Drum reinforcement assembly

Abstract

Several examples of drum reinforcement assemblies. One example includes a rigid housing surrounding a perimeter of a non-acoustic electronic drum, wherein a damping ring is attached to an inner surface of the rigid housing. An example is also disclosed in which the damping ring is located between the non-acoustic electronic drum and the rigid housing. To facilitate positioning of the drum reinforcement assembly, a surface defining an opening through the rigid housing is provided. The one or more openings are configured for the passage of a drum positioning system to which the non-acoustic electronic drum is attached.

Description

[0001] Background of the Present Disclosure Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of enhancing electronic drums, the electronic drums including a support system for the electronic drums. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Several examples of drum enhancement assemblies are disclosed herein. The drum enhancement assemblies include several components and are described in several examples herein. One example includes a rigid housing surrounding the perimeter of a non-acoustic electronic drum; wherein a damping ring is attached to the inner surface of the rigid housing. Another example is also disclosed, wherein the damping ring is located between the non-acoustic electronic drum and the rigid housing. To facilitate the positioning of the drum enhancement assembly, a surface defining an opening through the rigid housing is provided. The one or more openings are configured to allow a drum positioning system to which the non-acoustic electronic drum is attached to pass through.

[0004] The drum enhancement assembly can optionally be arranged such that the outer surface of the damping ring adheres to the inner surface of the rigid housing.

[0005] The drum enhancement assembly can be arranged such that the inner surface of the damping ring contacts the outer surface of the non-acoustic electronic drum.

[0006] The drum enhancement assembly can also include a non-acoustic drum attached to the rigid housing. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] Figure 1 is a front isometric view of an example of the disclosed drum enhancement assembly.

[0008] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a perspective view of the example shown.

[0009] Figure 3 is a top view of another example of the disclosed drum enhancement assembly.

[0010] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a perspective view of the example shown.

[0011] Figure 5 is a top view of another example of the disclosed drum enhancement assembly.

[0012] Figure 6 is Figure 5 a perspective view of the example shown.

[0013] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a prior art electronic drum set.

[0014] Figure 8 is Figure 1 a front view of the components of the example shown.

[0015] Figure 9 is Figure 8 a perspective view of the example shown.

[0016] Figure 10 is Figure 8 a bottom view of the example shown.

[0017] Figure 11 is Figure 8 a side view of the example shown.

[0018] Figure 12 is Figure 5 a top view of a component of the example shown.

[0019] Figure 13 is Figure 12 a perspective hidden line view of the example shown.

[0020] Figure 14 is Figure 12 a front view of the example shown.

[0021] Figure 15 is Figure 12 a side view of the example shown.

[0022] Figure 16 is an isometric exploded view of an example of the disclosed drum reinforcement assembly.

[0023] Figure 17 is Figure 16 a side view of the example shown.

[0024] Figure 18 is Figure 16 a plan view of a component of the example shown.

[0025] Figure 19 is Figure 16 an isometric view of several components shown.

[0026] Figure 20 is an isometric exploded view of an example of the disclosed drum reinforcement assembly.

[0027] Figure 21 is Figure 20 a front view of the example shown.

[0028] Figure 22 is Figure 20 an exploded side view of the example shown.

[0029] Figure 23 is an isometric exploded view of an example of the disclosed drum reinforcement assembly.

[0030] Figure 24 is Figure 23 a front view of the example shown.

[0031] Figure 25 An isometric exploded view of an example of the disclosed drum reinforcement assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Several examples of drum reinforcement assemblies 20, 220, 420, etc. as shown are disclosed herein. The labeling system used herein includes a prefix system for identifying components of different examples having the same or similar functions or structures. For example, the housing is labeled 22 in the first example, 222 in the second example, 422 in the third example, etc.

