The supporting structure of the sound-producing element of a percussion instrument and the instrument that uses it.

Abstract

This invention relates to percussion instruments and their parts, and more particularly, to a support structure for the sound-producing element of a xylophone-like instrument and instruments using it, including when constructing a percussion instrument that plays music using sound generated by the vibration of a sound element. The support structure is made of a resilient material, is cylindrical, has an annular protrusion at one end, and has opposing conical protrusions, the distance between their tops determined by the width of the sound element. The support structure serves both as support and damping in the instrument. Technical effects: It expands the range of support structures for percussion instruments, reduces the mechanical impact of the support structure on the vibration of the sound element, thereby improving sound quality; using the support damper of this invention simplifies instrument design.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to spontaneous musical percussion instruments (earpieces) and their components, specifically a support structure for the sound-producing element of musical instruments such as xylophones or glockenspiels. Among other things, this invention can be used to design novel musical percussion instruments that reproduce music using sound generated by the vibration of sound elements. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional percussion instruments consist of a main frame upon which harmonic sound-producing elements are mounted, typically double-hole plates, rods, hollow tubes, and other possible types. The width of each element is usually standard, while the length depends on how high the sound is required. These elements are mounted on a base plate made of damping material (most commonly foam rubber) and secured to the outer frame or shell by support pins. The sound depends heavily on the material of the sound-producing elements—wood, metal, or plastic (fiberglass, Kelon, clipperon, etc.). Xylophone-type musical toys have such simplified designs that the sound-producing elements are secured using pins in the form of nails / screws or hairpins, sometimes placed in sleeves made of soft rubber or PVC. The top of the pin usually has a disc-shaped flange and cap of the same material. However, such a design results in poorer sound quality due to the larger contact area between the damping base plate and the sound-producing elements.

[0003] Many solutions have been developed to reduce this impact. Therefore, a damping system is known that reduces the contact area with the damping pad by making sharp protrusions on its surface and securing the sound-generating element to the housing support through holes equipped with damping inserts (Patent Application KR No. 850004226U). Minimizing the contact area with the bottom surface of the sound-generating element increases the plate's sensitivity to impacts, further improving sound duration and tone quality.

[0004] A known support structure for the sound-producing element of a xylophone / glockenspiel uses a vertical support for the xylophone body, on which a flexible quadrilateral is glued, one of its edges contacting the lower surface of the plate, while both surfaces are also secured with pins (Patent Application KR No. 2020050024498).

[0005] A known design for the support element of a percussion instrument also uses a two-part vertical support mounted on the instrument body. One part of this support is used to secure the upper surface of the sound-producing element by a screw passing through a hole in the sound-producing element and through a resilient flange glued to its surface. The second part of the support element has a damping insert made of polymer material with a tetrahedral longitudinal section, one edge contacting the lower surface of the sound-producing element, and the opposite edge embedded in the vertical support of the housing. To reduce material consumption, it is proposed to provide a through-hole in this part of the housing support, with the upper part of the through-hole angled inwards to allow for the installation of an opposite washer rib (Patent Application KR No. 19990039021U). The installed additional resilient structural element provides better damping for the plate.

[0006] Similar solutions have also been proposed; for example, in several other patent applications in Korea, the upper surface of the plate is also secured with pins (nails) through the openings of the damping inserts. The sound-generating element and main body support have their lower surfaces located on the sharp edges of the damping quadrilateral, for example, see patent application KR No. 200453685.

[0007] Thus, all the listed support structure technologies aim to reduce the direct contact area between the sound elements and the instrument body support, which leads to obstruction of plate vibration and the appearance of a dull sound, reducing the sound quality due to the vibration of the instrument body.

[0008] Furthermore, we note the amount of labor consumed in manufacturing such systems and the instruments that use them. Summary of the Invention

[0009] A support structure for a sound-producing element made of an elastic material and the musical instrument using it are known. The support structure is made in the form of a cylinder with a longitudinal through-hole, the through-hole having an annular protrusion at the upper end. This structure can be mounted on the frame of the musical instrument or on a vertical support of the frame, securing the sound-producing element with pins and functioning as a vibration damping element in the musical instrument (Patent Application KR No. 830002455Y1). However, using this support structure does not provide adequate sonic purity because noise interference from the vibrating body and various connecting parts is unavoidable when used as part of the main body of the musical instrument. This solution is considered the closest to the claimed solution, but problems remain related to reducing the imbalance in vibration of the plate itself and the appearance of a dull sound due to vibration of the instrument body, which reduces the tone quality.

[0010] The proposed solution to this problem includes a new support design for the sound elements and the percussion instruments that use them.

[0011] The support structure of the percussion instrument sound-producing element of the present invention is a cylinder made of elastic material, with an annular protrusion at the end of the cylinder, and two conical protrusions on the inner surface of each cylinder facing the cylinder.

[0012] The problem is also addressed by a percussion instrument of the "xylophone" type, which includes a sound element with two holes at one end, equipped with a cylindrical support structure made of a flexible material, and two annular protrusions at the ends of the two cylinders. Two conical protrusions are provided on the inner surface of each cylinder, with a distance between the tops of the upper and lower cones to provide vibration for the sound element, while the lower annular protrusion has a cavity with a weight.

