Patent Grant
9754568
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shoulder mounted percussion instrument carrier for one or an array of drums of various sizes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carrier for one or more drums and replaces traditional “J” rods components. The elimination of the “J” rod components eliminates the interference with the user's legs and more particularly the user's thighs and provides a more natural stride of the user. Since the vertical or horizontal slots or saddle are not holes, that are commonly found with “J” rod carriers, the drum mounting structure can be repositioned or translated within the vertical or horizontal slots. The carrier allows the drum to be rigidly mounted in a variety of positions relative to the user. The mounting consists of a plurality of sliding connections that move independently from any adjustments from the carrier. The cantilevered weight of the drum(s) locks the drums into a vertical or horizontal slots or saddle. The structure also eliminates the necessity of a structurally rigid fixed abdomen plate and allows for use of a flexible and conforming abdomen plate.
Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The prior art discloses examples of carriers using “J”-rods on an instrument carrier to support one or an array of drums. A number of drum holding apparatus have been patented and used, but none provide the combination of features disclosed and claimed herein.
La Flame U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,683 discloses a carrier for percussion instruments having an abdominal plate connected at one end of a unitary frame partly encircling the wearer at the waist and having an upstanding rear portion pivotally connected to a back pressure plate. Shoulder bars are connected to the back-pressure plate and wrap about shoulders and support straps connect to the abdominal plate.
Hsieh U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,610 shows a carrier for percussion instruments having a “T” bar, a pair of shoulder bars, and a belly plate. The shoulder bars are bolted on a lateral plate of the “T” bar. The lateral plate has arc-like slots and spaced semi-circular holes permit bolts to slide in the slots. The fastening end of each shoulder bar has a hole and an arc-like slot from the upper portion to the lower portion permitting angular adjustment of the shoulder rightward or leftward for various applications.
La Flame U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,032 shows a carrier for various instruments such as marching bells, a marching xylophone or a marching marimba, which are supported on the apparatus by the use of suitably-constructed extension arms. The carrier frame is a U-shaped bent bar welded or otherwise attached to a belly plate and has extension arms, which project from the belly plate to engage and support the instrument.
La Flame GB patent 2,123,676 (based on U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,442) discloses a carrier for percussion instruments or the like which includes the combination of a belly plate with a carrier bracket for supporting an instrument at an outwardly-overhung position about a fulcrum area of contact with the front waistline area of the person, a rigid band with a generally bent contour to extend along a portion of the waistline area of the person to the back of the person, a back-plate riser arm supported by the ban to extend in a generally upward direction such that a portion of the arm will extend along the back thoracic region of the person, and means carried by the arm for imparting to the thoracic back region of the person a reactive force to the overhung weight of the instrument about the aforesaid means forming a fulcrum area of contact with the person.
Various patents from the applicant May have been issued covering carriers with “J” rods or similar attachment mechanisms for securing musical instruments, patents with this type of mechanism are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,691,492, 6,028,257, 6,323,407, 6,329,583, 6,172,290, 6,403,869, 6,770,805, 6,881,886, 7,071,401, and published applications US2005/0040,193, US2006/0096,443, US2005/0103,183 and US2005/0183,565, but none of these disclose the carrier structure disclosed within this application.
Various prior inventions have been disclosed that attempt to provide mounting for one or a plurality of drums. Most of these products have the drum(s) fixed to the carrier or use “J” rods to secure the drum(s) to the carrier. These carriers have limitations that require an abdominal plate that is an integral part of the carrier. Because of the mechanical structure of these carriers they restrict or alter natural walking or rapid stride movement of the user. The proposed carrier provides improvements that eliminate the aforementioned limitations.
It is an object of the shoulder mounted apparatus is to provide a carrier that allows a user to carry and play one or more drums while they transport the drum such as when they are walking, marching or rapidly moving. The mounting allows for the drum(s) to be maintained in a horizontal or rotated vertical orientation where the drumheads are oriented in a horizontal configuration allowing the drum to be played by striking the drumhead(s).
It is another object of the drum mounting apparatus, when it is configured with a single sliding (mono) post, to provide a simplified mounting apparatus that allows height of the horizontal playing surface of the drum to be raised and lowered by sliding the drum mounting apparatus on the single (mono) post. The mounting apparatus on the carrier has a vertical slot and the mounting apparatus on the drum has a horizontal pin or rod that slides into the vertical slot to secure the drum on the carrier. The drum is quickly removed from the carrier by lifting the pin or rod out of the slot.
