Patent Grant
11942064
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates generally to musical instruments and to devices utilized with a musical instrument to modify the sound that is produced by the musical instrument. In particular, the present invention relates to apparatuses, systems and methods for attaching cork or other gripping members to a mute that is used with musical instruments. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to apparatuses, systems and methods of removing and reinstalling such gripping members to a mute used with brass and other musical instruments without the need for specialized tooling or adhesives and without making permanent modifications to the gripping members.
Musicians who play certain musical instruments, particularly brass instruments such as the trumpet, trombone, french horn, euphonium, tuba and the like, sometimes utilize a mute in the bell of the instrument to alter the character of the instrument's sound. A mute is a hollow, conical apparatus made of metal, wood, plastic or composites having a larger end that is closed and a smaller end that is open. In one common use, a mute is inserted into and held within the bell of the brass instrument by corks or other gripping members, which are referred to herein collectively as “gripping members”, that are attached to the outer circumference of the portion of the mute which is inserted into the bell of the musical instrument. The purpose of the gripping members is to provide a gripping surface between the mute and the bell of the instrument so the mute will remain in the bell without falling out and to allow the mute to be easily removed from the bell of the instrument when the mute is not needed. Typically, the gripping members are affixed to the body of the mute with an adhesive and are not easily removed from the mute. If a gripping member detaches from the mute, the mute is effectively rendered useless until the gripping member is reattached with an appropriate adhesive.
As generally well known to persons who play musical instruments, particularly brass instruments, it is sometimes necessary to adjust the tune of a mute for an instrument by reducing the thickness of the gripping members so the mute may be inserted further into the bell of the instrument or using thicker gripping members so the mute may be positioned more toward the flared end of the bell of the instrument. However, once the thickness of the gripping members is reduced, the user is unable to reverse the procedure to, for instance, position the mute further outward in the bell unless he or she removes the gripping members from the mute and installs, using adhesive, new gripping members. To position the mute further outward typically requires the user to remove the existing gripping members and replace them with thicker gripping members. As well known to musicians, in addition to the foregoing, different makes and models of musical instruments often have different sized bell flares. As a result, once the thickness of the gripping members on a mute has been set or altered for use with a particular instrument, the mute with the gripping members is unlikely to work well with other musical instruments unless the existing gripping members are removed and then replaced.
Presently, the typical gripping member for a mute that is utilized in a bell of a brass or other musical instrument comprises a strip of cork or cork-like material, such as neoprene-enhanced composites and the like, that has adhesive on the back side of the strip which is covered with a removable film or like cover that is removed by the user before sticking the strip to the outer surface of the mute where the mute will engage the bell. Some gripping members are configured in a generally conical shape and are positioned entirely around the outside surface of the mute where the mute will engage the bell. Some users utilize clips that secure a mute to the flared open end of the bell of the brass instrument. Other users will hold a mute with his or her hand at the flared end of the bell while he or she is playing the instrument. U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,893 to Lewis, et al. describes a mute for a musical instrument that has a plurality of ribs that are integrally formed along the inerrable length of the outer surface of the mute. This patent also describes the use of a plurality of plugs on the inerrable portion of the mute that are each independently threadably adjustable relative to the outer surface of the mute so they can be set at different heights. The ribs or plugs are configured to engage the interior surface of the bell of a musical instrument.
Despite the availability of different types of devices, systems and methods of removably positioning a mute inside the bell of a musical instrument, particularly brass instruments, to alter the sound produced by an instrument, there is a need for an improved apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute so the user can adjustably and removably position the mute in the bell of a musical instrument. More specifically, what is needed is an improved apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute so the user can removably position the mute inside the bell of a musical instrument to allow the user to easily and quickly adjust the position of a mute relative to the bell of the instrument so he or she may further alter the sound of the instrument or be able to use the mute with an instrument having a different sized bell. The new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute should allow the user to securely position a mute inside a bell of a musical instrument in a manner that will prevent the mute from easily falling out of the bell while moving or playing the instrument. The new apparatus, system and method should allow the user to change the thickness of the gripping members on a mute so he or she can adjust the position of the mute inside the bell of a musical instrument without utilizing adhesives or any specialized tools and without making permanent modifications to the gripping members that are utilized to hold the mute in place. Such a new apparatus, system and method should comprise components that easy to use and which are compatible with the mute and the bell of a musical instrument so as to not damage the mute or the instrument. Preferably, the new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture so that they may be widely utilized by musicians who use a mute with a brass and other musical instrument.
