CA2617371A1 - Light-up drum - Google Patents

Light-up drum Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2617371A1
CA2617371A1 CA002617371A CA2617371A CA2617371A1 CA 2617371 A1 CA2617371 A1 CA 2617371A1 CA 002617371 A CA002617371 A CA 002617371A CA 2617371 A CA2617371 A CA 2617371A CA 2617371 A1 CA2617371 A1 CA 2617371A1
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
images
drum
controller
sensor
indications
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002617371A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Gerard Helfrich
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
First Act Inc
Original Assignee
First Act Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by First Act Inc filed Critical First Act Inc
Publication of CA2617371A1 publication Critical patent/CA2617371A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

A system includes a drum shell providing opposed first and second apertures, a support connected to the shell and configured to engage with a horizontal surface to help stabilize the shell, a resonant drum head attached to the shell and disposed across the first aperture provided by the shell, a batter drum head attached to the shell and disposed across the second aperture provided by the shell, a sensor disposed and configured to sense striking of the batter drum head and to provide indications of drum strikes, images configured to be selectively illuminated, and a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of drum strikes from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the resonant drum head.

Description

LIGHT UP DRUM
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims benefit to United States Provisional Application No. 60/883,926, filed January 8, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Percussion instruments, including drums, have been in existence for a long time and are vital parts of most bands. Drums, as with other musical instruments, can have various colors, shapes, etc. to indicate the band or the band's name, to reflect the likes/personality of the musician playing the instrument, to be appealing to an audience viewing a performance, etc.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In general, in an aspect, the invention provides a system including a drum shell providing opposed first and second apertures, a support connected to the shell and configured to engage with a horizontal surface to help stabilize the shell, a resonant drum head attached to the shell and disposed across the first aperture provided by the shell, a batter drum head attached to the shell and disposed across the second aperture provided by the shell, a sensor disposed and configured to sense striking of the batter drum head and to provide indications of drum strikes, images configured to be selectively illuminated, and a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of drum strikes from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the resonant drum head.
[0004] Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The images are disposed on the resonant drum head. The controller is configured to actuate the images, at least one at a time, in a sequence in response to a series of strikes of the drum being indicated by the sensor. The sensor is configured to sense sound and to provide one of the indications of drum strikes when the sensed sound exceeds a threshold sound level. The sensor is configured to provide the indications of drum strikes such that the indications indicate intensity levels of the strikes. The controller is configured to actuate the images in accordance with the intensity levels of the strikes indicated by the sensor. The system further includes a demonstration mechanism removably coupled to the controller where the controller is configured implement a demonstration by actuating the images in a demonstration sequence in response to actuation of the demonstration mechanism. The controller is configured to actuate the images with a constant intensity level during demonstration. The sensor is configured to sense vibration and to provide one of the indications of drum strikes when the sensed vibration exceeds a threshold vibration level.
[0005] In general, in another aspect, the invention provides a musical instrument system including a musical instrument body, images disposed on the musical instrument body and configured to be selectively illuminated, the images comprising electroluminescent material, a sound sensor disposed and configured to sense sounds in a vicinity of the musical instrument body and to provide electrical indications of abrupt increases in sound, and a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of abrupt increases in sound from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the musical instrument body in a predetermined sequence for each successive indication of an abrupt increase in sound.
[0006] Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The sensor is configured to provide the indications such that the indications indicate intensity levels of the sounds. The controller is configured to actuate the images in accordance with the intensity levels of the sounds indicated by the sensor.
The system further includes a demonstration mechanism removably coupled to the controller where the controller is configured implement a demonstration by actuating the images in a demonstration sequence in response to actuation of the demonstration mechanism. The controller is configured to actuate the images with a constant intensity level during demonstration.
