Quick release connector

Abstract

A quick release connector is provided that uses a plurality of the ball bearings to engage shaft of a releasable member. The use of multiple ball bearings along different faces of a shaft of a releasable member minimizes vibrations and provides an improved quick release connector adapted for use with microphones, boom arms, ball joints and similar structures used with sound recording or photography equipment.

1 . A quick release connector  10 , comprising:
 a receiving member  12  that has a bore  14  that is a through bore that extends in a longitudinal direction  22  from a first terminal end  24  of the receiving member  12  to a second terminal end  26  of the receiving member, wherein a slot  30  extends in the longitudinal direction and is defined through a portion of the receiving member  12  from an exterior surface  18  of the receiving member to the bore  14  of the receiving member, wherein the receiving member has a step  28  on the exterior surface  18 ;   an engagement member  30  attached to the receiving member  12  such that the engagement member  50  and the receiving member  12  do not move relative to one another, wherein the engagement member  50  has an inner surface  52  that has an inclined portion  56 ;   a slide member  90  that moves in the longitudinal direction relative to the receiving member  12  and the engagement member  50 , wherein the slide member  90  has a bore  92  that is a throughbore that extends in the longitudinal direction from a first terminal end  94  of the slide member  90  to a second terminal end  96  of the slide member  90 , wherein an aperture  102  is defined through a portion of the slide member  90  from an exterior surface  98  of the slide member to the bore of the slide member, wherein the slide member has a step  108  on an interior surface  100  of the slide member;   a ball  130  located in both the slot  30  and the aperture  102 , wherein the ball  130  engages the inclined portion  56  of the engagement member  50 ;   a spring  136  that engages the step  108  of the receiving member  12  and the step  108  of the slide member  90 ; and   a releasable member  140  that has a shaft  142  that is at least partially located within the bore  14  of the receiving member  12  when the shaft  142  is attached to the receiving member  12 , wherein when the shaft  142  is attached to the receiving member  12  when the ball  130  engages the shaft  142 .   
     
     
         2 . The quick release connector  10  as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the bore  14  of the receiving member  12  from the second terminal end  26  of the receiving member  12  to a location between the first and second terminal ends ( 24 ,  26 ) of the receiving member  12  in the longitudinal direction  22  has a hexagonal cross-sectional shape, wherein the shaft  142  of the releasable member  140  has a hexagonal cross-sectional shape such that six planar surfaces  144  make up an exterior surface  146  of the shaft  142 , wherein the six planar surfaces  144  of the shaft  142  are all flat and lack depressions thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a pin  170  located within the receiving member  12 , wherein a wobble projection  174  is located at a terminal end  172  of the pin  170 , wherein the longitudinal axis  20  of the receiving member  12  extends through the wobble projection  174 , wherein the shaft  142  of the releasable member  140  has a terminal end  156 , and defines a wobble projection aperture  158 , wherein the wobble projection  174  is located in the wobble projection aperture  158  when the shaft is attached to the receiving member. 
     
     
         4 . Wherein the engagement member has a plurality of rotational alignment members  72  that extend from the face in the longitudinal direction, wherein the dampener extends from one of the rotational alignment members to the other one of the rotational alignment members;
 wherein the releasable member  140  has a flange  148  that defines a plurality of rotational alignment member receiving apertures  152 , wherein the plurality of rotational alignment member receiving apertures  152  each receive one of the plurality of rotational alignment members  72  when the shaft  142  is attached to the receiving member  12 , and wherein the releasable member  140  has external threading  150  that engages a first component of a microphone stand  80 . 
 
     
     
         5 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member has a second slot  32  and a third slot  34  that each extend in the longitudinal direction and are defined through the portion of the receiving member from the exterior surface of the receiving member to the bore of the receiving member, wherein the first slot  30 , the second slot  32 , and the third slot  34  are located at different degrees about the longitudinal axis, wherein the receiving member has internal threading  36  that engages a second component of a microphone stand;
 wherein the slide member  90  has a second aperture  104  and a third aperture  106  that are each defined through the portion of the slide member  90  from the exterior surface of the slide member to the bore of the slide member, wherein the first aperture  12 , the second aperture  104 , and the third aperture  106  are located at different degrees about the longitudinal axis; 
 further comprising: 
 a second ball  132  located in both the second slot  32  and the second aperture  104 , wherein the second ball  134  engages the inclined portion  56  of the engagement member  50 ; and 
 a third ball  134  located in both the third slot  34  and the third aperture  106 , wherein the third ball  134  engages the inclined portion  56  of the engagement member  50 ; 
 wherein when the shaft  142  is attached to the receiving, member  12  the second ball  132  and the third ball  134  engage the shaft. 
 
     
     
         6 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the slide member is a tapered portion and directly faces the inclined portion of the inner surface of the engagement member, wherein the slide member has a gripping element  112  on an exterior surface of the slide member. 
     
