Abstract:
The present invention provides a microphone support which includes a restriction groove  520  between a universal ball  50  and a mounting member  70  in order to restrict the rotating angle range of the universal ball  50  rotating with the axis line of a pipe through-hole  510  centered, so that the direction axis L of a microphone is restricted to have a designated swinging angle range with the talker side of the microphone centered. Therefore, no breaking wire by wire-twists is generated, and since the microphone is prevented from facing to loudspeakers owing to careless handling, no howling is also generated.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a microphone support which may adjust an angle or a direction of a microphone mounted on a desk in a conference room. Particularly, the present invention relates to a microphone support which hardly generates breaking of wire or howling generated by a position-adjustment of a microphone.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    A lavalier microphone worn in a breast portion of a talker&#39;s jacket, a boundary microphone put on a table or a gooseneck microphone directly fixed on a desk or a table is used as a microphone in a conference room and so on.  
           [0003]    One aspect of a gooseneck microphone is illustrated in FIG. 6. In this microphone  1 , a microphone unit  2  is mounted on one end of a supporting pipe  4 , while the other end of the supporting pipe has a XLRM type female connector and so on. One portion of the supporting pipe  4  includes a flexible shaft  41 .  
           [0004]    This microphone  1  is inserted to a connector (a male connector in FIG. 6) mounted on a mounted member such as a table which is not shown, then the microphone is easily set on a desk. The flexible shaft  41  is bent by a talker, so that the microphone is adjusted to the position where the talker likes to move the microphone.  
           [0005]    However, since the flexible shaft  41  is formed like a pipe with two metallic wires spirally wound alternately, the shaft  41  has no durability, and an active forth of the flexible shaft is varied with time, as well as an unusual sound occurs when the shaft is bent. The flexible shaft  41  is expensive owing to it&#39;s complex structure  
           [0006]    This applicant proposed a microphone stand in which the position of the microphone is adjusted to move steplessly by using a universal ball instead of the flexible shaft  41  in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.11-341576. According this microphone stand, since a supporting pipe may be moved almost omnidirectionally through the universal ball, the microphone may be faced to any direction.  
           [0007]    However, since the universal ball is rotatable, the following problems happen. The cable of the microphone is extracted through the inside of the supporting pipe, then, when the pipe continues being revolved in the same direction, or is reciprocatively repetitively resolved in a wide angle range, since the microphone cable is twisted, the cable will be broken.  
           [0008]    A loudspeaker which louden the voice of a talker is provided in a conference room and so on. When a microphone is faced to a loudspeaker, howling is generated.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention solves the problems described above. it is, therefore, an object of the present invention that a microphone support which has no breaking wire owing to wire-twists is provided. It is another object of the invention that a microphone support of which the microphone is prevented from facing to a loudspeaker owing to careless handling is provided.  
           [0010]    A microphone support of this invention includes a supporting pipe on the tip of which a microphone is mounted and a universal ball having a pipe through-hole penetrating the supporting pipe. The support also includes a base frame fixed on a mounted member such as a table and so on. The base frame has a mounting member in which the universal ball is ratatably supported. The microphone is adjusted to move through the universal ball to any position including an angle and a direction of the microphone, and a microphone cable is extracted through the supporting pipe and the pipe through-hole of the universal ball. In the microphone support, a rotation-restriction means which restricts a rotating angle range of the universal ball with the axis line of the pipe through-hole centered is provided between the universal ball and the mounting member. Because of the rotation-restriction means, a swinging angle range of the microphone directional axis is restricted in order to revolve within a designated angle range with the talker side of the microphone centered.  
           [0011]    According to this invention, the directional axis of the microphone is adjusted to move to any position according to that of a talker&#39;s mouth, and as well as the swinging angle range of the microphone is restricted, So that no breaking of the cable or no howling is generated.  
           [0012]    A unidirectional microphone is usually used as a microphone for a meeting and loud speakers are positioned in front of a talker. One microphone is often shared with a plurality of talkers. It is preferable that the swinging angle range viewed from a talker is under ±110 degrees not so as to generate no howling.  
