Abstract:
Lyre capable of securing a readable electronic tablet or mobile device to a musical instrument is disclosed. The use of mobile device secured to the smart lyre negates the limited capacity of paper music or information the musician has available during a performance. The smart lyre, holding a tablet or smart phone enables the musician to access and view virtually unlimited amounts of electronic music and information, which can be updated repeatedly thus eliminating excess use of print and paper.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of co-pending provisional application Ser. No. 61/925,078, filed on Jan. 8, 2014, entitled “LYRE CAPABLE OF SECURING A READABLE ELECTRONIC TABLET OR MOBILE DEVICE TO A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.” 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to music lyres, and more particularly to a music lyre which holds an electronically powered tablet, smart phone, or other mobile media device, and stores and displays data of musical notation and other music-related media. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Traditionally, a marching band musician carries a music book (plastic folio folder), which contains dozens of paper-printed pages of sheet music, on a lyre attached to their musical instrument (trumpet, saxophone, drum, etc.). The lyre is typically a spring biased clip that grips the bottom of the folio. When the folios become packed with paper and gains excessive weight the entire device becomes cumbersome and unwieldy. The user becomes limited in the movement they have due to the possibility of the music and the device falling off or spilling its contents. 
         [0004]    Paper folios containing dozens of printed pages of sheet music quickly acquire mass and bulk becoming difficult to manage and read during inclement weather when attached to the lyre. These conditions constrain the musician&#39;s mobility and musical performance while searching for specific music. Additionally, in windy conditions, the sheet music may blow or flip making it difficult for the musician to play the desired music. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The invention replaces the traditional lyre with a “smart lyre” designed to hold an electronically powered tablet, smart phone, or other mobile media device, which stores and displays data of musical notation and other music-related media. 
         [0006]    The use of mobile device secured to the smart lyre negates the limited capacity of paper music or information the musician has available during a performance. The smart lyre, holding a tablet or smart phone enables the musician to access and view virtually unlimited amounts of electronic music and information, which can be updated repeatedly thus eliminating excess use of print and paper. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a prior art lyre for supporting a music folio; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the music lyre of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a back elevation view of the music lyre of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the music lyre of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the case of the music lyre of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a back elevation view of the music lyre showing the case separated from the mounting plate; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the music lyre of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a side exploded perspective view of the music lyre of the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a back exploded perspective view of the music lyre of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a prior art musical instrument lyre  10  includes a support rod  12  secured to a clamp  14  for support paper sheet music or paper folio  16 . The support rod  12  may be secured to a receiver (not show) attached to a musical instrument (not shown). The prior art musical instrument lyre  10  is not mechanically designed to securely hold a mobile or tablet device to an instrument. The use of paper sheet music for a musical ensemble creates storage issues; can be costly to print, heavy and contributes to the excessive use/waste of paper, unlike digitally stored media/music saved and stored in a mobile or tablet device attached to a smart lyre. A marching band musician carries a music book (plastic folio folder), which contains dozens of paper-printed pages of sheet music, on a lyre attached to their musical instrument (trumpet, saxophone, drum, etc.). When the folios become packed with paper and gains excessive weight the entire device becomes cumbersome and unwieldy. The user becomes limited in the movement they have due to the possibility of the music and the device falling off or spilling its contents. The present invention replaces the traditional lyre with a “smart lyre” designed to hold an electronically powered tablet, smart phone, or other mobile media device, which stores and displays data of musical notation and other music-related media. The invention claimed here solves this problem. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , a music lyre of the present invention generally indicated by reference numeral  20 . The music lyre  20  includes a case  22  adapted to support and secure a mobile electronic device  24 . The musician places a mobile device  24  or tablet into the smart lyre  20 , which is affixed to the musician&#39;s instrument (not shown) that permits the user to read musical notation  26  on the device/tablet&#39;s display screen  28  while simultaneously permitting the musician, while standing or marching, to observe the musical conductor. The smart lyre  20  also permits the user to view printed instructions; review or record performance video and audio for evaluation. Viewing material on the mobile device  24  or tablet eliminates weight and paper storage concerns for the user. 
         [0018]    Also, it can allow a tablet or mobile device affixed to the invention to be able to produce an audio or visual record, as well as annotation on a mobile or tablet device while holding the musical instrument in a playing position. 
