Percussion instrument and method for adjusting tension of head

Abstract

A wall-shaped wall part 82 erected from a fixed part 80 of a mounting member 8 is disposed around a head sensor 3. Since the wall part 82 protrudes higher than a cylindrical part 22 and comes into contact with a head 4 (pushes up the head 4), the tension of the head 4 around the head sensor 3 can be increased. Thus, even when the head sensor 3 is disposed at an eccentric position on the outer peripheral side of the head 4, the head sensor 3 can more easily detect vibration generated when the head 4 is hit. Thus, it is possible to accurately detect a hit on the head 4.

Description

How to adjust percussion instruments and head tension

[0001] The present invention relates to a percussion instrument and a method for adjusting the tension of a head, and more particularly to a percussion instrument and a method for adjusting the tension of a head that can accurately detect a strike on the head.

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technology for an electronic drum in which the head 3 is struck by a beater 61 of a foot pedal device 6, and in which vibrations caused by striking the head 3 are detected by an impact sensor 4 that contacts the head 3. Because the striking force of the beater 61 is greater than when a player strikes with a stick or the like, the technology described above positions the impact sensor 4 on the outer periphery of the striking position (near the center of the striking surface) of the beater 61. This prevents the beater 61 from striking the area directly above the impact sensor 4, making it less likely to be damaged.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-212565 (for example, paragraphs 0020 and 0023, FIG. 5)

[0004] However, if the impact sensor 4 is located away from the impact position of the beater 61 as in the conventional technology described above, the vibration of the head 3 when struck by the beater 61 is not easily transmitted to the impact sensor 4. This poses a problem of reduced accuracy in detecting impacts on the head 3.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a percussion instrument that can accurately detect a strike on the head, and a method for adjusting the tension of the head.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the percussion instrument of the present invention comprises a head that forms a striking surface that is struck by a foot pedal, a cylindrical tube portion whose opening is covered by the head, a head sensor that is provided on the inner periphery of the tube portion and contacts the head on the outer periphery side of the center of the striking surface, and a wall-like portion that is formed around the head sensor, protrudes higher than the tube portion, and contacts the head.

[0007] The method for adjusting the head tension of the present invention is a method for adjusting the head tension of a percussion instrument that includes a head that forms a striking surface that is struck by a foot pedal, a cylindrical tube portion whose opening is covered by the head, and a head sensor that is provided on the inner side of the tube portion and contacts the head outer side of the center of the striking surface, wherein a wall-like portion that protrudes higher than the tube portion is formed around the head sensor, and the wall portion is brought into contact with the head.

[0008] 4A is an exploded perspective view of the percussion instrument of the first embodiment; FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the percussion instrument; FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the frame with the mounting member removed; FIG. 4A is a front view of the percussion instrument as seen in the direction of arrow IVa in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the percussion instrument taken along line IVb-IVb in FIG. 4A; FIG. 4B is a rear perspective view of the stand with the percussion instrument removed; FIG. 4C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pedal support plate and frame showing the support structure using support rubbers; FIG. 4D is a cross-sectional view of the stand with the percussion instrument being struck by a beater; FIG. 4E is a rear perspective view of the stand of the second embodiment; FIG. 4F is an exploded perspective view of the stand with the percussion instrument removed; FIG. 4G is a side view of the stand with the percussion instrument being struck by a beater; FIG. 4H is a rear perspective view of the stand of the third embodiment; FIG. 4H is a side view of the stand with the percussion instrument being struck by a beater.

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the overall configuration of a percussion instrument 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the percussion instrument 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0010] 1, the percussion instrument 1 is an electronic percussion instrument that imitates an acoustic bass drum, and includes a frame 2 that forms the housing of the percussion instrument. The frame 2 includes a substantially disk-shaped support portion 20 that supports a head sensor 3, and a cylindrical outer peripheral portion 21 extends from the outer edge of the support portion 20.

[0011] A cylindrical portion 22 for supporting the head 4 is formed on the inner periphery side of the outer periphery 21, and these portions 20 to 22 of the frame 2 are integrally formed using a resin material. The cylindrical portion 22 rises from the support portion 20, forming a recessed groove 23 extending in the circumferential direction between the outer periphery 21 and the cylindrical portion 22.

[0012] The bottom surface of the groove 23 (the portion of the support portion 20 located between the outer periphery 21 and the tubular portion 22) has multiple (six in this embodiment) female threaded holes 23a arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and these female threaded holes 23a are used to attach the head frame 40 of the head 4.

[0013] The head 4 is formed into a disk shape using a mesh woven from synthetic fibers, and a circular head frame 40 is fixed to the outer edge of the head 4. The head frame 40 is formed using a resin material, and the head 4 and head frame 40 are molded integrally by mold molding. Note that the head frame 40 may be formed using a material other than resin (for example, a metal such as aluminum or iron), and the head frame 40 may be joined to the head 4 by adhesive or the like.

[0014] The head frame 40 has a plurality of insertion holes (not shown) formed at positions corresponding to the female threaded holes 23a of the frame 2, and bolts B1 are inserted into these insertion holes. When the bolts B1 are fastened to the female threaded holes 23a with the head 4 covering the opening of the cylindrical portion 22, the head frame 40 is pulled toward the bottom of the recessed groove 23, and tension is applied to the head 4 (see FIG. 2 for the state in which the head 4 is under tension).

[0015] When tension is applied to the head 4, the head sensor 3 comes into contact with the back surface of the head 4, and this head sensor 3 detects vibrations when the head 4 is struck. The head 4 of the bass drum-like percussion instrument 1 is struck by a beater 162 (see FIG. 7) of a foot pedal 160; details of the strike by the beater 162 will be described later.

[0016] When a strike on the head 4 is detected by the head sensor 3, a musical tone signal based on the detection result is generated by a sound source (not shown). The musical tone signal is output to an amplifier and a speaker (neither of which are shown), and electronic musical tones are emitted from the speaker. The impact caused by such a strike on the head 4 is absorbed by the first cushion 5 and the second cushion 6. The configuration of each of these cushions 5, 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0017] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the percussion instrument 1. Note that Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-section cut along a plane that includes the axis (center) of the cylindrical portion 22 and also includes the head sensor 3.

[0018] 1 and 2, a first cushion 5 and a second cushion 6 are stacked in this order on the frame 2 (support portion 20) of the percussion instrument 1, starting from the head 4 side. Each of these cushions 5, 6 is formed in a disk shape with a diameter the same as (or slightly smaller than) the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 22 of the frame 2. Each of the cushions 5, 6 has a through-hole 50, 60 for arranging the head sensor 3. These through-holes 50, 60 are formed in a shape corresponding to the mounting member 8 that supports the head sensor 3; details of this mounting member 8 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0019] The total thickness of the two cushions 5, 6 is set to be thicker than the distance between the support portion 20 of the frame 2 and the head 4. Therefore, the cushions 5, 6 are stacked in a compressed state between the support portion 20 and the head 4. Note that, in FIG. 2, the second cushion 6 is shown as a single-layer cushion to simplify the drawing, but in reality, the second cushion 6 is made up of three layers of cushion.

[0020] Each of the cushions 5, 6 is formed in a disk shape using a foamed synthetic resin such as polyurethane foam. However, the cushions 5, 6 may also be formed using a resin such as rubber or elastomer (synthetic resin), or a foamed material using such a resin (hereinafter referred to as "elastic material"), as long as it has a predetermined degree of flexibility.

[0021] When the cushions 5, 6 are made of an elastic material (a solid material that is not a foam material) such as rubber or elastomer, it is preferable to use an elastic material whose hardness, measured with a durometer type A hardness tester in accordance with JIS K6253-3:2012, is 10 or more and 50 or less. Also, when the cushions 5, 6 are made of a foam material (sponge) such as rubber or synthetic resin, it is preferable to measure the hardness in accordance with JIS K6253-3:2012.

[0022] By sandwiching the cushions 5, 6, which are softer than the frame 2, between the support part 20 and the head 4, the vibrations (impacts) generated when the head 4 is struck can be absorbed by the cushions 5, 6. This reduces the volume of sound generated when the head 4 is struck. Each cushion 5, 6 is also formed with a plurality of ventilation holes 51, 61 connecting its front surface (the surface facing the head 4) with its back surface (the surface facing the support part 20). The formation of these ventilation holes 51, 61 ensures breathability from the head 4 side to the support part 20 side, thereby reducing the sound generated by the vibration of the cushions 5, 6 when the head 4 is struck. This also reduces the volume of sound generated when the head 4 is struck.

[0023] A known technique for sandwiching such cushions 5, 6 between the support portion 20 of the frame 2 and the head 4 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-142459. This technique also allows the cushion (shock-absorbing member 22) to absorb the impact when the head (head member 11) is struck. However, with this technique, the cushion is a single layer, so the impact when the head is struck is concentrated in one part of the cushion (the struck position) with no escape route. This poses a problem in that the cushion is easily damaged.

