Roll-up xylophone

Abstract

The invention relates to a mallet playing device (1) comprising a base surface (2) to which a plurality of pins (3) are connected, at which pins in turn sound plates (4) are mounted which are arranged parallel to one another, characterized in that the base surface (2) is composed of a material or material combination which allows the base surface (2) to be rolled up and unrolled and / or folded and / or gathered at least in a direction perpendicular to the sound plates (4). Furthermore, the invention relates to a system consisting of such a mallet playing device and a storage container, preferably a closable can or box, which can preferably be used as a percussion instrument, a cajon drum or a drum.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a tuning stick playing device, comprising a base to which a plurality of pins are connected, at which soundboards arranged parallel to each other are releasably mounted. A tuning stick playing device, or stick playing device, is a multi-tonal percussion idiomatic instrument consisting of multiple percussion sticks and belonging to the percussion instrument family. They are played using up to four drumsticks. Depending on the material of the soundboard, tuning stick playing devices are classified, for example, as glockenspiels, xylophones, harpsichords, etc. The soundboards are excited to vibrate by the drumsticks or striking, and thus a tone characteristic of the corresponding tuning stick playing device is produced within a sound spectrum predetermined by the size and number of soundboards. Furthermore, this invention relates to a system comprising a tuning stick playing device and a storage container. Background Technology

[0002] The type of tonestick playing device discussed is largely known from the prior art and typically has a pin or pin pair arranged on a base plate or resonator, which in turn carries or integrates a soundboard support, on which the soundboard can be placed at a defined point for free vibration. An example of such a tonestick playing device is disclosed in DE 10 2019 124 890 A1, which takes into account the connection between the support pin and the tonestick.

[0003] These types of tonestick playing devices are used not only by professional musicians, such as in orchestral settings, but also, and especially, in early childhood music education in kindergartens and schools. Particularly in school settings and in early childhood music education in general, great importance is placed on the manipulation of the instrument, its storage space, its portability, and its visual appearance. Equally important is limiting the weight of the tonestick playing device to the minimum necessary for its purpose and ensuring a certain level of resistance to improper handling and drops. Tonestick playing devices with known robust and rigid bases or resonators simply do not adequately consider all these aspects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a tonestick playing device that overcomes the disadvantages described above and provides a flexible musical instrument that, while maintaining its applicability, is particularly easy to operate in early music education. In the sense of the invention, this object is achieved by a tonestick playing device including the features of claim 1 and by a system comprising the tonestick playing device according to the invention and a storage container for the tonestick playing device, including the features of claim 18. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims and the description.

[0005] According to the present invention, a tonestick playing device is provided, comprising a base surface to which a plurality of pins are connected, and at these pins, preferably releasably mounted soundboards arranged parallel to each other. According to the present invention, the base surface is constructed of a material or combination of materials that allows the base surface to be rolled up and unrolled and / or folded and / or gathered in a direction perpendicular to the soundboards. Therefore, a tonestick playing device is contemplated that can be rolled up and unrolled and / or folded and / or gathered arbitrarily and frequently as needed without compromising its functional integrity. Rolling up and unrolling and / or folding and / or gathering in a direction perpendicular to the soundboards enables, in such a compressed tonestick playing device or one with a reduced support surface, the soundboards to be substantially not involved in the rolling process, but rather, more precisely, to be arranged parallel to each other and mechanically unloaded. Therefore, the present invention is based on the understanding that, in order to achieve the roll-up and unfolding and / or folding and / or gathering capabilities of the tonestick playing device, the material of the toneboard and its arrangement on the base surface can remain unchanged, and it is only necessary to adapt the material or combination of materials used for the base surface to the new requirements of roll-up and unfolding and / or folding and / or gathering capabilities.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a tonestick playing device that, on the one hand, is easily manipulated, and on the other hand, can be easily stored with low space requirements, without any adverse effects on its functionality or shape after being unfolded, spread out, and / or unpacked to restore its usable shape. The tonestick playing device according to the invention can be used in a variety of ways and does not require a flat support surface; more precisely, it can be placed on uneven surfaces or used close to the body, such as on a person's knees, thighs, or back, or suspended for playing. Therefore, this tonestick playing device is particularly suitable for use in basic music education for children and the elderly, as well as for use in sound therapy. While maintaining the same timbre and range as conventional tonestick playing devices, the tonestick playing device according to the invention provides improved playability and a new tactile feel.