[0007] In general, in another aspect, the invention provides a drum set including a bass drum including a shell, a batter head, and a resonant head, images disposed on the batter head and comprising electroluminescent material configured to be selectively illuminated, a sound sensor disposed and configured to sense striking of the batter drum head and to provide indications of drum strikes, a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of drum strikes from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the resonant drum head in accordance with a predetermined pattern of image illuminations such that for each received indication of a drum strike, the controller causes a change in which of the at least one image is illuminated, a package containing the bass drum, the sound sensor, and the controller, and a demonstration mechanism removably coupled to the controller and retained by the package such that the demonstration mechanism can be accessed and actuated while in retained by the package, where the demonstration mechanism is configured to communicate with the controller to implement a demonstration in response to actuation of the demonstration mechanism to actuate the images in a demonstration sequence.
[0008] Embodiments of the invention may provide one or more of the following capabilities, among others. Visual images can be actuated in accordance with audible pulses. Images on a drum set can be illuminated in response to drum strikes. A
sequence of one or more images at a time on a musical instrument can be stepped through in response to multiple sound pulses such as drum strikes. A demonstration sequence of images on a musical instrument in a package can be actuated in response to activation of a "try me"
button accessible while the musical instrument is in the package. A "try me"
feature can be provided with a musical instrument and can be removed, e.g., after opening a package containing the musical instrument.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary drum set.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the drum set shown in FIG. 1 disposed in a package.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an end view of an exemplary drum with an exemplary composite image disposed on a drum head and divided into selectively-activated component images.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bass drum, a vibration sensor, and a controller.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing changing visual images on a drum. For example, a drum set includes a drum head that has several patterns or images on it formed by electroluminescent (EL) material. The various images are each connected via separate lines to a controller. The controller sends current to the EL images from a power source to cause the images to light up in response to indications from a sound-to-electricity transducer that the drum has been struck. The controller sends signals to the images to cause the various images to be actuated in a desired sequence. The images can be actuated one at a time, or in simultaneous combinations. This drum set is exemplary, however, and not limiting of the invention as other implementations in accordance with the disclosure are possible.
[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, a drum set 10 includes a bass drum assembly 11, a floor tom 14, a tom 16, a snare drum 18, hi-hat cymbals 20, a crash cymba122, and a foot peda124.
The foot peda124 can be stepped on to strike a batter head 25 with a beater 26 to induce sound in a bass drum 12, of the bass drum assembly 11, and cause a resonant head 32 to vibrate.
[0015] The bass drum assembly 11 includes the bass drum 12, that includes images 30, lead lines 38, and contact pads 39. The bass drum 12 includes legs 13 connected to a shell 15 to stabilize the drum 12 on a floor. The drum 12 further includes the resonant head 32 on which is disposed a set of images 30. The images 30 are made of electroluminescent (EL) material and, here, are three nested stars. The stars are connected via a set of conductive lines 38 to the connector 50. The lines 38 can be physically separate, or in a ribbon cable, or in another arrangement. Here, the lines 38 are separate, printed conductors disposed on an interior side of the resonant head 32, opposite the set of images 30, and connected to the images 30 through the resonant head 32. The lines 38 pass through the head 32 near an edge/perimeter of the head 32 and are connected to the contact pads 39 for connection to a controller 36.
[0016) The drum assembly 11 further includes a transducer 33, a power source 34, and the controller 36. The controller 36 is connected via lines 50 to contact pads 52 that are disposed to press against, and make electrical contact with, the contact pads 39 with the resonant head 32 attached to the shell 15 of the drum 12. The power source 34 is configured to provide power to the controller 36, to the images 30 (preferably through the controller 36, but possibly directly), and to the transducer 33. The transducer 33 includes a microphone 35 disposed inside the drum 12 and is configured to receive energy of sound waves from the batter head and/or the resonant head 32 of the drum 12 and to convert this sound energy into electrical energy. The transducer 33 is further configured to provide this electrical energy to the controller 36 to indicate that the drum 12 has been struck by the batter 26 of the foot pedal 24. The transducer 33 indication can indicate the intensity of the sound, and thus the intensity of the strike on the drum 12. The strike intensity can be indicated in a variety of manners, such as with the intensity of the signal corresponding to the strike intensity (e.g., an analog voltage level proportional to the strike intensity), or with the format of the signal varying according to the strike intensity, e.g., a digital 1100 indicating a strike of greater intensity than a digital 001Ø
