Device for bending a reed in single-reed instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the adjustable asymmetrical bending of reeds in single-reed instruments in the region of the reed window, which is designed in such a way that it has a rotatable tapered disc and a flat support in the reed clamping region of the mouthpiece and also has a feature that bends the tip of the reed in the direction of the mouthpiece tip opening.

Description

Device for bending a reed in single-reed instruments Description Field of invention The invention relates to the field of mouthpieces for woodwind instruments with a single reed, more precisely for all representatives of the group of single-reed instruments and in particular a device for adjustable bending of the tip of a reed in the direction of the mouthpiece path in saxophones and clarinets. Background of the invention In single-reed instruments, the sound is produced by the player's breath flowing a single reed vibrating against a fixed opening. Reeds are most often made from the tubular stems of giant reed, a reed-like plant (Arundo donax). A circular segment is cut from pieces of the cane approximately 5 to 9 cm long and planed smooth on the inside. The rear part of the reed is called the shank and serves to attach it to the mouthpiece of the instrument. Because the front part of the reed, the so-called reed tip, is very thin towards the point, it can be set into vibration by the airflow. There are numerous devices for attaching the reed to the mouthpiece, employing various designs and materials such as clamps, screws, ferrules, sleeves, and cords made of plastic, leather, or metal. These reed fixings serve to secure the reed stem to the mouthpiece table. Most mouthpieces have a beak-like shape. At the tip, the mouthpiece curves backward from the straight underside of the reed, creating a small gap. When you blow into the mouthpiece, a vacuum is created, which causes the reed to briefly close the opening. As it springs back to its original position, air can pass through again, and the cycle repeats. This rapid change sets the air column inside the instrument into vibration and is the source of sound production. Besides the characteristics of the mouthpiece, reed and reed attachment, the physiognomy of the performing player plays an important role. The musician's dental alignment, in particular, has a significant impact on the functioning of the mouthpiece / reed system. For example, if the lower teeth are irregularly shaped, one of the reed's flanks will be subjected to either excessive or insufficient pressure. These uneven pressure distributions lead to an unwanted deformation of the reed tip, which can negatively affect all aspects of tone production, such as intonation, timbre, and response. Even intensive practice can hardly counteract such physiological effects. From WO 2007 / 006 967 A1, a device is known in which an element applies a contact pressure to the reed on both the reed shank and the reed tip. By moving the pressure element longitudinally, a relative distribution of the contact pressure between the reed shank and the reed tip is achieved. However, different degrees of bending of the two sides of the reed are not possible. Furthermore, adjustable bending of the reed tip relative to the fixed clamping area of ​​the reed shank is not provided; that is, variability between the contact pressure on the reed shank in the clamping area and the contact pressure on the reed tip is not adjustable. Likewise, the distance between the clamping area and the area of ​​the pressure element tip is not changeable. Deactivation of the element that exerts the contact pressure on the reed tip is also not possible. From DE 10 2006 018 586 A 1, a reed mounting device is known which, by means of longitudinally displaceable clamping plates with individual screws, provides for the separation of the clamping pressure for attaching the clamping device from the clamping pressure of the hold-down system. This device is expressly located behind the reed's leading edge, which is identical to the reed tip, and works exclusively with regard to fixing the reed shank to the mouthpiece table. No influence whatsoever on the area of ​​the reed tip, the reed end, or the reed flanks is provided. From WO 02 / 05260 A1, a device is known with which a specially manufactured, non-commercially available reed with an elongated recess in the area of ​​the reed shank is attached to the mouthpiece in a precisely fitting guide system. The intended advantage of the device is a spatially precisely defined attachment of the reed to the mouthpiece table. Influencing the area of ​​the reed cut, the reed tip, or the reed flanks is neither possible nor intended. US Patent 3,413,884 A discloses a device with which the reed can be influenced in the area of ​​the reed exit point by means of a movable pressure element and an adjusting screw for changing the contact pressure. However, with this device, an adjustable asymmetric bending of the two reed legs is neither possible nor provided for. US patent 1,553,081 A discloses a device which has a movable pressure element. The contact pressure of the element can also be varied in this device by means of an adjusting screw. An adjustable asymmetric bending of the two blade legs is neither provided for nor possible in this device. Summary of the invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome, at least partially, the disadvantages known from the prior art. