Patent Publication Number: US-8969696-B2

Title: Acoustic decoupling device

Description:
This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/678,280 filed on Aug. 1, 2012, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to percussion style musical instruments. More specifically, the device relates to drum sets and improved supports or feet configured for engagement with such drum set components upon support legs, which act to enhance sound emitted therefrom. In some preferred mode the device additionally employs means for reflecting the acoustic vibratory energy back into the drum or cymbal to thereby reduce energy loss and enhance the musical sound emitted from the drum or cymbal. 
     2. Prior Art 
     A drum kit, also referred to as a drum set, is a collection of drums, cymbals as well as other percussion instruments including cowbells, chimes, etc. A conventional drum kit typically consists of a ride cymbal, a floor tom, high toms, bass drum, snare drum, a hi hat, and often additional cymbals. Typically, the drum kit has been an instrument that does not always require electronic amplification as the drummer can produce louder, fuller, and deeper sounds simply by striking the drums heads with more power and energy. When the user strikes the drum head or cymbal, the vibrating head or cymbal causes sound waves to resinate producing the drum sounds we typically hear. 
     Unlike a guitar or other user supported instruments, many of the components of a drum kit are supported on a supporting surface such as the floor of the playing venue, through rigid support legs. These legs either extend from brackets engaged directly on the drum, or from specialized rigid support stands. 
     Conventionally, the support legs often include rubberized feet components which engage upon the distal end of the brackets and serve a number of purposes. A primary purpose is to provide a slip resistant engagement of the supported drum component upon the underlying support surface for the supported drums. This is important since the motion of a drummer impacting the supported drum or component, may often otherwise cause the drums to shift or move during play. 
     Second, the feet are known to provide a means for resisting or dampening the transmission of the energy of the vibrating drum head through the rigid legs to the floor. Conventionally, this is of particular importance because transmitting the energy to the floor will lessen the vibrations transmitted to adjoining rooms of the building which can cause complaints from irritated occupants. The loss of energy to the floor can also impact the resonation of the drums and other components to the room where they are situated, and a deadening effect occurs. Therefor the rubber or similar elastically engaging feet provide a balance between support and decoupling the support legs or stand from the floor to minimize the deadening effect. 
     As noted, conventional support feet for drum instruments are often of a rubber or elastic sheet material formed to elastically engage around the distal ends of support members. So engaged, the elastic rubber type fee act to slightly dampen the vibrations from the legs to the floor and primarily provide a slip resistant support for the drum. 
     Conventional stretch and fit type feet come in many different shapes but are most commonly known in a rounded tubular shape with a slightly larger surface area at the distal end of the foot, contacting the floor. Often these elastic rubber style feet are formed with an axial passage extending from the uppermost part of the foot from an opening to a fraction of the distance toward the bottom. This allows the user to simply stretch and slip the foot over the typically round shaft of the support legs and elastically engage thereon. Once engaged, as a result the drum or cymbal or similar instrument from the set, is supported a distance slightly above the floor, with a cushion of the stretched rubber material of a thickness equal to the elevated distance, under each support leg. 
     Such stretch and engage rubber material feet are often called floating feet. For support legs or cymbal or other stands employing legs of different cross section, the axial passage for engaging the foot is instead formed to engage that particular cross section in an elastically contracting or frictional engagement. Such a connection severely reduces and separation provided by the feet as the material from which they are formed is contracted on a cellular scale and conducts sound better to the support surface. 
     Another known type of drum instrument support feet are called air suspension feet. In this type of support foot a portion of the foot features a hollow air chamber positioned in between the distal end of the support engaged, and the floor. This air chamber acts as somewhat as a suspension which is purported to enhance sustain, tone, depth and resonance of the sound emitted from the drum when it is struck and further minimizing the deadening effect. 
     However often such suspension feet conventionally provide little contact surface with the floor and therefore can render the supported drum unstable. Consequently, a balance allowing for a secured slip resistant support to the instrument, and concurrently a decoupling to enhance sound production, and minimize transmission to the building structure, is not effectively met. 
