The present invention relates generally to a pedal apparatus for use in a performance of a percussion instrument, such as a bass drum of a drum set, and more particularly to an improvement in a structure for bearing or supporting a pivot shaft.
In the frame 110 of the aforementioned conventionally-known pedal apparatus 100, the support posts 112 and the support sections 113 are formed integrally with each other. Thus, with the pivot shaft 102 mounted to the support sections 113, the pivot shaft 102 may rattle or wobble due to distortion, deformation, etc. caused during the integral formation of the support posts 112 and the support sections 113. However, with the conventionally-known, integrally-formed frame 110, where positions, relative to the frame 110, of the support sections 113 supporting the opposite end portions of the pivot shaft 102 and the bearings are fixed, there can be provided no means to adjust a relative mounted position of the pivot shaft 102 to the frame 110 (support sections 113), and thus, it is not possible to correct the unwanted wobbling of the pivot shaft 102.
Further, in the case where the support posts 112 and the support sections 113 are formed integrally with each other as noted above, the respective shaft bearing axes of the left and right support sections 113 may be undesirably displaced with each other with respect to the axis of the pivot shaft 102 or may even curve or bend due to the distortion, deformation, etc. caused during the integral formation. Because the left and right support sections 113 are considerably spaced from each other, it is difficult to correct the displacement of the shaft bearing axes of the left and right support sections 113 by post-processing following the formation of the frame 110.
Furthermore, the foot board 106 is pivotably mounted at the rear end to a heel section 114 via a hinge section 108. Left and right support sections 115 supporting a pivot shaft 108a of the hinge section 108 are integrally formed with the heel section 114. Thus, with the structure for supporting the hinge section 108 at the rear end of the foot board 106 too, there would be encountered the problems that: a relative mounted position of the hinge section 108 to the heel section 114 cannot be adjusted; the respective shaft bearing axes of the left and right support sections 115 may be undesirably disaligned or displaced with each other with respect to the axis of the pivot shaft 108a; and it is difficult to correct the displacement of the shaft bearing axes of the left and right support sections 115 by post-processing.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,894,210 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,236,038 corresponding to Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-095379 also disclose prior art of a pedal apparatus for a percussion instrument.
In view of the foregoing prior art problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pedal apparatus for a percussion instrument which allows one or more pivot shafts, provided in the pedal apparatus, to be appropriately assembled to a frame with a high accuracy.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an improved pedal apparatus for a percussion instrument, which comprises: a frame; a foot board; a rod pivotable to move a beater; a pivot shaft provided in a motion link mechanism that pivots the rod in response to pivoting of the foot board; a support member formed as a component part separate from the frame and constructed to pivotably support the pivot shaft; and a connection section provided in corresponding relation to the support member and constructed to connect the corresponding support member to the frame.
In the pedal apparatus for a percussion instrument according to the present invention, the support member that pivotably supports the pivot shaft is formed as a separate component part from the frame, and this support member is connected to the frame via the connection section. Because the support member is a separate component part from the frame, a mounted position of the support member relative to the frame can be adjusted at the time of mounting, to the frame, of the support member. By such mounted position adjustment, it is possible to, for example, duly position the respective shaft bearing axes of a pair of left and right support members in alignment with each other with respect the axis of the pivot shaft. Thus, the pivot shaft can be appropriately assembled to the frame with a high accuracy as compared to the conventionally-known technique where the frame and the support members are formed integrally with each other.
In a case where a plurality of pivot shafts are provided in the motion link mechanism that pivots the rod in response to pivoting of the foot board, a combined structure the support member and the corresponding connection section may be applied in relation to at least one of the pivot shafts. Alternatively, such a combined structure the support member and the corresponding connection section may be applied individually to each of the pivot shafts in accordance with the basic principles of the present invention.
Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Now, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description will be given about an embodiment of a pedal apparatus for a percussion instrument of the present invention. The pedal apparatus for a percussion instrument (hereinafter also referred to simply as “pedal apparatus”) is used, for example, in a performance of a percussion instrument, such as a bass drum of a drum set.
As shown in
A rocker member 3 is fixed to a substantial axial middle portion of the pivot shaft 2, and a beater 7 is mounted to the distal end of a rod 5 that is in turn mounted to the rocker member 3. The rocker member 3, the rod 5 and the beater 7 together constitute a striking mechanism of the pedal apparatus 1. A transmission mechanism 4 that comprises for example a chain member is connected at it upper end to the rocker member 3, and a foot board 6 is connected to the lower end of the transmission mechanism 4.
