Internal cleaner for a wind instrument

Abstract

The present invention relates to an internal cleaner for a wind instrument, which has a central channel and at least one tone hole opening into the central channel, wherein the internal cleaner comprises a rod. In order to reliably clean the tone holes of the respective wind instrument, the internal cleaner of the present invention comprises a rod with a central channel sealing element at the end of the rod and a central channel inlet and / or attachment at or around the beginning of the rod, wherein the central channel inlet and / or attachment has at least one fluid passage opening and / or the rod is a tube open at the beginning and closed at the end, in the circumferential wall of which at least one opening is formed.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an internal wind instrument cleaner for a wind instrument having a central channel and at least one tone hole opening into the central channel, wherein the internal cleaner has a rod.

[0002] Since wind instruments are blown into with the mouth, moisture enters them along with the blown air. This moisture must be removed from the inside of the instrument to prevent damage to the instrument through the permanent deposition of saliva or even stomach acid, and to avoid impairing the musical quality due to moisture-related changes in the airflow behavior within the instrument.

[0003] The condensation that collects in the tone holes of wind instruments, also called windways, acts adhesively due to its surface tension, creeping into corners and collecting around even the smallest irregularities on the surface, forming droplets. This amplifies even very minor imperfections in the windway, which would be inconsequential in a dry state, causing the instrument to sound hoarse.

[0004] For the internal cleaning of flutes, flute swabs are typically used, which have a wire with a fluffy cleaning bristle attached to it, which is pushed into an inner central channel of the flute with the help of the wire in order to absorb moisture contained therein, such as condensation.

[0005] The tone holes of the flute can hardly be cleaned with this, as the flute wiper can only be moved axially back and forth in the central channel.

[0006] Another method for cleaning the inside of wind instruments involves tying several cloths together and pulling them through the instrument's interior on a string. Alternatively, as described in German patent application DE 92 14 532 U, a cloth can be threaded through an eyelet at one of its corners and then wrapped around a preferably profiled rod, which is then pushed through the instrument. This method also fails to clean the tone holes of the wind instrument.

[0007] A device for sterilizing a saxophone is known from German patent application KR 10 2021 0 017 665 A. The device comprises a cover, a fan, and a flexible tube with a multitude of holes, which is inserted into the bell of a saxophone. The opening of the bell is closed with the cover. The fan blows air through the tube, which exits through the openings in the tube to dry saliva residue in the saxophone. Additionally, bacteria are killed by UV lamps arranged along the tube.

[0008] Publication AT 518 969 A1 describes a wind instrument cleaning device with a flexible hose and a nozzle attached to it. The hose is inserted into a wind instrument and flushed with a cleaning fluid, which then exits at the nozzle. A cap placed on the hose prevents the cleaning fluid from splashing out of the wind instrument against the direction of flushing.

[0009] German patent application DE 3 715 490 A1 discloses a cleaning device for the interior of wind instruments, such as trumpets, which has a flexible cord with a spherical or conical piece of foam or sponge rubber attached to its end. To clean the inside of the wind instrument, the foam or sponge rubber is moistened and pulled through the instrument. However, this internal cleaner is not suitable for cleaning the tone holes of wind instruments.

[0010] Furthermore, a cleaning device for an endotracheal tube, described in US patent 5,709,691 A, is known from medical technology. The endotracheal tube has a flow channel with an inner wall surface on which secretions can accumulate, which are to be removed by the cleaning device. For this purpose, the cleaning device has a flexible, longitudinally extending tubular element that is inserted into the endotracheal tube. The tubular element has a centrally located, always open flow channel and a filling channel extending parallel to the flow channel along one side of the tubular element. The filling channel terminates in an outlet, which in turn opens into an annular bladder made of elastic material surrounding the tubular element. This bladder is filled with air via the filling channel and can thereby expand so that it rests against the inner wall of the endotracheal tube.The bladder is covered with an expandable outer shell that forms an external abrasive surface, which is cleaned by the inner wall surface of the endotracheal tube when the tubular element is withdrawn.

[0011] The publication CN 212 069 795 U describes a double-ended cleaning rod for flutes, featuring a support rod. A connecting rod is attached to one end of the support rod. The inner end of the connecting rod is connected via a bearing to a swivel rod, which is inserted into a first telescopic rod. The other end of the support rod is connected via a swivel shaft to a collar, to which a second telescopic rod is attached. Each end of the telescopic rods has a cotton ball. By unscrewing the connecting rod, the double-ended cleaning rod can be used separately, allowing for cleaning the inside of a flute and the tone hole of the flute.

