Abstract:
A bass drum foot pedal assembly for triggering rapid multiple drum beats in an electronic drum or percussion synthesizer having a frame with an upper striking surface with an electronic drum trigger wired to the electronic drum and a lower striking surface with an electronic drum trigger wired to the drum, a spring-biased foot pedal having a contact on the upper surface of the pedal toe and a contact on the lower surface of the pedal toe positioned between the upper and lower striking surfaces. The drummer can trigger a drumbeat upon depression of the pedal by causing the lower contact to actuate a trigger and by releasing the the pedal to the upper contact to actuate a trigger, thereby triggering multiple rapid drumbeats.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to provisional application Serial No. 60/393,625, filed Jul. 2, 2002 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to percussion instruments and, more specifically, to a foot actuated bass drum pedal that allows the drummer to perform rapid, multiple drumbeats on a percussion instrument synthesizer or an electronic drum set.  
           [0003]    Drummers always are seeking ways to effectuate rapid drum beats, particularly on a base drum. Generally, the drummer causes a bass drum beat by depressing a floor mounted drum foot pedal, which causes a pivotally mounted drumbeater to strike the base drum. With electronic percussion instruments such as electronic drums or synthesizers the drumbeat generally is actuated by closing an electronic contact or actuating a vibration detecting transducer, which then electronically elicits a drumbeat. Synthesized percussion instruments and representative prior art embodiments of drum pedals used therewith are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,025, U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,279 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,485.  
           [0004]    Prior art devices suffer from notable drawbacks, particularly that drummer foot speed limits the rapidity of generating a drumbeat. It would be advantageous, therefore, to have a drum pedal assembly that can actuate rapid, multiple drum beats with little additional effort or foot speed by the drummer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is among the several objects of the invention to provide a foot actuated drum pedal for an electronic drum set wherein the pedal actuates a bass drum beat both when depressing the pedal and when releasing the pedal. The drum pedal allows the drummer to generate rapid, multiple drumbeats with little additional physical exertion.  
           [0006]    Generally stated, the electronic drum pedal assembly of the present invention includes a base, a heel plate on the base at the heel end of the base and foot pedal pivotally attached to the heel plate. There is a biasing spring between the foot pedal and the base. The foot pedal includes an upwardly extending striker at the toe end and a downwardly extending striker also at the toe end of the foot pedal. An upper striking surface is adjustably positioned above the toe end of the foot at a desired height and a lower striking surface is mounted on the base below the toe end of the foot pedal. In a preferred embodiment, the respective striking surfaces are rectangular, hollow tubes. A first transducer is acoustically attached to the upper striking surface and a second transducer is acoustically attached to the lower striking surface. In a preferred embodiment, the respective transducers are of the piezoelectric type that can convert impact-induced vibration into an electrical signal into an electrical output signal. The transducers are electrically connected to plugs or jacks. Leads from the electronic drum or synthesizer are operatively connected to the jacks.  
           [0007]    Depression of the spring-biased pivotal foot pedal causes the lower striker to impact the lower striking surface, causing vibration, which generates an electrical signal through the transducer to the drum, and release of the foot pedal allows the upper striker to impact the upper striking surface, causing vibration and generating an electrical signal through the transducer to the drum. Thus, the drummer can generate a drum beat by alternatively depressing and releasing the foot pedal, which allows the drummer to generate rapid, multiple drumbeats with little additional physical exertion or added foot speed.  
           [0008]    The adjustability of the top striking surface allows the drummer to increase or decrease the distance between the upper and lower striking surface, thus permitting the drummer to adjust pedal travel, to alter the rapidity of drumbeats or adjust the general feel of the drum pedal to taste and style.  