As the user depresses the foot board 6, the foot board 6 pivots about the hinge section 8 downward from the position shown in
Next, with reference to
As shown in
The other pivot shaft support member 13b has a through-hole 30 having a bearing 34b (see
As shown in
The left and right support posts 12a and 12b are formed in such a manner that flatness of the first abutting surfaces 21a and 21b and flatness of the second abutting surfaces 22a and 22b can be made equal between the left and right support posts 12a and 12b through post-processing. Because such processing for making the flatness equal between the left and right support posts 12a and 12b is performed on the flat surfaces, it can be performed with a high accuracy and precision. In this way, it is possible to duly position the respective shaft bearing axes of the left and right support members 13a and 13b in alignment with each other with respect the axis of the pivot shaft 2. Thus, the pivot shaft 2 can be appropriately assembled to the frame 10 with a high accuracy.
The following describe an example operational sequence for mounting the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b to the corresponding support posts 12a and 12b. First, the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are mounted to the opposite ends of the pivot shaft 2 via the bearings 34a and 34b, and then, the two mounting surfaces 31 and 32 of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are abutted against the abutting surfaces 21a and 22a and 22a and 22b, respectively, of the support posts 12a and 12b. Then, the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are fastened or fixed to the corresponding support posts 12a and 12b by the screws passed through the screw holes 33 into the screw holes 23a and 23b.
Because the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are constructed in such a manner that the two mounting surfaces 31 and 32 abut against the support posts 12a and 12b as the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are mounted to the support posts 12a and 12b, they can be duly positioned at predetermined positions defined by the two mounting surfaces 31 and 32. Namely, in the instant embodiment, a positioning mechanism for each of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b comprises a mounting section constructed in such a manner that the pivot shaft support member 13a or 13b abuts at two or more surfaces (31 and 32) against the corresponding support post 12a or 12b.
Further, when the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are to be mounted to the support posts 12a and 12b, mounted positions of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b relative to the support posts 12a and 12b can be adjusted finely by adjusting the respective screwed-in amounts of the screws in the screw holes 33, 23 and 23b, fixing the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b by pressing them laterally from the left and right sides, or the like. By such mounted position adjustment of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b, it is possible to prevent unwanted wobbling of the pivot shaft 2 assembled to the frame 10.
According to the above-described embodiments of the pedal apparatus 1, where the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b are formed as component parts separate from the support posts 12a and 12b, the pivot shaft 2 can be appropriately assembled to the support posts 12a and 12b of the frame 10 with a high accuracy. In the above-described embodiments, the basic principles of the present invention are applied in relation to the pivot shaft 2 of the rod 5 provided for pivoting the beater 7, and the pivot shaft 2 is a pivot shaft (first pivot shaft) provided in the motion link mechanism for pivoting the rod 5 in response to pivoting motion of the foot board 6. Further, the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b constitute a support member (first support member) that pivotably supports the first pivot shaft 2, and the support posts 12a and 12b constitute a connection section (first connection section) that is constructed to connect the first support member to the frame 10.
Next, with reference to
Although not particularly shown, the other hinge support member 15b has a through-hole 50, two mounting surfaces 51 and 52 and a screw hole 14 which are similar to those of the one hinge support member 15a shown in
The heel section 14 too is formed in such a manner that flatness of the first abutting surfaces 41a and 41b and flatness of the second abutting surfaces 42a and 42b can be made equal through post-processing. In this way, the respective shaft bearing axes of the left and right hinge support member 15a and 15b mounted to the heel section 14 can be duly positioned in alignment with each other with respect to the axis of the pivot shaft 8a of the hinge section 8, so that the pivot shaft 8a of the hinge section 8 can be appropriately supported by the left and right hinge support members 15a and 15b.
The following describe an example operational sequence for mounting the hinge support members 15a and 15b to the heel section 14. First, the hinge support members 15a and 15b are mounted to the opposite ends of the pivot shaft 8a of the hinge section 8, and then, the two mounting surfaces 51 and 52 of the hinge support members 15a and 15b are abutted against the abutting surfaces 41a, 42a and 41b, 42b, respectively, of the heel section 14. Then, the hinge support members 15a and 15b are fastened or fixed to the heel section 14 by means of screws passed through the screw holes 43a and 43b into the screw holes 53. Note that any other suitable hinge-support-member mounting operational sequence than the aforementioned may be employed.
With the above-described construction where the two mounting surfaces 51 and 52 of each of the hinge support members 15a and 15b abut against the abutting surfaces 41a, 42a and 41b, 42b, respectively, of the heel section 14 during mounting, to the heel section 14, of the hinge support members 15a and 15b, the hinge support members 15a and 15b can be duly positioned at predetermined positions defined by the two mounting surfaces 51 and 52. Namely, in the instant embodiment, each of the hinge support members 15a and 15b has, as a positioning mechanism, a mounting section formed in such a manner that the hinge support member abuts against the heel section 14 at two or more surfaces (51 and 52).