It is another object of the drum mounting apparatus, when it is configured as with two or more posts to provide a stable box structure for the drum(s) to be supported on the carrier. The box structure refers to the two sets of slides or tracks that are mounted to the carrier and a corresponding two sets of slides are mounted on hardware having vertically or horizontally oriented slots or saddle. An array of drums is mounted to a tenor rail that engages onto the vertically or horizontally oriented slots or saddle to support the drums on the carrier. The overhung cantilevered weight of the drums secures the drum array in the vertically or horizontally oriented slots or saddle. The ability to integrate the slides onto the carrier allows the drums to be more rigidly secured to the carrier and significantly reduces flexing of the drum or drum array with the carrier to improve the stability of the playing surface when the user is moving or playing the drums. When the drums are brought closer to the user the overhung distance is decreased and the cantilevered load is decreased and reduces the strain on the back of the user. Since the tenor rail rests in the vertically or horizontally oriented slots or saddle the tenor rail can be slid horizontally in the carrier to justify the drums left or right of the center of the user. A user can place one or more marks on the tenor rail to identify specific balancing or positioning locations for the drum array when drums of different sizes and weights are placed in the drum array.
It is another object of the drum mounting apparatus to allow the drum or drum array to be easily installed and removed from the carrier to allow the drum or drum array to be placed in a floor mounted stand.
It is another object of the drum mounting apparatus to provide connection for an abdomen plate that can float or be removed from the carrier. This allows the abdomen plate to move with the user. Since the majority of the load from the drum(s) is from gravity the vertical load on the abdomen plate is essentially zero and the abdomen plate can be removed, secured on a pivoting mechanism with temporary securing means that does not penetrate the abdomen plate such as hook and loop fasteners.
It is another object of the carrier to provide a carrier where structure eliminates the necessity of a structurally rigid fixed abdomen plate and allows for use of a flexible and conforming abdomen plate.
It is another object of the carrier to include a connecting member that spans between the shoulder supporting member behind the user or performer. The connecting member is joined to an arm that is connected to at a back member that allows the back member to pivot and translate relative to the two shoulder supporting members to allow the back member to align with a back of a user. The connecting member may be joined to the one arm with a frictional connection. The arm may be connected to the back member with a frictional connection. The back member at least partially contours to the shape of the back and may further include an inflatable cushioning bladder and is positioned between and under or evades the shoulder blades of the user to increase arm mobility.
It is still another object of the carrier to integrate the two sets of dovetailed sliders is a parallel arrangement to allow the drums to be easily raised and lower on the carrier in a linear sliding arrangement.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
Referring to
In
A tube 260 slides into the center portion of the lift base. Two slots that run lengthwise down the sides of tube 260. These slots provide a guide and a retaining mechanism for the tube on the lift base. The tube can slide on the lift base, and be locked into position on the lift base with hardware such as item 258. A bass drum support slider 270 is also attached and slides in the slots that exist on the side of tube 260. The bass drum support slider can be moved on tube 260, and locked into a fixed position on tube 260 using hardware 272 or similar hardware. The bass drum support slider can be placed onto the tube 260 in either orientation based upon where the user wants to orient the remainder of the pieced of the bass drum support, and where they want to position the bass drum. A horn shaped member 280 attaches to the bass drum support slider with hardware such as item 282 and 283. This hardware allows the two members to pivot with each other and also be locked into position by tightening the nut 283 on the bolt 282.
The horn shaped member 280 is free to rotate on the bass drum support slider. Based upon the location of the bass drum support slider, and the location of the bass drum, the angular relationship between the horn shaped member and the bass drum support slider is established. At the opposite end of the horn shaped member a drum support member 290 is located that provides support to the bass drum. The connection between the horn shaped member and the drum support member is with hardware such as 284 and 285. This hardware allows the two members to pivot with each other and also be locked into position by tightening the nut 285 on the bolt 284.
On the flat portion of support member 290 a pad or cushion can be attached to reduce movement and damage to the bass drum 100. This pad cushions the drum if it moves up or down as the user is walking, marching or moving.
The primary function of components 250, 260, 270, 280 and 290 is to provide vertical and horizontal positioning of the bass drum. This positioning allows the bass drum to be moved up, down, closer and further away from the user. This allows the drum to be positioned in various locations for the comfort of the user. These components consist of a single contact point for the drum. The single contact point is one of three points that make contact with and or secure the drum to the carrier. Two remaining contact points are J-bolts 224 and 226.
