Resonance device and resonance device unit

Abstract

Provided are a resonance device and a resonance device unit that are capable of maintaining sound emitted by a tuning fork or a singing bowl for a long period of time. A resonance device 1 comprises: a sound-producing body 60 that vibrates to generate sound; a microphone 30 that picks up sound and converts the sound into an electrical signal; an amplifier 40 that amplifies the electrical signal converted by the microphone; and a vibration speaker 50 that outputs the amplified electrical signal as mechanical vibration. The vibration speaker is installed in the sound-producing body. This resonance device is capable of maintaining sound emitted by a tuning fork or singing bowl for a long period of time.

Description

Resonator and resonator unit

[0001] The present invention relates to a resonator and a resonator unit that can sustain the sound emitted by a tuning fork or singing bowl for a long period of time.

[0002] Various vibration generators that use tuning forks and resonators that use tuning forks and resonance boxes are known. For example, electromagnetic tuning forks are known that can forcibly keep tuning forks vibrating using an electromagnet. Patent Document 1 also discloses a tuning fork structure in which multiple tuning forks with different natural frequencies are arranged on a resonance box. By using this tuning fork structure, it is possible to train pitch using accurate live sound.

[0003] Furthermore, as an example of using a tuning fork-type crystal unit instead of a tuning fork, Patent Document 2 discloses an electronic musical instrument that includes a plurality of tuning fork-type crystal units with different natural frequencies, an oscillation circuit that causes the tuning fork-type crystal units to oscillate, a keyboard that controls the oscillation operation, a speaker, etc. With this electronic musical instrument, any tuning fork can be vibrated by operating the keyboard, and sound can be output from the speaker.

[0004] Utility Model Registration No. 3093634 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-146598

[0005] Using an electromagnetic tuning fork allows the sound it emits to last for a long time, but the fork's prongs must be modified to react to the magnetic force of the electromagnet, which may change the tuning fork's natural frequency.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a resonator and a resonator unit that can sustain the sound emitted by a tuning fork or singing bowl for a long period of time.

[0007] The resonator of the present invention comprises a sound-producing body that vibrates to produce sound, a microphone that picks up the sound and converts it into an electrical signal, an amplifier that amplifies the electrical signal converted by the microphone, and a vibration speaker that outputs the amplified electrical signal as mechanical vibration, the vibration speaker being installed on the sound-producing body. The resonator of the present invention is also characterized in that the sound-producing body comprises a resonance box and a tuning fork installed on the resonance box, and the vibration speaker is installed on the resonance box. The resonator of the present invention is also characterized in that the sound-producing body comprises a crystal singing bowl, and the vibration speaker is installed on the crystal singing bowl. The microphone is an electret condenser microphone. The resonator unit of the present invention comprises a plurality of the above-described resonators, and the natural frequencies of the sound-producing bodies of each resonator are the same or different.

[0008] The resonator of the present invention allows the sound emitted by a tuning fork or singing bowl to last for a long time, and the resonator unit of the present invention allows sounds of multiple frequencies to be simultaneously sustained for a long time.

[0009] 1A and 1B are a front view and a left side view of a resonator according to a first embodiment; 1B are plan views schematically showing the resonator; 1B are perspective views of a resonator according to a second embodiment; 1B are plan views schematically showing a resonator unit; and 1C are plan views schematically showing a modified example of the resonator unit. First Embodiment

[0010] A first embodiment of the resonator of the present invention will be described. The resonator is a device that can sustain the sound emitted by a tuning fork for a long period of time. As shown in Figure 1, the resonator 1 is roughly composed of a sound-generating body 60 (tuning fork 10, resonance box 20), a microphone 30, an amplifier 40, and a vibration speaker 50.