The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention to the reader. As such, this Summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. The sole purpose of this Summary is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The use of terms such as “including”, “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. Further, the use of terms “first”, “second”, and “third”, and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element or feature of an element from another. The term “and/or,” when used herein with a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed.
The new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute that is utilized with musical instruments of the present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention is directed to a new apparatus, method and system for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute to allow a user to selectively position the mute inside the bell of a brass or other musical instrument so as to alter the sound from the instrument. Specifically, the present invention is a new apparatus, system and method of allowing a user to easily and quickly change the gripping members on a mute so he or she may adjust the position (depth) of the mute inside the bell of a musical instrument to alter the sound of the instrument or use the mute with an instrument having a differently configured bell. The new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute allows the user to securely and selectively position the mute inside the bell of a musical instrument in a manner that prevents the mute from easily falling out of the bell while he or she is moving or playing the instrument. The apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute of the present invention allows the user to adjust the depth of the mute in the bell of a musical instrument without the use of adhesives or any specialized tools and without making permanent modifications to the gripping members. The new apparatus, system and method utilizes components, particularly the gripping members, that are easy to use and compatible with the mute and the bell of a brass or other musical instrument so as to not damage the mute or instrument. Use of the new system allows easy, simple, and user-friendly replacement of damaged or worn gripping members by simply sliding off the damaged or worn gripping members of a pre-positioned rail and then sliding on a new tray member, having a gripping member attached thereto, onto the rail. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute so the mute may be selectively positioned inside the bell of a musical instrument is relatively inexpensive to manufacture so that the apparatus, system and method of the present invention may be widely utilized by musicians who play brass and other musical instruments.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the new apparatus for attaching gripping members to a mute that is utilized with a musical instrument having a bell generally comprises a rail configured to be attached to an outer surface of the mute, a rail attachment mechanism associated with the rail, a tray member having a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, a tray attachment mechanism associated with the body of the tray member, and a gripping member attached to or integral with the body of the tray member. The rail attachment mechanism of the rail and the tray attachment mechanism of the tray member are configured in corresponding arrangement to allow the tray member to be removably attached to the rail when the rail is attached to the outer surface of the mute. The gripping member has an outer surface that is selected to grip the inner surface of the bell of the musical instrument when the mute is positioned inside the bell. In one embodiment, the rail attachment mechanism and the tray attachment mechanism are cooperatively configured to allow the tray member to slidably engage the rail to removably position the tray member on the rail when the rail is attached to the outer surface of the mute. In one configuration, the two attachment mechanisms comprise dovetail configured sides or components. The preferred embodiment of the new apparatus also has a locking mechanism associated with at least one of the rail and the tray member, with the locking mechanism being structured and arranged to securely attach the tray member to the rail to prevent movement of the mute relative to the bell of the musical instrument while the user is playing or moving the musical instrument with the mute inside the bell. The locking mechanism can comprise a latch that structured and arranged to engage the rail to lockedly secure the tray member to the rail.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the new gripping member attachment system generally comprises a musical instrument having a bell with an inner surface defining an interior area of the bell, a mute sized and configured to be utilized in the interior area of the bell of the musical instrument and an apparatus for removably positioning the mute in the interior area of the bell of the musical instrument to produce a gap allowing sound to exit the bell. In one of the preferred embodiments, the apparatus comprises a rail and a gripping unit, with the gripping unit having a tray member and a gripping member and the rail being attached to or integral with the outer surface of the mute. In this embodiment, the rail has a rail attachment mechanism and the tray member having a tray attachment mechanism, with the rail attachment mechanism of the rail and the tray attachment mechanism of the tray member configured in corresponding arrangement to allow the gripping unit to be removably attached to the rail on the outer surface of the mute. The gripping member, which is attached to or integral with the tray member, has an outer surface selected to grip the inner surface of the bell of the musical instrument when the mute is positioned in the bell with the gripping unit is attached to the rail. The rail attachment mechanism and the tray attachment mechanism of the apparatus are configured as described above with regard to the new apparatus. In addition, the apparatus can include the locking mechanism described above.