WO2022152421A1 - Device for holding a display for displaying notes or for holding sheet music - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (10) for holding a display (12) for displaying notes or for holding sheet music (13), comprising a supporting structure (14), a receiving portion (22), which can be fastened or is fastened to the supporting structure (14), for receiving a display (12) for displaying notes or for receiving sheet music (13), a main rechargeable battery (26) which can be fastened or is fastened to the supporting structure (14), at least one foot pedal (38) with a wirelessly operating transmitting and receiving unit (40) by way of which the foot pedal (38) can communicate with the display (12), and having a secondary rechargeable battery (42) for supplying electrical power to the transmitting and receiving unit (40), wherein the foot pedal (38), in a first position, can be connected to the main rechargeable battery (26) for charging the secondary rechargeable battery (42) and, in a second position, can be arranged at a distance from the supporting structure (14).

Description

Device for holding a display for showing sheet music or for holding sheet music

The present invention relates to a device for holding a display for showing music or for holding sheet music.

Such devices are colloquially referred to as music stands, music stands being used to hold sheets of music for making music. When using sheet music, the situation arises when making music that the sheet music has to be turned over regularly. The turning of pages is usually performed manually by the musicians themselves, who, however, have to interrupt the music for a certain amount of time because they have to take their hand off the instrument to turn the pages. This has a negative impact on the quality of a concert in particular. An assistant can also turn the pages, but this entails an increased personnel effort and is therefore only practicable in exceptional cases.

With increasing digitization, sheet music is being replaced by displays, particularly tablet computers, which are able to display sheet music in the same way as sheet music. Similar to sheet music, the displays are held by suitably designed music stands. However , the situation also arises here that you have to turn the pages from one page to the next . The disadvantages of this situation described above apply equally to displays, but displays can be remote-controlled with appropriate devices, which are designed in particular as foot switches. The musician has to hold his hand not take away from the musical instrument and can make music almost without interruption. Such a music stand is known from WO 2019/178804 A1, in which two foot switches are integrated in two of the three legs of the music stand, with which the pages on a display can be scrolled forward or backward. In addition, the music stand has an integrated accumulator with which the footswitches can be supplied with electrical energy. However, the disadvantage of this music stand is that the footswitches are permanently installed in the music stand. Music stands of this type are suitable for musicians who play a musical instrument that can be operated while standing. But there are also musical instruments that can only be played while sitting. In this case, the footswitch is very difficult to reach with your foot. Irrespective of whether the musical instrument is played standing up or sitting down, the following situation occurs, especially in an orchestra that plays on a comparatively small stage: Due to the spatial confinement, the musicians are close together or on different platforms. In some cases, the music stand must be placed one level below the musician's sitting position. As a result, the way to the foot switch can be blocked or no longer accessible by the musical instrument of a neighboring musician, so that the music stand disclosed in WO 2019/178804 A1 cannot be used or can only be used to a very limited extent.

US Pat. No. 9,035,165 B2 discloses a foot switch that can be wirelessly coupled to a display independently of the music stand. As a result, the foot switch can be positioned in such a way that the musician can operate it comfortably and without obstacles. However, this foot switch is an additional device that has to be transported to the music halls in which the concert is taking place. It can therefore get lost quickly. In addition, it must be ensured that the accumulator of the foot switch is sufficiently charged, otherwise the communication between the foot switch and the display will be interrupted. If this happens during a concert, it can put the musician in a very awkward situation.

Further remote controls with which the pages on a display can be scrolled forward or backward are disclosed in US 2019/0385474 A1, DE 10 2006 051 009 A1, US 10 424 216 B2 and US 7 041 890 B1. but they also do not remedy the situation described above.

The object of one embodiment of the present invention is to propose a device for holding a display for showing notes or for holding sheet music, with which it is possible with simple and inexpensive means, regardless of the way in which a musical instrument is operated and to be able to reliably scroll forwards and backwards through the pages on a display, regardless of the space available around the musicians.

This object is achieved with the features specified in claim 1 . Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

An embodiment of the invention relates to a device for holding a display for showing sheet music or for holding sheet music, comprising

- a supporting structure,

- a receiving section that can be fastened or is fastened to the supporting structure for receiving a display for showing sheet music or for receiving sheet music, - a main accumulator that can be fastened or attached to the supporting structure, and at least one foot switch o with a wireless transmitting and receiving unit, with which the foot switch can communicate with the display, and o with an auxiliary accumulator for supplying the transmitting and Receiving unit with electrical energy, wherein the foot switch o can be connected to the main battery in a first position for charging the secondary battery and o can be arranged in a second position spaced from the support structure.

