Patent Grant
9040793
Musical instruments such as violas and violins typically comprise a neck and a body having an upper surface and a lower surface separated by a rib. Strings, which run from a pegbox or head provided on the neck of the instrument and over a bridge provided on the upper surface of the instrument body, are attached to a tailpiece which is secured via a pin to the bottom of the instrument body. The body typically comprises a hollow resonance box in acoustic instruments of the violin or viola type, the components of which are joined by a moisture- and heat-sensitive glue, as is known in the art, or the body may also be solid such as in the case of electric violins and violas, which use one or more electric pickups and amplification devices to increase the sound of string vibrations. The instrument body and head are generally made of wood and coated with a varnish for protection and aesthetic enhancement, as is known in the art. A chinrest is generally provided on the upper surface of the instrument body; the chinrest is clamped to the instrument body using conventional hardware or variations on the convention. Players rest their jaws/chins on the chinrest when playing, and some players necks come into contact with the chinrest hardware and instrument body. Some players prefer to play in a traditional style, i.e. without a chinrest, and rest their jaws/chins directly on the top surface of the instrument, with some players' necks coming into contact with the instrument body.
Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and apparatus for protecting a musical instrument and the player of said instrument. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes a first layer including a moisture permeable and wicking material configured to wick fluid and moisture from the player across and through the layer. The first layer includes a first player-facing surface and a first musical instrument facing surface. The apparatus also includes a second layer including a second player-facing surface and a second musical instrument facing surface, wherein the second player-facing surface abuts the first musical instrument facing surface of the first layer. The second layer includes a moisture impermeable material configured to prevent the wicked fluid and moisture from coming into contact with the musical instrument.
The first layer can be adapted to be in contact with a skin surface of a player. Also, at least one of the first layer and the second layer can be adapted to be antimicrobial. In addition, at least one of the first layer and the second layer can also be adapted to be compressible.
The moisture impermeable material can include a fabric adapted to protect the surfaces and seams of the musical instrument and the chinrest and hardware from moisture. For example, the fabric can be chemically treated to substantially prevent moisture transfer through the fabric. Also, the fabric can include a weaving pattern configured to substantially prevent moisture transfer through the fabric. The fabric can include a non-woven sheet configured to substantially prevent moisture transfer through the fabric. In addition, the second layer can include a membrane configured to substantially prevent moisture transfer through the second layer.
The moisture impermeable material can be adapted to protect the varnish, surface of the musical instrument, and/or chinrest from contact with the apparatus. For example, the fabric can have soft fibers on the musical instrument facing side that cannot scratch or mar the varnish, instrument surface, or chinrest.
A non-skid material can be affixed to the second musical instrument facing side of the second layer. For instance, the non-skid material can be configured to substantially prevent movement of the apparatus relative to the musical instrument. Also, the second musical instrument facing side of the second layer can include an adhesive material configured to non-permanently adhere the apparatus to the musical instrument. For example, a sticky rubber can be affixed to the second musical instrument facing side of the second layer to allow the apparatus to temporarily attach to the chinrest cup of the instrument.
Another embodiment is an apparatus for protecting a musical instrument that includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer includes a moisture permeable and wicking material configured to wick fluid and moisture from the player across and through the layer. In addition, the first layer has a first player-facing surface and a first musical instrument facing surface. The second layer includes a moisture absorbing material. The second layer has a second player-facing surface and a second musical instrument facing surface, wherein the second player-facing surface abuts the first musical instrument facing surface of the first layer. The third layer includes a third player-facing surface and a third musical instrument facing surface. The third player-facing surface abuts the second musical instrument facing surface of the second layer. Also, the third layer includes a moisture impermeable material configured to prevent the wicked and absorbed fluid and moisture from coming into contact with the musical instrument.
Another embodiment is an apparatus for protecting a musical instrument that includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes a moisture absorbing material configured to absorb moisture from the player. The first layer has a first player-facing surface and a first musical instrument facing surface. The second layer includes a second player-facing surface and a second musical instrument facing surface. The second player-facing surface abuts the first musical instrument facing surface of the first layer. Also, the second layer includes a moisture impermeable material configured to prevent the absorbed moisture from coming into contact with the musical instrument.
Yet another embodiment is an apparatus for protecting a musical instrument that includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer includes a moisture absorbing material configured to absorb moisture from the player. The first layer has a first player-facing surface and a first musical instrument facing surface. The second layer includes a moisture wicking material configured to wick fluid into a second moisture absorbing material of the second layer. The second layer has a second player-facing surface and a second musical instrument facing surface. The second player-facing surface abuts the first musical instrument facing surface of the first layer. The third layer includes a third player-facing surface and a third musical instrument facing surface. The third player-facing surface abuts the second musical instrument facing surface of the second layer. The third layer includes a moisture impermeable material configured to prevent the wicked and absorbed fluid and moisture from coming into contact with the musical instrument.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following more particular description of the embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments.
