble and disassemble, transport and prepare.

Obviously, the above statements are valid, by analogy, for any other utility accessory that has the same positioning accuracy characteristics with respect to a user.

The known supporting structures moreover have often a problem of levelling that occurs on grounds or resting surfaces that are not perfectly planar or with differences of heights: the art provides that such problem, in order to prevent the structure from staggering, is traditionally solved by using height-adjustable feet, for example of the screw- type, each one of which requires a different adjustment, sometimes on the order of millimetres, in compliance with the adjustments of the other feet: it is obvious that such operation can be long and frustrating, above all when the supporting structure has to be assembled and reassembled frequently on surfaces that are different every time.

Therefore, object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems by providing a supporting structure for utility accessories, such as or example elements of a percussion battery, which allows making it easier to correctly spatially position such accessories, at the same time ensuring the maximum accuracy in the repeatability of such positioning.

Another object of the present invention is providing a supporting structure for utility accessories that has no levelling problems since it is equipped with a structural isostatic configuration.

Moreover, a further object of the present invention is providing a supporting structure for utility accessories that is extremely light-weight and can be practically and quickly assembled and prepared.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained with a supporting structure like the one claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims . It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionalities) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claim.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the supporting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of the supporting structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the supporting structure of FIG. 1 equipped with elements of a percussion battery;

FIG. 4 shows the supporting structure of FIG. 2 equipped with elements of a percussion battery;

FIG. 5 shows a bottom perspective view of a preferred embodiment of means for fastening an accessory to the supporting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of the fastening means of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a fastening means of FIG. 5 and 6 connected to the supporting structure according to the present invention; FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of a fastening means of FIG. 5 and 6 disconnected from the supporting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows another top perspective view of the supporting structure according to the present invention equipped with elements of a percussion battery according to arrow IX in FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of a component of the supporting structure according to the present invention; and

FIG. 11 shows a rear view of the supporting structure of the present invention pointing out, with internal detailed views, the three isostatic bearing points.

With reference to the Figures, a non-limiting example embodiment is described of the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention. It will be obvious for a skilled person in the art that, though such structure 1 is described and shown as example for supporting elements of a percussion battery, it can also be used for supporting both different music instruments, such as for example keyboard or pianolas, and other kinds of accessories, instruments or, even medical, surgical or dental tools or instruments, without therefore departing from the scope of the present invention.

With reference to the Figures, it is possible to note that the supporting structure 1 for utility accessories according to the present invention comprises at least one upper fastening guide 4 aimed to fasten such utility accessories by cooperating with suitable fastening means described below, such fastening guide 4 preferably comprising opposite, longitudinal fastening projections 5a, 5b.

As can be noted from FIG. 7, 8 and 10, the fastening guide 4 is preferably composed of at least two longitudinal elements 4a, 4b, mutually longitudinally coupled, each one of such elements Aa₁ 4b preferably comprising at least one of such respective longitudinal fastening projections 5a, 5b of the fastening means. Preferably, such longitudinal elements 4a, 4b are characterised by such a sectional geometry as to provide a substantially equal value of inertial momentum: obviously, as shown in the Figures, one of the modes to obtain such characteristics is using longitudinal elements 4a, 4b that are mutually symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal symmetry plane passing through the coupling surfaces between the longitudinal elements 4a, 4b themselves.

Due to production ease, the fastening guide 4, and in particular the longitudinal elements 4a, 4b, are made as extruded aliminium section bars. Obviously, other materials can be made, with more suitable technologic characteristics according to the particular application of the supporting system according to the present invention: for example, in applications in which weight savings are privileged, it is preferable to use magnesium, while if it is necessary to privilege resistance, titanium can be used, etc.; obviously, non-metallic or non-workable materials by extrusion are also included. Metallic materials capable of being extruded imply, in the presente solution, an optimum price-performance relationship, but composite materials such as carbon, aramide fibres, glass fibres, etc. allow orienting fibres in the correct direction along the fastening guide 4 in order to maximise the resistance, and be totally integrated with the cooperating panel structure, described below, and further minimise the weight.

With reference in particular to FIG. 10, it is possible to note that, in order to always obtain a constant fastening geometry and a constant space orientation of each utility accessory with respect to the fastening guide 4, every vertical section of the fastening guide 4 itself is characterised by a constant azimuth angle with respect to the ground or to a reference bearing plane of the supporting structure 1: consequently, each vertical section of the fastening guide 4 is defined by at least one vertical inertial axis Iy, always substantially perpendicular to the ground or to a reference bearing plane of the supporting structure 1 and by a horizontal inertial axis IJJ, always substantially parallel to such reference plane.

