WO2013081960A1

WO2013081960A1 - Low profile, adjustable musical percussion support stand devices and related systems and methods

Info

Publication number: WO2013081960A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/066512
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joshua Allen
Original assignee: Conn-Selmer, Inc.
Priority date: 2011-11-30
Filing date: 2012-11-26
Publication date: 2013-06-06

Abstract

A musical instrument support stand includes a first, upper portion and a second, lower portion that are separable from each other. The upper portion includes a base and three arms extending radially to define a drum support basket with a drum support surface. Each arm has a foot portion independently axially movable for dimensional adjustment of drum support surface diameter in the support plane without affecting drum support surface height. Two arms are pivotable between an extended drum support position and a compact storage position. The lower portion includes an upright base tube supported by collapsible legs and topped by a clamp element. A stand tube disposed within the base tube can be secured to the base tube by the clamp element. A drum basket joint is disposed atop the stand tube for coupling and supporting the first portion by its base.

Description

Low Profile, Adjustable Musical Percussion Support Stand Devices and Related Systems and Methods

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to low profile, adjustable musical percussion support stand devices, and to related systems and methods.

BACKGROUND

In the field of percussion equipment, particularly relating to set up of various components forming a drum set, a drummer may find it necessary to use different drums to accompany different segments of a performance, and those drums may have different sizes and dimensions, e.g. diameter, height, etc. Conventional drum support stands often support or grip the lower rim region of a drum (e.g., a snare drum, a torn torn drum, a practice pad, etc.) with a set of opposed support arms in a tripod configuration. Typically, the set of arms is adjusted in unison, e.g., by means of a rotating nut that simultaneously moves the ends of the drum supporting arms both horizontally and vertically to grip the drum. As a result, when a drummer wishes to replace a first drum resting on a support stand with a second drum of different dimension (e.g., a drum having a different diameter), adjustment of the diameter of the region within the support arms may also affect the height. As a result, it may be necessary to readjust the height of the playing surface of the second drum, requiring multiple adjustment steps at the cost of additional time and delay.

SUMMARY

In some aspects of the disclosure, a musical instrument support stand includes a first, upper portion, and a second, lower portion. The first, upper portion includes a drum basket base and at least three arms extending radially from the drum basket base that together define a drum basket with a drum support surface lying in a support plane. Each of the arms includes a foot portion that is independently axially movable for dimensional adjustment of drum support surface dimension in the support plane without affecting drum support surface height. The first and second arms of the at least three arms are pivotable in planes transverse to the support plane between a first, extended drum support surface position and a second, compact position, lying closely adjacent to a third arm, thereby forming the first upper portion into a first compact unit for transport and storage. The second, lower portion includes an upright base tube supported by a set of three collapsible legs in tripod configuration and topped by a clamp element, and an upright stand tube having an upper end receiving and supporting a drum basket joint and a lower end disposed in telescoping relationship with the clamp element mounted atop the base tube. The clamp element is releasable to permit axial movement of the stand tube relative to the base tube for adjustment of height of the drum basket support surface without affecting drum surface diameter. The tripod legs are collapsible to lie closely adjacent to a base tube axis and the stand tube is retractable by telescoping through the clamp into the base tube, thereby forming the second, lower portion into a second compact unit for transport and storage.

Implementations of the disclosure can include one or more of the following features. The first, upper portion is separable as a first unit from the second, lower portion. Each foot portion defines a drum support pad surface. When the first and second arms are in the extended drum support surface position, the drum support pad surfaces create musical percussion instrument contact points that circumscribe a circle having a diameter of about 10 inches (25.4 cm) to about 18 inches (45.7 cm). When the first and second arms are in the extended drum support surface position, a bottom rest surface of the musical percussion instrument supported on the drum support pad surfaces is less than about 1.18 inches (30 mm) from a top surface of the basket base. In the compact position, the first and second arms lie on opposite sides of the third arm. The drum basket base is rotatable relative to the drum basket joint about a first axis of rotation with respect to the stand tube. The drum basket base is rotatable relative to the drum basket joint about a first axis of rotation and about a second axis of rotation with respect to the stand tube. The drum basket joint comprises a threaded fastener rotatable to secure the drum basket base in position relative to the stand tube. The orientation of the drum basket base is adjustable relative to the drum basket joint to adjust an angular relationship between the drum support surface plane and the stand tube.

