Brass Instrument Mutes

Abstract

To provide a mute for a brass instrument which ensures soft sound and is comfortable to play. The instrument comprises a bottomed, cylindrical main body 10 having a mounting stand 13 in the axial middle portion on which a trumpet bell 100 is placed, a lid body 30 that screws onto the upper part of the main body 10 and sandwiches the trumpet bell 100 placed on the mounting stand 13 between the body and the mounting stand 13, and sound-absorbing material 20 that covers the inner wall of the main body 10 below the mounting stand 13, and the lid body 30 consists of a pair of half-split lids 31 and is provided with cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 on the upper surface of the mounting stand 13 and the back surfaces of the pair of half-split lids 31.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mute that is attached to the bell of a brass instrument such as a trumpet. [Background technology]

[0002] Silencers and mutes are devices for reducing the volume of brass instruments such as trumpets. A well-known silencer is one that fits into the opening of the bell. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a silencer for brass instruments that has a body part of a generally conical tube shape whose outer diameter decreases from the large diameter end at the front end to the small diameter end at the rear end along the inner wall of the bell of the brass instrument, and has a recess on the outer wall near the small diameter end of the body part that serves as an exhalation exhaust path for exhausting exhaled air out of the silencer when playing.

[0003] Patent document 2 discloses a mute for a brass instrument that has a cover body that covers the bell of a brass instrument from the outside, and inside it is a mute member made of a non-breathable material, a first cushioning member made of a breathable material, and a second cushioning member, and is assembled by placing the mute member on the bottom of the cover body and the first cushioning member on top of the mute member, and engaging the outer edge of the first cushioning member with the bottom of the second cushioning member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4124236 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5689559 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Generally, mute devices that are fitted into the opening of the bell of a brass instrument are excellent at reducing the volume of sound, but they increase the resistance of the breath when playing, making the playing feel, pitch, and controllability worse. On the other hand, mutes, which are designed to allow the breath to easily escape, reduce the resistance of the breath when playing, but cannot sufficiently reduce the volume of sound.

[0006] As described above, mutes attached to the bells of brass instruments generally have a trade-off between reducing the volume and making the instrument easier to play. Although improvements have been made to mute and silencers to achieve both reduced volume and a more comfortable playing experience, the results are still not sufficient.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a mute for a brass instrument that ensures soft sound while providing excellent playing comfort. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention is a mute for a brass instrument, comprising a bottomed cylindrical main body having a mounting stand in the axial middle portion on which the bell of a brass instrument is placed, a lid body that screws onto the top of the main body and sandwiches the bell of the brass instrument placed on the mounting stand between the lid body and the mounting stand, and sound-absorbing material that covers the inner wall of the main body below the mounting stand, wherein the lid body is made up of two or more cover members and has cushioning material on the upper surface of the mounting stand and the back surface of the lid body.

[0009] In the mute for a brass instrument of the present invention, the cover body includes a trumpet-shaped portion having an opening in the center through which the bell of a brass instrument can be inserted, and a cylindrical portion having a male thread that screws into a female thread provided on the upper part of the main body, and the cushioning material is provided on the back surface of the trumpet-shaped portion.

[0010] In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the cushioning material is attached to the entire or part of the upper surface of the stand, and is attached to the entire or part of the underside of the cover.

[0011] In the brass instrument mute of the present invention, the mounting stand is characterized in that it has an air hole for discharging breath blown into the main body to the lid side.

[0012] In the brass instrument mute of the present invention, the cover body is characterized by having a connector that connects two or more cover members and holds them in the connected state.

[0013] In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the sound-absorbing material is removably attached to the inner wall.

[0014] The mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention is further characterized in that a sound insulating material is provided between the inner wall and the sound absorbing material.

[0015] In the brass instrument mute of the present invention, the cover body is made up of a pair of half-split covers.

[0016] In the mute for a brass instrument of the present invention, the main body comprises a first cylindrical portion with a bottom, a second cylindrical portion with an open upper portion and a larger inner diameter than the first cylindrical portion, and a conical portion connecting the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, and the second cylindrical portion is provided with a female thread into which the cover is screwed.

[0017] The mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention is characterized in that the main body is configured so that it can be attached to the bell of the brass instrument with the central axis of the main body coinciding with or eccentric to the central axis of the bell of the brass instrument. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mute for a brass instrument that ensures soft sound while providing an excellent playing feel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is an exploded view of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view of a half-split lid 31 of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. [Diagram 5] 2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining the configuration of connectors 51, 55, and 57 of a half-split lid 31 of a brass instrument mute 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of cushioning materials 40, 42 of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is an external view showing a state in which a trumpet is attached to a mute 1 for a brass instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a mounting base 14 for a brass instrument mute 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 11 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a brass mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the brass mute 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a half-split cover 31 of the brass mute 1. Fig. 4 is an end view of a cut portion of the brass mute 1 cut vertically, Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of connectors 51, 55, and 57 of the half-split cover 31 of the brass mute 1, Fig. 6 is a plan view for explaining the arrangement of cushioning materials 40 and 42 of the brass mute 1, and Fig. 7 is an external view showing a state in which a trumpet is attached to the brass mute 1. In Fig. 4, the female thread 18 of the main body 10 of the brass mute 1 and the male thread 36 of the cover 30 are omitted.