The transmitting and receiving unit is used in particular for communication between the foot switch and the display. Communication via Bluetooth is an option here, although other wireless communication paths such as infrared or the like can also be used. A foot switch could be understood in particular as a switch which can be actuated with the foot, but this does not rule out that it can also be actuated with the hand or other parts of the body.

In the first position, on the one hand, the foot switch is connected to the accumulator, for example by means of an electrical cable, as a result of which a mechanical connection to the device is established. This connection can be designed in such a way that the mechanical connection cannot be released during transport, for which purpose the connection is designed, for example, with union nuts or with a sliding or plug-in connection. can be equipped, which interact with a corresponding external thread. The probability that the foot switch will be lost during transport is significantly reduced compared to the foot switch disclosed in US Pat. No. 9,035,165 B2. On the other hand, the auxiliary accumulator of the foot switch is charged by the main accumulator in the connected state, ie in particular during transport, so that the auxiliary accumulator is fully charged at the beginning of the concert. The probability that the communication between the foot switch and the display will be interrupted during the concert due to an empty secondary battery is significantly reduced compared to the foot switch disclosed in US Pat. No. 9,035,165 B2, for example.

The receiving section does not have to be permanently connected to the supporting structure, but can be exchanged for another receiving section if this should be necessary or advantageous for whatever reason. The main accumulator also does not have to be permanently mounted in the housing, but can be detachable from the housing, which can be advantageous in particular because of the usually limited holding time of accumulators.

According to a further embodiment, the main accumulator can be arranged in a housing, with the foot switch for charging the secondary accumulator being detachably connectable to the housing. If the foot switch is connected to the housing, it is in the first position, in which the secondary battery can be charged. Receptacles can be provided on the housing with which the foot switch can be fastened quickly and securely to the housing, for example positively acting receptacles in the manner of a dovetail connection. The foot switch has in particular Transport its designated place so that the probability of getting lost is kept low.

In a further developed embodiment, the secondary battery can be charged inductively from the main battery. Inductive charging has the advantage that no mechanical contact can be made between the main battery and the secondary battery. As a result, the receptacle for attaching the secondary battery to the housing can be kept structurally simple.

In a further developed embodiment, the foot switch can be detachably fastened to the housing by means of a magnetic connection. In this embodiment, the foot switch can be connected to and removed from the housing very easily and quickly.

In a further embodiment, the housing can form part of the receiving section. For example, the housing can act as a support or backrest for the sheet music or for the display. Additional supports for the sheet music or for the display can be omitted, which means that material and weight can be saved.

A further developed embodiment can be characterized in that length-adjustable holding arms for holding the display or the sheet music are attached to the housing. The present device is primarily intended to display notes by means of a display. However, the possibility of displaying the notes with sheet music should not be dispensed with. However, the dimensions of sheet music sometimes differ significantly from the dimensions of the displays. The dimensions of displays can also differ significantly from one another. With the length-adjustable holding arms, you can react flexibly to the different dimensions, so that an optimal hold can be guaranteed regardless of the display used or regardless of the sheet music used. When transporting the device, the holding arms can be retracted, which keeps the space requirement to a minimum. In addition, this reduces the likelihood that the holding arms will be damaged during transport.

According to a further embodiment, pivotable support rails for placing the display or the sheet music can be attached to the housing. The support bar can also be pivoted for transport into a position in which it requires little space and in which it cannot be damaged.

In a further embodiment, it may be advisable for the holding arms and/or the support bar to be provided with a number of light sources, which can be supplied with electrical energy from the main battery. As already mentioned, not only displays, but also sheet music for displaying the notes should be able to be used with the present device. However, sheet music does not have its own lighting, so that it can happen, particularly in poor lighting conditions, that the sheet music can only be read with difficulty by the musicians concerned. A remedy for this situation can be created with the light sources. But even with displays, reading can be made more difficult in unfavorable lighting conditions, so that the light sources can also be used to advantage when using displays. It makes sense that Perform light sources as LEDs, the light they emit can be changeable in brightness and color.

In a further embodiment, one or more connections for the transmission of data and/or electrical energy can be arranged in the housing. The connections can be in the form of USB connections, for example, and can be connected to the main battery. With the connections, for example, the display can be supplied with electrical energy from the main accumulator. The light sources already mentioned can also be supplied with electrical energy using the connections from the main accumulator. The connectors can also be used to connect the main battery to an outlet for charging.

In a further embodiment, a display unit for displaying the state of charge of the main battery can be arranged on the housing. The display unit can include an LED, which lights up red, for example, when the main battery has been discharged below a specific value. As a result, the musician in question receives a message that the main accumulator should be recharged. However, the display unit can also have a number of LEDs which at least approximately quantify the current state of charge. For example, five LEDs can be provided, all of which light up when the battery is fully charged. As the discharge increases, correspondingly fewer LEDs light up. The musician can thus estimate whether the device can still be operated without problems for a concert or whether the main accumulator has to be charged. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a proposed device for holding a display for showing sheet music or for holding sheet music based on a perspective front view in a position of use,

FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 using a perspective rear view, also in the position of use,

FIG. 3 shows the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 using a perspective front view in a transport position, and

FIG. 4 shows the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 using a perspective rear view, also in the transport position.

Various views of a device 10 according to the invention for holding a display 12 for showing notes or for holding sheets of music 13 are shown in FIGS. Unless otherwise described, the following statements relate to all of FIGS. 1 to 4.

The device 10 has a support structure 14 which, in the illustrated embodiments, comprises a central support 16 which is formed by a plurality of telescoping tubular bodies 18 . The length of the central support 16 can therefore be adjusted. In relation to the position of use, three legs 20 are fastened to the lower end of the support 16 with which the device 10 is set down on a base. The three legs 20 support the carrier 16 in such a way that it stands without further elements. However, supports other than the three legs 20 for the carrier 16 are also conceivable, for example a plate-shaped stand.

At the upper end of the carrier 16 in relation to the position of use, a receiving section 22 is connected to the carrier 16, with which a display 12 or a number of sheets of music 13 can be received. The display 12 or the sheet music 13 is indicated in FIG. 1 with dashed lines. A part of the receiving section 22 is formed by a housing 24 which encloses a main accumulator 26 which is also indicated in FIG. 1 by means of a dashed line. Furthermore, the receiving section 22 includes two support rails 28 which are rotatably attached to the housing 24 . A plurality of light sources 30 are arranged in the support strips 28 . In addition, the receiving section 22 has two length-adjustable holding arms 32 which are pulled out of the housing 24 laterally and which can also be equipped with light sources 30 (not shown).

Two connections 34 are provided on the housing 24, which in the example shown are in the form of USB connections. Furthermore, a display unit 36 is attached to the housing 24, with which the current state of charge of the main battery 26 can be displayed visually. The display unit 36 can be designed in such a way that it can also display other variables in addition to the current state of charge. For example, a Tempo specification for the notes shown on the display 12 are displayed, so that the display unit 36 takes over the function of a metronome. In addition, the display unit 36 can display the currently played tone optically, so that the display unit 26 can be used as a tuner. Additional functions can be integrated into the display unit 36 . The display unit 36 can have corresponding keys in order to be able to switch from one function to another.

In addition, the device 10 is equipped with a foot switch 38, which has a transmitting and receiving unit 40 and an auxiliary battery 42, the auxiliary battery 42 serving to supply the transmitting and receiving unit 40 with electrical energy.

The device 10 is operated in the following manner: In FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 10 is in a position of use. In the position of use, the device 10 with the three legs 20 is set down on a base (not shown), for example on the floor of a stage. Furthermore, the two support rails 28 are placed in a horizontal position and the two holding arms 32 are pulled out of the housing 24 . A display 12 , in particular a tablet computer, or sheets of music 13 can be placed on the support rail 28 . The holding arms 32 can be adapted to the lateral extension of the display 12 or the sheet music 13 so that they are supported by the holding arms over their entire width, whereby the display 12 or the sheet music 13 is prevented from falling off the receiving section 22 . As mentioned, the housing 24 forms part of the receiving section 22, which is reflected in the fact that the display 12 or the sheet music 13 lean against the housing 24 when they are placed on the support rail 28. In the event that a display 12 is placed on the receiving section 22, it can be connected to the main accumulator 26 via one of the USB connections 34 already mentioned, in order to supply the display 12 with electrical energy.

The foot switch 38 is placed on a surface which, in most cases, is the same surface as the surface on which the three legs 20 of the support structure 14 are placed. The transmitting and receiving unit 40 of the foot switch 38 can be Bluetooth-enabled, for example, so that the foot switch 38 can be coupled wirelessly to the display 12 . The position of the foot switch 38 relative to the display 12 and the support structure 14 can be chosen freely and is essentially only limited by the range of the transmitting and receiving unit 40 to the display 12 . The position in which the foot switch 38 is arranged at a distance from the support structure 14 is referred to as the second position.

As soon as the foot switch 38 and the display 12 are coupled to one another, the pages on the display 12, which in particular show notes, can be scrolled back and forth by a musician. The musician can now start playing the music. The distinction as to whether to scroll forward from one page to the next or to scroll back to the previous page can be made, for example, via the length of time the musician keeps the foot switch 38 pressed with his foot. Alternatively, scrolling forward can be carried out when the foot switch 38 is pressed at the front end, seen from the musician's point of view. Correspondingly, a page back can be performed when the foot switch 38 at the rear end is pressed. Also it is It is conceivable to design the foot switch 38 in the manner of a rocker switch, which is aligned in such a way that pressing the left end causes backward scrolling and pressing the right end causes forward scrolling.

In addition, it is also possible to couple two foot switches 38 to the display 12, with the first foot switch 38 being used to page forward and the second foot switch 38 being used to page back (not shown).

Depending on the prevailing lighting conditions, the light sources 30 can be switched on. The color and the brightness of the emitted light can be adjustable, so that the musician can achieve an illumination of the display 12 that is comfortable for him. At this point it should be noted that the device 10 can also be used with sheet music 13 . The musician can take the sheet music 13 with him to the concert as a backup and replace the display 12 with the sheet music 13 in the event that the display 12 fails or the communication between the foot switch 38 and the display 12 is interrupted. In contrast to the display 12 , sheet music 13 does not have its own lighting, so that the light sources 30 are of greater importance when using sheet music 13 . The light sources 30 are also supplied with electrical energy from the main accumulator 26 . For this purpose, electrical lines laid inside the support strip 28 can be provided. Alternatively, the connections 34 can be used to provide the power supply for the light sources 30, for which purpose the electrical lines are connected to a plug designed to correspond to the connections 34 (not shown). After the concert is over, the footswitch 38 is uncoupled from the display 12 . In addition, the display 12 is removed from the receiving section 22, the light sources 30 are switched off, the support strips 28 are placed in a vertical position and the two holding arms 32 are pushed into the housing 24, as can be seen in particular from FIG.

The foot switch 38 is then connected to the housing 24, as can be seen clearly in FIG. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the foot switch 38 is connected to the housing 24 by means of a magnetic connection 44, although other types of connection, for example by means of a positive connection, are also conceivable, but these are not shown. If foot switch 38 is connected to housing 24, as shown in FIG. The device 10 is now in a transport position. It is not shown that the tubular bodies 18 are pushed into one another. Also not shown is the option whereby the three legs 20 can be placed in a position in which they are substantially parallel to the beam 16 . These measures serve the purpose of minimizing the space requirement of the device 10 in the transport position as much as possible.

As mentioned, the device 10 has a display unit 36 arranged on the housing 24 with which the state of charge of the main battery 26 can be displayed. Also using the connectors 34, the main battery 26 can be connected to an outlet and charged. In the first position, the secondary accumulator 42 is fully charged. Since the device is usually significantly longer in the transport position than in the position of use, there is enough time to fully charge the secondary battery 42 until the next concert, thereby reducing the likelihood that the communication between the foot switch 38 and the display 12 during a Concert is interrupted due to an empty secondary accumulator 42 is kept low.

reference character list

10 device

12 displays

13 sheet music

14 supporting structure

16 carriers

18 tubular body

20 leg

22 recording section

24 housing

26 main accumulator

28 support bar

30 light source

32 holding arm

34 connection

36 display unit

38 footswitch

40 transmitting and receiving unit

42 auxiliary accumulator

44 magnet connection

Claims

patent claims First device (10) for holding a display (12) for displaying notes or for holding sheets of music (13), comprising - a supporting structure (14), - a receiving section (22) that can be fastened or is fastened to the support structure (14) for receiving a display (12) for showing notes or for receiving sheet music (13), - A main accumulator (26) which can be fastened or is fastened to the supporting structure (14), at least one foot switch (38) o with a wireless transmitting and receiving unit (40), with which the foot switch (38) with the display (12) can communicate, and o with an auxiliary battery (42) for supplying the transmitting and receiving unit (40) with electrical energy, the foot switch (38) o in a first position for charging the auxiliary battery (42) with the main - The accumulator (26) can be connected and o can be arranged in a second position at a distance from the supporting structure (14). 2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the main accumulator (26) is arranged in a housing (24), the foot switch (38) for loading the secondary accumulator (42) detachable with the housing (24) is connectable. 3. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the secondary battery (42) can be charged inductively by the main battery (26). Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foot switch (38) can be detachably fastened to the housing (24) by means of a magnetic connection (44). Device (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the housing (24) forms part of the receiving section (22). Device (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that length-adjustable holding arms (32) for holding the display (12) or the sheet music (13) are fastened to the housing (24). Device (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that pivotable support rails (28) for placing the display (12) or the sheet music (13) are fastened to the housing (24). Device (10) according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the holding arms (32) and / or the support bar (28) are provided with a number of light sources (30), which from the main battery (26) with electrical Energy can be supplied. Device (10) according to one of Claims 2 or 8, characterized in that one or more connections (34) for transmitting data and/or electrical energy are arranged in the housing (24). 19 device (10) according to any one of claims 2 or 9, characterized in that a display unit (36) for displaying the state of charge of the main battery (26) is arranged on the housing (24).