Sheet music stand

Abstract

A novel detachable music stand that is universally positionable by operating a sheet music retention device in a spherical coordinate system, and method for positionally adjusting a sheet music retention device of the detachable music stand within the spherical coordinate frame. According to one aspect of the invention the novel detachable music stand is provided by two releasably interlockable rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components that are formed between a substantially rigid spacing component and two part-spherical couplers. A suction cup clamp mechanism is coupled to one of the two part-spherical couplers, and a sheet music tray being coupled to a different one of the two part-spherical couplers.

1 : A universal detachable sheet music stand that provides positional adjustments within a spherical coordinate frame, the stand comprising:
 two releasably interlockable rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components formed between a substantially rigid spacing component and two part-spherical couplers;   a suction cup clamp mechanism having a frame coupled to one of the two part-spherical couplers; and   a sheet music retention device having a portion coupled to a different one of the two part-spherical couplers.   
   
   
       2 : The stand of  claim 1  wherein at least a first one of the two part-spherical couplers further comprises a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface. 
   
   
       3 : The stand of  claim 2  wherein the spacing component further comprises two substantially rigid arm sections forming two pairs of sockets therebetween, at least a first pair of the two pairs of sockets having substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of the first resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler. 
   
   
       4 : The stand of  claim 3 , further comprising an adjustable clamping mechanism operable between the two substantially rigid arm sections for urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the first pair of sockets to form a first one of the rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components with the first resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler, and being further operable between the two substantially rigid arm sections for urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the first pair of sockets to releasably interlock with the outer surface of the first resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler. 
   
   
       5 : The stand of  claim 4  wherein a second one of the two part-spherical couplers further comprises a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface;
 a second pair of the two pairs of sockets formed between substantially rigid arm sections further comprises substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of the second resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler; and   the adjustable clamping mechanism is further operable between the two substantially rigid arm sections for urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the second pair of sockets to form a second one of the rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components with the second resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler, and being further operable between the two substantially rigid arm sections for urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the second pair of sockets to releasably interlock with the outer surface of the second resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler.   
   
   
       6 : The stand of  claim 5 , further comprising a differential biasing mechanism coupled to the two substantially rigid arm sections for differentially urging apart one of the first and second pairs of sockets, and further for urging together a different one of the first and second pairs of sockets. 
   
   
       7 : A universal detachable sheet music stand that provides positional adjustments within a spherical coordinate frame, the music stand comprising:
 first and second part-spherical couplers each formed of a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface and being projected from a flange on a substantially rigid stem;   a substantially rigid spacing component formed of a pair of substantially rigid arm sections forming first and second pairs of sockets adjacent to opposite ends thereof, each of the first and second pairs of arm sections being formed with substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of the respective first and second resiliently deformable part-spherical couplers,   a differential biasing mechanism coupled between the arm sections of the spacing component for differentially urging apart one of the first and second pairs of sockets, and simultaneously urging together a different one of the first and second pairs of sockets;   an adjustable clamping mechanism operable with the spacing component for urging the first and second pairs of sockets of the two substantially rigid arm sections into each of three sequential adjustment relationships to the respective first and second part-spherical couplers, the three sequential adjustment relationships comprising:
 a first loosely clamped relationship forming first and second relatively rotatable ball-and-socket joints between the first and second pairs of sockets and the part spherical outer surface portions of the respective first and second part-spherical couplers, 
 a second partially clamped relationship securely interlocking the first pair of sockets with the part spherical outer surface portion of the first part-spherical coupler, while retaining the second relatively rotatable ball-and-socket joint between the second pair of sockets and the part spherical outer surface portions of the second part-spherical coupler, and 
 a third fully clamped relationship securely interlocking the first and second pairs of sockets with the part spherical outer surface portions of the respective first and second part-spherical couplers; 
   a suction cup clamp mechanism having a substantially rigid frame coupled to the flange of one of the first and second part-spherical couplers; and   a sheet music tray device being coupled to the flange of a different one of the first and second part-spherical couplers.   
   
   
       8 : A method for positionally adjusting a sheet music retention device within a spherical coordinate frame, the method comprising:
 providing two releasably interlockable rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components between a substantially rigid spacing component and two part-spherical couplers;   coupling one of the two part-spherical couplers to a sheet music retention device;   coupling a different one of the two part-spherical couplers to a suction cup clamp mechanism;   coupling the suction cup clamp mechanism to a sound board of a stringed musical instrument;   spherically rotating one or both of the two part-spherical couplers relative to the substantially rigid spacing component for adjusting a position and an orientation of the sheet music retention device relative to the suction cup clamp mechanism; and   subsequently releasably interlocking both of the two ball-and-socket components.   
   
   
       9 : The method of  claim 8 , further comprising forming at least a first one of the two part-spherical couplers of a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface. 
   
   
       10 : The method of  claim 9  wherein providing two releasably interlockable rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components between a substantially rigid spacing component and two part-spherical couplers further comprises forming two pairs of sockets between two substantially rigid arm sections, including forming at least a first pair of the two pairs of sockets with substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of the first resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler. 
   
