Patent Publication Number: US-11037536-B2

Title: Direct drive percussion pedal system

Description:
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/621,563 to Sikra, filed on Jan. 24, 2018 and entitled “Direct Drive Percussion Pedal System”; and claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/623,315 to Sikra, filed on Jan. 29, 2018 and entitled “Direct Drive Percussion Pedal System.” This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/409,428 to Sikra, filed on Jan. 18, 2017 and entitled “Percussion Pedal System,” which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/281089 to Sikra, filed on Jan. 20, 2016 and entitled “Percussion Pedal System.” Each of these applications is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to percussive instruments, and more specifically, the present disclosure relates to a percussion pedal system. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Musical notes have been created using many forms of instruments and devices. Percussion instruments, i.e., those that generate sound by being beaten, rattled, and/or vibrated, are sometimes considered to be the oldest type of musical instrument. There are many types of percussion instruments; the drum is considered a classic example of a percussive instrument. 
     A drum may be sounded by striking some portion of the drum with the hand. Some drums may also generate different tonal sounds when struck with a beater, mallet, or stick. Some musical genres utilize various different percussive sounds and tones to evoke different feelings in the listener; as such, different types of beaters, as well as the drummer&#39;s hand, may be used to produce various tones from a given drum. 
     Depending on the type of music being played, different tonal qualities of an instrument may be more desirable. For example, a flamenco style piece may emphasize different tonalities and tonal relationships between notes than a jazz style of music. Some musical pieces employ different consonance (relaxation and/or harmonization) and dissonance (tension and/or conflict) between the tonic (the central note of a chord or piece of music) and the other notes in a musical composition. As such, different beaters, or hand-beater combinations, may be desirable for some drums. 
     Some drums use foot-operated devices, sometimes referred to as “drum pedals” or “drum pedal assemblies” to operate and/or control a beater (also referred to as a “mallet” herein) that strikes a drum. The drum pedal may be operated in conjunction with the drummer&#39;s hand, such that the drum can be played with the hand to create one tone and the drum pedal/beater to create another tone, without the drummer removing and replacing the beater in their hand. Such an arrangement allows for faster playing as well as allowing the drummer to play more complicated/technical pieces. 
     Variations in drummer technique mean that it is very difficult to design a single system to meet the needs of every drummer and playing style. Such variables can include drummer playing style and the areas of a drum where the drummer typically strikes with the hand or beater. Hand/beater combination play is often used with a cajón—a percussion instrument that is typically a hollow box shape. Examples of cajóns are described and shown, for example, in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 9,087,497 to Krol et al. and U.S. Des. patent application Ser. No. 29/552,167 to Chandontrikit, each of which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. One specific example of a cajón and pedal system designed to allow for cajón play with both a hand and a beater is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,365,258 to Lombardi, which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Adjustable pedals can provide the customization necessary to achieve some or all of a drummer&#39;s desired pedal characteristics as well as placing the beater in a location that will produce desired tonal characteristics from the drum without interfering with the drummer&#39;s hands beating the drum. Some pedals with adjustable features are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,301,592 and 8,455,746 to Johnston, U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,147 to Kassabian, and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0082968 to Sikra, each of which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Adjustment mechanisms provided in the related art can be unwieldy, which can increase difficulty to the user, and/or can lack adjustability of a variable which is independent of other variables, thus reducing the amount of customization available via adjustments. Further, many related art systems merely adapt a drum pedal designed for one type of drum to another, which may not provide a drummer with proper placement of the beater/mallet to play in a comfortable manner. This can lead to diminished performance and/or injury/uncomfortableness to the drummer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward percussion beater systems and components thereof, where the pedal portion and the beater portion are distal from one another and separated by a connector, such as a cable, that allows actuation of the pedal to cause movement of at least a portion of the beater portion. 
     One embodiment of a percussion beater system according to the present disclosure includes a pedal portion having a drum pedal and a beater portion having a beater rod holder. A connecting portion including a flexible linking member connects the drum pedal portion and the beater portion such that actuation of the drum pedal causes movement of the beater rod holder. 
     One embodiment of a drum pedal assembly according to the present disclosure includes a base plate and a pedal on the base plate, a drive shaft on a front portion of the base plate, an arm between the drive shaft and an underside of the pedal, and a roller between the arm and the pedal underside. 
     One embodiment of a beater assembly according to the present disclosure includes a body and a beater rod holder, and a drive shaft between the two. A connector is operably linked to the drive shaft such that movement of the connector causes rotation of the drive shaft. 
     One embodiment of a percussion pedal assembly according to the present disclosure includes a base with a pedal on the base, and first and second drive shafts on the base and in front of and behind the pedal, respectively. The assembly further includes a rigid link rod connecting the first and second drive shafts. 
     One embodiment of a joint piece for use in a direct drive percussion system includes an elongated main body with a first end defining a first aperture and a second end defining a second aperture. A first post is in the first aperture and a second post is in the second aperture, and the distance by which the first and second posts extend from their respective apertures is adjustable. 
     The above summary has outlined, rather broadly, some features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described below. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same or similar purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the teachings of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features, which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a percussion pedal system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a pedal portion of a system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a beater portion of a system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate one embodiment of a drum which may be employed in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 6-9  illustrate additional views of one embodiment of a system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate inset views of one embodiment of a system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of alternative embodiments of some components from  FIG. 11 . 
         FIGS. 13-15  illustrate one embodiment of a percussion pedal system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 16-18  illustrate the embodiment of a percussion pedal system illustrated by  FIGS. 13-15 , with embodiments of potential replacement or alternate parts in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Overview 
     Music, and musical compositions such as songs, are often written and/or composed to evoke emotions and/or feelings in the listener. Musical presentations combine tones and harmonics (also known as “overtones”) to tell a story. Many different types of musical instruments, e.g., stringed instruments, percussive instruments, wind instruments, etc., may be used, alone or in combination, to present an artist&#39;s interpretation of a feeling and/or emotion through auditory stimuli. 