(0017] The controller 36 is configured to cause the images 30 to be actuated in response to the drum 12 being struck. The controller 36 responds to the indications from the transducer 33 that the drum 12 has been struck by controlling power from the power source 34 to one or more of the images 30. The controller 36 is connected to the power source 34 and the connector 50 and is configured to regulate power flow from the source 34 to the connector 50, and thus the image(s) 30. The controller 36 contains a stored sequence of which image(s) is(are) to be selected/actuated, and steps through the sequence each time a strike of the drum 12 is indicated by the transducer 33 to thus sequentially provide power to the selected images 30. The controller 36 can repeat the sequence when the sequence is finished. The controller 36 can cause one or more of the images 30 to be actuated/illuminated at any given time. Thus, for example, the controller 36 may cause the outer-most image 30 to be powered and thus lit, then both the inner-most and outer-most images to be lit, then just the middle image, then the inner-most, followed by the middle, followed by the outer-most. Any number of sequences can be stored and implemented by the controller 36. For example, the controller 36 can cause the images 30 to appear to chase each other, to pulse, to fade in and out, etc. The controller 36 preferably actuates the image(s) 30 to light up proportionally to the intensity of the drum strike such that a harder drum strike will cause the actuated image(s) 30 to light up more than in response to a softer drum strike. The controller 36 can regulate the amount of power provided to the selected image(s) 30 to light the image(s) 30 in accordance with the strike intensity.
The controller 36 comprises a processor and a memory that stores computer program software code containing computer-readable, computer-executable instructions for controlling the processor to perform functions described here.
[0018] Referring also to FIG. 2, the drum assembly 11 further includes a "try-me" button 40 that is removably connected to the controller 36 by a line 42. The line 42 may be disconnected, e.g., after purchase of the drum set 10, from the controller 36 to disable the try-me feature. While connected to the controller 36 via the line 42, e.g., while in or otherwise retained by a package 58 on a store shelf, the button 40 can be pressed (here, through an opening in packaging of the drum set 10) to initiate a sample sequence of illumination of the images 30. The controller 36 can respond to actuation of the button 40 by sequentially illuminating the images 30, e.g., for a short period of time, or for a full cycle of a stored sequence of illumination, for a predetermined number of sequential actuations, or until the try-me button is pressed again, etc. Preferably, the intensities of the images 30 during a try-me demonstration are at a similar level (i.e., the intensity is constant).
[0019] Other embodiments are within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, different images on a drum head may be provided than the stars shown.
Different images may be provided on a single drum head, e.g., a star and a circle. Non-nested images may be provided on a drum head. Further, an image can comprise several component images that are selectively actuated by the controller. For example, referring to FIG. 3, a drum 80 includes a composite image 60 that is divided into five component images 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 that can be selectively actuated. The images 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 could be actuated one or more at a time, in different sequences, etc.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 4, a drum assembly 86 includes a drum 88, a vibration detector 90, and a controller 94. The vibration detector 90 is configured to detect vibrations due to a drum strike (here, on a batter head 92, but detectors could be configured and disposed to detect vibrations on the resonant head and/or the drum shell, etc.) and provide indications of the drum strike to the controller 94 for actuating EL images and/or other electrically-controlled visual items, e.g., light-emitting diodes (LEDs), incandescent lights, etc. These indications due to vibrations may be in lieu of or in addition to indications of sound detected by a transducer. Further, detected sound waves and/or vibrations can be filtered, e.g., by a filter 96 in the transducer 33 (FIG. 1) for sound and/or by a filter 98 in the vibration detector 90 (FIG. 4), to screen out frequencies other than those of' drums in a drum set, or other than those from a bass drum (or other selected drum). The filter can impose minimum threshold levels of sound/vibration and not report sounds/vibrations below such minimums and/or can filter out non-spike noises (e.g., to eliminate constant-on situations, e.g., due to drum rolls).