[0033] In the field of electronic drums, compared with traditional acoustic drums with acoustic drum heads, electronic drums themselves tend to be visually and auditorily unappealing. Such drums electronically transmit the vibrations of the striking head or striking surface of the electronic drum. Such vibrations can be recorded magnetically, acoustically, or by other means. In traditional drums, the vibrations of the striking head or striking surface produce acoustic resonance. The beater head is stretched to the desired pitch of the drum. Thus, in a traditional acoustic drum, the actual strike of the drumstick or beater on the striking head is not an acoustically negative sound. The striking side of the drum is called the striking head, while the bottom head or non-striking surface is called the resonant head. In an electronic drum, striking the striking head with a drumstick or beater may produce a harmful sound. Therefore, acoustic damping of the striking head and the attached drum components may be required. Several examples of the drum reinforcement assembly 20 formed to overcome these and other adverse effects of electronic drums are disclosed herein.

[0034] Several examples of the drum reinforcement assembly 20 disclosed herein include a rigid outer shell or housing 22 adapted around a Type I non-acoustic electronic drum 16 for aesthetic appeal and acoustic damping from external sources. Such external vibrations may have a negative impact on the sound produced by the drum and are therefore undesirable. A damping pad or damping ring 30 may also be used between the electronic drum 16 and the housing 28.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, a previously known electronic drum kit 10 typically includes a support system 12 of struts and crossbars 13 connected by clamps or other removable connectors. The support system 12 is typically placed on the floor or ground and supports a plurality of electronic drums 14 having electronic striking heads 15, and a user holds a drumstick or activates a beater in a manner well known in the art to strike the electronic striking head 15. The strikes of the striking head 15 are recorded and transmitted as electronic signals, which are then stored on a non-transitory medium or played through speakers.

[0036] This electronic drum kit 10 typically includes an electronic bass drum 16, which is usually placed or mounted near the floor and struck by operating a foot pedal 18 in a manner well known in the art. Other percussion instruments such as cymbals, cowbells, timpani, xylophones, cymbals, triangles, snare drums, tambourines, maracas, gongs, chimes, and other tools can also be attached to the support system 14 to maintain stability and correct positioning during use.

[0037] These non-acoustic electronic drums 14 typically include a striking surface or drumhead 15, beneath which are sensors for converting the impact force or movement of a drumstick or drum beater into an electrical signal, which can be amplified, transmitted, stored, played, and modified as needed. These electrical signals are then recorded and / or sent to a speaker assembly, which converts the electrical signals into audible signals for playback as audio waves. Such a speaker assembly can include devices such as speakers, headphones, earpieces, etc.

[0038] The term "non-acoustic" adjective herein means that the noun to which it is attached does not inherently and by itself intend to produce substantial sound. For example, non-acoustic electronic drums 14, 16 make a slight (small) sound when struck, but their purpose is to be heard after the striking action is converted into an electrical signal, optionally amplified, and then converted into an audio signal at a location other than the non-acoustic electronic drum. The surface of the struck non-acoustic electronic drum generally does not produce an audible resonance like an acoustic drumhead.

[0039] In many examples, the disclosed drum reinforcement assembly attenuates the slight acoustic vibrations caused when the non-acoustic drum 14 is struck before they are heard or recorded. Such vibrations (sounds) may not be desired to be transmitted acoustically, for example, during practice or recording. This acoustic damping also reduces the effect of external vibrations of the electronic drum striking head so that they are not recorded by the sensors of the drum.

[0040] Figures 1 - 2 is a rear view of one such drum reinforcement assembly 20 for use with the bass drum 16. This example is provided with a foot pedal assembly 18 attached to the support system 12, which in this example includes a floor stand placed on the floor or ground. The electronic bass drum 16 is then mounted to the support system 12, where when the foot pedal 18 is operated, the beater of the foot pedal will strike the drumhead of the electronic bass drum. As previously mentioned, the sensors within the bass drum 16 convert the impact and any other vibrations into electrical signals.