     Additional downfalls are also present. The synthetic rubber material commonly employed for most ends, conventionally only provides a minimal dampening. Further, the synthetic rubber material itself, especially when stretched to achieve an elastic engagement, will transmit vibration to the floor such that a deadening effect of the communicated vibration and sound for a performance, is still present. 
     Further, the typical rounded shape of conventional synthetic rubber type feet, and their engagement to the instruments, presents problems to the technician or user who sets up a drum set on a stage. Often during transport and set up of the drum kit to the stage one or more feet will slip off their engagement to respective support legs. Because if their rounded shape in combination with the nature of synthetic rubber material, the feet when they become so disengaged, will tend to bounce around and often roll away from the technician. This can occur more easily when temperatures grow colder causing a shrinking of the metal legs on which the synthetic rubber feet engage faster than that of the engaged feet. When such a disengagement occurs, the round nature of the loose foot and general bouncing nature of the material, will cause a rolling of the loose foot, such that the user much chase it in the venue. This is not only a nuisance but can be quite detrimental to a performance given the strict setup schedules by which musicians must abide. 
     As a conventional solution to some of the problems noted above, it is known that drummers will place carpets, mats, or other cushioning surfaces on the floor as a means for enhancing the slip resistance characteristics of the feet, as well as enhancing the dampening of the vibrating drum head through the rigid legs to the floor. However, this requires the users to transport and store often very large square footage of carpet or other material and can be of great nuisance. 
     In addition, similar rubber components are also known to be employed on the drum supporting portion of a conventional snare drum stands as well as the support legs. A typical snare drum stand comprises three upper support arms which are configured to cradle the lower rim of the snare drum. The distal ends of the support arms will often include rubberized components which aid to minimize transmission of the vibrating drum head through the stand and floor, and additionally enhance the grip of the drum to the stand itself. However these rubber components similarly fail to provide adequate drum support and decoupling characteristics. 
     As such, there is a continuing unmet need for a support foot device for employment upon the distal ends of supporting brackets for components of drumming equipment and sets which solves many of the above noted problems known in the art. Such a device should be easy to engage, employ, and easy to replace and reconfigure. Such a device should not disengage easily during transport and setup and in the event of an accidental disengagement should be of a material and shape to provide a resistance to bouncing and rolling away from the user. Still further, along with providing a means for dampening the transmission of energy of the vibrating drum head to the floor, such a device should provide a means for reflecting this energy back up in to the drum thereby reducing the loss of energy and thereby improving sound quality. 
     The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The device herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in prior art of support feet for drum equipment. It achieves the above noted goals through the provision of an engageable foot or support member which is configured of material and in shape, to remain engaged and provides a means for enhanced acoustic decoupling from underlying support surfaces, and means for reflecting the acoustic vibratory energy, back into the drum, to thereby reduce energy loss and enhance the musical sound emitted from the drum or cymbal being supported. 
     The device is adapted or otherwise configured for removable or retrofit support or engagement to the support brackets at the distal end of a support leg or support stand. So engaged it provides improved means for dampening and resisting transmission of energy from the supported drum or cymbal or set component, to the floor. In some preferred modes, the device additionally employs means for reflecting the energy of the vibrating drum head back into the drum thereby reducing energy loss and further enhancing sound characteristics. The present invention in various preferred mode provides means for engagement to a plurality of different type support legs as needed, and in kit or engaged-component form, provides the user with a means for adjusting the decoupling of the engaged device. 
     It is of particular preference to provide concurrent decoupling to enhance emitted sounds, and minimizing transmission of energy to the building, therefor the body of the device is preferably formed of a polyurethane foam or other material suitable for the intended purpose, such as Ether-Like-Ester (ELE) foam, cross linked polymer, closed cell foam, open cell foam, or the like. Further, a component forming a means for reflecting vibration energy back into the drum and further reducing loss of energy, is preferably provided by the employment of an acoustic reflecting material, coupled with the body portion of the device, such as a rigid plastic, Lexan®, high density polyethylene, or other suitable material one skilled in the art may recognize. 
