Abstract:
A collapsible device that can be quickly and easily mounted to certain types of music stands to allow viewing of up to six sheets of paper side by side. The device consists principally of four panel sections, two of which, in the expanded position, hang from the top horizontal edge of the music stand via lips provided for this purpose. Two lower panels, each attached via hinge to the upper panel directly above it, also include lip features at the bottom of the device for holding the sheets of paper. In the expanded position, the four panels cover and extend the viewable plane of the stand. The device can be folded on two perpendicular axes for compact storage and transport. Usable width combined with ease of transport and deployment differentiate the device from prior art, allowing the device to be treated as part of a musician&#39;s personal gear.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    1. Provisional application No. 61/294,850, Jan. 14, 2010 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     References Cited 
       [0000]    
       
         1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,824, “Music Stand” (Americole Biasini, 1997) 
         2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,057, “Collapsible Music Stand” (Kim N. Andrews, 1991) 
         3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,779, “Collapsible Stand For Sheet Music And The Like” (Simca Heled, 1979) 
         4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,339, “Music Stand For Guitar Player” (Gary L. Jensen, 1984) 
         5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,109, “Music Support Apparatus and Method” (Americole Biasini, 1994) 
         6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,111, “Music Stand” (Kim N. Andrews, 1992) 
         7. U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,490, “Music Stand Extender” (Americole Biasini, 1982) 
         8. U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,518, “Music Stand Extender” (Americole Biasini, 1983) 
         9. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,719, “Sheet Music Stand” (Charles G. Shepherd, 1997) 
       
     
         [0013]    The present invention relates to a page support apparatus such as those that support sheet music for a musician, and more specifically to an apparatus that can attach to standard music stands, replacing and extending the usable area of such stands with a significantly wider area. 
         [0014]    Various types of stands for securing and displaying printed sheet music are well known, and are described in prior art, such as Biasini 1997, Andrews 1991, Heled 1979 and Jensen, 1984. In keeping with generally accepted terminology, this document will refer to such devices as “music stands”. The purpose of a music stand is to secure printed music and related instructions in a position such that one or more musicians or vocalists can read the music and/or instructions while performing. Various designs for music stands have been developed in prior art for servicing both general and specialized needs. 
         [0015]    A limitation of the most common music stands is their inability to display more than two or three sheets of music side by side. This can create challenges in situations where turning pages is difficult, or where multiple musicians or vocalists need to share a music stand. Different classes of remedies to these challenges exist in prior art, including mechanical extensions to existing music stands (e.g., Biasini 1994), as well as self-contained stands with the extension features included (e.g., Andrews 1992). The present invention is a mechanical extension to an existing music stand. Due to difficulties in deployment, the music stand extensions in most common use are typically attached semi-permanently to host music stands, even though it is possible to remove them. This usage pattern is inconsistent with the needs of musicians who might need to use a music stand extension in more than one context. A wider, more portable, easily deployable and affordable device that can travel with the musician is needed, but is currently lacking in the marketplace. 
         [0016]    Prior art exists both in the area of mechanical extensions to existing music stands, as well as self-contained music stands. Biasini, 1994, Biasini, 1982, and Biasini, 1983 describe different approaches to extending an existing music stand. Biasini, 1982 describes a set of retractable structures that attaches to the left and right sides of a music stand. Devices based on this design are available in the marketplace, particularly for non-collapsible music stands. Biasini, 1983 describes a similar solution for a common type of collapsible music stand. Because such devices involve two distinct components, each attaching separately to the music stand at multiple points in perpendicular planes, they are more difficult to transport and attach than the present invention. Such devices also impose manufacturing limitations in terms of materials, tolerances and compatibility with a range of host stands. Finally, the usable width offered by these devices is less than what many practical situations require. 