The above characteristics can, obviously, be easily obtained if the fastening guide 4 is rectilinear, horizontal, or possibly curved according to an arc of circumference along a same plane parallel to the ground or the reference plane. Otherwise, namely if the fastening guide 4 is arc-shaped along a curve with any curvature equipped with uniform continuity, such as for example a conical curvature as shown in the Figures, the fastening guide 4 must be, in addition to arc- shaped, also suitably twisted around its own longitudinal axis in such a way as to keep constant, for every section thereof, the orientation of inertial axes Iy, I^ with respect to the ground or the above reference plane. So far, these particular curvatures on three axes and twisting of the fastening guide 4 cannot be obtained by means of normal bending machines with a single axis, but only with multi-axis CNC bending machines.

Obviously, the fastening guide 4 can be abutted onto the ground or onto the reference bearing plane by interposing any- type of support. Preferably, however, the fastening guide 4 is further equipped with at least one lower insertion, and possibly fastening, groove 19, for at least one supporting panel Ia, Ib, structurally cooperating with the fastening guide 4: in this way, the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention is composed of a single cooperating structure, common in aeronautic applications, that allows obtaining a maximum stiffness with minimum weight, at the same time reducing the obnoxious effect of vibrations possibly unloaded onto the structure 1 itself. Obviously, as can be noted in FIG. 7, 8 and 9, if the fastening guide 4 is composed of the coupling between longitudinal elements 4a, 4b, the above lower insertion groove 19 can be made through a suitable longitudinal spacing between such coupled elements 4a, 4b. Fastening of the supporting panel inside the groove 19 of the supporting guide can occur through any known technique, for example gluing, bolting, nailing, etc.

Given the peculiar orthogonality and parallelism characteristics with respect to the reference planes of inertial axes, respectively Iγ and !#, the insertion groove 19 of the fastening guide 4 is also always orthogonal to such reference plane: in such a way, also the supporting panel Ia, Ib is advantageously always perpendicular to the ground, creating a relevant saving of plan encumbrance for the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention, though keeping curvature and twisting on three axes for the fastening guide 4.

Obviously, the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention can be equipped with a single fastening guide 4: in this case, the below supporting panel, suitably curved and shaped in order to follow the space behaviour conferred to the fastening guide 4 itself, can be made in a single piece.

Instead, if it is desired or deemed necessary to use a supporting structure 1 according to the present invention equipped with more than one fastening guide 4, each pair of fastening guides 4 can be joined to the respective ends by interposing at least one junction element 2, like in the example shown in the Figures in which the supporting structure 1 is equipped with two fastening guides 4 joined by a junction element 2. Obviously, the joining modes between each fastening guide 4 and the junction element 2 can be various, providing both a real fastening (making the lengths of fastening guide 4 substantially integral with the junction element 2) and by- interposing suitable articulated kinematisms that allow the fastening guides 4 to rotate with respect to the junction element 2, allowing more chances of space orientation of the fastening guides 4 themselves: moreover, the articulation of the fastening guides 4 with respect to the junction element 2 allows bending the supporting structure 1 by mutually- approaching its sections, consequently reducing the encumbrance of the structure 1 itself when it is not used and making its storage and/or transport easier. Obviously, if the supporting structure 1 is equipped with many fastening guides 4, the supporting panel can be composed of many different parts Ia, Ib, each one of such parts being inserted in the groove 19 of the respective fastening guide 4 (like in the example shown in the Figures in which the supporting structure 1 is equipped with two fastening guides 4, each one of which equipped with a respective part of panel Ia or Ib) . Obviously, it can be provided that the supporting panel Ia, Ib can be easily able to be disassembled and/or bent.

