Abstract:
The invention is a sound modification device used for a percussion instrument. It is comprised of a rigid body, interchangeable absorbent inserts, and a magnet. Once assembled and placed on the skin of a drum, these three pieces work together to make a highly effective and versatile damper to eliminate unwanted ranginess when drum is struck. The damper can be slid around the perimeter of the drum until the desired sound is achieved. The weight of the damper body adds mass to the drum, the magnet adds pull to the rim of the drum to hold the damper, and the absorbent inserts tailor the amount of dampening desired by the musician.

Description:
This application claims priority of provisional patent titled A sound modification device for percussion instruments; filed on the date of Sep. 30, 2009, having Ser. application No. 61/277,825, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein its entirety. 
    
    
     CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the technical field of music. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of music modification. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of a music modification device for any percussion instrument. 
     PRIOR ART 
     
         
         1. Dampening Material for a Drum
       United States Patent Application 20030233928   Kind Code A1   Gatzen, Robert A. Dec. 25, 2003   
     
         2. Dampening Material for a Drum
       United States Patent Application 20050200059   Kind Code A1   Smith, Lane: et al. Sep. 15, 2005   
     
         3. Sound Modification System
       United States Patent Application 20070056428   Kind Code A1   May; James H. JR. Mar. 15, 2007   
     
