Patent Application
20160275923
The present invention relates to percussion instruments, and particularly to a system for inserting and retracting percussion instruments.
Percussion sets have been developed that produce a large variety of different sounds. Percussion sets may include, for example, drums, cymbals, bells, cowbells, hi-hats, tambourines, wood blocks, etc. Even among drums a large variety of different drums exists such as, for example, kettle drums, steel drums, bongo drums, tom-toms, bass drums, tenor drums, snare drums, etc. To add to the abundance of sounds produced by these different percussion instruments, different techniques (e.g., rim shots, etc.) for striking or beating these percussion instruments have been developed to obtain different sounds from any one instrument.
Conventionally, however, percussion instruments were located relative to the player (i.e., the percussionist) at fixed positions. Since the instruments take space, there was a limit in the amount of instruments that may form part of any one percussion set. Moreover, the fixed locations of each of the instruments limited the number of sounds that the percussion set could produce.
The invention disclosed herein provides a system for inserting and retracting percussion instruments from a percussion set. Using the systems disclosed herein players are able to produce broader ranges of sounds and rhythms because different arrangements of percussion instruments may be available to the percussionist as the percussionist is playing that otherwise would not be available.
Moreover, an arrangement may be set where, for example, drum beats occur from striking a first drum downwardly and a second drum, that has been inserted above the first drum by use of the systems disclosed herein, upwardly. This way, the percussionist may double the amount of resulting drum beats; i.e., the conventional beats from the downward strikes plus the beats that result from the upward strikes.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example systems, methods, and so on, that illustrate various example embodiments of aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. An element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.
The insertable percussion system 1 also includes an inserting/retracting mechanism 7 connected to the percussion instrument 3 and the stand 5. The system 1 also includes a pedal 9 disposed on the floor F at or near the base 5a of the stand 5. The stand 5 vertically separates the percussion instrument 3 and the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 from the pedal 9. The insertable percussion system 1 also includes a cable 11 that connects the pedal 9 to the inserting/retracting mechanism 7. Operation (i.e., pressing and releasing) of the pedal 9 up or down causes the pedal 9 to pull and release on the cable 11 which, in turn, causes the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 to move the percussion instrument 3 substantially horizontally.
Pressing down on the pedal 9 causes the pedal 9 to pull on the cable 11 which, in turn, causes the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 to move the percussion instrument 3 substantially horizontally from a retracted position as shown in
In one embodiment, the insertable percussion system 1 as shown in
In one embodiment, the insertable percussion system 1 as shown in
In another embodiment, the roles are reversed; i.e., the percussion instrument 3 may be intended to be played by being hit with a downstroke or downward motion of the beater or the drum stick and the percussion instrument 3 is inserted under or below an upstroke percussion instrument.
The percussionist may strike the downstroke percussion instrument in the downstroke motion and the upstroke percussion instrument in the proceeding (i.e., immediately after) upstroke motion. This way, the percussionist may double the amount of resulting drum beats; i.e., the conventional beats from the downward strikes plus the beats that result from the upward strikes of the percussion instrument 3. Whenever the percussionist is ready to conclude playing in this upstroke/downstroke mode, the percussionist may remove or retract the percussion instrument 3 by operation of the pedal 9.
In the upstroke/downstroke embodiment above, the inserted position of the insertable percussion system 1 may correspond to a position where a majority of a playing surface of the upstroke drum (e.g., the skin of the percussion instrument 3) faces or vertically overlaps a majority of a playing surface of the downstroke drum. The retracted position of the insertable percussion system 1, on the other hand, may correspond to a position where the majority of the playing surface of the upstroke drum (e.g., the skin of the percussion instrument 3) does not face or does not vertically overlap the majority of the playing surface of the downstroke drum.
In the illustrated embodiment, the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 includes a first arm 13 and a second arm 15.
Pulling of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 causes the second arm 15 to rotate about the stand end 15a and the joint end 15b, and the first arm 13 to rotate about the joint end 13b and the percussion instrument end 13a to effectively stretch the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 causing the percussion instrument 3 to move horizontally away from the stand 5 to the inserted position.
Releasing of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 causes the second arm 15 to, in opposite direction as in the inserting, rotate about the stand end 15a and the joint end 15b, and the first arm 13 to rotate about the joint end 13b and the percussion instrument end 13a to effectively contract the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 causing the percussion instrument 3 to move horizontally towards the stand 5 to the retracted position.
In the illustrated embodiment of
In one embodiment (not shown), the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 includes a spring configured in the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 to bias the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 towards retraction (i.e., in the retracted position). In this embodiment, pulling of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 defeats tension force in the spring extending the spring and causing the second arm 15 to rotate about the stand end 15a and the joint end 15b, and the first arm 13 to rotate about the joint end 13b and the percussion instrument end 13a to effectively stretch the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 causing the percussion instrument 3 to move horizontally away from the stand 5 to the inserted position. Releasing of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 allows tension force in the extended spring to retract the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 into the retracted position such that the percussion instrument 3 is moved horizontally towards the stand 5.