Implementations of the disclosure can have one or more of the following advantages. For example, the percussion instrument support stand described herein can be adjusted to sequentially accommodate drums of different diameters without substantially affecting the height of the drum support surface plane. This improvement is achieved by using drum supporting foot portions that are moveable axially relative to the support arms and move substantially only in the drum support surface plane to grip support drums of different diameter. The axially moveable foot portions can be adjusted in a telescoping manner to accommodate drums of difference dimensions more quickly and more easily, e.g., as compared to support arms of conventional musical drum support stands. The musical instrument support stand described herein can also be disassembled more quickly and more easily than conventional musical instrument support stands, and into smaller and relatively more compact units, for the storage and transportation. This is achieved by arranging the structural elements of the musical support stand as two subassemblies (e.g., portions), each being collapsible into a compact unit.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a musical percussion instrument support stand of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drum support surface of a first, upper portion of the musical percussion instrument support stand of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an underside of the first, upper portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of drum support arms of the first, upper portion of FIG. 2 pivoting from a first, extended drum support surface position to a second, compact position.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the support stand of FIG. 1, seen in collapsed state for transportation and/or storage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Musical percussion instrument support equipment, e.g., stands for use with drums, such as snare drums, must often be adjustable in order to accommodate drums of different sizes and dimensions. A low profile drum stand with support arms that can axially telescope for use with different size drums, and that can pivot into a compact unit for storage and transportation, offers many important advantages.

Referring to FIG. 1, a musical percussion instrument stand 100 is constructed to accommodate drums (e.g., snare drums) of different diameters and includes a first, upper portion 102 and a second, lower portion 104. A drum is represented in dashed lines.

The first, upper portion 102 includes a drum basket base 106 and at least three support arms 108 extending radially from the drum basket base 106. The arms 108 together define a drum basket with a drum support surface 110 having an adjustable diameter, D, and lying in a support plane 111 (FIG. 2). Each arm has a substantially square cross-sectional profile having a height and width of about 0.375 inch (9.5 mm) to about 0.625 inch (15.9 mm) (e.g., 0.5 inch (12.7 mm)), and is constructed to support drums that weigh up to about 20 lbs. (44 kg).

Each of the arms 108 has a drum receiving foot portion 112 that is independently axially movable relative to the arm, to adjust the diameter, D, of drum support surface 110 in the support plane 111. Each foot portion 112 includes a drum support pad 113 of suitable cushioning material and defining an L-shape surface region with vertical and horizontal components positioned for supporting and cushioning a drum disposed upon the drum support surface 110.

Various devices or mechanisms are suitable for axially moving and securing the foot portions 112 along the arms 108. By way of example only, in one implementation, e.g., as shown in the figures, foot portions 112 are fastened to arms 108 using a simple releasable clamp devices 114 operable using a fastener, such as a threaded fastener (e.g., a threaded fastener operable by a drum key) 116. Using the clamp device 114, a user loosens the threaded fastener 116, manually slides the foot portion 112 along the arm 108 to a desired position (e.g., against a drum), and then re -tightens the threaded fastener 116 to position the foot portion drum support pad 113 to secure a drum. The arms 108 and the foot portions 112 are dimensioned to provide a resulting drum support surface 110, bounded by the drum support pads 113, circumscribing a circle having a diameter, D, of about 10 inches (25.4 cm) to about 18 inches (45.7 cm).