[0021] In this embodiment, the direction of the central axis (center line M) of the main body 10 of the mute 1 for brass instruments in Fig. 4 is defined as the axial direction, the direction perpendicular to the center line M as the radial direction, and the direction along the arc centered on the center line M as the circumferential direction. The bottom plate 12 side of the main body 10 is defined as the downward or tip direction. The axial direction, radial direction, and circumferential direction include the approximate axial direction, approximate radial direction, and approximate circumferential direction, which are essentially the same. This is the same in other embodiments.

[0022] The brass instrument mute 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention is attached to the bell of a brass instrument such as a trumpet, trombone, or alto horn (tenor horn) to reduce the volume of the sound when played. The structure of the brass instrument mute 1 will be described below assuming that the brass instrument is a trumpet. Hereinafter, the brass instrument mute 1 may be referred to as mute 1.

[0023] Mute 1 has a body 10 that covers a bell 100 of a trumpet, and a lid 30 that closes an upper opening of body 10. Sound absorbing material 20 is attached inside body 10, and cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are attached to the top surface of mounting base 13 of body 10 and the underside of lid 30.

[0024] The main body 10 is a cylindrical body having a bottom plate 12, and the top of the main body 10 is open. The main body 10 is made of synthetic resin such as ABS resin, and the diameter of the main body 10 is the same in the axial direction. When the main body 10 is manufactured by injection molding, a draft angle is necessary, and the diameter of the main body 10 increases slightly toward the top, but the main body 10 may be in this state. This is the same in the other embodiments.

[0025] A ring-shaped mounting base 13 on which bell 100 is placed is provided at the axial middle of main body 10. Furthermore, an internal wall surface at the top of main body 10 is provided with an internal thread 18 into which external thread 36 of lid 30 screws.

[0026] Inner diameter D of main body 10 I Of course, the size must be such that the trumpet bell 100 can be accommodated therein, but it is preferable that the size is as small as possible. O It is preferable that the thickness of the main body 10 is as small as possible. In other words, it is preferable that the thickness of the main body 10 is as thin as possible while still ensuring a suitable level of rigidity. Since the mute 1 is attached to the bell 100 of the trumpet, it is preferable that the mute 1 is as light as possible. It is not preferable to make the main body 10 unnecessarily large or to make the thickness of the main body 10 unnecessarily thick, as this will make the main body 10 heavy.

[0027] Inner diameter D of main body 10 I , outer diameter D O It is preferable that the mute 1 corresponds to the size of the bell 100 of a trumpet. However, since the sizes of the bells 100 of trumpets available on the market are diverse, when the mute 1 is commercialized, the inner diameter D I , outer diameter D O The size of bell 100 here refers to the outside diameter of the bell tip.

[0028] The size of the bell 100 of a typical trumpet available on the market is 115 to 140 mm. The size of the bell 100 in the volume zone available on the market is 120 to 127 mm. From these points of view, the inner diameter D of the main body 10 of the mute 1 is IFor the former, 142mm is preferable, and for the latter, 130mm is preferable.

[0029] The mounting table 13 has a ring shape and has an opening in the center. The mounting table 13 may be molded integrally with the cylindrical body constituting the main body 10, or may be molded separately from the cylindrical body and then bonded to the cylindrical body. This point is the same for the other embodiments.

[0030] When the mute 1 is not attached, the trumpet can be played without any obstructions in front of the bell 100, but the mounting base 13 becomes an obstacle when playing the trumpet. The size of the bell 100 of a typical trumpet is 115 to 140 mm, so the diameter d of the opening of the mounting base 13 corresponding to this is I It is preferable that the distance is about 100 mm.

[0031] A cushioning material 40 is attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13, and the bell 100 comes into contact with it when the mute 1 is attached to the trumpet.

[0032] The length of the main body 10 is not particularly limited, but as long as the preferred distance from the top of the mounting base 13, including the cushioning material 40, to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom and the preferred thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 can be secured, the shorter the length is, the lighter the weight will be.

[0033] Distance H from the top of mounting base 13 including cushioning material 40 to sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom, in other words, distance H from the tip of bell 100 to sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom when bell 100 is attached, affects the playing comfort, pitch, and controllability when playing the trumpet.

[0034] The longer the distance H, in other words, the more open the tip of the bell 100 is, the closer it is to a state where the mute 1 is not attached, and the more comfortable it becomes to play. On the other hand, the larger the distance H, the heavier and longer the mute 1 becomes, making it heavier when attached to the trumpet. As a result of tests using three types of trumpets with bell 100 diameters of 127 mm, 123 mm, and 116 mm, it was found that the preferable distance H is around 50 mm.