     The underlying tonality, rhythm, and/or “beat” of a piece of music are often provided by percussion instruments, e.g., drums. The tonal qualities of a particular type of drum, referred to as a “cojón,” is prevalent in flamenco, jazz, Cuban rumba, and Peruvian music. Although discussed herein with respect to a cojón, the system described herein may be used with other percussive instruments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     A cajón is nominally a six-sided, box-shaped instrument, where the drummer or player sits on top of the cajón and slaps the front face, rear face, and/or sides of the instrument with the palms or fingers. The faces of the cajón may also be struck with a stick, beater, mallet, brush, or other implement to create a different sound or generate a faster beat than can be accomplished with just the hands. 
     Since the player is often sitting on top of the cajón, using a bass drum pedal may be difficult as the pedal for a bass drum is designed to point away from the player. As such, use of a typical bass drum pedal when playing a cajón creates an awkward playing position. Further, because the bass drum pedal is designed to strike the bass drum at approximately the same height as the cajón player&#39;s hands, the use of a bass drum pedal to play the cajón in addition to hand/finger playing often restricts some form of playing the instrument. 
     The detailed description set forth herein, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. It will be apparent, however, to those reasonably skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to aid in avoiding obscuring such concepts. 
     It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “attached to,” “connected to,” or similar to another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. Further, when one element is referred to as being “connected” to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present as would be understood by one of skill in the art. Furthermore, relative terms such as “inner”, “outer”, “upper”, “top”, “above”, “lower”, “bottom”, “beneath”, “below”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element to another. Terms such as “higher”, “lower”, “wider”, “narrower”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe angular and/or relative relationships. It is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the elements or system in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. 
     Although the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, or section from another. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, a first element, component, region, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. 
     Embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference to view illustrations that are schematic illustrations. As such, the actual thickness of elements can be different, and variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances are expected. Thus, the elements illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     System Diagram 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a percussion pedal system according to the present disclosure. 
     System  100  comprises a pedal portion  102 , a connecting portion  104 , and a beater portion  106 . The pedal portion  102  may be positioned at a comfortable and/or customizable location for the user&#39;s foot, while beater portion  106  is positioned proximate to a drum or other percussive instrument. The connecting portion  104  is flexible and/or moveable with respect to pedal portion  102  and beater portion  106 , such that the relative placements of pedal portion  102  and beater portion  106  may be varied and/or changed. 
     Pedal portion  102  can include a pedal  108 , roller  110 , and drive shaft  112 . Pedal  108  may include a hinge  114  and optionally comprises a heel plate  116 . As pedal  108  is pressed, pedal  108  rotates about an axis of hinge  114 . Pressing on pedal  108  also moves the opposite end of pedal  108  toward a base  118  of pedal portion  102 , which engages roller  110 . Roller  110  moves along a bottom surface of pedal  108  (e.g., a surface opposite where a user&#39;s foot may engage pedal  108 ), and rotates or otherwise engages a drive shaft  112 . As drive shaft  112  rotates, connecting portion  104  is engaged and moved. Roller  110  may ride in a groove on pedal  108 , a raised portion of pedal  108 , or on any surface of pedal  108  to provide a specific feel and/or playing action to a drummer. Drive shaft  112  may also be coupled closer to hinge  114 , or adjustable with respect to the distance between drive shaft  112  and hinge  114 , to customize the height of pedal  108  when at a resting position. 
     Roller  110  provides a smooth movement of drive shaft  112 . Such smooth movement of roller  110  on pedal  108  provides a better “feel” or “playing action” to a drummer playing a drum when employing system  100 . The diameter of roller  110  may be selected to provide a large movement of drive shaft  112  with a small movement of pedal  108 , or may be selected to provide a linear movement of drive shaft  112  with movement of pedal  108 . In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the roller has a diameter of between about 0.25 inch and 2 inches, and/or between about 0.5 inch and 1 inch, and/or about 0.75 inch, all inclusive. Many possible relative movements of drive shaft  112  with respect to movement of pedal  108  are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, roller  110  may have a cam or elliptical, oval, or other non-circular shape, and the primary axis of roller  110  may be adjusted with respect to a resting position of pedal  108  to customize the motion of pedal  108  in generating motion in the beater portion  106 . 
     As drive shaft  112  moves, connecting portion  104 , which may be a cable such as a sheathed cable, also moves. For example, and not by way of limitation, drive shaft  112  may rotate and pull a cable (part of connecting portion  104 ) that is coupled to beater portion  106 , which then can move a part within beater portion  106 . Connecting portion  104  may be a linkage, a push-rod mechanical connector, or other actuator and/or device to translate motion in the beater portion  106 . While the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  and those described below refer to a “cable,” it is understood that any linking member may be used, such as a rope, wire, chain, rigid device, etc. 
     Beater portion  106  can include a bracket  120 , a rod  122 , a drive shaft  124 , and a beater rod holder  126 . At least a portion of bracket  120  may be placed under a drum and/or cajón to position and/or hold beater portion  106  in proximity to a drum and/or cajón. Bracket  120  may be shaped to accommodate various different shapes of drums, e.g., round, square, crescent shaped, partially crescent shaped, etc., without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, some embodiments of the present disclosure do not include a bracket. 
     Rod  122  can be coupled to bracket  120 , and may comprise a standard diameter rod used in percussive instrument design and/or manufacture if desired. For example, and not by way of limitation, rod  122  may be a ½ inch diameter rod, such that readily available mounting hardware may be used to couple drive shaft  124  to rod  122 . 
