Abstract:
The present invention is embodied in a multipurpose instrument system that includes a drumstick configured to incorporate one or more drumstick tips for striking a drum set and a shaker percussion instrument incorporated near the drumstick tips, wherein the drumstick tips are configured to be interchangeable tips or percussion instruments. A coating can be applied to the tip to protect equipment struck by the drumstick and wherein the interchangeable tips can be configured to be flipped by a user to allow the drumstick to perform with various tips and percussion instruments without having to physically switch equipment.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Drums are a percussion instrument that is used in various musical styles. Many drummers perform as the percussion section of a band. The performance may have the drummer physically switching different pieces of equipment during a song such as a traditional drumstick, a shaker such as a maraca and/or a brush while trying to hold down the groove or beat. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of an overview of a multipurpose drumstick system of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0003]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of an operation of a multipurpose drumstick of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0004]      FIG. 3A  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with the shaker near the traditional drumstick tip top end and full drumstick coating of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3B  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with the shaker near the traditional drumstick tip top end and a mallet tip butt end of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4A  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of a multipurpose drumstick dowel rod tip end view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4B  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with the shaker near a dowel rod tip of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4C  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with a traditional drumstick tip top end, shaker and a dowel rod tip butt end of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5A  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of the multipurpose drumstick traditional drumstick tip and shaker tip configuration of  FIG. 1  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5B  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of multipurpose drumstick dowel rod tip and shaker configuration of  FIG. 4B  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  shows a block diagram of the multipurpose drumstick interchangeable tip system of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7A  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of an exploded view of a multipurpose drumstick with a loadable shaker tip and an interchangeable brush tip of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7B  shows for illustrative purposes only shows a section view of an example of a loadable shaker tip of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In a following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific example in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
       General Overview: 
       [0015]    It should be noted that the descriptions that follow, for example, in terms of a multipurpose drumstick, is described for illustrative purposes only and the underlying system can apply to any number and multiple types of drumstick configurations. In one embodiment of the present invention, a multipurpose drumstick can include a traditional drumstick tip top end and a shaker butt end. The multipurpose drumstick is a variable drumstick system and multipurpose drumsticks can be configured with a traditional drumstick tip top end and a shaker located along the drumstick shaft near the top end tip and in other forms, colors, combinations, elements, shapes and sizes using the present invention. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of an overview of a multipurpose drumstick system of one embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram in  FIG. 1  shows the elements of one configuration of a multipurpose drumstick  100 . The example of the multipurpose drumstick  100  shown in  FIG. 1  has a drumstick shaft  110  with a traditional drumstick tip  120  positioned at one end of the shaft and a shaker  130  positioned at the opposite end. In this example the assembled multipurpose drumstick  100  elements are covered with a coating  140  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0017]    The drummer in a band may perform the drum instrumental using different equipment during portions of a song to create different sounds or even other percussion instruments in sections. This typically involves switching equipment during the performance of a song for example different tips such as hard, softer and/or brushes and even other percussion instruments such as a maraca type shaker. A drummer performing with a pair of multipurpose drumsticks as shown in this example has in hand both pieces of equipment to play the drums and perform shaker or maraca portions of the song. A simple flip of one or both sticks makes the change and thereby the drummer can easily hold down the groove or beat without missing a beat or fumbling for another piece of equipment. The multipurpose drumstick system provides drummers with a choice of multipurpose drumstick configurations to enhance their performance through reducing or eliminating mid song equipment changes of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Detailed Operation: 