[0007] Preferably, the base has multiple interconnected layers, preferably multiple layers of the same size and shape, which, in a particularly preferred embodiment, are connected to each other in a shape-locking, material-locking, and / or force-locking manner, preferably stitched and / or glued, and / or connected by means of clips or buttons or by zippers. This provides a tonestick playing device that, while preferably retaining its unchanged roll-up and unfolding capabilities, foldability, and / or collapsibility after unfolding or unrolling, allows the base to be placed on substantially flat or uneven ground while ensuring a smooth surface of the base, at least relative to the support surface, preferably not only relative to the support surface but also at the soundboard-facing surface of the base. This is particularly important if each soundboard pin, individually or in pairs, is fixedly and reliably connected to the base between at least two interconnected layers of the base in a manner that penetrates at least one layer of the base.

[0008] Preferably, the rolling up and unfolding and / or folding and / or gathering of the base surface can be carried out while connected to the soundboard and / or pins. This results in a tuning stick playing device that can be rolled up and unfolded quickly and easily, and therefore can be used not only for transport, for storage, or for use without time delay.

[0009] Preferably, the base surface is made of a material or combination of materials that does not plastically deform when used in accordance with the prescribed use of the tuning stick playing device according to the invention. Preferably, the base surface comprises at least one layer of felt, preferably one or more layers of felt. In an equally preferred alternative embodiment of the invention, the base surface comprises at least one layer of neoprene, preferably one or more layers of neoprene. In yet another equally preferred alternative embodiment of the invention, the base surface comprises at least one layer of fabric, preferably one or more layers of fabric. In all cases, a base surface is provided that can be rolled up and unrolled without problems, can be dyed or printed almost arbitrarily, and makes rolling up and unrolling particularly easy even for a child's hands. Particularly preferred is that the base surface itself or its outer layer is designed to be cleaned or rinsed with commercially available cleaning agents.

[0010] Preferably, the pins are connected to the base in pairs, so that each soundboard is assigned a pair of pins. This ensures that the spacing of the pins assigned to each soundboard reliably and immutably mates with the corresponding holes, especially punched or drilled holes, within the soundboard. Due to the roll-up and unfolding capabilities, foldability, and / or collapsibility of the tonestick playing device in a direction perpendicular to the soundboard, as long as there is no material connection between the pins of adjacent soundboards, there is no need to worry about negatively affecting the shape of the pins connected in pairs.

[0011] Furthermore, preferably, the pins are guided through at least one layer of the base surface via holes, preferably punched or drilled holes, or slit-like openings. This ensures that the pins are reliably held in place and will not shift relative to each other even when the base surfaces are repeatedly rolled up and unrolled, folded and unfolded, and / or gathered and separated. Similarly, even when the tonestick playing device is repeatedly rolled up and unrolled and / or folded and unfolded, the soundboards remain arranged parallel to each other.

[0012] Generally, tonesticks can be conventionally connected to the tonestick playing device using pins, nails, or rivets. However, it is preferable that the tonestick rests on a pin, and the pin preferably has a protrusion that prevents the pin from being pulled out through the base surface by means that the protrusion is designed to be wider than the opening for the pin constructed in the base surface. It is also preferable that two pins are connected to a common protrusion, which connects the two pins to each other in a manner that is arranged below at least the uppermost layer of material, and preferably parallel to the orientation of the tonestick. Because only the pin penetrates the opening in the base surface, unwanted pull-out can be reliably prevented.