     Beater portion  106  is coupled to connecting portion  104  such that drive shaft  124  motion (e.g., rotation) is initiated by motion of pedal  108 . Motion of pedal  108 , which may be created by pressure of a drummer&#39;s foot, is transferred through connecting portion  104  to drive shaft  124 . As drive shaft  124  is moved by connecting portion  104  (vis-à-vis pedal  108  and drive shaft  112 ), drive shaft  124  transfers movement to beater rod holder  126 . Beater rod holder  126  is configured to accept a beater (and/or mallet) for use in striking a drum and/or cajón. 
     Pedal Portion 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a pedal portion  102  of a system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. It is understood that many other pedal portions can be used as part of systems according to the present disclosures, such as pedals and components described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0082968 to Sikra, which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, pedal portion  102  may also comprise a roller arm  200  (or other style of arm or connection), which couples roller  110  to drive shaft  112 . Drive shaft  112  is coupled to arm  202 , and is secured to arm  202  with nut  204 . Arm  202  is also coupled to chain  206  or another type of connector which may be rigid, flexible (e.g. rope, strap, etc.), or otherwise, which then couples to cable  208  at connector  210 . It is understood that cable  208  may connect directly to arm  202  and/or drive shaft  112  without use of chain  206 . Cable  208  can pass through a housing  212 , which is coupled to plate  214  by nut  216 . After passing through housing  212 , cable  208  can enter a housing or sheath  218  which may be part of connecting portion  104 , although the housing/sheath  218  is not strictly necessary (but has the benefit of providing environmental protection to cable  208 ). Pedal  108  may optionally comprise a stop  220  to stop roller  110  from disengaging from pedal  108  and/or to set a maximum actuation position of pedal  108 . 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, pedal portion  102  may be operated by depressing pedal  108  in direction  222 . Pressure on pedal  108  in direction  222  moves roller along pedal  102  towards hinge  114 , which moves roller arm  200  that is attached to roller  110 . As roller arm  200  moves, drive shaft  112  is rotated, which rotates arm  202 . The rotation of arm  202 , which is a clockwise rotation in the perspective of  FIG. 2 , pulls chain  206  away from hinge  114 . This motion of chain  206  also moves cable  208 . The other end of cable  208  is coupled to beater portion  106 , which will be described herein below. 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, the engagement of drive shaft  112  may be adjusted by adjusting one or more nuts  224  coupled to housing  212 . As the nut  224  is moved with respect to plate  214 , the relative tension on cable  208  may be adjusted, thereby adjusting where in the motion along direction  222  that drive shaft  112  is engaged. Similarly, the relative angles of coupling between roller arm  200  and drive shaft  112 , and/or the coupling angle between arm  202  and drive shaft  112 , may also affect the engagement point of pedal  108  with respect to movement of cable  208 . These angles can be also be adjusted such as (for the arm  202 , though the same or similar system can apply to arm  200 ) loosening nut  204 , adjusting the angle of arm  202  relative to drive shaft  112 , and retightening nut  204 . Further, the length of chain  206 , size of roller  110 , length of roller arm  200  (i.e., between roller  110  and drive shaft  112 ) may also be adjusted to change the engagement point of pedal  108  in terms of motion of cable  208 . 
     The adjustment of the engagement point of pedal  108  is important to drummers, in that different engagement points will raise or lower the height of pedal  108  with respect to base  118 . In such adjustments, the angle that a drummer&#39;s ankle must take to have the pedal  108  not move cable  208  (and thus not move the beater rod holder  126 ) can be varied, as well as the amount of movement of pedal  108  that must be undertaken in direction  222  to produce sound from a drum coupled to beater portion  106 . These adjustments allow for customization of the system  100  to each individual drummer, as well as different types of drums, without producing several different types of systems  100 . 
     Connecting portion  104  may be removed from pedal portion  102  by loosening nut  216 , and removing plate  214  from base  118 . In an aspect of the present disclosure, multiple nuts  224  may be used to maintain the tension of cable  208  with respect to arm  202 . Nuts  204  and  216 , as well as other nuts used in the system  100 , may be standardized if desired with respect to other hardware employed in drum/percussion instruments. As such, a wrench  226  may be mounted in a clip or otherwise attached to base  118 , or elsewhere in system  100 , for ease of disassembly of pedal portion  102  from connecting portion  104 . The connection between plate  214  and housing  212  can include any type of connection in the art. In one embodiment a magnetic connection and/or a male/female connection are used. 
     The advantage of disassembly within system  100 , in an aspect of the present disclosure, allows for easier portability of system  100 , and also allows for installation of one or more portions of system  100  in specific locations. For example, and not by way of limitation, pedal portion  102  may be mounted on a plate, beater portion  106  may be mounted on a drum, etc., and the system  100  can still be assembled and/or disassembled in a relatively quick and easy fashion. Further, one portion of system  100  is not tethered to the other portion(s) permanently, and thus can be interchanged with other embodiments of system components if desired. For example, the beater portion  106 , connecting portion  104  can be disconnected from the pedal portion  102  by loosening and removing plate  214  and arm  202 , or by other methods. Not by way of limitation, a beater portion  106  of one system may be used with a pedal portion  102  of another system without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Beater Portion 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a beater portion of a system in an aspect of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , beater portion  106  is coupled to connecting portion  104  at connector  300 . Cable  208 , or another motion-transferring device, can couple pedal portion  102  through connecting portion  104  to beater portion  106  as described with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Connector  300 , or some other part within beater portion  106 , may provide an additional disconnection point within system  100  as desired, as described with respect to  FIG. 2  above. 
