Patent Publication Number: US-7717378-B2

Title: Saxophone-supporting stand

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a stand for supporting a saxophone and, more particularly, to a connector for interconnecting two legs of a stand to keep the legs open. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a conventional stand for supporting a saxophone  15 . The stand includes a base  11 , a post formed on the base  11 , an inclined rod  12  formed on the post, a clip  13  attached to the inclined rod  12  and an inverted yoke  14  attached to the inclined rod  12 . The clip  13  includes two prongs  16 . The bell of the saxophone  15  is clipped with the clip  13 . Another portion of the saxophone  15  is supported on the inverted yoke  14 . The stand is robust. However, the stand is bulky when it is not in use because it is not collapsible. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , another conventional stand is shown. The stand includes a tripod  20 , a clip  23  and an inverted yoke  30 . The tripod  20  includes three legs  26  each including a lower end for contact the ground or a floor, a middle point pivotally connected to a lower ring securely provided around a post  22  and an upper end pivotally connected to an upper ring movably provided around the post  22 . A threaded bolt  21  is inserted through the upper ring. The tip of the threaded bolt  21  can be abutted against the post  22  to position the upper ring on the post  22  and hence keep the legs  26  open. The clip  23  includes a U-shaped portion formed on a rod. The U-shaped portion is used to clip the bell of the saxophone  15 . The rod is inserted in the post  22 . A ferrule and threaded bolt  25  is used to position the rod of the clip  23  on the post  22 . A yoke  31  is attached to the inverted yoke  30 . A boss  32  is attached to the yoke  31 . The yoke  31  is mounted on one of the legs  26  while the boss  32  is disposed in a selected one of three dents  27  made in the leg  26 . However, the mounting of the yoke  31  on the leg  26  is not reliable since the insertion of the boss  32  in the dents  27  is not firm. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown modification of the stand shown in  FIG. 3 . The yoke  31  includes two prongs  33  each formed with a tip for insertion in a groove  34  defined in one of the legs  26 . 
     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a collapsible stand for a saxophone. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the stand includes two legs and a connective apparatus. The legs can be open and closed. The connective apparatus is used to keep the legs open. The connective apparatus includes a first link, a second link and two rods. The first link includes a first end pivotally connected to one of the legs and a second end. The second link includes a first end pivotally connected to the other leg and a second end pivotally connected to the second end of the first link so that the first and second links are open when the legs are open. Each of the rods is obliquely raised from a related one of the first and second links so that the rods form a V-shaped structure for supporting a portion of the saxophone when the first and second links are open. 
     Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments versus the prior art referring to the drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional stand. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the conventional stand shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of another conventional stand. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of another conventional stand. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a connective apparatus for a stand according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a stand using the connective apparatus shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view of the stand shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is another partial cross-sectional view of the stand shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9  is a partial side view of the stand shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of a connective apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial side view of a stand using the connective apparatus shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a partial side view of the stand in another position than shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is side view of a saxophone supported on the stand shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a stand  10  is equipped with a connective apparatus  40  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The stand  10  includes two pairs  71  and  72  of legs  70 . In each pair, the legs  70  are pivotally connected to an adjusting element  73  connected to a central element  74 . A post  76  is raised from the central element  74 . A ring  75  is engaged with the central element  74  to restrain the adjusting elements  73  and hence position the pairs  71  and  72 . The position of the post  76  relative to the central element  74  is retained with a clamp  77 . A clip  78  is provided on the post  76 . The clip  78  is used to clip the bell of a saxophone  15  ( FIG. 13 ). The connective apparatus  40  is used to interconnect the legs  70  of the pair  71  to keep them open. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the connective apparatus  40  includes a first link  50 , a second link  60  and a rivet  57  for pivotally interconnecting the links  50  and  60 . The first link  50  includes two recesses  51  defined in a first end, an ear  52  formed at the first end between the recesses  51  and a tunnel  54  defined in a second end. The ear  52  includes an aperture  65  defined therein. The first end of the first link  50  is formed with a contact face  53 . A rod  45  is obliquely provided on the first link  50 . A flexible sheath  44  is provided around the rod  45 . 
     The second link  60  includes two ears  61  formed at a first end and a recess  64  defined in the first end between the ears  61  and a tunnel  66  defined in a second end. Each of the ears  61  includes an aperture  65  defined therein. The first end of the second link  60  is formed with a contact face  63 . Another rod  45  is obliquely provided on the second link  60 . Another flexible sheath  44  is provided around the rod  45  on the second link  60 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a rivet  57  is driven into one of the legs  70  through the tunnel  54  to pivotally connect the first link  50  to the leg  70 . A washer  62  may be provided between the first link  50  and the leg  70  to reduce the friction. Another rivet  57  is driven into another one of the legs  70  through the tunnel  66  to pivotally connect the second link  60  to the leg  70 . A washer  62  may be provided between the second link  60  and the leg  70  to reduce the friction. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a rivet  57  is driven into the apertures  65  to pivotally connect the first link  50  to the second link  60 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the legs  70  are open while the connective apparatus  40  is extended, i.e., the links  50  and  60  are open. The contact face  53  is abutted against the contact face  63 , thus keeping the links  50  and  60  open and, hence, the legs  70  open. The rods  44  are used to support another portion of the saxophone  15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the legs  70  are closed while the connective apparatus  40  is folded, i.e., the links  50  and  60  are closed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a connective apparatus includes a latch  41 , two rods  45  obliquely raised from the latch  41  and two flexible sheaths  44  each provided around a related one of the rods  45  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The latch  41  includes a tunnel  42  defined in a first end and a recess  43  defined in a second end. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the legs  70  are closed. A rivet  57  is driven into one of the legs  70  through the tunnel  42  to pivotally connect the latch  41  to the leg  70 . A stem  46  is provided on the other leg  70  by welding, molding or a thread for example. 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the legs  70  are open. The second end of the latch  41  is laid on the pin  46  so that the recess  43  receives the pin  46 , to keep the legs  70  open. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , the connective apparatus is used in the stand. The bell of the saxophone  15  is clipped with the clip  78 . Another portion of the saxophone  15  is supported on the rods  44 . Hence, the saxophone  15  is supported on the stand. 
     The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.