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the new method for attaching gripping members to a mute that is utilized with a musical instrument having a bell generally comprises the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of sets of gripping units wherein each gripping unit has a gripping member that is attached to or integral with a tray member to produce a unit thickness that is common for each set of the plurality of sets of gripping units, with the gripping member having an outer surface that is selected to grip an inner surface of the bell and the tray member being structured and arranged to engage one of a plurality of rails that are attached to or integral with an outer surface of the mute; (b) selecting a first set from the plurality of sets of gripping units having a first unit thickness to use with the mute so as to position the mute in the bell of the musical instrument to produce a first gap between the mute and an outer edge of the bell; (c) positioning one of the gripping units of the first set along one of the rails on the mute until a tray member of the gripping unit engages the rail so as to attach the gripping unit to the rail and secure a gripping member thereof to the mute; (d) repeating step (c) for each of the rails associated with the mute so each rail of the mute has a gripping unit; (e) inserting the mute into the bell of the musical instrument to produce the first gap between the mute and an outer edge of the bell; (f) removing, as may be desired, the mute from the bell of the musical instrument when a different sound is desired; (g) disengaging each of the gripping units of the first set of gripping units from each of the rails; (h) selecting a second set from the plurality of gripping units having a second unit thickness that is less than or greater than the first unit thickness of the first set of gripping units to utilize with the mute so as to position the mute in the bell of the musical instrument to produce a second gap between the mute and the outer edge of the bell that is less than or greater than the first gap; (i) positioning one of the gripping units of the second set along one of the rails on the mute until a tray member of the gripping unit engages the rail so as to position the gripping unit on the rail and secure a gripping member thereof to the mute; (j) repeating step (i) for each of the rails associated with the mute so each rail of the mute has a gripping unit; and (k) inserting the mute into the bell of the musical instrument to produce the second gap. The rails can have rail attachment mechanisms and the tray member can have the tray attachment mechanism that is described above with regard to the new apparatus. In addition, the apparatus can also include the locking mechanism described above.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute that is utilized with musical instruments having the various advantages which are set forth above and which overcome the various disadvantages and limitations that are associated with presently available apparatuses, systems and methods for attaching gripping members to a mute.
It is an important object of the present invention to provide a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute that is positioned inside the bell of a brass or other musical instrument, that allows a user to easily and quickly change the thickness of the gripping members to alter the position of the mute inside the bell without the need for any specialized tools and without permanently modifying the gripping members.
An important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute which accomplishes the objectives set forth above and elsewhere in the present disclosure.
Another important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute which allows a user to easily and quickly change the gripping members on the mute so he or she may adjust the position (e.g., depth) of the mute inside the bell of a brass or other musical instrument to alter the sound of the instrument or to allow the mute to be utilized with an instrument having a differently configured (e.g., size and/or shape) bell.
Another important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute which allows the user to select components of a particular thickness that will secure the mute at a desired position inside the bell of a musical instrument in a manner that prevents the mute from easily falling out of the bell while he or she is moving or playing the instrument.
Another important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute which, once certain components of the apparatus are in place on the mute, to easily and quickly adjust the depth of the straight mute in the bell of a musical instrument without the use of adhesives or any specialized tools and without making permanent modifications to the gripping members.
Another important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new system that allows easy, simple, and user-friendly replacement of damaged or worn gripping members by simply sliding the tray member having the damaged or worn gripping members off the pre-positioned rail and then sliding on a new tray member, having a new gripping member attached thereto, onto the rail.
Another important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute which utilizes components, particularly the gripping members, that are readily available, easy to use and compatible with the mute and the bell of a musical instrument so as to not damage the mute or instrument.