Moreover, the shape of the supporting panel defines a sort of screen, possible adapted to be decorated and also used for applying advertising information or other, and further performs an efficient acoustic function as an open resonance box: in order to improve the acoustic characteristics of the supporting panel, this latter one can be made of a rolled section composed of at least two layers of material having different thicknesses. In this particular case, in order to maximise the stiffness of the supporting panel Ia, Ib, it is necessary to make the rolled section with the farthest part from the inertial axis equipped with the best mechanical characteristics, while the central part is only used as filler. However, with respect to standard construction techniques for rolled sections, since in this case the "deafness" material to resonances is important, it is advisable to make the external parts of the composite rolled section with materials having different mechanical characteristics, such as thickness, density, etc., such as to obtain, for the two surfaces, suitably different own resonance frequencies: this arrangement in fact allows the frequency attenuation of the panel to be free from important resonance peaks, the two surfaces cooperating one to dampen the other, and making the panel acoustic reflex and the panel noise as uniform as possible. The supporting panel Ia, Ib therefore performs the double function of insulating the musician from the reverberation of "warning" boxes of other musicians (if they cover the sound of his instrument) and of reverberating, by suitably dampening it, the sound of his own instrument. However, if at least one possible instrument 1 inside the supporting structure 1 in turn requires an amplification or produces an excessive acoustic power, it can be provided to apply onto the supporting panel Ia, Ib at least one layer of sound-absorbing material.

The supporting structure 1 of the invention further comprises a plurality of fastening means, each one of which is adapted to allow fastening one or more utility accessories to the supporting structure 1, and in particular to the fastening guide 4. Though such fastening means can be any mechanism suitable for the purpose and the function of the present invention to allow the connection to the fastening guide 4, preferably, as shown in particular in FIG. 5 to 8, they are made as pliers- or jaw-type quick connection members 6.

In particular, each quick connection member 6 comprises a body, for example made of aluminium, defining at least one anchoring portion 7 and at least one check portion 8. The anchoring portion 7 is formed, on one hand, of at least one fixed abutment tooth 9 towards which, on the opposide hand, at least one respective moving abutment tooth 10 is facing, that can be actuated through an actuating command, preferably made as a pair of levers 11, in order to be able to be moved between an advanced operating position, shown in FIG. 7, and a recessed, non-operating position, shown in FIG. 8. In such non-operating position, the anchoring portion 7 of the quick connection member 6 can be placed next to a chosen area of the fastening guide 4, in order to engage the fixed abutment tooth 9 below the fastening projection 5a. Therefore, by moving the abutment tooth 10 from the recessed to the advanced position, through the levers 11, the anchoring portion 7 is stiffly fastened to the fastening guide 4 by the engagement of the moving abutment tooth 10 below the fastening projection 5b, in the way shown in FIG. 7.

Obviously, according to cases and types of utility accessories to be connected to the fastening guide 4, such utility accessories can be directly connected to the body of the quick connection member 6.

However, in order to allow the space orientation of the utility accessory, the check portion 8 of the quick connection member 6 can comprise at least one seat 12 with spherical seat, inside which a respective spherical head 13 is inserted: also in this case, the utility accessory can be directly connected to the spherical head 13. In addition, such spherical head can be an end of at least one connecting arm, for example an elbow-type arm 14, that is a suspension-type connection member for at least one utility accessory to be connected to the supporting structure 1: in particular, in the example shown in the Figures, the elbow-type arm 14 is used for connecting a music instrument to the fastening guide 4. The elbow-type arm 14 therefore projects from the quick connection member 6 and can be angularly oriented in the chosen position with respect to this latter one due to the effect of the rotation of the spherical head 13 inside the seat 12. Blocking in the chosen position is performed through at least one jaw 15 arranged in contact with an area, preferably a lower area, of the spherical head 13 and that can be tightened against this latter one by means of a suitable fastening system, this one preferably made as at least one screw 16 engaged inside at least one nut screw 17 of the jaw 15.

The quick connection members 6 can therefore be quickly fastened to the fastening guide 4 along the upper edge of the supporting panel Ia, Ib in pre-established positions depending on user need and that can be immediately memorised, for example through any kind and type of reference indexes (for example simple self-adhesive labels) applied onto the fastening guide 4 itself. The references can also be more simply composed of the same quick connection members 6 left permamentely assembled onto the fastening guide 4.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 3 and 4, a possible arrangement is shown of some elements of a percussion battery designated as Bl, B2, B3 and Pl, P2, P3 connected to elbow- type arms 14 of the respective connection members 6 and overhanging, as an example, towards inside the concavity of the panel Ia, Ib and/or supported above this latter one: obviously, the utility accessories, in this case the different components of a battery, can be placed both on the concavity side, and on the convexity side of the supporting panel Ia, Ib. Also a big drum B4 is in this case placed next to a central opening 3 of the supporting panel Ia, Ib, while further battery elements and also other possible music instruments (for example a keyboard) can be applied with the same modes to the fastening guide 4.

