Patent Grant
9837058
The present invention generally relates to a percussion instrument that produces a rattle or shaking sound when struck or shaken. Specifically, this invention relates to a flex shaker that can be shaped into any number of configurations and mounted in variety of orientations, all while allowing for the flex shaker to be struck or shaken at any angle to generate the rattle or shaking sound. Furthermore, the adaptable shape and mounting orientations of the flex shaker enable the flex shaker to have a varied sound characteristic depending at least in part on its shape or mounting orientation.
Musical instruments come in a variety of types and forms. In particular, percussion instruments are perhaps some of the most diverse with it comes to the various forms, shapes, and sizes that percussion instruments exist in. The variety of the percussion instruments, however, are important for the types of sound those instruments produce and this fact is especially evident with drums. The size and construction of a drum and other percussion instruments are the primary factors that determine what tones and sounds the drum or other percussion instrument will ultimately be capable of producing. As a result, a musician or group of musicians often has multiple types of drums and percussion instruments to adequately produce a variety of sounds and tones. This, however, can be very inconvenient as drums and percussion instruments tend to be bulky and more difficult to transport when compared to other types of instruments, therefore putting a musician in a less than ideal situation where the musician may not have the resources to efficiently transport all the drums and percussion instruments the musician needs.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an apparatus that provides a compact and convenient multi-tonal drum box that is capable of producing the sounds of a variety of drums within the form factor of single drum body. Similarly, there is a need in the art for a percussion instrument that can flexibly configured into a variety of shapes and struck or shaken at any angle to generate a desired sound characteristic. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.
Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a multi-tonal drum box that allows a musician to create the sounds of multiple types of drums from a single drum body. Furthermore, the multi-tonal drum box offers the musician a convenient and easy to transport drum that only requires the musician to transport one drum where many drums were previously required. Additionally, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a shaker instrument or flex shaker that can be used independently of or together with the multi-tonal drum box. The shaker instrument is preferably configured as a multi-chambered, flexible tube that is capable of producing a variety of rattle sounds depending upon how the shaker is shaped and at which angle it is shaken or struck.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a percussion instrument that produces a shaker effect when agitated, the percussion instrument comprising: a flex shaker that is a flexible tube internally divided into a plurality of shaker chambers each of which are defined by a first divider wall and a second divider wall and configured to retain an amount of rattle material, wherein the flex shaker is sufficiently flexible so as to be adaptably molded into a desired form.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the percussion instrument further comprises a multi-purpose mounting bracket that comprises a bracket strip formed with one or more mounting points and one or more flex shaker connection points attached to the bracket strip.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mounting points include at least a center mounting point and an off-set mounting point.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the flex shaker connection points are connector rings adapted to securely attach the flex shaker to the bracket strip.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connector rings are positioned on the top and bottom of each end of the bracket strip.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flex shaker is attached to the multi-purpose mounting bracket in a double-circle configuration.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-purpose mounting bracket is configured as a handle for shaking the flex shaker by hand.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-purpose mounting bracket is configured to attach to a drum accessory component.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rattle material is one or more materials comprising BBs, pellets, beads, sand, rocks, gravel, and rice.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the desired form is one or more shapes selected from a group of shapes comprising helical shapes, arch shapes, wave shapes, figure-eight shapes, and angled shapes.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a percussion instrument that produces a shaker effect when agitated, the percussion instrument comprising: a flex shaker that is a flexible tube internally divided into a plurality of shaker chambers each of which are defined by a first divider wall and a second divider wall and configured to retain an amount of rattle material, wherein the flex shaker is sufficiently flexible so as to be adaptably molded into a desired form, and a multi-purpose mounting bracket.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-purpose mounting bracket comprises a bracket strip formed with one or more mounting points and one or more flex shaker connection points attached to the bracket strip.
