Music – Instruments – Drums
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2001-07-03
Hsieh, Shih-Yung (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Drums
C084S41100A, C084S413000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255573
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a tension member for providing constant tension to the skin of a percussion musical instrument.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A “drum,” as used in this application and in any appended claims, refers to a percussion instrument that is sounded by striking or otherwise acoustically exciting a skin or membrane, sometimes referred to as a “drumhead” in this specification, stretched across an aperture formed by the shell of the instrument. Drums clearly antecede written human history. The tone produced by a drum is due to vibrations excited in the skin and varies as the material properties of the skin changes. These properties include the tension in the skin. The design of a drum may provide for modifying the tension in the skin of the drumhead. In particular, tension may be provided by tension members adjusted by means of adjustment screws, for example. Alternatively, the skin may be fixed to the frame. In either case, the tension in the skin of the drumhead may vary due to changes in ambient temperature or humidity differentially affecting the drumhead and the frame. In the case of drums with adjustable skin tensions, changes in tension due to variations in ambient conditions require readjustment of the tension.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a percussion instrument. The percussion instrument, which may be a drum of any variety, has a shell formed of a first rigid material having an end of substantially annular cross-section. The drum has a drumhead stretched over an end of the shell which is fixedly attached to an exterior surface of the shell such that the tension in the drumhead cannot be adjusted manually, and a tension member, formed of a second rigid material, disposed between the skin and the end of the shell for maintaining a substantially constant radial tension in the drumhead. In accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention, the tension member may be an annulus fixedly coupled to the end of the shell and the member may be plastic. The drumhead may be fixedly attached to the shell such that the tension in the drumhead cannot be adjusted manually.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for compensating tension in a drumhead of a drum, the drum having a shell formed of a first rigid material, for variations in ambient conditions. The method has the steps of affixing a tension member formed of a second rigid material to an end of the shell of the drum, stretching the drumhead over the tension member, and fixedly attaching the drumhead to the exterior surface of the shell such that the tension in the drumhead cannot be manually adjusted.
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patent: 5554812 (1996-09-01), Donohoe
patent: 5587544 (1996-12-01), Fujii et al.
patent: 95131 (1897-01-01), None
patent: 1218544 (1959-12-01), None
patent: 8900237 (1990-09-01), None
Izen Mark
Kwok Terry
Bromberg & Sunstein LLP
First Act Inc.
Hsieh Shih-yung
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