Yet another important aspect of the present invention is that it provides a new apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to the outer surface of a mute which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture so that the new apparatus, system and method may be widely utilized by musicians who use a mute with a brass and other musical instrument.
As will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiments which follow, the above and other objects and aspects are accomplished or provided by the present invention. As set forth herein and will be readily appreciated by persons who are skilled in the art, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction and mode of operation presently described and understood by the claims. The description of the invention which follows is presented for purposes of illustrating one or more of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the claims which follow after the discussion.
In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. The enclosed figures are illustrative of several potential preferred embodiments and, therefore, are included to represent several different ways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of variations to the components and to the configuration of those components described herein and shown in the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function of the invention set forth herein. For instance, although the description and figures included herewith generally describe and show particular configurations for the apparatus of the present invention, as well as musical instruments and mutes with which the present invention are utilized in the system and method of the present invention, persons who are skilled in the relevant art will readily appreciate that the present invention and the musical instruments and mutes with which the invention can be utilized are not so limited. For instance, the new apparatus, system and method can comprise different types, sizes and shapes of gripping members, tray members and rails and the present invention can be utilized with different types of musical instruments and mutes. In addition, the exemplary embodiments of the present device are shown and described with only those components which are required to disclose the present invention. As such, many of the necessary components for manufacturing and using the present invention are not shown in the drawings or necessarily described below, but which are well known to persons skilled in the relevant art. As will be readily appreciated by such persons, the various elements of the present invention that are described below may take on any form consistent with forms which are readily realized by one of ordinary skill in the art having knowledge of prior art gripping members, musical instruments and mutes.
A new gripping member apparatus that is configured pursuant to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is shown generally as 10 in
A typical mute 16 is a hollow, conical apparatus that is made of metal, wood, plastic or composite material having a body 28 that defines an open first or inner end 30 and a closed second or outer end 32. As shown in
As set forth above in the Background, a mute 16 is commonly held in place within the bell 20 of the musical instrument 18 by strips of cork or other gripping members 40 that are attached to the outer surface 34 of the body 28 of the mute 16 generally toward the first/inner end 30 of the mute 16, as shown in
As also set forth in the Background, the standard prior art method of attaching gripping members 40 to the body 28 of the mute 16 is with an adhesive 43 that is on the inner or sticking surface 44 of the gripping member 40, as shown in
For purposes of describing the use and relative location of the various components and use of the apparatus 10, system 12 and method 14 of the present invention, the terms “front”, “forward”, “forwardly” and the like are utilized to refer toward the direction of the second/outer end 32 of the mute 16 in
The new apparatus 10 of the present invention for attaching gripping members 40 to the outer surface 34 of the body 28 of mute 16 generally comprises a rail 46, a tray member 48 and a gripping member 40, as best shown in
The rail 46 of the apparatus 10 is, typically, an elongated, generally rigid member that is sized and configured to be attached to the outer surface 34 of the body 28 of the mute 16, as shown in
In the embodiment shown in the figures, rail attachment mechanism 66 comprises “dovetail” shaping of the first/left side 54 and the second/right side 56 of the body 49 of the rail 46, as best shown in
The tray member 48 of the apparatus 10 is structured and arranged to engage a rail 46 that is positioned on the outer surface 34 of the body 28 of the mute 16, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the tray attachment mechanism 88 of tray member 48 comprises a pair of rail engaging members 90 and 92 along the bottom surface 82 of the body 70 of the tray member 48, which are best shown in
The apparatus 10 of the present invention also comprises a locking mechanism 100 which is structured and arranged to lockedly engage the rail 46 that is attached to the outer surface 34 of the mute 16. The locking mechanism 100 prevents the tray member 48, having the gripping member 40 thereon, from moving relative to the rail 46 while the mute 16 is being moved in and out of the interior area 24 of the bell 20, which causes the gripping member 40 of the new apparatus 10 to move into and out of engagement with the inner surface 22 of the bell 20, while the musical instrument 18 is being prepared for use, or in use, by a musician. In a preferred configuration of apparatus 10, the locking mechanism 100 lockedly engages the first/front end 50 of the rail 46, as best shown in
