Cantilevered Head Sensor Support for Uniform Drum Pad Sensitivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic percussion instruments experience significant variations in sensor sensitivity due to uneven distribution of sensor response across the percussion surface, leading to inconsistent performance.

Innovation Solution

The electronic percussion instrument employs a cantilevered head sensor support method, utilizing a cylindrical body part with a support frame that integrates a plate and a cantilevered plate structure to uniformly distribute sensor sensitivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the head sensor is installed directly on the head with a plate and cushion, then the sensor can detect percussion vibrations, but the sensor sensitivity varies significantly across different percussion surface regions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor sensitivity uniformityVSAvoidsupport structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is divided into multiple components: a plate for mounting the sensor, a support frame with multiple support parts positioned at different locations, and a cushion for vibration transmission. This segmentation allows each component to serve a specific function in achieving uniform sensor sensitivity while maintaining structural complexity at an acceptable level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support frame is designed with multiple support parts positioned at different locations around the head sensor, creating a distributed support structure. This local quality variation in support positioning helps uniform the sensor sensitivity across different percussion surface regions by compensating for the varying distance from the immediate above region.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If the head sensor is positioned to detect vibrations, then percussion detection is enabled, but extremely large output values occur when the vicinity immediately above the head sensor is percussed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepercussion detection accuracyVSAvoidextremely large output values
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The plate and cushion act as intermediary elements between the head sensor and the head. The plate provides a distributed mounting surface, and the cushion transmits vibrations while cushioning the direct impact. This intermediary structure prevents extremely large output values from occurring when the vicinity immediately above the head sensor is percussed, while still enabling accurate percussion detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The cushion is positioned between the head sensor and the head to provide beforehand cushioning. This cushion absorbs the impact energy before it reaches the sensor, preventing extremely large output values when the vicinity immediately above the head sensor is percussed, while still allowing vibration transmission for accurate detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the head sensor is supported in a fixed manner, then structural stability is improved, but sensor sensitivity distribution becomes non-uniform

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport structure stabilityVSAvoidsensor sensitivity uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support frame is designed with multiple support parts that can flexibly adapt to vibrations while maintaining overall structural stability. This dynamic support structure allows the sensor to maintain stable mounting while achieving uniform sensitivity distribution across different percussion surface regions through the distributed support configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The plate and support frame are merged into an integrated support structure that combines the mounting function of the plate with the stabilizing function of the support frame. This merged structure provides both structural stability and uniform sensor sensitivity distribution by combining the benefits of both components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design ensures consistent and accurate detection of percussion vibrations across the instrument's surface, enhancing the accuracy and uniformity of sensor response.

Implementation Method 1

a piezoelectric element (sensor) bonded to the upper surface of the plate via a double-sided tape having a cushion property

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

the vibration at the time of percussion to the head 3 is transmitted to the piezoelectric element via the cushion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration transmission: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP4485453B1Electronic percussion instrument and head sensor support method
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 ROLAND CORP
  • EP4485453B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4485453B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4485453B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A head sensor (10) is supported in a cantilevered state by using a plate (12), the plate (12) is deformed to be bent when a head (4) is percussed in a vicinity immediately above the cushion. Since the impact at the time of the percussion to the head (4) can be absorbed through bending of the plate (12), when the head sensor (10) (cushion (10c)) is percussed in the vicinity immediately above the head sensor (10), the output value of the sensor (10b) can be suppressed from becoming extremely large. Accordingly, the sensitivity can be suppressed from being varied in a percussion surface region close to the immediate above of the head sensor (10) or a percussion surface region away from the head sensor (10). Accordingly, the sensitivity distribution of the head sensor (10) with respect to the percussion to the head (4) can be unified. [Representative view]