         4. Bass Drum Mute
       United States Patent Application 20080264233   Kind Code A1   Gatzen; Robert A. Oct. 30, 2008   
     
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The sound modification device for a percussion instrument will be referred to as the vibration “damper” for the purpose of this application. The vibration damper or damper is an invention for modifying the sound made by a vibratible surface, such as a drumhead used for creating music. The damper may be comprised of one or more rigid surfaces and one or more flexible surfaces to be in contact with a vibratable surface, plus at least one integrated magnet that could be removably adhered to some portion of a percussion instrument such as the rim of a drum. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an upside down inside perspective, exploded view, of the damper with insert; 
         FIG. 2  is the inside view of just the rigid surface of the damper; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of rigid surface and integrated magnet of the damper; 
         FIG. 4  is the perspective view of the assembled damper releasably adhered to the rim of drum; 
         FIG. 5  is the cut side view of the damper sitting on top of the drumhead within the inside rim of a drum. Also shows a slot that could be used to attach the damper to a non-magnet-able drum rim; 
         FIG. 6  is the distant perspective view of the damper within the scope of a full sized drum, rim and drumhead.  FIG. 6  also shows that the damper can be slid to desired spot on the drum; 
         FIG. 7  is the perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the damper; showing the vertical movement of the magnet within the damper: 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the damper in more detail in  FIG. 1 ; is an upside down perspective view of the damper according to one embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The damper  10  is shown having at least one rigid surface  12  attaching to at least one flexible surface  14 . The present device will be described more with  FIGS. 1  thru  9  and may be used in any appropriate application with sound producing equipment. 
     In further detail, still referring to the damper of  FIG. 1 ; The rigid surface  12  may be wood, stone, hard plastic, alloy, or any sufficiently durable surface, but most preferably a metal surface. The rigid surface  12  could be wavey, flat, holed, angled, textured, or any combination of these, but most preferably a smooth and flat surface. The flexible surface  14  could be cotton, synthetic leather or any combination of soft fibrous materials, but most preferably leather. The flexible surface could be of any weight, size, color, or thickness. 
     The construction details of the damper as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
     The rigid surface  12  may be any shape: oval, round, square, triangular, etc, but preferably rectangular in shape. The size of the rigid surface  12  could be, but is not limited to, 1⅞ inches wide×2¼ inches long×⅝ inch thick with rounded corners. The flexible surface  14  could be constructed out of one or more pieces of leather or a combination of leather and metal or plastic or both. The leather could be attached to a ferrous material and be attracted to the integrated permanent magnet in the said damper. The flexible surface  14  could be attached to the rigid surface  12  by glue, screws, or hook and loop or another magnet. The flexible surface  14  could be at least one piece of leather and arranged in any way with the magnet  16 . 
     Referring now to the damper in  FIG. 2 ; which shows the damper  10  with an inside view of the rigid surface  12 . 
     In further detail, still referring to the damper of  FIG. 2 ; The rigid surface  12  could be the base. 
     The construction details of the damper as shown in  FIG. 2 ; The rigid surface  12  could be constructed in pieces but most preferable one solid piece. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 ; of the damper  10 ; the magnet  16  could occupy all or part of the surface area of the base  12  but it not limited to this form. The magnet  16  could be dipped and or coated with any other material: rubber, plastic etc. The magnet  16  could be 1½ inches long×¼′ inch wide×¼ inch thick with a 7.1 radius  17 , glued, screwed, or adhered in any way to the rigid surface  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 ; Still referring to the damper  10 , the length of the perimeter of the rigid surface  12 , could be curved or straight but preferably curved at a radius  13  of 7.124 in a way to conform to the inside shape of a standard snare drum rim  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 ; Still referring to the damper  10  the vertical slot angle  26  could be preferably 105 or 15 degrees, or any angle around the perimeter of the present device  10  that fits snuggly inside any rim  22  of any drum. The magnet  16  could releasably attach itself to the inside of the rim  22 . With the addition of a precise radius arc and vertical slot angle  26  the damper can maintain a secure fit even without the use of a magnet for non-ferrous snare drum rims. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 ; this is the distant perspective view of the damper  10  within the scope of a full sized drum  30 , rim  22  and drumhead  31 .  FIG. 6  also shows that the damper can be slid  32  via the slot  26  to desired spot on the drum  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 ; Still referring to the damper  10  this alternate damper  44  could have this embodiments and could take many different forms with the materials and ideas listed thus far.  FIG. 7  shows a backside perspective view of a movable or floating magnet  41 . 
     In further detail, still referring to the damper of  FIG. 7 ; the damper  44  when flipped over, gravity will pull the magnet  41  downward  49 . This damper idea  44  would not need the slot to be cut in the rigid material in order to secure to the rim of a said drum. A dampening material  45  could be permanently affixed to the rigid base  46  and turned over depending upon desired sound. The magnet  41  will make the proper connection to the metal rim of the drum similar to  FIG. 6  but without the slot configuration. 
     In even further detail, still referring to the damper of  FIG. 7 ; the damper  44  can move along inside of drum rim similar to damper  10 , but will only work for ferrous materials. This damper  44  could be manufactured more easily and sold for the least amount. 
     Method of Use 
     Place the damper on the inside of the drum, inserting it along the rim of the said drum. When a drummer strikes the drumhead with a stick, the damper is meant to contact the drum membrane or skin directly. The damper takes the dissonant sounding resonance of the drumhead and pinpoints the unwanted frequency or unappealing “ring” of the drum. The damper has a slot that accepts the rim of the drum which is used for sliding the damper along the inside of the drum changing the sound as played until finally settling on the best tone and spot on the drum. From there, the drummer can further detail his sound with the inserts of different materials weights and textures. The weight of the damper in conjunction with the magnet&#39;s pull to the rim of the drum, keeps the said device from moving, and thus achieves the necessary adhesion without the need for clumsy attachments that may bend, break or strip, or, gooey gels that may loose stickiness by picking up lint or stain the drumhead. Also there is a specifically designed slot that will work on most of the current non ferrous or alloy rims on the market today. This is secured not by a magnet but by the precise geometry of the slot leveraging against the back of the drum rim to achieve a secure and reliable bond on every hit to the drum. To take off, it simply needs to be lifted from the back of the damper. The sliding effect works just as well with these allow rims as the ferrous rims. 
     Advantages 
     The first advantage of the damper is that it offers a range of sound modifications for a percussion instrument “quickly” and simply. Within seconds the drummer can decide the best place for the damper while hitting the drumhead with a stick in one hand and moving the magnetized damper around the perimeter with the other. The second advantage is that it is “robust” in construction and free from wearing out its parts. Made almost entirely from one piece of metal or rigid material it could last an extremely long time. The third is that the damper has a “slot” to accept non-ferrous rims and attach without clumsy screws or latches or glues or hook and loop. The fourth advantage is the damper can be taken off in the same fashion and removably adhered to the side of the metal drum for “storage”. The fifth advantage is that the damper can accept “interchangeable surfaces” and materials hard or soft to more precisely tailor the specific kind of unwanted drum ring sound. The last advantage is that the “weight” of the present device adds mass to the drum itself, and once attached, turns a cheap snare drum, for instance, into a heavier more expensive and solid sounding one. 
     In a broad embodiment, the present device is an invention for modifying the sound made by a vibratable surface of a percussion instrument. The invention should not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.