Some players of violins, violas, and similar musical instruments suffer adverse physiological (e.g. dermatological) effects and/or discomfort, such as redness, rashes, sores, itching, swelling, and the like, as well as physical discomfort on the neck, jaw, and/or chin from contact with the instrument and instrument accessories. For instance, an edge of a chinrest cup and the wood of the chinrest itself. The edge of the chinrest cup generally forms an approximately ninety degree angle and can have a somewhat sharp edge on some models. In addition, the chinrest cup, chinrest edges, and chinrest hardware do not absorb moisture. Perspiration from the player remains in contact with his or her skin while playing, leading to and/or exacerbating rashes, sores and chaffing, and other adverse dermatological conditions caused by chinrest friction and/or excessive moisture. This constant contact between hard wood of the instrument and the player and resulting adverse physiological effects can cause discomfort.
Another problem is that varnish, wood, and accessories such as the chinrest and chinrest hardware of violins, violas, and similar musical instruments experience wear, discoloration, deterioration, and degradation from contact with the player. In particular, the varnish on the lower bass rib in the chinrest area, which is closest to the player's chin and neck, is frequently worn away and the wood darkened from contact with the player's skin, player's perspiration, and substances on a player's skin. Further degradation can include warping and cracking of the rib from the combination of chinrest pressure and warm moisture from the player. In addition, the seams in this area—the joints formed by the top of the rib and the top of the instrument and the bottom edge of the rib and the back of the instrument—can separate or come apart from the warm moisture as the glue used to bind the wooden parts of such instruments softens and loses strength when exposed to moist heat. The chinrest, particularly the metal hardware, can also discolor and degrade. In addition, makeup and other substances applied to the skin can adhere to the instrument surface and even get into open seams, which can make regluing the seams difficult. And some players do not use chinrests at all, preferring to rest their chins directly on the top plate of the instrument, which can significantly degrade and damage the varnish and wood of the instrument from both perspiration, makeup, and other substances, and friction from the skin and facial hair.
Another common problem is that many players have an allergic reaction to parts of the chinrest such as the metal hardware. For example, some people are allergic to nickel; contact with the metal parts of the hardware that contain nickel will cause a reaction. In addition, the salts, oils, and other compounds in a player's perspiration and/or substances on the player's skin such as makeup, skin lotions, aftershave, creams, oils, and/or the like, can react with the metals and other compounds in the chinrest hardware and cause a variety of adverse physiological (e.g. dermatological) effects and/or discomfort.
It is an object of the presently described apparatus to provide a protector for both a musical instrument of the violin or viola type and for the player of such instrument.
The present disclosure relates to a protection device for a musical instrument such as a violin, viola or other similar instrument and for the player of such instrument, and more particularly, to a device which covers a portion of a musical instrument to protect the varnish, wood, structural seams, and chinrest of the instrument from degradation from the perspiration and/or cosmetic products applied to the skin of the player, and also to protect the player from any adverse physiological (e.g., dermatological) effects and/or discomfort from perspiration and/or contact with various instrument components including the wood, varnish, chinrest cup, chinrest edges, and/or chinrest hardware.
An embodiment of the present disclosure includes an apparatus that protects the instrument from the perspiration of the player and the player from adverse physiological (e.g. dermatological) effects and/or discomfort from contact with the instrument. The apparatus of the present disclosure is designed to manage moisture (absorb, disperse, dissipate, and prevent migration to the musical instrument). In another embodiment, the apparatus also provides cushioning and inhibits bacterial growth.
It is a further object of an embodiment of the present disclosure to protect the player of a musical instrument from any adverse physiological (e.g. dermatological) effects and/or discomfort from contact with the instrument and accessories such as the chinrest. Substances that the player could come into contact with include but are not limited to metal, plastic, or composite chinrest hardware, polish residue from cleaning of the instrument, plastic accessories such as the tailgut or synthetic chinrest, wood, and varnish.
It is a further object of an embodiment of the present disclosure to protect the player of a musical instrument from adverse physiological (e.g. dermatological) effects and/or discomfort by providing a cushioning layer between the player and the musical instrument and accessories such as a chinrest. In one embodiment, the cushioning layer is provided by the aggregate compressibility of the materials that comprise the apparatus. In another embodiment, this cushioning layer is provided through the use of an added layer comprised of resilient fibers which do not lose their compressibility over time as can happen with the foam pads and inserts used by other devices.
In another embodiment, the moisture impermeable and instrument surface-protecting layer 3 is composed of a moisture-impermeable non-woven synthetic sheet such as nylon coated with polyester fibers. In yet another embodiment, the moisture impermeable and instrument surface-protecting layer 3 is composed of a layer of compressible rubber, latex, plastic, or the like adhered to a fabric. In still yet another embodiment, the moisture impermeable and instrument surface-protecting layer 3 is composed of a layer of compressible rubber, latex, plastic, or the like. In yet another embodiment, the moisture impermeable and instrument surface-protecting layer 3 is composed of a layer of natural or synthetic fabric (e.g., cotton, hemp, polyester) treated with a moisture repellant substance. In another embodiment, the moisture impermeable and instrument surface-protecting layer 3 is composed of a moisture impermeable membrane (e.g., polyethylene film, wax membrane) adhered (e.g., physical connection, adhesive, heat sealed) to a fabric (e.g., cotton, polyester).
Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the apparatus disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/760,252, filed on Feb. 4, 2013. The entire teachings of the above application(s) are incorporated herein by reference.
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