Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/990,253, filed May 8, 2014 and herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A standard four-piece drum kit consists of a snare drum, a bass drum, a floor-mounted tom-tom drum (also referred to as a “floor tom”) and a tom-tom drum that is somewhat elevated and attached to a hanging device or rack (also referred to as a “rack tom”). Besides the drums, the kit generally includes cymbals, a floor pedal, and hardware for attaching the drums in their preferred configuration (as well, in some cases, a seat for the drummer). For every performance, this equipment needs to be packed, transported and then unloaded. When the performance is over, the equipment must once again be packed, transported home and unloaded. Not only is this tedious, but transportation space (such as in a car) is usually very limited. In most cases, the drums are packed in separate suitcases or trunks, making the entire collection of baggage a significant load. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention addresses this problem, providing a storage container that is particularly configured to house a relatively small bass drum. The container is also used to transport other percussion instruments, such as a snare drum, a floor tom and a rack tom. These other drums are then removed from the container during a performance (while the bass drum remains in the container). The container itself may be formed of a size of approximately 32″ tall by 20″ wide and 20″ deep. 
         [0004]    In accordance with the present invention, the use of a relatively small bass drum (e.g., a 16″ bass drum as opposed to a 20-24″ bass drum) is compensated for by incorporating an acoustic configuration within the container (i.e., an acoustic chamber, channel and aperture) and positioned behind the bass drum. Additional baffling elements may be formed within the acoustic chamber in the container that propagate the sound created by the small bass drum through the container in a manner that creates the desired, deep resonant tone. 
         [0005]    A particular embodiment of the present invention comprises a drum kit container of generally rectangular form, the container including an acoustic configuration and comprising a main compartment including an upper section and a lower section, the lower section including a first area and a second area configured in a front and back configuration such that the first and second areas are both disposed below the upper section, the first area for housing a bass drum with a drumhead facing outward, and the second area including at least a portion of the acoustic configuration and comprising an acoustic chamber, the main compartment further comprising an acoustic channel in acoustic communication with the acoustic chamber and extending upward along a side surface of the main compartment, terminating in an aperture, the combination of the acoustic chamber, acoustic channel and aperture forming the acoustic configuration. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment includes, in addition to this main compartment, a secondary compartment having the same surface area dimensions as the main compartment such that the secondary compartment is capable being disposed over and attached to the main compartment, the combination of the main and secondary compartments forming a container for housing a bass drum and other drum equipment in a portable, compact arrangement. 
         [0007]    Other and further arrangements, advantages and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Referring now to the drawings, where like numerals represent like parts in several views: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exemplary drum kit container formed in accordance with the present invention, the illustration of  FIG. 1  showing the container in its open position, with a bass drum disposed within its defined location and other components of drum equipment stowed within other compartments of the container; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates drum kit container in its “closed” position, with all equipment stowed therein so as to be easily transported from one location to another; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is another isometric view of the inventive drum kit container in its open position, in this case with a portion of the equipment removed from the container (in particular, from the secondary (“lid”) portion of the container); 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows the inventive drum kit with all necessary components removed, and a bass drum remaining in its performance position within the container; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 5-8  are alternative view of a complete drum kit set up, using components stored within the drum kit container of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a cut-away side view of the main compartment area of the inventive drum kit container, the view of  FIG. 9  illustrating an exemplary acoustic configuration disposed behind the bass drum and used for optimizing the sound of the bass drum; 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the main compartment shown in  FIG. 9 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a cut-away view of an alternative acoustic configuration as formed within the main compartment, in this case including a number of baffles within the acoustic chamber. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exemplary drum kit container  10 , formed in accordance with the present invention. In this view, container  10  is shown in its “open” position, showing in detail a relatively deep main compartment area  12  and a relatively shallow secondary compartment area  14 . In this particular embodiment the two compartments are connected together via a hinge member  16 . Drum kit container  10  can be thought of as being similar to a “trunk”, with main compartment area  12  similar to the storage area and secondary compartment area  14  similar to the lid. Indeed,  FIG. 2  illustrates drum kit contain  10  in its “closed” position, and its similarity to a trunk is noticeable. 
         [0018]    Returning to the description of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 1 , main compartment area  12  of container  10  is shown as used to store a relatively small bass drum  18  in a lower section  20 . As mentioned above, the inventive acoustic configuration of container  10  allows for a relatively small drum (i.e. a 16″ drum as opposed to a more conventional 20″-24″ drum) to be used. The particulars of the acoustic configuration will be discussed hereinbelow in association with  FIGS. 9-11 . 
         [0019]    Main compartment area  12  of container  10  also includes an upper section  22 , used for storing the remaining drums  24  (e.g., floor torn, rack tom, snare, etc.). As will be shown below, these drums  24  are removed from container  10  when the kit is being set up for a performance. Bass drum  18 , in contrast, remains stored within lower section  20  during performance. 