[0024] In contrast, in this embodiment, the first cushion 5 arranged on the head 4 side and the second cushion 6 arranged on the support part 20 side are stacked, so that when the head 4 is struck, the upper and lower cushions 5, 6 can move in contact with and away from each other, or can slide sideways. This allows the impact of striking the head 4 to be dissipated between the layers of the cushions 5, 6, making the cushions 5, 6 less likely to be damaged than when the cushions are single-layered.

[0025] Similarly, because the second cushion 6 is made up of three layers of cushion, the impact when hitting the head 4 can be dissipated between the layers of the cushion that make up the second cushion 6. Therefore, the second cushion 6 is less likely to be damaged than if the second cushion 6 were made up of a single layer.

[0026] Furthermore, the hardness of the first cushion 5 (hardness conforming to the above-mentioned JIS standard) is lower than the hardness of the second cushion 6. In other words, because the first cushion 5 is formed to be softer than the second cushion 6, the first cushion 5 can more easily absorb the impact when striking the head 4, while the relatively hard second cushion 6 makes it easier to obtain a hitting feel when striking. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a hitting feel similar to that of an acoustic drum while reducing the sound generated when striking the head 4.

[0027] Here, when the head 4 is struck by the beater 162 (see FIG. 7), the central side of the head 4 is mainly struck, while the outer periphery of the head 4 is rarely struck. Therefore, in the following explanation, an area formed near the center of the head 4 and taking up 30% or less of the area of ​​the head 4 is defined as the struck area (first area) (area indicated by R1 in FIG. 4), and the area further outward than the struck area is defined as the non-struck area (second area).

[0028] When the impacted area of ​​the head 4 is struck, the impact may cause the head 4 to dig into the vent hole 51. When the head 4 digs into the vent hole 51, a cut occurs at the edge of the opening of the vent hole 51, making the first cushion 5 more susceptible to damage.

[0029] In contrast, in the present embodiment, the aperture ratio of the vent holes 51 in the portion of the first cushion 5 that corresponds to the struck area (the portion that overlaps with the struck area when viewed in the axial direction of the tubular portion 22) is lower than the aperture ratio of the vent holes 51 in the portion that corresponds to the non-struck area (the portion that overlaps with the non-struck area when viewed in the axial direction of the tubular portion 22). This allows the first cushion 5 to receive a strike at a portion with a relatively low aperture ratio of the vent holes 51, thereby mitigating the concentration of stress acting on the first cushion 5 due to the impact at the time of the strike. This prevents the first cushion 5 from being damaged.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the opening ratio of the air vents 51 in the first cushion 5 and the opening ratio of the air vents 61 in the second cushion 6 are set to different values. More specifically, the areas of the cushions 5, 6 are approximately the same, but the opening ratio of the air vents 51 relative to the area of ​​the cushion 5 (e.g., 20% or more and less than 30%) is lower than the opening ratio of the air vents 61 relative to the area of ​​the cushion 6 (e.g., 30% or more and 40% or less). In other words, because the opening ratio of the air vents 51 in the first cushion 5, which is essentially the one that is directly struck, is relatively small, it is possible to prevent the head 4 from digging into the air vents 51 when the head 4 is struck. This prevents damage to the cushion 5.

[0031] As shown in the enlarged portion at the bottom right of Fig. 2, a membrane member 7 is sandwiched between the cushions 5, 6. Although not shown, the membrane member 7 has a through-hole (having the same shape as the through-holes 50, 60 shown in Fig. 1) formed therein for passing the head sensor 3 (mounting member 8).

[0032] The membrane member 7 is formed in a membrane shape using a mesh woven from synthetic fibers. That is, the membrane member 7 has a plurality of air vents (not shown) that are smaller than the air vents 51, 61 of the cushions 5, 6, so that the membrane member 7 is prevented from blocking the air passing through the air vents 51, 61 of the cushions 5, 6. As a result, even when the membrane member 7 is stacked between the cushions 5, 6, air permeability between the cushions 5, 6 can be ensured, thereby reducing the noise generated by the vibration of the cushions 5, 6 when the head 4 is struck.

[0033] Furthermore, by sandwiching the film member 7 between the cushions 5, 6, it is possible to prevent the cushions 5, 6 from being compressed (tightly adhered together) by biting into the air holes 51, 61 when hitting the head 4. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the cushions 5, 6 (especially the relatively soft first cushion 5).

[0034] Furthermore, since the membrane member 7 is formed using a mesh woven from synthetic fibers, it has a lower coefficient of friction than the cushions 5 and 6. This makes it possible to prevent wear of the cushions 5 and 6 (especially the relatively soft first cushion 5) due to friction with the membrane member 7.

[0035] As shown in the enlarged portion at the upper right of Figure 2, the support portion 20 has recesses 20a and through-holes 20b formed therein, and the membrane member 7 is also laminated between this support portion 20 and the second cushion 6. As described above, the membrane member 7 is breathable (it has multiple air holes smaller than the recesses 20a and through-holes 20b formed therein), ensuring breathability from the head 4 to the through-holes 20b. This allows a portion of the sound (vibrations) generated when the head 4 is struck to be released to the outside, thereby preventing such vibrations from reverberating within the frame 2. This reduces the volume of sound generated when the head 4 is struck.

[0036] Furthermore, by laminating the film member 7 between the support portion 20 and the second cushion 6, it is possible to prevent the cushion 6 from biting into the recess 20a or the through-hole 20b when striking the head 4. Therefore, damage to the cushion 6 can be prevented.

[0037] Next, the detailed configuration of the recess 20a and the through-hole 20b formed in the support portion 20 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the frame 2 with the mounting member 8 removed.

[0038] 2 and 3, a plurality of recesses 20a and through holes 20b are formed in a portion of the support portion 20 located on the inner periphery side of the tubular portion 22. The recesses 20a are holes recessed into the support portion 20, while the through holes 20b are holes that penetrate the support portion 20 (see the enlarged portion at the upper right of FIG. 2 or FIG. 5 for the fact that the through holes 20b penetrate the support portion 20). That is, the bottom of the recesses 20a is closed by a bottom wall 20c, while the through holes 20b penetrate without forming such a bottom wall 20c.

[0039] The recesses 20 a and through holes 20 b are arranged in a polygonal shape (a regular hexagon in this embodiment) with their sides adjacent to each other. In other words, the recesses 20 a and through holes 20 b are partitioned by side walls 20 d, and adjacent recesses 20 a and through holes 20 b are arranged with one side wall 20 d between them.

[0040] By forming such a plurality of recesses 20a and through-holes 20b in the support portion 20, a portion of the vibration (sound) generated when the head 4 is struck can be released to the outside through the through-holes 20b. This prevents such vibrations from reverberating within the frame 2, thereby reducing the volume of sound generated when the head 4 is struck. In addition, the rigidity of the frame 2 (support portion 20) can be effectively improved by the bottom wall 20c (wall that closes the hole) of the recess 20a and the side wall 20d that defines the recess 20a and the through-hole 20b.

[0041] Furthermore, the support portion 20 has a plurality of recesses 20a and through holes 20b of the same shape arranged so as to fill a plane, thereby enabling the rigidity of the support portion 20 (the bottom surface of the frame 2) to be increased uniformly throughout.

[0042] When the recesses 20a and through holes 20b are filled in the plane of the support portion 20, the recesses 20a and through holes 20b can be formed in the shape of an equilateral triangle, a square, or another polygon (for example, a parallelogram or any rectangle). However, when comparing polygons with the same diameter of the inscribed circle, it is most preferable to form the recesses 20a and through holes 20b in the shape of a regular hexagon, as in this embodiment. This gives the support portion 20 a honeycomb structure, and the number of sides (side walls 20d) that can disperse impact from the lateral direction (between adjacent recesses 20a and through holes 20b) is greater than with other polygons, thereby effectively improving the rigidity of the support portion 20 (frame 2).

[0043] In addition, in this embodiment, the recesses 20a and through-holes 20b are lined up without gaps over 60% or more of the area of ​​the portion of the support portion 20 located on the inner periphery of the tubular portion 22. This improves sound emission through the through-holes 20b, while effectively improving the rigidity of the frame 2 (support portion 20) by the recesses 20a and through-holes 20b (bottom wall 20c and side wall 20d).

[0044] Furthermore, the larger the area in which the recess 20a and the through hole 20b are formed, the more the sound emission and rigidity of the support portion 20 can be improved, so it is more preferable that the recess 20a and the through hole 20b be formed in an area that accounts for 70% or more of the area of ​​the part of the support portion 20 that is located on the inner side of the tubular portion 22, and it is even more preferable that they be formed in an area that accounts for 80% or more of the same area.