[0035] The sound absorbing material 20 is attached so as to cover the side walls and the bottom of the main body 10 below the mounting base 13. The sound absorbing material 20 in this embodiment is made of a thick sponge-like material with a peak-valley type surface, but the material, thickness, etc. of the sound absorbing material 20 may be appropriately determined in view of the sound volume reduction required of the mute 1. It is preferable that the sound absorbing material 20 is lightweight.

[0036] The amount (thickness) of the sound-absorbing material 20 attached is preferably large from the standpoint of reducing the volume, but it also affects the volume of the internal space V of the main body 10. Here, the internal space V refers to the space surrounded by the sound-absorbing material 20 below the mounting base 13. The size of the internal space V affects the comfort, pitch, and controllability when playing the trumpet, and making the internal space V too small makes it difficult to play. The thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 attached to the side wall is preferably approximately the same as the width of the mounting base 13.

[0037] The sound-absorbing material 20 may be attached to the main body 10 using an adhesive, but in the case of a sponge-like sound-absorbing material, since it has elasticity, it is possible to use sound-absorbing material 20 with dimensions slightly larger than the bottom and side wall parts and fix it by pressing it into the main body 10.

[0038] Lid 30 consists of a pair of half-lids 31 made of synthetic resin that screw into female threads 18 provided on the top of main body 10. The pair of half-lids 31 are the same in material, shape and structure. Lid 30 is screwed onto the top of main body 10, and clamps and fixes trumpet bell 100 placed on mounting base 13 between lid 30 and mounting base 13.

[0039] Lid body 30, which is formed by butting a pair of half-split lids 31 together, has at its center a trumpet-shaped portion 33 which resembles the outer shape of a trumpet bell 100, a cylindrical portion 35 having a male thread 36 which screws into a female thread 18 provided at the top of main body 10, and a flat plate portion 37 which connects the outer periphery of the tip of trumpet-shaped portion 33 to the outer periphery of the tip of cylindrical portion 35. Trumpet-shaped portion 33 is formed so as to narrow toward the top, and an opening 34 is provided at the center of the upper end through which trumpet bell 100 is inserted.

[0040] The lid 30 is preferably lightweight and therefore has a thin wall thickness. However, the lid 30 is made up of a pair of half-split lids 31, and the trumpet-shaped portion 33 has an opening 34, so the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 is easily deformed. For this reason, a thick reinforcing portion 38 is provided around the entire periphery of the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33.

[0041] Cushioning materials 42, 44 are attached to the rear surface of trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the rear surface of flat portion 37 of lid 30, and at least one of them comes into contact with bell 100 when mute 1 is attached to the trumpet. In lid 30 of this embodiment, cushioning material 42 attached to the rear surface of trumpet-shaped portion 33 and cushioning material 44 attached to the rear surface of flat portion 37 are separate, but cushioning material 42 and cushioning material 44 may be integrated together.

[0042] The pair of halves 31 sandwich the trumpet bell 100 from the left and right and are screwed onto the main body 10 in a state where they are butted against each other. Therefore, by butting the pair of halves 31 together, they are integrated, which improves usability.

[0043] 5 shows a pair of split lid halves 31 equipped with connectors 51, 55, 57 that connect the pair of split lid halves 31 to each other. Each of the connectors 51, 55, 57 is provided at a position that does not interfere with the butting of the pair of split lid halves 31, making it possible to easily connect and separate the pair of split lid halves 31.

[0044] 5(A) is composed of a claw 52 and a holder 53 into which the claw 52 fits. The claw 52 and the holder 53 are provided so that they fit together when the pair of half-split lids 31 are butted against each other from the left and right. When the claw 52 is pressed against the holder 53 with a little strong force, the claw 52 engages with the holder 53, and the pair of half-split lids 31 are connected. When a force is applied to separate the connected pair of half-split lids 31, the claw 52 comes off the holder 53, and the pair of half-split lids 31 can be separated.

[0045] The connector 55 shown in Fig. 5(B) is made of a magnet and is attached to the end faces of the cylindrical portions 35 of the pair of half-split lids 31. This makes it possible to easily connect and separate the pair of half-split lids 31. The magnet is preferably a lightweight one such as a rubber magnet or a plastic magnet.

[0046] 5(C) is made of a hook-and-loop fastener and is attached to the end of the flat plate portion 37 of the pair of half-split lids 31. This allows the pair of half-split lids 31 to be easily connected and separated.

[0047] Connectors 51, 55, 57 that connect the pair of half-split lids 31 to each other may be of other forms. The connectors are intended to prevent lid body 30 from separating when attaching lid body 30 to trumpet bell 100 and when screwing lid body 30 into main body 10, and to facilitate attachment to main body 10. Therefore, connectors 51, 55, 57 do not need to firmly connect the pair of half-split lids 31, but only need to temporarily fasten them. Furthermore, connectors that can be easily connected and removed and that are lightweight are preferable.