[0011] The sound-generating body 60 is an object that produces sound through vibration. In this embodiment, it is composed of a tuning fork 10 and a resonance box 20. A typical tuning fork 10 composed of a U-shaped portion 11 and a rod-shaped leg portion 12 can be used. In this embodiment, a tuning fork 10 with a natural frequency of 528 Hz, known as a Solfeggio frequency, is used. The tuning fork may be made of any material, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, duralumin, or alloys thereof. The resonance box 20 is a hollow box designed to resonate only with sounds of a certain frequency and has an opening 21 at the front. Using the resonance box 20 allows the sound generated by the vibration of the tuning fork 10 to resonate loudly. In this embodiment, a resonance box 20 that resonates only with sounds of 528 Hz is used. A support 22 is attached to the top surface of the resonance box 20. The support 22 has a hole extending downward from its top surface. The leg portion 12 of the tuning fork 10 is inserted into the hole to mount the tuning fork 10 on the resonance box 20. It is preferable to fix the support 22 to the top surface of the resonance box 20, and it is particularly preferable to fix the support 22 to the center of the top surface of the resonance box 20 (above the center line L1 described below). The tuning fork 10 may be oriented such that the U-shape of the U-shaped portion 11 is visible when viewed from the front as shown in Figure 1(a), or it may be rotated 90 degrees around the axis of the leg 12, or by any angle between 0 and 90 degrees.

[0012] The microphone 30 is a device that picks up the sound generated by the vibration of the tuning fork 10 and converts it into an electrical signal. The microphone 30 is installed with a small gap between it and the side of the U-shaped portion 11. There are no particular limitations on the type of microphone 30, and common microphones such as dynamic microphones, condenser microphones, ribbon microphones, and electret condenser microphones can be used, with electret condenser microphones being particularly preferred.

[0013] The amplifier 40 amplifies the electrical signal converted by the microphone 30. The amplifier 40 has a knob 41 for adjusting the output and is powered by a battery (not shown). The vibration speaker 50 outputs the electrical signal amplified by the amplifier 40 as mechanical vibration. The vibration speaker 50 is installed on the top surface of the resonance box 20. The installation position of the vibration speaker 50 varies depending on the natural frequency of the tuning fork 10 and the shape, dimensions, and material of the resonance box 20. However, as shown in Figure 2(a), it is generally preferable to place the legs 12 of the tuning fork 10 on the center line L1 in the left-right direction (width direction) of the top surface of the resonance box 20, and to install the center of the vibration speaker 50 on the center line L1, between the opening 21 of the resonance box 20 and the tuning fork 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(b), it is preferable to install the center of the vibration speaker 50 at the center point P1 of the line segment L2 connecting the opening 21 and the center of the legs 12 of the tuning fork 10. If the center of the vibration speaker 50 is unknown, the vibration speaker 50 can be placed so that the vibration surface of the vibration speaker 50 overlaps with the center line L1 or the center point P1. The vibrations generated by the vibration speaker 50 are transmitted to the resonance box 20, causing the resonance box 20 to vibrate.

[0014] After much research, the inventors of the present invention created the resonator 1 having the above configuration. They discovered that by striking the tuning fork 10 with a mallet or similar to vibrate it and adjusting the output of the amplifier 40 with the knob 41 as needed, the sound emitted from the resonance box 20 can be sustained for a long time without decay. The sound emitted from the resonance box 20 can be sustained until the amplifier 40's battery runs out. The principle behind the resonator 1 of the present invention's ability to sustain sound for a long time is not clear at this time. For example, in Option 1, it is possible that vibrations are transmitted from the vibration speaker 50 to the resonance box 20, which then vibrates by resonating. This vibration is then transmitted via the support 22 from the legs 12 of the tuning fork 10 to the U-shaped portion 11, causing the tuning fork 10 to vibrate, creating a continuous loop. Alternatively, as a second possibility, there is a possibility that a loop continues in which vibrations are transmitted from the vibration speaker 50 to the resonance box 20, which resonates to generate resonance sound, the microphone 30 picks up the air vibrations caused by the resonance sound, the electrical signal converted by the microphone 30 is input again to the vibration speaker 50, which vibrates the resonance box 20, which generates resonance sound. Furthermore, there is also a possibility that both proposals 1 and 2 are at work.