[0045] Here, if only recesses 20a are formed in support portion 20 (all through holes 20b are closed to form recesses 20a), the rigidity of support portion 20 is increased, but vibrations generated when head 4 is struck are not released to the outside. This reduces the quietness of percussion instrument 1. On the other hand, if only through holes 20b are formed in support portion 20 (all recesses 20a are replaced by through holes 20b), the rigidity of support portion 20 cannot be sufficiently improved, and most of the vibrations generated when head 4 is struck are released through through holes 20b, which completely eliminates the sound-absorbing effect of cushions 5 and 6 absorbing vibrations reverberating within frame 2. This is undesirable from the perspective of quietness of percussion instrument 1.

[0046] Therefore, the aperture ratio of the through hole 20b is preferably 15% to 35% and more preferably 20% to 30% of the area of ​​the portion of the support portion 20 that is located on the inner periphery side of the tubular portion 22. By forming the through hole 20b with such an aperture ratio, sound emission through the through hole 20b can be ensured, while the rigidity of the support portion 20 (frame 2) can be effectively improved by the walls 20c, 20d that constitute the recess 20a and the through hole 20b.

[0047] In this way, when the purpose is to make the recess 20a a recess formed in the support portion 20 and the through-hole 20b a hole penetrating the support portion 20, it is possible to fix, for example, a flat bottom wall 20c formed separately from the support portion 20 (side wall 20d) to the support portion 20 (side wall 20d) by adhesive or the like. However, such a configuration does not sufficiently improve the rigidity of the frame 2 (support portion 20). In contrast, in this embodiment, the bottom wall 20c and side wall 20d of the support portion 20 are integrally formed using a resin material, so that the rigidity of the support portion 20 (frame 2) can be effectively improved.

[0048] In addition, in this embodiment, the entire bottom of the recess 20a is closed by the bottom wall 20c, while the through-hole 20b does not have a bottom wall 20c. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which, for example, a hole is formed penetrating a portion of the bottom wall 20c of the recess 20a (or a portion of the bottom of the through-hole 20b is closed). However, if a hole is formed penetrating a portion of the bottom wall 20c of the recess 20a, the structure of the mold used to resin-molde the frame 2 becomes complicated. In other words, if the aperture ratio of the hole penetrating the support portion 20 is to be changed, the design of the mold becomes complicated.

[0049] In contrast, in the present embodiment, the entire bottom of the recess 20a is closed by the bottom wall 20c, while the through hole 20b is not provided with the bottom wall 20c, which simplifies the structure of the mold used to resin-mold the frame 2. That is, for example, to increase the aperture ratio of the through holes 20b in the support portion 20, it is sufficient to simply increase the number of through holes 20b formed (changing from recess 20a to through holes 20b), which makes it easier to design the mold.

[0050] Next, a detailed description will be given below of the configuration of the mounting member 8 to which the head sensor 3 is attached. The mounting member 8 comprises a flat fixing portion 80 fixed to the support portion 20, a cylindrical mounting portion 81 that rises from the fixing portion 80 and is used to mount the head sensor 3, and a wall portion 82 formed to surround the mounting portion, and these portions 80 to 82 are integrally formed using a resin material.

[0051] A pair of insertion holes 80a are formed on both ends of the fixing portion 80 in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 22, and female threaded holes 20e (see FIG. 3) are formed in the support portion 20 at positions corresponding to the pair of insertion holes 80a. The mounting member 8 is attached to the frame 2 (support portion 20) by fastening a bolt B2 inserted into the insertion hole 80a to the female threaded hole 20e.

[0052] A plate 9 that supports the head sensor 3 is attached to the attachment portion 81 of the attachment member 8. The plate 9 is a generally elliptical plate whose dimension in the circumferential direction (longitudinal direction) of the tubular portion 22 is greater than its dimension in the radial direction (width direction), and a pair of insertion holes 90 is formed on both longitudinal ends of the plate 9. The plate 9 is attached to the attachment member 8 by fastening bolts B3 inserted into the pair of insertion holes 90 to the female threaded holes of the attachment portion 81 of the attachment member 8. In this way, the head sensor 3 is supported on the attachment member 8 via the plate 9.

[0053] Since the mounting member 8 is attached at a position eccentric to the outer periphery (lower side) of the center of the support part 20 (head 4), the head sensor 3 is also disposed at a position eccentric to the center of the support part 20. This is to prevent the impact force of the beater 162 (see FIG. 7), which has a relatively large impact force, from being directly applied to the head sensor 3.

[0054] When the head sensor 3 is attached to the mounting member 8 (see FIG. 2), a wall-like wall portion 82 rising from the fixing portion 80 is disposed around the head sensor 3. The wall portion 82 protrudes higher than the cylindrical portion 22 and comes into contact with the head 4 (pushes up the head 4), thereby increasing the tension of the head 4 around the head sensor 3. This makes it easier for the head sensor 3 to detect vibrations when the head 4 is struck, even if the head sensor 3 is disposed in an eccentric position on the outer periphery of the head 4. Therefore, strikes on the head 4 can be detected with high accuracy.

[0055] Next, the configuration of the head sensor 3 and the mounting member 8 will be further described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4(a) is a front view of the percussion instrument 1 as viewed in the direction of arrow IVa in Figure 2, and Figure 4(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the percussion instrument 1 taken along line IVb-IVb in Figure 4(a). Note that in Figure 4(a), the head sensor 3 (cushion 32) and wall portion 82 hidden by the head 4 are shown with dashed lines, but with regard to the wall portion 82, only the portion that is in contact with the head 4 is shown with dashed lines.

[0056] 4, a disk-shaped sensor 31 (piezoelectric element) is adhered to the upper surface of the plate 9 (see FIG. 4(b)) with cushioning double-sided tape 30, and a cushion 32 is adhered to the upper surface of the sensor 31. The double-sided tape 30, the sensor 31, and the cushion 32 constitute the head sensor 3.

[0057] The cushion 32 of the head sensor 3 is a cylindrical buffer material made of a flexible material such as sponge, rubber, or thermoplastic elastomer, and this cushion 32 comes into contact with the head 4 .

[0058] The area of ​​the head 4 that is expected to be struck by the beater 162 (see FIG. 7) is defined as the struck area R1 (see FIG. 4(a)). As described above, this struck area R1 is an area formed near the center of the head 4, and is an area that occupies 30% or less of the area of ​​the head 4.

[0059] In this case, if a wall 82 is formed in the region between the struck region R1 and the head sensor 3, for example, if the wall 82 is configured to surround the entire periphery of the head sensor 3, when the struck region R1 is struck, the vibration of the head 4 stretched in the region between the struck region R1 and the head sensor 3 is likely to be hindered by the wall 82. Therefore, the vibration generated when the struck region R1 is struck cannot be sufficiently transmitted to the head sensor 3.

[0060] In contrast, in this embodiment, the wall portion 82 is formed in a partial area around the head sensor 3, and is not formed in the area between the head sensor 3 and the struck area R1 (center C1 of the striking surface). This prevents the wall portion 82 from interfering with the vibration of the head 4 located between the struck area R1 and the head sensor 3, making it easier for the head sensor 3 to detect vibrations when the head 4 (strike area R1) is struck. This allows for accurate detection of strikes on the head 4.

[0061] In this way, to prevent the wall portion 82 from interfering with the vibration of the head 4 located between the struck region R1 and the head sensor 3, it is possible to form the wall portion 82, for example, at the position indicated by the imaginary line V in Figure 4(a). That is, as indicated by the imaginary line V, it is also possible to form a pair of walls 82 extending toward the struck region R1 (extending radially) on either side of the head sensor 3 and bring them into contact with the head 4. However, if the wall portion 82 is formed at the position indicated by the imaginary line V, the end of the upper surface of the wall portion 82 (the end located on the struck region R1 side) is likely to dig into the head 4 when the head 4 vibrates, making the head 4 more susceptible to damage.

[0062] In contrast, the wall portion 82 of this embodiment is formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 22 in an area opposite the struck region R1 (center C1 of the head 4) across the head sensor 3. This makes it possible to prevent the ends of the upper surface of the wall portion 82 (both ends of the upper surface of the wall portion 82 in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 22) from digging into the head 4 when the head 4 vibrates, compared to when the wall portion 82 is formed at the position indicated by the imaginary line V. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently transmit vibrations of the head 4, which is located between the struck region R1 and the head sensor 3, to the head sensor 3 while suppressing damage to the head 4.