[0012] Publication KR 102 276 973 B1 describes a sterilizing and drying device for wind instruments, comprising a sterilizing rod containing a rod-shaped UV lamp and a mounting module with a fan. The fan blows air to one end of the wind instrument while the other end is sealed.

[0013] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an internal cleaner for a wind instrument with which tone holes of the respective wind instrument can also be reliably cleaned.

[0014] The problem is solved by an internal wind instrument cleaner for a wind instrument having a central channel and at least one tone hole opening into the central channel, wherein the internal wind instrument cleaner has a rod, wherein a central channel sealing means is formed on a rod end region of the rod and a central channel inlet and / or attachment is formed on or around a rod start region of the rod, wherein the rod is either closed at its rod end or the rod is not hollow inside, and wherein the central channel inlet and / or attachment has at least one fluid passage opening and / or the rod is a tube open at the rod start region and closed at the rod end region, in whose circumferential wall at least one tube opening is formed.

[0015] In the present invention, the rod of the internal cleaner is inserted into the central channel of the wind instrument, starting with its end section. The central channel sealant located at the end section of the rod closes the central channel of the wind instrument on one side. This creates a fluid channel, bounded on one side by the central channel sealant, between the inner wall of the central channel and the portion of the rod located within the wind instrument. This fluid channel is connected to the tone holes in this area of ​​the wind instrument. In the present invention, "fluid" refers to air, humid air, and liquids.

[0016] The clay holes can be blown or sucked out with air or liquid via this fluid channel. This is done via the central channel inlet and / or attachment located at or around the end of the rod, or via the rod itself. In the first case, the central channel inlet and / or attachment has at least one fluid passage opening through which it is in direct fluid communication with the fluid channel and thus also with the at least one clay hole. In the second case, the rod is hollow inside, i.e., a tube, is closed at its end, and has at least one opening in its circumferential wall. Thus, in this second case, the fluid channel and therefore also the at least one clay hole can be cleaned by blowing or sucking through the rod.

[0017] If at least one tone hole is closed by a key, as is sometimes the case with an oboe, this key must be opened for cleaning. If all tone holes leading into the fluid channel are open, as is the case with a flute, for example, all but one of the tone holes leading into the fluid channel must be closed while cleaning the open tone hole.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment of the internal cleaner according to the invention, the central channel sealing material is a rubber or silicone collar. Due to the flexibility of the rubber or silicone collar material, it can be easily inserted into the central channel of the wind instrument, where it conforms to the inner wall of the central channel and thus seals the central channel on one side. The rubber or silicone collar adapts to different central channel inner diameters of the respective wind instrument, which is particularly advantageous for wind instruments such as the oboe, in which the central channel inner diameter widens conically towards the inside.

[0019] In another suitable embodiment of the internal cleaner according to the invention, the central channel sealing agent can also include a shield and an opening and folding mechanism for the shield. The shield is preferably oriented such that its tip projects towards the end of the rod. However, the shield can also be oriented in the opposite direction, i.e., with its tip pointing towards the beginning of the rod. In any case, the shield must be able to be opened sufficiently to close the central channel. At a desired location in the central channel, the shield can be opened by the opening and folding mechanism to such an extent that it closes the central channel on one side.Conversely, after the wind instrument has been cleaned internally, the umbrella can be folded back together using the opening and folding mechanism for easy retraction of the rod from the wind instrument.

[0020] In yet another embodiment of the internal cleaner according to the invention, the central channel sealing agent can be a balloon. This balloon is inflatable and deflated. Thus, the balloon can be inflated to the point where it seals the central channel on one side. To remove the rod from the wind instrument, the balloon can be deflated.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one opening in the tube is at least a longitudinal slot. The longitudinal slot extends along a portion of the rod and thus creates a fluid connection between the rod's end and the surrounding fluid channel, and therefore also with the at least one clay hole opening into the fluid channel, allowing both the fluid channel and the at least one clay hole to be easily and effectively blown or sucked out.

[0022] While it is generally possible in the present invention to place the mouth directly on the rod end area and / or the central channel inlet and / or attachment and thus blow out or suck out the wind instrument by means of the internal cleaner, in an advantageous embodiment of the internal cleaner according to the invention a blowing or pumping means is arranged at a blowing or pumping opening of the central channel inlet and / or attachment, with which the blowing out or sucking out can be carried out.

[0023] For example, the blowing or pumping device is a balloon pump, a piston pump, or a bellows.

[0024] It has proven particularly advantageous if the central channel insert and / or attachment is a turned part with a rod receptacle and an insert sleeve that overlaps the rod receptacle, wherein at least one fluid passage opening is formed between the insert sleeve and the rod receptacle. In this embodiment of the internal cleaner according to the invention, the rod is received in the rod receptacle at its initial end, for example by clamping, screwing, or gluing. In this embodiment of the invention, the insert sleeve is inserted or pushed into the central channel.