[0048] Cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are elastic and flexible members that are attached to the top surface of mounting base 13 and the rear surface of trumpet-shaped portion 33 and flat portion 37 of lid body 30. Cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are pressed against bell 100 when bell 100 is sandwiched and fixed between mounting base 13 and lid body 30. Because cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are elastic, they can securely fix bell 100 without damaging it when bell 100 is sandwiched and fixed between mounting base 13 and lid body 30.

[0049] The cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 may basically be made of materials that have elasticity and flexibility, but lightweight materials are preferable. If a sponge-like material is used for the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44, it will function as a sound absorbing material and will also function as a flow path for the breath blown into the main body 10 to escape to the outside when playing. The cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 may also be made of cloth-like materials such as felt. This is the same for the other embodiments.

[0050] In the mute 1 of this embodiment, the cushioning material 40 attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13 is not attached to the entire upper surface of the mounting base 13, but has an opening 46 in part. Similarly, the cushioning material 42 attached to the bottom surface (rear surface) of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid 30 is not attached to the entire bottom surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid 30, but has an opening 47 in part. Similarly, the cushioning material 44 attached to the bottom surface (rear surface) of the flat portion 37 of the lid 30 is not attached to the entire bottom surface of the flat portion 37 of the lid 30, but has an opening 48 in part. The openings 46, 47, 48 serve as flow paths through which the breath blown into the main body 10 escapes to the outside when playing.

[0051] In this embodiment, the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are partially attached and have openings 46, 47, 48, but the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 may be attached without gaps to the entire upper surface of the mounting portion 13, the entire bottom surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid body 30, and the entire bottom surface of the flat plate portion 37 of the lid body 30, respectively, and the openings 46, 47, 48 may be eliminated. When the openings 46, 47, 48 are not provided, the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 having relatively good breathability may be used, and the breath blown into the main body 10 may pass through the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 to escape to the outside.

[0052] The method of use and the effects of the mute 1 according to this embodiment will now be described. The trumpet is placed so that the tip of the bell 100 of the trumpet touches the cushioning material 40 attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13 of the main body 10, and the lid 30 is firmly screwed onto the main body 10. This sandwiches the bell 100 of the trumpet between the mounting base 13 and the lid 30, and the mute 1 is firmly fixed in place.

[0053] When the trumpet is played with mute 1 attached, the breath blown into spreads into internal space V of main body 10 and comes into contact with sound-absorbing material 20 and is absorbed. The breath blown into mute 1 then passes through cushioning material 40 attached to mounting base 13 and opening 46 in cushioning material 40, and cushioning materials 42, 44 attached to cover 30 and openings 47, 48 in cushioning materials 42, 44, where it is also muted, and escapes through the gap between bell 100 and opening 34 in cover 30.

[0054] The mute 1 according to the first embodiment described above has an internal space V within the mute 1, which provides a playing feel, pitch, and controllability similar to that of a trumpet without the mute 1 attached. The mute 1 also has sound-absorbing material 20 attached within the main body 10, and cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 attached to the mounting base 13 and the lid 30, and with the mute 1 attached, the gap between the opening 34 of the lid 30 and the bell 100 of the trumpet is narrow, providing sufficient sound deadening.

[0055] Furthermore, the mute 1 according to the first embodiment can be attached firmly to the trumpet without wobbling, so that even when wearing the mute 1, the trumpet can be played without any discomfort.

[0056] Fig. 8 is an end view of a section cut vertically through a brass mute 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a mounting stand 14 for the brass mute 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the brass mute 2, the same components as those in the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. In Fig. 8, the female thread 18 of the main body 10 and the male thread 36 of the cover 30 are not shown.

[0057] The basic configuration of the mute 2 for a brass instrument of the second embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 2) is the same as that of the mute 1 for a brass instrument of the first embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 1), but the configuration of the main body 11 of the mute 2 differs from the configuration of the main body 10 of the mute 1.

[0058] Specifically, main body 11 of mute 2 differs from main body 10 of mute 1 in that main base 14 has ventilation holes 15. Also, the manner in which cushioning material 40 is attached to the upper surface of main base 14 differs from that of mute 1. Mute 2 has the same configuration, structure, and dimensions as mute 1, except for having ventilation holes 15 in main base 14 and the manner in which cushioning material 40 is attached.

[0059] The ventilation hole 15 provided in the mounting base 14 of the main body 11 is a ventilation hole for discharging the breath blown from the trumpet and spreading in the internal space V of the main body 11 to the side of the lid 30. The ventilation hole 15 is provided in the mounting base 14 so as to follow the inner peripheral surface 16 of the side wall of the main body 11.

[0060] In mute 2 of the second embodiment, air vents 15 are provided in four locations at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction of mounting base 14. The number and size of air vents 15 may be determined appropriately, but tests using three types of trumpets with bell 100 diameters of 127 mm, 123 mm, and 116 mm showed that the length (arc length) of each air vent 15 is preferably 10 to 20 mm, and the width is preferably 3 to 5 mm.

[0061] In the mute 2 of the second embodiment, the cushioning material 40 is attached without any gaps to the entire upper surface of the mounting base 14. The material of the cushioning material 40 is the same as that of the mute 1 of the first embodiment.