           [0009]    In another embodiment, the upper and lower strikers and striking surfaces can be electrical contacts wherein striking of a striking by the contact closes an electrical circuit to generate an electrical signal to the drum to elicit a drumbeat. The drummer similarly can generate rapid, multiple drumbeats through pedal depression and pedal release. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the multi-trigger drum pedal assembly of the present invention:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the drum pedal assembly;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is an end plan view thereof with the drum pedal striker contacting the upper striking surface;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is another end plan view with the drum pedal striker contacting the lower striking surface, partially exploded to illustrate the vibration detecting transducers; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the multi-triggered drum pedal assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    One embodiment of the multi-triggered drum pedal assembly of the present invention is shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  and indicated generally by reference numeral  10 . Drum pedal assembly  10  includes a base  12  having a top surface  14  and a bottom surface  16 . The base  12  generally is a flat plate, fashioned from a durable, lightweight material, such as aluminum, or any other wear-resistant material. Base  12  is designed to rest on a playing surface, such as the floor. Base  12  has a toe end  18  and a heel end  20 . As shown, the toe end  18  is wider than the heel end  20  to provide a stable, yet aesthetically pleasing base. There is a traction pad  22  attached to the bottom surface  16  at the toe end  18  of the base plate and a second traction pad  24  attached to the bottom surface  16  at the heel of the base. The traction pads generally are fashioned from rubber and have transverse ridges to improve the non-skid characteristics of the pads. The pads keep the pedal assembly  10  from slipping or skidding on the floor when the pedal is in use. Also, the pads prevent the metal base from directly contacting the floor and provide some shock absorption properties. Any number of traction pads may be employed, or the entire bottom surface  16  of the base plate can be covered with a cushioning, non-skid material, if desired.  
         [0016]    There is a heel pad  26  mounted on base plate at the heel end of the plate, generally by screws that extend upwardly through the base and the traction pad to engage the heel pad. Heel pad  26  has a generally rectangular outline, being somewhat wider at the front edge than at the rear in the illustrated embodiment. Heel pad  26  has recessed corners  27  and  28  on the front edge with a hinge-mounting boss  29  extending out between the recesses. As shown in FIG. 1, heel plate  26  has a slightly rounded profile created by a rearward sloping top surface  30 . The drummer&#39;s heel generally rests on heel plate  26  during play and the sloped top surface facilitates the rocking of the drummer&#39;s foot to depress the foot pedal.  
         [0017]    A foot pedal  32  is attached to the heel pad and positioned above the base. Foot pedal  32  has an elongated, flat body section  33 , a toe end  34  and a heel end  36 . In the embodiment shown, body section  33  tapers in width from the toe toward the heel, but flares out at each side of the heel end. The top surface of the pedal can include a traction pad, strips or grooves that retard slippage of the drummer&#39;s foot. The flared heel end includes a pair spaced apart lugs  38 ,  40  with a notch or space  42  in between. Space  42  is dimensioned so that hinge mounting boss  29  fits within space  42 . A hinge pin  44  extends through lugs  38  and  40 , as well as boss  29  so that pedal  32  is hingedly or pivotally attached to heel pad  26 .  
         [0018]    As seen in FIG. 1 there is a spring  46  between base  12  and pedal  32  to bias pedal  32  away from the base. Although shown as a coil spring, a leaf spring, a resilient material, such as rubber, or other biasing elements can be used to bias the pedal above the base. In any event, the tension of the biasing means, such as spring  46  can be varied, again to adjust the feel of the pedal to the drummer&#39;s tastes. That is, for example, a coil spring that is easier or more difficult to compress can be used in that position, as the drummer desires.  
         [0019]    There is a striker mounting extension  48  at the extreme toe end of pedal  32 . In the illustrated embodiment, the extension  48  is narrower in width that the pedal but generally of the same thickness. There us an upper striker  50  extending upwardly from the top surface of the extension and a lower striker  52  extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the extension. In the preferred embodiment, the respective strikers are formed in an L-shape from flat metal sheets seated in a recess  53  in extension  48  and attached to the pedal by screws. As seen in FIG. 3, a bar  54  extends across the recess to close of the recess and provide a pleasing, finished look. There is a wedge-shaped toe stop  55  extending upwardly from boss  48  between the boss and body  33  of the pedal. Toe stop  55  provides a forward contact point for the drummer&#39;s foot to prevent the foot from sliding too far forward and to give the drummer a landmark when feeling for the pedal.  
         [0020]    It will be noted that although the respective strikers  50 , 52  are shown as a formed from flat sheet metal, the strikers can be of any configuration and of any appropriate material. The only requirement for construction of the strikers is that they be of an appropriate material and configuration so as to cause vibration in a striking surface when they contact the striking surface, as will be explained below. Furthermore, these elements are referred to as strikers for simplicity and clarity. The also could be referred to as striking elements or hammers or other such appropriate term.  