     The feet body formed of such material is further preferably shaped or otherwise configured with and exterior configuration which minimizes bouncing or rolling away of a foot if it is dropped from an elevated position. This is of great advantage and preference in the art of musical performance due to the rolling and bouncing problems with the conventional rounded synthetic rubber bodied support feet. In a particularly preferred mode, the feet are of substantially rectangular cross section but may be of any polygonal cross section which prevents or impairs bouncing and rolling. 
     In the body of the foot or support, in the preferred mode is formed with a polygonal cross section and is of a size to yield feet formed of the noted material which are comparable in size to the conventional support feet known in the art. The device in a preferred mode, includes a passage or cavity communicating axially through an opening or aperture to allow the insertion and frictional engagement of the support leg therein. However in other retrofit modes the axial cavity of the device may be sized larger than conventional support feet and the cavity or passage may be adapted to engage over the conventional rubber feet already engaged upon the drum or stand. In this mode the user is then not required to remove the conventional feet that are typically present on an OEM drum kits support legs and which may be permanently affixed. 
     Additional means for improving acoustics and providing a decoupling of the drum from the ground may be provided through the employment of waffled or serrated contact surface of the device upon surfaces which contact the floor. Such a waffled or otherwise formed surface further minimizes the transmission of vibration through the device to the floor by a minimizing the area of actual contact surface. Concurrently, gaps in the surface provide enhanced frictional engagement to the support surface. 
     In yet other preferred modes of the device, the formed feet may include means for acoustic decoupling. This may be provided through the inclusion of a water, fluid, or air filled bladder section which is situated in a held position by the body of the device, between the floor and the drum or cymbal in the body of the device. 
     In at least one preferred mode, the means for reflecting energy back into the drum is provided by a portion of rigid plastic formed of any of the preferred or other suitable materials disposed between an operatively engaged support leg and the body of the support device. As such, the support foot body will effectively decouple the drum from communicating vibrational energy to the supporting floor, while the rigid plastic or other acoustically reflective material will provide a means for reflecting and thereby reducing energy loss thus improving sound quality emission from the drum or cymbal. 
     Further, in yet another preferred mode, the invention comprises a decoupling component of similar materials which is configured for removable engagement to the support arms of a conventional snare drum stand for acoustically decoupling the snare drum from the stand itself. 
     Still further, in at least one other preferred the device is providable to the user in kit comprising a plurality of the foot devices. In addition, the kit, or optionally a separate providable kit can comprise a plurality of the snare drum stand arm decoupling components. Thus, for the snare drum in particular the user can employ both the support arm and support leg decoupling components thereby vastly improving the decoupling of the drum from the floor and reducing energy loss from the drum. 
     With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an acoustic decoupling device for employment upon drum and drum set instrument support legs or stands. 
     It is a further object to provide such a device which is configured such that it will not roll or bounce if disengaged. 
     It is another object to provide an acoustic decoupling device for employment on the support arms of a conventional snare drum stand. 
     It is another object to provide a means for reflecting the vibrating energy back into the drum through the employment of a acoustic reflecting material employed in the device. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows an elevated view of a preferred mode of the acoustic decoupling device formed of a substantially rectangular cross section support member and having a formed passage or cavity therein. 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of the device of  FIG. 1  along line A-A showing a preferred conical cross section of the cavity or passage. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross sectional view of the device of  FIG. 1  along line A-A of  FIG. 1  showing another preferred cross section of the cavity or passage being substantially cylindrical. 
         FIG. 5  shows another preferred mode of the device employing relieve cuts to allow easy insertion of a support leg into the cavity. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of yet another preferred mode of the device employed a waffled or serrated bottom surface. 
         FIG. 7  is an elevated view of still yet another preferred mode of the device being formed of a tapering rectangular cross section. 
         FIG. 8  shows yet another preferred mode of the device formed in a triangular cross section. 
         FIG. 9  is another preferred mode of the device employing concentrically engaged removable cylindrical inserts providing a means for adjusting the diameter of the cavity. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the device of  FIG. 9  along line B-B of  FIG. 9  showing a first cavity diameter. 
