Mobile music entertainment systems
OwnerRay L. Wheeler, Walter E. Wilsoninventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system relating to improving the usefulness of one or more electronic pianos by providing a multifunctional outer housing. Such outer housing is assembled substantially from modular components, preferably adapted for rapid set-up and breakdown. The housings are designed to generally resemble traditional acoustic pianos. The system incorporates a number of hardware components including an onboard computer device adapted to query and display information contained within a music-related database. A method of commercial distribution is also disclosed.
Claims43
A system, related to enhancing the usefulness of at least one electronic piano, said system comprising:
- a) at least one appearance simulator structured and arranged to generally simulate the outer appearance of at least one stringed-acoustic grand piano;
- b) wherein said at least one appearance simulator comprises at least one housing structured and arranged to removably house the at least one electronic piano in at least one playable position;
- c) wherein said at least one housing comprises at least one assembly of mountable elements, each such mountable element being structured and arranged to be repeatably demountable from said at least one housing to assist compact stowage;
- d) wherein said at least one assembly of mountable elements comprises at least one outer side-panel structured and arranged to generally resemble at least one outer rim of the at least one stringed-acoustic grand piano;
- e) wherein said at least one outer side-panel is sufficiently flexible to repeatably form at least one compound curve;
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- f) wherein said at least one outer side-panel is sufficiently flexible to repeatably form a substantially flat plane after each such repeated demounting from said at least one appearance simulator.
A system related to enhancing the usefulness of at least one electronic piano, the at least one electronic piano comprising at least one keyboard portion and at least one non-keyboard portion, the at least one non-keyboard portion comprising at least one outer physical size, said system comprising:
- a) at least one housing structured and arranged to generally simulate the outer appearance of at least one upright stringed-acoustic piano;
- b) wherein said at least one housing comprises at least one assembly of mountable, interlocking elements collectively forming an upright piano cabinet shell, comprising a top panel, a bottom panel having a wheel cart, side panels, legs, upper and lower rear panels, upper and lower front panels, and a central enclosure sized for an electronic piano, each said mountable element structured and arranged to be repeatably demountable from said at least one housing to assist compact stowage;
- c) wherein said at least one assembly of mountable elements form:
- i) at least one supporting shelf structured and arranged to removably support the at least one electronic piano in at least one playable position, and
- ii) at least one concealer enclosure structured and arranged to substantially conceal the at least one non-keyboard portion of the at least one electronic piano during the support in the at least one playable position;
- iii) one or more auxiliary concealer enclosures housing auxiliary equipment supporting the function of the keyboard instrument in a musical performance, the auxiliary enclosures positioned above, below or behind the electronic piano enclosure;
- d) wherein said at least one concealer enclosure comprises at least one conformer shell structured and arranged to conform said at least one appearance simulator to the at least one outer physical size of the at least one non-keyboard portion;
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- e) wherein said at least one conformer shell comprises at least one structured and arranged to self adjust said at least one conformer to the at least one outer physical size of the at least one non-keyboard portion.
A system, related to enhancing the usefulness of at least one electronic piano, said system comprising:
- a) at least one cabinet structured and arranged to hold the at least one electronic piano;
- b) wherein said at least one cabinet comprises
- i) at least one interior compartment structured and arranged to internally house the at least one electronic piano therein;
- ii) at least one access opening structured and arranged to provide access to said at least one interior compartment, and
- iii) at least one support tray structured and arranged to support the at least one electronic piano within said at least one interior compartment;
- c) wherein said at least one support tray comprises at least one translational transporter structured and arranged to assist translational transport of said at least one support tray at least partially from within said at least one interior compartment;
- d) wherein said at least one support tray comprises at least one left cheek-panel structured and arranged to generally resemble at least one left cheek-portion of the at least one stringed-acoustic piano and at least one right cheek-panel structured and arranged to generally resemble at least one right cheek-portion of the at least one stringed-acoustic piano;
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- e) wherein said at least one access opening comprises at least one operable door structured and arranged to, when in a closed position, substantially conceal said at least one interior compartment.
A method related to the support of at least one at least one electronic piano within at least one piano-simulating assembly, the at least one piano-simulating assembly adapted to simulate the outer appearance of at least one upright stringed-acoustic piano, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing at least one cabinet, comprising at least one interior compartment, structured and arranged to house the at least one electronic piano therein;
- b) providing at least one lower body component structured and arranged to provide elevated support of the at least one cabinet;
- c) supportively stacking such at least one cabinet on such at least one lower body component;
- d) providing at least one upper body component structured and arranged to be supportable by such at least one cabinet;
- e) supportively stacking such at least one upper body component on such at least one cabinet;
- f) providing at least two leg members structured and arranged to visually simulate the leg members of the at least one upright stringed-acoustic piano;
- g) providing a plurality of mountable cover panels, each such mountable cover panel being structured and arranged to be repeatably demountable from at least one of such at least one cabinet, such at least one lower body component, and such at least one upper body component;
- h) mounting such plurality of mountable cover panels to such at least one cabinet, such at least one lower body component, and such at least one upper body component to produce such at least one piano-simulating assembly simulating the outer appearance of the at least one upright stringed-acoustic piano.
A system related to reducing damage to at least one musical piano by at least one spilled liquid comprising:
- a) at least one piano-type case structured and arranged to encase at least one sound-generating device;
- b) wherein said at least one piano-type case comprises at least one music shelf and at least one cheek panel;
- c) wherein said at least one music-shelf comprises at least one channel structured and arranged to collect the at least one spilled liquid;
- d) wherein said at least one cheek panel comprises at least one passage structured and arranged to pass the at least one spilled liquid from said at least one channel to a location outside said at least one piano-type case;
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- e) wherein said at least one channel is further structured and arranged to assist in Transferring the at least one spilled liquid to said at least one passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.