Cleaning aid for cleaning wind instruments with curved tubes

Abstract

Cleaning aid for cleaning wind instruments with curved tubes, consisting of a gripping element, a connecting element and an end piece, characterized in that the gripping element of the cleaning aid can automatically form a detachable connection with the contact element of the instrument wiper inside the instrument, so that the latter can be moved through the course of the instrument tube to be cleaned by pulling back the cleaning aid.

Description

[0001] (In the following text, the device for which the claim is sought is referred to briefly as "cleaning aid." The term "band" shall also refer to flat-woven bands, tubular bands, or cords, if these are used in a corresponding function, depending on the design.)

[0002] Woodwind and brass instruments are subjected to breath during the production of sound. This leads to deposits of saliva and condensation on the instrument's interior. Therefore, wind instruments must be cleaned after use. This is usually done with wipers specially designed for the respective type and size, in the form of brushes, cloths, or similar aids, referred to below as instrument wipers. The parts actually intended for cleaning are referred to here as the wiping element. The instrument wipers or their wiping elements can be rod-shaped in the case of instruments that have a straight, tubular structure or that can be disassembled into straight tube sections for cleaning, or they can be moved through the interior using a rod-shaped insertion and handling device.The wiping element absorbs the moisture and also removes dirt adhering to the inner wall of the pipe.

[0003] For wind instruments with curved or angled tubes, the wiping element cannot be rod-shaped if it is to reach all areas of the inner tube wall. Therefore, commercially available instrument wipers are usually designed with a retractable band attached to the wiping element. This band is fitted with a retractable weight, which follows gravity and slides through the instrument or the curved part of the instrument by pivoting the instrument accordingly. A retractable band is sometimes attached for repeated retraction or for retrieval in the event of an obstruction or in case the retractable band breaks.

[0004] When inserting and maneuvering the retractable tape, its sliding can be hampered by unevenness in the instrument's surface, the openings of the tone holes, octave pegs, and adhesive forces caused by adhering fluid droplets. In practice, musicians often counteract this difficulty by swinging or shaking it vigorously.

[0005] These aids in conjunction with the described panning and shaking correspond to the state of the art.

[0006] (Flexible, extendable wiper elements are available on the market that can be used to wipe individual curved elements of a wind instrument. However, these cannot clean the entire length of a longer instrument component.)

[0007] Swinging and possibly shaking the instrument poses a significant risk of damage. Firstly, it may require multiple grips, which can bend the complex mechanism, especially on woodwind instruments. Secondly, any swinging of an instrument carries the risk of hitting objects or bystanders, which could injure people and damage the instrument itself or other nearby objects. Since wiping is also necessary during rehearsals or on stage, space is often limited, and the simultaneous handling by several people exacerbates the described problem.

[0008] The cleaning aid specified in the claims solves this problem. The invention ensures that, in most applications, the instrument can even remain securely positioned on the instrument stand, meaning it does not need to be moved during the entire cleaning process and is thus protected.

[0009] An advantageous embodiment is presented in claim 2. Method of application for curved soprano and alto saxophones and for tenor saxophones, described using the design according to claim 2:

[0010] With the S-bow removed, the cleaning aid is inserted from the S-bow receptacle, following gravity. The end piece and any portion of the band remaining outside the instrument serve as a handle for retracting the cleaning aid. The retractable weight of the standard or appropriately modified instrument wiper represents the contact element and must be made of ferromagnetic material or a permanent magnet with opposite polarity, so that it comes into contact with the magnet of the cleaning aid at the lowest point of the instrument without any further action, forming a detachable connection. By retracting the cleaning aid, the retractable tape of the instrument wiper is pulled upward through the body tube until it exits at the S-bend receptacle. It is then used in the usual way to pull the instrument wiper through, repeatedly if necessary.

[0011] The instrument is preferably left in the instrument stand, the space required for handling is minimal and there is no risk of damage from moving the instrument. Method of application for baritone and bass saxophones, described based on the design according to claim 2:

[0012] With these instruments, swinging them around is particularly laborious and accident-prone due to their size and weight. In practice, the necessary wiping is therefore often omitted. For this application, the retractable weight of the instrument wiper, which serves as the contact element, must be made of ferromagnetic material, or a permanent magnet must be used. In the latter case, this and the gripping element of the cleaning aid should be magnetized longitudinally, with the opposing magnetic poles pointing toward the end of the instrument wiper or cleaning aid.

[0013] The contact element of the instrument wiper is inserted through the S-bend holder in front of the curved pipe section and pulled through the curved pipe section by the cleaning aid's magnet, which is guided along the pipe wall from the outside. The force is transmitted through the pipe wall by the magnetic attraction between the contact and gripping elements.

[0014] Once the instrument wiper's retractable weight has passed this section of the tube, it slides further down the body tube, following gravity, to the lowest point of the instrument. The cleaning aid is then inserted from the opposite end of the instrument bore, i.e., at the so-called bell. The gripping element slides, following gravity, to the lowest point of the instrument, the bow. There, it automatically connects with the contact element, thus allowing the instrument wiper to pass through.

[0015] Even with this application, the instrument is preferably left in the instrument stand, the space required for handling is minimal and there is no risk of damage from moving the instrument.

[0016] The cleaning aid described for baritone and bass saxophones also opens the door to application of the principle for other woodwind and brass instruments. The dimensions of the gripping and connecting elements, as well as the end piece, must then be selected appropriately.

[0017] The invention ensures that the daily wiping of wind instruments is carried out quickly and effortlessly, thus supporting the reliability of the procedure and, above all, reducing the risk of instrument and personal injury.

Claims

[1] Cleaning aid for cleaning wind instruments with curved tubes, consisting of gripping element, connecting element and end piece, characterized by that the gripping element of the cleaning aid inside the instrument can automatically form a detachable connection with the contact element of the instrument wiper, so that the latter can be moved through the course of the instrument tube to be cleaned by pulling back the cleaning aid. [2] Cleaning aid according to claim 1, characterized in that it is designed as follows: The gripping element is designed as a permanent magnet, e.g. as a neodymium bar magnet, preferably with magnetization in the longitudinal direction, the connecting element is designed as a hose or belt, the end piece is dimensioned in such a way that it cannot pass through the S-bend holder. The length of the band is such that the magnet is positioned at the lowest point of the arch after insertion.