         FIG. 11  shows a cross sectional view of the device of  FIG. 9  along line B-B of  FIG. 9  showing a second diameter achieved by removing the cylindrical insert. 
         FIG. 12  shows yet another preferred mode of the device employing a fluid filled bladder engaged around the body of the support member. 
         FIG. 13  shows a cross sectional view of the device of  FIG. 12  along line C-C of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  shows yet another particularly preferred mode of the device having a cylindrical body and an axial cavity with relief slits. 
         FIG. 15  shows a side view of another particularly preferred mode of the device having a cylindrical body of compressible material which biases outward when compressed, and an a planar acoustically reflective plastic disk having an annular raised lip engaged to the top wall of the body. 
         FIG. 16  shows a top view of the mode of the device of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  shows a top view of another mode of the device similar to the mode of  FIG. 15  however employing a plurality of biasing engagement members adapted for securely engaging a drum stand support leg thereon. 
         FIG. 18  shows an exploded side view of another preferred mode of the device having a planar plastic disk in a sandwiched engagement between a cushioning cylindrical body of compressible material such as a foam body portion and an upper foam portion, having an axial passage for securely engaging a drum stand support leg. 
         FIG. 18   a  shows another mode comprised of an elongated cylindrical body having a slit communicating from the sidewall of the body to the interior of the body for receiving the planar plastic disk portion. 
         FIG. 19  shows a top view of the upper foam portion depicting the aperture in communicating with the axial passage. 
         FIG. 20  shows another mode of the axial passage of the upper foam portion employing one or a plurality of relief cuts. 
         FIG. 21  shows a side view of another preferred mode of the device comprising a flexible outer jacket enclosing a foam cushion portion and acoustically reflective disk portion. 
         FIG. 22  shows a cross sectional view of the device of  FIG. 21  showing an axial passage for engaging the distal end of a support leg communicating with an interior cavity containing the foam cushion portion and the acoustically reflective disk portion. 
         FIG. 23  shows a side view of another preferred mode of the device comprising a substantially L-shaped cushion member adapted for engagement to the distal ends of the conventional support arms of a snare drum stand. 
         FIG. 24  shows a front view of the device of  FIG. 23 . 
         FIG. 25  shows a top view of the device of  FIG. 23 . 
         FIG. 26  shows a view of an engagement band having hook and loop fasteners at the ends which employed as a means for engaging the device of  FIG. 23  to the support arms of a snare drum stand. 
         FIG. 27  shows a preferred as used mode of the device of  FIG. 23  engaged to the distal end of the support arm of a snare drum stand. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation. 
     Now referring to drawings in  FIGS. 1-27 , wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  elevated and side views respectively of a particularly preferred mode of the device  10  having a body  12  formed substantially in the configuration of a cube or cylinder or other shape shown in the drawings. In all modes of the device  10  herein, the body  12  of the device  10  is preferably formed of a resilient material, which is compressible under a force and rebounds as the force is lessened and exerts a bias while force is applied, opposite the force direction. 
     Any resilient material which will compress slightly under the weight of the supported drum or cymbal, and continuously exert a biasing force in the direction of the leg, and which will acoustically isolate the instrument from the floor or support surface is employable. Currently, the resilient material which has shown to work exceptionally well in experiments, is formed of foam-like materials including one or a combination of foam materials from a group including polyurethane foam, Ether-Like-Ester (ELE) foam, closed cell foam, and open cell foam, or the like, and having an average durometer of such materials. This material has been shown in experimentation to yield enhanced decoupling from support surfaces for enhanced sound from the instruments over the synthetic rubber material of conventional feet which is of a much harder durometer. 
     The body  12  includes generally a top wall  14 , bottom wall  16 , and a continuous or a plurality of sidewalls  18  communicating therebetween. When formed with a plurality of sidewalls of differing but intersecting planes, the current favored number of the plurality of sidewalls is four. Four sidewalls formed of intersecting planar portions, have shown to minimize roll and bouncing upon a disengagement, especially from an elevated height. 