[0063] Furthermore, when the head 4 is viewed from above, the wall portion 82 is formed in an arc shape (an arc shape that follows the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 22) centered on the center C1 of the head 4. In other words, because the center C1 of the head 4 and the center of the wall portion 82 are concentric, the tension of the head 4 can be increased uniformly around the head sensor 3. Therefore, the head sensor 3 can accurately detect vibrations when the head 4 is struck. Furthermore, because the wall portion 82 is formed in an arc shape, the concentration of stress acting on the head 4 and the wall portion 82 when struck can be alleviated, thereby suppressing damage to these.

[0064] 4(b), in the extension direction of the wall portion 82 (circumferential direction of the tubular portion 22), the head 4 mainly comes into contact with the wall portion 82 in a region R2 where the wall portion 82 has a constant height, and the height of the wall portion 82 (height from the fixed portion 80) gradually decreases from both ends of the region R2 as boundaries. In other words, the height of the wall portion 82 gradually decreases on both ends in the extension direction, so that the upper surface of the wall portion 82 at both end portions has an R-shape. This prevents both ends of the upper surface of the wall portion 82 from digging into the head 4 when the head 4 vibrates, thereby suppressing damage to the head 4.

[0065] Furthermore, since the wall portion 82 is formed on the mounting member 8 that is detachably attached to the support portion 20, the height of the wall portion 82 can be easily adjusted by inserting a spacer or the like between the support portion 20 and the mounting member 8 to change the mounting height of the mounting member 8. Therefore, the contact pressure of the wall portion 82 with the head 4, i.e., the tension of the head 4, can be easily adjusted.

[0066] Next, the configuration of the stand 100 that supports the percussion instrument 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of the stand 100 with the percussion instrument 1 removed.

[0067] As shown in Figure 5, the stand 100 is a member that supports the percussion instrument 1 and constitutes a percussion instrument unit together with the percussion instrument 1. The stand 100 includes a metal pedal support plate 110 that supports the percussion instrument 1. This pedal support plate 110 is a member that supports a foot pedal 160 (see Figure 7), which will be described later. Front legs 120 and rear legs 130 are fixed to the back surface of the pedal support plate 110 (the surface opposite to the front surface to which the percussion instrument 1 is attached) for placing the stand 100 on a placement surface.

[0068] The front leg 120 comprises a fixed portion 121 that extends horizontally and is fixed to the back surface of the pedal support plate 110, and a pair of leg portions 122 that are bent from both longitudinal ends of the fixed portion 121, and each of these portions 121, 122 is formed by bending a metal pipe.

[0069] An upper pipe 123 that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the fixed part 121 is welded to the fixed part 121, and this upper pipe 123 that extends up and down is also fixed to the back surface of the pedal support plate 110. A pair of left and right legs 122 are inclined downward toward the front from both ends of the fixed part 121 and contact the installation surface further forward than the pedal support plate 110.

[0070] The rear leg 130 comprises a fixed portion 131 that extends horizontally and is fixed to the back surface of the pedal support plate 110, and a pair of leg portions 132 that are bent from both longitudinal ends of the fixed portion 131, and each of these portions 131, 132 is formed by bending a metal pipe.

[0071] Two lower pipes 133 that protrude downward from the underside of the fixed part 131 are welded to the fixed part 131, and these two lower pipes 133 that extend vertically are also fixed to the back surface of the pedal support plate 110. A pair of left and right legs 132 incline downward rearward from both ends of the fixed part 131 and make contact with the installation surface.

[0072] The pedal support plate 110 is supported at four points on the installation surface by these front and rear legs 120, 130. The lower end of the pedal support plate 110 is bent forward to form a pedal fixing portion 111, which supports a foot pedal 160 (see FIG. 7).

[0073] An attachment hole 112 is formed at the upper end of the pedal support plate 110 (above the fixing portion 121 of the front leg 120). A pair of attachment holes 112 are formed horizontally spaced apart (on either side of the upper pipe 123), and a support rubber 140 is fixed using this pair of attachment holes 112. A pair of attachment holes 20f for fixing the support rubber 140 is formed on the back surface of the support portion 20 (frame 2) of the percussion instrument 1. The support structure of the support portion 20 (frame 2) using this support rubber 140 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pedal support plate 110 and frame 2 showing the support structure using the support rubber 140.

[0074] As shown in Figure 6, the support rubber 140 has a cylindrical first tube portion 141 fixed to the pedal support plate 110 side and a second tube portion 142 fixed to the support portion 20 (frame 2) side, and these tube portions 141, 142 are integrally formed using rubber.

[0075] An inner cylinder 150 is inserted into the insertion hole 141a on the inner periphery of the first cylindrical portion 141. The inner cylinder 150 is a metallic cylindrical body, and a bolt B4 is inserted into one axial end (the front end on the right side in FIG. 6 ) of the inner cylinder 150. The support rubber 140 is fixed to the pedal support plate 110 by inserting this bolt B4 into the mounting hole 112 of the pedal support plate 110 and fastening it to a nut N1.

[0076] The length of the insertion hole 141a in the axial direction of the inner tube 150 is longer than the length of the inner tube 150 in the same direction. Therefore, when the bolt B4 is fastened to the nut N1, the first tubular portion 141 is compressed by the pedal support plate 110 and the head of the bolt B4. This makes it possible to utilize the elastic recovery force of the first tubular portion 141 to prevent the bolt B4 and the nut N1 from loosening.

[0077] An inner cylinder 150 similar to the first cylinder portion 141 is inserted into the insertion hole 142a on the inner periphery of the second cylinder portion 142, and a bolt B4 is inserted from the other axial end of the inner cylinder 150 (the rear end on the left side in FIG. 6 ). The bolt B4 is inserted into the mounting hole 20f of the support portion 20 and fastened to the nut N1, thereby fixing the support portion 20 (frame 2) to the support rubber 140. When the bolt B4 is fastened to the nut N1, the second cylinder portion 142 is also compressed by the support portion 20 and the head of the bolt B4. Therefore, the elastic recovery force of the second cylinder portion 142 can be used to prevent the bolt B4 and the nut N1 from loosening.

[0078] In this embodiment, the percussion instrument 1 is supported swingably on the pedal support plate 110 of the stand 100 via the support rubber 140. The case where the percussion instrument 1 is struck by the foot pedal 160 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the stand 100 showing the percussion instrument 1 being struck by the beater 162.

[0079] 7 illustrates a cross section cut along a plane including the center of the stand 100 in the horizontal direction (the left-right direction as seen by the performer), i.e., the center C1 (see FIG. 4) of the head 4 of the percussion instrument 1. To simplify the drawing, the cross-sectional structure of the percussion instrument 1 is omitted and hatched, and the foot pedal 160 is illustrated in a side view rather than a cross section.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 7, the foot pedal 160 is a single pedal type that includes a pedal 161 that is depressed by the player and a beater 162 that rotates when the pedal 161 is depressed.

[0081] With the foot pedal 160 supported on the pedal fixing portion 111 of the pedal support plate 110, the pedal 161 is depressed to cause the beater 162 to strike the percussion instrument 1. The striking position of the beater 162 is inside the struck area R1 of the head 4 described with reference to FIG. 4, i.e., a position that substantially coincides with the center C1 of the head 4.

[0082] In the following explanation, the center C1 of the head 4 shown in Figure 4 will be referred to as the "center of the striking surface," and the strike of the beater 162 on the struck area R1 of the head 4 will be simply referred to as the "strike of the beater 162 on the percussion instrument 1."

[0083] As described above, the frame 2 (housing) of the percussion instrument 1 is swingably supported on the pedal support plate 110 via the support rubber 140, so that when the percussion instrument 1 is struck by the beater 162, the percussion instrument 1 swings relative to the stand 100 (the pedal support plate 110 and each leg 120, 130). This swinging motion absorbs the impact of the strike by the beater 162. Therefore, when the beater 162 strikes the percussion instrument 1, it is possible to reduce vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S via each part of the stand 100 (the pedal support plate 110 and each leg 120, 130).

[0084] 6, a point located on the axis of bolt B4 and on a plane including the front surface of the pedal support plate 110 will be referred to as fixed position P1 of the support rubber 140 relative to the pedal support plate 110. Similarly, a point located on the axis of bolt B4 and on a plane including the back surface of the support part 20 (frame 2) will be referred to as fixed position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2.

[0085] 7, the fixed position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2 (the swing fulcrum of the percussion instrument 1) is located at a different height than the center of the striking surface in the vertical direction. This allows the strike of the beater 162 to be received at a different height from the swing fulcrum of the percussion instrument 1, making it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to swing relative to the pedal support plate 110. This makes it easier to absorb the impact of the strike by the beater 162, effectively reducing vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0086] In this way, if the objective is to set the fixed position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2 (the pivot point of the percussion instrument 1) at a height different from the center of the striking surface, it is possible, for example, to set the fixed positions P1 and P2 of the support rubber 140 below the center of the striking surface.

