초록 ▼

The inventive technology, in embodiments, relates variously to item support apparatus that offer one or more of a variety of operational benefits, including but not limited to independently operable force enhancers whereby various retention forces may be enhanced independently of one another, and si

The inventive technology, in embodiments, relates variously to item support apparatus that offer one or more of a variety of operational benefits, including but not limited to independently operable force enhancers whereby various retention forces may be enhanced independently of one another, and side-assembly. The inventive technology presents, generally, two different types of apparatus—one featuring a ball having a passage through which an item support rack member (e.g., a drum rack member) may be slidingly passed, and a second featuring a ball without a passageway therethrough.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An adjustable support apparatus comprising: a ball having a passage therethrough,an item support rack member having a longitudinal axis and established through said passage;a housing that itself comprises ball compression surfaces adapted to apply a ball retention force to said ball, wherein said

1. An adjustable support apparatus comprising: a ball having a passage therethrough,an item support rack member having a longitudinal axis and established through said passage;a housing that itself comprises ball compression surfaces adapted to apply a ball retention force to said ball, wherein said ball retention force, when applied to said ball, immobilizes said ball relative to said housing;wherein disapplication of said ball retention force causes said apparatus to be in a rack member release configuration, and when said apparatus is in said rack member release configuration said ball may be slidably moved relative to said item support rack member, along said longitudinal axis;item support arm compression surfaces adapted to apply an item support arm retention force to an item support arm;a ball retention force enhancer adapted to enhance said ball retention force without enhancing said item support arm retention force; andan item support arm retention force enhancer adapted to enhance said item support arm retention force without enhancing said ball retention force,wherein said ball is adapted to be side-assemblable onto said item support rack member,wherein said housing moves through space during said longitudinal axial motion of said ball relative to said item support rack member when said apparatus is simultaneously in:said rack member release configuration, anda item support arm lock configuration. 2. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises said item support arm compression surfaces. 3. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said item support arm compression surfaces are part of a separate module that is securable to and positionally adjustable relative to said housing. 4. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said item support arm is extendable along an item support arm axis during said item support release configuration. 5. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said item support arm is rotatable about an item support arm axis during said item support release configuration. 6. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said ball retention force enhancer is pivotally established relative to said housing. 7. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a spatial shaft into which at least part of said ball retention force enhancer may settle. 8. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said spatial shaft comprises at least one ridge configured so as to enable a threshold snapping of the ball retention force enhancer into a position from which a ball retention force can be enhanced. 9. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said ball is adapted to snap onto the item support rack member upon application of a threshold force. 10. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said ball is openable along a ball hinge so as to allow establishment of the ball onto the item support rack member without requiring it be slid over an end of the item support rack member. 11. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said inner surfaces of said ball conform to outer surfaces of said item support rack member. 12. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 further comprising a bias clip adapted to keep the ball on the item support rack member when the housing is removed from the item support rack member. 13. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein ball is separable from the rack member and the housing. 14. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said ball retention force enhancer and said item support arm retention force enhancer are distinct and different parts. 15. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said adjustable support apparatus is a percussion instrument support apparatus. 16. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said apparatus allows rotational movement of the housing relative to the ball without necessarily also simultaneously allowing motion of the housing relative to the rack member. 17. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said ball retention force enhancer applies said ball retention force in a direction that is orthogonal to that direction in which said item support arm retention force enhancer applies said item support arm retention force. 18. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises a hinge. 19. An adjustable support apparatus comprising: a ball having a passage therethrough,a housing that itself comprises ball compression surfaces adapted to apply a ball retention force to the outer surface of said ball;wherein, when said apparatus is in a rack member release configuration, said ball and said housing move together, through space, along a longitudinal axis of an item support rack member established through said passage and by equal lengths along said longitudinal axis,said apparatus further comprising:item support arm compression surfaces adapted to apply an item support arm retention force to an item support arm;item support rack member compression surfaces of said ball adapted to apply an item support rack member retention force to said item support rack member;a ball retention force enhancer adapted to simultaneously enhance said ball retention force and said item support rack member retention force without enhancing said item support arm retention force; andan item support arm retention force enhancer adapted to enhance said item support arm retention force without enhancing said ball retention force,wherein said ball is adapted to be side-assemblable onto said item support rack member. 20. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 19 wherein said item support arm retention force enhancer enhances said item support arm retention force without enhancing said ball retention force. 21. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 19 wherein said ball retention force enhancer is pivotally established relative to said housing. 22. An adjustable support apparatus that comprises: a ball;an item support arm extending from said ball;a housing established at least partially around the ball and that itself comprises:ball compression surfaces adapted to apply a ball retention force to the ball; anditem support rack member compression surfaces adapted to apply an item support rack member retention force to an item support rack member;a single retention force enhancer adapted to enhance said item support rack member retention force and said ball retention force;wherein said housing is adapted to be side-assemblable onto said item support rack member and onto said ball, wherein, during adjustment of said adjustable support apparatus, and when said apparatus is in an item support rack member release configuration and an item support arm release configuration, said item support arm is movable, said ball is movable along a longitudinal axis defined by said item support rack member, and said item support rack member is immovable. 23. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 19 wherein said housing further comprises a hinge. 24. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein a portion of said item support rack member is established within said housing and has a item support rack member portion center, said ball has a ball center, and a line between said item support rack member portion center and said ball center defines an axis, and wherein said single retention force enhancer applies a force in a direction that is parallel said axis. 25. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein said single force enhancer comprises threadedly engageable surfaces. 26. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein said housing comprises a spatial shaft into which at least part of said single retention force enhancer may settle. 27. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 further comprising a bias element established so as to facilitate operation of the single retention force enhancer. 28. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein said ball is adapted to snap onto the item support rack member upon application of a threshold force. 29. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein said housing further comprises a hinge. 30. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein said single retention force enhancer comprises a shaft that defines a longitudinal axis and said single retention force enhancer is pivotable about a pivot axis that is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis. 31. An adjustable support apparatus as described in claim 30 wherein said single retention force enhancer further comprises a bias element established about the shaft so as to facilitate a threshold snapping of the shaft into a position from which the item support rack member retention force and the ball retention force can be enhanced through use of said single retention force enhancer.