Patent Application
20180174556
This disclosure relates generally to devices for use with triggers used in conjunction with musical instruments, such as triggers used in conjunction with electronic percussion instruments.
Drum triggers are devices used to produce an electronic, non-acoustic, and/or otherwise unnatural sound based on the actuation, striking, and/or vibration of a percussion instrument. In a typical setup, a trigger is placed in proximity to and/or on a percussion instrument surface which vibrates when actuated by a user. For instance, the trigger can be placed on a drum rim or the top side of a drum head. When a user actuates the drum head or drum rim, the head or rim physically moves, with the typical type of movement being vibration. The trigger receives and/or recognizes this vibration and sends a signal, such as an electronic signal, voltage, and/or current, to a sound module or similar device. The sound module then produces a given sound based on the characteristics of the signal. The produced sound can be similar to or the same as the natural sound of the acoustically-played instrument (e.g., a snare drum sound), and/or can be used for amplification purposes when the acoustic sound alone does not have a high enough volume. Alternatively, the produced sound could be different than the natural acoustically-produced sound. For instance, actuation of a triggered snare drum could produce a bell sound. Many different triggers and modules are known in the art, with examples being the RT-10K acoustic drum trigger and the TD-50 sound module, both available from Roland®.
Triggers can be used with any variety of instruments, including a number of different percussion-style instruments. For example, a trigger can be used with a traditional acoustic drum such as a snare or bass drum, and can produce the triggered sound in addition to the acoustic sound produced by the host instrument. Triggers can also be used with mesh head instruments, which are designed to produce relatively little or substantially no acoustic sound upon actuation by a user. Triggers are also commonly used with electronic drum pads, which are also designed to produce relatively little or substantially no acoustic sound in addition to the triggered electronic sound.
The present disclosure relates to a trigger tray or similar device (collectively referred to herein as “trigger tray” for simplicity) for use with a musical trigger. The trigger tray can be used in conjunction with a drum head, mesh head, electronic drum pad, or other percussion device. The trigger tray can be mounted so as to be underneath the playing surface of the host instrument.
One embodiment of a trigger tray according to the present disclosure includes a substantially circular head mount portion, a trigger mount portion within the head mount portion, and a plurality of arms connecting the trigger mount portion and the head mount portion.
One embodiment of a drum assembly according to the present disclosure includes a drum shell with a wall having a bearing edge, and a trigger tray with a trigger mount portion, head mount portion, and plurality of arms connecting the head mount portion and trigger mount portion. The head mount portion is on the wall, and a drum head is on the trigger tray.
Another embodiment of a drum assembly according to the present disclosure includes a wall, a trigger tray on the wall, and a drum head or drum pad on the trigger tray. The trigger tray is configured to hold a trigger beneath the drum head or drum pad, and the trigger tray and the drum head or drum pad are mechanically linked such that vibrations of the drum head are transferred to the trigger tray.
This has outlined, rather broadly, the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described below. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the teachings of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features, which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further features and advantages, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure relates to trigger trays for use with percussion instruments, and specifically for percussion instruments including an electronic component. The trigger trays can include a circular head mount portion for mounting on a drum shell wall or similar device, and can further include a trigger mount portion where an electronic trigger can be mounted. The trigger can then be connected, such as through a wire or mechanically through the trigger tray itself, to a portion of the drum played by a person, such as the drum head. The vibrations of the drum head can, such as through vibration of the trigger tray or through another type of signal, actuate the trigger. The head mount portion of the trigger tray can include a cutout on the underside thereof, which can result in lower weight and/or can be used for connection to the drum shell wall. Arms of the trigger tray, such as three or more arms, can connect the head mount portion to the trigger mount portion. These arms can be downwardly angled from the head mount portion to the trigger mount portion.
It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. Further, when one element is referred to as being “connected” to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present as would be understood by one of skill in the art. Furthermore, relative terms such as “inner”, “outer”, “upper”, “top”, “above”, “lower”, “bottom”, “beneath”, “below”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element to another. Terms such as “higher”, “lower”, “wider”, “narrower”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe positional and/or angular relationships. It is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the elements or system in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
Although the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, or section from another. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, a first element, component, region, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
Embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference to view illustrations that are schematic illustrations. As such, the actual thickness of elements can be different, and variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances are expected. Thus, the elements illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to necessarily illustrate the precise shape of a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
The trigger mount portion 102 can include a trigger mount surface 102a, upon which a trigger (not shown) can be placed. The trigger can be permanently or removably attached to the trigger mount portion 102 such as to the trigger mount surface 102a, can be placed loosely on the trigger mount portion 102 such as on the trigger mount surface 102a, or can otherwise be in direct or indirect contact with the trigger mount portion 102. The trigger mount portion 102 is shown as approximately in the center of the trigger tray 100, the head mount portion 104, and the arrangement of arms 106. However, it is understood that the trigger mount portion 102 may not be in a center position, and may be located elsewhere on the trigger tray 100. Additionally, while the trigger mount portion 102 is shown as a portion of the trigger tray 100 that is distinct from the head mount portion 104 and arms 106, it is understood that a distinct trigger mount portion may not be present in other embodiments. For example, a portion of one or more arms 106 (such as an area where a plurality of arms 106 meet, such as in the center of the trigger tray 100 and/or the head mount portion 104) could serve as a trigger mount portion, or a portion of the head mount portion 104 could serve as a trigger mount portion. Additionally, while a single trigger mount portion 102 is shown, it is understood that two or more trigger mount portions (whether as distinct elements or as parts of other elements, or a combination thereof) can be included in the trigger tray 100. In one such embodiment the striking of different portions of the drum head or other element can thus activate different triggers, which may each cause different sounds to be produced. The trigger mount portion 102 is shown as circular/annular, but it can be any shape, including but not limited to oval, regular or irregular polygon-shaped, etc.