     On the top wall  14  there is depicted an aperture  20  providing a communication into an axial passage or otherwise formed cavity  22  for the support legs or members. In use, a drum support leg, support stand leg (not show), or the like, is engaged within the cavity  22  such as by inserting the distal end of the support leg (not shown) through the aperture  20  and into a frictional engagement with the sidewall defining the cavity  22 . 
     In this and other modes of the device  10  described herein it is preferred that the body of the device  10  be formed with multiple intersecting planar sidewalls, to provide a means for reducing the chance of sequential bouncing and/or rolling away in the case of an elevated drop. Although the current preferred mode accomplishes this by providing a body  12  of polygonal cross section, those skilled in the art may realize other means for achieving the above noted goal and are anticipated. 
       FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of the device  10  of  FIG. 1  detailing one preferred mode of configuration of the cavity  22 . As can be seen, the cavity  22  extends from the aperture  20  down a portion of the total distance of the overall length of the body  12  of the device  10 . As such, a buffer or cushion zone  19  is formed and maintained by the foam portion of the body extending from the bottom of the cavity  22  to the bottom wall  16  of the body  12 . This buffer zone  22  provides a means for vibration dampening and a decoupling the drum leg (when engaged) from the supporting surface such as a floor and a reducing of the deadening effect to the emitted sounds as noted above. 
     One current preferred cavity  22  is shown as having a substantially frustoconical shape. This configuration is especially well adapted to receive the exterior of conventional frustoconical rubber feet typically present on drum support legs. As such, in this mode the user is not required to remove the OEM synthetic rubber feet from the drum support legs in order to employ the device  10 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a cross sectional view of yet another preferred mode of the invention showing a substantially cylindrical cavity  24 . This mode is especially well adapted to receive the uncovered distal end of a round member or bar support such as when the conventional hard synthetic rubber support feet, or formed of a material with a similar harder durometer, are removed. This mode may be desired to reduce the overall weight of the drum by removal of the heavy rubber feet as well as for other reasons. 
     It must be noted that the cavity  22  of the body  12  of the device  10  may be of a cross section other that those shown in the figures in order to properly engaged various other conventional feet and support leg shapes and designs known in the art as is the intent of the invention. As such those skilled in the art will realize that the depictions shown are given merely for descriptive reasons to portray the overall intent and scope of the device and should therefor not be considered limiting. 
       FIG. 5  shows yet another particularly preferred mode of the device  10  where the aperture  20  and cavity  22  employ relief cuts or slits  26  in the wall surface, to aid the user to more easily insert and engaged a support leg or foot therein. In the mode shown the slits  26  extend from the top end or top wall  14  surrounding the aperture, to the bottom of the cavity  22 . However, in other modes, the slits  26  may only extend a fraction of the depth of the cavity  22  as needed. Further, it must be noted that the provision of relief slits  26  may be employed in combination with any of the preferred modes of the invention. The relief in the wall surface of the cavity  22  reduces contact with the inserted end of a stand leg or support therein, while still yielding the elevated support above the support surface or floor. This lessening of contact provides enhanced decoupling and resulting enhanced sound from the supported drum or instrument. 
     Still yet anther preferred mode of the device  10  is shown in the side view of  FIG. 6 . In this mode which may be employed in combination with all other modes of the device herein, the bottom wall  16  which provides the contact surface area with the floor, has similar reliefs formed therein to yield a substantially waffle pattern bottom  28 . The waffle bottom  28  provides a means for reducing the contact surface area of the bottom wall  16  of the device, with the floor which further provides a means for acoustically decoupling the drums from the floor and reduce transmission of vibration. This mode may also be employed separately or in combination with the other modes of the device  10 . 