         [0019]    The case includes a hard rubber or plastic housing which may be coated with silicone or other soft rubber and is adapted and sized to receive a tablet and or mobile device  24 . The case  22  provides a secure fit for the mobile device  24  ensuring the device  24  will not fall out of the case  22  during use. The back of the case  22  has raised parallel plastic rails  30  to allow the mobile enclosure to couple to a mounting plate  32  secured to the end of a mounting bracket  34 . The back of the case  22  may also include a stop  36  to limit the mounting plate  32  from sliding through the rails  30 . 
         [0020]    The mounting plate  32  may be made of a hard plastic that provides a rigid mounting for the case  22  and mobile device  24  or electronic tablet. The mounting bracket  34  may be plastic or metal, and may be coated in silicone rubber. The mounting bracket  34  is secured to the mounting plate  32 . A free end  38  of mounting bracket  34  is configured to be inserted into an open slot that is found universally mounted on almost all marching band instruments. The length of the mounting bracket  34  is determined according to each instrument&#39;s size and appropriate viewing distance. 
         [0021]    The music lyre  20  provides a secure shell/mold for the mobile device  24  and holds and protects the mobile device  24  while it is being used. The tablet or mobile device&#39;s  24  screen  28  is visible and accessible to user control inputs. The sides of the case  22  surrounding the device allow physical inputs for headphones or other mobile or tablet components the user may attach while still having the mobile device  24  or tablet device secured and used. 
         [0022]    The case  22 . includes rails  30  on the back to allow easy joining and removal of the bracket  34  from the case. A user aligns the mounting plate  32  with the rails  30  of the case  22  to mate the case  22  to the mounting bracket that will be connected into the musical instrument opening. 
         [0023]    The mounting bracket  34  may be angled, depending on the form and function of the musical instrument, as to allow o be connected to an open slot/receiver that is found universally on almost all marching band instruments (not shown). 
         [0024]    A mold of the case  22  may be designed to accept a tablet, smart phone, or other mobile device  24 . The mounting bracket  34  may be permanently joined to the mounting plate  32  or may be releasably coupled to the mounting plate  32 . Alternatively, the mounting plate  32  may be an integral part of the case  22  with a receiver for receiving an end of the mounting bracket  34  opposite the free end  38 . 
         [0025]    A secure fit of a tablet or mobile device  24  as well as a secure fit of the case  22  to the mounting bracket  34  that will support the weight of the device is desired. The video/data screen  28  of the device  24  should be viewable without obstruction while secured in the smart lyre  20 . The mounting plate  32  that slides and connects to the back of the case  22  should fit firmly without allowing vibration between the bracket and the enclosure. The mounting bracket  34  should be of an appropriate thickness, strength, and angled correctly to equally fit in the open slot/receiver found universally on marching band instruments for readability (not shown). 
         [0026]    Mold may be created to fit different tablet or mobile device sizes depending on the needs of the user. By making the tablet or mobile device case  22  and the mounting bracket  34  two different pieces, a user could may the case  22  from one mounting bracket  34  and quickly attach the tablet or mobile device in the shell to another mounting bracket  34  that can fit a different instrument. The appropriate use of one enclosure for a saxophone would not facilitate its use for a clarinet. The clarinet would need a ring mount to the body of the instrument. A marching drum would not need the bent right angles but rather a straight metal wire extending from its unique lyre input. The interchangeability provides variable uses to the musical instrument spectrum. 
         [0027]    Musicians, college and secondary school musical ensembles may have their traditional paper sheet music electronically stored and available to view on a mobile device  24  they already own. The musician would place the mobile device  24  securely into the case  22  and attach the case to their instrument thus allowing the musician to read the musical notes  26  or information on device&#39;s display screen  28 . A student musician using the musical lyre  20  in combination with a tablet or mobile device  24  may record the audio of their performance, annotate instructions, video graph their movement on a marching band field or any number of the musical abilities mobile devices  24  may provide. This invention allows modern electronic devices to be used in more depth than previous instrumental sheet music holding devices currently available, The present invention, in combination with the tablet or mobile device  24  eliminates the need for paper folios and facilitates a faster method of distributing music-related materials and related content to the musician and ensemble. 
         [0028]    The music lyre  20  may include ports  40  and  42  in the case  22 , which also allows a tablet or mobile device  24  to record the performance, as well as allow annotation on a mobile or tablet device while holding the musical instrument in a playing position. 
         [0029]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.