In use, the locking mechanism 100 described above engages the rail 46, particularly while it is on the mute 16, when the user slides a gripping unit 112, which is a particular combination of a tray member 48 and gripping member 40 that (as set forth below) are attached together, forward along the rail 46 from the second/back end 52 to the first/front end 50 thereof, as shown in
The gripping member 40 of the apparatus 10 of the present invention is selected to be able to securely engage the inner surface 22 of the bell 20 when a mute 16 having the new apparatus 10 is positioned inside the bell 20. In one embodiment, which is likely to be a preferred embodiment, the gripping members for apparatus 10 of the present invention are the same as the prior art gripping members that are discussed above and in the Background and which are utilized to securely hold a mute 16 in the bell 20 of a musical instrument 18. Specifically, in this embodiment, the gripping members 40 are strips of cork, cork-like or other materials that have an outer/gripping surface 42 which is selected to engage the inner surface 22 of the bell 20 without damaging the bell 20 and in a manner that prevents the mute 16 from slipping when the mute 16 is placed inside the interior area 24 of the bell 20 of a musical instrument 18. As set forth above and in the Background, prior art gripping members 40 have an adhesive 43 on the inner/sticking surface 44 thereof that is used in the prior art to attach a gripping member 40 directly to the outer surface 34 of the mute 16. For the apparatus 10 of the present invention, the adhesive 43 is utilized to stick a gripping member 40 to the top surface 80 of the tray member 48, as best shown in
In one embodiment, the system 12 and method 14 of the present invention are utilized with tray members 48 that have different thicknesses 116, shown as first thickness 116a, second thickness 116b and third thickness 116c, as shown in
The system 12 of the present invention, an embodiment of which is shown in
On embodiment of the method 14 of the present invention is shown in
As set forth above, the various components of the new apparatus 10 are subject to a number of possible modifications that will still fall within the scope of the present invention. In particular, the rail 46 and tray member 48 of the new apparatus 10 can be modified in numerous ways that will still function generally as described above to removably secure gripping members 40 to the outer surface 34 of the body 28 of a mute 16. An example modification is shown in
The components of the new apparatus 10 can be made out a wide variety of different materials. In a preferred embodiment, the gripping members 40 are made out of cork or cork-like materials. Alternatively, gripping members 40 can be made out of one or more materials that are selected or modified to have an outer/gripping surface 42 that will provide the desired engagement between the apparatus 10, located on the mute 16, and the inner surface 22 of the bell 20 of the musical instrument 18. Likewise, the rails 46 and the tray members 48 of the new apparatus 10 can be made from a wide variety of different materials. In a preferred embodiment, the rails 46 and tray members 48 are molded from plastic or other materials that will allow the correspondingly configured rail attachment mechanism 66 and tray attachment mechanism 88 to be relatively easily and economically formed. Alternatively, the rails 46 and tray members 48 of the apparatus 10 can be made out various metals, composites or the like.
While there are shown and described herein specific forms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to any dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape and use. For instance, there may be numerous components of the embodiments described herein that can be readily replaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives and obtain the desired aspects of the present invention. The various embodiments set forth herein are intended to explain the best mode of making and using the present invention as currently known to and appreciated by the present inventor(s) and to enable other persons who are skilled in the relevant art to make and utilize the present invention. Although, the described embodiments may comprise different features, not all of these features are required in all embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, as will be readily appreciated by persons who are skilled in the art, certain embodiments of the present invention only utilize some of the features and/or combinations of features disclosed herein.
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/344,520 filed May 20, 2022 and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/248,345 filed Sep. 24, 2021.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5488893 | Lewis et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
| 20160049138 | Adkins | Feb 2016 | A1 |
| Entry |
|---|
| Tuba Mutes—Balu Musik—Hand Crafted Tuba Mutes, website, Internet, downloaded Jan. 24, 2022, 4 pages, U.S. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63344520 | May 2022 | US | |
| 63248345 | Sep 2021 | US |