         [0017]    Biasini, 1994 describes a more elaborate, collapsible structure. This device addresses some of the transportability and ease of deployment issues of Biasini 1982, since it is a collapsible device embodied in a single, integrated unit. However, it is a more complex design due to its explicit accommodation for a collapsible ledge section, as well as a dual-purpose slot area that both secures the device in use and stores music when not in use. This complexity would increase the cost of manufacturing the device, and the dual-purpose design of the slot area restricts the usability of the device to a certain class of music stands with little or no physical border around the perimeter of the display plane of the music stand. Music stand designs with such a perimeter border are now common in the marketplace. 
         [0018]    Other prior art, such as Andrews, 1991 and Shepherd, 1997, embody complete music stand designs, with extensibility and/or collapsibility features included. These solutions are a separate category, both in principle and in practice, as they require the user to abandon existing investments in simpler, cheaper music stand equipment in exchange for more complex and expensive equipment. The present invention pertains specifically to a device that adapts to a broad class of existing music stands, thus allowing the user to preserve previous investments in equipment. 
         [0019]    A need exists for an inexpensive and easy to use music stand extension device that can handle a larger set of detached, individual pages of music, either for an individual musician for whom turning pages is a challenge, or in cases where two or more musicians or vocalists need to share a music stand. A common example is guitarists who perform in contemporary church settings. Typical situations often require playing five or more different songs in sequence, with no delay between songs. In this and other situations, it is desirable to display all of the sheets of music side by side, because guitar players have difficulty turning pages quickly. Similarly, larger vocal groups often need to share a limited number of music stands. In these situations, a music stand extension of sufficient width can allow one stand to serve the needs of two or three vocalists. 
         [0020]    Set-up time and complexity are critical concerns in many situations. Church musicians often need to set up and break down equipment in as little as ten or fifteen minutes, to accommodate the time constraints of multiple church services. Electric guitarists in particular often need to connect and configure a range of electronic equipment, such as amplifiers, effects devices, tuners and associated wiring. Similar time constraints exist for guitar players and other musicians in a variety of performance situations. Consequently, any music stand extension device targeted to these types of situations must not add significant time or complexity to set-up processes that already present difficult challenges. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The disclosed invention is a collapsible device that is easily mounted to a conventional music stand to provide for viewing of up to six sheets of paper side by side. The device consists principally of four generally rectangular panel sections of similar design, connected via pivotal connections on two perpendicular axes. When fully deployed, the four sections form a single, generally rectangular surface that covers and extends the display panel of the music stand. In the deployed position, the upper two sections hang from the top horizontal edge of the music stand via lips on each section. The two lower sections are attached via pivotal connections to the upper sections directly above them, respectively, and to each other via a central, vertical pivotal connection. The two top sections are not directly attached to each other. Lip features are also included on the bottom of each lower section for securing individual sheets of music. 
         [0022]    The pivotal connections employed by the device permit it to be folded on two perpendicular axes for compact storage and transport. This is accomplished by first disengaging the upper sections from the top of the music stand with a lifting motion, then folding the upper sections forward and down until they rest parallel to the lower sections, and then folding the entire device in half laterally. Thus, in the fully collapsed state, the four main sections stack against each other, resulting in a roughly 70% reduction in device size in the collapsed state vs. the fully deployed state. The lips of the device do not interfere with each other in the collapsed state due to a difference in size between the upper and lower panel sections. 
         [0023]    The disclosed invention offers significant advantages over prior art in solving specific challenges that musicians commonly face. These challenges include usable size, portability and transportability, ease of deployment, and adaptability to wide variety of music stands. It also has advantages in manufacturing and choice of materials, making the device cost-effective and adaptable to a wide variety of situations and user preferences. 
         [0024]    When expanded, the device can display up to six unbound sheets of music side by side without significant overlap, which is an improvement over other designs. In the collapsed state, it is small enough to fit into carry bags that musicians typically use to carry equipment. For situations where a carry bag is not otherwise used, an alternate embodiment allows for a built-in carry handle with no adverse impact on the utility or portability of the device. The weight of the device will vary depending on material type and thickness, but will typically be about 2 pounds in the preferred embodiment. This is reasonable compared to the equipment that musicians typically need to transport. Thus, the present invention allows the musician to treat the extension device as part of his or her personal gear, rather than having to allocate it to a specific music stand at a fixed location. 