[0013] The technical result of these solutions is an expansion of the range of support structures for the sound-producing elements of percussion instruments, simultaneously serving as both support and damping devices during use. This support structure is versatile, easy to manufacture, and easy to use. Compositions using percussion instruments with this design improve sound quality by reducing external vibrations of the sound elements caused by the mechanical action of the support and minimizing the contact area between the sound elements and the proposed support structure. Due to the symmetry of the cylindrical design relative to the horizontal and vertical axes, this design allows for the achievement of a consistent sound purity regardless of the instrument's placement. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 The overall view of the proposed support is shown, where 1 is a cylinder. 2 is an annular protrusion, and 3 is a conical protrusion.

[0015] Figure 2 An image showing one possible option for the support structure is displayed. 4 is a vertical hole, 5 is the base cavity, and 6 is the weight.

[0016] Figure 3 The diagram shows possible options for using supports for the sound elements of a musical instrument in the form of a plate (a) and a hollow tube (b). 7 is the sound element, 8 is the hole in the sound element, and 9 is the support structure.

[0017] Figure 4 "c" and "d" indicate the possible options for mounting percussion instruments.

[0018] Figure 5 The possible options for composite music instruments are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The support element made of elastic material designed in this invention contacts the surface of the sound element with a tapered protrusion 3 on the annular protrusion 2 of the support. This significantly reduces the contact area between the support and the sound element, thus reducing the impact on the vibration of the sound element. This design is easy to manufacture and attach to the sound-producing element of musical instruments and will be widely used as a support element for various combined xylophones and other percussion instruments.

[0020] Support structure 9 can be manufactured by casting or turning, while the annular protrusion is removable, simplifying the subsequent installation of audio components. The use of elastic materials, such as rubber, silicone, and polymers, in the manufacture of the support provides vibration damping for the sound components and absorption of shocks and impacts.

[0021] support( Figure 2 A vertical hole 4 can be made, which allows it to be integrated with a stud into the support base, making it suitable both as a standalone instrument and as a component—a shock absorber—for other percussion instruments, such as xylophones, glockenspiels, and metal instruments. When placed on a stud, for example, made in the form of a screw or bolt, the top of the support can be secured with a cap or other fastener.

[0022] The lower annular protrusion of the support may have a cavity 5 for subsequently mounting a weighting element 6, such as a metal / magnetic ring if necessary. This expands the possibilities for using this support in various options for mounting percussion instruments without the use of additional support structures.

[0023] The sizes of the ring-shaped and conical protrusions differ, determined by the conditions set during the instrument's manufacture.

[0024] The support is inserted through a base into the hole 8 of the sound element 7, forming a musical instrument, providing mounting for sound elements of various shapes, such as in the form of a plate (a), a hollow tube (b), or a rod (c). Figure 3 It is made of materials that emit harmonic vibrations when impacted, such as wood, metal, or plastic (fiberglass, Kelon, Clipperon, etc.).

[0025] The proposed design for this percussion instrument, in which the sound element is located within the internal contours of the damper bracket and the entire support is elastic, features a symmetrical arrangement and provides near-point contact on both sides of the sound element, allowing the purity of the sound vibrations of the mounted element to be maintained in various spatial orientations and on any surface. Figure 3 The weighting agent, made of ferromagnetic material, ensures that the tool can be mounted at different angles on a metal surface, even on a horizontally inverted plane, while maintaining performance. Figure 4 ).

[0026] The proposed percussion instruments are easy to make and use even for children; they offer maximum compactness, good sound, and the high speed of assembling any complex melodic sequence from a set of such instruments provides tremendous opportunities for creativity. Figure 5 ).

Claims

1. A support structure for a sound element of a percussion instrument, characterized in that, The support structure is a cylinder made of an elastic material. Each end of the cylinder is provided with an annular protrusion. The inner surface of each annular protrusion faces the cylinder, and each annular protrusion is equipped with two conical protrusions. There is a certain distance between the tops of the upper and lower conical protrusions, which provides vibration for the sound element; One of the annular protrusions is configured to be inserted into a hole in the sound element, while the lower conical protrusion is configured to provide vibration damping support for the sound element.

2. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Rubber or silicone resin or rubber is used as the elastic material of this structure.

3. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, It has a vertical hole.

4. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular protrusion is removable.

5. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower annular protrusion has a cavity.

6. A xylophone-type percussion instrument, comprising a sound element with two holes at both ends, and equipped with a support structure made of elastic material, characterized in that, The support structure is cylindrical with annular protrusions at the ends. Each annular protrusion has two conical protrusions on its inner surface facing the cylinder. There is a certain distance between the tops of the upper and lower conical protrusions to provide vibration for the sound element. The lower annular protrusion is provided with a weighted cavity. One of the annular protrusions is configured to be inserted into a hole in the sound element, while the lower conical protrusion is configured to provide vibration damping support for the sound element.

7. The xylophone-type percussion instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sound element is a plate, tube, or rod.

8. The xylophone-type percussion instrument according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sound element is made of wood or metal.

9. The xylophone-type percussion instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The weighting agent is a ferromagnet.

10. The xylophone-type percussion instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support structure is provided with vertical holes.

11. The xylophone-type percussion instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support structure is made of rubber or silicone resin or rubber.

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