[0087] However, since the direction of impact by the beater 162 is often a downward sloping direction toward the rear and lower side of the percussion instrument 1 (toward the lower left in FIG. 7 ), if the fixed positions P1, P2 of the support rubber 140 are configured to be lower than the center of the striking surface, the impact force of the beater 162 is more likely to act toward the fixed positions P1, P2 of the support rubber 140. When the beater 162 strikes toward the fixed positions P1, P2 of the support rubber 140, the percussion instrument 1 is less likely to swing around the support rubber 140 as a fulcrum, and loads are more likely to be applied to the fixed positions P1, P2 of the support rubber 140.

[0088] In contrast, in this embodiment, the fixed position P2 of the support rubber 140 (the swing fulcrum of the percussion instrument 1) is located above the center of the striking surface. This makes it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to swing around the support rubber 140 as a fulcrum, and reduces the load applied to the fixed positions P1 and P2 of the support rubber 140, compared to when the fixed positions P1 and P2 of the support rubber 140 are located below the center of the striking surface as described above. This effectively reduces vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S, and also suppresses damage to parts where the support rubber 140 is fixed.

[0089] When the percussion instrument 1 is supported swingably relative to the stand 100, it is also possible to support the percussion instrument 1 rotatably, as in the stand 200 of a second embodiment (see FIG. 8 ) described below. However, such a configuration requires the use of components such as a bracket 280 and sleeves 290a and 290b (see FIG. 9 ), increasing the number of components. In contrast, as in the present embodiment, by fixing the frame 2 to the stand 100 (pedal support plate 110) via the support rubber 140, the number of components can be reduced while the percussion instrument 1 can be supported swingably relative to the stand 100.

[0090] Furthermore, when using the support rubber 140 to support the percussion instrument 1 so that it can swing, it is also possible to fix the percussion instrument 1 to the fixing part 121 (see FIG. 5 ) of the front leg 120 via the support rubber 140. In this case, a through-hole for fixing the support rubber 140 to the fixing part 121 can be provided in the pedal support plate 110. However, in order to stably fix the support rubber 140 to the fixing part 121 formed using a pipe, the fixing structure tends to become complicated.

[0091] In contrast, in this embodiment, the percussion instrument 1 is fixed to the front surface of the pedal support plate 110 (flat) made of a metal plate via the support rubber 140, so the support rubber 140 can be stably fixed using the flat portion of the pedal support plate 110. Therefore, the fixing structure of the support rubber 140 can be simplified, and the percussion instrument 1 can be supported so as to be swingable relative to the stand 100.

[0092] 7, it is also possible to position the fixing position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2 lower than the fixing position P1 of the support rubber 140 relative to the pedal support plate 110. However, in this configuration, the fixing position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2 (the pivot point of the percussion instrument 1) is closer to the striking position of the beater 162, so the moment acting on the fixing position P2 due to the striking is smaller. This makes it difficult for the percussion instrument 1 to swing (the percussion instrument 1 cannot be swung significantly).

[0093] In contrast, in this embodiment, the fixing position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2 is located higher than the fixing position P1 of the support rubber 140 relative to the pedal support plate 110. In other words, since the fixing position P2 is farther from the center of the striking surface than the fixing position P1, the moment acting on the fixing position P2 when struck by the beater 162 can be made relatively large. This makes it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to oscillate (the percussion instrument 1 can be oscillated more greatly), making it easier to absorb the impact of the strike by the beater 162. This effectively reduces vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S. This also applies when the percussion instrument 1 is fixed to the fixing portion 121 of the front leg 120 (see FIG. 5) via the support rubber 140.

[0094] In this way, in order to reduce the vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S, it is preferable to absorb the impact of the strike by causing the percussion instrument 1 to vibrate relatively greatly when struck by the beater 162, but it is also important to dampen the vibration of the percussion instrument 1 as soon as possible.

[0095] Therefore, this embodiment employs a structure in which the vibration of the percussion instrument 1 after being struck is damped by the cushioning materials 170, 171. The cushioning materials 170, 171 are formed using an elastic material with a predetermined flexibility. Note that, although the cushioning materials 170, 171 are attached (adhered) to the pedal support plate 110 in this embodiment, the cushioning materials 170, 171 may also be attached to the back surface of the frame 2.

[0096] The buffer material 170 is sandwiched between the pedal support plate 110 and the back surface of the frame 2 above the center of the striking surface, and the buffer material 171 is sandwiched between the pedal support plate 110 and the back surface of the frame 2 below the center of the striking surface.

[0097] That is, the buffer materials 170, 171 are provided as a pair above and below, sandwiching the fixed position P2 (the swing fulcrum of the percussion instrument 1) of the support rubber 140 in a side view. Therefore, when the percussion instrument 1 starts to swing in response to a strike by the beater 162, the buffer material 171 in contact with the rear surface of the lower end of the frame 2 is first compressed, and the elastic recovery force of the buffer material 171 caused by this compression pushes the percussion instrument 1 back to its initial state.

[0098] When the elastic recovery force of the buffer material 171 causes the percussion instrument 1 to swing beyond its initial state, the buffer material 170 in contact with the rear surface of the upper end of the frame 2 is compressed, and the elastic recovery force of the buffer material 170 caused by this compression pushes the percussion instrument 1 back to its initial state. This alternating compression of the buffer materials 170, 171 quickly damps the swing of the percussion instrument 1, effectively reducing the vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0099] Next, a stand 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Note that the same parts as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. First, the overall configuration of the stand 200 will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of the stand 200 according to the second embodiment.

[0100] 8, in the stand 200 of the second embodiment, legs 220 are fixed to the rear surface of a pedal support plate 210. The legs 220 mainly include a fixing portion 221 that extends horizontally and is fixed to the rear surface of the pedal support plate 210, and a pair of legs 222 that support both ends of the fixing portion 221 in the longitudinal direction.

[0101] The fixed part 221 is a single metal pipe, and a lower pipe 223 that protrudes downward from the underside of the fixed part 221 is welded to the fixed part 221. This lower pipe 223 that extends vertically is also fixed to the back surface of the pedal support plate 210.

[0102] The legs 222 are formed by bending a metal pipe, and the bent portions are welded to the longitudinal ends of the fixed portion 221, so that one end of the legs 222 inclines downward toward the front from the fixed portion 221 and touches the installation surface further forward than the pedal support plate 210. The other end of the legs 222 inclines downward toward the rear from the fixed portion 221 and touches the installation surface. The pedal support plate 210 is supported at four points on the installation surface by this pair of left and right legs 222.

[0103] As in the first embodiment, a pedal fixing portion 111 for supporting a foot pedal 160 (see FIG. 10) is formed at the lower end of the pedal support plate 210. When the foot pedal 160 strikes the percussion instrument 1, the percussion instrument 1 rotates around the fixing portion 221 via the bracket 280. Details of the structure for rotating the percussion instrument 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

[0104] Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the stand 200 with the percussion instrument 1 removed. Fig. 9 illustrates a state in which one of the two pairs of sleeves 290a, 290b (the sleeve located at the upper left in Fig. 9) of the two pairs of sleeves 290a, 290b attached to the fixed portion 221 is sandwiching the fixed portion 221, and illustrates a state in which the other sleeve 290a, 290b (the sleeve located at the lower right in Fig. 9) is removed from the fixed portion 221.

[0105] 9, the pedal support plate 210 is formed with through holes 213 for allowing rotation of the bracket 280. The through holes 213 are formed in a pair spaced apart in the horizontal direction, and the pair of through holes 213 are formed in positions facing the fixed portion 221.

[0106] A recess 224 is formed in the fixed portion 221 at a position facing the through-hole 213. The recess 224 is an annular recess that continues around the entire circumference of the fixed portion 221, and this recess 224 is sandwiched between a pair of (half) sleeves 290a, 290b.

[0107] The sleeves 290a and 290b are members for reducing the rotational resistance of the bracket 280 relative to the fixed portion 221. Since the sleeves 290a and 290b have substantially the same configuration, the configuration of each part of the sleeve 290a will be described below, but a description of the sleeve 290b will be omitted.

[0108] The sleeve 290a is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape using a self-lubricating synthetic resin (e.g., fluororesin, polyacetal, polyamide, etc.), and an inner convex portion 291 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 290a. The inner convex portion 291 is a protrusion that extends circumferentially on the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 290a, and when the fixed portion 221 is sandwiched between the pair of sleeves 290a, 290b, the inner convex portion 291 is fitted into the concave portion 224. This restricts displacement of the sleeves 290a, 290b (bracket 280) along the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the fixed portion 221.

[0109] An outer convex portion 292 (projection) extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 290a, and this outer convex portion 292 is used to restrict displacement of the bracket 280 relative to the sleeves 290a, 290b.