         [0020]    Secondary compartment area  14  of drum kit container  10  (the shallower of the two compartment areas) includes, in this embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , an upper section  26  and a lower section  28 . In this particular example, seat components  30  are stored in upper section  26  and drum stand elements  32  (hereinafter referred to as “hardware”) and floor pedals  34  are stored in lower section  28 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates drum kit container  10  in an intermediate form as the kit is being set up for a performance. In this view, seat components  30  have been removed and assembled, as shown. Hardware  32  and floor pedals  34  have been removed from upper section  26  of secondary compartment area  14 . In this particular embodiment, secondary compartment area  14  is itself formed as a hinged component, including a hinge member  34  disposed across the interface between upper section  26  and lower section  28 . A floor pedal  34  is shown in  FIG. 3  as being positioned for use with bass drum  18 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates drum kit container  10  at a further point in the drum kit set-up process. As shown, the remaining drums  24  have been removed from upper section  22  of main compartment area  12  and attached to the proper hardware  32 . 
         [0023]    In further accordance with the present invention, first and secondary compartment areas  12  and  14  of drum kit container  10  may be formed to include a plurality of attachment components  40  at specific locations, with these attachment components functioning as locations for attachment of some of the hardware  32  (and/or several cymbals that may be included in the fully set up drum kit. In this specific example of this aspect of the present invention,  FIG. 2  illustrates a pair of attachment components  40 - 1  and  40 - 2  formed on its exterior surface and  FIG. 3  illustrates an attachment component  40 - 3  formed in the upper wall  28 -U of lower section  28  (and thus visible when secondary compartment area is opened). With reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , it is shown that attachment components  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2  and  40 - 3  are used to provide attachment of a portion of hardware  32  to drum kit container  10 . These hardware connections may be used to support, for example, cymbals that are used in the fully assembled drum kit. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 5-8  illustrate an exemplary drum kit as set up for performance, utilizing drum kit container  10  of the present invention. Evident in each of these views is that bass drum  18  remains in position within container  10 , which is formed in the specific manner shown below to provide the necessary acoustics for this relatively small-sized bass drum. 
         [0025]    As mentioned above, container  10  is specifically formed in accordance with the present invention to include an acoustic configuration that allows for the relatively small bass drum  18  contained within lower section  20  of main compartment area  12  to create the richer, deeper sound generally attributed to larger (standard size) bass drums. 
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is a cut-away side view of main compartment area  12 , showing the elements forming an acoustic configuration  50  which in this embodiment includes an acoustic chamber  52  disposed in a second area of lower section  20 , behind bass drum  18 . A channel  54  is formed to be in acoustic communication with chamber  52  and is disposed to extend upwards within a back wall  12 -B of main compartment area  12 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , channel  54  terminates at an aperture  56  (such as a slot) formed in a top surface  12 -T of main compartment area  12 .  FIG. 10  is a front view of the arrangement of  FIG. 9 , illustrating the position of drum  18  within lower section  20 . Also shown in this view is a pair of apertures  56 - 1  and  56 - 2 . 
         [0027]    In accordance with the present invention, therefore, when “small” bass drum  18  positioned within lower section  20  is struck (such as with a conventional floor pedal), acoustic configuration  50  will allow the sound to reverberate within chamber  52 , travel along channel  54  and outward through aperture  56 . The inclusion of this acoustic configuration  50  improves the sound of “small” bass drum  18  and is critical in allowing for all of the drum kit components to be easily stored in a container of a relatively small size. 
         [0028]      FIG. 11  is a side view of an alternative acoustic configuration useful in drum kit container  10  in accordance with the present invention. As with the embodiment described above, main compartment area  12  includes a lower section  20  for holding bass drum  18 . In the arrangement as shown in  FIG. 11 , an acoustic configuration  60  is shown as including an acoustic chamber  62 , channel  64  and aperture(s)  66 . Additionally, acoustic chamber  62  is formed to include a set of baffles  68 , which are used to channel the acoustic wave through acoustic chamber  62  in a manner that creates a rich, deep bass drum sound. As with the configuration described above, the sound wave ultimately propagates upward through channel  64 , passing through aperture slots  66  formed in top surface  12 -T of first containment area  12 . 
         [0029]    It is to be understood that the specific configuration of baffles  68  is exemplary only and various other arrangements may be used. Indeed, it is to be further understood that a drum kit container formed in accordance with the present invention may include various other configurations and organizations of compartments, sections and attachment components, as long as the section within which the bass drum is located also includes an acoustic chamber. Thus, the spirit and scope of the present invention is not limited by this description, but only by the claims appended hereto.

Technology Category: g