     
         7 . A quick release connector, comprising:
 a receiving member  12  that has a longitudinal axis  20 , wherein the receiving member  12  has a bore  14  that extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein the receiving member has a slot  30  that extends in the longitudinal direction and is defined through a portion of the receiving member  12  from an exterior surface of the receiving member to the bore  14  of the receiving member  12 ;   a slide member  90  that moves relative to the receiving member  112  in the longitudinal direction between an attached position and a detached position;   a ball  130 , wherein at least a portion of the ball is located in the bore  14  of the receiving member and in the slot  30  of the receiving member  12  when the slide member  90  is in the attached position, wherein when the slide member  90  is in the detached position no portion of the ball  130  is located in the bore  14  of the receiving member  12 ; and   a releasable member  140  that is at least partially located in the bore  14  of the receiving member  12  and is engaged by the ball  130  when the slide member  90  is in the attached position, wherein when the slide member  90  is in the detached position the releasable member  140  is removable from the bore  14  of the receiving member  12 .   
     
     
         8 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the slide member  90  has a bore  92  that extends in the longitudinal direction, wherein the slide member  90  has an aperture  102  that is defined through a portion of the slide member from an exterior surface  98  of the slide member to the bore  92  of the slide member  90 , wherein a portion of the ball  130  is located in the aperture  102  when the slide member is in the attached position;
 further comprising an engagement member  50  that does not move relative to the receiving member  12 , wherein the engagement member  50  has an inner surface  52  that has an inclined portion  56 , wherein the ball  130  engages the inclined portion  56  of the inner surface  52  of the engagement member  50  when the slide member is in the attached position, and wherein the ball  130  does not engage the inclined portion  56  of the inner surface  52  of the engagement member  50  when the slide member is in the detached position. 
 
     
     
         9 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the slide member has a portion that is a tapered portion  110  and directly faces the inclined portion  56  of the inner surface  52  of the engagement member  50 , wherein the slide member has a gripping element  112  on an exterior surface of the slide member, wherein the slide member has a step  108  on an interior surface of the slide member;
 wherein the receiving member has a step  25  on the exterior surface of the receiving member; 
 and further comprising a spring  136  that engages the step  28  of the receiving member and that engages the step  108  of the slide member, wherein the spring is biased such that the biasing force of the spring urges the slide member to the attached position. 
 
     
     
         10 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising a pin  170  located within the receiving member  12 , wherein the pin  170  has a wobble projection  174 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the receiving member extends through the wobble projection  175 , wherein the releasable member  140  defines a wobble projection aperture  158 , wherein the wobble projection  174  is located in the wobble projection aperture when the releasable member is at least partially located in the bore of the receiving member and engaged by the ball when the slide member is in the actuated position. 
     
     
         11 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the wobble projection  175  is in the shape of a cone. 
     
     
         12 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the releasable member has a flange that defines two rotational alignment member receiving apertures, wherein the two rotational alignment member receiving apertures each receive one of the two rotational alignment members when the releasable member is at least partially located in the bore of the receiving member and is engaged by the ball when the slide member is in the attached position. 
     
     
         13 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the releasable member has external threading  150  that engages a first component of a microphone, and wherein the receiving member has internal threading  36  that engages a second component of a microphone stand. 
     
     
         14 . The quick release connector as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the receiving member has a second slot  32  and a third slot  34  that each extend in the longitudinal direction and are defined through the portion of the receiving member  12  from the exterior surface  18  of the receiving member to the bore of the receiving member, wherein the first slot, the second slot, and the third slot are located at different degrees about the longitudinal axis;
 wherein the slide member has a bore  92  that extends in, the longitudinal direction, wherein the slide member  90  has a first aperture  102 , a second aperture  104  and a third aperture  106  that are defined through a portion of the slide member from an exterior surface  98  of the slide member to the bore  92  of the slide member, wherein the first aperture, the second aperture, and the third aperture are located at different degrees about the longitudinal axis; 
 wherein the ball  130  is located in the first aperture  102  and the first slot  30  when the slide member is in the attached position; 
 further comprising: 
 a second ball  132  located in both the second slot  32  and the second aperture  104  when the slide member  90  is in the attached position; and 
 a third ball  134  located in both the third slot  34  and the third aperture  106  when the slide member is in the attached position; 
 wherein when the releasable member  140  is at least partially located in the bore  14  of the receiving member  12  and the slide member  90  is in the attached position the second ball  132  and the third ball  134  engage the releasable member  12 . 
 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An adjustable support for a music stand comprising:
 a leg, having a first end and a second end, the first end secured to a base of a music stand;   a rod carried within an interior of the leg and responsive to a spring positioned within a interior of the leg, a first end of the rod defining a pawl, the pawl in further communication with the base;   a release tab carried by the leg in further communication with the rod wherein displacement of the tab along axial direction toward the second leg end, biases the rod away from the base and toward the second end of leg and compressing the spring;   a multi-tooth ratchet housed within the base, are adapted for interengagement with the tooth pawl; and   wherein the release tab is displaced toward a second end of the leg, the tooth pawl disengages, from the ratchet, the leg therefore being positional from a first position to a second position and when the release tab is disengaged, the tooth pawl engages the ratchet thereby securing the leg in the second position.   
     
     
         21 . The adjustable support as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the leg may be adjusted from a position substantially perpendicular to a vertical axis of a music stand to a position substantially co-planar to the vertical axis of the music stand.