The foregoing summary of the present invention with the preferred embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. It should be understood and obvious to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention thus described may be further modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present invention generally relates to a percussion instrument configured as a shaker that is struck or shaken to produce a rattle or shaking sound. In a preferred embodiment, the shaker is a flexible, multi-chambered idiophone that can be struck or shaken at any angle or shaped into any number of configurations in order to generate a wide variety of sound characteristics. Furthermore, the flexibility of the shaker enables the instrument to be secured to a multi-purpose mounting bracket, which can then be attached to commonly available stands and arms that are used to support and arrange drums and cymbals.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a multi-tonal box drum kit is comprised of a box shaped drum body portion. The drum body portion, in preferred embodiments, is comprised of a substantially rectangular shape that is solid on all six exterior walls except for one or more bass reflex ports. Alternative embodiments of the present invention may be comprised of a drum body portion of various shapes, including, but not limited to, squares, polygons and cylinders. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous shapes that could be used for the drum body portion of embodiments of the present invention, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with drum body portion of any shape. Further, in certain embodiments, the drum body portion may be devoid of bass reflex ports.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the internal tonal structure is configured to provide shape and structure to the multi-tonal box drum kit such that the exterior walls of the drum body portion can attach to the internal tonal structure in a manner that allows for the generation of numerous drum sounds, percussion sounds or drum-like sounds. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the internal tonal structure is configured to provide seven unique tone zones. Each tone zone represents a zone whereby when that zone is played, a drum sound is generated. Drum sounds include, but are not limited to, bass drum sounds, snare drum sounds, tom-tom drum sounds, or any combination thereof. The tone of a tone zone may be directed by one or more of the size and shape of the tone zone, as directed by the internal tonal structure(s) and external surfaces of the multi-tonal box drum kit, the materials used for each tone zone, and the thickness of the materials used for the internal tonal structure(s) and external surfaces, or any combination thereof. For instance, the bass tone may be affected by the cubic inches of void space inside the multi-tonal box drum kit. In this manner, manipulation of the features of a tone zone may provide melodic capability to the instrument in such a way that the tones of the multi-tonal box drum kit may extend beyond drum tones and other percussion tones. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous drum sounds that could be produced by a tone zone, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any drum sound.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-tonal box drum kit may be further comprised of one or more feet, configured to elevate the multi-tonal box drum kit off of the surface it rests upon. By elevating the multi-tonal drum kit, the one or more feet provide the ability for the multi-tonal drum kit to resonate as much as possible, creating deeper and richer tones and sounds. In a preferred embodiment, the multi-tonal box drum kit may utilize four large rubber feet. In alternate embodiments, any number of feet may be utilized.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, In usage, the multi-tonal box drum kit is played by a user sitting next to, behind, on or to a side of the multi-tonal box drum kit. This differs from other cajón drums, where the user sits on the drum while playing the instrument. Advantageously, by not sitting on the multi-tonal box drum kit, improved resonation and tones are achieved. Further, by not sitting on the multi-tonal box drum kit, the user is provided greater access to multiple exterior walls of the multi-tonal box drum kit, which are designed with a variety of unique tones and sounds much like that found in a full drum kit (i.e., the numerous tone zones). This allows the user to quickly switch from tone zone to tone zone, producing an entire array of drum sounds.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-tonal box drum kit may be further comprised of an adjustable snare component, which can produce everything from no snare to an extremely aggressive snare buzz, and everything in between. The adjustable snare component is attached to or integrally constructed with the internal tonal structure of the multi-tonal box drum kit. In certain embodiments, a snare adjustment component may extend through an exterior wall of the drum body portion and provide the user the ability to adjust the snare sound by adjusting the snare adjustment component. The snare sound may be adjusted from completely muted (i.e., off) to high rattle, or anywhere in between. In a preferred embodiment, the snare adjustment component is comprised of a knob that can be rotated to adjust the snare sound. In addition to adjusting the sound of the adjustable snare component, the adjustable snare component can also be adjusted to be used in various tone zones. For instance, the adjustable snare component can be adjusted to be used with the top tone zone on the top exterior wall of the multi-tonal box drum kit or adjusted to be used on one of the side tone zones on the side exterior walls of the multi-tonal box drum kit, allowing the player greater flexibility in the use of the drum.