Abstract:
A musical instrument stand clip is provided including a resilient body having a central portion, a first end portion extending outwardly from the central portion and defining a first opening therein and a second end portion extending outwardly from the central portion and defining a second opening therein, wherein the first opening at least partially overlaps the second opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/772,863, filed on Mar. 5, 2013, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a clip, and more specifically to a clip utilized to hold musical instruments, or parts thereof, on stands. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     To hold various types of musical instruments on stands, a number of different types of clips have been developed. These clips are designed to securely engage the stand on which the instrument is positioned. The clip operates to hold the instrument on the stand as a result of the engagement of the clip with the stand, while also allowing the instrument to be played without interference from the clip. 
     While the majority of the clips of this type work adequately well, on significant shortcoming in the designs of each of the clips is the relatively complicated construction of the prior art clips. In particular, these clips often require a number of different components that are attached and moved relative to one another during the engagement and disengagement of the clip from the stand, greatly increasing the cost for the clip, and the time required to properly attach or remove the clip from the stand. 
     Thus, it is desirable to develop an alternative clip design that securely holds the instruments on the stand, but without the complicated structure found in prior art clips. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cymbal or instrument clip is provided that is formed of a piece of material having an inherent resiliency or bias. This resiliency enables the clip to securely engage a stand to secure a musical instrument thereto without the need for any additional components to facilitate the engagement of the stand by the clip. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the clip includes a number of apertures formed in the clip that are used to engage and release the clip from the stand. The apertures are formed in the clip at locations that can be selectively aligned with one another to enable the stand to be inserted through the apertures, and engaged by the apertures. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the clip can be formed a unitary piece of the material having the inherent resiliency or bias, in order to facilitate the formation of the clip in an inexpensive and efficient manner. Additionally, the unitary structure of the clip enables the clip to be operated in an easy manner to secure and release the clip from the support stand. 
     Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be made apparent from the following detailed description together with the drawings figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present disclosure. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a clip constructed according to the present disclosure in an unfolded position; 
         FIG. 2  is a side plan view of the clip of  FIG. 1  in an assembled position; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the clip of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the clip of  FIG. 1  in an unfolded position; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the clip of  FIG. 4  in an assembled position; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the clip of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the clip of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the clip of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the clip of  FIG. 5  secured to a upwardly extending support; and 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the clip of  FIG. 5  secured to a downwardly extending support. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now in detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, one embodiment of an instrument clip constructed according to the present disclosure is illustrated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , the clip  10  is formed from a piece of a generally rigid, but flexible material, such as a metal or a plastic, having an inherent bias or resiliency. In the illustrated embodiment the clip  10  has a body  12  that is generally rectangular in shape, and includes a central portion  14  with a pair of end portions  16  extending from opposed sides of the central portion  14 . 
     The central portion  14  includes an aperture  18  formed therein. The aperture  18  in the illustrated embodiment is disposed centrally within the central portion  14  and has a diameter sufficient to enable an end  20  of an instrument stand  22  to extend therethrough. 
     Each end portion  16  is formed with an opening  24  therein which has a wide end  26  located adjacent the central portion  14  and a narrow end  28  located generally opposite the central portion  14 . The wide end  26  has a diameter sufficient to enable an end  20  of an instrument stand  22  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) to pass therethrough, while the narrow end  28  has a diameter less than that of the wide end  26 . 
     The end portions  16  are separated from the central portion  14  by a number of lines of flexion  30 . To form the clip  10 , the end portions  16  are each folded inwardly towards the central portion  14  about the one or more lines of flexion  30  in order to position the end portions  16  in an overlapping configuration as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In this configuration, the narrow end  28  of each opening  24  in the end portions  16  is located in at least partial alignment with the aperture  18  in the central portion  14 , while the wide ends  26  are offset from the aperture  18 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The nature of the material forming the body  12  of the clip  10  enables the end portions  16  to be pressed inwardly towards one another to a position where the wide ends  26  of the openings  24  in each end portion  16  are aligned with the aperture  18  in the central portion  14 . In this position, the wide ends  26  of the openings  24  and the aperture  18  allow for the end  20  of the stand  22  to be inserted through the clip  10 . When the clip  10  is positioned where desired on the stand  22 , the end portions  16  can be released and the inherent resiliency of the material forming the body  12  of the clip  10  causes the end portions  16  to move away from one another. In performing this motion, the narrow ends  28  of each opening  24  become engaged with the stand  22 . In the illustrated embodiment, the narrow ends  28  can have tapered inner surfaces or edges  32  that can engage threads  34  disposed on the stand  22 . This engagement securely holds the clip  10  in the desired location on the stand  22  until the end portions  16  are again moved towards one another, thereby moving the narrow ends  28  away from the stand  22  and disengaging the narrow ends  28  from the stand  22 . 
     The clip  10  can be used to engage an instrument to an upper end  20  of the stand  22 , as in the case of a cymbal ( FIG. 10 ), or to a lower end  20  of a stand  22 , as in the case of a hi-hat ( FIG. 11 ). 
     In a second embodiment of the clip  100 , as best shown in  FIGS. 4-11 , the clip  100  includes a body  102  having a central portion  104  and a pair of outwardly extending end portions  106  positioned on each side of the central portion  104 . The central portion  104  is formed with a width greater than that of each of the end portions  106 . The central portion  104  includes an elongate aperture  108  with generally circular ends  109  therein, while each of the end portions  106  includes a generally circular opening  110  therein, with each opening  110  having an outwardly extending notch  112  formed in the opening  110  generally opposite the central portion  104 . 
     Looking now at  FIGS. 5-9 , the body  102  is assembled into the clip  100  having a generally triangular or wedge cross-section by folding the central section  104  along a centerline  114  or a pair of closely spaced centerlines  114  to position the halves  118  of the central portion  104  at an angle A of between 80 degrees and 100 degrees with respect to one another, with an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to one another. In folding the central portion  104 , the aperture  108  is deflected to have a generally circular perimeter, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , while still being large enough to enable the entire diameter of a stand  22  to pass therethrough ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ). 
     In addition, each end portion  106  is folded with regard to the halves  118  of the central section  104  to overlap the outer ends  120  of the end portions  106 , such that the openings  110  are completely disposed within the parts of the end portions  106  folded with respect to the halves  118  and that the notches  112  are at least partially aligned with one another but the remainder of the openings  110  are offset from one another. The bias of the material forming the body  102  of the clip  100  holds the clip  100  in this position. In addition, the resiliency of the material enables the halves  118  of the central portion  104  of the clip  100  to be pressed towards one another to align the openings  110  with each other to allow the stand  22  to be inserted through the openings  110  and the aperture  108 . Once positioned around the stand  22 , by removing the force from the halves  118 , the resiliency of the material forming the clip  100  moves the halves  118  and the openings  110  away from each other to engage the notches  112  with the threads  34  on the stand  22 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the end portions  106  are formed with a curved shape, such that the end portions  106  and the openings  110  are positioned at an angle with regard to the threads  34  on the stand  22 . In addition, the end portions  106  can be formed with different shapes other than curved when folded to overlap one another and form the clip  100 . 
     Changes can be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Various other embodiments of the present invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the filed claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.