[0062] The method of using the brass mute 2 of the second embodiment described above is the same as that of the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment. Compared to the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment, the brass mute 2 of the second embodiment provides better softness and a better feeling of playing because the breath that is blown in spreads into the internal space V of the main body 11, comes into contact with the sound-absorbing material 20 and is absorbed, passes through the air vents 15 provided in the mounting base 14, is absorbed by the cushioning material 40, and is discharged to the lid 30 side.

[0063] Fig. 10 is an end view of a cut portion cut vertically through a brass mute 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the brass mute 3, the same components as those in the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. In Fig. 10, the female thread 18 of the main body 10 and the male thread 36 of the cover 30 are not shown.

[0064] The basic configuration of the brass instrument mute 3 of the third embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 3) is the same as that of the brass instrument mute 1 of the first embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 1), but unlike mute 1, mute 3 is equipped with sound-insulating material 60.

[0065] The sound-proofing material 60 is a rubber plate, and is disposed between the side wall surface of the main body 10 below the mounting base 13 and the sound-absorbing material 20, and between the bottom surface of the main body 10 and the sound-absorbing material 20. In this embodiment, the sound-proofing material 60 is sandwiched and fixed between the main body 10 and the sound-absorbing material 20 so that it can be removed. In this embodiment, a rubber plate is used for the sound-proofing material 60, but other materials may also be used. It is preferable that the sound-proofing material 60 is lightweight and has excellent sound-proofing properties.

[0066] The method of using the brass mute 3 of the third embodiment described above is the same as that of the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment. The brass mute 3 of the third embodiment has better sound damping properties than the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment because it is provided with a sound-insulating material 60. Other effects of the brass mute 3 of the third embodiment are the same as those of the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment. The brass mute 3 of the third embodiment can be said to be the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment with a sound-insulating material 60 attached, but the sound-insulating material 60 may also be attached to the brass mute 2 of the second embodiment in the same manner.

[0067] Fig. 11 is an end view of a cut portion cut vertically through a brass mute 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the brass mute 4, the same components as those in the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. In Fig. 11, the female threads of the main body 65 and the male threads of the cover 85 are not shown.

[0068] The brass instrument mute 4 of the fourth embodiment (hereinafter, mute 4) is a mute for a trombone, and its basic configuration is the same as that of the mute 1 of the first embodiment. However, a trombone has a larger bell 100 than a trumpet, and is equipped with a slide tube 110, which causes the shapes of the main body 65 and the lid 85 to differ from those of the main body 10 and the lid 30 of the mute 1. The following explanation will focus on the differences with the mute 1.

[0069] Like mute 1 of the first embodiment, main body 65 covering trombone bell 100 is a cylindrical member having bottom plate 12 and an open top, and is made of synthetic resin such as ABS resin with a female thread on the upper inner wall surface into which lid 85 screws. Like mute 1, main body 65 has a mounting base 13 in the axial middle portion on which bell 100 is placed.

[0070] The main body 65 has a first cylindrical portion 66 having a bottom plate 12, a second cylindrical portion 68 having a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion 66, and a conical portion 67 connecting the first cylindrical portion 66 and the second cylindrical portion 68. The main body 65 has the first cylindrical portion 66 disposed on the tip side, and the top surface of the second cylindrical portion 68 is open. The first cylindrical portion 66 and the second cylindrical portion 68 each have the same axial diameter.

[0071] The mounting base 13 is provided at the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 68, and the upper inner wall surface of the second cylindrical portion 68 is provided with a female thread 18 into which the male thread 36 of the lid body 85 screws. A sound absorbing material 20 is attached to the inner wall surface of the main body 65 below the mounting base 13, and this is also the same as that of the mute 1.

[0072] Inner diameter D1 of the first cylindrical portion 66 I and outer diameter D1 O is the inner diameter D of the main body 10 in the first embodiment I and outer diameter D O The inner diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68 is the same as I It is preferable that the outer diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68 is as small as possible while still being able to accommodate the trombone bell 100. O The main body 65 is preferably as thin as possible and lightweight within a range that allows the necessary rigidity to be ensured, just like the main body 10 of the first embodiment.

[0073] In order to make the second cylindrical portion 68 compact, the inner diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68 I , outer diameter D2 O It is preferable that the inner diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68 corresponds to the size of the bell 100 of the trombone. However, since the sizes of the bells 100 of trombones available on the market are various, when the mute 4 is manufactured,I , outer diameter D2 O The size of bell 100 here refers to the outside diameter of the bell tip.

[0074] The size of the bell 100 of a typical trombone available on the market is 200 to 241 mm. In a trombone equipped with a bell 100 of this size, the size of the second cylindrical portion 68 of the mute 4 is I is 243mm, outer diameter D2 O However, 247mm is preferred.

[0075] Mounting base 13 provided for mute 4 is similar to mounting base 13 provided for mute 1, being ring-shaped with an opening in the center. When mute 4 is not attached, the trombone can be played without any obstructions in front of bell 100, but mounting base 13 becomes an obstacle when playing the trombone.

