1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to musical instruments, more specifically, the invention is directed to a drum pedal for driving a cable operated hi hat cymbal assembly.
2. Background of the Invention
Traditional hi hat cymbal assemblies include a frame, a pedal, and a pair of cymbals through which a center rod extends. The frame may include a central tube through which the rod moves and a collapsible tripod-type set of feet for stabilizing the assembly. The heel portion of the pedal is pivotally mounted to a base, and the base is fixedly mounted to the frame, for example via a pair of arms extending upward from a toe portion of the base toward the rod. Alternatively, the base may be pivotally mounted to the frame to allow it to fold up against the frame.
In these assemblies, the rod may be coupled to the pedal, usually via a chain assembly or one or more pulley-mounted cables, such that depressing the pedal causes the rod to move down, which in turn causes one of the cymbals to move toward and against the other cymbal. Additionally, the chain or cable often extends generally upward directly from the pedal to connect to the rod. This chain or cable may be pulled down under its own weight, which may create slack in the assembly or create a dampened feeling for the user.
In other cable-driven subassemblies, the pedal may be separated from the hi hat, allowing the user to place the pedal wherever he or she desires. Although these systems provide greater flexibility for setup, they still leave the user with a slackened or dampened feeling when the pedal is depressed.
What is needed is a drum pedal and/or pedal system that overcomes the drawbacks described above.
In one aspect, a drum pedal configured for cable-driven power transmission, may include a base, a foot board, a shaft coupled to the base, a cam coupled to the shaft, and an opening extending generally horizontally from said base; wherein the cam couples to a cable and the cable extends through the opening. The pedal also may include a link operatively coupling the foot board to the cam. The cam, which may be rotatably coupled to the shaft, may include an eccentric portion and a groove configured to receive the cable, which may be disposed on the eccentric portion. In addition, the opening may protrude from a flange extending upward from the base.
In another aspect, a drum pedal configured for cable-driven power transmission may include a base, a foot board rotatably coupled to the base, a link operatively coupled to the foot board, and a cam operatively coupled to the link. The cam may be configured to fixedly couple to a cable, and the pedal may be configured to create a departure angle for the cable, the departure angle being generally horizontal. The link may include a radius of curvature, the cam may include a body having a radius, and the radius of curvature may be substantially similar to the radius.
The cam may include an eccentric portion, which may include a groove configured to receive the cable as the cam rotates. In addition, the eccentric portion may include an opening configured to receive a set screw, the set screw allowing the cable to releasable couple to the cam. Moreover, the base may include an opening configured to receive the cable, and the opening may include internal threading. The cable may be disposed in a cable assembly such as in a Bowden cable, and the cable assembly further may include a threaded shaft configured to be received by the internal threading.
In still another aspect, a hi hat drum assembly may include a pedal, a hi hat stand, at least one cymbal, and a cable operatively connected to the pedal and the at least one cymbal. The cable may depart from the pedal in a generally horizontal direction, and the pedal may not be connected to the hi hat stand. Instead, the pedal may be separated from the stand and located anywhere the user desires, provided there is a path for the cable to travel between the pedal and the stand. The pedal may include a base and a foot board, where the cable is operatively coupled to the foot board and passes through an opening in the base, and a pedal including a rotatable cam to which a portion of the cable is fixed. In addition, the base may have an opening extending generally parallel to a plane including the base, with the cable passing through the opening. Moreover, the cam may include an eccentric portion having a groove configured to receive the cable as a foot board of the pedal is depressed.
These and other features and advantages are evident from the following description of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown generally in
Heel end portion 26 of arms 24 may include openings for pin 28 or another connection for operatively, pivotally connecting pedal 14 to base 12. Additionally, each arm 24 may include a post 30 to which a shaft 32 may be fixedly or rotatably attached, where cam 18 is mounted on or operatively coupled to shaft 32. For example, in one embodiment, cam 18 may be press fit onto shaft 32, allowing cam 18 and shaft 32 to rotate together. In this embodiment, shaft 32 may be rotatably coupled to posts 30, e.g., ends 34 of shafts may be sized to fit into openings in posts, either loosely or via bushings or bearings so as to allow for rotation.
In a second, preferable, embodiment, shaft 32 may be press fit or otherwise fixedly coupled to posts 30, and cam 18 may be rotatably coupled to shaft 32. For example, shaft 32 may be journaled within cam 18. A bearing pack 19 including ball, racer, needle, or other types of bearings may be positioned between cam 18 and shaft 32, facilitating rotation of cam 18 with respect to shaft 32. Cam 18 preferably is generally centrally mounted widthwise along shaft 32.
Pedal 14 may be pinned or otherwise rotatably coupled to base 12 proximate heel end 20. Pedal 14 may be angled above base 12 so that toe portion of pedal operatively couples to link 16 at a height above shaft 32. Pedal 14 and link 16 may be rotatably coupled at one end 36 of link 16, e.g., via a pin 37 passing through pedal and link. As with cam 18 and shaft 32, one or more bearings or bearing packs 17 may be disposed between pin 37 and link 16 to facilitate rotation. Link 16 may have a similar connection at an opposite end 38 from first end 36 to operatively couple link 16 to cam 18.
Cam 18 may include a body 40, which may be generally cylindrical and have a predetermined radius. Cam 18 also may include a protrusion 42 extending outward from body, such as the forked protrusion or plurality of protrusions seen in
When the pedal is depressed fully so that pedal assembly 10 is in a second position such as the one seen in
Cam 18 may include an eccentric portion 48 extending around at least a portion of cam 18. Like body 40 of cam 18, eccentric portion 48 may include a generally radial perimeter 50 with a predetermined radius, although radius of eccentric portion 48 may be significantly larger than radius of cam body 40. Eccentric portion 48 may have a circumferential extent between about 15 degrees and about 180 degrees, preferably between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees, still more preferably between about 60 degrees and about 120 degrees and, in one embodiment, the circumferential extent is about 90 degrees.
