Tambourine with removable jingles

A tambourine according to the present invention includes a frame having a plurality of removable jingle members. The frame includes opposing sides and defines a plurality of slots extending between the sides. The tambourine includes a plurality of pins that may be extended through the frame and the plurality of slots for coupling respective jingle members to the frame. A plurality of fasteners are included for coupling the pins to the frame. Alternately, threaded inserts may be coupled to the frame for receiving threaded fasteners, such as screws, therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tambourine and, more particularly, to a tambourine having removable jingles.

The jingles of a tambourine are an extremely important part of that musical instrument. Unfortunately, the jingles tend to wear out long before the remainder of the instrument, such as the frame. As the jingles begin to wear down, the tonal quality of the instrument diminishes. To maintain an optimal sound, the entire tambourine must be replaced. Further, percussionists often must have several different tambourines that each have their own distinctive sound using different jingles.

Tambourines having various configurations have been proposed in the art for producing particular sounds. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, these products still require that completely new tambourines be purchased when the jingles wear out even though the remainder of the frame is still in good condition. Further, a percussionist may need to switch tambourines between performances if a different sound is required.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a tambourine in which the jingles were removable such as for replacing worn out jingles without having to replace the entire tambourine. Further, it would be desirable to have a tambourine with removable jingles such that jingles of different sizes or varieties may be interchanged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a tambourine according to the present invention includes a frame and a plurality of jingles coupled to the frame. The frame defines a plurality of slots and includes pins configured and arranged for selectively coupling respective jingles. Fasteners are included for securing respective pins in place. The fasteners and frame may include complementary threaded configurations for removably coupling the fasteners to the frame.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a tambourine having removable jingles.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tambourine, as aforesaid, in which one set of jingles may be efficiently removed and replaced with another set of jingles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tambourine, as aforesaid, that is easy to use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tambourine, as aforesaid, that is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A tambourine100according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 1athrough6of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a tambourine100according to the current invention includes a frame110and a plurality of jingle members120removably coupled to the frame110.

The frame110presents opposed first and second sides110a,110b(best shown inFIG. 4b) and defines at least one slot112between the first and second sides110a,110b. As shown inFIG. 2, the frame110may define a plurality of slots112, and the frame110may define an opening114from the first side110ato each slot112(FIG. 4bthroughFIG. 6).

A pin130may be inserted through a respective frame opening114and a respective slot112to removably couple respective jingle members120to the frame110at a respective slot112. As shown throughout the drawings, and especially atFIG. 4bthroughFIG. 6, a single pin130may couple multiple jingle members120to the frame110at adjacent slots112. A plurality of pins130may be used, as shown inFIG. 2.

Means for coupling each pin130to the frame110are included. More particularly, according to some embodiments, a fastener142is operatively coupled to the frame110at a respective frame opening114to selectively secure the pin130to the frame110. As shown inFIG. 6, the frame110may define internal threads116at each opening114, and the fasteners142may be screws having threads142acomplementary to the frame threads116for removably coupling the screws142to the frame110at the openings114. Alternately, as shown inFIG. 4b, threaded inserts144may be coupled to the frame110at the openings114, and the fasteners142may be screws having threads142acomplementary to the threaded inserts144for operatively and removably coupling the screws142to the frame110at the openings114. According to another embodiment, each pin130presents first and second ends130a,130b, and each second end130bdefines threads132complementary to the threaded inserts144for operatively and removably coupling the pins130to the frame110at the openings114(FIG. 5) without use of fasteners142. Alternately, each pin second end130bmay define threads132(FIG. 5) complementary to the frame threads116(FIG. 6) for removably coupling the pins130to the frame110at the openings114without use of fasteners142.

As shown inFIG. 2, the housing110may further define a cavity118, and a driver bit150may be selectively housed in the cavity118. The driver bit150may be complementary to the fasteners142or the pin second ends130bfor selectively coupling the fasteners142or the pins130to the frame110and for selectively detaching the fasteners142or the pins130from the frame110.

Each pin130presents a pin diameter, and each jingle member120defines a central opening122and has an inner diameter. As shown inFIG. 5, a first set of jingle members120may have a first inner diameter complementary to the pin diameter. As shown inFIG. 6, a second set of jingle members120may have a second inner diameter that is larger than the first inner diameter. For such a second set of jingle members120, a respective sleeve160may be positioned outwardly adjacent each pin130; each sleeve160may have an outer diameter complementary to the jingle member120inner diameter (FIG. 6). In other words, each sleeve160may have an inner diameter that is complementary to the diameter of the pin130and an outer diameter that is complementary to the inner diameter of the second set of jingle members120. As such, when the first set of jingle members120is not coupled to the frame110, a respective second set of jingle members120may be located in a slot112outwardly adjacent a respective sleeve160, and the sleeve160may be outwardly adjacent a respective pin130(FIG. 6).

In use, a plurality of first sets of jingle members120(FIG. 4b) may be positioned in slots112, and pins130may be inserted through frame openings114and through the central openings122of the jingle members120to couple the jingle members120to the frame110. If the pins130include threads132as described above, the pins130may be screwed into the frame threads116or the threaded inserts144, depending on which is present. If the pins130do not include threads132, fasteners142may be used couple the pins130to the frame110as described above. The driver bit150may be used to screw the pins130or the fasteners142. When the first set of jingle members120becomes worn, or when the user desires a sound that can be provided by a second set of jingle members120, the user may remove the pins130from the frame110(e.g., by using the driver bit150) and then remove the first sets of jingle members120from the slots112(FIG. 2). The new jingle members120may then be installed in the same manner as that described above. If the second set of jingle members120has a larger inner diameter than the first set of jingle members120, however, the sleeves160may be used as described above to effectively increase the diameter of the pins130(FIG. 6). By having interchangeable and replaceable jingle members120, the tambourine100does not have to be discarded when worn, and multiple tambourines100are not needed to obtain different sounds from different types of jingle members120.