Adjusting the position of the foot portion 112 axially along the arm 108 allows changes in the diameter, D, of the drum support surface 110 without affecting its vertical spacing (height) above the drum basket base 106. This allows a drummer to change between drums of different diameter on the support stand 100 without substantially affecting the height of the drum support surface. The axially movable foot portions 112 also help create a low profile drum basket. For example, in some implementations, spacing between the horizontal support surfaces of the drum support pads 113 and an upper surface of the drum basket base 106 is less than about 30 mm.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first, upper portion 102 is secured to the second, lower portion 104 by a basket clamp 118 of the basket base 106. As discussed below, the basket clamp may include a pivot plate that grips a component of second, lower portion 104 and is secured to the first, upper portion 102 using a fastener (e.g., a threaded fastener).

During disassembly of the stand 100, the foot portions 112 are moved axially, relative to the support arms, to retracted positions. The basket clamp 118 is then released to allow removal of the first, upper portion 102 (including the drum basket base 106 and the arms 108) as a first compact unit 202 from the second lower portion 104. Referring to FIG. 4, in order to collapse the first, upper portion 102 into the smaller, more compact unit 202, e.g., for easier transport and storage, first and second arms 108a of the at least three arms 108 are pivoted in planes transverse to the support plane 111, between a first, extended drum support surface position (shown in dashed lines) and a second, compact position, lying closely adjacent to a third arm 108b. Pivoting relocation of the first and second arms 108a towards the third arm 108b forms the first, upper portion 102 into the relatively more compact unit 202 for transport and storage (see FIG. 5A).

Referring back to FIG. 1, the second, lower portion 104, includes an upright base tube 120 supported by a set of three collapsible legs 122 in tripod configuration. The base tube 120 is a generally round, hollow tube having a length of about 5 inches (12 cm) to about 10 inches (25.4 cm) (e.g., 8 inches (10.3 cm) and an outer diameter of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) to about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) (e.g., 1.25 inches (3.2 cm)). The legs 122 are about 5 inches (12.0 cm) to about 8 inches (10.3 cm) (e.g., 5.5 inches (11.2 cm)) in length. When deployed in a tripod configuration, they provide a support foot print having a diameter of about 15 inches (37.4 cm) to about 22 inches (55.9 cm) (e.g., 18 inches (45.7 cm)). Soft foot elements 124, e.g., made of rubber or plastic, are disposed near the end of each leg 122 to support the musical instrument support stand 100 upon a supporting floor surface in a non-skid manner.

A clamp element 126 fixed atop the base tube 120 secures the base tube 120 to an upright stand tube 128. The upright stand tube 128 has an upper end 128a that supports a drum basket joint 130 and a lower end disposed in the base tube 120 in a telescoping relationship with the clamp element 126. The clamp element is releasable to permit axial movement of the stand tube 128 within the base tube 120 in a telescoping manner. The clamp element typically includes a simple rotatable fastener 132 that compresses an upper end of the base tube 120 to grip the stand tube 120.

Use of the clamp element 126 to move the stand tube 128 within the base tube 120 for adjustment of the height of the drum basket base 106 allows adjustment of drum basket support surface spacing (i.e., height) relative to the floor surface without affecting the diameter, D, of the drum support surface 110.

The drum basket joint 130 includes an extension post 133 to which the basket clamp 118, and the basket base 106, are secured. The extension post 133 typically defines a locating recess to receive a protrusion of the basket base 106 and/or the basket clamp 118 during assembly to help ensure proper alignment of the first, upper portion 102 and the second, lower portion 104. In some implementations, the drum basket joint 130 is configured to rotate the drum basket base 106 about at least two axes of rotation with respect to the stand tube 128. Typically, in such implementations, the drum basket base 106 is rotated about the stand tube by releasing the threaded fastener 132, adjusting the position of the extension post 133 (i.e., via the drum basket base 106), and tightening the threaded fastener 132. Other mechanisms for positioning and securing the drum basket joint 130 may also be employed.

