Patent Abstract:
A musical apparatus comprising, a first ring, a second ring, and a flexible member. The first ring is position on the finger of a drummer, the second ring encircles a drumstick and the flexible member connects the two rings. The flexible member is configured so that the first ring and second ring are offset at an angle that allows the drumstick to properly rest on the hand of the drummer.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The art of playing drums is well known and consists of holding a drumstick and striking a drum. A drumstick is a device used to hit the drums to make a percussive noise. A drummer is the person who plays the drums. A drum consist of at least one membrane, called a “drumhead” or “drumskin”, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player&#39;s body, or with some sort of implement such as a drumstick, to produce sound. 
         [0002]    Drumsticks typically have a smooth surface that allows the drumstick to slip through the hands of the drummer. Also, sweat on the drummer&#39;s hands increases the risk of losing the drumstick. In certain situations the release of the drumstick can be disadvantageous, for example, during a parade when the drummer is moving and cannot retrieve the drumstick. 
         [0003]    Also, the lack of a drumstick restraint can be dangerous to other individuals. For example, during the vigorous playing of the drums, a player can accidentally release the drumstick resulting in a flying projectile that may injure others. 
         [0004]    Many beginners have found it challenging to learn how to play the drums. It can take up to a year for a beginner to learn how to hold the drumsticks in the proper position and at a proper angle. A positioning device attached to the finger and the drumstick may be set such that there is a proper offset between the finger and the drumstick that replicates the proper playing position. 
         [0005]    The prior art depicts three devices that use a ring design to affix a finger to the drumstick. The first such device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,108 (Jan. 23, 1968) to Giba which uses a two ring structure with a three hundred and sixty degree swivel between the two rings. The &#39;108 patent does not position the drumstick at the proper playing angle rather allows it to spin a complete 360 degrees. Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,030 (Dec. 6, 1994) to Horne which uses a flexible ring inserted into the drumstick. The &#39;030 device has the drawback of requiring the finger to be pressed up against the drumstick. Another such device is US Pub No. 2006/0090629 (May 4, 2006) to Nybye uses a rigid ring inserted into the drumstick. 
         [0006]    Other devices use a much bulkier apparatus to accomplish the same goal of connecting the hands of the drummer to the stick. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,031 (Dec. 3, 1993) to Blankenship, Jr., describes a pistol-type grip with grooves that receive the fingers of the drummer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,531 (Nov. 2, 2004) to Lento on uses an entire glove structure to properly align the drumstick to the player hand. 
         [0007]    Another device with the US Publication No. 2002/0002895 (Jan. 10, 2002) to Zbrzezny on published on changes the cylindrical portion that is used to grip the drumstick to a hexagonal shape. The article in the &#39;895 publication depicts a device that increases the friction on the drumstick thereby decreasing the slippage of the drumstick from the hand of the musician, but, the device does not prevent the drumstick from being ejected from the hand of the musician. 
         [0008]    Lastly, another device is shown in US Publication No. 2006/0027076 (Feb. 9, 2006) to Barke. The device shown in the &#39;076 publication utilizes a spacer with straps to hold the stick in the proper alignment with the hand. The device shown in the &#39;076 publication, like the device shown in the &#39;895 does not prevent the drumstick from being ejected from the hand of the musician. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    While describing the invention and its embodiments various terms will be used for the sake of clarity. These terms are intended to not only include the recited embodiments, but also all equivalents that perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same manner to achieve the same result. 
         [0010]    The device is directed at the drum band apparatus and the method of using the same. The device is useful for attaching a generic cylindrical drumstick to a drummer&#39;s hand, keeping the drumstick at a proper angle to the hand, allowing the drummer to have greater control over the drumstick, and allows the drummer to never drop the drumstick. The device also allows a quick change of drumsticks if the drumstick shatters. The device also provides support to the drumstick to prevent shattering. Also, the device accomplishes the previously mentioned objectives while being inconspicuous. Lastly, no modification of a cylindrical drumstick is required. 
         [0011]    It is an object of this invention to provide a drum band that attaches on the finger of the drummer and on a part of the stick. 
         [0012]    It is another object of this invention to provide a drum band that positions the stick in the palm of the drummer in a manner that is most likely to aid the proper holding of the drumstick. 