[0025] A bell-shaped attachment can be formed around the insert sleeve, which fits over the open end of the wind instrument, where a mouthpiece is typically attached during use. The bell-shaped attachment is preferably connected to the insert sleeve at a blowing or suction opening of the internal cleaner. This creates an additional seal at the blowing or suction opening.

[0026] If the rod is a tube, in a simple embodiment of the internal cleaner according to the invention, the central channel insert and / or attachment can be an insert plug or an attachment sleeve through which the tube, in whose circumferential wall at least one opening is formed, passes. If the central channel insert and / or attachment is an insert plug, it is pushed into the central channel. If the central channel insert and / or attachment is an attachment sleeve, it fits over an open end of the wind instrument, on which a mouthpiece of the wind instrument is typically located when the wind instrument is in use. The rod end is held in a central position by the insert plug or the attachment sleeve, while at the same time the otherwise open end of the wind instrument is advantageously sealed—except for the open end of the tube—by means of the insert plug or the attachment sleeve.

[0027] The rod is particularly stable when it is made of carbon.

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention, their structure, function and advantages, are explained in more detail below with reference to figures, wherein Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the interior cleaner according to the invention in a cutaway side view; and Figure 2 schematically shows another embodiment of the interior cleaner according to the invention in a cutaway side view.

[0029] Figure 1 Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of an internal cleaner 1 according to the invention for a wind instrument 10 in a cutaway side view. Figure 2 Figure 1 shows another embodiment of an internal cleaner 1' according to the invention for a wind instrument 10, also in a cutaway side view.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiments, the wind instrument 10 is an oboe, of which only a section without keys is shown. However, the respective internal cleaner 1, 1' can also be used for other wind instruments, such as flutes or clarinets.

[0031] The wind instrument 10 has a hollow central channel 11 in its body 16. Several tone holes 12, each extending through the body 16, open laterally into the central channel 11. The central channel 11 has an inner wall 14 through which the tone holes 12 pass.

[0032] In the embodiment shown, the tone holes 12 are each formed at the end of an octave valve 13. In other embodiments of the present invention, such as in a flute, the tone holes 12 can also be formed independently of an octave valve 13. In the respective wind instrument 10, a valve (not shown in the figures) may be formed on the outside of the respective tone hole 12 or on the octave valve 13.

[0033] When the wind instrument 10 is being played, it has a mouthpiece at its beginning area 15, which is removed for internal cleaning of the wind instrument 10 and is therefore not shown in the figures.

[0034] The internal cleaner 1, 1' each has a rod 2, 2'. The rod 2, 2' each has a rod end section 21 and a rod end section 22 opposite the rod end section. The rod end section 22 is used to insert the respective rod 2, 2' through the instrument start section 15 into the central channel 11 of the wind instrument 10.

[0035] The rod 2, 2' is made of carbon in the embodiments shown, but can also be made of another material, such as metal.

[0036] A fluid channel runs between the respective rod 2, 2' and the inner wall 14 of the central channel 11.

[0037] The rod 2 of the internal cleaner 1 is a tube, i.e., hollow inside. The rod 2 has a longitudinal slot 23. The longitudinal slot 23 is a pipe opening formed in a circumferential wall of the tube. Instead of or in addition to the longitudinal slot 23, other pipe openings, such as holes, can also be formed in the circumferential wall of the tube.

[0038] The respective tube opening creates a fluid connection between the tube interior and the central channel 11 of the wind instrument 10.

[0039] The rod 2 is open at its end section 21 and closed at its end section 22. Air blown into the rod 2 at the end section 21, and / or liquid injected into the rod 2 at the end section 21, thus exits only through the longitudinal slot 23 into the central channel 11 and passes through this channel to the outside via a tone hole 12 that is opened during internal cleaning. Conversely, air and / or liquid drawn in through the open end section 21 first flows through the open tone hole 12, then into the central channel 11, and then through the longitudinal slot into the hollow interior of the rod 2 at the end section 21. Any moisture present is carried along with the respective airflow, so that it is blown or sucked out of the wind instrument 10, especially out of the open tone hole 12.

[0040] Regarding the interior cleaner 1 from Figure 1The rod 2 is passed through a central channel inlet and / or attachment 4, which is designed as an insert plug. The insert plug can, for example, be a cork. The insert plug is inserted into the instrument's initial region 15 and is held securely therein. The central channel inlet and / or attachment 4 holds the rod 2 centrally in the central channel 11.

[0041] The staff 2 protrudes from the insertion plug at its staff start area 21, and is therefore accessible from the outside.