Eccentric portion 48 may include a protrusion 52 having an opening 54. Opening 54 may be generally parallel to shaft 32 and may extend partially and, preferably, completely through a width of eccentric portion 48, in order to receive a set screw 56 for holding an cable, wire, etc. Once the pedal system 10 is in a desired position, the cable may be adjusted to add tension and remove slack in the cable, and the set screw 56 may be rotated to lock the cable in place. In addition, set screw 56 may allow for releasable engagement between pedal 10 and cable assembly 70, which may be beneficial for storage and transport and for replacing cable assembly 70, if necessary. In addition, different setups may require placing pedal 10 differing distances away from hi hat subassembly 82. As such, separability of cable assembly 70 may allow the user to switch between longer and/or shorter cables, if desired, to better customize the drum set setup.
In the initial position discussed above, opening 54 may be angularly disposed proximate bottom-dead-center, e.g., between about −20 degrees and about 20 degrees from bottom-dead-center. Opening 54 also may be generally vertically aligned with a second, generally horizontal opening 64 in base 12. Vertically aligning opening 54 with generally horizontal opening 64 may help in maintaining general horizontal alignment of the cable as it extends away from pedal assembly 10. In addition, this alignment may maximize the spacing between the axis of rotation of cam 18 and the opening 54, creating a longer moment arm that may assist in transmitting the force of pedal depression and allowing the user to maximize the force transferred to the hi hat cymbals with each pedal hit.
Cam 18 may include a groove 60 or notch, which may extend inward from perimeter 50. Groove 60 may be generally centrally spaced along a width of cam 18. Alternatively, groove 60 may be offset along a width of cam 18, provided that notch 18 may be generally aligned with a cable opening on base 12, as discussed in greater detail below.
Groove 60 may extend inward from perimeter in order to receive at least a portion of the movable cable as foot board 14 is depressed and cam 18 rotates. Groove 60 preferably extends generally along a circumferential extent of eccentric portion 48, from a first end to protrusion 52 at a second end. Additionally, groove may extend completely through a portion of the wall 53 forming opening 54, allowing passage of the cable from the exterior perimeter 50 into the opening 54.
Body 40 of cam 18 may be generally cylindrical, having a radius. Similarly, link 16 may be curved and have an inner radius of curvature substantially similar to cam body radius. As such, when pedal is depressed fully, link may rotate to the second position seen in
Returning to
Opening 64 in base 12 may be generally centrally spaced width-wise on pedal assembly 10 and may be disposed generally perpendicular to shaft 32, extending in a direction from heel end 20 to toe end 22. Alternatively, opening 64 may be offset to one side or another, provided that groove 60 in cam 18 is generally aligned with opening 64, i.e., center of groove 60 may be generally coplanar with a plane passing through center of opening 64.
Cable may extend past wall 53 forming opening 54, translating back and forth as pedal 14 is depressed and released. As cam 18 rotates from the first position toward the second position, an increasing amount of the cable may be retained within groove 60, as best seen in
Adjusting length of link 16 or distance of opening 54 on cam 18 from axis of rotation may change distance cable travels when pedal 14 is depressed. This may allow the hi hat cymbals to be separated a greater or smaller distance, which may allow for manipulating the timing of hi hat hits and/or the force with which a drummer can cause the cymbals to be brought together.
In one embodiment, cable assembly 70 may be a single cable, e.g., a single strand metal wire or multiple braided or wound wires. Preferably, however, cable assembly 70 may be a Bowden cable or a similar cable. In this embodiment, e.g., in the embodiment of
As seen in
Staying with
Whereas one end of cable 70 operatively couples to pedal 10, a second end may feed into and operatively couple to hi hat subassembly 82. For example, hi hat subassembly 82 may include a collar 92 having a cap 90 at one end through and into which cable 70 extends. Conversely, rod 88 may extend away from a second end of collar 92.
The inner workings of hi hat subassemblies are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, but one version of a hi hat assembly may include an element disposed within collar 92 to which both inner cable 72 and rod 88 are operatively coupled. This coupling element also may include a spring element such as a compression spring. When foot board 14 of pedal 10 is in a ready position, the spring element may be extended, keeping rod 88 pushed upward and causing second cymbal 86 to be spaced from first cymbal 84.
Upon depressing foot board 14, link 16 may cause cam 18 to rotate, pulling inner cable 72 relative to outer sheathing Inner cable 72 may pull the coupling element within collar 92, compressing its spring and, in turn, pulling down rod 88 and second cymbal 86. Upon releasing food board 14, the spring may release its stored potential energy, forcing rod 88 and second cymbal 86 back up.
Because pedal assembly 10 is detached from hi hat stand, the pedal assembly may be placed anywhere around a drum set that offers an unobstructed path to the hi hat stand. Additionally, because of the flexibility present in the cable assembly, the path between the pedal assembly 10 and hi hat stand may not necessarily be line of sight. Instead, the cable may wind or snake around obstructions. For example, the pedal may be placed proximate the drummer's dominant foot, opposite the traditional hi hat location. Ordinarily, one or more floor toms and/or snare drums may be placed in this position, preventing placement of a traditional hi hat pedal and stand. However, pedal assembly 10 may be placed below or next to the floor tom with the cable running under the tom and towards a hi hat stand. In addition to the slack-diminishing benefits discussed above, this configuration may allow for greater flexibility for the drummer and create new options for drum kit setup.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific exemplary embodiments and methods herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiments and methods, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.