     Connecting portion  104 , via connector  300 , is coupled to drive shaft  124  in a similar manner as shown in  FIG. 2 , e.g., chain, cable, connector, etc., although other methods of connection to transfer motion are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Shaft  302  is further coupled to pin  304 . Pin  304  is coupled to spring  306 , and spring  306  is coupled to cam  308 . Cam  308  is coupled to beater rod holder  126 . As cable  208  is moved within connecting portion  104 , drive shaft  124  rotates, which pulls and/or pushes on beater rod holder  126 . As beater rod holder  126  rotates, a beater coupled to beater rod holder  126  will strike a surface, e.g., the surface of a percussive instrument. 
     To control the strength and/or backswing of beater rod holder  126 , cam  308  rotates, which pulls and/or pushes on spring  306 . The position of pin  304  may be adjusted to control the tension on spring  306 , which will control the amount of reverse tension on beater rod holder  126 . Additionally, the resting position of the connection between the spring  306  and the cam  308 , such as the position of the pin  328 , can be adjusted. For example, the position of the pin  328  or other connector can be adjusted within an aperture  330  of the cam  308 , thus adjusting the resting angle of the beater rod holder  126 . Similar adjustment devices which can be used in embodiments of the present disclosure are described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0082968 to Sikra and U.S. Pat. App. No. 62/281,089 to Sikra, each of which is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Beater rod  310  is coupled to a beater head  312 , and beater rod  310  may be inserted in beater rod holder  126 . A nut  314  is attached to beater rod holder  126  such that the height  326  of the beater head  312  with respect to bracket  120  may be adjusted. Beater rod holder  126  and the rotational axis of cam  308  are positioned to have a low rotational axis (also referred to as a “fulcrum point” herein), which is somewhat different than the typical rotational axis/fulcrum point of a drum pedal used for a bass drum. 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, the rotational axis of beater rod holder  126  may be between about 0.5 inch and 6 inches from floor, and/or between about 0.5 inch and 4 inches from the floor, and/or between about 1 inch and 3 inches from the floor, and/or about 2 inches from the floor, and/or less than 4 inches from the floor, and/or less than 3 inches from the floor (which may be the same plane as a bottom of the system  100 , and/or the same plane as a bottom surface of bracket  120 , or the bottom plane of beater portion  106 ), while the rotational axis of a beater rod holder in a bass drum pedal may be seven inches from the floor. Because system  100  may be used with different types of drums, e.g., a cajón, and such drums have different locations to strike to produce a desired sound, a desired location of the rotational axis of beater rod holder may be lower to the floor, as illustrated and described with respect to  FIG. 3 . However, the rotational axis location may still be adjusted within system  100 , such as by changing a height attachment between body  316  and rod  122 . 
     Further, a low fulcrum point, which, in an aspect of the present disclosure, may also be the rotational axis of drive shaft  124 , allows for a different contact point with a drum surface than a typical natural contact point for a drummer&#39;s hands or other beaters. For example, and not by way of limitation, beater head  312 , as configured with system  100 , may be arranged to strike the face of a cajón at a specific point, while the drummer&#39;s hands strike the face of the cajón at a height above the contact point of the beater head  312 . As such, the beater head  312  does not interfere with the drummer&#39;s hands, and the drummer can thus produce specific beats, sounds, and tones from the cajón without changing the specific preferred playing style that particular drummer employs. 
     Nut  314  may also adjust the attachment point between beater rod holder  126  and beater rod  310 , which adjusts the height  326  and/or the location of beater head  312  with respect to the surface to be struck. By changing the distance between shaft  302  and cam  308 , a larger moment arm is created, which changes the relative speed of beater head  312  with respect to a surface to be struck. As such, the amount of movement of pedal  108  employed to strike a surface with beater head  312  may be customized by changing the tension on spring  306  and/or the attachment point between beater rod  310  and beater rod holder  126  and/or the angle of the beater rod holder  126  as previously described. 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, rotational control  318  controls the angle at which body  316  is coupled to rod  122 . By loosening rotational control  318 , which may be a threaded coupling between body  316  and rod  122 , the entire body of beater portion  106  may be rotated through angle  320  with respect to bracket  120 . This control allows for rotation of the beater rod holder  126 , and thus, rotation of the beater head  312 , with respect to the surface to be struck by beater head  312 . Such rotational control gives additional clearance or adjustment between the locations where the beater head  312  strikes a surface with respect to locations where a drummer&#39;s hands or other beaters may strike the same surface. Further, minor changes in rotation via rotational control  318  may provide tuning of the drum, e.g., cajón, by changing the location where the beater head  312  strikes the cajón. Rotational control  318  may be loosened and/or tightened to fix a specific angle between beater portion  106  and a particular drum, and then repositioned to fix a different angle between beater portion  106  and another drum, further expanding the customizable features of system  100  of the present disclosure. Rotational control  318  may also control the distance between beater head  312  and the surface to be struck, as rotational control  318  may also move the connection point between body  316  and rod  122 . This movement between body  316  (and thus beater head  312 ) may change the angle at which the beater head  312  strikes the surface of the drum, further changing the tones produced. 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, when placed at a first location on rod  122 , the beater head  312  may strike the surface of the drum when the beater rod  310  is at a 90 degree angle as measured with respect to the floor. When rotational control  318  is loosened and body  316  is moved farther away from the surface of the drum to be struck, the beater head may strike the surface at an angle of over 90 degrees, such as shown in  FIG. 3  as angle  322 . Because connecting portion  104  may be coupled to beater portion  106  at or near arm  324  (another point that is coupled to drive shaft  124 ), the rotation of body  316 , as well as the movement toward and/or away from bracket  120 , may only minimally not affect the drummer&#39;s “feel” of the pedal  108 , and/or may only minimally affect the tonal qualities of the percussive strike of beater head  312 , other than those qualities that are selected to be altered by a particular drummer when setting up system  100  for a given drum. 