           [0013]    From the viewpoints of productivity and assembling, it is preferable that the rotation-restriction means includes a restriction groove which is formed along the outer surface of the universal ball and a restriction boss projected to the restriction groove.  
           [0014]    Since a screw type-fixing member is provided on the bottom of the restriction groove in order to fix the supporting pipe to the pipe through-hole, the length of the supporting pipe (the height of the microphone) is easy fixed 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a side view of a microphone support relating to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the microphone support relating to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  are, respectively, a sectional view and a plane view, to illustrate the structure of the universal ball.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  are, respectively, a plane view and a sectional view, to illustrate the structure of the pedestal plate.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  are, respectively, a plane view and a partially sectional view, to illustrate the structure of the mounting member.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a front view of a conventional microphone support. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    An embodiment of the present invention will be described referring to drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of a microphone support relating to the embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a base frame of the microphone support.  
         [0022]    The microphone support  10  includes a supporting pipe  20  having a microphone  30  on the tip of the pipe  20  and a base frame  40  fixed on a mounted member such as a desk (not shown). The support  10  also includes a universal ball  50  rotatably accommodated in the base frame  40  with the rear end of the supporting pipe  20  supported in the universal ball  50 .  
         [0023]    A microphone  30 , which is unidirectional, is mounted on the tip of the supporting pipe  20  with the directional axis L of the microphone  30  coaxially aligning to the axis of the pipe  20 .  
         [0024]    Either resin or metal is used for the material of the supporting pipe  20 . In this embodiment, the pipe  20  is elbowed-bent at one portion of the same. A bending porting  210  has a folding angle of approximately 120 degrees in this embodiment, however, the folding angle of the bending portion  210  is free-designed according to it&#39;s specifications.  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 2, a cable C connected to the microphone  30  is wired in the supporting pipe  20 . The other end of the cable C is connected to an audio instrument, which is not shown, such as an amplifier or an audio mixer and so on.  
         [0026]    The other end of the supporting pipe  20  is mounted to a universal ball  50 , which is made from metal such as stainless steel. A pipe through-hole  510  penetrating and holding the supporting pipe  20  is included in the universal ball  50  as shown in a sectional view of FIG. 3 a  and a plane view of FIG. 3 b.    
         [0027]    The pipe through-hole  510  has a through-hole penetrating along the direction of a diameter of the universal ball (upper and lower direction in FIG. 3 a ). The through-hole  510  preferably has a bore diameter such that no looseness between the hole  510  and the supporting pipe  20  is generated.  
         [0028]    The outer surface of the universal ball  50  includes a restriction groove  520 , which restricts a rotation range of the ball  50  together with a restriction boss  730  mounted on a base frame  40 . In the bottom of the restriction groove  520 , an internal thread hole  530 , which is screwed together with a fixing member  521 , is formed as a pipe-movement-restriction means appearing toward the pipe through-hole  510 .  
         [0029]    The restriction groove  520  is circularly formed with the axis line of the pipe through-hole  510  centered. As shown in FIG. 3 b , the groove has a symmetrical right and left swinging angle range with the directional axis L (a talker) of the microphone  30  centered.  
         [0030]    The swinging angle range of the restriction groove  520  is determined by the relation between the unidirectional characteristics of the microphone  30  and, for example, loud speakers (not shown) positioned in front of a talker. Further, the swinging angle range has preferably the angle in which no howling is generated.  
         [0031]    The swinging angle range is usually approximately ±30 degrees, respectively, right and left, with the directional axis of the microphone  30  L centered. In this sample, the swinging angle range is under ±110 degrees, respectively, right and left, with the directional axis of the microphone  30  L centered, since it is considered that one of the microphone  30  may be shared with a plurality of talkers. In the embodiment, the swinging angle range is formed in+100 degrees, respectively, right and left, that is, as the total is 200 degrees. However, the swinging angle range of the restriction groove  520  may be right-and-left-nonsymmetrical, if the above condition of the range is provided.  
