Patent Grant
10204605
The present invention relates to musical instruments and more specifically to a detachable wind guard for flutes.
Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, flutes are aerophones or reedless wind instrument that produces sound from the flow of air across an opening. Nearly all musical instruments comprise two basic elements: a generator that produces a vibration, and a resonator that amplifies the vibration and modifies it to create the sound of the instrument. The generator on a flute is the mouth hole edge against which the player's breath is directed. The stream of air from the player's lips travels across the embouchure-hole opening and strikes against the sharp further edge of the hole. When the airstream meets the edge it does not divide into two separate airstreams. Instead, a wave-like displacement travels along it and deflects it causing the airstream to rapidly fluctuate between going into the hole and going away from the hole, as shown in
The speed of this displacement wave on the air stream is about half the airspeed of the airstream itself (which is typically in the range 20 to 60 meters per second, depending on the air pressure in the player's mouth). If the airstream speed is carefully matched to the frequency of the note being played, then the stream will flow into and out of the embouchure hole at its further edge in just the right phase to reinforce the sound and cause the flute to produce a sustained note.
The Western concert flute is a transverse treble flute that is closed at the top. An embouchure hole is positioned near the top. The hole is covered and surrounded by a lip plate, which is a curved, oval-shaped metal plate with a hole aligned over the embouchure hole. The flute has circular tone holes larger than the finger holes of its baroque predecessors. The size and placement of tone holes, key mechanism, and fingering system used to produce the notes in the flute's range were evolved from 1832 to 1847 by Theobald Boehm.
Precise control of the airstream over the embouchure hole is crucial for producing notes with a flute. Unfortunately, because of the open airstream passing over the embouchure hole the flautist is at the mercy of ambient air currents. In windy conditions, for example in outdoor concerts or marching band shows, control of the airstream is difficult if not impossible, effectively silencing the flute. Even in indoor conditions flute players sometimes encounter trouble playing under or next to fans, HVAC vents, or close to windows or other areas where there are heavy air currents. In the past, flutists have tried to mitigate the problem with makeshift measures such as surrounding themselves with music stands, turning backs to audiences to avoid wind gusts, etc., none of which is optimal.
The invention provides a detachable wind guard for a flute-type instrument. The wind guard comprises an elongate, arcuate cover configured to wrap over the top a flute barrel. The cover has a center section with a radius larger than the radius of the flute barrel and includes a tapered, recessed facing edge configured to leave an embouchure hole uncovered when the wind guard is attached to the flute barrel, providing space for a musician's lips adjacent the embouchure hole. The cover has end sections that taper to a radius sized to conform to the outer surface of the flute barrel. Vent holes in the cover are positioned approximately perpendicular to the musician's airstream passing over the embouchure hole.
An elongate, arcuate holder is positioned opposite the cover and configured to wrap under the flute barrel and has a radius sized to conform to the outer surface of the flute barrel.
A connector pin passes through knuckles on both the cover and holder to form a hinge that allows the cover and holder to open and close in a clamshell manner. Torsion springs around the connector pin bias the holder in a closed position. A thumb tab extends perpendicularly from the holder to allow one-hand operation of the hinge.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention shields the embouchure hole of a flute from all directions without interfering with the airstream produced by the player. Referring to
In an embodiment of the invention the cover 100 and holder 120 are made by injection molding. Examples of suitable materials for manufacture include, without limitation, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS), Food grade ABS, Nylon, polylactic acid (PLA), carbon fiber and other plastic or moldable materials. Other embodiments of the invention may use other materials to make the components, including without limitation, stainless steel, gold, aluminum, and other suitable metals or moldable plastics.
The compact size and lightweight materials make the wind guard 100 portable and well suited for use in a mobile situation such as a marching band. Weight is an important factor, especially in regards to flute, since the distance between the embouchure hole/lip plate and the fulcrum of the musician's closet thumb is a significant lever arm. Adding too much weight to the end of that lever arm will make it difficult for the musician to hold the flute properly and interfere with playing. In preferred embodiments, the wind guard weighs 38 g (1.3 oz) or less, depending on the choice of materials.
The cover 110 has an elongated, arcuate shape that wraps over the top of the barrel of a flute. The center section of the cover 110 has a radius sized to provide clearance for airflow over the embouchure hole, as shown in
As shown in
The holder 120 also has an arcuate shape. However, unlike the cover 110, the holder 120 has a radius along its entire length that is sized to provide close conformity to the flute barrel with minimal clearance from the surface. Since the holder is positioned opposite the embouchure hole of the flute it does not need to provide clearance for airflow. In addition to blocking wind from the bottom and sides, the holder 120 provides counterforce to keep the wind guard 100 in place.
In one embodiment rubber grips 150, 151 line the inner surfaces of the contact points located at the ends of the cover 110 and holder 120. These rubber grips 150, 151 provide contact friction with the flute to hold the wind guard in place as well as protect the surface of the flute from scratching. The rubber grips 150, 151 are shown more clearly in the exploded view in
Also shown in
In addition to blocking unwanted air currents, the shape of the wind guard 100 is designed to enhance and project the sound of the flute. The wind guard 100 improves sounds quality and projects sound further, similar to cupping a hand over a cell phone speaker. It also acts as a sound mirror to reflect sound back to the flute player, providing immediate feedback to help the musician better hear his own playing and adjust, thereby improving performance. In this regard, the wind guard 100 has benefits aside from simply blocking wind and can be used under normal playing conditions, indoors, with no wind, to aid in tone development for flutists, or to allow flutists to hear themselves more clearly while playing with a group for tuning, etc.
The position of the wind guard 100 is rotationally adjustable around the flute barrel and can be realigned based on wind conditions. In more windy conditions, the wind guard 100 would be rotated closer towards the nose of the musician, effectively offering more cover of the embouchure hole 201. During less windy conditions, the wind guard 100 is rotated away from the musician's nose to allow more movement of the face and lips to blow into the embouchure hole.
The vent holes 111 serve several functions, one of which is to enhance sound projection similar to vents on a speaker, since most of a flute's sound projects at or near the lip plate. The vent holes 111 also prevent the buildup of condensation from the musician's breath.
The vent holes 111 also limit blow back as the player's airstream travels across the embouchure hole and contacts the inside of the cover 110. Without the vents 111, the airstream would tend to reflect back into the player's face. Not only would this be uncomfortable for the player, but it would also create turbulence inside the cover that is disruptive to sound production, making the wind guard self-defeating. Since the air traveling across the lip plate travels away from the flute in an upward direction (as shown in
The cutout area 300 provides space for the flute player to place his mouth against the lip plate 210 without obstruction, as shown in
The thumb tab 121 allows one-handed installation and removal of the wind guard 100. To prevent interference with the musician's chin, the thumb tab 121 is located on the bottom holder 120 so as to be positioned approximately below the embouchure hole when the wind guard 100 is positioned properly with the embouchure hole unobstructed, as shown most clearly in
The alternate embodiment of the wind guard shown in
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 801086 | Jenks | Oct 1905 | A |
| 1704147 | Paulson | Mar 1929 | A |
| 3599526 | Sollecito | Aug 1971 | A |
| 4233877 | Okami | Nov 1980 | A |
| 8975499 | Stoutenborough | Mar 2015 | B1 |
