Abstract:
An equipment support stand comprises an upright member having an upper shaft, a lower shaft having an engaging structure located thereon, and an adjusting clutch connecting the upper shaft and the lower shaft. The stand also comprises means for locating equipment on an upper end of the upper shaft and a base assembly located on a lower end of the lower shaft. The base assembly comprises a support housing and receiving structure for cooperating with the engaging structure located on the lower shaft. The receiving structure is copperative with the engaging structure on the lower shaft to prevent the rotation of the lower shaft relative to the base assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/294,668, filed Jan. 13, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed in general to equipment stands and, more particularly, to a stand for microphones and/or musical equipment in which an upright member of the stand can be adjusted for height without undesired axial rotation of the upright member or members. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A stand for supporting equipment such as microphones, lights, and musical equipment such as cymbals and sheet music holders generally has a lower member that extends vertically from a floor and an upper member that slides in and out of the lower member for height adjustment. The lower member is set on the floor and supported using a legged base, and the upper member can be fixed at any desired height to set the position of the supported equipment. 
         [0004]    The upper and lower vertical members are usually loosened from or tightened to each other by a twisting or torsional motion of a clutch. Such twisting or torsional motion can result in the rotational movement of the upper vertical member. Microphones, lights, or musical equipment mounted to the upper vertical member also rotate accordingly. Particularly with regard to equipment that is mounted on a boom attached to the upper vertical member, such rotational motion often results in an undesirable movement of the equipment that causes a distraction to the user and/or detracts from a performance. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In one aspect, the present invention resides in an equipment support stand. Such a stand comprises an upright member having an upper shaft, a lower shaft having an engaging structure located thereon, and an adjusting clutch connecting the upper shaft and the lower shaft. The stand also comprises means for locating equipment on an upper end of the upper shaft and a base assembly located on a lower end of the lower shaft. The base assembly comprises a support housing and receiving structure for cooperating with the engaging structure located on the lower shaft. The receiving structure is cooperative with the engaging structure on the lower shaft to prevent the rotation of the lower shaft relative to the base assembly. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, the present invention resides in a musical equipment support stand. Such a stand comprises an upper shaft having an attachment point located thereon for mounting musical equipment, a microphone, or a light, a lower shaft slidably attached to the upper shaft via an adjusting clutch, and a base assembly located on the lower shaft. A keyway is located in the base assembly. The lower shaft includes a tab located on a lower end thereof, the tab being engageable with the keyway in the base assembly to prevent the rotation of the lower shaft relative to the base assembly. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, the present invention resides in a support stand for a microphone. Such a support stand comprises an upright member having an upper shaft adjustably connected to a lower shaft via an adjusting clutch, an attachment point located on an upper end of the upper shaft, a boom mounted on the attachment point, means for mounting a microphone on the boom, and a base assembly located on a lower end of the lower shaft. A tab is formed or otherwise located on the lower shaft and extends along a length thereof. The base assembly comprises a keyway formed therein and is configured to receive the tab such that engagement of the tab with the keyway prevents axial rotation of the upright member relative to the base assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an equipment stand of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a head on the equipment stand of  FIG. 1  to which a boom portion is attached. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the boom of the equipment stand of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a lower shaft of an upright member of the equipment stand of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a lower shaft of an upright member of the equipment stand of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5A  is a top cross sectional view of a portion of a base assembly located on the lower shaft of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5B  is a top cross sectional view of a portion of a base assembly located on the lower shaft of  FIG. 4B . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side cross sectional view of the portion of the base assembly of  FIG. 5A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , an equipment stand for supporting a microphone is designated generally by the reference number  10  and is hereinafter referred to as “stand  10 .” Although the stand  10  is described herein as accommodating a microphone, the present invention is not limited in this regard as lights, musical equipment, or other equipment may be used in conjunction with the stand. The stand  10  is defined by an upright member  12 , a boom  14  attached thereto at a top attachment point  16 , and a base assembly  18  located at a lower end of the upright member  12 . The upright member  12  comprises an upper shaft  20  and a lower shaft  22 , both shafts being tubular (e.g., cylindrical, angular, or the like) with the lower shaft having an inside diameter or size that is substantially equal to the outside diameter or corresponding size of the upper shaft so as to allow the upper shaft to slide in the lower shaft. The upright member  12  is not so limited, as the upper shaft  20  may slide over the lower shaft  22  of the upright member. The boom  14 , which accommodates mounting of the microphone, lights, musical equipment, or other equipment, comprises a boom shaft  26  that is tubular and slidable in an attachment sleeve  30  mountable to the attachment point  16 . The stand  10  is not limited to the inclusion of the boom  14  on which the equipment is mounted, as the microphone or other equipment may be mounted on the top attachment point  16 . 
