Patent Grant
7495159
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved resonating chamber and, in particular, to a sound attenuating system for use with drums and other acoustic articles.
2. Description of Prior Art
An instrument used for projecting, transmitting, and/or enhancing sound typically includes a solid body with a hollow cavity and a resonating element, such as a membrane, a string, or a diaphragm. For example, a drum can be made with an animal skin or synthetic film stretched over an open end of a hollow body. When a user strikes the resonating element, the vibration of the resonating element produces a sound that is characteristic of the instrument. Many factors can influence the sound produced. These factors include, for example, the types of materials used for the body and for the resonating element, the shape of the body, and the addition of other components. For example, a snare can be added to the membrane or the body of a drum to further enhance the sound. Typically, a user can tune the instrument by adjusting the tension applied to the resonating element. However, the tuning range is rather limited. Furthermore, the ability of the instrument body to project, transmit, and/or enhance sound is rather limited due to the destructive interference of sound waves carried by the instrument body. Accordingly, there is a need for improving the tunable range of the instrument and the ability of the instrument body to project, transmit, and/or enhance sound.
It is well established that different metals vibrate at different frequencies. Differences in various metals can be felt in the weight and flexibility, and heard from the differences in resonant frequency, harmonics, and dampening of the different tuning forks. Table I below shows various properties of a number of metals and other materials.
By way of example, tuning forks made by the forgoing materials produce a distinctive ring. The dense copper alloys have a lower pitch, while the stiff steel alloys have a higher pitch. One can hear clear differences between brass, bronze, copper, and copper-beryllium. The free machining brass with 3% lead has the lowest pitch. It is known that steel and 6061 aluminum sound similar because steel's threefold increase in stiffness is compensated for by its threefold increase in density. The polycarbonate does not resonate at all, nor does the pure tin because it bends every time it is tapped to resonate. Magnesium, zinc, and aluminum-bronze dampen out within a few seconds. The Monel (Ni—Cu) and the Inconel (Ni—Cr) resonate loud and long. Hardened A6 tool steel resonates at a lower frequency than annealed A6 tool steel. Several metals, including zirconium, titanium, and Inconel, resonate with harmonics. There are almost 100 metallic elements, and when combined, the number of commercial alloys reaches the tens of thousands.
The tone of a tuning fork is a function of the dimensions, the density, and the elastic modulus of the metal from which it is machined. If the dimensions are kept the same, but the metal is changed, then a different frequency will result from the different densities and the elastic moduli.
In Equation A, the resonant frequency f is related to the dimensions k, the elastic modulus E, and the density ρ. The density of a metal is a function of its crystal structure and atomic weight. The elastic modulus is a measure of the stiffness of the metal, that is, how tightly the atoms are bound. Metals with strong atomic bonding are not only stiff, but also have high melting points.
It is known to use sound attenuation or modulation for drums and other resonating devices, for example by muffling or altering the drum head tension or by altering the drum beater. However, there is a need for a device or system for adding pleasing frequencies to the sound of a drum or other resonating device when the drum is struck or vibrations are applied to the resonating device.
The invention enhances the sound of resonating chambers by adding at least one reflection plate to add pleasing frequencies to the resonating chamber. In accordance with the present invention, at least one reflection plate is added within the drum cylinder whereby the reflection plate(s) vibrate sympathetically to add pleasing frequencies to the sound when a drum or other resonating chamber is generating sound.
The apparatus has particular utility in connection with improving the spectrum of sound produced by drums, in particular snare drums, but it also has application to other instruments having a resonating chamber that can project, transmit, or enhance sound.
a-5d illustrate an alternate embodiment of the resonating plates of the present invention.
a-6d illustrate another alternate embodiment of the resonating plates of the present invention.
The present disclosure describes resonating devices having superior tuning ranges and enhanced abilities to project, transmit, and enhance sound. Aspects of the invention are described below in the context of a drum for producing sound. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the resonating devices can include speakers, guitars, microphones or any other devices having a resonating cavity coupled with a resonating element, such as a membrane, a string, a diaphragm, or any other elements capable of producing pulsating air pressures. It will be appreciated that several of the details set forth below are provided to describe the following embodiments in a manner sufficient to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the disclosed embodiments. Several of the details and advantages described below, however, may not be necessary to practice certain embodiments of the invention. Additionally, the invention can include other embodiments that are within the scope of the claims but are not described in detail with respect to
One aspect of the disclosed embodiments is illustrated in
The drum shell 30 may include lugs typically used to mount the membrane or skin defining the drum head in a manner that permits the drum head to be tensioned. The lugs are mounted to the drum shell 30 by screws 32
In accordance with this invention, at least one resonating plate 40 is mounted to the inner surface of the drum shell 30. In the preferred embodiment, the resonating plate 40 is mounted using the screws 32 typically provided with the lugs of a drum assembly.
With reference to
As shown in
To enhance the resonation characteristics of the resonating plate 40, a gap or slit 50 may be provided between the wings 47, 48 and the leg portion 46.
As is apparent from the foregoing description of the novel features of this invention, the invention enhances the sound of resonating chambers by adding reflection or resonating plates 40 to add pleasing frequencies to the resonating chamber. In accordance with the present invention, reflection or resonating plates 40 are mounted within the drum cylinder 30 with reflection plates 40 that vibrate sympathetically to add pleasing frequencies to the sound when a drum is struck.
In the preferred embodiment, the plates 40 are made of metal (however other materials can be used) and are attached to the inside of drum shells 40 via the screws 32 that attach the lugs to the exterior of the drum shell 30. The amount of sound embellishment depends on the number of reflection plates 40 that are installed up to the total number of lugs on the drum.
The plates 40 can be made of different types of metal such as stainless steel, steel, copper, brass, bronze, etc., each of which vibrates at a different frequency (for example, stainless steel vibrates at a higher frequency than bronze). Depending on the type of metal used, additional high frequencies, middle frequencies or low frequencies can be added to the sound of the drum. The plates 40 can be made in different lengths to accommodate drums of different heights. The reflection surface can be made larger or smaller to fine tune the desired frequency of vibration (smaller=higher frequencies and larger=lower frequencies).
The reflection plates are primarily designed for use with snare drums but can be used on all types of drums.
Referring to the attached drawing
Instead of the lug screws 32, the attachment system can have a multiplicity of holes to accommodate lugs of differing spacing; or the attachment area can have slots for universal attachment to the drum shell or a combination of holes and slots.
While the foregoing invention has been shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the presently claimed invention.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 423060 | Legault | Mar 1890 | A |
| 1664547 | Greenop | Apr 1928 | A |
| 2837002 | Susser | Jun 1958 | A |
| 3724313 | Frigo et al. | Apr 1973 | A |
| 4026185 | Migirian | May 1977 | A |
| 4048895 | May | Sep 1977 | A |
| 4170162 | Casavant | Oct 1979 | A |
| 4731141 | Thirion | Mar 1988 | A |
| 4790228 | Thirion | Dec 1988 | A |
| 4858510 | Shimoda et al. | Aug 1989 | A |
| 20020092406 | Hagiwara | Jul 2002 | A1 |
| 20060156898 | Nickel | Jul 2006 | A1 |