Further, when the hinge support members 15a and 15b are to be mounted to the heel section 14, mounted positions of the hinge support members 15a and 15b relative to the heel section 14 can be adjusted finely by adjusting screwed-in amounts of the screws in the screw holes 53, 43a and 43b, fixing the hinge support members 15a and 15b by pressing them laterally from the left and right sides, or the like. By such fine mounted position adjustment of the hinge support members 15a and 15b, it is possible to prevent unwanted wobbling of the pivot shaft 8a of the hinge section 8 assembled to the heel section 14.
Furthermore, the screw holes 53 formed as laterally elongated holes in the hinge support members 15a and 15b function as a mounted position adjustment mechanism for the support members 15a and 15b. With such a mounted position adjustment mechanism, the user can adjust the mounted positions of the hinge support members 15a and 15b in the left-right direction within a range permitted by the screw holes 53. Note that the screw holes 53 may be formed in any other shape than the aforementioned, such as a shape elongated in the front-rear direction, or a shape that permits positional adjustment of the hinge support members 15a and 15b in both the left-right direction and the front-rear direction.
In the instant embodiment of the pedal apparatus 1, where the hinge support members 15a and 15b are formed as component parts separate from the heel section 14 as noted above, the pivot shaft 8a of the hinge section 8 can be appropriately assembled to the heel section 14 with a high accuracy. In the above-described embodiment, the basic principles of the present invention are applied in relation to the pivot shaft 8a of the foot board 6, and the pivot shaft 8a is a pivot shaft (second pivot shaft) provided in the aforementioned motion link mechanism for pivoting the rod 5 in response to a pivoting motion of the foot board 6. Further, the hinge support members 15a and 15b constitute a support member (second support member) that pivotably supports the second pivot shaft 8a, and a connection structure (abutting surfaces) of the heel section 14 for connecting the hinge support members 15a and 15b to the heel section 14 constitutes a connection section (second connection section) that is constructed to connect the second support member to the frame 10 via the heel section 14 of the foot board 6.
It should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may be modified variously within the scope of the technical idea disclosed in the claims, specification and drawings.
For example, as another example of the mounted position adjustment mechanism provided in each of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b, a position adjustment member may be provided between each of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b and the corresponding support post 12a or 12b. Each of such position adjustment members may be a resilient member, such as a plain washer or a spring washer. The positions, in the up-down direction, of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b can be adjusted via the position adjustment members provided between the first mounting surfaces 31 and the first abutting surfaces 21a and 21b, and the positions, in the front-rear direction, of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b can be adjusted via the position adjustment members provided between the second mounting surfaces 32 and the second abutting surfaces 22a and 22b. Further, as another example of the mounted position adjustment mechanism provided in each of the hinge support members 15a and 15b, position adjustment members similar to the aforementioned position adjustment members of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13 may be provided between the hinge support members 15a and 15b and the heel section 14.
Furthermore, the positioning mechanism of each of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b is not limited to the aforementioned construction where each of the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b abuts against the support post 12a or 12b at two or more mounting surfaces 31 and 32, and it may be of any other suitable construction. For example, positioning guide holes or grooves may be provided the pivot shaft support members 13a and 13b or in the support posts 12a and 12b. The positioning mechanism of each of the hinge support members 15a and 15b too is not limited to the construction where each of the hinge support members 15a and 15b abuts against the heel section 14 at two or more mounting surfaces 51 and 52, and it may be of any other suitable construction. For example, positioning guide holes or grooves may be provided in the hinge support members 15a and 15b or in the heel section 14. Whereas, in the above-described embodiments, combined structures the support members 13a, 13b and 15a, 15b (first and second support members) and the corresponding support posts 12a, 12b and hinge support members 15a and 15b (first and second connection sections) are provided in relation to both the pivot shaft 2 of the rod 5 (i.e., the first pivot shaft) and the pivot shaft 8a of the foot board 6 (i.e., the second pivot shaft) in accordance with the basic principles of the present invention, the present invention is not so limited, and the combined structure of the support member and the connection section according to the present invention may be provided in relation to only one of the pivot shafts 2 and 8a (i.e., the first pivot shaft or the second pivot shaft).
This application is based on, and claims priority to, JP PA 2016-060919 filed on 24 Mar. 2016. The disclosure of the priority application, in its entirety, including the drawings, claims, and the specification thereof, are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2016-060919 | Mar 2016 | JP | national |