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to improve the playability of single reeds, especially in all saxophones and clarinets, with regard to aspects of musical tone production and to achieve increased control over the instrument. The foregoing object is achieved by a device according to claim 1, a device according to claim 6, and a method according to claim 10. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the respective dependent claims. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a device for asymmetrically bending reeds in single-reed instruments. According to the invention, the device comprises at least one pressure element, at least one element for inclineding the plane abutment and the plane pressure element (preferably a rotatable wedge disk), at least one planar abutment, and at least one adjusting screw. The device is designed in a state mounted on the mouthpiece of a single-reed instrument such that the pressure element is arranged so that at least one pressure element tip can act on a reed protrusion to bend it towards a mouthpiece opening. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the pressure element can have at least two pressure element points, each arranged such that it can act on one flank of the sheet cutout. In particular, the pressure element can be curved in the region of the pressure points in order to exert pressure on the respective flanks. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leaf attachment can have a column. In a further, preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressure element can have an elongated hole for adjustability on the pipe blade. In a further, preferred embodiment of the present invention, a compression spring can be located under the pressure element. In a further, preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressure element can be designed in a fork shape. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fork-shaped pressure element can have two arms, wherein the arms can exert pressure on the leaf cutout in the area of ​​at least one flank of the leaf cutout. A computer-readable medium that stores data defining a digital representation of a device described above, as well as corresponding operating instructions suitable for controlling an additive manufacturing device to produce a device described above using the digital representation, when such data is sent to the additive manufacturing device. Brief description of the images The accompanying figures illustrate exemplary embodiments and applications of the present invention. These include: Fig. 1 shows a side view of a known mouthpiece / reed combination; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the device according to the invention with blade attachment 3; Fig. 3 shows a top view of the device according to the invention; Fig. 4 shows a top view of a known reed blade, indicating the essential areas; Fig. 5 shows a representation of the device according to the invention from the front in the starting position with the compression spring 33 used; Fig. 6 shows a front view of the device according to the invention with the starting position of the rotatable wedge disk 27 and the representation of the affected planes 17, 30, 28, 29, 26; Fig. 7 shows a front view of the device according to the invention with the wedge disk 27 rotated by 90 degrees and a representation of the affected planes 17, 30, 28, 29, 26; Fig. 8 shows a representation of the pressure element 10 according to the invention; Fig. 9 shows the element for tilting the plane abutment and the plane pressure element in the form of a rotatable wedge disk 27 from above and from the side. Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional view from the front of the element for inclineding the plane abutment and the plane pressure element in one version with adjusting screws 34 and in one version with a rotatable wedge disc 27. Description The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be interpreted as limited to the embodiments shown here. It should be noted that the figures illustrate general features of the devices and methods used in the respective embodiments. These figures may not, however, represent the exact structure or feature of a given embodiment. Furthermore, identical reference numerals in the figures denote corresponding parts across the different views or embodiments. Figure 1 shows an exemplary mouthpiece 1 for a single-reed instrument according to the prior art, wherein a mouthpiece 1 essentially comprises the components reed 2 and reed attachment 3. Furthermore, the mouthpiece 1 has the so-called table 6 or reed rest, which is a flat area on which the lower side of the so-called reed shaft 13 rests and can be positively and firmly connected by means of the reed