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a bass tone zone and a snare tone zone of the multi-tonal box drum kit may be located on separate sides of the drum body portion of the multi-tonal box drum kit, allowing for superior definition between the bass and snare tones.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-tonal box drum kit can be played in multiple positions. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-tonal box drum kit can be played on any one of the exterior walls of the multi-tonal box drum kit. Each exterior wall is configured to produce various drum sounds, depending on the arrangement of tone zones associated with the particular multi-tonal box drum kit.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a shaker component is a percussion instrument that may be used as a component of the multi-tonal box drum kit or as a standalone instrument. In a preferred embodiment, the shaker component or flex shaker is a flexible, multi-chambered percussion instrument that is designed to be struck or shaken to achieve a percussive shaker sound. In the preferred embodiment, the flex shaker comprises a plurality of shaker chambers separately formed in a sealed tube or similar container. Each of the shaker chambers is configured to retain an amount of rattle material, including, but not limited to, BBs, pellets, beads, sand, rocks, gravel, and rice. In the preferred embodiment, the rattle material can be any variety or mix of appropriate materials based upon the desired sound characteristics for the flex shaker. Furthermore, the amount of rattle material that is loaded into each shaker chamber, and thereby the volume of each shaker chamber that is occupied by rattle material, can be varied according to the desired sound characteristics for the flex shaker.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flex shaker is a flexible tube or cylinder that is sealed at both ends. In a preferred embodiment, the flex shaker is made from a flexible plastic, such as cross-linked polyethylene (“PEX”), but other materials, such as carbon fiber or polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) would be obvious to one of skill in the art. Preferably, the tubing is malleable enough to be easily shaped or formed, yet rigid enough to hold the shape that is formed by a user. In the preferred embodiment, the tube forming the flex shaker is approximately 65 to 75 inches long end-to-end, but can be shortened or lengthened based on need for a particular application or design consideration for a desired sound characteristic. When configured in the preferred length, the flex shaker can be twisted into a double circle configuration where each of the circles is approximately 10 to 12 inches in diameter. In the preferred embodiment, the tube forming the flex shaker has a diameter of approximately 0.625 inches, but may be larger or smaller in diameter based on design considerations for a desired sound characteristic. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are many suitable designs and materials that could be used to produce a flex shaker, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated to take advantage of any such design or material.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flex shaker comprises a plurality of shaker chambers that are formed in the tube and configured to retain a rattle material. In a preferred embodiment, each shaker chamber is approximately 2 inches long when measured from center to center of the dividers that form each shaker chamber. In alternate embodiments, the shaker chambers could be configured to be longer or shorter depending upon the desired sound characteristics. Similarly, the length of each shaker chamber could be variable along the length of the tube to generate a variable rattle or shaking sound at different segments of the flex shaker. In the preferred embodiment, each of the sealed shaker chambers is configured in such a manner that a musician or other user of the flex shaker can tap, hit, shake or otherwise agitate the flex shaker from any angle or direction and have a rattle or similar sound produced.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, each shaker chamber of the flex shaker is defined by two divider walls, as well as the wall of the tube itself. In a preferred embodiment, the tube forming the flex shaker is sealed at one end, and amount of rattle material is poured into the tube. Next, a divider is inserted into or otherwise formed in the tube to create a sealed shaker chamber. Then, an amount of rattle material is again poured into the tube and another divider is inserted into or otherwise formed in the tube to create another sealed shaker chamber. This process is repeated until the entire tube of the flex shaker has been divided into multiple sealed shaker chambers, each of which contain an amount of rattle material. In particular, each consecutive shaker chamber shares a divider wall such that the second divider of a first shaker chamber forms that first divider of the immediately successive shaker chamber.