[0076] The size of bell 100 of a typical trombone is 200 to 241 mm. When bell 100 is small, as shown in FIG. 11, bell 100 is attached to body 65 with the central axis (center line m) of bell 100 eccentric to the central axis (center line M) of body 65. The diameter d of the opening of mounting base 13 that is preferable for these is I As a result of the experiment, the value was about 140 mm.

[0077] A cushioning material 40 is attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13, and the bell 100 comes into contact with it when the mute 4 is attached to the trombone. This is the same as the mute 1 of the first embodiment.

[0078] The length of the main body 65 is not particularly limited, but as long as the preferred distance from the top of the mounting base 13, including the cushioning material 40, to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom and the preferred thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 can be secured, the shorter the length is, the lighter the weight will be.

[0079] Distance H from the top of mounting base 13 including cushioning material 40 to sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom, in other words, distance H from the tip of bell 100 to sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom when bell 100 is attached, affects the comfort, pitch, and controllability when playing the trombone. The longer the distance H, in other words, leaving the tip of bell 100 as open as possible, the closer it is to a state where mute 4 is not attached and the more comfortable it becomes to play. On the other hand, the longer the distance H, the heavier and longer mute 4 becomes, making it heavier when attached to the trombone.

[0080] A typical size of the mute 4 is as follows: the inner diameter D1 of the first cylindrical portion 66 is I = 142 mm, inner diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68 I = 243 mm, distance H from the mounting base 13 to the bottom sound absorbing material 20 = 105 mm, total length = 190 mm, diameter d of the opening of the mounting base 13 I = 140 mm, and the diameter of the opening 34 at the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 = 140 mm. However, the size of the mute 4 is not limited to this.

[0081] The amount (thickness), shape, material and installation method of the sound absorbing material 20 attached to the main body 65 are basically the same as those of the mute 1 of the first embodiment.

[0082] The basic structure of the cover 85 is basically the same as the cover 30 of the mute 1 of the first embodiment, and is composed of two cover members made of synthetic resin. Cover 85, which is formed by butting two cover members together, has at its center a trumpet-shaped portion 33 that resembles the external shape of a trombone bell 100, a cylindrical portion 35 having a male thread 36 that screws into a female thread 18 provided at the top of second cylindrical portion 68 of main body 65, and a flat plate portion 37 that connects the outer periphery of the tip of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the outer periphery of the tip of the cylindrical portion 35.

[0083] Trumpet-shaped portion 33 is formed so as to narrow towards the top, with an opening 34 provided at the center of the top end through which a trumpet bell 100 passes. In the case of a mute 4 for a trombone, which has a different size of bell 100, it will be necessary to attach mute 4 to bell 100 so that the center line m of bell 100 is eccentric to the center line M of mute 4 body 65, and opening 34 is sized accordingly.

[0084] The cover 30 of the mute 1 in the first embodiment is made up of a pair of half-split covers 31, but the cover 85 in this embodiment is made up of two cover members with different arc lengths. When the size of the arc of one cover member is expressed as the central angle θ of a sector, it is about 90 to 120°, and when the size of the arc of the other cover member is expressed as the central angle θ of a sector, it is about 240 to 270°.

[0085] The outer shape of the lid body 85 formed by butting two lid members together is circular in plan view, similar to the lid body 30 of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the lid body 85 formed by two lid members with different arc lengths is shown, but the lid body 85 may be formed by a pair of half-split lids, similar to the lid body 30 of the first embodiment.

[0086] The amount (thickness), shape, material and manner of attachment of the cushioning materials 42, 44 attached to the rear surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the rear surface of the flat portion 37 of the lid body 85 may be considered to be the same as those of the cushioning materials 42, 44 attached to the rear surface of the lid body 30 of the mute 1 of the first embodiment. Also, in the lid body 85, it is preferable to provide a connector that integrates the two lid members when they are butted against each other, and this connector can be the connector that connects the pair of half-split lids 31 of the first embodiment.

[0087] The method of attaching mute 4 to bell 100 is basically the same as mute 1 of the first embodiment, however, because a trombone has a slide tube 110, the method of attaching mute 4 differs depending on the size of bell 100. In the case of a trumpet, regardless of the size of bell 100, mute 1 is attached to bell 100 so that the central axis (center line M) of main body 10 of mute 1 coincides with the central axis (center line m) of bell 100.

[0088] The size of the trombone bell 100 is the inner diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68. I In the case where the length of the mute 4 is approximately the same as that of the bell 100, the mute 4 is attached to the bell 100 so that the central axis (center line M) of the main body 65 of the mute 4 coincides with the central axis (center line m) of the bell 100.

[0089] The size of the trombone bell 100 is the inner diameter D2 of the second cylindrical portion 68. I When mute 4 is attached to bell 100 so that the center line M of mute body 65 is aligned with the center line m of bell 100, the gap ΔL between slide tube 110 and the outer wall 69 of second cylindrical portion 68 is narrow and it is difficult to operate slide tube 110, then mute 4 is attached to bell 100 so that the center line m of bell 100 is eccentric with respect to the center line M of mute body 65 of bell 100 so that the gap ΔL is wider.