         [0013]    The apparatus and method of this device has several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1 : shows the side view of the drum band apparatus. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2 : show the side view of the drum band apparatus. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3 : shows the isometric view of the drum band apparatus. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4   a:  shows the drum band apparatus attached to a right hand and attached to a generic drumstick from a palm up view. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4   b:  shows the drum band apparatus attached to a right hand from the side view. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5   a:  shows the drum band apparatus attached to a right hand and attached to a generic drumstick from a palm up view. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5   b:  shows the drum band apparatus attached to a right hand from the side view. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5   c  shows the drum band apparatus laid palm up and affixed to the middle finger. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5   d  shows the drum band apparatus with the palm downwards and the index finger and thumb holding the drumstick. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5   e  shows a palm down view of the drum band apparatus attached with the drumstick held between the thumb and index finger. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6   a:  Shows the bottom view of the drum band for the left hand. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6   b:  Shows the bottom view of the drum band for the right hand. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Now referring to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  shows a frontal view of the drumstick band  100 . The drumstick band  100  consists of a finger ring  101  and a drumstick ring  103 . The finger ring  101  is connected to the drumstick ring  103  using a flexible member  102 . The finger ring  101  is sized so that the inner diameter of the finger ring  104  of the finger ring  101  is sized to comfortably fit on a drum player&#39;s finger. 
         [0027]    Now referring to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a side view of the drumstick band  100 . As shown, the finger ring  101  and the drumstick ring  103  are connected with a flexible member  102 . For the purposes of orientation a finger plane  104  slices through the finger ring  101  and a drumstick plane  105  intersects the drumstick ring  103 . The finger plane  104  and the drumstick plane  105  are offset by an angle  106 . 
         [0028]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a close up view of the drumstick band  100 . As shown the finger ring  101  may have an elongated section  107  on the top of the finger ring  101  for the purposes of ornamentation. 
         [0029]    Now referring to  FIG. 4   a.    FIG. 4   a  depicts a view of the drumstick band  100  as held by a hand  110  with the left-hand palm facing upwards. The finger ring  101  is slipped through the middle finger  115  and the drumstick  120  is inserted through the drumstick ring  103 . As shown the drumstick  120  is at an angle to the finger  115  as set by the angle between the finger ring  101  and the drumstick ring  103 . 
         [0030]    Now referring to  FIG. 4   b.    FIG. 4   b  shows a side view of the drumstick band  100  where the hand is left hand palm down. As shown the finger ring  101  is looped around the middle finger  115 , the flexible member  102  is connected to the finger ring  101  and the drumstick ring  103  is connected to the flexible member  102 . The flexible member  102  is of such a length to allow a gap between the palm of the hand and the drumstick  120 . 
         [0031]    Now referring to  FIG. 5   a.    FIG. 5   a  depicts a view of the drumstick band  100 ′ as held by a hand  110 ′ with the right hand palm facing upwards. The finger ring  101 ′ is slipped through the middle finger  115 ′ and the drumstick  120 ′ is inserted through the drumstick ring  103 . As shown the drumstick  120 ′ is at an angle to the finger  115 ′ as set by the angle between the finger ring  101 ′ and the drumstick ring  103 ′. 
         [0032]    Now referring to  FIG. 5   b.    FIG. 5   b  shows a side view of the drumstick band  100 ′ where the hand is right hand palm down. As shown the finger ring  101 ′ is looped around the middle finger  115 ′, the flexible member  102 ′ is connected to the finger ring  101 ′ and the drumstick ring  103 ′ is connected to the flexible member  102 ′. The flexible member  102 ′ is of such a length to allow a gap between the palm of the hand and the drumstick  120 ′. 
         [0033]    Now referring to  FIG. 5   c.    FIG. 5   c  shows a palm up view of the drumstick band  100 ′. As shown the finger ring  101 ′ is looped around the middle finger  115 ′, the flexible member (not shown) is connected to the finger ring  101 ′ and the drumstick ring  103 ′ is connected to the flexible member  102 ′. 
         [0034]    Now referring to  FIG. 5   d.    FIG. 5   d  shows a palm down view of the drumstick band  100 ′. As shown the finger ring  101 ′ is looped around the middle finger  115 ′, the flexible member (not shown) is connected to the finger ring  101 ′ and the drumstick ring  103 ′ is connected to the flexible member  102 ′. The flexible member  102 ′ is set at an angle so that the index finger  140 ′ and the thumb  130 ′ hold the drumstick  120 ′ in the proper position for playing the drums. 
         [0035]    Now referring to  FIG. 5   e.    FIG. 5   e  shows another palm down view of the drumstick band  100 ′. As in  FIG. 5   d,  the index finger  140 ′ and the thumb  130 ′ grasp the drumstick at an angle set by the flexible member  102 ′. This flexible member  102 ′ is set at an angle that is the proper holding position for a drumstick. 
         [0036]    The difference between  FIGS. 4 and 5  being the right hand and left hand orientation of the drumstick bands  100 ,  100 ′. 
         [0037]    Now referring to  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b,  the orientation of the bands  100  and  100 ′ is shown in detail. The finger band  101 ,  101 ′ and the drumstick band  103 ,  103 ′ are oriented in such a way to hold the drumsticks at a natural playing angle. 
         [0038]    Other embodiments of the device allow for the flexible member to be detached from the finger ring. This allows the finger ring to be worn ornamentally and also providing for the connection of the flexible member with ease.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6