[0041] When used without the drum reinforcement assembly 20, the bass drum 16 is visually unappealing and may be accidentally or incidentally struck by a user's foot or other object, which can introduce unnecessary vibrations to the sensors and is also susceptible to vibrations caused by sound waves generated by nearby instruments. The drum reinforcement assembly 20 greatly increases the visual appeal as it more closely resembles a traditional drum with a shell 22, a rim 24, and an optional striking head 26. In one example, the shell 22 includes a rigid outer housing 28. The rigid outer housing 28 (the shell 22, the rim 24, and the striking head 26) can be made of plastic, wood, metal, fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) (such as fiberglass or carbon fiber), or a combination thereof.

[0042] The term "rigid" in this example refers to a structure that maintains its shape under the force of gravity and can maintain its shape under moderate external pressure. A very large force may deform the rigid structure.

[0043] The shell 22 of several examples can also include a damping ring 30 located inside the outer housing 28, which is configured to absorb vibrations of the outer housing 28 and other structures and reduce the transmission of these vibrations between the non-acoustic drum and external components, sensors, or personnel. The damping ring 30 can be formed of a layer of open-cell foam, closed-cell foam, expanded plastic, natural or synthetic materials (such as wool, felt, polyurethane foam, paper, etc.), or a combination thereof. The damping ring 30 can be adhered to the inner surface 32 of the outer housing 28, cast / formed thereon, or fastened thereto with snaps, hook-and-loop closures, screws, or other structures. In other examples, the damping ring 30 can be press-fitted into the outer housing 28 and held in place by compression / tension and friction.

[0044] In one example, a surface of the outer housing 28 is formed or cut to form an opening 34 to allow a portion of the support system 12 to pass through a portion of the outer housing 28. The surface of the opening 34 is more visible in Figures 8 - 10 . The opening 34 allows the non-acoustic drum to be positioned inside the outer housing 28 to increase visual appeal and further reduce unnecessary vibrations and impacts.

[0045] Another mounting system is disclosed, particularly for drums other than the bass drum 16. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Another example of the disclosed drum reinforcement assembly and a different mounting assembly is shown in. For ease of understanding, components in this example that are similar in form and function to those in the previous example are labeled with a "2" prefix. For example, the drum reinforcement assembly of the first example is labeled 20, and the drum reinforcement assembly of the second example is labeled 220. This numbering system will continue in the description of other examples.

[0046] Figure 3and Figure 4 Shows a bottom view of the second example 220, where the non - acoustic drum 14 is attached to the support system 12. In this example, the non - acoustic drum 14 is mounted on a cross - arm 13 that fits within a housing 228 and a ring 230. The non - acoustic drum 14 can be mounted to the cross - member 13 in a manner known in the art, such as by screws, bayonet (quarter - turn) mounts, adhesives, hook - and - loop fasteners, etc.

[0047] The rigid housing 228 (housing 222, rim 224) adds visual appeal, a rigid mounting structure, and other functions. This component can be made of plastic, wood, metal, or a combination thereof, as well as other materials. The housing 222 can also include a vibration - damping ring 230 located inside the housing 228. The vibration - damping ring 230 is configured to absorb vibrations from the housing 228 and other structures and reduce the transfer of these vibrations to the non - acoustic drum 14, as previously described. In this example, the cross - member 13 passes through a surface of the housing 228 that defines an opening 234.

[0048] The housing 228 of this example can be attached to the non - acoustic electronic drum 14 by press - fitting, hook - and - loop fasteners, screws, set screws, or equivalents. Similarly, the housing 228 can be mounted to the support system 12 by fasteners, adhesives, hook - and - loop assemblies, or equivalents. Thus, the non - acoustic drum 14, the vibration - damping ring 230, and the housing 228 are all connected to the support system 12. For example, a spar 236 can be fixed to the housing 228, and the spar 236 is fixed to the support system 12. In one example, for ease of assembly, the non - acoustic drum 14 is subsequently mounted on the spar 236.

