Patent Publication Number: US-2007113719-A1

Title: Sound box for floor-standing string instrument

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a sound box for floor-standing string instrument, and more particularly to a sound box that could be associated with a musical instrument, such as a string instrument, to further change the resonance of the musical instrument and enhance the tone color of sound produced by the musical instrument.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      When playing a cello, for example, a lower part of the cello is usually clamped between the player&#39;s two knees, and a neck of the cello is rested on the player&#39;s one shoulder. The cello is provided at a lower end with a retractable spike for supporting the cello over a floor surface. To avoid the cello from sliding on the floor surface when being played and causing difficulties during performance, the spike is usually positioned on a spike locator provided on the floor surface.  
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective and sectioned side views, respectively, of a conventional spike locator for the spike of a cello. As shown, the spike locator basically includes a long plate A, on which at least one limiting hole A 1  is formed for the spike to rest therein. The long plate A is connected at an end to a length-adjustable belt A 2 , which is further connected at an opposite end to a locating plate A 3 . For the purpose of forming better tone color, the long plate A is generally made of a wooden material, such as rose wood. The long plate A is also provided at a bottom surface with antiskid pads A 4 , which provides an increased friction force against the floor surface. The locating plate A 3  is held in place using a chair leg, so that the cello spike locator is not subject to moving easily.  
      However, such spike locator is generally intended for preventing the cello from sliding when being played, and does not function to enhance the tone color of the cello.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A primary object of the present invention is to provide a sound box for floor-standing string instrument. The sound box is able to resonate with a string instrument disposed thereon to further enhance the brilliance and sweetness of sound produced by the string instrument.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a sound box for floor-standing string instrument. The sound box is provided at a bottom surface with a pad, which increases a friction between the sound box and a floor surface to prevent a string instrument disposed on the sound box from undesired sliding.  
      A further object of the present invention is to provide a sound box for floor-standing string instrument. The sound box is provided at a bottom surface with a pad, so that the shape of the sound box and the thickness of the pad cooperate to change the resonance of sound produced by a string instrument disposed on the sound box.  
      To achieve the above and other objects, the sound box for floor-standing string instrument according to the present invention includes a resonance box being provided on a top surface with at least one recess for receiving a spike below the string instrument therein, and an opening extended through the top surface of the resonance box; and a pad attached to a bottom surface of the resonance box for stably holding the sound box to the floor surface via a friction force. The sound box may be of any shape. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional cello spike locator;  
       FIG. 2  is a fragmentary sectioned side view of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a sound box for floor-standing string instrument according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectioned side view of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a string instrument is disposed on a sound box of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary and enlarged view of  FIG. 5 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a sound box for floor-standing string instrument according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a fragmentary and enlarged sectioned side view of  FIG. 7 ; and  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a string instrument is disposed on a sound box of  FIG. 7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Please refer to  FIGS. 3 and 4  that are perspective and sectioned side views, respectively, of a sound box for floor-standing string instrument according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the sound box  10  is a resonance box being provided on a top surface with at least one recess  11  and an opening  12  extended through the top surface of the sound box  10 . A pad  13  is attached to a bottom surface of the sound box  10 . The pad  13  functions like a sucker to tightly hold the sound box  10  to a floor surface. While the sound box  10  in the illustrated preferred embodiment is a round box, it may be other suitable geometrical shapes.  
      Please refer to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The sound box  10  is positioned on a floor surface. A floor-standing string instrument  20  may be disposed over the sound box  10  with a spike  21  of the string instrument  20  inserted in the recess  11 . When a performer plays the string instrument  20 , sound produced by a vibrating belly of the string instrument  20  is transmitted via the spike  21  to the sound box  10 , so that sound waves vibrate and are continuously reflected in the sound box  10 . With a sound reflection controlling mechanism formed from the sound box  10  and the pad  13  below the box  10 , the vibration waves transmitted from the belly of the string instrument  20  are reflected to the belly and combined with the original vibration waves to produce resonance, and thereby changes the original sound produced by the string instrument  20 . That is, the sound originally produced by the string instrument  20  is enhanced through resonance with the sound box  10 .  
       FIGS. 7 through 9  show a sound box  10  for floor-standing string instrument according to another embodiment of the present invention. The sound box  10  in the second embodiment is connected at an end to a length-adjustable belt  14 , which is connected at an opposite end to a locating plate  15 . The locating plate  15  is provided at predetermined position with at least one locating hole  16 . When a performer sits on a chair (not shown) to play the string instrument  20 , a leg of the chair is engaged with one locating hole  16  on the locating plate  15  to restrict the belt  14  and accordingly, the sound box  10  from moving. With a geometrical structure formed from the sound box  10  and the pad  13  located below the sound box  10 , the vibration damping is changed. And, the sound produced by the string instrument  20  is adjusted by changing the vibration mode of the string instrument  20 .  
      In the past time, the only ways to change the sound produced by a musical instrument are changing the structure of the musical instrument, or selecting other more suitable strings for the instrument, or externally adding other device to the instrument. Now, the present invention provides the string instrument performer a new way to amplify the sound produced by the instrument without the need of changing the structure of the instrument or mounting an additional device on the instrument. With the present invention, the sound produced by the string instrument becomes much sweeter.  
      In addition to the intended antiskid function, the sound box  10  and the pad  13  also together form a sound damper, so that the sound produced by the string instrument  20  through vibration is reflected back to the string instrument  20 . The reflected sound combines with the original sound to enhance the sound effect of the string instrument  20 , so that the produced sound is more brilliant and sweeter.  
      The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.