The bass drum has the two eyebolts attached through the shell of the bass drum. The bass drum is attached to the J-bolts on the carrier by positioning the eye bolts over the J-bolts, and “hooking” the eyebolts onto the J-bolts. Once hooked together, the drum is rotated down until it comes in contact with the pad on the support member 290. The user can slide and position components 250, 260, 270, 280 and 290 to locate the drum in the playing position that the user prefers.
The lower rods or tubes 32 and 34 independently spread to parallel portions 36 and 38 where they attach to supporting abdomen plate 30. Upper rods or tubes 42 and 44 having out-turned portions 45 and 46 supporting rigid shoulder straps 50 and 55 and back bar 70. Back bar 70 may be removably secured to shoulder straps 50 and 55 or may be fixed as by welding or the like. Shoulder straps 50, 55, and back bar 70 have cushions 60, 62 and 64. The cushions are of a type used to pad the interior of football and other sports helmets and are shown in more detail in co-issued May U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,257. The cushions have a backing strip of polyvinyl plastic film. A thin sheet of polyvinyl film encloses blocks of closed pore plastic (e.g., polystyrene or polyurethane) foam and is sealed to the backing strip to enclose separate blocks which are separately compressible and provide more comfort to the wearer of the carrier when fully loaded.
The abdomen plate 30 is secured to the bridge supports 90 with a pivot 22 that extends through ears 24 on the abdomen plate 30. The placement of the pivot through the center of the bridge support 90 allows the abdomen plate to rotate a limited amount on the pivot(s) 22. The pivoting allows the abdomen plate to move with the user without significantly altering the position of the carrier on the user. The pivots can be tightened slightly to provide frictional or limited pivoting as well as loosened to allow for free pivoting. It is also contemplated that the abdomen plate 30 is removably secured on carrier.
Clamping receptacle(s) 92 and 94 consist of a semi-circular receptacle that tubes 45 and 46 fit through. Tightening hardware 98 and 99 clamps the tube or rod to secure them within the receptacle and prevent movement 41. The clamping receptacle(s) 82 and 83 are secured on abdomen plate 30 as bridge 78. The receptacles are shown mounted to the abdomen plate 30, and the tubes can be re-positioned within the receptacle, but the receptacles can be mounted to slots that allow the locations of the receptacles to be moved. The upper, out-turned ends 45 and 46 of supporting rods or tubes are supported in clamping receptacles 92 and 94 on shoulder straps 50 and 55. Clamps 92 and 94 hold rods or tubes 45 and 46 on the shoulder supports. Clamping mechanisms 92 and 94 consist of a semi-circular receptacle that tubes 45 and 46 fit through. Tightening hardware 98 and 99 clamps the tube or rod to secure them within the receptacle and prevent movement 41. A single tube or shaft 260 is used to connect with a single drum 11 through a sliding cradle 84.
The sliding cradle 84 connects to the single tube or shaft 260 with dovetail grooves. A second set of dovetail grooves exist on the bridge support member 78. The bridge support member 78 has male dovetail grooves that mate with the female dovetail groves in the tube or shaft 260. A similar set of male dovetail features 85 exist on the sliding cradle 84. These dovetail features are arranged to allow the sliding cradle to slide past the bridge support member 78. The sliding cradle 84 has a recessed cradle 87 for connection with the hinge pins 15 of a single drum 11. The hinge pin 15 is secured to the drum 11 with a rotation hinge plate. The rotation hinge plate 12 and its connection to the drum is shown and described in more detail in my May U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,691,492, 7,326,842 and published application 2009/0045235.
The sliding cradle 84 is secured to plate 88 with securing blots 97. Movement of the cradle 84 on the single tube or shaft 260 is prevented by locking set screws, or similar hardware, through access hole 95. The securing plate 88 has two drum rotators 89 that where a drum is slide 96 down the elongated tabs of the drum rotators 89. Gravity holds a drum in the elongated tabs. To rotate a drum thumbscrew 91 is loosened and the drum rotors are turned in the plate 88. The rotation of the drum is limited to the travel of the thumbscrew(s) 91 is slot 93. The structure that connects this hardware to a drum is described in May U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,492.