     Cajón System Interfacing 
       FIGS. 4-5  illustrate a drum which may be employed in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a cajón  400 . A cajón may be played by sitting on the top (shown at the top of  FIG. 4 ) of cajón  400 , and slapping the face(s) of cajón  400  with a user&#39;s hands. A particular user may slap the face of cajón  400  with their left hand in area  402 , and with their right hand in area  404 , as those areas may produce different tonal qualities from cajón  400 . However, bracket  120  of system  100  of the present disclosure may be placed under cajón  400  at edge  408 , and the player may adjust system  100  of the present disclosure to strike cajón  400  anywhere within area  406  (such as by adjusting via the previously described rotational control along the direction  320 ), such that a beater may produce different tonal qualities than hand slapping in areas  402  and  404  and/or may strike the cajón  400  in areas relatively distal from the natural striking area of the hands. 
     The sizes and/or areas described with respect to areas  402 - 406  are not to be considered limiting; as described herein, system  100  of the present disclosure may be customized and/or adjusted to strike cajón  400 , or any percussive instrument, in any fashion without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, and not by way of limitation, a bracket  120  may be used to attach system  100  to edge  410  of cajón  400 , and movement of pedal  108  may then cause beater head  312  to strike cajón  400  in a different area, from the top rather than the bottom of cajón  400 , or may be attached to cajón  400  on a side or the curved face of cajón  400 , without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a cajón in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure. 
     Cajón  400  comprises a sound hole  500  which allows the reverberations of the hand/beater strike of cajón  400  to be heard by the audience, other musicians, and/or the drummer. In an aspect of the present disclosure, system  100  may be partially mounted within cajón  400 , such that beater head  312  strikes the inside surface of cajón  400  rather than the surface being struck by the drummer. Since bracket  120 , body  316 , beater head  312 , and other portions of system  100  may be inside of cajón  400  (or other percussive instrument), these portions of system  100  are shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 5 . In one embodiment, a bracket such as the bracket  120  is not included, which can allow for easier placement of the beater portion  106  within the cajón  400 . 
     Because beater portion  106  may be removed from pedal portion  102 , connecting portion may be sized to allow for mounting bracket  120  on a bottom, side, and/or any surface of cajón  400 , such that beater head  312  can strike any surface of cajón  400 . Further, since rotational control  318  allows for movement of body  316 , the beater portion  106  may be easily moved, positioned, and/or removed from cajón  400  and mounted to a separate bracket  120  for use with another drum and/or cajón  400 . Beater portion  106  may also be sized to fit in cajón  400 , such that the parts of beater portion  106  fit inside sound hole  500  and can be mounted within cajón  400  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Because rotational control  318  allows body  316  to be removed from rod  122 , body  316  may be mounted on other rods that are used with drums and/or other percussive instruments. For instance, in one embodiment the beater portion  106  may be used with a cajón that includes an internal rod, such as an L-rod, that can be similar to rod  122 , but mounted within the cajón and/or as part of the cajón in an area so as to enable mounting and actuation of the cajón inside surface. Thus, the body  316  can be removed from bracket  120  and rod  122  and reattached to the internal cajón rod (or other mount device). As another example, and not by way of limitation, body  316  may be mounted on the leg of a floor tom, or may be mounted on a bracket that is coupled to a tambourine or other cymbal, such that motion of pedal  108  will allow a beater head  312  to strike any percussive instrument. A floor tom, for example, may produce a different sound when being struck by a drum stick than when being struck with a beater head  312 , and, as such, the tonal qualities that a drummer can produce with a given drum and/or drum set can be increased and expanded through the use of system  100  in such applications. 
     Additional System Views 
       FIGS. 6-9  illustrate additional views of a system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a top-perspective view of system  100 , which also illustrates the effect of longer and/or shorter roller arms  200  on pedal  108  movements. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a side-perspective view of system  100 , which further illustrates the effect of longer and/or shorter roller arms  200  on pedal  108  movements. As roller arm  200  comprises a longer length (i.e., distance between drive shaft  112  and roller  110 ), roller  110  engages a different portion of pedal  108 . For the same diameter roller  110 , the height of pedal  108  (i.e., distance between pedal  108  and base  118 ) will be larger as roller arm  200  becomes longer. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a side-perspective view of system  100 , which illustrates some angles  322  which can be taken by beater head  312 . By adjusting the distance between body  316  and bracket  120 , the angle  322  may be changed. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a front-perspective view of system  100 , which illustrates plate  214  coupling with bracket  900 . Bracket  900  may allow for linear motion of plate  214  to allow for further adjustment of the connection between pedal portion  102  and connecting portion  104  in an aspect of the present disclosure. Such a connection between bracket  900  and plate  214  may be a male-female connection, slot-and-tab connection, a spring-loaded pin connection, a magnetic connection, and/or other fixed and/or variable connection that may provide for disconnection between pedal portion  102  and connecting portion  104  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and/or may be a combination of any of these types of connections. Similar connections may be provided in other aspects of the present disclosure between connecting portion  104  and beater portion  106 . 
     Inset Views 
       FIGS. 10-11  illustrate inset views of a system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an inset view  1000  of system  100 . As shown in inset view  1000 , to disconnect connecting portion  104  from pedal portion  102 , nut  216  may be loosened to reduce pressure between bracket  900  and plate  214 . In one embodiment nut  216  may be loosened such that the position of plate  214  relative to bracket  900  may be adjusted, and then nut  216  may be tightened so as to lock plate  214  into place relative to bracket  900 . Another connection between connecting portion  104  and pedal portion  102  is arm  202 , which is coupled to drive shaft  124  at interface  1002 . Although interface  1002  is shown as a square mortise through arm  202 , other shapes of interfaces, e.g., hexagonal, octagonal, round, elliptical, etc. may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, nut  204  may or may not be employed to fix arm  202  to drive shaft  124 . 