[0049] Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figures 12 - 15 Shows a third example drum reinforcement assembly 420 with a non - acoustic drum 14. This example shows the non - acoustic drum 14 and a vibration - damping ring 430 attached to the support system 12 by a cross - arm 13, which can be a component of the support system 12 discussed previously. In one example, the cross - arm 13 can pass through opposite sides of the housing 428 for various purposes and support. The non - acoustic drum 14 can be mounted to the cross - member 13 in a manner known in the art, including friction fits, tension clamps, adhesives, fasteners, hook - and - loop materials, etc.

[0050] As in the previous examples, the rigid housing 428 (housing 422, rim 424) can be made of plastic, wood, metal, or a combination thereof. The housing 422 can also include a vibration - damping ring 430 located inside the housing 428, which is configured to absorb vibrations from the housing 428 and other structures and reduce the transfer of these vibrations to the non - acoustic drum 14. In this example, the cross - member 13 passes through multiple surfaces of the housing 428 that define respective openings 434.

[0051] As in the previous example, the housing 428 can be attached to the non - acoustic drum 14 via a damping ring 430, which can be compressively fitted or attached by hook - and - loop or the like to the non - acoustic drum 14. In another example, the housing 428 is mounted to the support system 12 by fasteners, adhesives, hook - and - loop assemblies, or the like.

[0052] In this example, the damping ring 430 has a non - cylindrical inner surface 438 to conform to the adjacent outer surface of the non - acoustic drum 14. In such examples, the user can cut or otherwise form the damping ring 430 to the outer surface of a particular non - acoustic drum 14. For some common non - acoustic drums 14, the manufacturer of the disclosed assembly 420 can provide a pre - formed damping ring 430 with a non - cylindrical inner surface 438 to conform to common or popular non - acoustic drums 14.

[0053] For ease of manufacturing, transportation, and installation, another example is disclosed. This example is as Figures 16 - 19 shown. In this example, both the damping ring 630 and the spoke frame 636 are formed as flat components. The damping ring 630 is formed as a flat component with a plurality of openings or grooves 640 that correspond to the spokes 642 on the spoke frame 636, and the spoke frame 636 corresponds to the spars 236, 436 described previously. During assembly, the spokes are inserted into the grooves 640 and the spoke frame 636 is held in place on the ring 630. The assembled damping ring 630, spoke frame 636, and attached drum 614 can then be additionally positioned within the housing 628 as described previously with respect to other examples. The housing 628 can also be a flexible component formed from a flat sheet of polymer, plastic, paper, metal, or a combination thereof, formed into a final shape, such as the cylinder shown, and then fixed in place.

[0054] In one example, the housing 628 is fixed to the damping ring 630 before forming the final shape, such as a cylinder. This fixation can be achieved by adhesives, hook - and - loop fasteners, forming in place, etc.

[0055] In this example, each of the spoke frame 636 and the damping ring 630 can be substantially flat before assembly, thus reducing transportation costs and storage volume. The damping ring 630 can be formed from a layer of open - cell foam, closed - cell foam, expanded plastic, natural or synthetic materials such as wool, felt, polyurethane foam, paper, etc., and combinations thereof.

[0056] The spoke frame 636 can be formed from plastic, wood, metal, fiber - reinforced plastic (FRP) such as fiberglass or carbon fiber, or combinations thereof.

[0057] The drum 614 can be attached to the spoke frame 636 in different ways, which include one or more fasteners 644 passing through a surface in the spoke frame that defines a pore 646 and engaging a preformed internal threaded pore in the drum 614 or otherwise attaching thereto. As shown, the fastener 644 is a knurled knob that allows attachment without additional tools, and the knurled knob is configured to be manually rotated.