[0110] The bracket 280 is composed of a first bracket 281 fixed to the back surface of the frame 2 of the percussion instrument 1, and a second bracket 282 which, together with the first bracket 281, sandwiches the sleeves 290a and 290b.

[0111] The first bracket 281 has a fixed portion 281a that is fixed to the back surface of the frame 2. The fixed portion 281a extends horizontally, and both ends thereof are fixed to the frame 2 by bolts B5. A pair of clamping portions 281b for clamping the sleeves 290a, 290b protrudes upward and downward from the horizontal center of the fixed portion 281a. The fixed portion 281a and clamping portion 281b are integrally formed using a resin material.

[0112] The pair of upper and lower clamping portions 281b extend rearward from the fixed portion 281a, so that clamping surfaces 281c for clamping the sleeves 290a, 290b are formed between the pair of clamping portions 281b. The clamping surfaces 281c are arc-shaped curved surfaces that follow the outer peripheral surfaces of the sleeves 290a, 290b, and approximately half the circumference of the outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of sleeves 290a, 290b is clamped by the clamping surfaces 281c.

[0113] A fastening hole 281d is formed in each of the pair of upper and lower clamping portions 281b, and the second bracket 282 is fixed to the first bracket 281 using the fastening holes 281d. The second bracket 282 includes clamping portions 282a that clamp the sleeves 290a and 290b, and fastened portions 282b that are fastened to the first bracket 281, and these portions 282a and 282b are integrally formed using a resin material.

[0114] The clamping portion 282a has an arc-shaped clamping surface 282c formed along the outer peripheral surfaces of the sleeves 290a and 290b. The fastened portions 282b are formed in a pair on both upper and lower end sides of the clamping portion 282a, and an insertion hole 282d is formed in each of the pair of fastened portions 282b.

[0115] With the sleeves 290a, 290b sandwiched between the clamping surfaces 281c, 282c of the first bracket 281 and the second bracket 282, the bolt B6 inserted into the insertion hole 282d is fastened to the fastening hole 281d, thereby clamping the sleeves 290a, 290b between the bracket 280. As a result, the percussion instrument 1 (frame 2) is rotatably supported on the fixed part 221 via the bracket 280 and the sleeves 290a, 290b.

[0116] A groove 281e (having a shape corresponding to the outer protrusion 292) is formed in the clamping surface 281c of the first bracket 281, extending in the circumferential direction thereof. The groove 281e is a groove-like recess that continues in the circumferential direction of the clamping surface 281c, and although not shown, a similar groove is also formed in the clamping surface 282c of the second bracket 282. The outer protrusions 292 of the sleeves 290a, 290b are fitted into the grooves 281e of the brackets 281, 282, thereby restricting displacement of the bracket 280 (percussion instrument 1) in the axial direction of the sleeves 290a, 290b (fixing portion 221).

[0117] In this embodiment, the sleeves 290a, 290b are firmly clamped between the brackets 281, 282, preventing the bracket 280 from rotating relative to the sleeves 290a, 290b, while allowing the sleeves 290a, 290b to rotate relative to the fixed portion 221, but this is not necessarily limited to this.

[0118] For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the sleeves 290a, 290b are fixed to the fixed portion 221 so as not to rotate relative to each other, while the bracket 280 is allowed to rotate relative to the sleeves 290a, 290b. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which the relative rotation of the sleeves 290a, 290b relative to the fixed portion 221 and the relative rotation of the bracket 280 relative to the sleeves 290a, 290b are both allowed.

[0119] In this manner, in this embodiment, the percussion instrument 1 is rotatably (swingably) supported on the fixed portion 221 of the stand 200. The case where the percussion instrument 1 is struck by the foot pedal 160 will be described with reference to Fig. 10, and Fig. 9 will also be referred to as appropriate.

[0120] Fig. 10 is a side view of the stand 200 showing the percussion instrument 1 being struck by the beater 162. Note that in Fig. 10, one of the pair of legs 222 (the leg 222 on the near side in the direction perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 10) is omitted from the illustration.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 10 , when the foot pedal 160 is supported on the pedal fixing portion 111 of the pedal support plate 210 , the pedal 161 is depressed, causing the beater 162 to strike the percussion instrument 1 .

[0122] The frame 2 (housing) of the percussion instrument 1 is rotatably supported on the fixed portion 221 of the leg 220 via the bracket 280 and sleeves 290a, 290b (see FIG. 9 for the sleeves). Therefore, when the beater 162 strikes the percussion instrument 1, the percussion instrument 1 swings relative to the stand 200 (pedal support plate 210 and leg 220). This swinging of the percussion instrument 1 absorbs the impact of the strike by the beater 162. Therefore, when the beater 162 strikes the percussion instrument 1, vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S via the various parts of the stand 200 (pedal support plate 210, leg 220, etc.) can be reduced.

[0123] 10 is the rotation center C2 of the percussion instrument 1, this rotation center C2 (oscillation fulcrum) is located at a different height in the vertical direction from the center of the striking surface. This allows the percussion instrument 1 to receive the impact of the beater 162 at a different height from the oscillation fulcrum, making it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to oscillate relative to the stand 200. This makes it easier to absorb the impact of the impact by the beater 162, effectively reducing vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0124] Also, as in the first embodiment, the direction of impact by the beater 162 is often a downward inclination toward the rear and lower side of the percussion instrument 1 (toward the lower left in FIG. 10 ). Therefore, in this embodiment, the center of rotation C2 of the percussion instrument 1 is located above the center of the striking surface. This makes it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to rotate around the fixed part 221 and reduces the load on the support portion of the percussion instrument 1 (components such as the bracket 280) compared to when the center of rotation C2 is located below the center of the striking surface. This effectively reduces vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S and prevents damage to components in the support portion of the percussion instrument 1.

[0125] In addition, in this embodiment, similar cushioning materials 170 and 171 to those in the first embodiment are provided, and these cushioning materials 170 and 171 are provided as a pair above and below, in side view, sandwiching the center of rotation C2 of the percussion instrument 1. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the cushioning materials 170 and 171 can quickly damp the oscillation of the percussion instrument 1, thereby effectively reducing vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0126] Furthermore, in the configuration in which the percussion instrument 1 is rotatably attached around the fixed portion 221 (rotation axis) as in the present embodiment, the percussion instrument 1 can be swung more smoothly than in the first embodiment in which the percussion instrument 1 is swung by the support rubber 140. Therefore, the impact of the strike by the beater 162 is more easily absorbed, and the vibration transmitted to the installation surface S can be effectively reduced.

[0127] Here, if the goal is to rotate the percussion instrument 1 more smoothly relative to the stand 200, it may be possible to use components such as bearings. One example of this is a configuration in which a rolling bearing is used, with rolling elements interposed between an inner ring and an outer ring, and the inner ring is fixed to the fixed portion 221 side, while the outer ring is fixed to the frame 2 side. When such components such as bearings are used, the mounting structure for the bearings to the fixed portion 221 (stand 200) and the frame 2 (percussion instrument 1) becomes complicated, which increases the cost of the product.

[0128] In contrast, in this embodiment, a bracket 280 is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the fixing portion 221 (cylindrical pipe), and this bracket 280 is fixed to the frame 2. This allows the pipes that make up the stand 200 to rotatably support the percussion instrument 1. Therefore, the production cost of the stand 200 can be reduced compared to when parts such as bearings are used as described above.

[0129] Furthermore, if the purpose is to rotatably support the percussion instrument 1 using the fixed portion 221, it is also possible to directly clamp the fixed portion 221 with the bracket 280, for example. However, the bracket 280, which is fixed to the frame 2 by fastening the bolt B5 (see FIG. 9 ), needs to be made of a resin material with relatively high rigidity, making it difficult to use a resin material with high self-lubricating properties. Therefore, if the fixed portion 221 is directly clamped with the bracket 280, it becomes difficult to simultaneously stably (firmly) fix the bracket 280 to the frame 2 and ensure the sliding properties of the bracket 280 relative to the fixed portion 221.

[0130] In contrast, in this embodiment, sleeves 290a, 290b, which are formed using a resin material with higher self-lubricating properties than bracket 280, are rotatably attached to the outer circumferential surface of fixed portion 221, and these sleeves 290a, 290b are clamped by bracket 280. As a result, even when bracket 280 is formed using a resin material with relatively high rigidity, sleeves 290a, 290b can ensure sliding ability relative to fixed portion 221. Therefore, frame 2 can be stably (firmly) fixed to bracket 280, while allowing percussion instrument 1 to rotate smoothly relative to fixed portion 221.

[0131] Furthermore, when the percussion instrument 1 rotates relative to the fixed part 221, recesses 224 (see FIG. 9) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed part 221 engage with inner protrusions 291 (see FIG. 9) formed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the sleeves 290a, 290b, thereby restricting displacement of the sleeves 290a, 290b in the axial direction of the fixed part 221. This reduces the processing costs of the fixed part 221 (pipes) compared to, for example, forming protrusions on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed part 221 that restrict such displacement (forming recesses in the sleeves 290a, 290b that fit into the protrusions).

[0132] Next, a stand 300 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Note that the same components as those in the above-described embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. Figure 11 is a rear perspective view of the stand 300 according to the third embodiment, and Figure 12 is a side view of the stand 300 showing the percussion instrument 1 being struck by the beater 162. Note that Figure 11 does not include the cushioning material 373 shown in Figure 12, and Figure 12 does not include one of the pair of legs 222 (the leg 222 on the near side in the direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 12).

[0133] 11 , the stand 300 of the third embodiment includes a U-shaped mounting plate 314 to which the percussion instrument 1 is attached. The mounting plate 314 includes a first vertical portion 314a extending vertically (upward) from the upper end of the pedal support plate 310, a curved portion 314b curving forward from the upper end of the first vertical portion 314a, and a second vertical portion 314c extending vertically (downward) from the front end of the curved portion 314b, with these portions 314a to 314c being integrally formed using a metal plate.

[0134] The curved portion 314b has an upwardly convex curved shape, and the mounting plate 314 functions as a U-shaped leaf spring (U-shaped spring) mainly due to the elastic deformation of this curved portion 314b. The second vertical portion 314c extends downward further than the first vertical portion 314a and faces the pedal support plate 310, and the back surface of the frame 2 is fixed to this second vertical portion 314c. The mounting plates 314 are provided in a pair spaced apart in the horizontal direction, and a percussion instrument 1 is attached to each of the pair of mounting plates 314.

[0135] As shown in FIG. 12 , when the foot pedal 160 is supported on the pedal fixing portion 111 of the pedal support plate 310 , the pedal 161 is depressed, causing the beater 162 to strike the percussion instrument 1 .

[0136] The frame 2 (housing) of the percussion instrument 1 is swingably supported by a U-shaped mounting plate 314, so that when the beater 162 strikes the percussion instrument 1, the mounting plate 314 elastically deforms, causing the percussion instrument 1 to swing relative to the stand 300 (pedal support plate 310 and legs 220). This swinging of the percussion instrument 1 absorbs the impact of the strike by the beater 162. Therefore, when the beater 162 strikes the percussion instrument 1, vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S via the various parts of the stand 300 (pedal support plate 310, legs 220, etc.) can be reduced.

[0137] If the curved portion 314b of the mounting plate 314 is set as the pivot point P3 of the percussion instrument 1, this pivot point P3 is located at a different height in the vertical direction from the center of the striking surface. This allows the percussion instrument 1 to receive the strike of the beater 162 at a different height from the pivot point P3 of the percussion instrument 1, making it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to pivot relative to the stand 300. This makes it easier to absorb the impact of the strike by the beater 162, effectively reducing vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0138] Also, as in the first embodiment, the direction of impact by the beater 162 is often a downward inclination toward the rear and lower side of the percussion instrument 1 (toward the lower left in FIG. 12 ), so in this embodiment too, the swing fulcrum P3 of the percussion instrument 1 is located above the center of the striking surface. This makes it easier for the percussion instrument 1 to swing due to elastic deformation of the mounting plate 314 compared to when the swing fulcrum P3 is located below the center of the striking surface. This effectively reduces vibrations transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0139] A buffer material 373 for damping the oscillation of the percussion instrument 1 is attached to the mounting plate 314. The buffer material 373 is formed using an elastic material with a predetermined flexibility. The buffer material 373 is sandwiched between the pedal support plate 310 and the first vertical portion 314a and the second vertical portion 314c. Note that the buffer material 373 is adhered to the pedal support plate 310 and the first vertical portion 314a, but it may also be adhered to the second vertical portion 314c. Furthermore, although not shown, the buffer material 373 is attached to each of the pair of left and right mounting plates 314.

[0140] By sandwiching the buffer material 373 between the pedal support plate 310 (first vertical portion 314a) and the percussion instrument 1 (second vertical portion 314c), the buffer material 373 is compressed by the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 314 when the percussion instrument 1 is struck. The elastic recovery force of the buffer material 373 caused by this compression damps the oscillation of the percussion instrument 1, effectively reducing the vibration transmitted to the installation surface S.

[0141] Furthermore, by supporting the percussion instrument 1 so that it can swing on the mounting plate 314 made of a U-shaped metal plate, the percussion instrument 1 can be supported so that it can swing without needing to use parts such as the bracket 280 and sleeves 290a, 290b as in the second embodiment described above.

[0142] In this way, when the mounting plate 314 supports the percussion instrument 1 so that it can swing, it is also possible to fix the mounting plate 314 to, for example, the leg 220 (fixing portion 221) or the pedal support plate 310. In contrast, the mounting plate 314 of this embodiment is formed integrally with the pedal support plate 310, which is made of a metal plate. This allows the pedal support plate 310 and the mounting plate 314 to be formed by bending a single metal plate. Furthermore, the number of parts can be reduced compared to when the pedal support plate 310 and the mounting plate 314 are separate parts.

[0143] The above has been explained based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it can be easily inferred that various improvements and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0144] In the above embodiments, the percussion instrument 1 is an electronic percussion instrument equipped with a head sensor 3, but the honeycomb structure formed by the recesses 20a and through-holes 20b on the bottom surface (support portion 20) of the frame 2 and the support structure for the percussion instrument by the stands 100, 200, and 300 can also be applied to acoustic percussion instruments (drums without sensors). Furthermore, the configurations described in the above embodiments may be applied to percussion instruments other than bass drums (for example, snare drums and tom-toms) as long as they are applicable to other percussion instruments.

[0145] In the above embodiments, the first cushion 5 and the second cushion 6, which are softer than the frame 2, are sandwiched between the support portion 20 and the head 4, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, either one or both of the first cushion 5 and the second cushion 6 may be omitted. When either the first cushion 5 or the second cushion 6 is omitted, the thickness of the other cushion may be increased so that it comes into contact with the head 4.

[0146] In each of the above embodiments, the first cushion 5 is a single-layer cushion and the second cushion 6 is a three-layer (multiple-layer) cushion, but the first cushion 5 may be a multiple-layer cushion and the second cushion 6 may be a single-layer cushion.

[0147] In the above-described embodiments, the first cushion 5 and the second cushion 6 are provided with a plurality of air vents 51, 61, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the air vents 51, 61 may be omitted from either or both of the first cushion 5 and the second cushion 6.

[0148] Although not described in the above embodiments, at least some of the multiple air vents 51 of the first cushion 5 may be formed in positions that connect to the air vents 61 of the second cushion 6, or all of the air vents 51 may be formed in positions that connect to the air vents 61. Furthermore, all of the multiple air vents 51 may be formed in positions that do not connect to the air vents 61.

[0149] The same applies to the air vents 61 formed in each of the three cushion layers constituting the second cushion 6, and at least some of the air vents 61 may be formed in positions that connect to the air vents 51, 61 of other cushions (cushions that are placed on top of the second cushion 6), or all of the air vents 61 may be formed in positions that connect to the air vents 51, 61 of other cushions. Also, all of the air vents 61 may be formed in positions that do not connect to the air vents 51, 61 of other cushions.

[0150] In other words, when the four stacked layers of cushions 5, 6 (first elastic body and second elastic body) are considered as one cushion (elastic body), the air vents 51, 61 may continuously connect the front surface (the surface facing the head 4) and the back surface (the surface facing the support part 20) of that one cushion, or may connect them intermittently.

[0151] In the above embodiments, the case has been described in which the aperture ratio of the air vents 51 in the portion of the first cushion 5 that overlaps with the struck region R1 in the axial direction of the tubular portion 22 is lower than the aperture ratio of the air vents 51 in the portion of the first cushion 5 that overlaps with the non-struck region in the axial direction of the tubular portion 22 has been described. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the aperture ratio of the air vents 51 in the portion of the first cushion 5 that overlaps with the struck region R1 in the axial direction of the tubular portion 22 may be higher than (or the aperture ratios are the same as) the aperture ratio of the air vents 51 in the portion of the first cushion 5 that overlaps with the non-struck region in the axial direction of the tubular portion 22.

[0152] In the above embodiments, the first cushion 5 has a lower hardness than the second cushion 6, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the first cushion 5 may have a higher hardness than the second cushion 6, or the first cushion 5 and the second cushion 6 may have the same hardness.