[0090] If necessary, when the mute 4 is attached to the bell 100, it is attached so that the distance ΔL between the slide tube 110 and the outer wall 69 of the second cylindrical portion 68 is greater than or equal to the distance required to operate the slide tube 110.

[0091] The method of use and the effects of the mute 4 are the same as those of the mute 1 of the first embodiment, and because an internal space V is provided within the mute 4, it is possible to obtain a playing comfort, pitch, and controllability similar to that of a trombone without the mute 4 attached. The mute 4 also has sufficient soundproofing properties, since the sound-absorbing material 20 is attached within the main body 65, and the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are attached to the mounting base 13 and the lid 85. The mute 4 can also be attached firmly to the trombone without wobbling, so the trombone can be played without any discomfort even with the mute 4 attached.

[0092] Although the configuration of mute 4 has been described above in comparison with mute 1 of the first embodiment, mute 4 may also adopt the configurations of mute 2 and 3 of the second and third embodiments. For example, mute 4 may have ventilation hole 15 provided in mounting base 13, similar to mute 2, and cushioning material 40 attached to cover ventilation hole 15, and may have sound-proofing material 60 attached, similar to mute 3.

[0093] The above describes the brass instrument mute of the present invention using the first, second, third and fourth embodiments of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3 and 4, but the brass instrument mute of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Also, in the above embodiments, the preferred dimensions of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3 and 4 are shown, but the brass instrument mute of the present invention is not limited to these dimensions.

[0094] In the brass instrument mute 1 of the first embodiment, the cushioning material 40 attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13, the cushioning material 42 attached to the bottom surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the cover 30, and the cushioning material 44 attached to the bottom surface of the flat portion 37 of the cover 30 each have openings 46, 47, and 48. On the other hand, in the brass instrument mute 2 of the second embodiment, the cushioning material 40 attached to the mounting base 13 does not have an opening.

[0095] In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the cushioning material attached to the mounting base, the trumpet-shaped portion, and the flat portion may not have any gaps (openings). Alternatively, the cushioning material of the mounting base may have gaps (openings), and the cushioning material of the trumpet-shaped portion and the flat portion may not have gaps (openings). The presence or absence of gaps (openings) in the cushioning material attached to the mounting base, the trumpet-shaped portion, and the flat portion, and the combination thereof, are determined appropriately. Also, a cushioning material with openings may be attached to a mounting base with air vents.

[0096] The lids 30, 85 in the brass instrument mutes 1, 2, 3, 4 of the first, second, third and fourth embodiments have a trumpet-shaped portion 33, a cylindrical portion 35 and a flat portion 37, but the tip end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 may be connected to the cylindrical portion 35 and the flat portion 37 may be omitted. The flat portion 37 may also be gently curved and become a part of the trumpet-shaped portion 33. Furthermore, the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the flat portion 37 may be the trumpet-shaped portion.

[0097] In the first, second, third and fourth embodiments of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3, 4, the female thread 18 that screws into the male thread 36 of the cover 30, 85 is provided on the upper inner wall surface of the main body 10, 65 over a 360° circumferential direction, but as long as the cover 30, 85 can be firmly fixed, the female thread 18 may be provided partially in the circumferential direction as follows.

[0098] For example, the internal threads 18 may be provided on the upper inner wall surface of the main body 10 in four circumferential sections of 15 to 75°, 105 to 165°, 195 to 255°, and 285 to 345°.

[0099] In the brass instrument mute 1 of the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the male threads 36 are provided over the entire outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 35 of the cover 30, but the male threads 36 may also be provided partially on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 35. For example, the male threads 36 may be provided over about 1 / 2 or 2 / 3 of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 35 of the cover 30 from the top. This is the same for the brass instrument mutes of the other embodiments.

[0100] In the first embodiment of the mute 1 for brass instruments, the connectors 51, 55, and 57 that connect the pair of half-split lids 31 to each other are shown in Fig. 5. Furthermore, to prevent the pair of half-split lids 31 connected via the connectors 51, 55, and 57 from shifting, the lid body 30 or the pair of half-split lids 31 may be provided with anti-slip means such as anti-slip protrusions. This makes it easier to attach and detach the lid body 30 to and from the main body 10. The same applies to the other embodiments of the mute for brass instruments.

[0101] The lids 30, 85 of the brass instrument mutes 1, 2, 3, 4 of the first, second, third and fourth embodiments are provided with a thick reinforcing portion 38 around the entire upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33, but ribs may be provided instead of the thick reinforcing portion 38. The ribs may be, for example, about 12 ribs with a width of 2 to 3 mm and a length of 10 mm attached at 30° pitches in the circumferential direction to the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 so that the longitudinal direction of the ribs is parallel to the center line M of the main body 10 and protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface.