         [0032]    An internal thread hole  530  is penetrated at approximately right angle in relation to the pipe through-hole  510 . In the inside of the hole  530 , an internal thread is formed with the fixing member  521  advancing or retreating. The fixing member  521  includes a set screw screwed with the internal thread hole  530 . The member  521  presses one portion of the supporting pipe  20  and restricts the movement of the pipe  20  by appearing toward the pipe through-hole  510 .  
         [0033]    As shown in FIG. 2, the base frame  40  includes a pedestal plate  60  fixed on the mounted member such as a desk and so on, which is not shown, and also includes a mounting member  70 , which is screwed on the upper portion of the pedestal plate  60  and rotatablly accommodates the universal ball  50  in the mounting member. In this embodiment, the pedestal plate  60  and the mounting member  70  are metallic cutting products.  
         [0034]    As shown in FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b , in this embodiment the pedestal plate  60  is formed in the plate-shape of an isosceles triangle. An opening  611 , with which a cylindrical sleeve  610  inserted to the inside of the mounting member  70  is fit, is formed in the approximate center of the plate  60 . The pedestal plate  60  is put on the mounted member such as a desk with the vertex positioned at left side in FIG. 4 a  facing toward a talker.  
         [0035]    The each of the vertexes of the pedestal plate  60  has a mounting hole  621  to mount a rubber bush  630  as a fixing foot to a mounted member which is not shown. An annular projection  623 , with which a latching groove  633  of the rubber bush  630  is latched in the mounting hole  621 , is projected toward the center of the mounting hole  621 .  
         [0036]    The rubber bush  630  includes a cylindrical member and the center of the rubber bush includes a inserting hole  631  to insert a mouth piece  632 . The annular latching groove  633  is provided coaxially with the axis line of the inserting hole  631  in the outer circumference of the rubber bush  630 . The latching groove  633  is latched along the annular projection  623  of the mounting hole  621 . The diameter of the upper flange of the mouth piece  632  is smaller than the bore diameter of the annular projection  623 .  
         [0037]    When the rubber bush  630  is assembled in the pedestal plate  60 , first, the rubber bush  630  is inserted to the mounting hole  621  and the annular projection  623  is latched in the latching groove  633 . Then, the mouth piece  632  is inserted in the inserting hole  631  of the rubber bush  630 , so that the mouth piece  632  broadens the bore diameter of the inserting hole  631 , and the rubber bush  630  is tightly fixed to the pedestal plate  60 .  
         [0038]    The pedestal plate  60  is fixed to the mounted member by screws (not shown). Each of screws is penetrated through the mouth piece  632 . Since the diameter of the upper flange of the mouth piece  632  is smaller than the diameter of the annular projection  623 , when large force is added to the microphone  30  or the supporting pipe  20 , release of the rubber bush  630  from the mounting hole  621  of the pedestal plate  60  prevents the microphone  30  or the supporting pipe  20  from being damaged.  
         [0039]    The pedestal plate  60  also includes screw holes  622 . Each of the screw holes  622  is screwed together with a fixing screw  740 , when the mounting member  70  is fixed. In this embodiment, the total number of the screw holes  622  are three, which are arranged with each other in 120 degrees on a concentric circle and each of the screw holes  622  is positioned between one and another mounting hole  621 .  
         [0040]    As shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve  610  is inserted from the lower portion of the pedestal plate  60  and fit in the opening  611  of the pedestal plate. A flange having sleeve-internal thread holes  614 , each of which is fit with each of the screw holes  622  of a fixing plate  620 , is formed at the lower portion of the sleeve  610 . The sleeve  610  is fixed on the lower face of the fixing plate  620  with the fixing screw  740 .  
         [0041]    A screwed face  612 , with which a fixing nut  660  (described hereinafter) is screwed, is provided at one bottom portion of the sleeve  610 . A cutout  613  which is semi-circularly cut is provided at one upper portion of the sleeve  610 . The tip of the restriction boss  730 , which is described hereinafter, is inserted to the cutout.  