         [0021]    A lower striking surface  56  is mounted on the base, toward the toe end, and positioned under pedal  32  so that the lower striker  52  contacts the striking surface when the drummer depresses pedal  32 , as illustrated in FIG. 4. In the preferred embodiment, the lower striking surface  56  is constructed from a rectangular tube  58 , generally a metal tube, such as an aluminum tube. Tube  58  is positioned transversely on base  12 . There is a shock absorber  60 , generally foam rubber, between the bottom surface of tube  58  and base  12 . Tube  58  is attached to the base by threaded rods  62  and  64 . The threaded rods extend through holes (not seen) in the top and bottom surfaces of the tube, the shock absorber, through the base and traction pad, and are secured to the base by nuts (not seen) at the bottom of the base. The hex-nuts generally are recessed in the traction pad. A wing nut  66 , metal washer  68  and shock absorbing rubber washer  70  on threaded rod  62  and a wing nut  72 , metal washer  74  shock absorbing waster  76 , are tightened against tube  58  to secure it in place on base  12  with shock absorber  60  sandwiched in-between. In the preferred embodiment, wing nuts are used to facilitate easy removal of the rods and tube in the event the drummer desires to adjust the positioning of tube  58 . For example, tube  58  can be raised to reduce travel of pedal  32  by inserting a thicker shock absorber, bushings, support blocks or springs under tube  58 . For all practical purposes, tube  58 , therefore, can be considered adjustable.  
         [0022]    As seen in FIG. 4, there are plastic plugs  78  and  80  inserted into each end of tube  58 . However, as seen in FIG. 1, plug  78  includes a jack  82  for insertion of an appropriate lead from the electronic drum set, as known in the art. Jack  82  is electrically connected by wires  84  to a trigger  86 . The trigger can be a transducer of the piezoelectric type that converts impact-induced vibration into an electrical signal into an electrical output signal. In the preferred embodiment, trigger  86  is attached or bonded to the top surface of tube  58  inside the tube, generally at the middle of the tube, by appropriate means, such as liquid silicone that dries to hold trigger  86  in place, similar to gluing. Trigger  86  is a transducer that picks up vibrations when lower striker  52  strikes striking surface  56  and transmit that information or voltage to the synthesizer. Although the illustrated embodiment shows one trigger positioned centrally inside tube  58 , more than one trigger can be employed in a striking element, to increase sensitivity or to trigger multiple drums. One example of such an arrangement would be two triggers, one at each end of the tube.  
         [0023]    A second, upper striking surface  88  is positioned above pedal  32  so that upper striker  50  can contact the striking surface when pedal  32  is released and the spring forces it upward, as seen in FIG. 3. Striking surface  88 , in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a rectangular tube  90 . Tube  90  is mounted on threaded rods  62  and  64 , which extend through the tube. A pair of nut and washer combinations  92 ,  94  are positioned under the tube and a pair of wing nuts  96 ,  98  and washer and shock absorbing washers are positioned on top of tube  90  to secure in place on the threaded rods. The ends of tube  90  are closed with plugs  100  and  102 , with plug  100  including jack  104  that is electrically connected to trigger  106  by wires  108 . Trigger  106  is of the same type as trigger  86  and mounted inside tube  90  in a similar fashion. And, likewise, more than one trigger may be employed in tube  90 .  
         [0024]    It will be understood, that the various nut and washer combinations can be used to adjust the relative position of tube  90  to pedal  32  and tube  58 . That is, tube  90  can be raised or lowered on the threaded rods to increase or decrease pedal travel so as to adjust the pedal to the drummer&#39;s taste or musical style.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the drum pedal assembly, indicated generally by reference numeral  110 . In general, the base  12  and pedal arrangement are the same as that of pedal assembly  10 , including an upwardly extending striker  50  and a downwardly extending striker  52 . However, pedal assembly  110  includes an upper striking surface support frame  112  including first vertical support  114  and a spaced apart second vertical support  116 . The respective supports are positioned at the extreme lateral edges of base  12 , adjacent the toe end of the base. There is a cross member  118  bridging the two vertical supports. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical supports and cross member are rectangular tubes, however, any appropriate configuration is acceptable. As shown, cross member  118  is attached to the vertical supports by a threaded rods  120  and  122  that extend through holes formed in the cross member walls (not shown) and fastened under base  12  by hex-nuts (not shown). Wing nut and washer assemblies  124  and  126  secure the cross member to the vertical supports.  