[0015] Furthermore, the inventors of the present application discovered that when the distance between the tuning fork 10 and the microphone 30 is reduced to 2 to 3 mm, sound gradually begins to emerge from the resonance box 20 over time simply by driving the amplifier 40 without striking the tuning fork 10, eventually increasing to the same level as if the tuning fork 10 had been struck, and this sound can be sustained for a long period of time. The principle behind how sound can emerge from the resonance box 20 and be sustained for a long period of time without the tuning fork 10 being struck is also unclear at this time. For example, the microphone 30 picks up a specific frequency of environmental or everyday sounds around the resonator 1 (e.g., sound at the natural frequency of the tuning fork 10) and converts it into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is amplified by the amplifier 40, and the amplified electrical signal is input to the vibration speaker 50. The vibration speaker 50 vibrates the resonance box 20, which in turn causes the tuning fork 10 to begin to vibrate slightly. This process continues, and the energy input to the tuning fork 10 increases, eventually causing the tuning fork 10 to begin vibrating at its natural frequency, potentially achieving the same results as if the tuning fork 10 had been struck and vibrated. Experiments conducted by the inventors of the present application have shown that in quiet environments, sound can be produced from the resonance box 20 without striking the tuning fork 10, and the sound can be sustained for a long time, more often than in noisy environments. The resonator 1 of the present invention is able to sustain the sound emitted by the tuning fork for a long time, regardless of the material of the tuning fork (carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, duralumin, alloys of these, etc.), due to the synergistic effect of the vibration speaker, which is a speaker that produces sound by resonating the contact surface, and the resonance box.

[0016] The resonator 1 of the present invention, which can sustain sound for a long period of time, can be used in the same way as a general tuning fork for musical purposes, such as tuning musical instruments and checking the fundamental pitch of vocalization, in medical applications such as hearing tests, sensory tests, and peripheral nerve disorder tests, and for healing purposes, such as applying the vibrations of the tuning fork to the body to improve physical condition. In particular, when used for healing purposes, the resonator 1 of the present invention can apply the vibrations of the tuning fork 10 to the human body for a long period of time, resulting in a more pronounced healing effect than a general tuning fork, whose sound decays after a certain period of time.

[0017] It is also possible to produce so-called vibrational water by placing water in a plastic bottle or similar in front of the resonator 1 and continuously exposing it to sound for a certain period of time. Research on vibrational water is limited, and there is currently little scientific evidence that ingesting vibrational water has any beneficial effects on the human body. However, according to Professor Yosuke Egawa of Kokushikan University's "Does Water with Transmitted Vibrational Energy (Vibrational Water) Affect Recovery from Mental Stress?" (Kokushikan Humanities Review Vol. 1, pp. 29-37, 2020), vibrational water is defined as "water that has been energized by transferring vibrational wave energy related to the normalization of the human body." Furthermore, an investigation into the effect of vibrational water on recovery from mental stress concluded that "ingesting vibrational water resulted in a rapid recovery from mental tension." Considering these points, while there are various theories about how vibrational water can be produced, it is possible to produce vibrational water by placing water in a plastic bottle or similar in front of the resonator 1 and continuously exposing it to sound for an extended period of time, as described above. Second Embodiment

[0018] Next, we will explain a second embodiment of the resonator of the present invention. Components identical to those in the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described further. As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the resonator 3 of this embodiment is characterized by its sound-generating body 60 being a crystal singing bowl 61. A singing bowl is a vessel that produces a unique, soothing tone and overtones by tapping or rubbing the rim with a stick (Source: International Singing Bowl Association). A crystal singing bowl is a singing bowl made of crystal (quartz).

[0019] The microphone 30 picks up the sound generated by striking or rubbing the crystal singing bowl 61 to vibrate it and converts it into an electrical signal. The microphone 30 is placed with a small gap between it and the outer upper edge of the crystal singing bowl 61. The amplifier 40 is housed in a housing 62. The vibration speaker 50 contacts the outer upper edge of the crystal singing bowl 61 via a cushioning material 63 such as felt. The microphone 30 and vibration speaker 50 are connected to the housing 62 via a flexible arm 64. The crystal singing bowl 61 and microphone 30 should be located 2 to 3 mm apart, and the microphone 30 and vibration speaker 50 should preferably be spaced approximately 8 to 10 cm apart. The vibrations generated by the vibration speaker 50 are transmitted to the crystal singing bowl 61, causing it to vibrate.