         [0042]    Referring to FIGS. 2, 5 a  and  5   b , the mounting member  70  includes an accommodating portion  710  in which the universal ball  50  is able to be accommodated. An extracting hole  720  opens on the upper face of the mounting member  70  to extract the supporting pipe  20 . The upper face of the inner surface of the accommodating portion  710  is formed circularly along the surface of the universal ball  50 .  
         [0043]    As shown in FIG. 5 a , the extracting hole  720  is formed such that the shape of the hole  720  is prolate ellipsoidal and the prolate axis of the hole  720  is parallel to the directional axis L of the microphone  30 . Then, the supporting pipe  20  is able to incline only back and forth (in FIG. 5 a , upper and lower) by a designated angle.  
         [0044]    A screw hole  711  is provided at the side of the mounting member  70 . The screw hole  711  is mounted with the restriction boss  730  which appears toward the restriction groove  520  of the universal ball  50 . One portion of the surface of the restriction boss  730  includes an external thread which is formed as to be screwed with the screw hole  711 . As described above, the rotating angle range of the universal ball  50  is restricted by the tip of the restriction boss projected to the restriction groove  520 .  
         [0045]    The diameter of the portion near the base of the mounting member  70  broadens like a flange along the pedestal plate  60 . A plurality of screw holes  712  are formed and spaced apart with a designated interval on the base of the mounting member  70 . Each of the screw holes  712  is screwed with the fixing screw  740 . In this embodiment, the total number of the screw holes  712  are tree, which are arranged with each other in 120 degrees on a concentric circle.  
         [0046]    In the sleeve  610 , a contacting member  640  is included to prevent the universal ball  50  accommodated in the mounting member  70  from slipping out. A spring washer  650  which adequately presses the contacting member  640  upwards is also included. The contacting member and the spring washer are fixed by the fixing nut  660 . The shape of the contacting member  640  is disk-and-ring-like, and the contacting face of the contacting member with the universal ball  50  has a circular face of substantially the same curvature as that of the universal ball  50 .  
         [0047]    When the microphone support  10  is assembled, for example, firstly, the mounting member  70  is put on the upper face of the pedestal plate  60 . The sleeve  610  is inserted to the mounting member  70  from the bottom of the member  70 . The mounting member  70  and the sleeve  610  are screwed and fixed together with the pedestal plate  60  by three of the fixing screw  740 .  
         [0048]    At another place, the rear end of the supporting pipe  20 , on the tip of which the microphone  30  is not yet mounted, is inserted to the pipe through-hole  510  and is fixed with the fixing member  521 . The supporting pipe  20  is passed through the extracting hole  720  and the universal ball  50  is entered in the mounting member  70 .  
         [0049]    Next, the contacting member  640  and then the spring washer  650  are inserted to the sleeve  610 . Then, the fixing nut  660  is gradually tightened up from the bottom of the pedestal plate, so that an adequate friction is generated between the mounting member  70  and the universal ball  50 . Then, the restriction boss  730  is screwed from the side of the mounting member  70  and the tip of the boss is positioned within the restriction groove  520  of the universal ball  50  to restrict the rotation angle range of the ball  50 . The microphone  30  is mounted on the tip of the supporting pipe at the adequate time.  
         [0050]    The supporting pipe  20  moves back and forth along the extracting hole  720  through the universal ball  50  accommodated in the base frame  40 . The pipe  20  is revolved within a designated angle range along the restriction groove  520  with the axis line of the pipe through-hole  510  centered, so that the cable C which is wired in the inside of the pipe is not twisted. The microphone  30  is revolved only within a constant swinging angle range with the talker side centered, so that no howling is generated.  
         [0051]    In this embodiment, the microphone support  10  is fixed on a mounted member such as a desk through the pedestal plate  60 . However, the microphone support may be a movable microphone support with the base frame  40  mounted on a heavy stand, instead of the pedestal plate  60 . Such aspects are also included in this invention.  
         [0052]    As above-described, according to this invention, the rotation-restricting means is provided between the universal ball and the mounting member to restrict the rotating angle range of the universal ball with the axis line of the pipe penetrating portion of the ball centered. Then, the directional axis of the microphone is restricted to revolve within a designated angle range with a talker centered. So that no breaking of the cable or no howling is generated.