US 5,664,758 A · Extendable monopod strut device for musical instrument

Abstract

An extendable strut device supports a reed woodwind musical instrument, such as an oboe, clarinet, English horn or straight saxophone, to substantially relieve the weight on the musician's thumb and hand, thereby avoiding muscle fatigue and strain and repetitive motion injuries, without limiting the position, flexibility or maneuverability of the instrument and without inducing other unnatural or restrictive posture or feel requirements in the instrument. The strut device comprises an attachment component having a connection mechanism adapted to connect pivotally to the thumbrest without interfering with the conventional placement and position of the musician's thumb on the thumbrest, and an elongated monopod component having an upper end connected to the attachment component and having a lower opposite end adapted to contact the seating facility upon which the musician is seated while playing the instrument. A method of supporting the instrument using the strut device is also described in which the length of the monopod component is adjusted.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A strut device for supporting a reed woodwind musical instrument at a thumbrest of the instrument and from a seating facility upon which a musician is seated while playing the instrument and supporting the instrument by conventionally positioning the musician's thumb against a lower surface of the thumbrest, the strut device comprising:

an attachment component having a connection mechanism adapted to releasably attach the attachment component to the thumbrest of the reed woodwind musical instrument, said attachment component having a portion adapted to extend away from the thumbrest when releasably attached to avoid interfering with the placement and position of the musician's thumb on the lower surface of the thumbrest while playing the instrument;
and
an elongated monopod component having an upper end connected to the attachment component and having a lower opposite end adapted to contact the seating facility upon which the musician is seated while playing the instrument.

A strut device for supporting a reed woodwind musical instrument at a thumbrest of the instrument and from a seating facility upon which a musician is seated while playing the instrument, comprising:

an attachment component having a connection mechanism adapted to connect pivotally to the thumbrest without interfering with the conventional placement and position of the musician's thumb on the thumbrest;
an elongated monopod component having an upper end connected to the attachment component and having a lower opposite end adapted to contact the seating facility upon which the musician is seated while playing the instrument;
the monopod component is selectively adjustable in length and includes a fine adjustment segment and a coarse adjustment segment;
the fine adjustment segment of the monopod component further comprises:
a rod having a plurality of serrations formed longitudinally therealong, the rod connecting to the attachment component, and
a rod retention mechanism which contacts the serrations at a selected location to hold the rod at a selected extended position;
the monopod component further comprises a hollow tubing section into which the rod is collapsed and from which the rod is selectively extended;
the rod retention mechanism moves within the hollow tubing section;
the rod retention mechanism includes a retraction spring located within the hollow tubing section when the rod is collapsed into the hollow tubing section;
and
the retraction spring interacts with the hollow tubing section when the rod is extended to prevent the rod from retracting into the hollow tubing section.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Extendable monopod strut device for musical instrument

Life of this patent

Extendable monopod strut device for musical instrument

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31