       [0018]    The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed. The above described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of an operation of a multipurpose drumstick of one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows the multipurpose drumstick  100  with the drumstick shaft  110  element. The drumstick shaft  110  can be constructed of various materials for example a composite, various species of wood or aluminum. The drumstick shaft  110  can for example be of a solid piece of material or a lamination of multiple materials or a bundling of a group of materials. The two ends of a drum stick are typical referred to as the top end and butt end. Typical drumsticks consist a traditional drumstick tip  120  located at the top end and the shaft extending to the butt end where the drummer holds the stick of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0020]    The multipurpose drumstick system provides a piece of musical equipment to enable a drummer during the performance of a song to create different drumming sounds and other percussion instrumentals without having to switch equipment. The rhythm in  FIG. 2  consists of the drumstick shaft  110  with the traditional drumstick tip  120  positioned at the top end and the shaker  130  at the butt end and completely encased in a durable coating  140 . A pair of multipurpose drumstick  100  drumsticks can be held in this position as the drummer strikes the drum set  200 . During the song the drummer flips the multipurpose drumstick  210  or both and can perform the shaker instrumental  220  section using the shaker  130 . When completed with the section the drummer can quickly and easily flip or twirl the multipurpose drumstick  100  back into position to hit the drum and continue the song without the fuss of physically switching equipment of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Multipurpose Drumstick Configuration Examples: 
       [0021]      FIG. 3A  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with the shaker near the traditional drumstick tip top end and full drumstick coating of one embodiment of the present invention. The multipurpose drumstick system allows varied configurations for example that shown in  FIG. 3A  a mid shaft shaker multipurpose drumstick  300  configuration with modified drumstick shaft  310  with a traditional drumstick tip  120  at the top end and a shaker  130  incorporated along the shaft below the traditional drumstick tip  120  with a full coating  140 . The traditional drumstick tip  120  can for example be made in a variety of tip shapes such as oval, mushroom, fat, ball, acorn, barrel and round and of a variety of materials such as wood, metal or nylon. The drummer now has the ability to include the shaker  130  in the performance of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3B  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with the shaker near the traditional drumstick tip top end and a mallet tip butt end of one embodiment of the present invention. The multipurpose drumstick system allows varied configurations for example that shown in  FIG. 3B  a mid shaft shaker mallet multipurpose drumstick  320  configuration with modified drumstick shaft  310  with a traditional drumstick tip  120  at the top end and a shaker  130  incorporated along the shaft below the traditional drumstick tip  120  with a partial coating  140 . The partial coating  140  stops at the mallet tip  330  made of for example soft felt and positioned at the butt end. This configuration provides the drummer with two types of tips with which to strike the drum set producing two distinct sounds with a simple flip and the ability to include the shaker  130  in the performance of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Dowel Drumstick Tip: 
       [0023]      FIG. 4A  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of a multipurpose drumstick dowel rod tip end view of one embodiment of the present invention. The flexibility in providing multipurpose drumstick configurations of the multipurpose drumstick  100  system includes the use of shaft elements made up of groupings of small dowel rods  400  for example in a hexagonal shape and using materials for example hard wood birch. The sound produced by the small dowel rods  410  hitting the drum is different and desirable by some drummers for various musical styles of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4B  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with the shaker near a dowel rod tip of one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4B  shows a multipurpose drumstick  100  of  FIG. 1  in a configuration using the groupings of small dowel rods  400  of  FIG. 4A  to form a dowel rod tip  420  and a dowel drumstick shaft  430 . A shaker  130  is positioned along the dowel drumstick shaft  430  below the dowel rod tip  420  and a partial coating  140  is applied to this section of the assembly. The following section of the dowel drumstick shaft  430  is uncoated. Nearing the butt end the dowel drumstick shaft  430  is coated to the end of the shaft. Installed at the butt end is a durable cap  440  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4C  shows a block diagram of a configuration of a multipurpose drumstick with a traditional drumstick tip top end, shaker and a dowel rod tip butt end of one embodiment of the present invention. In particular,  FIG. 4C  shows a multipurpose drumstick  100  of  FIG. 1  in a configuration using the traditional drumstick tip  120  at the top end followed by the shaker  130  positioned along the dowel drumstick shaft  430  and a partial coating  140  is applied to this section of the assembly stopping near the butt end. The continuing section of dowel drumstick shaft  430  is uncoated leaving the butt end dowel rod tip  420  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Multipurpose Drumstick Illustrations: 