         [0026]    An upper striking surface  128  is suspended below cross member  118 . In the illustrated embodiment, striking surface  128  comprises a rectangular metal tube  130 . Tube  130  is connected to cross member  118  by a pair of shorter threaded rods  132  and  134  which extend through cross member  118 . The upper ends of threaded rods  132 ,  134  are secured to cross member  118  by wing nut  136  and  138 , generally with washers, respectively and to tube  130  by hex nuts (not shown) on the bottom side of tube  130 . It will be noted that there is a coil spring  140  around rod  132  and a coil spring  142  around rod  134 . Tube  130  can be raised or lower vis-à-vis pedal  32  by adjusting wing nuts  136  and  138 . Springs  140  and  142  provide stability and shock absorbing characteristics. A trigger  144 , of the type previously described, is bonded to the lower inside surface of tube  130  and connected by wires  146  to a jack plug  148 .  
         [0027]    A lower striking surface  150  is positioned below striker  52 . In the illustrated embodiment, lower striking surface  144  comprises a rectangular metal tube  152 . Tube  152  is positioned above base  12  and supported by short threaded rods  154  and  156 , which extend through holes in the bottom surface of tube  152  and secured to the tube by hex-nuts  158 ,  160  respectively. The hex-nuts are recessed into traction pad  22 . Rods  154  and  156  are secured to base  12  by hex nuts (not shown) on the bottom of the base. There is a coil spring  162  around rod  154  and a coil spring  164  around rod  156  to maintain tube  152  above base  32  and to provide stability and shock absorbing characteristics. A trigger  166  is bonded to the inside of the upper surface of tube  152  and connected by wires  168  to jack plug  170 .  
         [0028]    Pedal assembly  110  functions similarly to pedal assembly  10 . When the drummer depresses pedal  32 , striker  52  contacts lower striking surface  150 . The vibration is sensed by trigger  166 , which is connected to the synthesizer through leads connected to jack plug  164  to elicit a drumbeat. When the drummer releases pedal  32 , striker  50  contacts upper striking surface  128 , which, in turn, actuates a drumbeat through trigger  144 . The drummer can adjust the travel of pedal  32  by lowering or raising striking surface  128  or striking surface  150 . The presence of coil springs  140 , 142  and  162 ,  164  provide shock-absorbing characteristics that give the drummer better control over the instrument.  
         [0029]    In alternative embodiments of either pedal assembly  10  or  110 , the upper and lower strikers and the upper and lower striking surfaces are electrically connected to the synthesizer so that the closing of a circuit generates the drum beat. That is, the strikers and striking surfaces are electrical contacts. When the upper striker contacts the upper striking surface, a circuit is closed, eliciting a drumbeat. Likewise, the same occurs when the lower striker contacts the lower striking surface. Instead of a vibration eliciting the drumbeat, a direct current does so. In any event, the positioning of the striking surfaces and strikers result in the rapid drum beat.  
         [0030]    It will be appreciated that the striking surfaces  56  and  88  and  128  and  150  in the illustrated embodiments are rectangular hollow metal tubes. This construction imparts desired vibratory qualities to the striking surfaces, which in turn, provide desired sensitivity and responsiveness. However, it will be understood that the term striking surface, as used, is intended to include any striking surface equipped with a transducer, that can be contacted or struck by the pedal to elicit a vibration and, hence, a drumbeat. The striking surfaces may be flat, rather than tubular, cylindrical or any other configuration that will allow the attachment of a trigger or electrical contact, without departing from the scope of the invention. The striking surfaces also may be referred to as anvils, impact surfaces or the like.  
         [0031]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. The foregoing description and accompanying drawings disclose the best mode of working the invention presently known to the inventor and are intended to be illustrative of the broad invention. Therefore, the specification should be viewed as illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims.