Patent Application
20220218103
The present disclosure relates to flute lyres.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Lyres are commonly employed by users playing musical instruments such as flutes, trumpets, clarinets, etc. This allows users to read music and play their instruments while marching in a parade, marching on a football field, performing in stands, etc. Conventional lyres typically include spring clamps for holding sheet music, and one or more rods for securing the lyres to musical instruments. Alternatively, some conventional lyres such as flute lyres may be secured to or held in place by a user. For example, some conventional flute lyres wrap around a forearm region of the user.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a flute lyre positionable on a user is disclosed. The flute lyre includes a music holder configured to receive at least one piece of sheet music, and a body attached to the music holder. The body includes a neck member, a support member, and an arm member. The neck member is configured to extend about and contact a posterior side of a neck of the user when the flute lyre is positioned on the user. The support member includes a base support and a music holder support extending between the base support and the music holder. The base support is configured to contact an anterior side of a torso of the user when the flute lyre is positioned on the user. The music holder support is positioned on an exterior side of an arm of the user when the flute lyre is positioned on the user and the user holds the flute in a playing position. The arm member extends between the neck member and the support member. The arm member is positioned between the user's arm and the anterior side of the user's torso for contacting the user's arm when the flute lyre is positioned on the user and the user holds the flute in the playing position.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of forming a flute lyre from one continuous piece of wire is disclosed. The flute lyre is positionable on a user for allowing the user to read a piece of sheet music when the user holds a flute in a playing position. The method includes bending an intermediate portion of the wire into a triangle configuration to form a base support configured to contact an anterior side of a torso of the user when the flute lyre is positioned on the user, twisting the wire at an apex of the triangle configuration to form an arm member extending in a first direction and a music holder support extending in a second direction, bending the wire into a looped configuration to form a neck member extending from the arm member, and attaching a music holder to the music holder support at an end of the wire. The neck member is configured to extend about and contact a posterior side of a neck of the user when the flute lyre is positioned on the user.
Further aspects and areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that various aspects of this disclosure may be implemented individually or in combination with one or more other aspects. It should also be understood that the description and specific examples herein are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts and/or features throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Flute lyres are commonly employed by flute and piccolo players to allow the players to read music and play their instruments while marching in a parade, marching on a football field, performing in stands, etc. As recognized by the inventor, conventional flute lyres are typically unstable and tend to bounce when the players move. Such movement of a flute lyre relative to the player may cause a flute or piccolo player to have difficulties reading music, and in some cases, prevent the flute or piccolo player from reading music.
Uniquely, flute lyres disclosed herein provide stability when a player moves. For example, when the player moves (e.g., marches, turns, etc.), the flute lyres disclosed herein remain stable against the player's body without the lyres bouncing as with conventional flute lyres. This allows the player to read music and play a flute (including a piccolo) while marching in a parade, marching on a football field, performing in stands, etc.
For example, a flute lyre according to one example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in
The flute lyre 100 is positionable on a user (e.g., a flute player) for allowing the user to read a piece of sheet music when the user holds a flute in a playing position. In such examples, various components of the lyre 100 are positioned in specific locations on the user's body. For example,
In the example of
As shown in
By extending in different directions, the music holder support 114 and the arm member 110 define an opening therebetween for receiving the user's left arm 406. For example, the music holder support 114 is positioned on an exterior side of the user's left arm 406, and the arm member 110 is positioned between the user's left arm 406 and an anterior side (e.g., a front side, etc.) of the user's torso 404. In such examples, a forearm of the user's left arm 406 is positioned (e.g., in the opening) between the music holder support 114 and the arm member 110. In other words, the user's left arm 406 extends through the “V” created with the music holder support 114 and the arm member 110 when the lyre 100 is positioned on the user 400 and the user 400 holds the flute 410 in a playing position.
In the example of
As shown in
In such examples, the user 400 may apply a downward force to the arm member 110 with the left arm 406. For example, to apply the downward force, the user 400 may simply rest the left arm 406 on the arm member 110, physically push downward on the arm member 110 with the left arm 406, etc. In some examples, the downward force may also be applied (at least partially) to the music holder support 114. When the downward force is applied to the arm member 110, the neck member 106 is forced against the posterior side of the user's neck 402 and base support 112 is forced against the anterior side of the user's torso 404 (e.g., the user's abdomen region, chest region, etc. of the user 400). This ensures the flute lyre 100 is stabilized against the user 400 and prevents substantial movement of the lyre 100 relative to the user 400.
In the example of
As shown in
In some examples, the base segment 116 of the exemplary triangular-shaped support may be curved as shown in
The triangular-shaped support may be any suitable size. For example, the base segment 116 may have a length of about six inches. In other examples, the base segment 116 may be longer or shorter depending on, for example, the size and shape of the user 400. In some examples, increasing the length of the base segment 116 may create a larger contact region between the base segment 116 and the user's torso 404. As a result, stability may be increased.
Additionally, the triangular-shaped support may have any suitable configuration. For example, the triangular-shaped support may have an equilateral configuration where the segments 116, 118, 120 are generally the same length. In other examples, the triangular-shaped support may have an isosceles configuration, where the segments 118, 120 are longer than the base segment 116.
