Electronic percussion instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9129585-B2
Application number	US-201414204411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2015
Grant date	Sep 8, 2015

Abstract

An electronic percussion instrument includes a head, a frame, and an impact sensor. The back of the head is divided into a main area (e.g. a main strike area) and an auxiliary area. At least one connecting part is arranged above or below the main area in the back of the head and reduced in thickness compared to the auxiliary area, thus reducing vibration from being transmitted through the head. The impact sensor is attached to the back of the main strike area of the head via a cushion member. When the main strike area of the head is being struck with a beater, a vibration is caused to occur in the head and detected by the impact sensor to produce an electric signal which is used to generate an electronic musical sound while suppressing mechanical noise due to an impact between the beater and the head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic percussion instrument comprising:
a frame;
a head, which is made of an elastic material with a higher flexibility than the frame, wherein the head has a main area including a main strike area, which is disposed in a front side of the frame and which is mainly subjected to a striking operation, and an auxiliary area which includes a fixing part fixed to the frame but does not include the main strike area; and
an impact sensor which converts a vibration occurring on the main strike area subjected to a striking operation into an electric signal,
wherein at least part of the main area of the head is connected to the auxiliary area via a connecting part which is reduced in thickness in comparison with the auxiliary area.

2. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting part is horizontally arranged in at least one of an upper portion above the main area or a lower portion below the main area, and wherein the connecting part is linearly elongated across the head.

3. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting part is made of a groove which is formed in the head.

4. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is formed in each of the surface and the back of the head.

5. An electronic percussion instrument comprising:
a frame;
a head, which is made of an elastic material with a higher flexibility than the frame, whose backside is divided into a main area and an auxiliary area which are positioned adjacent to each other, wherein the main area includes a main strike area on a surface of the head while the auxiliary area is fixed to the frame, and wherein the main area is reduced in thickness in comparison with the auxiliary area in the head; and
an impact sensor which converts a vibration into an electric signal used to generate an electronic musical sound.

6. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 5 , wherein the main area is horizontally elongated in the head.

7. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 5 , further comprising a vibration-damping member which is made of a harder material than the head and which is disposed in at least one of a front side, a rear side, and an inside of the auxiliary area precluding the main strike area in the head.

8. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the impact sensor is disposed close to the main strike area of the head via a cushion member.

9. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 5 ,
wherein the impact sensor is disposed close to the main strike area of the head via a cushion member.

10. An electronic percussion instrument comprising:
a frame;
a head, which is made of an elastic material with a higher flexibility than the frame, wherein a main area, including a main strike area which is disposed in a front side of the frame and which is mainly subjected to a striking operation, is connected to an auxiliary area which includes a fixing part fixed to the frame but does not include the main strike area; and
an impact sensor which converts a vibration occurring on the main strike area subjected to a striking operation into an electric signal,
wherein the main area is horizontally elongated in the head.

11. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 10 , further comprising a vibration-damping member which is made of a harder material than the head and which is disposed in at least one of a front side, a rear side, and an inside of the auxiliary area precluding the main strike area in the head.

12. The electronic percussion instrument according to claim 10 ,
wherein the impact sensor is disposed close to the main strike area of the head via a cushion member.

Assignees

• Yamaha Corp

Inventors

• Kanayama Emi
• Sato Masao

Classifications

• G10D13/02

  Drums; Tambourines with drumheads · CPC title

• G10H1/32

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G10D13/26

  Mechanical details of electronic drums · CPC title

• G10H3/146 Primary

  using a membrane, e.g. a drum; Pick-up means for vibrating surfaces, e.g. housing of an instrument · CPC title

• G10H2230/291

  Spint drum bass, i.e. mimicking bass drums; Pedals or interfaces therefor · CPC title