Patent Grant
9520114
This application relates generally to acoustic musical instruments, and more particularly, to a drumhead membrane tuning apparatus and method for percussion instruments.
The drawings, when considered in connection with the following description, are presented for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected.
While the present disclosure is described with reference to several illustrative embodiments described herein, it should be clear that the present disclosure should not be limited to such embodiments. Therefore, the description of the embodiments provided herein is illustrative of the present disclosure and should not limit the scope of the disclosure as claimed. In addition, while the following description references a traditional Persian drum called “Tombak” it will be appreciated that the disclosure may include other national and international percussion instruments.
Natural or synthetics skin percussion instruments, which use animal skin or synthetics materials as their drumhead membrane, comprise a resonance box with a skin stretched across either or both ends of the resonance box. Tuning of these instruments is accomplished by changing the tension of the drumhead membrane. Traditionally, changing the skin tension is achieved by adjusting many ropes, several leather straps, or multiple nuts and bolts, all of which are traditionally mounted on the outside or the external surface of the resonance box. However, in the case of percussion instruments that are in direct contact with the musician's body, such as the Iranian Tombak, any external fittings or attachments would prevent the free movement of the player's hands or the free movement of the instrument in player's hands, making it difficult to play. Additionally, it is desired to change the skin tension of the drumhead by a single adjustment.
Because the tension in the drumhead membrane and its sound changes as temperature and/or humidity vary, the disclosed apparatus and method allows quick and easy re-tuning of the instrument during a live performance or recording. One of the advantages of the disclosed tuning apparatus is that the tuning apparatus is housed inside the percussion instrument and neither alters the appearance of the instrument nor interferes with the player's movements. Another advantage of the disclosed tuning apparatus is the possibility of changing the skin tension of the drumhead by a single adjustment. A third advantage of the disclosed tuning apparatus is the ability to easily tune either the separate regions of the drumhead membrane or the entirety of the drumhead membrane.
Briefly described, a method and an article of manufacture are disclosed for changing the tension of the drumhead membrane locally or globally over the entire surface of the membrane. The disclosed article of manufacture includes multiple cables, each of which is attached to a different location at the periphery of the drumhead membrane. Pulling each cable will pull the membrane from a different side, which creates tension in a corresponding part of the membrane. Pulling all cables at once will pull the membrane from all sides, depending on the cable arrangement with respect to membrane boundary, and creates tension in the entire membrane. One wheel or screw in the disclosed tuning apparatus is configured to pull or loosen all the cables at the same time while other wheels or screws are configured to tighten or relax only one or a selected few of the cables. It is important to note that the friction between the drumhead membrane and the drumhead ridge, over which the membrane lies, helps the local tuning of the membrane and prevents the local tension created by a single cable to be spread throughout the membrane.
In the embodiment of
In various embodiments the cables 270 may be also pulled by other means than by eye-bolts 250. For example the cables 270 may be pulled towards the walls of the resonance box 110 by additional cables or bolts 255, shown in
Changes can be made to the claimed invention in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the claimed invention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in its implementation details, while still being encompassed by the claimed invention disclosed herein.
Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the claimed invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the claimed invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the claimed invention.
The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. It is further understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
While the present disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150340019 A1 | Nov 2015 | US |