         [0025]    The disclosed invention is simple to deploy. It attaches to the host music stand via a lip along a single line, without fasteners, using only gravity and friction. The attachment point need not be snug, thus allowing for high tolerances in the lip geometry. This reduces the complexity of fitting the device to the stand, relative to other solutions that require a snug fit along perpendicular axes. In addition, the hinge geometry allows the device to unfold itself, via gravity, if the user holds it in the correct position when deploying. The device naturally falls into the expanded, planar geometry, and the user simply hangs it on the top edge of the music stand. 
         [0026]    The disclosed invention is adaptable to any music stand that has a continuous horizontal top edge. These types of music stands tend to be sturdy and stable, and, consequently, are a popular choice in high-use situations such as churches and concert halls. Because the display panel of this type of music stand is thin and flat, and therefore prone to bending and warping, manufacturers typically crimp the material in different ways to control this. Those stands that have crimped or bent edges (or other bracing on the perimeter), as opposed to crimping within the plane of the device, present difficulties for extension devices that depend on a snug fit along flat, thin edges. To address this, the disclosed invention allows for a wide or variable lip size that can accommodate most music stands in this category, regardless of the location of crimping or bracing. 
         [0027]    The disclosed invention allows for flexibility in manufacturing techniques and choice of materials. The rectangular sections that comprise the bulk of the device share a similar design, and thus can be fabricated using similar methods and a limited number of molds, jigs, forms, etc. The device can be constructed from a wide variety of materials, including, but not limited to, various sheet metals and thermoplastics, each servicing different preferences and cost structures. If the device is constructed of sheet metal, the lip features can be easily fabricated by bending the material using standard brake equipment. For devices that use such an integrated upper lip, the angle and radius of the lip can be designed to accommodate music stands with edges of varying thickness. In contrast, bending does not work well with thermoplastics, due to the well-documented tendency of thinner sheets to warp when heated and bent along long axes. However, the lip features for devices made of thermoplastics can be easily fabricated separately in a number of ways. For example, rectangular lip sections can be chemically welded together from strips of varying width. Alternatively, strips can be attached with screws and spacers, allowing for variable-width lip geometries. Lips can also be fabricated separately as extrusions, and chemically welded to the edge of the panel sections. Thermoplastics such as acrylic and polycarbonate offer other advantages, such as the ease by which hinges and other parts can be chemically welded into position, as well as transparency and tinting options that some users might find desirable for cosmetic reasons. 
         [0028]    The preferred fabrication technique will depend on material and quantity, due to varying fixed cost structures involved with different techniques. For example, in larger quantities, the main panel sections of thermoplastic devices can be injection molded or extruded (allowing for an integrated lip without heat bending, if desired). In smaller quantities, thermoplastic devices can be assembled by hand with appropriate jigs, using stock parts and chemical welds. For devices constructed of sheet metal, different standard manufacturing techniques are available, including sheet metal brakes for bending, riveting the hinges, stamping of logos, etc. Thus, cost effective, well-established manufacturing options are available across a wide range of materials and quantities. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the front of the device when fully unfolded. 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the rear of the device when fully unfolded. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a perspective close-up view from the top of the device when fully unfolded. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the device when fully unfolded. 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the front of the device when fully unfolded, to illustrate an alternate embodiment. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rear of the device when fully unfolded, to illustrate an alternate embodiment. 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the device when fully unfolded, to illustrate an alternate embodiment. 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the front of the device when mounted on a music stand. 
           [0037]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the rear of the device when mounted on a music stand. 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the front of the device in partially collapsed position, with the top sections folded downward. 
           [0039]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the device in partially collapsed position, with the top sections folded downward. 
           [0040]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the rear of the device when the top sections are folded downward. 
           [0041]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the device in fully collapsed position. 