     Inset  1000  also shows additional details of drive shaft  124 . Drive shaft  124  may comprise, for example, shaft  1004  and one or more bearings  1006 . Shaft  1004  may be shaped on one end to couple to arm  202 , and may have a similar or different shape to couple to roller arm  200 . 
     Dashed line  1008  illustrates the coupling between plate  214  and bracket  900 . Dashed line  1010  illustrates the coupling between arm  202  and shaft  1004 . Because the distance between arm  202  (where chain  206  couples to arm  202  at point  1012 ) may be adjusted by nut  224 , removing connecting portion  104  as shown in  FIG. 10  does not appreciably change any adjustments made by a particular user, since the adjustments are kept appreciably constant as the arm  202  and plate  214  are removed. Although nut  216  may be used to couple bracket  900  and plate  214 , other coupling mechanisms, e.g., a spring-loaded detent, a pinned hole in plate  214  and a pin that may be inserted through bracket  900  and plate  214 , etc., without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an inset view  1100  of beater portion  106  in an aspect of the present disclosure, with body  316  not shown and/or not included. Connector  300  is shown as coupled to rod  1102 , which is coupled to body  1104  of beater portion  106 . Similar to the connection described with respect to pedal portion  102 , cable  208  emerges from connector  300  through a bushing  1106  and a nut  1108 . An end of the cable is coupled to a connector  1110  which is coupled to a chain  1112 . Chain  1112  is then coupled to arm  324 , which is coupled to drive shaft  124 . Movement of arm  324  moves (e.g., rotates) drive shaft  124 , which moves beater rod holder  126 . 
     Also shown in  FIG. 11  is the coupling between body  1104  (which may be coupled to body  316  as described in  FIG. 3 ) and rod  122 . A portion  1114  of body  1104  is coupled around rod  122 , and a bushing  1116  with an optional washer  1118  are shown. Rotational control  318  is coupled to bushing  1116 , and by loosening and tightening bushing  1116  onto rod  122  with rotational control  318 , the angle of body  1104  can be adjusted with respect to bracket  120  (and thus with respect to a surface of a drum located proximate to bracket  120 ). Tightening rotational control  318  (not shown) places pressure against rod  122 , thus minimizing movement of the set rotated position of body  1104  with respect to a surface to be struck during play. Other attachment hardware and/or arrangements (including attachment hardware/arrangements included as part of a drum, such as inside a cajón as previously described) may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     If desired, a second beater rod holder may be coupled to arm  324 , to provide two beaters in a single beater portion  106 . The beaters in the two beater rod holders  126  may have different beater heads, such that the two beaters produce two different tones from the same percussive instrument at substantially the same time. 
     Further illustrated in  FIG. 11  is location  1120 , which may be a second attachment point for a rod  122  on bracket  120 . As such, a second pedal portion  102  and a second connecting portion  104  may be attached to a second beater portion  106  at location  1120 . In such an aspect of the present disclosure, the system  100  can provide two pedals to strike two drum surfaces (whether of the same drum or of different drums), a drum surface and a tambourine, and/or any two percussive instruments independently. For example, and not by way of limitation, the second beater portion  106  can be arranged to strike the surface of a tambourine, and the first beater portion  106  can be arranged to strike the surface of a cajón. In such an aspect of the present disclosure, a drummer can approximate the hi-hat and bass drum of a drum set with a much smaller arrangement of pieces. Further, such an arrangement is easier to transport and takes up less room on stage and/or during transport. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an alternative body  1204  that can be used in place of the body  1104  from  FIG. 11 . The body  1204  also includes the portion  1114 , and many other components the same as the body  1104 . However, the body  1204  includes a connection portion  1204   a  that is different from the connection portion  1104   a  from  FIG. 11 . The portion  1104   a  allowed a rod  1102  to pass through, the rod  1102  connecting to the pieces  1107 . The portion  1204   a  includes an aperture that enables easy insertion of the pieces  1206 , 1208  to be inserted (with the pieces  1206 , 1208  replacing the functionality of the pieces  1107 , 1109 , as well as the rod  1102 , from  FIG. 11 ). The pieces  1206 , 1208  can then be kept in place via screws, such as a drum key screw  1210  and a set screw  1212 , respectively (though both may be drum key screws, both may be set screws, the drum key screw and set screw may be switched, or other types of fasteners may be used). The piece  1206  can include an extension portion  1206   a  for fitting into the aperture of the connection portion  1204   a , and the extension portion  1206   a  can include a flat surface  1206   b . The flat surface  1204   b  can allow the rotational angle of the piece  1206  to be set, such as via the screw or via the shape of the aperture. Setting that angle such that it cannot be easily changed can allow the angle taken by the cable  104  to be set at an angle that will not cause wear and tear, or worse, breakage; and can help prevent lag in the playing of the percussion system. The piece  1208  can similarly include an extension portion  1208   a  having a flat surface  1208   b.    
     Alternative System 
     A. Exemplary Alternative System Structure 
       FIGS. 13-18  illustrate a system  1300  similar in some aspects to the system shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , but with certain different componentry. Much of the componentry can be similar or the same, such as the bracket  120 , rods  122 , and pedal  108 . However, instead of use of a flexible piece such as a cable to connect the pedal and beater portions, the system  1300  utilizes a direct drive assembly  1304  to connect the pedal  1302  of the system to the beater portion  1306  of the system. The componentry of the system  1300  from the body  1204  (or in some embodiments, the body  1104 ) toward the remainder of the beater portion  1306  can be the same as or similar to that previously described with regard to the other embodiments. 