As shown in
In the example of
Additionally, and as shown in
In some embodiments, the flute lyre 100 may be adjustable to accommodate different users. For example, any one (or more) of the neck member 106, the support member 108, and/or the arm member 110 may be adjusted to change a position of the music holder 102 relative to a user (e.g., the user 400). For instance, the position of the music holder 102 (and therefore the sheet music secured by the music holder 102) may be adjusted relative to the user. In such examples, the height of the music holder 102, the distance between the music holder 102 and the user's eyes, etc. may be adjusted by altering portions of the neck member 106, the music holder support 114, the arm member 110, and/or the base support 112.
Adjustments may be made by bending the neck member 106, the music holder support 114, the arm member 110, and/or the base support 112. For example, bending the music holder support 114 and/or the arm member 110 may change the angle between these components, thereby adjusting the height of the music holder 102 and the distance between the music holder 102 and the user's eyes. In other examples, the lengths of the neck member 106, the music holder support 114, and/or the base support 112 may be altered to adjust the position of the music holder 102. For example, decreasing (or increasing) the length of the arm member 110 raises (or lowers) the music holder 102.
As shown, the music holder 102 is attached to the music holder support 114 of the body 104. For example, the music holder 102 may be securely fastened to the music holder support 114 by any suitable manner. For instance, the music holder 102 may be brazed, soldered, welded, etc. to the music holder support 114.
The music holder 102 may be any suitable device for holding sheet music. For example, the music holder 102 may include a conventional spring clamp for holding sheet music.
In some embodiments, any one of the flute lyres disclosed herein may include an optional strap for securing the lyre to a user. For example,
In the example of
In some examples, the strap 724 may include two segments coupled together via a release structure. For example, the user may actuate the release structure to separate the two segments and/or connect the two segments of the strap 724. This may allow the user to easily secure the strap 724 to the user's body and/or release the strap 724 from the user's body. In such examples, the opposing ends 726, 728 of the strap 724 may be permanently or removably attached to the base support 112.
In other examples, the end 726 of the strap 724 may be permanently attached to the base support 112 and the end 728 of the strap 724 may be removably attached to the base support 112 via fasteners. In such examples, the user 400 may secure and/or release the strap 724 by actuating the fasteners.
In some examples, the strap 724 may be adjustable to accommodate different users. For example, the strap 724 may include an adjustment structure that allows the user to adjust the length of the strap 724.
Additionally, any one of the flute lyres disclosed herein may include one or more optional pads attached to at least portions of the neck members, the base supports, and/or the arm members disclosed herein. The pads may include any suitable material such as, for example, yarn, foam, rubber, etc. The pads may be wound about, adhered to, surrounding, etc. portions of the lyre as desired.
For example,
As shown in
In various embodiments, the flute lyre 900 of
In other examples, the flute lyre 900 of
The flute lyres disclosed herein may be formed by any suitable method. In the exemplary methods explained below, various steps may be employed to construct nearly the entire flute lyre 100 of
For example, a flute lyre (e.g., the flute lyre 100 of
The method of constructing the flute lyre includes bending an intermediate portion of the wire into a triangle configuration to form a base support (e.g., the base support 112 of
The method further includes twisting the wire at an apex of the triangle configuration to form an arm member (e.g., the arm member 110 of
Additionally, in some examples, the method may include bending the wire to form a “V” configuration with the arm member and the music holder support. In such examples, the music holder support and the arm member may be separated by an angle of about 75 degrees, about 90 degrees, about 115 degrees, etc. This allows a user's arm to extend through an opening in the “V” configuration (e.g., between the arm member and the music holder support) when the lyre is positioned on the user, as explained herein.
The method further includes bending the wire into a looped configuration to form a neck member (e.g., the neck member 106 of
In some examples, the second end of the wire may be bent to form a curl (e.g., the curl 122 of
The method further includes attaching a music holder (e.g., the music holder 102 of
In some examples, the method may further include attaching a strap (e.g., the strap 724 of
Additionally, the method may further include attaching one or more pad to at least a portion of the neck member, the base support, and/or the arm member. In such examples, the pads (e.g., the pads 830, 832, 834 of
As used herein, a flute is a musical instrument including at least two openings and that is held by user. When played, the flute produces sound from a flow of air moving across one of the openings (e.g., adjacent to the user's mouth). The flute may be about 26 inches in length. As used herein, the term flute includes traditional flutes and piccolos.
Additionally, a playing position as used herein refers to the conventional posture of a user that allows the user to play a flute (including a piccolo). This conventional posture may be taken when the user is playing the flute, before the user plays the flute, and after the user plays the flute. The conventional posture includes positioning the user's left hand on a portion of the flute adjacent (e.g., proximal) to the user's mouth, and positioning the user's right hand on another portion of the flute distal to the user's mouth. When the flute is held, the user's left and right arms form roughly 90 degree angles, the user's left palm faces the user's body, and the user's right palm faces away from the user's body.
By employing the teachings disclosed herein, the flute lyres may remain stable during movements of the user's body. For example, when the user moves (e.g., marches, turns, etc.), the flute lyres remain stable against the user's body without the lyres bouncing as with conventional flute lyres. Additionally, the flute lyres may be formed of one continuous piece of material (e.g., steel wire, etc.), adjustable to accommodate users of different shapes and sizes, durable, and easy to use.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/205,803, filed Jan. 8, 2021. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63205803 | Jan 2021 | US |
