PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 15870968
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2018-01
Publication Date: 2018-07
Patent Classification: ["084", "384000"]

Abstract:
This invention relates to new designs of tubular body flutes both to facilitate more natural and more consistent placement and orientation of the flute player's hands and to enhance the flexibility of the player's lips so as to more perfectly play the flute by greatly increasing the stability of the flute in the player's hands by firmly connecting the flute to the player's finger (and/or thumb) by provision of a finger connecting part through which the flute player's left index finger is inserted, as like wearing a ring. It firmly fixes the flute to the player's left index finger (and/or thumb) so that the flute is stabilized without pressure on the player's mouth. Thus, it enhances the flexibility of the player's lips to more perfectly form the airstream sounding the flute while also more exactly and repeatedly locating the player's fingers on the flute by preventing inadvertent rotation of the flute. This is especially beneficial for the player's lower lip, which, under extant art, is forcibly pinned against the lower teeth and gums so as to stabilize the flute. This benefit is achieved by completely stabilizing the flute in the player's hands by firmly connecting the flute to the player's finger (and/or thumb) with a finger connecting means incorporating an opening in the invention through which the flute player's left index finger (and/or thumb) is inserted, as like wearing a ring. In the preferred embodiment the finger connecting means is a ring-like structure built onto the flute and for economy this additional device is hereafter referred to as a ring. The use of a ring provides a firm connection between the player's fingers and the flute permitting the left index finger and right thumb to completely stabilize the instrument with no pressure on the player's lips whatsoever, while completely preventing inadvertent rotation of the flute. A very substantial benefit of the instant invention over extant art is that it allows the flute to be safely played by growing children without disrupting the proper development of their gums and teeth. Many parents permit their children to start their music education only with a piano or a violin because wind instruments have a tendency to put severe stress and strain on the mouth, teeth and gums, which can distort their development. Because the instant invention permits, even encourages, the best use of the flute without strong, or even any, pressure on the teeth and gums, a flute so equipped can be used even by young children without orthodontial concerns.

Claim (Index 10):
The flute of  claim 9  wherein said thumb retainer is removably attached to the flute and is interchangeable with similar thumb retainers of different sizes.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 32.0
- Percentile: 86.0
- Lexical Diversity: 2.66667
- Patent Class: 84.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: none
- Component Type: 0
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['14332957', '13052063', '16098551', '11200217', '15822696']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.5964050595116989
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.5121571493018791
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.5879802684907169
- Mean Citation Score: 211.240626
- Max Citation Score: 229.64616
- Similarity Product: 122.21665489169598

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 0
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test