[0058] Figures 20 - 21 A structure similar to the previous example is shown and is used with the bass drum 814. In this example, the damping ring 830 can be segmented and includes a front damping ring 848 adapted to be in front of the support plate 842, as well as a middle damping ring 850, a rear damping plate 852, and a rear damping ring 854. The support plate 842, the middle damping ring 850, the rear damping plate 852, and the rear damping ring 854 can be attached in groups by fasteners, adhesives, or formed as an integral structure. As shown, each of the front damping ring 848, the middle damping ring 850, the rear damping plate 852, and the rear damping ring 854 can be formed of open-cell foam or other sound and vibration damping materials. Each of these components has a surface configured to allow the support system 812 to pass through. While the front damping ring 848, the middle damping ring 850, and the rear damping ring 854 are generally cylindrical with an open central area to make room for the bass drum 814, the rear damping plate 852 can be substantially solid for maximum damping. Surfaces are formed with openings for the bass drum 814, power and / or data lines, and / or the support system 812.

[0059] As in the previous examples, the assembled drum reinforcement assembly can additionally be positioned within a housing as described previously with respect to other examples. The housing can also be a flexible component formed from a flat sheet of polymer, plastic, paper, metal, or a combination thereof and formed into a final shape, such as the cylinder shown, and then fixed in place.

[0060] As Figure 23 、 Figure 24 Another example 1020 is shown, in which the spoke frame 1042 has a plurality of radial fingers 1056 extending radially inward from a central opening. These radial fingers 1056 are configured to engage and hold the drum 1014 to the spoke frame 1042. A front damping ring 1048 and a damping ring 1030 are located on either side of the spoke frame 1042.

[0061] As in the previous examples, the assembled drum reinforcement assembly can additionally be positioned within a housing as described previously with respect to other examples. The housing can also be a flexible component formed from a flat sheet of polymer, plastic, paper, metal, or a combination thereof and formed into a final shape, such as the cylinder shown, and then fixed in place.

[0062] Figure 25Another example is disclosed. In this example 1220, as in the previous examples, the spoke frame 1242 is engaged with the vibration damping ring 1230. In this example, the spoke frame 1242 includes one or more articulated receivers 1258. These articulated receivers 1258 are connected to the spoke frame 1242 by hinges 1260 or pivots. In the example shown, the hinge(s) 1260 can be a movable hinge. Each articulated receiver is configured to engage or allow passage of multiple portions of a speaker attached to the spoke frame 1242.

[0063] This example also utilizes a surface that defines a pore 1264 for allowing a fastener, such as Figure 17 the fastener 644 shown, to pass through to attach the speaker to the spoke frame 1242. In this example, the surface defining the pore 1264 is attached to the spoke frame 1242 by a plurality of support posts 1266. This provides additional vibration damping between the speaker and the spoke frame 1242. Additionally, these support posts 1266 can be broken if it is desired to enlarge the surface defining the pore 1264.

[0064] While the invention has been illustrated by the description of several embodiments and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments, the applicant does not intend to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to these details. Other advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from these details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general concept. The invention disclosed herein by way of example may be suitably practiced without any element not specifically disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A drum reinforcement assembly, comprising: a rigid housing that surrounds the perimeter of an acoustic - less electronic drum; a damping ring attached to the inner surface of the rigid housing; the damping ring being located between the acoustic - less electronic drum and the rigid housing; a surface that defines an opening through the rigid housing, the opening being configured to allow a drum positioning system to which the acoustic - less electronic drum is attached to pass through.

2. The drum reinforcement assembly according to claim 1, wherein, the outer surface of the damping ring is attached to the inner surface of the rigid housing.

3. The drum reinforcement assembly according to claim 1, wherein, the inner surface of the damping ring contacts the outer surface of the acoustic - less electronic drum.

4. The drum reinforcement assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an acoustic - less drum attached to the rigid housing.

5. The drum reinforcement assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a spoke frame attached to the damping ring, the acoustic - less electronic drum being removably attached to the spoke frame.

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