Trigger trays according to the present disclosure, such as the trigger tray 100, can include any number of arms 106, including one arm, two arms, three arms, four arms, five arms, six arms, or more arms, with the third arm having an excellent effect on overall stability. The particular embodiment shown includes five arms. The arms 106 can be generally downwardly angled as they move inward, such as from the head mount portion 104 inward, and such as from the head mount portion 104 to the trigger mount portion 102, as seen best in
Triggers can also be placed in cutouts such as the cutout 310. This can be particularly applicable for triggers intended to detect movement based upon actuation of a rim such as a snare drum rim, or a “rimshot.”
Trigger trays and cutouts of trigger trays according to the present disclosure can be designed for many different types of bearing edges at many different angles, including but not limited to rectangular, traditional (i.e., downward-sloped), double (i.e., including two slopes that come to a substantial point), roundover (i.e., including a rounded top portion), combinations including both sloped and rounded portions (such as SoniClear™ bearing edges), and can have varying angles, such as angles of 45°, 60°, between 45° and 60°, between 35° and 70°, and other angles. Trigger tray cutouts can be shaped to accommodate a bearing edge with a substantially flat top surface, such as a rectangular bearing edge or a SoniClear bearing edge.
In other embodiments, the head mount portion may not include a cutout, and/or may simply be placed on top of the bearing edge and secured using other means. For example, such a trigger tray could be secured using the method described below with regard to
Embodiments of the present disclosure, including but not limited to those embodiments shown in
While the above describes mounting a trigger tray upon another device such as a drum pad wall or drum shell wall, trigger trays according to the present disclosure can also be designed for use independent of a wall. For example, the trigger tray 100 (shown in
In some embodiments, trigger trays according to the present disclosure can include an adjustment device for adjusting to the size of an alternative playing surface to hold it in place. For example, one or more elements can be attached to one or more of the arms 106 and/or prongs; these adjustment elements can then be slid along their respective arms and/or prongs, and/or can be locked into place once in position, so as to hold an alternative playing surface in place and prevent it from being unintentionally displaced. These adjustment elements could include walls similar to the walls 154, which can help to contain and/or secure the alternative playing surface. In one embodiment a head mount portion is not included.
Additionally, the trigger tray 100 may be adjustable so as to be able to accommodate many different sizes of drum. Commonly assigned U.S. Utility Patent Application Pub. No. 2016/0210943 to Sikra et al., entitled “Drum Stand Basket with Spring Adjustment and Other Features” (U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 15/002,373; now U.S. Pat. No. 9,721,549) which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a system utilizing three or more arms which can be applied to the present disclosure. By using one arm having an adjustable length, such as adjustable via a spring and lock system, and two arms having adjustable annular positions, the arms can be adjusted to various different positions so as to accommodate differently sized drums. It is understood that fewer or more than three arms are possible, and that more than one spring-loaded arm, and less than or more than two annularly adjustable arms, are possible. In one embodiment, a head mount portion is not included and the arms include cutouts for accommodating a bearing edge, and the arms can be adjusted so as to fit different drum sizes. In one embodiment, adjustable arms such as those described are included, and/or a head mount portion is included that has an adjustable radius, such as by including a portion of smaller cross-section that can slide into and/or out of a portion having a larger cross-section and then be locked into position. In another embodiment, a plurality of arms are spring-loaded and can be locked into place. Many different embodiments are possible.
Trigger trays according to the present disclosure may have distinct advantages over the prior art in addition to those previously described. For example, a user need only learn one process of trigger installation, which is installation of the trigger on the tray and the tray on the host device (as opposed to various mounting processes for different types of triggers). No drilling or other fixing methods are necessary to install trigger trays according to the present disclosure. Trigger trays according to the present disclosure can convert most acoustic drums, pads, etc. to electronic drums. Trigger trays according to the present disclosure can incorporate elements described and/or shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,385,135 to Yoshino et al., which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred configurations thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the disclosure should not be limited to the versions described above.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/437,609, entitled “Trigger Tray for Percussion Instrument” and filed on Dec. 21, 2016, the entire description, claims, and drawings of which are fully incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62437609 | Dec 2016 | US |