Moreover, the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention can be placed in contact with the ground or with the reference bearing plane in three points only, thereby making an isostatic structure and doing without the usual leveling problems: in particular, the bearing points of the supporting structure 1 can be made of suitable feet 18, two of which arranged at the opposite ends of the fastening guide 4 and a central foot below the supporting panel Ia, Ib. In the particular case shown in detail in FIG. 9, the central foot is not necessary, since the big drum B4 is connected to the central junction element 2 through an arm 14a similar to the elbow-type arms 14, also equipped at one end with a spherical head that can be oriented within an opening of the element 2 and can be blocked in the chosen position, that operates as third bearing point of the structure 1. In particular, as can be noted for example from FIG. 11, each one of such feet 18 is made as at least one ball joint 19 connected to its own related bearing base 20, both in the central support on the big drum and on the side feet, that is then able to rotate with respect to the pin 21 inserted therein.

It is then clear from the above description that the supporting structure according to the present invention allows rationalising and making extremely simple and quick all installation operations of the various utility accessories, as well as the various components of a battery, in positions suitable to user's needs and customs, due to the chance of easily memorising the fastening areas of the quick connection members 6 along the fastening guide 4 applied on the uppoer edge of the supporting panel. According to a possible advantageous application in the music field, it is possibile, through the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention, to make a structure in a moltitude of parts, for example batteries equipped with a plurality of big drums, to be used by one or more battery players, or to provide a whole row of an orchestra with a "serpentine-type" structure equipped with relevant instruments or lecterns: by then equipping the theater orchestras in this way, each instrument player would have to carry with him a simple pliers to be fastened to his own portion of fastening guide, instead of heavy stands for instruments and lecterns.

In other possible examples of applications, the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention could be used as equipment for school or university rooms, meeting rooms, etc., in order to allow each listener, with a small expense and transport effort, to bring with him his own equipped station (for example, providing a standard coupling for a laptop computer in the fastening guide) for lessons or conferences. In a further alternative, the supporting structure 1 according to the present invention could be used for making instrument-holding dashboards for terrestrial or aerial vehicles, allowing their pilot to configure the arrangement of instruments at will.

Claims

1. Supporting structure (1) for utility accessories, in particular for music instruments such as percussion batteries

(B, P) and the like, characterised in that the structure (1) comprises at least one fastening guide (4) and a plurality of fastening means adapted to be secured, in a way adapted to be disconnected, to said fastening guide (4), said fastening means being arranged for supporting a respective one of said utility accessories (B, P) , every vertical section of said fastening guide (4) having a constant azimuth angle with respect to ground or to a reference bearing plane of said supporting structure (1), at least one vertical inertial axis

(Iy) always perpendicular to said ground or said reference bearing plane and at least one horizontal inertial axis (IH) always parallel to said ground or said reference bearing plane .

2. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said fastening guide (4) is structurally cooperating with at least one supporting panel (Ia, Ib) .

3. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said fastening guide (4) is equipped with at least one lower insertion groove (19) of said supporting panel (Ia, Ib) .

4. Support (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that said longitudinal elements (4a, 4b) have such a sectional geometry as to provide substantially a same value of inertial momentum.

5. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said fastening means are quick connection members (6) adapted to be secured to said fastening guide (4) in positions adapted to be memorised.

6. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least one junction element (2) adapted to join at least two of said fastening guides (4) .

7. Support (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that said fastening guides (4) are articulated with respect to said junction element (2) .

8. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that it is adapted to rest on said ground or said reference plane on three points in an isostatic way.

9. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said supporting guide (4) is equipped with longitudinal and opposite fastening projections (5a, 5b) of said fastening means .

10. Support (1) according to claim 1 or 9, characterised in that said fastening guide (4) is composed of at least two longitudinal elements (4a, 4b) that are mutually longitudinally coupled.

11. Support (1) according to claim 9, characterised in that said fastening means are a quick connection member (6) comprising a jaw portion (7, 9, 10) that can be closed and opened related to said supporting guide (4) respectively for engaging and disengaging said fastening projections (5a, 5b), and a check portion (8), adapted to be oriented, of un suspension arm (13, 14) of one of said utility accessories (B) .

12. Support (1) according to claim 11, characterised in that said jaw portion (7) of each quick connection member (6) comprises at least one fixed abutment tooth (9) and at least one moving abutment tooth (10) adapted to be actuated through an actuating command (11) .

13. Support (1) according to claim 11, characterised in that said check portion (8) of each connection member (6) includes at least one seat (12) for a spherical end head (13), adapted to be oriented, of said suspension arm (14), and locking means (15, 16), adapted to be disconnected, of said spherical head (13) related to said seat (12) .