       [0026]      FIG. 5A  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of the multipurpose drumstick traditional drumstick tip and shaker tip configuration of  FIG. 1  of one embodiment of the present invention. An example of the multipurpose drumstick configuration depicted in the block diagram of  FIG. 1  is shown in an illustration in  FIG. 5A  only for the purposes of visualization. The illustration shows the multipurpose drumstick  100  elements of the drumstick shaft  110 , a traditional drumstick tip  120  positioned at one end of the shaft and a shaker  130  positioned at the opposite end. Undistinguished in this illustration is the complete coating  140  of  FIG. 1  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5B  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of multipurpose drumstick dowel rod tip and shaker configuration of  FIG. 4B  of one embodiment of the present invention. An example of the multipurpose drumstick configuration depicted in the block diagram of  FIG. 4B  is shown in an illustration in  FIG. 5B  only for the purposes of visualization. The illustration shows the multipurpose drumstick configuration with the uncoated dowel rod tip  420  at the top end. Below the uncoated dowel rod tip  420  a coating  140  begins to cover the dowel drumstick shaft  430  and the shaker  130  positioned near the top end. Continuing down the shaft a section is uncoated. Nearing the butt end the coating  140  begins again and covers the remaining section of the dowel drumstick shaft  430  to the butt end. Shown at the butt end is the durable cap  440  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Interchangeable Tip System: 
       [0028]      FIG. 6  shows a block diagram of the multipurpose drumstick interchangeable tip system of one embodiment of the present invention. The multipurpose drumstick system provides drummers with the ability to produced different percussion sounds using a set of multipurpose drumsticks configured to relieve the drummer of having to physically change equipment during the performance of a song. One of the novel features of the multipurpose drumstick system is the interchangeable tip system. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment,  FIG. 6  shows an interchangeable drumstick shaft  650  that is configured with a female threaded receptacle  640  at both the top and butt ends of the shaft. The interchangeable tip system includes for example various tips configured with a male threaded end  620  which allows them to be twisted or screwed into the female threaded receptacle  640  ends of the interchangeable drumstick shaft  650 . The interchangeable tips  660  include for example a traditional drumstick tip  120 , which can be configured in a variety of shapes and materials, a dowel rod tip  420 , a mallet tip  330 , a brush tip  670  and a loadable shaker tip  600 . This allows the drummer to choose from the assortment of tips for each song. The adaptability provided by the multipurpose drumstick interchangeable tip system allows the drummer to quickly be ready to produce the desired sounds from song to song while maintaining the ease of use of different equipment with a simple flip enabled with multipurpose drumstick system of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0030]    The loadable shaker tip  600  expands the adaptation of producing different sounds by allowing the drummer to change the material inside the loadable shaker tip  600 . A beads, pellets or sand compartment  610  in the head of the loadable shaker tip  600  can be filled with different materials to produce different sounds. The loadable shaker tip  600  has a male threaded end  620  where the opening of the beads, pellets or sand compartment  610  is located. The beads, pellets or sand placed inside are held in place using a plug  630  inserted into the male threaded end  620  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7A  shows for illustrative purposes only shows an example of an exploded view of a multipurpose drumstick with a loadable shaker tip and an interchangeable brush tip of one embodiment of the present invention. To illustrate the adaptability of the multipurpose drumstick using the interchangeable tip system feature. Shown in  FIG. 7A  is the interchangeable drumstick shaft  650  with female threaded receptacle  640  ends. Into one end is inserted a loadable shaker tip  600  with a male threaded end  620 . The interchangeable brush tip  670  is inserted into the other end using the male threaded end  620  of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Loadable Shaker Tip: 
       [0032]      FIG. 7B  shows for illustrative purposes only shows a section view of an example of a loadable shaker tip of one embodiment of the present invention. An example of the loadable shaker tip  600  depicted in the block diagram of  FIG. 6  is shown in an illustration in  FIG. 7B  only for the purposes of visualization. A quick change of the material inside the loadable shaker tip  600  can be made using beads, pellets or sand  700 . The beads, pellets or sand compartment  610  in the head of the loadable shaker tip  600  can be filled with different materials by removing the plug  630  removing any prior material and refilling with a new material to produce different sounds. The plug  630  is reinserted into the male threaded end  620  and the loadable shaker tip  600  screwed into the interchangeable shaft of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0033]    The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed. The above described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.