[0020] After completing the resonator 1 of the first embodiment, the inventors constructed the resonator 3 of the second embodiment. They discovered that by striking the crystal singing bowl 61 with a stick or other object to vibrate it and adjusting the amplifier 40's output with the knob 41 as needed, the sound emitted from the crystal singing bowl 61 could be sustained for a long time without decay. The sound emitted from the crystal singing bowl 61 could be sustained until the amplifier 40's battery ran out. The principle behind the resonator 3 of this embodiment's ability to sustain sound for such a long time is not yet clear. As shown in Figure 3(c), placing water in a plastic bottle or similar container in front of or inside the center of the crystal singing bowl 61 may potentially produce vibratory water. Furthermore, sustained resonant vibration of the crystal singing bowl generates electricity due to the piezoelectric effect of the crystal. This generated electricity may have some beneficial effect on the vibratory water and the sound produced by the crystal singing bowl. In the first embodiment, a combination of a resonance box and a tuning fork was used as the sound-producing body that vibrates to produce sound, and in the second embodiment, a crystal singing bowl was used, but it is possible that a singing bowl that is not made of crystal could also be used as a substitute.

[0021] Next, an embodiment of the resonator unit of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the resonator unit 2 includes multiple resonators 1 (three in this embodiment). The resonators 1 are characterized in that the tuning forks 100a-102a of the resonators 100-102 have the same or different natural frequencies. For example, the natural frequency of the tuning fork 100a of the first resonator 100 is 528 Hz, the natural frequency of the tuning fork 101a of the second resonator 101 is 396 Hz, and the natural frequency of the tuning fork 102a of the third resonator 102 is 444 Hz. Furthermore, the openings 100c-102c of the resonance boxes 100b-102b are arranged to face a single point P2. Using this resonator unit 2, sounds of different frequencies can be generated from the first to third resonators 100-102, and a chord can be generated by combining these sounds. This allows the human body, for example, to be exposed to three different frequencies for a long period of time, resulting in more pronounced healing and medical benefits than when using the resonator 1 alone. Furthermore, it is possible to produce vibrational water by exposing water to three different vibrations. For example, placing a plastic bottle filled with water, coffee dripping, or a crystal at point P2 may transfer vibrations to these objects. Alternatively, the natural frequencies of tuning forks 100a, 101a, and 102a may be unified at 528 Hz, or the natural frequencies of tuning forks 100a and 101a may be 528 Hz and the natural frequency of tuning fork 102a may be 396 Hz. By arranging the openings of multiple resonators with the same natural frequency facing each other, it is possible to apply large amounts of energy to point P2 from multiple directions. As shown in Figure 5, multiple resonators of the second embodiment may be arranged, with the crystal singing bowls of each resonator 103-105 having the same or different natural frequencies.

[0022] The present invention provides a resonator and a resonator unit that can sustain the sound emitted by a tuning fork or singing bowl for a long period of time, and has industrial applicability.

[0023] PB PET bottle 1 Resonator 2 Resonator unit 3 Resonator 10 Tuning fork 11 U-shaped portion 12 Leg 20 Resonator box 21 Opening 22 Support 30 Microphone 40 Amplifier 41 Knob 50 Vibration speaker 61 Crystal singing bowl 62 Housing 63 Cushioning material 64 Flexible arm First resonator 100a Tuning fork 100b Resonator box 100c Opening 65 Second resonator 101a Tuning fork 101b Resonator box 101c Opening 100 Third resonator 102a Tuning fork 102b Resonator box 102c Opening 103 to 105 Resonators

Claims

1. A resonator comprising a sound-producing body that vibrates to produce sound, a microphone that picks up the sound and converts it into an electrical signal, an amplifier that amplifies the electrical signal converted by the microphone, and a vibration speaker that outputs the amplified electrical signal as mechanical vibration, wherein the vibration speaker is installed on the sound-producing body.

2. The resonator device according to claim 1, wherein the sound-producing body comprises a resonance box and a tuning fork installed in the resonance box, and the vibration speaker is installed in the resonance box.

3. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the sound-producing body is a crystal singing bowl, and the vibration speaker is installed in the crystal singing bowl.

4. A resonator device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the microphone is an electret condenser microphone.

5. A resonator unit comprising a plurality of resonators according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the natural frequencies of the sound-generating bodies of the resonators are the same or different.

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