Externally mounted adjustable damping system for drum head

• US 6,291,754 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: J. D Addario & Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: J. D Addario & Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Gatzen, Robert A., Dressler, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, SHIH YUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/713,375
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 844/11.M, 844/11.P, 844/11.R
• US Class Current: 84/411.00M
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/02 Drums; Tambourines with drumheads
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/14 Mutes or dampers

Abstract

An externally mounted adjustable damping system for drumhead allows the sound characteristics of a drum to be easily adjusted without disassembly of the instrument. The externally mounted adjustable damping system includes a mounting fixture adhesively attached to the outside surface of a drumhead. The mounting fixture defines an annular channel for receiving damping elements of various materials and configurations. The damping elements may be rings or segments of vibration absorbent material placed to achieve the desired sound pattern from the instrument.

Claims

1. In a drum for use in musical performances, said drum having a hollow cylindrical shell and including at least a first drumhead including a membrane held in tension over an open end of said shell, said shell defining a central axis passing perpendicularly through the center of said membrane, said membrane having an inner surface facing said shell and an outer surface facing away from said shell, the improvement comprising:

an annular mounting fixture including a radially outward portion secured to a peripheral region of said membrane outer surface and a radially inward portion axially spaced from said outer surface to at least partially define an annular channel that is open toward said central axis; and

at least one damping element at least partially received and removably retained in said annular channel.

2. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein said at least one damping element is retained adjacent to said outer surface between the radially inward portion of said mounting fixture and said outer surface so that when said drumhead is struck to induce vibration of said membrane, said membrane initial axial movement is away from said damping element,

whereby said damping element causes little attenuation of a sound produced by said initial axial movement of said membrane and said damping element causes attenuation of a sound produced by a subsequent movement of said membrane.

3. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein said at least one damping element is made from a damping material selected from the group consisting of felt, foam, non-woven fabric, rubber and paper.

4. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein the radially inward portion of the mounting fixture having a first inside diameter and said at least one damping element comprises a ring of damping material having an outside diameter, said outside diameter being greater than said first inside diameter.

5. The improved drum of claim 4, wherein said ring of damping material has an inside diameter less than said first inside diameter.

6. The improved drum of claim 4, wherein said ring of damping material has an inside diameter greater than said first diameter.

7. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein said at least one damping element comprises arcuate segments of damping material.

8. The improved drum of claim 7, wherein said arcuate segments of damping material are retained in said annular channel by attachment to said mounting fixture.

9. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein said mounting fixture is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, wood, metal, paper and cardboard.

10. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein said radially outward and radially inward portions comprise substantially planar rings oriented substantially parallel to said membrane.

11. The improved drum of claim 10, wherein said radially outward and radially inward portions are connected by an annular ring oriented substantially perpendicular to said membrane, said annular ring defining a radially outer periphery of said annular channel.

12. The improved drum of claim 11, wherein said annular ring is interrupted by openings through said mounting fixture.

13. The improved drum of claim 1, wherein said mounting fixture is secured to said membrane by means of an adhesive material selected from the group consisting of foam tape, flexible glue, adhesive foam and temporary adhesive.

14. A mounting fixture for an adjustable damping system for a drumhead having a playing surface, comprising:

an annular mounting fixture having a radially outward portion and connected radially inward portion relative to a central axis, said radially outward portion having adhesive disposed on a bottom surface thereof for securing said mounting fixture to the playing surface of the drumhead, said radially inward portion projecting toward said central axis and offset an axial distance from said radially outward portion to at least partially define an annular channel inwardly of said radially outward portion for at least partially receiving at least one damping element.

15. The mounting fixture of claim 14, in combination with at least one damping element configured to be at least partially received and removably retained in said annular channel to form an adjustable damping system,

wherein said mounting fixture is mountable to said playing surface by said adhesive whereby said annular channel is at least partially defined by said playing surface and said damping elements are retainable adjacent to said playing surface by said mounting fixture.

16. The mounting fixture of claim 14, wherein said adhesive comprises adhesively coated foam tape.

17. The adjustable damping system of claim 15, wherein said at least one damping element is comprised of a damping material selected from the group consisting of felt, foam, non-woven fabric, rubber and paper.

18. The mounting fixture of claim 14, wherein said mounting fixture is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of poly vinyl chloride, polyester, polystyrene, cellulosics, polycarbonates, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymer and polyethylenes.

19. The mounting fixture of claim 14, wherein each of said radially outward portion and radially inward portion are substantially flat rings oriented substantially perpendicular to said central axis and said radially outward and radially inward portions are connected by an annular ring oriented substantially parallel to said central axis, said annular ring defining a radially outer extremity of said annular channel, said outer extremity having a first diameter.

20. The mounting fixture of claim 19, wherein said at least one damping element comprises a ring of said damping material, said ring having a radially outer edge having a second diameter substantially equal to said first diameter.

21. The mounting fixture of claim 19, wherein said at least one damping element is removably retainable within said annular channel by attachment to said mounting fixture.

22. The mounting fixture of claim 21, wherein said attachment is selected from the group consisting of glue, tape, hook and loop fasteners, clips, strings, wires or interlocking portions of fixture and damping element.