Illumination system for percussion instruments

• US 9,360,206 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grover Musical Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Grover Musical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Hiss, Ronald, Berger, Cory
• Primary Examiner(s): HORN, ROBERT WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US14/517,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20150114207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0492 the sensor detecting a change in orientation, a movement or an acceleration of the lighting device, e.g. a tilt switch
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/02 Drums; Tambourines with drumheads
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/063 Cymbals
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/10 Details of, or accessories for, percussion musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 7/00 Other auxiliary devices or accessories, e.g. conductors' batons or separate holders for resin or strings

Abstract

An illumination system and method for percussion instruments is disclosed. The system comprising of housing, one or more sensors, one or more light sources controlled by said sensors, and a power source to operate the illumination system. Said sensors and said light sources are self-contained within said housing. Also, the system further comprises a means for supporting said illumination system in close proximity to a striking surface of said percussion instruments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with percussion instruments comprising:

an illumination system;

a housing, the housing self-containing a complete and independent illumination system, comprising;

an upper cover;

a lower cover, the lower cover attached to the upper cover; and

a means for supporting the illumination system in close proximity to a striking surface of an associated percussion instrument, the means for supporting the illumination system configured to attach to a stand separate from, and in proximity to, the percussion instrument, a support structure for the percussion instrument, and a support frame of the percussion instrument;

wherein, when the illumination system is supported in close proximity to the striking surface of the percussion instrument, the illumination system is configured to activate after detecting a level of a percussion event produced by the percussion instrument selected from the group consisting of a vibration, a movement, and a sound.

2. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the percussion instruments comprise at least one of a drum or a cymbal.

3. The illumination system of claim 2, wherein said means for supporting said illumination system is a clamp capable of attachment to the rim of said drum.

4. The illumination system of claim 2, wherein said means of supporting said illumination system is capable of threaded engagement with a support structure for said cymbal or a support frame associated with the rim of said drum.

5. The illumination system of claim 1, the illumination system further comprising one or more light sources controlled by one or more sensors, wherein said sensors and said light sources are self-contained within said housing, and wherein the light sources are adapted to illuminate the percussion instruments.

6. The illumination system of claim 5, wherein the light sources comprise lights of different colors.

7. The illumination system of claim 6, wherein each of said light source colors corresponds to a particular percussion instrument.

8. The illumination system of claim 5, wherein the one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of vibration sensors, motion sensors, and sound sensors configured for activation when the percussion instruments are played.

9. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein the motion sensor is activated in response to movements produced by players of or sticks for the percussion instruments.

10. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein the sound sensor is activated in response to sounds produced by the percussion instruments.

11. The illumination system of claim 1, the illumination system further comprising a power source to operate the illumination system, wherein the power source comprises one or more battery cells.

12. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein a substrate is self-contained within said housing, and an inner surface of said lower cover is coated by reflection materials, and one or more sensors, one or more light sources, and one or more power sources are located on a substrate.

13. The illumination system of claim 12, wherein said system comprises a lens.

14. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein means for supporting said illumination system comprises a threaded attachment.

15. A method of controlling an illumination system for percussion instruments, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an illumination system for percussion instruments, the illumination system comprising;

a housing, the housing self-containing the complete and independent illumination system, comprising;

an upper cover;

a lower cover, the lower cover attached to the upper cover; and

a means for supporting the illumination system in close proximity to a striking surface of an associated percussion instrument, the means for supporting the illumination system configured to attach to a stand separate from, and in proximity to, the percussion instruments, a support structure for the percussion instruments, and a support frame of the percussion instruments;

detecting vibrations, movements, or sounds produced by percussion instruments;

generating electrical signals representative of the detected vibrations, movements, or sounds, respectively;

illuminating a light by the generated electrical signals; and

the electrical signals are different according to the level of detected vibrations, movements, or sounds, and the light is illuminated in different color and brightness according to the electrical signals, respectively.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the illuminating time is dependent on the level of detected vibrations, movements, or sounds.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the light comprises of a light-emitting diode.

18. A method of illuminating percussion instruments, the method comprising the steps of:

supporting an illumination device for percussion instruments in proximity to a striking surface of associated percussion instruments, the means for supporting the illumination system capable of being attached to a stand separate from and in proximity to the percussion instruments, a support structure for the percussion instruments, and a support frame of the percussion instruments;

said illumination device comprising a housing, the housing self-containing a complete and independent illumination system and comprising;

an upper cover;

a lower cover, the lower cover attached to the upper cover; and

a means for supporting the illumination system in close proximity to a striking surface of the percussion instrument, the means for supporting the illumination system capable of being attached to a stand separate from, and in proximity to, the percussion instruments, a support structure for the percussion instruments, and a support frame of the percussion instruments;

activating said illumination device to detect stimuli including vibrations, movements, or sounds produced by said percussion instruments;

producing said stimuli in connection with said percussion instruments; and

illuminating percussion instruments by said illumination device in response to said stimuli.