           [0042]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the front of the device when fully unfolded. It is the same as  FIG. 1 , and is provided without numbering as a “Front Page View”, as needed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention consists of a set of four thin rectangular sections  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 , each section similar to the others, except that the two upper sections  1  and  2  are nominally one inch smaller than the two lower sections  3  and  4  in the preferred embodiment, as measured in the vertical (smaller) dimension of each rectangle. In the preferred embodiment, each rectangular section  1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  is about 24 inches in width, with the upper sections  1  and  2  about 5.5 inches in height and the lower sections  3  and  4  about 6.5 inches in height. In the preferred embodiment, rectangular sections  1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  have rounded corners as a safety feature. In the preferred embodiment, the fully assembled and expanded device is approximately 48 inches in length and 12.5 inches in height. 
         [0044]    The present invention can be fabricated from either sheet metal or a thermoplastic material such as acrylic, polycarbonate or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The nature of the invention and the function of the device do not change with the material, but material thicknesses and fabrication options differ with the chosen material. The preferred embodiment is a thermoplastic device, due to the availability of fabrication options with lower fixed costs, as well as weight and cosmetic advantages. However, sheet metal devices offer other advantages and are a viable alternate embodiment. 
         [0045]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 1 , the top edge of section  1  and the top edge of section  2  include lips  7  that face toward the rear of the device when deployed. Lips  7  engage the device on the top edge of the music stand. The bottom edge of section  3  and the bottom edge of section  4  include lips  8  that face toward the front of the device when deployed. Lips  8  support the sheets of music. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , in the preferred thermoplastic embodiment, lips  7  are separate rectangular members that attach to the device with standard binder posts  9 , or other functionally equivalent screw and spacer mechanism. In this configuration, the posts engage the top edge of the music stand to support the device, and the rectangular members prevent the device from slipping off the edge of the music stand. This allows lips  7  to have a variable depth to accommodate different types of music stands, by using screws and spacers  9  of different lengths. 
         [0047]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , lips  8  must be continuous members because of their role in supporting sheets of music along the length of the device. Lips  8  may be either permanently attached to the device or removably fastened to accommodate variable depth. Lips  8  may be constructed of long strips of material, with a wider strip on the outer edge to form an L shape, creating a channel in which sheets of music may rest. If such strips are removably fastened with screws, the depth of lips  8  may be varied by adding additional or wider strips of material. For thermoplastic devices, fixed depth lips may be fabricated by chemically welding the strips to together, and to sections  3  and  4 . An extrusion of appropriate cross-section could also be used instead of fabricating the lips  8  from strips of material. Other embodiments of lips  7  and lips  8  are possible within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the two sections  3 ,  4  comprising the lower half of the device are connected via pivotal connection  10  along short sides of each section  3 ,  4 . The upper sections  1 ,  2  are not directly connected to each other. Care must be observed in selecting and fastening pivotal connection  10 . Torsionally-induced stresses in this connection, with the device in the collapsed state, can be significant. Therefore, in the preferred embodiment, the pivotal connection  10  is a rigid, sturdy, piano-type hinge or equivalent, extending for most of the height of sections  3 ,  4 , or about 6 inches. 