         [0017]    With regard to the upright member  12 , the upper shaft  20  is slidable in and fixable to the lower shaft  22  via a mid-point clutch  32  located on the lower shaft. The mid-point clutch  32  allows the upper shaft  20  to be locked to the lower shaft  22  to prevent movement of the upper shaft relative to the lower shaft. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the top attachment point  16  is located at an upper end of the upper shaft  20  of the upright member  12  and comprises suitable structure that allows for the connection of the boom  14 . Suitable structure of the top attachment point  16  may be defined by a head  34  having a hole  36  extending therethrough. The head  34  may be rotatable on the upper end of the upper shaft  20  to allow the boom to be rotated  360  degrees around the attachment point  16 . Two ears  37  depend from the attachment sleeve  30 , each ear  37  having a hole  38 . Each ear  37  is received on opposing sides of the head  34  such that the hole  36  registers with the holes  38  on each ear  37 . A bolt  40  is inserted through the hole  36  and the holes  38  and is threadedly secured using a knob  42 . The bolt  40  may be a carriage bolt having a shaped surface below the head thereof, the shaped surface being configured to correspond to a shape that defines at least a portion of the hole  38 , thereby allowing the bolt to be received in the hole  38  without turning when the knob  42  is tightened. The threaded engagement of the knob  42  on the bolt  40  provides a tightening mechanism that enables the boom  14  to be set at any desired angle. Upon loosening the knob  42 , the boom  14  can be adjusted to any angle. The attachment point  16  is not limited as described above, however, as any suitable pivotal and/or rotational attachment configuration may be employed. The present invention is also not limited to the attachment of a boom  14  on the upright member  12 , as any other device (for example, a sheet music stand, instrument stand, other extension member, or the like) may be attached. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the boom shaft  26  is slidably mounted in the attachment sleeve  30 . A clutch or a threaded screw with a knob  44  is used to set the position of the boom shaft  26  within the attachment sleeve  30 . One end of the boom shaft  26  includes a weight  52  or at least a stop flange to prevent sliding of the boom shaft completely through the attachment sleeve. 
         [0020]    The end of the boom shaft  26  opposite the weight  52  includes a microphone sleeve  54  in which a microphone may be mounted. As stated above, the present invention is not limited to the use of a microphone mounted in a microphone sleeve on the boom, however, as other equipment such as a light or musical equipment such as a cymbal or a sheet music holder may be mounted on the boom  14 . 
         [0021]    Referring back to  FIG. 1  and as further shown in  FIG. 4A , a lower end  58  of the lower shaft  22  includes an engaging structure such as a tab  60  welded onto or otherwise disposed on an outer surface thereof to define a raised area that extends along a portion of the lower shaft. The present invention is not limited to the tab  60  being welded or otherwise disposed onto the outer surface of the lower shaft  22 , however, as the inner surface of the lower shaft may be stamped to produce a raised area on the outer surface. Moreover, as further shown in  FIG. 4B , the lower end  58  of the lower shaft  22  may include engaging structure in the form of a slot  74  or similar structure that defines a recessed area. 
         [0022]    Referring back to  FIG. 1  and as further shown in  FIGS. 5A and 6 , the base assembly  18  is defined by a support housing  64  comprising suitable elements such as legs  66  (only one shown in  FIG. 5A ) attached thereto, the support housing having receiving structure configured to cooperate with the lower shaft  22  to support the stand  10  in an upright position. The legs  66  are hingedly arranged on the support housing  64 . When the legs  66  are folded out, they form a tripod. The present invention is not limited to the legs  66  forming a tripod, however, as more than three legs  66  may be employed. 
         [0023]    The support housing  64  includes receiving structure such as walls  69  that define keyways  70  in which the legs  66  are hingedly connected. Upon receiving the lower end of the lower shaft  22  into the support housing  64 , the tab  60  is received in one of the keyways  70 . Upon adjustment of the mid-point clutch  32 , axial rotation of the lower shaft  22  relative to the support housing  64  is prevented because the tab  60  is captured between the walls  69  defining the keyway  70 . The present invention is not limited to the receiving of the tab  60  in the keyway  70  to prevent rotation of the lower shaft  22 , however, as one or more of the legs  66  may include a protrusion  160  ( FIG. 5B ) that is received in a lower shaft  22  having the slot  74 . In such a configuration, opening the legs  66  causes the protrusion  160  to engage the slot  74 , thereby preventing axial rotation of the lower shaft  22  relative to the support housing  64 . 
         [0024]    As is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the support housing  64  includes a cover  76  located over the support housing. A screw  78  extends through the cover  76  to engage the lower shaft  22 . A knob  80 , lever, or other device is located on one end of the screw  78  to allow the screw to be tightened and loosened, thereby securing the lower shaft to the support housing (or releasing the lower shaft from the support housing). 
         [0025]    To operate the stand  10 , the support housing  64  is moved to the lower end of the lower shaft  22  and secured in place by tightening the screw  78 . In doing so, either the tab  60  is received between the walls  69  of one of the keyways  70 , or the protrusion  160  is received in the slot  74  when the legs  66  are folded out. In either case, the lower shaft  22  (and thereby the upright member  12  and the boom  14 ) is prevented from rotation while the mid-point clutch  32  is manipulated to adjust the overall height of the stand  10 . The lower shaft  22  cannot rotate irrespective of the amount of torsional stress exerted on the lower shaft when the mid-point clutch  32  is adjusted to lock or unlock the upper shaft  20  relative to the lower shaft. Upon loosening the screw  78 , the support housing  64  can be slid along the lower shaft  22  to disengage the tab  60  from the keyway  70 . In embodiments in which the protrusion  160  is received in the slot  74 , the protrusion is disengaged from the slot  74  when the legs are folded in. 
         [0026]    Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to the detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed in the above detailed description, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the foregoing description.