   
       11 : The method of  claim 10 , further comprising operating an adjustable clamping mechanism between the two substantially rigid arm sections for initially urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the first pair of sockets to form a first one of the rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components with the first resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler, and further operating the adjustable clamping mechanism between the two substantially rigid arm sections for subsequently urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the first pair of sockets to releasably interlock with the outer surface of the first resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler. 
   
   
       12 : The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming a second one of the two part-spherical couplers of a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface; and
 wherein: forming two pairs of sockets between two substantially rigid arm sections further comprises forming a second pair of the two pairs of sockets with substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of the second resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler; and   operating an adjustable clamping mechanism between the two substantially rigid arm sections further comprises operating the adjustable clamping mechanism for urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the second pair of sockets to form a second one of the rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components with the second resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler, and further operating the adjustable clamping mechanism between the two substantially rigid arm sections for urging the substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces of the second pair of sockets to releasably interlock with the outer surface of the second resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler.   
   
   
       13 : The method of  claim 12 , further comprising differentially urging apart one of the first and second pairs of sockets, and substantially simultaneously urging together a different one of the first and second pairs of sockets. 
   
   
       14 : A method for positionally adjusting a sheet music retention device of a universal detachable music stand within a spherical coordinate frame, the method comprising:
 substantially rigidly projecting one of two part-spherical couplers from a suction cup clamp mechanism;   substantially rigidly projecting a different one of the two part-spherical couplers from a sheet music retention device;   forming two rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components between the two part-spherical couplers and two corresponding pairs of complementary sockets adjacent to opposite ends of a substantially rigid spacing component;   coupling a suction cup portion of the suction cup clamp mechanism to a guitar;   spherically rotating one or both of the two part-spherical couplers within the two corresponding pairs of complementary sockets relative to the substantially rigid spacing component for spherically and rotationally adjusting a relative position and orientation of the sheet music retention device to the suction cup clamp mechanism; and   subsequently immobilizing both of the two ball-and-socket components.   
   
   
       15 : The method of  claim 14 , further comprising forming the two part-spherical couplers of a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface; and
 forming the two pairs of complementary sockets having substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of the corresponding resiliently deformable part-spherical coupler.   
   
   
       16 : The method of  claim 15 , further comprising clamping together the two pairs of complementary sockets in an initial relationship with the two corresponding part-spherical couplers wherein the two rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components are formed therebetween, and a final relationship wherein both of the two ball-and-socket components are relatively immobilized. 
   
   
       17 : The method of  claim 16 , further comprising clamping together the two pairs of complementary sockets in an intermediate relationship with the two corresponding part-spherical couplers wherein one of the two rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components is formed therebetween, and a different one of the two ball-and-socket components is relatively immobilized. 
   
   
       18 : The method of  claim 17 , further comprising differentially biasing the spacing component for urging apart one of the two pairs of complementary sockets, and for substantially simultaneously urging together a different one of the two ball-and-socket components. 
   
   
       19 : A method for positionally adjusting a sheet music support member of a detachable music stand within a spherical coordinate frame, the method comprising:
 on respective substantially rigid neck portions, projecting each of two part-spherical couplers from respective flange members;   coupling the flange member of one of the two part-spherical couplers to a suction cup clamp mechanism;   coupling the suction cup clamp mechanism to a substantially smooth surface of a stringed musical instrument;   coupling the flange member of a different one of the two part-spherical couplers to a sheet music support member;   in opposite ends of a substantially rigid spacing component, forming pairs of sockets complementary to respective ones of the two part-spherical couplers;   operating an adjustable clamping mechanism for forming respective rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components between the two part-spherical couplers and respective ones of the two pairs of complementary sockets;   spherically rotating one or both of the two part-spherical couplers within the two corresponding pairs of complementary sockets relative to the substantially rigid spacing component for spherically and rotationally adjusting a position and orientation of the sheet music support member relative to the suction cup clamp mechanism;   subsequently operating the adjustable clamping mechanism for immobilizing both of the two ball-and-socket components; and   supporting one or more sheets of music by the sheet music support member.   
   
   
       20 : The method of  claim 19 , further comprising operating the adjustable clamping mechanism for forming one of the rotationally and spherically rotatable ball-and-socket components between one of the two part-spherical couplers and the respective one of the two pairs of complementary sockets, and substantially simultaneously operating the adjustable clamping mechanism for immobilizing a different one of the two ball-and-socket components. 
   
   
       21 : The method of  claim 20 , further comprising forming each of the two part-spherical couplers of a resiliently deformable material having a substantially smooth part spherical outer surface; and
 wherein forming pairs of sockets complementary to respective ones of the two part-spherical couplers further comprises forming the two pairs of complementary sockets having substantially smooth and rigid concave interior surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the part spherical outer surface portion of a corresponding one of the resiliently deformable part-spherical couplers.   
   
   
       22 : The method of  claim 21 , further comprising coupling a resilient differential biasing mechanism between the opposite ends of the spacing component for differentially urging apart one of the two pairs of complementary sockets, and for substantially simultaneously urging together a different one of the two ball-and-socket components.