Wind Instrument Silencer Bent Pipe Breath Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional silencers for wind instruments lack an effective breath discharge passage design, leading to performance limitations in sound wave stabilization and pitch variation.

Innovation Solution

A silencer design featuring a pipe with a first end portion disposed near the closing portion, mounted on the bell of the wind instrument, where the pipe is bent between the first and second end portions, allowing the breath to be discharged externally, thereby stabilizing sound waves and reducing pitch variations by preventing dips and peaks in the audible range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the first end portion of the pipe is disposed far from the closing portion, then the pipe length is sufficient for breath discharge, but dips and peaks occur in the audible range due to sound wave interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound wave stabilizationVSAvoiddistance between first end portion and closing portion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe is configured to extend in a bent shape rather than a straight line, changing the spatial dimension of the breath discharge path. This allows the first end portion to be disposed near the closing portion (shortening the axial distance) while still providing sufficient pipe length for effective breath discharge through the bent configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe is disposed asymmetrically within the silencer body, with the first end portion positioned near the closing portion at one end and the second end portion extending toward the other end. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the distance relationship between the first end portion and closing portion to prevent sound wave interference while maintaining effective breath discharge functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If the pipe is made straight and long, then breath discharge is effective, but the silencer size increases and pitch variations occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreath discharge efficiencyVSAvoidsilencer volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe is configured to extend in a bent shape rather than a straight line, changing the spatial dimension of the breath discharge path. This allows the pipe to achieve sufficient length for effective breath discharge while being compactly arranged within the silencer body, thereby reducing the overall silencer volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the first end portion is disposed near the closing portion, then dips and peaks are prevented in audible range, but the pipe length for breath discharge is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound quality stabilityVSAvoidpipe length
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe is configured to extend in a bent shape rather than a straight line, changing the spatial dimension of the breath discharge path. This allows the first end portion to be disposed near the closing portion (shortening the axial distance) while still providing sufficient pipe length for effective breath discharge through the bent configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

The design effectively stabilizes sound waves and reduces pitch variations by ensuring that frequencies causing dips and peaks fall outside the audible range, providing a high-performance silencer with improved sound production and reduced resonance.

Implementation Method 1

the closing portion serves as a reflective surface for sounds produced by the wind instrument

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound wave reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

the sound waves of the direct sounds and the sound waves of the reflected sounds interfere with each other, so that the sound waves are made excessively small or large

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound wave interference: Interference

Data Source

PatentEP2767975B1Silencer
Publication Date: 2019.06.05 YAMAHA CORP
  • EP2767975B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2767975B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2767975B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A silencer includes: a main body (10) including (a) a cylindrical portion (11) whose outer circumferential surface is mounted on an inner circumferential surface of a bell (1) of a wind instrument and (b) a closing portion (12) configured to close one end portion (14) of opposite end portions of the cylindrical portion; and a pipe (20; 200) including (i) a first end portion (20a; 200a) opening inside the main body and (ii) a second end portion (20b; 200b) opening outside the main body. The first end portion of the pipe is disposed at a vicinity of the closing portion. The pipe is bent between the first end portion and the second end portion.