attachment 3. Mouthpieces 1 are manufactured in a variety of variants, which differ not only in the material used but also primarily in the dimensions of the facing opening 4, the facing length 5 and the bore 7. The rear part of the reed 2 is the reed stem 13, which rests on the table 6 and can be securely and positively connected to the mouthpiece by means of the reed clamp 3. The front part of the reed 2, the so-called reed tip 12, is thinned towards the tip so that it can be set into vibration by the airflow. The reed tip 12 is divided into, among other things, the tip 24, the heart 21, and the flanks 23, as shown in detail in Figure 4. The thin tip 24 facilitates the closure of the mouthpiece opening. The thicker part, and especially the heart 21 of the reed 2, provide the necessary restoring force to keep the gap between the mouthpiece 1 and the reed 2 open. Reeds 2 are natural products that can only be manufactured within relatively large physical tolerances. Furthermore, the differences in the natural fibers are sometimes considerable.Thus, despite precise manufacturing methods, the two flanks 23 of a reed exhibit different tension and properties in the vast majority of reeds. Reeds 2 are produced in various so-called reed hardnesses, which differ in material thickness and the specific cut from the shank to the tip. For attaching the reed 2 to the mouthpiece 1, there are a variety of devices that employ different designs in combination with various materials, such as clamps, screws, ferrules, sleeves, cords made of plastic, leather or metal (Fig. 1). These reed fixings 3 serve to fix the shank 13 of the reed on the mouthpiece table 6. In addition to the characteristics of the mouthpiece 1, reed 2, and reed attachment 3, the physiognomy of the performing player plays an important role. In particular, the musician's dental alignment has a significant impact on the functioning of the mouthpiece / reed system. If, for example, the lower row of teeth is irregularly shaped, one of the two reed flanks 23 will be subjected to excessive or insufficient pressure over time. These uneven pressure distributions lead to an unwanted deformation of the reed tip 24, which can negatively affect all aspects of tone production, such as intonation, timbre, and response. Even intensive practice can hardly counteract such physiological effects. The asymmetrical adjustability of the device according to the invention, on the other hand, provides the possibility to improve the balance of the two blade flanks 23. In general, a musician playing an instrument must exert essentially two different forces. First, the player must use their abdominal muscles to generate the necessary air pressure to set the reed in vibration. Second, they must use their lips and jaw muscles to seal the mouthpiece completely and bend the tip of the reed slightly towards the mouthpiece opening. This bending of the reed tip is necessary to facilitate sealing at the opening, as otherwise a sound – which would then be uncontrollably loud and unmusical – would only be produced after a significantly larger volume of air has passed through. The use of the device according to the invention leads to an improvement in tone production and better control of the exact pitch, the so-called intonation. The term "embouchure" is commonly used to describe the work on reed 2 and mouthpiece 1 to produce musical tones. Even professional players with good embouchure technique—similar to athletic activity—become more concerned with aspects such as endurance, fatigue, and loss of control, depending on the playing time and musical difficulty. In general, it is widely known among laypeople and professional players that the described task and work of the embouchure on a chosen mouthpiece / reed combination is very demanding and complex and requires intensive practice. Figure 2 shows a device according to the invention for stepless bending of the reed tip 24 towards the mouthpiece opening 4. According to the invention, the device has a pressure element 10 with which an adjustable bending force can be applied to the reed 2, which the musician no longer has to apply himself. The pressure element 10 is designed in a forked shape. The device further comprises an element for inclineding the plane of the abutment 17 and the plane of the upper surface of the pressure element 28. Preferably, this is a rotatable wedge disk 27 between the flat abutment 19 and the forked pressure element 10, which defines the plane 29 in which the two arms of the pressure element tip 8 meet the blade surface, as shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7. An alternative embodiment of the inclination element with adjusting screws 34 is shown in Figure 10. The position of the rotatable wedge disk 27 defines the inclination of the forked pressure element tip 8 relative to the parallel planes of the abutment 17 and the plane of the blade 26. As a result of this inclination, one of the two blade flanks 23 deflects further than the other. The adjusting screw 14 continuously regulates the applied bending force on the pressure element 10. The flat abutment 19 redirects the