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flex shaker may be mounted to a multi-purpose mounting bracket. In a preferred embodiment, the multi-purpose mounting bracket is configured with one or more flex shaker connection points at each end of a bracket strip that are adapted to secure the flex shaker to the bracket. In the preferred embodiment, the flex shaker connection points may be formed or fastened on either side of the multi-purpose mounting bracket. Additionally, each connection point may further include a cushioned or padded portion to prevent excessive strain and wear on the tube of the flex shaker. Preferably, the bracket strip forming the multi-purpose mounting bracket is sufficiently long so that it can hold the flex shaker in a double circle configuration. Furthermore, the multi-purpose mounting bracket is configured such that it can either serve as a handle or grip to shake the flex shaker by hand or be used to attach the flex shaker to various drum accessory components, such as stands and pedal apparatuses, which include, but are not limited to, fixed stands, hi-hat stands, and kick pedals. In the preferred embodiment, the multi-purpose mounting bracket is also configured with one or more mounting points that can be used to attach the multi-purpose mounting bracket to a drum component stand or mounting arm. Preferably, the multi-purpose mounting bracket is formed with at least two mounting points: one in the center of the bracket strip and another offset to one-side of the bracket strip. In particular, the center mounting point allows the multi-purpose mounting bracket to be squarely mounted or centered on a fixed stand or hi-hat stand, while the offset mounting point allow the multi-purpose mounting bracket to be mounted in an offset position above or below another drum component, such as a cymbal, so that both the flex shaker and cymbal are accessibly mounted on a single stand. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate there are many possible configurations and designs for a multi-purpose mounting racket, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such bracket.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flex shaker can be fashioned or manipulated into a variety of shapes to influence or enhance the rattle and shaking sounds generated by the flex shaker. In a preferred embodiment, the flex shaker may be mounted to a stand, bracket or similar support and struck with the hands or drum sticks or similar implements. Alternatively, the flex shaker may be held by hand and struck with a hand, drum stick, or similar implement. Importantly, the multi-chambered design of the flex shaker prevents the rattle material from pooling in one area, which enables a musician or other user of the flex shaker to tap, strike, shake or otherwise play the flex shaker from any angle or direction and have a rattle or similar sound produced. Furthermore, because the flex shaker can be played from a variety of angles and shaped configurations, a user of the flex shaker can manipulate the sound characteristics of the flex shaker by taking advantage of the various shaped configurations, mounting options, and strike angles. The flexible tubing that forms the flex shaker allows for the formation of a wide variety of deflection arcs, including, but not limited to, circles, figure-eights, horseshoes, angular shapes, and helical shapes each of which contribute to the sound characteristics generated by the flex shaker.
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According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-tonal box drum kit may be constructed from various materials. The choice of materials assists in the generation of specific tones and sounds. In certain embodiments, various materials may be utilized in the construction of the various components of the multi-tonal box drum kit, including spruce, maple, redwood, African hardwoods, cherry, carbon fiber, fiberglass, Plexiglas, and oak. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous types of construction materials that could be utilized with embodiments of the present invention, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any construction materials.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the various exterior walls of the generally box-shaped drum body portion of the multi-tonal box drum kit may be connected via one or more attachment means. In preferred embodiments, the various exterior walls are connected via attachment means that create substantially air-tight seals allowing for greater resonance and tone. Exemplary attachment means include dove-tailed connections. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous types of attachment means that could be utilized with embodiments of the present invention, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any type of attachment means.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. The invention is capable of myriad modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
This application is continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional Utility patent application Ser. No. 14/988,329, filed on Jan. 5, 2016 and entitled “Multi-Tonal Box Drum Kit”, which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/965,704, filed on Aug. 13, 2013 and entitled “Multi-Tonal Box Drum Kit”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/682,483, filed on Aug. 13, 2012 and entitled “Multi-Tonal Box Drum Kit”, the entire disclosures of each and all of the above mentioned references are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4215510 | Worrell | Aug 1980 | A |
| 7534948 | Rice | May 2009 | B2 |
| 7910816 | Glowacki | Mar 2011 | B2 |
| 20060249004 | Bunker | Nov 2006 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160253983 A1 | Sep 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61682483 | Aug 2012 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13965704 | Aug 2013 | US |
| Child | 14988329 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14988329 | Jan 2016 | US |
| Child | 15148921 | US |