       FIG. 7  shows still another preferred mode of the device  10  having a tapering rectangular body  13 . As shown, the body  13  tapers from a larger surface area at the bottom wall  16  to a smaller surface area at the top wall  14 . This mode additionally includes and aperture  20  and cavity  22  extending therefrom. This mode may be preferred due to the weight reduction incurred by the tapering body  13  compared to that of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  shows yet another preferred mode wherein the body  15  of the device  10  is of a substantially triangular cross section. Again it is noted that the device  10  may be of other cross sections as needed to provide a means for reducing the risk of bouncing or rolling as is noted above. Although not shown the device  10  having a triangular cross section body  15  may tapered as was shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     It is known that drum support legs may vary in diameter from drum to drum and as such there is shown in  FIG. 9  a preferred means for varying the size of the aperture  20  and cavity  24  of the body  12  of the device  10 . In this mode the device  10  employs one or a plurality of removably engageable coaxially aligned and concentrically engaged cylindrical components  30 . As shown in the cross section view of  FIG. 10 , showing a single cylindrical component  30  in the engaged position, a first diameter aperture  20  communicating with a first diameter cavity  24  is provided. This aperture  20  and cavity  24  may be sized to receive a first diameter of support legs known in the art. Further, shown in FIG.  11 , upon removal of the cylindrical component  30 , there is then provided a second larger aperture  21  communicating with a second larger cavity  25 . This larger cavity and aperture  25 ,  21  may be adapted to engage larger sized support legs known in the art. 
     Still further, additional means for acoustic decoupling and reduction of vibration transmission to the floor is shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  which employ a fluid-filled bladder  32  portion of the body. The bladder  32  may be filled with fluid such as water, air, or other fluid and is intended to engaged about the bottom and sidewalls  16 ,  18  of the body  12  of the device  10 . However in other mode the bladder  32  may be formed unitarily with the body  12 . 
     It must be noted that although the bladder  32  is shown employed in combination with the mode of the device of  FIG. 1  it may be employed with any of the modes of the device  10  disclosed previously. The bladder  32  provides a further cushion or buffer between the support leg of a drum and the floor when engaged within the cavity  24 . As such the bladder  32  provides a means for substantially reducing the transmission of vibration and further decouples the drum from the floor again substantially reducing the deadening effected noted previously. 
       FIG. 14  shows yet another particularly preferred mode of the device  10  having a cylindrical body  12  and further includes an aperture  20  communicating with an axial positioned cavity  22  which as relief cuts or slits  26  in the wall surface communicating with the aperture  20 . The cuts descend a distance “D” into the body  12  as does the cavity  22  which is not the complete length of the body  12  but between one half to two thirds of the entire distance between the top wall  14  and bottom wall  16  which communicates with the support surface. 
     This, less than total communication, defines a distance “D” for a spacing portion of the body  12  which communicates between the distal end of a supporting leg or member for the drum or cymbal, and the support surface or floor  27 . This spacing portion provides a means for elevating the supporting leg above the floor and concurrently support it with the material forming the body  12  in the spacing portion. As noted earlier, relief slits  26  may be employed in combination with any of the preferred modes of the invention and provide both a means for easy accommodating of the diameter of the aperture  20  to the circumference of the supporting leg or member, as well as a concurrent reduced contact with the inserted end of a stand leg or support member inserted into the cavity  22 . This lessening of contact provides enhanced decoupling of the instrument from the support surface or floor  27  and resulting enhanced sound from the supported drum, cymbal or instrument. 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  and  18  show views of yet another particularly preferred mode of the device  10 , comprising a substantially cylindrical cushion body  12 , preferably formed of one or a combination of compressible material. Such compressible material particularly preferred is foam materials from a group including cross linked polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam, Ether-Like-Ester (ELE) foam, closed cell foam, pvc foam, polyester foam, open cell foam, closed cell foam, sponge, or other suitable material in the range of 25-90 Shore on an OO scale. In particular preferred mode, a cross linked polyethylene foam having a hardness in the range of 30-60 Shore A, has been shown to work exceptionally well in decoupling the drum from communicating vibration into the underlying support surface. However it is noted that other materials of the desired hardness range may also be employed and are anticipated. Further, materials having a shore hardness outside the specified range, which are determined to be suitable for the intended purpose, may be employed and are also anticipated. 
