Music – Instruments – Wind
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2002-02-12
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Wind
Reexamination Certificate
active
06346663
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to methods and compositions for treating the natural cane reed used in woodwind instruments, employing a polymer or polymerizing solution, preferably a waterborne polymer or waterborne polymerizing solution, to impregnate and protect the reed from saliva-related microbial and enzymatic degradation, without rendering the reed waterproof.
The wooden reed used in woodwind instruments is usually cut from natural cane (e.g., the species
Arundo donax
). Being highly porous, the reed is susceptible over time, to infiltration and degradation by contact with saliva during playing. As a musician blows air over a cane reed, which is typically clamped at its distal end or “heel” in the instrument's mouthpiece, the reed is caused to vibrate, thereby inducing vibrations in the moving column of air within the instrument to produce musical tones. During a single playing session, the physical and musical properties of a reed may change for the better or worse. This is not surprising, because even after several minutes pre-soaking, i.e., “conditioning,” of the mouth end of the reed in water, the subsequent contact with warm saliva during a playing session tends to further soften the reed. Some softening may be beneficial during the initial breaking-in period when a reed is new and somewhat unresponsive. However, after an initial period during which the reed may become optimally playable (over a few days or even after a week or more), any further softening may be undesirable. That is, as the cane structure becomes degraded and the reed becomes too flexible, the reed must be discarded.
There is considerable variability in the sound quality and longevity of individual cane reeds, even within a group of presumably equivalent reeds from any particular manufacturer. In fact, a musician may find that no more than one or two out of every ten reeds possess ideal tone and playing characteristics. Due to difficulties and frustrations with the lack of uniformity and short lifetime of natural cane reeds, a number of synthetic reeds, composite reeds and structurally reinforced natural reeds have been developed. A number of exemplary patents detailing such structurally modified reeds follows. Fiber-reinforced plastic reeds are described in Brilhart, U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,617. Reeds containing glass fiber-reinforced synthetic resin are described in Burns, U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,963. Synthetic reeds are described in Gamble, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,905,268 and 4,014,241. Shaffer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,560, describes a synthetic composite reed structure producing an acoustic impedance similar to the cane reed. Backus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,683 describes a graphite-reinforced epoxy resin synthetic woodwind reed having proper elasticity and density. Cusack et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,572 describes a titanium reed for woodwind instruments. Hartmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,331 describes a fiber-reinforced plastic reed in which different fiber materials are combined for the purpose of damping vibrations.
Extending the lifetime of natural cane reeds has been the goal of a number of previous inventors. These inventors have appreciated that in addition to mechanical fatigue, degradative enzymes, bacteria and other constituents of human saliva infiltrate the porous structure of the cane reed during use, and contribute to a shortened lifetime. Reed failure may occur suddenly, as when the tip of the reed splits, or may occur gradually as the reed softens and loses tone quality. Rinsing the reed is only partially effective in removing enzymes, bacteria and saliva residues. Vogt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,673, describes a hydrogen peroxide and humectant-containing composition for soaking, disinfecting and conditioning natural cane reeds after use, to prolong their life.
To inhibit the process of reed degradation by saliva, inventors have developed a number of protective coating treatments for the natural cane reed. As early as 1930, Newton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,776,566, describes reeds for musical instruments whose pores have been adequately filled with cellulose or nitrocellulose in an organic solvent, to render the reed waterproof and resistant to the destructive action of the juices of the human mouth. Ogilvie, U.S. Pat. No. 1,790,167, describes a thin, flexible coating of celluloid material, applied in a quick-drying organic solvent to the surface of the cane reed in such a manner that the reed surface becomes waterproof while the pores inside of the reed remain open, i.e., empty. Petzke, U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,759, describes a natural cane reed whose pores have been impregnated with a cured vinyl plastisol. The plastisol is described as a synthetic resin which is essentially 100% solids, and free of solvents or diluents which would evaporate and cause undesirable shrinkage. The pores of the reed are substantially sealed to prevent moisture absorption, thereby rendering the reed waterproof. Similarly, Knotik et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,820, describes wind instrument reeds which have been soaked in partially polymerized methylmethacrylate which is then polymerized in the reed by ionizing radiation. This treatment fills the pores, effectively waterproofing the reed, and controlling moisture-induced swelling and loss of elasticity.
Other sealing coatings which are applied externally to the natural cane reed have been described. Killian, U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,949, describes a natural cane reed having a thin protective coating of fine particulate matter, e.g., metallic powder, deposited on the tip and edges of the reed but not on the heart or main vibratory section of the reed. A plastic-coated cane reed is also described by Rico International (Sun Valley, Calif.) for musicians who have a limited amount of control over their playing environment or need instant playability without having to re-wet their reeds. These plastic coated reeds have improved durability compared to uncoated reeds, but have playing characteristics which differ markedly from the uncoated natural cane reed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention features methods and compositions for treating the natural cane reed used to produce musical tones in woodwind instruments. The treatment utilizes a polymer or polymerizing solution, preferably a waterborne polymer or waterborne polymerizing solution, to impregnate the reed, but not render the reed waterproof. The absorbed polymer protects the reed from microbial and enzymatic degradation, thereby extending the lifetime of the reed. Surprisingly, this protection can be achieved while allowing the reed to absorb essentially normal levels of moisture from the mouth. The normal playing characteristics of the original reed are thereby either sustained or enhanced over the lifetime of the reed by the treatment.
Preferably a non-toxic waterborne polymer (or other suitable solvent-borne polymer), polymer suspension, polymer emulsion, or an aqueous-based (or other suitable solvent-based) polymerizing solution (collectively termed “waterborne or aqueous polymer treatment liquid,” “polymer treatment liquid,” or simply “polymer liquid”) is used to impregnate the reed material. “Polymer liquid” and similar terms shall refer to both aqueous and non-aqueous liquids unless indicated to the contrary, e.g., a non-aqueous polymer liquid, an aqueous polymer liquid, or an alcoholic polymer liquid. This impregnation can be accomplished by submersion of the entire reed, or at least submersion of the proximal portion, i.e., the mouth-end portion, of the reed, in the polymer liquid under conditions that provide sufficient polymer uptake to provide degradation-resistance, e.g., a liquid contact period of at least 0.5 hr at room temperature and one atmosphere. Impregnation may be accelerated (and the treatment period reduced) by methods well known in the art, including reducing the external pressure over the reed prior to impregnating the reed, and then increasing the ex
Donels Jeffrey
Lockett Kim
Weingarten Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP
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