[0042] Instead of the insert plug, the central channel insert and / or attachment 4 can also be designed as an attachment sleeve that fits over the instrument start area 15, through which rod 2 is passed centrally and which holds the rod 2 in place.

[0043] For the interior cleaner 1' from Figure 2The rod 2' is a closed rod, i.e., not hollow inside. The rod 2' can, for example, consist of wires wound around each other.

[0044] The rod 2' is held at its rod end 21 on a central channel inlet and / or attachment 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the central channel inlet and / or attachment 5 is a turned part. The central channel inlet and / or attachment 5 has a centrally formed rod receptacle 53 in which the rod end 21 of the rod 2' is received. The rod receptacle 53 is overlapped by an insert sleeve 54. At least one fluid passage opening 51 is formed between the insert sleeve 54 and the rod receptacle 53.

[0045] In this embodiment, the rod end section 21 of the rod 2' is located in the central channel 11 when the internal cleaner 1' is inserted into the wind instrument 10. The rod 2' is therefore not accessible from the outside itself, but only indirectly via the central channel inlet and / or attachment 5.

[0046] The insert sleeve 54 is firmly inserted into the instrument starting area 15. In other embodiments of the present invention, not shown, an attachment bell can be formed concentrically to the insert sleeve around the instrument starting area 15.

[0047] For internal cleaning of the wind instrument 10, a [material] is applied to the central channel inlet and / or attachment 5. Figure 2 A blowing or pumping device (not shown) is attached. This device could be, for example, a balloon pump, a piston pump, or bellows.

[0048] Regarding the interior cleaner 1 from Figure 1A blowing or pumping device is unnecessary. Here, the mouth can be placed directly at the beginning of the rod 21 and blown or sucked through the rod 2 with the mouth.

[0049] Since typically several tone holes 12 are connected to the central channel 11, effective cleaning of each opened tone hole 12 can be achieved by alternately opening and closing the tone holes 12.

[0050] A central channel sealing element is formed at the end section 22 of each rod 2, 2'. The central channel sealing element seals the central channel 11.

[0051] In the illustrated embodiments, the central channel sealing element is a rubber or silicone collar 3 that extends around the rod 2, 2'. Because it is made of a flexible material, the rubber or silicone collar 3 always conforms to the inner wall 14 of the central channel 11. It thus seals a region of the central channel 11 in front of the rubber or silicone collar 3 from a region of the central channel 11 downstream of the rubber or silicone collar 3.

[0052] In other embodiments of the present invention, not shown, a screen having an opening and closing mechanism can also be used as the central channel sealing means. Furthermore, an inflatable and evacuatable balloon can also be used as the central channel sealing means.

[0053] In principle, several central channel sealing elements can be arranged along the length of the rod 2, 2'.

Claims

1. Wind instrument internal cleaner (1, 1') for a wind instrument (10) which comprises a central channel (11) and at least one tone hole (12) which opens into the central channel (11), wherein the wind instrument internal cleaner (1, 1') comprises a rod (2, 2'), characterized in that a central channel sealing means is formed on a rod end region (22) of the rod (2, 2'), and a central channel insert and / or attachment (4, 5) is formed on or around a rod start region (21) of the rod (2, 2'), wherein the rod (2, 2') is closed at its rod end, or the rod (2, 2') is not hollow inside, and wherein the central channel insert and / or attachment (5) comprises at least one fluid passage opening (51) and / or the rod (2) is a tube that is open at the rod start region (21) and closed at the rod end region (22), in the peripheral wall of which tube at least one tube opening is formed.

2. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the central channel sealing means is a rubber or silicone collar (3).

3. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the central channel sealing means comprises an umbrella and an opening and closing mechanism for the umbrella.

4. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the central channel sealing means is a balloon which is inflatable and can be emptied by suction.

5. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one tube opening is at least one elongated slot (23).

6. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a blowing or pumping means is arranged on a blowing or pumping opening (52) of the central channel insert and / or attachment (5).

7. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to claim 6, characterized in that the blowing or pumping means is a balloon pump, a piston pump, or a bellows.

8. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central channel insert and / or attachment (5) is a rotary part with a rod receptacle (53) and an insertion sleeve (54) overlapping the rod receptacle (53), wherein the at least one fluid passage opening (51) is formed between the insertion sleeve (54) and the rod receptacle (53).

9. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to claim 8, characterized in that an attachment bell is formed around the insertion sleeve (54).

10. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the central channel insert and / or attachment (4) is an insert plug or an attachment cuff through which the tube is passed, in the peripheral wall of which tube the at least one tube opening is formed.

11. Wind instrument internal cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rod (2, 2') is formed from carbon.

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