Abstract:
Cantilevered apparatus for supporting an acoustic device such as a microphone or video camera in any desired position comprising boom arms, counterbalance arms, and springs, wherein the springs are flocked and the apparatus can be moved without causing acoustic vibrations. A method of reducing the sound vibrations in a cantilevered apparatus for supporting an acoustic device comprises using flocked springs.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to the field of adjustable counterbalanced support apparatus for acoustic devices.  
           [0002]    Adjustable counterbalanced support apparatus are very commonly used to support acoustic devices such as microphones and video cameras, and other devices wherein a user may easily move the device to a different position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,061 illustrates such conventional apparatus. In most cases the apparatus is counterbalanced with coil springs combined with a combination of counterbalance arms, pairs of plates, and other elements. In conventional adjustable counterbalanced support apparatus of this type, the movement from one position to another can cause a small amount of vibration or noise.  
           [0003]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cantilevered, counterbalanced apparatus for supporting acoustic devices which can be moved from one position to another without causing any vibration or noise which may be picked up by the acoustic device. Another object is to provide cantilevered, spring counterbalanced apparatus for supporting acoustic devices, wherein the springs are color coordinated with the other elements of the apparatus.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    These objects, and others which will become apparent from the following detailed description, are achieved by the present invention which comprises in one aspect an apparatus for supporting an acoustic device comprising a base means to engage a support structure, an acoustic device engagement support, counterbalancing to maintain the acoustic device in any desired position comprising boom arms, counterbalance arms, and flocked springs. The flocked springs are preferably coil springs, and are preferably flocked with fiber which is color coordinated with the other parts of the apparatus.  
           [0005]    Preferably the apparatus comprises lower, middle, and upper pairs of plates, a lower boom, an upper boom, and lower and upper counterbalance arms.  
           [0006]    The acoustic device can be a microphone, a video camera, or any other acoustic device which can be mounted on a cantilevered apparatus which is easily moveable between first and subsequent positions without the need to take any step to secure the new position. In other words, the cantilevered, counterbalanced apparatus automatically maintains the wired device in a new position after it is moved by the user.  
           [0007]    In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of supporting an acoustic device in an adjustable, counterbalanced position comprising providing the aforementioned cantilevered apparatus having flocked springs which reduce the level of extraneous noise due to moving the acoustic device to a new position. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a right side perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a breakaway front view of a lower portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a breakaway front view of the center section of the apparatus of FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a flocked counterbalance spring used in the apparatus of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]    The preferred embodiments will be illustrated with reference to the drawings. Various other embodiments should become readily apparent from this description to those skilled in this art.  
         [0014]    Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings showing the left side, and FIG. 2 showing the right side, there is shown an embodiment of the boom assembly  10  having a Delrin® acetal resin bushing  11  on a boom pivot  12 . The busing  11  is adapted to fit in a female fixture in a stationary structure such as a desk (portion shown) and the pivot  12  rotates 360 degrees within the fixture. The boom pivot  12  is held with pins between lower left plate  13  and lower right plate  14 , which are in turn held in a fixed spaced parallel relationship by means of threaded fasteners  15  and  17 , using spacers  18  (FIG. 3). Washers  16  (FIG. 3) are used on the threaded fasteners  15  and  17 .  
         [0015]    Referring again to FIG. 3, a lower right spring mounting post  19  is fastened to lower right plate  14 , and lower left spring mounting post  20  is fastened to lower left plate  13 .  
         [0016]    Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, left lower counterbalance arm  21  and right lower counterbalance arm  22  are fastened to lower left plate  13  and lower right plate  14 , respectively, and left middle joint plate  26  and right middle joint plate  27 , respectively. A mid lower spacer  24  (FIG. 3) which functions as a spring contact member is fastened by means of a threaded member  28  (FIG. 3) between the left lower counterbalance arm  21  and right lower counterbalance arm  22  (FIG. 2).  
         [0017]    An extruded aluminum lower boom  25  having a U-shaped cable routing channel  50  (FIG. 3) is fastened with pins between the lower plates  13  and  14  and the middle joint plates  26  and  27 . An extruded aluminum top upper boom  36  having U-shaped cable routing channel  50  is fastened with pins between the middle joint plates  26  and  27 , and the top right plate  39  and top left plate  38 . An upper counterbalance arm  37 , also of extruded aluminum, is mounted between top upper plates  38  and  39  by means of pins, and between middle joint plates  26  and  27  by means of a threaded fastener. An additional threaded member  28  holds the middle joint plates  26  and  27  in a fixed spaced relationship using spacer-stop member  30  which also functions to limit the rotation of the top upper boom  36  and upper counterbalance arm  37  in the vertical axis A center threaded spring mounting post  31  is through the upper counterbalance arm  37 .  
         [0018]    Upper left flocked spring  32  and upper right flocked spring  33  provide tension between the upper counterbalance arm  37  and center threaded mounting posts  31 . Lower left flocked spring  34  and lower right flocked spring  35  provide tension between mid lower spacer-spring contact member  24  and lower spring mounting posts  19  and  20 .  
         [0019]    Two upper joint pins  40  and  41  hold the upper counterbalance arm  37  and top upper boom  36  between top left plate  38  and top right plate  39 . Microphone mount pivot pins  42  allow microphone mount insulators  43 , holding threaded microphone mount  44 , to pivot in a vertical axis. A microphone, not shown, can be mounted on the threaded microphone mount. A standard microphone cable  48  is easily and quickly inserted in the U-shaped channel in the top upper boom  39  and lower boom  25 . The cable  48  has standard connectors  49  at the ends.  
         [0020]    In a test which was designed to exaggerate the amount of undesired sound which is due to spring vibration when the boom is moved from one location to another, a boom which was first set up with flocked springs and then set up with unflocked springs. The springs were twanged and the audible level and duration of sound were measured. The audible level from the flocked springs was 50% lower than from the unflocked springs, and the duration of sound was also 50% lower with the flocked springs versus the unflocked springs.  
         [0021]    While the invention and preferred embodiments have been described and illustrated in sufficient detail that those skilled in this art may readily make and use the invention, various alternatives, modifications, and improvements should become readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.