     Beginning with the pedal portion  1302 , the pedal portion  1302  includes a base  1310 . The base  1310  can be longer than traditional pedal assembly bases in order to accommodate extra componentry. For example, in some embodiments the base  1310  can be longer than 12″, 15″ or longer, 18″ or longer, or can be between 12″ and 30″ long, between 15″ and 24″ long, or can be approximately 18″ long (all inclusive). In other embodiments a standard length base can be used. 
     The pedal portion  1302  can include a drive shaft  112  with arm  202  (components connecting the drive shaft  112  to pedal  108  are not shown for simplicity, but would be present). However, instead of coupling to a chain as in the system  100 , the arm  202  can couple to a link rod  1314 , such as via a connector  1312 . The link rod  1314  can have a length similar to, slightly shorter than, or slightly longer than the length of the base  1310 . In some instances the link rod  1314  can be longer than 12″, or between 12″ and 30″ long, between 15″ and 24″ long, or approximately 18″ long (all inclusive). The link rod  1314  is rigid. However, in other embodiments it may be flexible, such as a chain or rope, to provide more play and lag. The link rod  1314  can connect the front part of the pedal  108  and/or the drive shaft  112  to componentry behind the pedal  108 , as will be discussed in more detail below. That componentry can be on the base  1310 , which can be enabled due to the extended length of the base  1310 . 
     The link rod  1314  can be connected to a secondary drive shaft  1320 , such as by an arm  1316  and connector  1318 , though many connection means are possible. The drive shaft  1320  can be behind or to the rear of the pedal  108 . The drive shaft  1320  can be mounted on a drive shaft housing  1321 , which can be connected to the base  1310 . The drive shaft  1320  can include an axle and be connected, such as via connectors  1322 , 1324 , to the direct drive assembly  1304 . In other embodiments a single connector instead of the connectors  1322 , 1324  may be used. The connectors  1322 , 1324  can be linked such that when the connector  1322  rotates with the drive shaft  1312 , there is a direct and rigid rotational connection with the connector  1324 . That is to say, while the link between the connectors  1322 , 1324  may not be rigid in every direction, when the connector  1322  is rotated in the direction shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the connection may be rigid and cause immediate movement; this can be achieved through, for example, a pin-and-aperture connection, which could allow non-rigidity in other directions. The connectors  1326 , 1328  on the beater-side of the direct drive assembly  1304  can operate in a similar or the same manner. Similarly, the connection between the pedal-side drive shaft  1320  and the connector  1322 , and between the beater-side drive shaft  124  and the connector  1328 , can also be rigid, for immediate or practically immediate translation of movement from one piece to another. It is understood that certain connector pairs or other groups of connectors (such as the connector  1322  with the connector  1324 , or the connector  1326  with the connector  1328 ) could be combined. 
     The joint piece  1350  can include a main body  1352 , which can be elongated. The main body  1352  can include apertures on its ends (or in some instances one large connected aperture therethrough, such as an axial aperture), with posts  1354  extending therefrom. In some embodiments, the extent to which the posts  1354  stick out of the main body  1352  is adjustable. For instance, the posts  1354  could be held in place within their respective apertures by holders or fasteners  1356 , such as drum key screws. When the holders  1356  are loosened, the distance by which the posts  1354  stick out of the main body  1352  can be changed, and then the holders  1356  can be tightened so as to lock the posts  1354  in place. The posts  1354  can provide a rigid connection to both the pedal portion  1302  and the beater portion  1306 . The posts can have many different shapes and cross-sections. For example, the posts can have triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or other cross-sections, with cross-sections having one or more flat sides being advantageous for rigidity of connection. In the specific embodiment shown, both the posts  1354  and the apertures of the main body  1352  have a square cross-section, though many different embodiments are possible. In some embodiments the posts  1354  can stick out from the main body  1352  by 1/16″ or more, or between 1/16″ and 3″, or between ⅛″ and 1″, or between ⅛″ and ¾″, or about ¼″ to ⅜″ (all inclusive). It is understood that embodiments outside these ranges are possible. 
     Many different lengths of the main body  1352  are possible. In some embodiments the main body  1352  is greater than ½″, or between ½″ and 10″, or between 1″ and 6″, or between 2″ and 5″ (all inclusive). Many different embodiments are possible. For instance,  FIGS. 15-16  show additional main bodies  1360 , 1362 , with the main bodies  1352 , 1360 , 1362  all having different lengths. Different main bodies can be provided with the same percussion pedal system for user convenience; for instance, a percussion pedal system can come with 2″, 3″, and 4″ versions. Embodiments outside of the above ranges are possible. 
     It is understood that a single post reaching through the entire length of the main body  1352 , the single post having an adjustable or non-adjustable length, is also possible. Additionally, the posts  1354  may not be adjustable, may be fixed and/or rigid, or may be part of the main body  1352 . In other embodiments, the length by which the posts can extend from the main body is not locked into place by holders, but instead, a maximum reach is set, such as by the internal geometries and interfacing of the posts and aperture (e.g., a part of the post being unable to pass through a part of the aperture). Many different embodiments are possible. 