     As shown in this particularly preferred mode of the device  10 , means for reflecting the energy of the vibrating drum head communicated to the support legs back toward the drum body is provided by a planar rigid disk member  34  positioned on the top surface  14  of the body  12  of the device  10  if a single piece body is employed. The disk member  34  is preferably formed from an acoustically reflective material such as a rigid plastic material including LEXAN in a thickness between 0.03 inches and 0.5 inches with the thinner end of that thickness scale preferred. Also, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or PVC sheeting in similar thicknesses, or other rigid material suitable for reflecting vibrational energy back up the support leg, one skilled in the art may recognize. It is additionally noted that the disk portion  34  can be of any shape and is therefor not limited to the circular disk shape as shown. For example, the disk portion  34  can be square, rectangular, polygonal, or essentially any shape suitable for the intended purpose as can the body  12  or other components. However it is preferable to have the disk portion  34  with a smaller circumference than the foam material supporting it for ease of mounting and changing the material is desired. 
     The mode of the device  10  shown in  FIG. 18 , has been shown to work well and employs a harder or stiffer foam material in a lower portion  31  of the body  12 , than that of an upper portion  33 . The upper portion  33  formed of open cell foam material will have the aperture and axial passage  46  configured to frictionally engage the circumference of a supporting drum leg, which sits upon the planar disk portion  34 . The planar disk portion  34  is supported in its elevated position spaced from the support surface such as the floor, by the lower portion  31  of the body  12  which is formed of closed cell material, which should have a shore which is slightly harder than that of the upper portion  33  which is provided to prevent lateral translation of the leg from the device. 
     The lower portion  31  and upper portion  33  may have perimeters which are larger than that of the planar disk portion  34  to allow the upper surface of the lower portion  31  to be adhered to the lower surface of the upper potion  33  surrounding the perimeter of the planar disk portion  34 . This allows the planar disk portion  34  to be supported upon the lower portion  31  and held in place by the adhered surrounding engagement of the upper portion  33  to the lower portion  31  but with only a supported attachment to the lower portion  31  without adhesive or the like. This supported but un-adhered attachment of the planar disk  42  has shown to reflect vibration back toward the drum generating it better back yielding enhanced performance. 
     In use the conventional foot of the support leg of a drum is placed in a supported position on the planar disk portion  34  or  42  of the device  10 . As the drum head is struck, the vibrational energy travels through the drum and down the support leg to the foot wherein the foam body  12  provide a means for acoustic decoupling of the support leg from support surface or floor. 
     Further, the planar disk portion  34  or  42 , provides a rigid platform for the drum atop the separating supporting foam and passes some energy to the foam body  12  as a means for dampening while it&#39;s rigid structure additionally provides a means for reflecting most of, or a substantial amount of the drum generated energy, back up the leg and to the drum thereby improving sound qualities and projection of the engaged drum. The disk  34  when employed without the upper portion of the body, preferably includes a raised sidewall or lip  36  extending around its peripheral edge as a means for preventing the conventional foot from slipping off. 
       FIG. 17  shows another mode of the device  10  similar to the mode of  FIGS. 16 and 17  however employing a plurality of biased engagement members  40  as a means for securely engaging the foot of a support leg to the device  10 . In the current mode shown, the engagement members  40  may be inwardly spring biased  38  which will compressively bias a support leg foot positioned centrally on the disk  34 . 
       FIG. 18  shows another particularly preferred mode of the device  10  which has shown particular promise in experimentation in increasing sound emitted from the decoupled drums. As shown, the device is formed in two components of a cushioning body  12  portion which supports an overhead upper portion of an upper engagement member  44 . An axial passage  44  provides means for secured and a biased engagement of the foot of a drum support leg to which it is adapted in size for operative engagement. 
     In this two part mode of the device, the upper engagement member  44  portion is shown substantially cylindrical in shape and having the axial passage  46  communicating between opposing apertures  45  at opposite ends of the passage  46  disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of the upper engagement member  44 . 