[0013] Generally, it is preferred that the pin is connected to each other at its end away from the tuning bar by one or more preferably flexible strips of material, preferably sewn and / or bonded to the base surface. This flexible strip of material also ensures the persistent and unchanging orientation of the pin and the soundboard to which it is connected. It is also preferred that the soundboard is connected to the pin such that it is supported freely on the end of the pin away from the base surface, preferably placed on a flexible strip, particularly a felt strip or rubber strip, connected to the pin. This achieves a tuning bar playing device that, by easy and controllable means, on the one hand, provides material support for the base surface and the entire tuning bar playing device in a flexible and movable configuration that is rollable, foldable, and collapsible, and on the other hand, ensures the free vibration of the soundboard, thereby maintaining a consistent pitch relative to conventional tuning bar playing devices.

[0014] In this regard, it is also preferable that the soundboard has holes, especially punched or drilled holes, through which pins are passed to support the soundboard. This ensures that the soundboard can be reliably and permanently connected to the pins, and guarantees the vibration of the soundboard in a constant and lasting manner.

[0015] Preferably, the support point of the soundboard on the pin is configured such that there is a vibrational decoupling between the soundboard and the base surface. In the sense of the invention, vibrational decoupling is understood to be achieved as much as possible, as is typically possible in the type of tonestick playing device discussed.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferred that the tonestick playing device is a glockenspiel, xylophone, or metal instrument, or an instrument whose soundboard comprises a fiberglass material. As already described at the beginning, the tonestick playing device according to the invention is not limited to the material of the soundboard itself, but rather can connect any type and different type of soundboard to a rollable and unfoldable and / or foldable and / or collapsible base surface. In any case, it is guaranteed that the tonestick playing device according to the invention is implemented in a rollable and / or foldable and / or collapsible, flexible, and movable manner in terms of material, thereby enabling bending, twisting, or hanging, and therefore vertically arranged playing even on uneven support surfaces.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, a system is provided comprising a tuning stick playing device according to a first aspect of the invention and a storage container for the tuning stick playing device, characterized in that the storage container is designed and provided for receiving the tuning stick playing device in a rolled-up and / or folded and / or folded state. This provides a system capable of reliably storing and transporting the tuning stick playing device and reliably preventing contamination even during prolonged storage.

[0018] Preferably, the storage container has a cylindrical shape. The cylindrical shape of the storage container further enables space-saving storage of the tuning stick playing device, especially when it is rolled up and therefore essentially in a cylindrical state.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the storage container has a preferably removable lid. Finally, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the storage container is a can or box that, at least in its empty state, can be used as a percussion instrument, cajon, or drum. This provides a system that provides two instruments by particularly easy means, which can be stored and transported together with each other and, if necessary, played together as well. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the two accompanying drawings, from which preferred embodiments of the invention will be derived. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Figure 1An exploded view of the base surface 2 as used in a tonestick playing device (not shown) according to the invention is shown, along with a diagram of the assembled base surface 2 with the pin 3 integrated therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the base surface 2 is composed of a bottom layer 2b and an upper layer 2a. The bottom layer 2b is constructed continuously and planarly, while the upper layer 2a has a plurality of holes 5 for allowing the pin 3 to partially pass through. The holes 5 are constructed in pairs for each (not shown) toneboard within the upper layer 2a and are designed such that the protrusion of the pin 3 can pass through the hole 5, while the corresponding protrusion of the pin 3 remains supported below the upper layer 2a and on the bottom layer 2b, in order to ensure, on the one hand, that the pin 3 is oriented perpendicular to the base surface 2, and on the other hand, to serve as a pull-out protection for the pin 3. The two layers 2a, 2b are bonded and sewn together. Figure 1 The image shows a permanent connection between the base 2 and the pin 3, which is positioned as shown to receive a (not shown) soundboard.