     Additionally, while the system  1300  is shown as being configured for a right-footed user, as can be seen in  FIGS. 13-15  the system  1300  can also be reconfigured for a left-footed user by the user at his or her option. For example, the link rod  1314  and other components between the link rod  1314  and the drive shafts  112 , 1320  can be detached (such as by unscrewing attachments) and moved to the left side of the base  1310 , where they can be reattached using the same attachment mechanisms. Similarly, the direct drive assembly  1304  can be moved to the right side of the drive shaft  1320 . The pedal portion  1302  could be used with a separate beater assembly configured for left-footed playing, or the beater portion  1304  can also be configured to be reversible. For instance, the direct drive assembly  1304  could be detached from the shown side of the drive shaft  124  and attached to the other side, with the beater stem  126 , spring  306 , and other components also switching sides to swap sides with the direct drive assembly  1304 . The beater portion  1306  could also be moved to a different rod, such as the rod  122 , which could be preferred by left-footed users. 
     B. Exemplary Alternative System Operation and Advantages 
     The below describes typical operation of a percussion pedal system utilizing the components shown in  FIG. 13  such as the system  1300 . It is understood that variations are possible, and that certain components not present can be substituted for components that are present, components can be added, components can be removed, etc., as would be understood by one of skill in the art. It is also understood that some components of the system can be “reversed” to achieve the same result; for example, instead of forward movement of the link rod  1314  causing the beater rod holder  126  to rotate forward, the system could be arranged such that rearward movement of the link rod  1314  caused the same movement. Such rearrangements, substitutions, combinations, removals, etc. are encompassed by the present disclosure, and the below operation is but one example of operation of a system according to the present disclosure. 
     Upon a user pressing upon the pedal  108 , the drive shaft  112  is actuated and rotates. This rotation engages the arm  202 , causing the link rod  1314  to move forward toward the front of the base  1310 . This movement engages the arm  1318  which rotates the drive shaft  1320  in the direction shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . This rotation is translated to the joint piece  1350 , causing rotation of the posts  1354  and main body  1352  in the same direction, which in turn causes rotation of the drive shaft  124  in the same direction. This rotation causes forward rotation of the beater rod holder  126 , which can cause a beater to strike a drum head or face (e.g., a cajón face). The spring  306  can then push the elements of the system back toward their resting positions. 
     In the embodiment shown, each connection from the drive shaft  112  to the drive shaft  124 , and in some embodiments from the pedal  108  to the beater holder  126 , is rigid. As such, pressing the pedal  108  causes immediate or near immediate movement of all of the other connecting portions between the pedal and the beater holder. This can have distinct advantages over flexible connections, such as connections using chains, ropes, cords, wires, cables etc. (though it is understood that for certain playing styles, flexible connections may be preferred by a user). For example, the system  1300  can cause there to be little or no lag time between actuation of a pedal and movement of a beater, which can be preferred and/or necessary for precision playing. 
     Additionally, the system  1300  is less susceptible to wear and tear than systems utilizing cables or wires. Cables or wires, especially when bent to an unusual or unnatural position, can fray and/or break, whereas the rigid components of the system  1300  are much more reliable in this regard. 
     The use of a drive shaft  1320  and/or housing  1321  can also have distinct advantages. The amount of force being put through the system upon user actuation, especially with actuation by professional drummers, can be very high. A connection from the drive shaft  112  to the drive shaft  124  without a strong intermediary point such as the drive shaft  1320 /housing  1321  may tend to fail such as through component dislodgment, because such a system would include all components raised off of the ground and be less stable. The inclusion of a drive shaft  1320 /housing  1321  that is supported by the base  1310  lessens the likelihood of and/or prevents such accidental dislodgment. 
     Running the connection from the pedal portion  1302  to the beater portion  1306  through the rear of the pedal portion  1302  and/or behind the pedal  108  (as opposed to the front, such as directly through the drive shaft  112  to the beater portion  1306 , without a link rod  1314  connecting to components to the rear of the pedal  108 ) also has distinct advantages. The system  1300  is often used to play instruments like a cajón, where the user sits on the drum and also plays the faces of the cajón by hand. Running the componentry of the system through the rear of the pedal portion  1302  allows for the pedal  108  itself, and thus a user&#39;s foot, to be in a much more natural position that is often forward of the cajón&#39;s front face, as opposed to a position where some or all of the pedal is behind the cajón&#39;s front face. The use of a base  1310  that is longer than typical bases is also beneficial in that it allows the pedal  108  to be in an even more forward position. Embodiments of the present disclosure can include bases and/or link rods of adjustable length, which could be used to customize positioning even further. 
     Beater Heads 
       FIGS. 16-18  show beater heads  1370 , 1372  that can be used in embodiments of the present disclosure. Each of the beater heads  1370 , 1372  has a substantially flat back, which can each be connected to a beater stem as shown in  FIG. 17 . The beater head  1370  includes flat side surfaces, and a curved front surface from the top of the flat rear surface to the bottom of the flat rear surface. 
     The beater head  1372  also includes flat side surfaces, and surfaces that begin to curve from the top of the flat back surface and from the bottom of the flat back surface. However, instead of the front surface curving all the way from the top of the flat back to the bottom of the flat back, the beater head  1372  also includes a flat front surface  1372   a . The flat front surface  1372   a  can contact a drum, such as a bass drum head or a cajón, with more surface area than a typical beater head, resulting in a fuller and louder sound. The flat front surface  1372   a  can have a surface area of, for example, 0.25 in 2  to 6 in 2 , 0.5 in 2  to 4 in 2 , or 0.75 in 2  to 2 in 2 , all inclusive, and embodiments outside these ranges are also possible. Either of the beater heads  1370 , 1372  can be used in any embodiments of the present disclosure in place of a traditional beater head. 
     It is understood that various attributes and elements of from any one embodiment can also be included in other embodiments. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred configurations thereof, other versions are possible. The actual scope of the disclosure encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosure. The above detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the disclosure are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above may be combined to provide further embodiments. Further, the teachings of the disclosure provided herein may be applied to products and systems other than head support devices.