Patent Application
20200251081
The invention relates generally to noisemakers. More particularly, the invention relates to handheld noisemakers for musical or entertainment purposes.
A noisemaker is anything that makes noise. Certain noisemakers, known as “instruments”, are used for musical purposes. One known instrument is the maraca. Certain other noisemakers, such as “rattles”, are used for entertainment purposes by infants and toddlers, as well as animals.
Music pieces may be performed with any number of instruments. Instruments typically include string instruments (violin, cello, harp), woodwind instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone), brass instruments (trumpet, horn, tuba), and percussion instruments (drum, cymbals, maraca).
Each musical instrument offers new and unique notes or sounds when played. And there is always a need, such as by musicians, for instruments that produce desired notes or sounds to create or perform musical works. Furthermore, very few musical instruments, if any, include interchangeable components in order to offer a variety of different notes or sounds to choose from. In addition, there is always a need for new and unique rattles to entertain infants, toddlers, or animals. The invention satisfies these needs.
The noisemaker according to the invention may be considered a percussion instrument, configured to produce notes or sounds by being played, e.g., struck, scraped, or rubbed by hand.
The noisemaker includes a body component comprising a hollow three-dimensional configuration. For example, the body component may be a polyhedron including a tetrahedron, a cube, an octahedron, a dodecahedron, an icosahedron. Other three-dimensional configurations may include a pyramid, a cylinder, a cone, a prism.
The body component comprises side portions assembled together to form the three-dimensional configuration with an interior space.
Each side portion is defined by two opposing faces surrounded by a perimeter edge. The perimeter edge of each side portion is assembled—permanently or impermanently—to other perimeter edges of other side portions to form the three-dimensional configuration. Each side portion may be any contemplated geometric form, for example, a square, a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, a parallelogram, etc. Generally it is contemplated that the side portion is planar, but a non-planar side portion is also contemplated such as a hollow hemisphere.
One or more side portions include one or more aperture elements. The aperture element may be any contemplated shape, for example, a square, a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, a parallelogram, etc. The aperture element opens to the interior space of the body component.
One or more core components reside within the interior space of the body component. The core component is configured to move freely within the body component while not escaping through the aperture element. Each core component comprises a solid or hollow three-dimensional structure. The core component may be a polyhedron including a tetrahedron, a cube, an octahedron, a dodecahedron, an icosahedron. Other three-dimensional structures may include a pyramid, a cylinder, a cone, a prism, a sphere, etc.
The body component and the core component may be constructed from any material combination to produce notes or sounds in any musical range: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass. Examples of materials from which the noisemaker may be constructed include, but is not limited to: wood, metal, alloy, canvas, plastic, glass, felts, rubber, animal skin.
The body component and the core component may be both made from the same material. Or they each may be constructed from different materials. For example, the body component may be made from wood and the core component made from solid metal. Similarly, in embodiments where the noisemaker includes a plurality of core components in the interior space, they each may be constructed from the same or different materials. For example, all core components made from solid wood or one core component made from solid wood and another core component made from hollowed-out metal.
It is also contemplated that the body component may be constructed of the same or different materials. For example, one side portion constructed from wood while another side portion is constructed from plastic.
In certain embodiments, the noisemaker may permit components to be interchangeable to offer a variety of notes or sounds to choose from. The body component may be constructed so that one or more side portions are fully or partially detachable from another side portion. This may be desirable to access the core component, for example, to remove or exchange a core component within the interior space. Or to swap out a side portion for another side portion made of a different material.
The aperture element and the core component are cooperatively designed to maintain the core component within the body component while the noisemaker is played. The noisemaker is played by being struck, scraped, or rubbed while holding it directly via the body component. It is also contemplated that the noisemaker may be played by moving it indirectly through a handle component.
New and unique notes or sounds are produced by the noisemaker. The notes and sounds are differentiated by characteristics—pitch, duration, loudness, timbre—dependent upon a combination of: (1) size of the body component including size of the interior space, (2) shape of the body component including shape of the interior space, (3) material of the body component, (4) size of each aperture element, (5) shape of each aperture element, (6) number of aperture elements, (7) size of each core component, (8) shape of each core component, (9) material of each core component, and (10) number of core components. The noisemaker can produce a vast variety of notes or sounds. The note or sound produced is dependent on the combination of characteristics selected for each (1) through (10).
The invention may be further understood in light of the detailed description below describing one contemplated embodiment, and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
As shown in
Side portions are permanently or impermanently connected to each other through a connection element 280 located along the perimeter edge 230. Side portions that are permanently assembled to each other may include a connection element 280 in the form of adhesive or sonic weld. Side portions that are impermanently assembled to each may include a connection element 280 in the form of a male/female fastener, interlocking components, or magnets. Any known permanent or impermanent connection is contemplated including those resultant from known manufacturing processes.
The side portion 210 is exemplified in
A particular embodiment of the invention shown in both
As shown in
Side portion 213 is illustrated in
As shown in
Magnet 281A along perimeter edge 231A of side portion 211 connects to magnet 282B along perimeter edge 232B of side portion 212. Similarly, magnet 281B along perimeter edge 231B of side portion 211 connects to magnet 283A along perimeter edge 233A of side portion 213. And magnet 281C along perimeter edge 231C of side portion 211 connects to magnet 284C of side portion 214. With the side portions 211, 212, 213, 214 assembled, interior faces 221, 222, 223, 224 form an interior space 250. The aperture elements 261, 262, 263, 264 of the side portions each open to interior space 250, here a tetrahedron interior space 251.
As shown in
According to a specific embodiment of the invention shown in
The noisemaker is played by being struck, scraped, or rubbed while holding it directly via the body component. It is also contemplated that the noisemaker may be played by moving it indirectly through a handle component.
Each core component moves freely within the interior space and sound is produced by vibration from striking the interior surfaces of the body component and/or aperture elements. Vibration may also be resultant from the core component striking the boundary surface of the aperture element.
Numerous embodiments of the invention are contemplated. In one embodiment, the noisemaker comprises a body component with only one side portion having one aperture element. Of course, different notes or sounds can be produced by a body component comprising two or more side portions each with one or more aperture elements. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may consist of one core component while other embodiments comprise two or more core components, each providing different notes or sounds.
As mentioned above, new and unique notes or sounds are produced by the noisemaker. The new and unique notes or sounds produced depend upon a combination of: (1) size of the body component including size of the interior space, (2) shape of the body component including shape of the interior space, (3) material of the body component, (4) size of each aperture element, (5) shape of each aperture element, (6) number of aperture elements, (7) size of each core component, (8) shape of each core component, (9) material of each core component, and (10) number of core components. The plethora of combinations possible from (1) through (10) provide the noisemaker with a vast variety of notes or sounds that can be produced.
As shown in
As shown in
The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the invention is not limited to this description. Those of skill in the art may recognize changes, substitutions, adaptations and other modifications that may nonetheless come within the scope of the invention.