The second, lower portion 104 of the stand 100 can also be collapsed for easier transportation and storage. For example, with the first, upper portion 102 removed, the tripod legs of the second, lower portion 104 can be collapsed inwardly to lie closely adjacent to a base tube axis. The clamp element 126 can then be loosened so the stand tube 128 can be retracted into the base tube 120 (typically, the stand tube 128 can be retracted into the base tube 120 until the basket joint 130 disposed atop the stand tube 128 abuts the clamp element 126). With the stand tube retracted into the base tube 120, the clamp element 126 can be re-tightened to secure the stand tube 128 and the base tube 120 together, thereby forming the second, lower portion 104 into a second compact unit 204 for transport and storage (see Fig. 5B).

A number of implementations have been described. For example, in some implementations, the drum support arms may have other cross-sectional profiles (e.g., rectangular, circular, elliptical, or other shaped profiles). Also, the arms 108 may be made from any of structurally suitable material, e.g., plastic, composite, or metal. The cushioning material of the drum support pads 113 may be made of any material that provide suitable cushioning and sound damping capabilities, e.g., plastic or rubber. The drum support pads 113 may also include one or more inwardly protruding finger elements to grip a drum retained by the foot portions 112. In some implementation, the first and second arms 108a pivot to their second, compact position on opposite sides of the third arm 108b. The base tube 120 and the legs are made from any structurally suitable material, e.g., plastic, composite, or metal. Other devices may be used to securely position the stand tube 128 relative to the base tube 120.

It will be understood further that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A musical instrument support stand comprising:

a first, upper portion and a second, lower portion,

the first, upper portion comprising a drum basket base and at least three arms extending radially from the drum basket base and together defining a drum basket with a drum support surface lying in a support plane,

each of the arms comprising a foot portion independently axially movable for dimensional adjustment of drum support surface dimension in the support plane without affecting drum support surface height, and

the first and second arms of the at least three arms being pivotable in planes transverse to the support plane between a first, extended drum support surface position and a second, compact position, lying closely adjacent to a third arm, thereby forming the first upper portion into a first compact unit for transport and storage; and the second, lower portion, comprising

an upright base tube supported by a set of three collapsible legs in tripod configuration, and topped by a clamp element,

an upright stand tube having an upper end receiving and supporting a drum basket joint and a lower end disposed in telescoping relationship with the clamp element mounted atop the base tube,

the clamp element being releasable to permit axial movement of the stand tube relative to the base tube, for adjustment of height of the drum basket support surface without affecting drum surface diameter, and

the tripod legs being collapsible to lie closely adjacent to a base tube axis, and the stand tube being retractable by telescoping through the clamp into the base tube, thereby forming the second, lower portion into a second compact unit for transport and storage.

2. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein the first, upper portion is separable as a first unit from the second, lower portion.

3. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein each foot portion defines a drum support pad surface.

4. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 3, wherein, when the first and second arms are in the extended drum support surface position, the drum support pad surfaces create musical percussion instrument contact points that circumscribe a circle having a diameter of about 10 inches (25.4 cm) to about 18 inches (45.7 cm).

5. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 3, wherein, when the first and second arms are in the extended drum support surface position, a bottom rest surface of the musical percussion instrument supported on the drum support pad surfaces is less than about 30 mm from a top surface of the basket base.

6. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein, in the compact position, the first and second arms lie on opposite sides of the third arm.

7. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein the drum basket base is rotatable relative to the drum basket joint about a first axis of rotation with respect to the stand tube.

8. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein the drum basket base is rotatable relative to the drum basket joint about a first axis of rotation and about a second axis of rotation with respect to the stand tube.

9. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein the drum basket joint comprises a threaded fastener rotatable to secure the drum basket base in position relative to the stand tube.

10. The musical instrument support stand according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the drum basket base is adjustable relative to the drum basket joint to adjust an angular relationship between the drum support surface plane and the stand tube.