force of the adjusting screw 14 to the pressure element tip 8.The rotatable wedge disc 27 rests against the flat abutment 19 and continuously adjusts the inclination of the plane of the pressure element tip 29 and the pressure element tip 8 itself. The adjustments made cause the reed 2 to deflect in the area of ​​the reed cutout 12 and the reed tip 24. Furthermore, the system consisting of the pressure element 10, adjusting screw 14, and rotatable wedge disc 27 can be moved along the reed 2 in the elongated hole 20 to set the best possible position for the musician's preferences, as shown in detail in Figure 3. Imbalances in areas of the reed or caused by physiological factors related to the musician's tooth alignment are positively influenced by the adjustment options of the system according to the invention. Furthermore, the device has a compression spring 33. This is located between the upper surface of the reed attachment 3 and the lower surface of the forked pressure element 10, as shown in detail in Figure 5. The compression spring 33 holds the components, the forked pressure element 10 and the rotatable wedge disc 27, together by pressing them against the flat abutment 19. This prevents unwanted rattling or vibration. It also locks the position of the pressure element within the adjustment range 16 when the player changes the reed. In addition, the compression spring allows the pressure element 10 to be deactivated if desired by the player during a playing situation.The adjusting screw 14 is turned back until the pressure element tip 8 is moved away from the top of the sheet die 12. An advantageous method for using the device is to position the reed holder 3 with the structure according to the invention on the mouthpiece such that the pressure element 10 only lightly rests on the reed 2. By turning the adjusting screw 14 and adjusting the wedge disc 27, the applied force is increased or decreased until the desired effect is achieved. This can even be done during a performance or when trying out reeds with the free hand via the adjusting screw 14. A major advantage of the device lies in the improved selection of reeds. Even with careful manufacturing, the reed material "arundo donax" exhibits more or less significant variations in hardness and tonal properties, and in most cases, a greater or lesser proportion of reeds are unsuitable for producing a musical and high-quality tone, or can only be achieved with great difficulty. Differences between the reed faces 23 can be compensated for by the device. The capabilities of the device according to the invention increase the number of potentially playable reeds in any case. Furthermore, advantages arise during the so-called "break-in" of the reeds. Fresh reeds differ in their playability from reeds that have already been played for some time.This is due, among other things, to the changing capacity for water absorption and the age-related decrease in restoring force. The device according to the invention makes it possible, for example, to bend a fresh leaf more strongly and to reduce this pre-bend as needed during use. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the length distance 9 between the clamping area 22 of the sheet mounting 3 and the point where the pressure element tip 8 directs the bending force onto the sheet is adjustable. This is advantageous for several reasons. Positioning the reed clamp 3 in the immediate vicinity 22 of the beginning of the facing 5 has proven very advantageous, as it allows for a particularly good seal between the reed and the mouthpiece. If the reed clamp 3 is positioned too far from the facing opening, the risk of leakage between the underside of the reed and the mouthpiece table 6 increases. Many mouthpiece manufacturers even mark their mouthpieces to indicate this favorable position. This fixed position necessitates the adjustability of the distance 9 between the clamping area 22 and the pressure element tip 8. Firstly, the player's physiology requires adjustability to prevent unintentional contact between the mouth – especially the lower lip – and the pressure element 10.Furthermore, the adjustability of the length distance 9 is advantageous for adapting to the conditions of mouthpieces with different facing lengths 5 and facing openings 4, and to the conditions of reeds 2 with different cuts and reed hardnesses. The freely selectable distance also allows the pressure element 10 to be used on the thinner part of the reed with less bending force or on the thicker part of the reed with greater force. A further advantage of the device according to the invention is its use by children and beginners whose embouchure muscles are not yet sufficiently developed. The device according to the invention also has a positive effect on the musician's endurance, enabling them to play for longer periods without fatigue and with greater control. In general, it can be stated that the listed, new and adjustable influences on a reed 2 in the area of ​​the reed exit 12 represent useful measures that differ from the conventional practice in which reeds are merely attached in the area of ​​the reed