         [0049]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , pivotal connections  5  connect the upper section  1  to lower section  4 , and pivotal connections  6  connect the upper section  2  to lower section  3 . The specific number and mechanisms for the pivotal connections can vary within the scope of the present invention, and will depend on the materials used. For thermoplastic devices, segments of standard, off-the-shelf thermoplastic piano hinge can be chemically welded to the front faces of sections  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 . The preferred embodiment uses four hinges, each roughly three inches in length. Two hinges pivotally connect section  1  to section  4 , and two hinges pivotally connect section  2  to section  3 . Other approaches to the pivotal connections are possible with thermoplastic devices without changing the basic function of the device. For example, continuous “living hinges” are commercially available for hinging thermoplastic sheet, and are easily cut to size and attached to the edges of sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4 . For sheet metal devices, standard metal hinges of varying types can be screwed or riveted to the front faces of sections  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 , using the hinge geometry shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the thickness  11  of the sections will range from 1/16 inch to ⅛ inch in preferred embodiments. The preferred thickness depends on the material used. The preferred thickness for thermoplastic devices is ⅛ inch, for strength and durability reasons, although thinner thermoplastic material can be used to create lighter weight devices. The preferred thickness for sheet metal devices is 1/16 inch, due to weight considerations, and also to allow for easier construction of the lip features via bending in a sheet metal brake. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  depict an alternate embodiment of the device with integrated lip features. In this embodiment, the lips  7  and lips  8  are formed directly in sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  either by bending the material, or through extrusion or injection molding. In this alternate embodiment, lips  7  extend the full length of sections  1  and  2 , since they are formed directly from sections  1  and  2 . This embodiment is most appropriate for devices constructed of sheet metal, where sheet metal brakes are well-suited to bending the material for this application. For thermoplastic devices, similar geometry may be attained through extrusion or injection molding rather than bending, due to warping issues when heating and bending thin thermoplastic sheet along long axes. In this alternate embodiment, the angle of the lip features can vary within the scope of the present invention. The optimal angle depends on preferred tradeoffs between maximum stability and minimum collapsed size of the device vs. the usability of the device with a wider variety of music stands. Maximum stability in use, and minimum size in the collapsed state, are achieved if lips  7  and lips  8  are bent or formed to 180°, so that the plane of the lip is parallel to the plane of the main sections of the device, as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . However, such a device is limited to music stands with a thin upper edge, due to the narrow space between the planes of the sections  1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  and the planes of the associated lips  7  and lips  8 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , if the angle  12  of lip  7  and angle  13  of lip  8  is decreased by about 45°, the lips  7  will adequately engage music stands with wider top edges, and inserting pages into lips  8  will be easier. However, the device and supported sheets will be slightly less stable in this configuration. If the angle of lips  8  is decreased by about 90°, so that lips  8  are perpendicular to the main sections, the device could be adapted to display thicker, bound volumes rather than individual sheets of music. However, this embodiment of the device is of lesser interest in practical applications because the ledge of the host music stand remains available to support a bound volume, regardless of the configuration of lips  8  on the extension device. 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , the device is deployed by hanging the fully expanded unit on the upper edge of the music stand  14  via the lips  7  on the upper sections  1  and  2 . The lower sections  3  and  4  hang downward, with lips  8  near the ledge  15  of the music stand. Sheets of music may be placed in the lips  8  of the device, along the length of the device, so that the lips  8  support the sheets. Thus, five to six sheets of paper, each 8½ inches wide, can be viewed simultaneously on the device. Six sheets can be displayed within the available 48 inch display area either by overlapping the side margin areas of the sheets, or by allowing the left and right sheets to overhang the left and right sides of the device, respectively, by about 1.5 inches. 
         [0053]    The device is collapsed for storage and transport by lifting the lips  7  off the top of the music stand, then briefly resting the lips  8  on the ledge of the stand. Referring to  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , the upper sections  1 ,  2  fold down 180° so that the planes of the upper sections  1 ,  2  and planes of the lower sections  3 ,  4  rest against each other. The lips  7  of the upper sections do not intersect the lips  8  of the lower sections due to the difference in size between upper sections  1 ,  2  and lower sections  3 ,  4 . Referring to  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13 , the entire device can then be folded in half along the hinge  10  that connects the lower sections  3  and  4 . In the preferred embodiment, the collapsed sized of the device will be approximately 24 inches by 6.5 inches. 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , in an alternate embodiment, handle  16  is formed when individual holes in sections  1 , 2 , 3 , 4  line up when the device is fully collapsed. In the preferred embodiment, these holes are elliptical for ease of manufacture, but a variety of other shapes would be acceptable to form different types of handles. However, if holes are not provided in sections  1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , the basic function of the device is unaffected.