[0153] In the above embodiments, the opening rate of the air vents 51 in the first cushion 5 and the opening rate of the air vents 61 in the second cushion 6 are different, i.e., the opening rate of the air vents 51 relative to the area of ​​the first cushion 5 is smaller than the opening rate of the air vents 61 relative to the area of ​​the second cushion 6. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the opening rate of the air vents 51 relative to the area of ​​the first cushion 5 may be larger than the opening rate of the air vents 61 relative to the area of ​​the second cushion 6, or the opening rates may be the same.

[0154] In the above embodiments, the film member 7, which has a lower coefficient of friction than the first and second cushions 5 and 6, is sandwiched between the first and second cushions 5 and 6 or between the support part 20 and the second cushion 6. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the film member 7 can be omitted, and when the first cushion 5 (second cushion 6) is made up of multiple cushion layers as described above, the film member 7 can be sandwiched between these cushions. Furthermore, the film member 7 may have a higher coefficient of friction than the first and second cushions 5 and 6.

[0155] In the above embodiments, a plurality of regular hexagonal recesses 20a and through-holes 20b are arranged so as to fill a plane on the bottom surface (support portion 20) of the frame 2, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the shapes of the recesses 20a and through-holes 20b may be equilateral triangles, squares, or other polygons (e.g., parallelograms or any quadrilateral). Furthermore, recesses 20a and through-holes 20b of different shapes may be arranged so as to fill a plane.

[0156] In the above-described embodiments, the bottom wall 20c and the side wall 20d of the support portion 20 are integrally formed using a resin material, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the flat bottom wall 20c formed separately from the support portion 20 (side wall 20d) may be fixed to the support portion 20 (side wall 20d) by adhesive or the like.

[0157] In the above-described embodiments, the entire bottom of the recess 20a is closed by the bottom wall 20c, while the through-hole 20b does not have a bottom wall 20c. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a hole is formed penetrating a portion of the bottom wall 20c of the recess 20a (or a portion of the bottom of the through-hole 20b is closed), and even in such a configuration, it can be said that "the recess 20a (hole) penetrates the support portion 20 (the bottom surface of the housing)."

[0158] In the above embodiments, the wall 82 is not formed in the area between the head sensor 3 and the struck area R1 (the center C1 of the striking surface), but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the wall 82 may be formed in the area between the head sensor 3 and the struck area R1 (the center C1 of the striking surface), such as by surrounding the entire periphery of the head sensor 3 with the wall 82.

[0159] In the above embodiments, the wall portion 82 is formed in an arc shape (an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 22) centered on the center C1 of the head 4, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the wall portion 82 may be formed in a circular shape that surrounds the entire circumference of the head sensor 3 as described above, or the wall portion 82 may be formed in a polygonal shape (for example, a square ring shape).

[0160] That is, as long as the tension of the head 4 around the head sensor 3 can be increased, the position (area of ​​contact with the head 4) and shape of the wall 82 can be set as appropriate. Therefore, for example, as shown by the imaginary line V in Figure 4(a), it is possible to have the wall 82 extending toward the struck area R1 come into contact with the head 4, or the wall 82 may be formed at both the position shown by the imaginary line V and the position shown by the dashed line in the figure.

[0161] In the above-described embodiments, the case where the region R2 where the height of the wall portion 82 is constant exists in the extension direction of the wall portion 82 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a configuration may be possible in which the region R2 where the height of the wall portion 82 is constant does not exist, and the height of the wall portion 82 varies throughout the extension direction of the wall portion 82 (for example, the height gradually decreases as it approaches both ends of the extension direction of the wall portion 82).

[0162] In the above embodiments, the wall portion 82 is formed on the mounting member 8 that is detachably attached to the support portion 20, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the wall portion 82 may be formed integrally with the support portion 20. Also, although the head sensor 3 is supported on the mounting member 8, the member that supports the head sensor 3 and the member on which the wall portion 82 is formed may be separate components. In other words, the support portion 20 may support the head sensor 3 via the mounting member 8, or may support the head sensor 3 directly without using the mounting member 8.

[0163] In the above embodiments, the fixed positions P1 and P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the pedal support plate 110, 210, 310 and the frame 2, the center of rotation C2 of the percussion instrument 1, and the pivot point P3 of the percussion instrument 1 are located at a different height from the center of the striking surface in the vertical direction, i.e., the pivot point of the percussion instrument 1 is located above the center of the striking surface. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the pivot point of the percussion instrument 1 may be located below the center of the striking surface, or the pivot point of the percussion instrument 1 and the center of the striking surface may be at the same height.

[0164] In the above embodiments, the buffer materials 170, 171, and 373 are sandwiched between the pedal support plate 110, 210, and 310 and the percussion instrument 1, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, in the first and third embodiments, the buffer materials 170, 171, and 373 may be omitted (in the second embodiment, it is preferable not to omit the buffer materials 170 and 171 because they have the function of maintaining the initial state of the percussion instrument 1 before being struck). Furthermore, the attachment positions of the buffer materials 170, 171, and 373 may be changed, or other buffer materials may be added in addition to the buffer materials 170, 171, and 373.

[0165] In the first embodiment, the percussion instrument 1 is fixed to the front surface of the pedal support plate 110 via the support rubber 140, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the support rubber 140 may be fixed to the front leg 120 (fixing portion 121) or the rear leg 130 (fixing portion 131) of the stand 100. In this case, a through-hole into which the support rubber 140 can be placed may be formed in the pedal support plate 110. Furthermore, if other members besides the pedal support plate 110 and the legs 120 and 130 are provided on the stand 100, the support rubber 140 may be fixed to such other members.

[0166] In the first embodiment described above, the fixing position P2 of the support rubber 140 relative to the frame 2 is located higher than the fixing position P1 of the support rubber 140 relative to the pedal support plate 110, i.e., the fixing position P2 is farther away from the center of the striking surface than the fixing position P1. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the fixing position P2 may be located lower than the fixing position P1, or the fixing position P2 may be closer to the center of the striking surface than the fixing position P1.

[0167] In the second embodiment, the bracket 280 is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the fixed portion 221 (cylindrical pipe), and the bracket 280 is fixed to the frame 2 (percussion instrument 1). However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the percussion instrument 1 may be rotatably supported on the stand 200 using a known component (such as a bearing) that supports a rotating member. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the sleeves 290a and 290b are interposed between the fixed portion 221 and the bracket 280. However, the sleeves 290a and 290b may be omitted, and the fixed portion 221 may be directly sandwiched between the bracket 280.

[0168] In the second embodiment, the displacement of the sleeves 290a, 290b is restricted by the engagement between the recess 224 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed portion 221 and the inner protrusion 291 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeves 290a, 290b, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, protrusions that restrict the displacement of the sleeves 290a, 290b may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed portion 221, and recesses that fit into the protrusions may be formed on the sleeves 290a, 290b.

[0169] In the third embodiment, the mounting plate 314 is integrally formed with the pedal support plate 310 made of a metal plate, i.e., the pedal support plate 310 and the mounting plate 314 are formed by bending a single metal plate. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the mounting plate 314 and the pedal support plate 310 may be separate components, and the mounting plate 314 may be fixed to the legs 220 (fixing portions 221) or the pedal support plate 310. Furthermore, if the stand 300 is provided with other components in addition to the pedal support plate 310 and the legs 220 (fixing portions 221), the mounting plate 314 may be fixed to these other components.

[0170] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 percussion instrument 20 support portion 22 cylindrical portion 3 head sensor 4 head 8 mounting member 82 wall portion 160 foot pedal C1 center of striking surface

Claims

1. A percussion instrument comprising: a head that forms a striking surface that is struck by a foot pedal; a cylindrical tube portion whose opening is covered by the head; a head sensor that is provided on the inner circumference of the tube portion and contacts the head on the outer circumference side of the center of the striking surface; and a wall portion that is formed around the head sensor, protrudes higher than the tube portion, and contacts the head.

2. The percussion instrument according to claim 1, wherein said wall portion is not formed in the area between said head sensor and the center of said striking surface.

3. The percussion instrument according to claim 2, wherein the wall portion is formed so as to extend in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion in an area opposite the center of the striking surface with the head sensor in between.

4. The percussion instrument according to claim 3, wherein said wall portion is formed in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of said cylindrical portion.

5. The percussion instrument according to claim 2, wherein the height of said wall portion is gradually reduced on both ends in the extending direction of said wall portion.

6. The percussion instrument according to claim 1, further comprising: a support portion that supports the head sensor on the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion; and a mounting member that is detachably attached to the support portion and through which the wall portion is formed.

7. A method for adjusting the tension of a head in a percussion instrument comprising a head forming a striking surface that is struck by a foot pedal, a cylindrical tube portion whose opening is covered by the head, and a head sensor provided on the inner periphery of the tube portion and contacting the head on the outer periphery side of the center of the striking surface, comprising forming a wall portion around the head sensor that protrudes higher than the tube portion, and bringing the wall portion into contact with the head.

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