In
In
Referring to
In the preferred embodiment, the interface between the mating bearing surfaces of member 362, 364 and members 371, 372, 373, 374 is smooth. In the case of smooth mating surfaces, one or all of bolts 313 to 316 can be loosened to allow the components of the compound hinge to move, rotate freely or provide infinite locking positions. While only two sets of compound hinge components are shown and described, more than two hinges can be utilized in the construction of the carrier. It is also contemplated that an entire carrier could be constructed with hinge components where each hinge can be individually adjusted. If the interface between the member 362 and members 371 and 372 are smooth an infinite number of angular settings can be made and locked with bolts 313 and 314 to fix the angular relationship between the compound hinge components. Using smooth interfacing surfaces, bolts 313 to 316 can be partially tightened to allow various degrees of frictional movement between the compound hinge components, or locked into position or a combination thereof.
An alternate embodiment of the mating surfaces of the compound hinge is shown with a ball 391 and hole 392 configurations. In this embodiment, one or more balls or raised areas exist of one member. The ball or raised member is shown here as 391 on item 372, the hole or recess is shown here as 392 on item 362. In this embodiment, the members can be locked in 45-degree increments, or in the positions where the ball or raised area falls into the hole or depressed area. In another embodiment of the mating surfaces of the compound hinge is shown as radial lands and groves as identified as items 395 and 396. In this embodiment four, eight or more radial lands and groves exist on the mating members 372 and 362. In this embodiment, the members can be locked in 45-degree increments, but can be manufactured with any number of increments, or positions where a land in one component falls into a groove in the mating component. In the previous described embodiment the angle between the members is adjusted by loosening bolts 313 to 316 rotating the members into position and tightening bolts 313 to 316. Three different types of mating surfaces have been described, but other types can be utilized that allow the hinge components to move and or lock in various positions.
Refer now to
In
The optional front pad 110 is a semi-firm pad made of felt, rubber, Latex, Neoprene or other similar material that allows improved comfort in addition to a surface that breaths to reduce perspiration of the user. A covering such as Mylar 120 or similar material can be located between the pad 110 and an expandable bladder 130. The Mylar sheet provides a rigid surface for the bladder to push against. This rigid surface helps to keep the bladder flatter as the bladder is filled with air to reduce ballooning of the pad. The pad 110 is can be attached directly to an expandable bladder 130 that can be filled or emptied of air. Varying amounts of air can be placed into or removed from the expandable cushion to provide varying amounts of expansion. The bladder is attached to the shoulder support/shoulder strap 12 and or the back member/back support 13 that provides additional support to the bladder cushion. The attachment of the pad to the Mylar and the Mylar to the bladder can be made using a variety of methods including, adhesive, ultrasonic, two part adhesives, Velcro or thermal bonding. The pad 130 is attached to the shoulder strap or back member using various methods including adhesive, ultrasonic, two part adhesives, Velcro or thermal bonding. In the preferred embodiment an adhesive 140 or Velcro pad(s) are used to removably attach the expandable pad to member 150.
The expandable bladder 130 is connected to a hose 160 that is used to fill and empty the expandable bladder. The hose allows for a flexible connection from the bladder(s) to the filling location. Multiple pads or bladders can be connected together with similar hoses to allow the multiple bladders to be adjusted at the same time. A spring-loaded valve 170 is located at the end of the tube to maintain pressure inside the bladder or cushion. A manual pump 175 can be inserted into the spring-valve 170 and when squeezed, air is removed or vacuumed from the hose assembly, making the bladder collapse, and pull against the shoulder strap.
In the preferred embodiment, the bladder is expanded with air, but the bladder can be filled or expanded with any gas or medium that can expand the bladder such as CO2, Argon, Helium, water, or even a powder.
Hardware 115 secures the arm 114 around the horizontal connecting member. This hardware 115 can be adjustable to change the frictional resistance for pivotal movement 142. Arm 114 pivots 142 on one end with the horizontal connecting member 111 and on the other end 141 through connector 113 that is secured to a bracket 112 that is connected to the back member 17. The arrangement of the pivoting axes 142 and 113 allows the back member to move 143 towards and away from the back of the performer to provide an even pressure on the back of the performer to more evenly distribute loads that push into the back of the performer. The shape of the back member 17 is contoured to bridge between the shoulder blades thereby reducing restriction of arm movement.
Thus, specific embodiments and applications for a carrier with single and dual front mounted linear slides have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
This application claims priority to provisional application 61/500,961 filed on Jun. 24, 2011, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20120255422 A1 | Oct 2012 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61500961 | Jun 2011 | US |