     Particularly preferred in this mode of the device  10  is the inclusion of a planar disk portion  42  adjacent the aperture  45  on the lower side of the engagement member  44 . The planar disk portion  42  is in a sandwiched engagement between the top surface  14  of the foam cushioning body  12  and the upper engagement member  44  which the cushioning body  12  supports in an elevated position along with the planar disk portion  42 . Means for engagement of the cushioning body  12  to the supported engagement member  44  can be adhesive, hook and loop fasteners, heat fusion, fasteners through both components, or any other suitable means. For example the top surface  14  of the body  12  can have an adhesive layer for engaging both the disk member  42  and upper member  44  thereon if the circumference of the disk member  42  is smaller than the respective circumferences of the upper member  44  and the body  12 . This allows for adhesion of the upper member  44  to the top of the body  12  and the perimeter of adhesion between the two holds the disk member  42  in a central position sandwiched therebetween. 
       FIG. 18   a  shows yet another mode of the device  10  having an elongated unitary solid cylindrical body  12  having a substantially central axial passage  46  communicating from an aperture  45  on the top surface  14  of the body  12  a distance into the body. A slit  49  is provided communicating from the sidewall  18  of the body  12  to at least the distance to a central portion of the interior of the body  12 . The slit  49  is configured to receive a rigid planar disk portion  42  such that the disk  42  can be positioned within the body  12  in an axial alignment with the body  12 . As such the passage  46  preferably extends into the body  12  at least the distance of the location of the slit  49 . This unitary structure mode of the device may have two differing types of foam or plastic forming the body  12  and the upper member  44  which are formed in the same mold and allowed to fuse together, or it can be formed of a single type of foam or rubber or other polymeric or plastic materials. 
       FIGS. 19 and 20  show top views depicting the aperture  45  communicating with the axial passage  46 . In  FIG. 20  one or a plurality of relief cuts  48  can be provided such as those shown previously in  FIG. 14 . 
       FIGS. 21 and 22  shows view of yet another particularly preferred mode of the device  10  comprising a flexible outer housing portion  50  having a distal aperture  53  communicating with an axial passage  54  extending to a interior cavity  52 . The housing  50  can be formed from rubber or other suitable material, such as the conventional rubber employed for the feet of drum support legs. As can be seen the, housing  50  comprises an interior cavity  52  containing a layer of foam cushion material  56 , such as cross linked polyethylene or other suitable material, and a top layer being a rigid layer  58  providing means for reflecting energy back into the drum. In use the axial passage  54  is adapted to engaged the distal end of a drum support leg (not shown) either as a retrofit or an OEM support leg foot. As such the current preferred mode provides a easy to use and engage unitary structure which achieves the goals of the modes of the device  10  shown in  FIGS. 15-20 . 
       FIG. 23-25  show yet another mode of the invention providing an acoustically decoupling and vibrational dampening device  11  which is adapted for engagement to the support arms  200  of a conventional snare drum  100  stand. As shown, the device B comprises a preferably substantially L-shaped body  60  formed of the preferred foam materials described previously which provide means for vibration dampening and acoustic decoupling. The body  60  preferably includes one or a plurality of slits  62  communicating between apertures formed in opposing sidewalls of the body  60  which are configured to receive engagement straps  64  shown in  FIG. 26 . The straps  64  preferably include fastener ends  66 , such as hook and loop fabric, which in use provide a means for engaging the device  10  to the distal end of the support arm  200  as shown in  FIG. 27 . However it is noted that other means for engagement of the device  11  to the support arm  200  may be employed, such as adhesive or the like, and are anticipated. 
     This invention has other applications, potentially, and one skilled in the art could discover these. The explication of the features of this invention does not limit the claims of this application; other applications developed by those skilled in the art will be included in this invention. 
     Thus, upon reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art may recognize various other means for acoustic decoupling, vibration dampening, and vibrational energy reflecting, which are considerably or slightly different those disclosed, are considered within the scope and intent of the invention herein, and are anticipated within the scope of this patent. 
     It is additionally noted and anticipated that although the device is shown in its most simple form, various components and aspects of the device may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner. 
     While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.