[0102] The rib can be easily provided by molding it integrally with the pair of half-split lids 31 or the two lid members that make up the lid body 30, 85. In this case, it is preferable to arrange one rib at the end in the circumferential direction of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the half-split lid 31 or the two lid members. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the deformation of the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33.

[0103] A number of ribs provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid body 30, 85 protrude from the outer peripheral surface and can be used as handles when screwing the lid body 30, 85 onto or removing it from the main body 10, 65.

[0104] The cover body 30 of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3 in the first, second and third embodiments is composed of a pair of half-split covers 31, and the cover body 85 of the brass instrument mute 4 in the fourth embodiment is composed of two cover members, but the cover bodies 30, 85 may also be composed of three or four or more cover members.

[0105] In the above embodiment, one type of sound absorbing material is used, but two or more types of sound absorbing materials may be used as the sound absorbing material and stacked together. The sound insulating material may be bonded to the inner wall surface of the main body or the back surface of the sound absorbing material. In the above embodiment, the main body is cylindrical and the tip of the main body is flat, but the tip of the main body may have a rounded shape.

[0106] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings, those skilled in the art will easily imagine various changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention upon reading the present specification. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are to be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. EXAMPLES

[0107] A mute for use on a trumpet was manufactured and its performance was verified. The structure of this mute is the same as the brass instrument mute 1 of the first embodiment. The mute has a main body 10 made of ABS resin and an outer diameter D O 145mm, inner diameter D I 142 mm, and the opening diameter d I was 100 mm, and the distance H from the top of the mounting table 13 including the cushioning material 40 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom was 50 mm. A sponge-like sound-absorbing material with a thickness of 20 mm and a peak-valley type surface (see FIG. 2) was used for the sound-absorbing material 20. A porous elastic cushioning material with a thickness of 5 mm was used for the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44, and openings 46, 47, 48 were provided, respectively.

[0108] Three types of trumpets were used, with Bell 100 diameters of 127mm, 123mm, and 116mm.The volume of the sound in the room when the trumpets were played was measured with a small digital sound level meter, and the playing comfort, pitch, and controllability of the trumpets when muted were confirmed.

[0109] The indoor volume when playing a trumpet without a mute was over 100 dB, while the indoor volume when playing a trumpet with a mute was about 80 dB. The comfort, pitch, and controllability of the trumpet when a mute was attached were not significantly different from when a mute was attached. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 1, 2, 3, 4 Brass Mute 10, 11, 65 Main unit 13, 14 Placement table 15 Ventilation holes 18 Female thread 20 Sound absorbing material 30, 85 Lid 31 Half-broken lid 33 Trumpet 34 Opening 35 Cylindrical section 36 Male thread 37 Flat plate part 40, 42, 44 Cushioning material 46, 47, 48 Openings 51, 55, 57 Connector 60 Soundproofing material 66 First cylindrical part 67 Cone 68 Second cylindrical section 100 Bells 110 Slide tube D I Main unit inner diameter D1 I Inner diameter of the first cylindrical part D2 I Inner diameter of the second cylindrical part D O Body Outer Diameter D1 O Outer diameter of first cylindrical part D2 O Outside diameter of second cylindrical part d I Placement table opening diameter H Distance from the stand to the sound absorbing material at the bottom M Center line of the body of the brass mute m Bell centerline V interior space ΔL Distance between the outer wall of the second cylindrical section and the slide tube

Claims

1. a cylindrical main body with a bottom and a base provided at an axially intermediate portion thereof with a mounting base on which a brass instrument bell is placed; a cover that is screwed onto the top of the main body and that sandwiches the bell of the brass instrument placed on the stand between the cover and the stand; a sound-absorbing material covering an inner wall of the main body below the mounting base; Equipped with The lid body is composed of two or more lid members, A mute for a brass instrument, characterized in that a cushioning material is provided on the upper surface of the mounting base and on the back surface of the lid.

2. The cover includes a trumpet-shaped portion having an opening at the center through which a brass instrument bell can be inserted, and a cylindrical portion having a male thread that screws into a female thread provided on the upper portion of the main body, 2. The mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the buffer material is provided on the rear surface of the trumpet-shaped portion.

3. A mute for a brass instrument as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cushioning material is attached to the entire or part of the upper surface of the stand and to the entire or part of the back surface of the lid.

4. 3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the mounting base is provided with an air vent for discharging air blown into the main body toward the lid.

5. 3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the cover body includes a connector for connecting two or more cover members and maintaining the connected state.

6. 3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the sound absorbing material is detachably attached to the inner wall.

7. 3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a sound-insulating material between said inner wall and said sound-absorbing material.

8. 3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the cover body comprises a pair of half-split covers.

9. the main body includes a first cylindrical portion with a bottom, a second cylindrical portion with an open top and an inner diameter larger than that of the first cylindrical portion, and a conical portion connecting the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, 3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second cylindrical portion is provided with a female thread into which the lid is screwed.

10. 3. A mute for a brass instrument as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main body is configured to be attachable to the bell of the brass instrument with the central axis of the main body aligned or eccentric to the central axis of the bell of the brass instrument.

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