1. Technical Field
The present application is directed to a system including a device for securing the states of electronic controls, such as the controls of an audio processing unit.
2. Related Art
Audio processors are used in a wide range of applications. The audio processors may include those used in studios as well as live performance venues. Pedal processors, such as bass guitar pedals, electric guitar pedals, acoustic guitar pedals, amplifier pedals, keyboard pedals, and other pedal processor types are used to control the audio characteristics of the audio ultimately produced by the respective instrument. Other audio processors include rack-mounted microphone/instrument preamplifiers, compressors, reverb processors, effects processors, and similar audio processor types.
Pedal processors may have controls that are manually adjustable to selected states to provide desired audio processing characteristics. A guitarist or other performer may have a particular set of adjustments to provide the desired characteristics. During a performance, however, the states of the controls may be upset through physical contact that may be ancillary to the performance. The states of the controls may also be disturbed during transportation of the pedal processor from one venue to another.
Rack-mounted processors may also have controls that are manually adjustable to selected states to provide desired audio processing characteristics. A studio and/or live mix engineer may have a particular set of control adjustments that are used to provide the desired audio characteristic. The engineer may find it difficult to maintain the control adjustments during the performance. The states of the controls may also be disturbed during transportation of the rack-mounted processors from one venue to another.
A system comprises an audio processor adapted for communication with an audio source and a control cover. The audio processor may have a plurality of manual controls to adjust audio processing parameters based on selected states of the controls. The control cover may engage the audio processor to restrict movement of the manual controls and maintain the manual controls in their selected states. The audio processor may be a pedal-processor.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.
The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The audio processor 110 may include one or more audio processor types such as a compressor, preamplifier, reverb unit, effects processor, or similar audio processor. Mechanically, the audio processor 110 may be a pedal processor that includes a foot-actuated switch, a rack-mounted device, or other mechanical configuration.
A control cover 120 is provided to cover the manual controls 115. The control cover 120 may substantially inhibit access to the manual controls 115 after they have been set to their selected states and/or secure the manual controls 115 in the selected states. By covering the manual controls, movement and/or inadvertent adjustment of the manual controls 115 from the selected states is substantially inhibited. Depending on the particular configuration of the control cover 120, the states of the manual controls 115 may be maintained during transportation of the audio processor 110 from one venue to another and/or during a live performance.
System 100 may also include audio transducers, such as speakers, and/or post-processors 125. The transducers and/or post-processors are in communication with one or more output of the audio processor 110. The output of the audio processor 110 may be analog, digital, or a combination of both analog and digital signals. Post-processors used at 125 may also include manual controls with corresponding control covers.
Manual controls 215 through 230 are in the form of rotary controls that facilitate adjustment of the processing parameters of the pedal processor 200. A user rotates one or more of the manual controls 215 through 230 to angular states that may correspond to values of one or more processing parameters providing the audio characteristics desired by the user. Each manual control 215 through 230 may include knurling 260 to assist in the gripping the respective control and terminate at a respective flange 263 proximate a face of the pedal processor 200. Manual control 235 is a toggle switch that may be set to two or more switched states to alter the audio characteristics in a manner desired by the user. The toggle switch is fixed to the face of pedal processor 200 using a securement 236.
In
Once the manual controls 215 through 235 have been set to the desired selected states, the control cover 300 may be placed over the manual controls to prevent access to them and/or inhibit movement from the selected states. Control cover 300 may engage the pedal processor 200 in a number of different manners. A latch or other securement member may be provided to hold the control cover 300 at a position to cover the manual controls 215 through 235. Additionally, or in the alternative, one or more portions of the control cover 300 may be dimensioned to frictionally engage corresponding portions of the pedal processor 200. For example, one or more of the openings 400 through 415 may be dimensioned to frictionally engage the outer surface of the corresponding manual control 215 through 235. This frictional engagement may be used to inhibit and/or prevent movement of the manual controls 215 through 235 from their selected positions. Additionally, or in the alternative, flange 435 may be dimensioned to frictionally engage flange 237 of pedal processor 200.
Control cover 1000 includes a plurality of openings 1005 through 1020 that are dimensioned to accommodate manual controls 905 through 920. One or more of the openings 1005 through 1020 may frictionally engage the corresponding manual controls 905 through 920 to secure the control cover 1000 with the rack-mounted processor 900. Additionally, or in the alternative, elastic latches and/or flanges 1025 may be provided to engage a face of the rack-mounted processor 900.
It may be desirable to monitor the rack-mounted processor 900 during its operation. Meter 925 may be used for this purpose. Accordingly, control cover 1000 may include an opening 1030 through which meter 925 may be viewed. Opening 1030 may be entirely exposed meter 925 or be provided with a translucent cover through which the meter 925 may be viewed. Similarly, openings 1005 through 1020 may extend completely through the cover 1000 to expose the corresponding manual controls 905 through 920. Translucent covers may also be provided over openings 1005 through 1020 to facilitate viewing.
Audio processors may have exposed surfaces that may be subject to damage during use and/or transport. Some of these surfaces may include aesthetically pleasing designs, colored surfaces, indicia indicative of functions executed by the audio processor and/or certain controls, or similar surfaces. Accordingly, the corresponding control cover may be dimensioned to cover areas of the audio processor proximate and/or beyond the area of the manual controls. In such instances, the control cover may protect these areas from scratching or other damage that may occur during use and/or transport of the audio processor.
While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.