shaft. Figures 2 and 3 show a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention for adjustable bending of the reed 2. The device has a reed mounting 3 into which a column 18 is soldered, glued, or threaded at a central point. The column 18 projects through the elongated hole 20 of the pressure element 10 and has a flat abutment 19. This abutment 19 limits the deflection of the pressure element 10 and redirects the force introduced by the adjusting screw 14 onto the reed projection 12. The flat design of the abutment 19 also serves to support the wedge disc 27 for the asymmetric bending of the pressure element 10. In the initial position shown in Figure 6, the wedge disk 27 points longitudinally and the planes 17, 30, 28, 29 and 26 are parallel. In the initial position, the force applied by the adjusting screw 14 acts equally on the pressure element tip 8. In Figure 7, the wedge disc is rotated by 90 degrees, and planes 30, 28, and 29 are positioned obliquely opposite plane 17. As a result of this oblique position, the reed blade moves out of plane 17 and becomes parallel to planes 30, 28, and 29. Depending on the position of the wedge disc 27, one of the two blade flanks 23 is bent further towards the web opening 4 than the other via the pressure element tip 8. This is adjustable depending on how far and to which side the rotatable wedge disc 27 is positioned. For the described movement of the pressure element 10 due to the rotation of the wedge disc 27, it is necessary that the column 18 has a smaller diameter than the width of the elongated hole 20. The length distance 9 between the clamping area 22 and the pressure element tip 8 is adjusted within the elongated hole 20 by sliding it. The compression spring 33 between leaf attachment 3 and fork-shaped pressure element 10 enables deactivation.Turning the adjusting screw 14 back accordingly causes the printing element tip 15 to be removed from the sheet surface. Reference symbol list: 1 mouthpiece 2 reed blades 3-leaf attachment 4 Train opening 5 track length 6 Mouthpiece table or reed rest 7 bore 8 Pressure element tip 9 Length distance between clamping area and pressure element tip 10 Fork-shaped pressure element 11 Clamping screw blade attachment 12 leaf cutouts 13 Leaf shaft 14 Adjusting screw 15 Mouthpiece tip 16 Adjustment range for pressure element 17 Level abutments 18 columns 19. Flat abutment 20 elongated holes 21 Heart 22 clamping range 23 flanks 24 leaf tip 25 threads for adjusting screw 26 Plane of pipe 27 Element for tilting the plane abutment and the plane pressure element in the form of a rotatable wedge disc 28 Level Top Print Element 29 Flat pressure element tip 30 Flat wedge disc 31 Wedge disc from above 32 Wedge disc from the side 33 Compression spring 34 Element for tilting the plane abutment and the plane pressure element in a design with adjusting screws

Claims

Device for asymmetrical bending of pipe blades at Single-reed instruments comprising a reed attachment (3), a fork-shaped pressure element (10) with two arms, each forming a pressure element tip (8) and arranged so that they can act on at least one flank (23) of a reed end (12) of a reed (2), at least one planar abutment (19) defining a plane abutment (17), at least one adjusting screw (14), and at least one rotatable wedge disk (27) with which an inclination between the plane abutment (17) and the plane of the upper side of the pressure element (28) or the plane of the pressure element tip (29) can be set, characterized in that, by means of the inclination set by means of the rotatable wedge disk (27), the force exerted on the pressure element (10) by the adjusting screw (14) is transmitted to the pressure element tips (8) in such a way that one of the two flanks (23) of the reed end (12) deflects more than the other.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the leaf attachment (3) has a column (18).

3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the pressure element (10) has an elongated hole (20) for adjustability on the tube sheet (2).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a compression spring (33) is located under the pressure element (10).

5. Computer-readable medium that stores data defining both a digital representation of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and corresponding operating instructions suitable for controlling an additive manufacturing device to produce a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 using the digital representation when this data is sent to the additive manufacturing device. [0001] [0002]In response to the objections raised in the written statement of the International Searching Authority dated 10 October 2025, the applicant hereby submits to the file, pursuant to Article 19 PCT, an amended set of claims as a replacement for the claims currently pending (“replacement sheets”). [0003]Furthermore, in accordance with Article 19 PCT in conjunction with Rule 46.5 PCT, a corresponding [0004]A cover letter is attached, specifying the changes made and their basis in the original application filed.

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