Music – Instruments – Drums
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-14
2002-11-19
Fletcher, Marlon T. (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Drums
C084S413000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06483017
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for tensioning or relaxing a musical instrument's membrane, especially that of a single-drum-skin frame drum, such as Ceramic-Darabukka, Zarb, Buk, or Daiko type drums, as these traditional drums are known in their native languages. A liquid fluid is introduced into at least one variable pressure chamber formed by an elastically expandable hollow body outside the resonator of the drum. The membrane between a membrane base and a membrane fixing is evenly pressurized in a controlled manner and deformed as a bulge along its circumference by the liquid fluid introduced into the variable pressure chamber.
The invention further relates to a device for tensioning or relaxing a musical instrument's membrane, especially the membrane of a single-drum-skin frame drum, Ceramic-Darabukka, Zarb, Buk, Daiko, or the like, which lies on a membrane base and is connected with a membrane fixing especially provided at the musical instrument's resonator, and is at least partially pressurizable in a controlled manner between the membrane base and the membrane fixing by means of a liquid fluid which can be introduced into at least one variable pressure chamber.
It is known that temperature and humidity changes change the tension and mass of musical instrument's membranes. This applies in particular to traditional drums with animal drum skins, also known as natural drum skins, where the drum skin's tension and the pitch increase as a result of exposure to heat and low humidity.
The manner of fastening of traditional drum skins to a frame differs greatly. Drum skins are, for example, rigidly fastened by means of pegs, nails or bonding and then the desired tension is achieved using a heat source. It is also common to tension drum skins using strings, mainly with tension hoops, but this makes the tensioning of the drum skin and/or the tuning of the instrument or the replacement of the drum skin very time-consuming. Exact pitches are difficult to tune. Additionally, a limited range of tensions exists. As a result of the amplitude of vibration increasing under tension, the tensioning strings bring about an optimal vibration of the membrane and thereby, among other things, also a relatively large dynamic.
It is also known to tension drum skins on traditional drums with interlocking mechanical elements such as, e.g., rods and tensioning lugs or two tension hoops with opposing threaded connections etc. Although tension rods make the tensioning process easier, additional tension hoops, preferably make of metal, are required because the point force transmission requires a relatively strong, stiffened mechanism when tension is put upon the drum skin by means of tension rods.
As a result, such a tension mechanism often accounts for the largest portion of the drum's weight. In addition, the stiffened membrane pick-up limits the membrane vibration and produces a reduced dynamic, among other effects. The relatively heavy tension mechanism has to be fastened at the resonator of the drum which results in an unwanted damping because of the increased weight and the rigid connection. This has a negative influence on the sound. Further, secondary noise occurs, such as distortion and sound spectrum parts which are foreign to the resonator are generated.
The protruding elements of the tension mechanism can cause injuries from physical contact. The risk of injuries to hands, especially the wrists, is relatively high for beginners or when the drums are strongly beaten.
In order to obtain the required torsional strength of the resonator in the area of the tensioning lugs, a relatively high strength of materials or a relatively high strength of the resonator is required. Brittle materials such as ceramic, glass, soft wood etc. are not suitable for the resonator because of the point load of the tension mechanism. That is why, for example, the modern embodiment of a Darabuka, which traditionally is of ceramic, is now commonly made of aluminum with tension rods.
The required number of tension rods increases with an increasing drum diameter. In order to guarantee, for example, that a tympani can be exactly tuned, an expensive and relatively heavy tension mechanism has to be used, despite the disadvantages described above.
Natural drum skins wear out faster at a permanently high tension load and when exposed to heat and air humidity changes. Their period of use maximally comprises 20% to 25% of a day. The mentioned known tensioning devices or mechanisms do not guarantee a quick tensioning and tuning of natural drum skins, and that is why this is seldom done in practice.
Even though the problem of adverse heat and air humidity influences is resolved by the conventional use of synthetic skins, there are drawbacks. Synthetic skins have a vibration behavior with a lower dynamic and unpleasant overtone spectra, due to their inherent elasticity and stiffness in comparison with natural drum skins.
A device for tensioning skins on drums, banjos, and other musical instruments, as described in German Patent 109,902, is known which consists of an inflatable tube of any material which is fastened to the instrument. The tube is fastened in such a manner that in its inflated condition, the fastened skin is tensioned. The rim of the drum skin is held pulled over the inflatable tube always using one tensioning hoop, equipped with tension rods. The diameter of the hoop can be reduced whereby the drum's weight is undesirably increased and, as well, the risk exists that the hands of persons playing the drum will be injured. The exchange of the drum-skin is relatively time-consuming.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,681 describes a device for tuning a drum having the membrane-like drum skin secured at the resonator by a tension mechanism formed by a metal tensioning hoop lying on the drum-skin and tension rods distributed along the hoop circumference in contact with the resonator of the drum. The device further includes a flexible, bladder-like ring element clamped under the hoop and which is controllably inflatable for the tuning of the drum by means of a liquid fluid.
The tuning device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,681 has the disadvantage that the inflatable ring element, which forms a variable pressure chamber, is especially compressed in the region of the tension rods between the tensioning hoop and the drum membrane lying on a membrane base at the resonator. Thus, an even pressurization of the drum membrane between the membrane base and the membrane fixing at the resonator is not provided by the inflated flexible ring element along the membrane's circumference. The drum membrane is evenly pressurized by the flexible ring element only when this element is inflated between its compression points which are spaced at specific distances along the ring element's circumference. This well-known drum experiences many of the above mentioned disadvantages caused by excessive weight from the tension mechanism, including the undesired damping of the vibration, the point and/or stiffened force transmission and the time-consuming replacement of the drum skin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a process and device for tensioning and relaxing an instrument membrane which is easier and faster than prior devices for controllably tensioning or relaxing a musical instrument's membrane. The invention is especially provided for tensioning and relaxing the membrane of a single drum skin frame drum, such as a Ceramic-Darabukka, Zarb, Buk, or Daiko, without using a traditional tensioning and securing mechanism, and to make changing the membrane relatively fast and uncomplicated while producing an exact intonation of the musical instrument as possible.
At the same time, it is a goal of the invention to reduce the risk of injury from percussion instruments for which are wholly or partially played by fingers and to enhance playing comfort.
Additionally, the traditional design of drums without tensioning device has to be retained when the above mentioned goals
Dill Roman Dieter
Faulwasser David
Fletcher Marlon T.
Lockett Kim
Notaro & Michalos P.C.
LandOfFree
Method and device for hydraulically tensing of relaxing a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and device for hydraulically tensing of relaxing a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and device for hydraulically tensing of relaxing a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2981185