[0022] Figure 2 An exploded view of a system according to the invention is shown, which consists of a tuning stick playing device 1 and a storage container 9. The system includes a base surface 2 with pins 3 mounted thereon (as it is already in use). Figure 1 (As shown in the diagram) and two felt strips 12, each placed on a row of pins 3, such that the tips of the pins 3 pass through the felt strips 12, particularly through holes arranged in the felt strips 12, and can be embedded into holes 8 in each soundboard 4. This causes a decoupling of the base surface 2 from the soundboard 4 in terms of vibration technology. The materials of the base surface 2 and the strips 12 are configured such that the tonestick playing device 1 can be rolled up and / or folded and / or gathered perpendicular to the orientation of the soundboard 4 or parallel to the longitudinal orientation of the base surface 2 and the felt strips 12, so that the rolled up, folded, or gathered tonestick playing device 1 can finally be introduced into the storage container 9, if necessary, along with the drumsticks 10. It is particularly preferred that the storage container 9 itself can be used as a percussion instrument.

Claims

1. A tuning stick playing device (1), comprising a base surface (2), a plurality of pins (3) connected to the base surface, and soundboards (4) arranged parallel to each other mounted at these pins, characterized in that, The base surface (2) is made of a material or combination of materials that allows the base surface (2) to be rolled up and unfolded and / or folded and / or gathered at least in a direction perpendicular to the soundboard (4).

2. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base surface (2) has multiple layers connected to each other, preferably multiple layers of the same size and shape.

3. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The multiple layers of the base surface (2) are connected to each other, preferably stitched and / or bonded.

4. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The rolling up and unfolding and / or folding and / or gathering of the base surface (2) can be carried out while in connection with the soundboard (4) and / or the pin (3).

5. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The base surface (2) is made of a material or combination of materials that will not be plastically deformed due to the rolling and unfolding process and / or folding and / or gathering.

6. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The base surface (2) includes at least one layer of felt, preferably consisting of one or more layers of felt.

7. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The base surface (2) includes at least one layer of chloroprene rubber, preferably consisting of one or more layers of chloroprene rubber.

8. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The base surface (2) includes at least one fabric layer, preferably consisting of one or more fabric layers.

9. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pins (3) are connected to the base surface (2) in pairs, so that each soundboard (4) is assigned a pair of pins (3).

10. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pin (3) is guided through at least one layer of the base surface (2) via a hole (5), preferably a drilled hole or a slit.

11. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pin (3) is preferably connected to each other at its end away from the soundboard (4) by one or more flexible material strips, which are preferably stitched and / or bonded to at least one layer of the base surface (2).

12. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The soundboard (4) is connected to the pin (3) so that the soundboard is supported on the end of the pin (3) away from the base surface (2) and can vibrate freely, preferably placed on a flexible strip connected to the pin (3).

13. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The flexible strip is constructed in such a way that the pins (3) of each soundboard (4) are connected to each other.

14. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The soundboard (4) has a hole (8), preferably a drilled or punched hole, especially a long hole, through which the pin (3) passes to support the soundboard (4).

15. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The soundboard (4) is supported on the pin (3) in such a way that there is a decoupling of the soundboard (4) and the base surface (2) in terms of vibration technology.

16. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The playing device is a glockenspiel, xylophone, or metal instrument.

17. The tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, The tuning stick playing device has a soundboard made of fiberglass material.

18. A system comprising a tuning stick playing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims and a storage container for said tuning stick playing device (1), characterized in that, The storage container is designed and provided for receiving the tonestick playing device (1) in a rolled-up, folded or gathered state.

19. The system according to claim 18, characterized in that, The storage container preferably has a removable lid or closure.

20. The system according to any one of claims 18 or 19, characterized in that, The storage container is a package, preferably a can or box, which can be used as a percussion instrument, cajon, or drum, at least when it is empty.

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