Pressing of the foot or shoe of the person playing the insertable percussion system 1 causes the foot platform 17 to rotate about the rotating location 19a. This rotation pulls on the cable 29 which causes the rod 23 and the cable wheel 25 to also rotate effectively pulling on the cable 11 and stretching the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 into the inserted position.
Releasing of the foot or shoe of the person playing the insertable percussion system 1 causes the foot platform 17 to rotate, in the opposite direction as insertion, about the rotating location 19a. This opposite rotation releases the cable 29 which causes the rod 23 and the cable wheel 25 to also rotate effectively releasing on the cable 11 and retracting the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 into the retracted position.
When the player or percussionist desires to retract the percussion instrument 3 to the retracted position, the player or percussionist may move the foot platform 17 laterally or sideways in the opposite direction as engagement to disengage the latching tab 31 from the latching bracket 33. The player or percussionist may then release his foot or shoe from the foot platform 17 to retract the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 into the retracted position.
The first arm 13 includes a percussion instrument end 13a that operably and rotably connects to the percussion instrument 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the exemplary insertable percussion system 1 includes a slide bracket 35 that operably and rotably connects the percussion instrument end 13a to the percussion instrument 3. The first arm 13 also includes a joint end 13b that is distal the percussion instrument 3. The joint end 13b operably and rotably connects to the second arm 15.
The second arm 15 includes a stand end 15a that operably and rotably connects to the stand 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the exemplary insertable percussion system 1 includes a slide bracket 37 that operably and rotably connects the stand end 15a to the stand 5. The stand end 15a of the second arm 15 may be connected to the cable 11. The second arm 15 also includes a joint end 15b that is distal to the stand 5 and that operably and rotably connects to the joint end 13b of the first arm 13.
In the illustrated embodiment of
Pulling of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 causes the second arm 15 to rotate about the stand end 15a, the joint end 15b, and the joint position 15c. This causes the first arm 13 to rotate about the joint end 13b, about the percussion instrument end 13a, and about the joint position 13c to effectively stretch the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 causing the percussion instrument 3 to move horizontally away from the stand 5 to the inserted position.
Releasing of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 causes the second arm 15 to, in opposite direction as in the inserting, rotate about the stand end 15a, the joint end 15b, and the joint position 15c. This causes the first arm 13 to rotate about the joint end 13b, the percussion instrument end 13a, and the joint position 13c to effectively contract the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 causing the percussion instrument 3 to move horizontally towards the stand 5 to the retracted position.
In one embodiment (not shown), the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 includes a spring configured in the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 to bias the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 towards retraction (i.e., in the retracted position). In this embodiment, pulling of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 defeats tension force in the spring extending the spring and causing the second arm 15 to rotate about the stand end 15a, the joint end 15b, and the joint position 15c. This causes the first arm 13 to rotate about the joint end 13b, the percussion instrument end 13a, and the joint position 13c to effectively stretch the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 causing the percussion instrument 3 to move horizontally away from the stand 5 to the inserted position. Releasing of the cable 11 by operation of the pedal 9 allows tension force in the extended spring to retract the inserting/retracting mechanism 7 into the retracted position such that the percussion instrument 3 is moved horizontally towards the stand 5.
The term “percussion instrument” as used herein refers to musical instruments in which sound is generally obtained by striking the instrument with hands, beaters, sticks, etc. and their electronic equivalents. Examples of percussion instruments include drums, cymbals, bells, cowbells, hi-hats, tambourines, wood blocks, kettle drums, steel drums, bongo drums, tom-toms, bass drums, tenor drums, snare drums, etc. The term “drum” as used herein corresponds to any type of percussion musical instrument having at least one stretched membrane to generate sound by acoustic vibration when the stretched membrane is struck or their electronic equivalent (e.g., electronic drum pad.)
While example systems, methods, and so on, have been illustrated by describing examples, and while the examples have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the systems, methods, and so on, described herein. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, and illustrative examples shown or described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the preceding description is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
To the extent that the terms “in” or “into” are used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to additionally mean “on” or “onto.” Furthermore, to the extent the term “connect” is used in the specification or claims, it is intended to mean not only “directly connected to,” but also “indirectly connected to” such as connected through another component or components. An “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one by which the operably connected entities or the operable connection perform its intended purpose. For example, two entities may be operably connected to each other directly or through one or more intermediate entities.
To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed in the detailed description or claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both”. When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (3D. Ed. 1995).