For example, a noise may be required to be above a minimum absolute intensity and also above an intensity relative to a currently-detected intensity (e.g., such that during a drum roll, particularly hard strikes are reflected in image changes/illuminations).
[0021] Other embodiments are within the scope of the invention. For example, while selectively-lit images have been shown as being disposed on a resonant drum head of a bass drum, one or more selectively-activated images may be disposed elsewhere, e.g., on drum shells. Further, the available images or combinations of images may be selected in random order. Also, multiple sequences for activating images inay be stored and implemented (e.g., sequentially, in random order, etc.) by the controller. Further still, techniques/sequences may be combined for actuating images (e.g., interlacing techniques), e.g., over time. A
constant-on actuator can be provided to cause the controller to illuminate the images in a sequence regardless of, or in addition to, actuations due to striking of a drum. Further, while the try-me button 40 was shown in FIG. 2 as being actuatable through an opening in the packaging 58, different packaging configurations may be used. For example, packaging may be used that provides a flexible, clear membrane and the try-me button may be disposed under this membrane and selectable by pressing on the button through the membrane.
[0022] Still other embodiments are within the scope of the invention.
[0023] Further, while the description above refers to "the invention," more than one invention may be disclosed.

Claims (15)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. ~A system comprising:
a drum shell providing opposed first and second apertures;
a support connected to the shell and configured to engage with a horizontal surface to help stabilize the shell;
a resonant drum head attached to the shell and disposed across the first aperture provided by the shell;

a batter drum head attached to the shell and disposed across the second aperture provided by the shell;

a sensor disposed and configured to sense striking of the batter drum head and to provide indications of drum strikes;

a plurality of images configured to be selectively illuminated; and a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of drum strikes from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the resonant drum head.
2. ~The system of claim 1 wherein the images are disposed on the resonant drum head.
3. ~The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to actuate the images, at least one at a time, in a sequence in response to a series of strikes of the drum being indicated by the sensor.
4. ~The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to sense sound and to provide one of the indications of drum strikes when the sensed sound exceeds a threshold sound level.
5. ~The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to provide the indications of drum strikes such that the indications indicate intensity levels of the strikes.
6. ~The system of claim 5 wherein the controller is configured to actuate the images in accordance with the intensity levels of the strikes indicated by the sensor.
7. ~The system of claim 1 further comprising a demonstration mechanism removably coupled to the controller wherein the controller is configured implement a demonstration by actuating the images in a demonstration sequence in response to actuation of the demonstration mechanism.
8. ~The system of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to actuate the images with a constant intensity level during demonstration.
9. ~The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to sense vibration and to provide one of the indications of drum strikes when the sensed vibration exceeds a threshold vibration level.
10. ~A musical instrument system comprising:
a musical instrument body;
a plurality of images disposed on the musical instrument body and configured to be selectively illuminated, the images comprising electroluminescent material;
a sound sensor disposed and configured to sense sounds in a vicinity of the musical instrument body and to provide electrical indications of abrupt increases in sound;
and a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of abrupt increases in sound from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the musical instrument body in a predetermined sequence for each successive indication of an abrupt increase in sound.
11. ~The system of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to provide the indications such that the indications indicate intensity levels of the sounds.
12. ~The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to actuate the images in accordance with the intensity levels of the sounds indicated by the sensor.
13. ~The system of claim 10 further comprising a demonstration mechanism removably coupled to the controller wherein the controller is configured implement a demonstration by actuating the images in a. demonstration sequence in response to actuation of the demonstration mechanism.
14. ~The system of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to actuate the images with a constant intensity level during demonstration.
15. ~A drum set comprising:

a bass drum including a shell, a batter head, and a resonant head;
a plurality of images disposed on the batter head and comprising electroluminescent material configured to be selectively illuminated;
a sound sensor disposed and configured to sense striking of the batter drum head and to provide indications of drum strikes;
a controller coupled to the images and the sensor and configured to respond to the indications of drum strikes from the sensor by actuating, to illuminate, at least one of the images on the resonant drum head in accordance with a predetermined pattern of image illuminations such that for each received indication of a drum strike, the controller causes a change in which of the at least one image is illuminated;

a package containing the bass drum, the sound sensor, and the controller; and a demonstration mechanism removably coupled to the controller and retained by the package such that the demonstration mechanism can be accessed and actuated while in retained by the package, wherein the demonstration mechanism is configured to communicate with the controller to implement a demonstration in response to actuation of the demonstration mechanism to actuate the images in a demonstration sequence.
CA002617371A 2007-01-08 2008-01-08 Light-up drum Abandoned CA2617371A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US88392607P 2007-01-08 2007-01-08
US60/883,926 2007-01-08
US95625507A 2007-12-13 2007-12-13
US11/956,255 2007-12-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2617371A1 true CA2617371A1 (en) 2008-07-08

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ID=39595907

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002617371A Abandoned CA2617371A1 (en) 2007-01-08 2008-01-08 Light-up drum

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CA (1) CA2617371A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9360206B2 (en) 2013-10-24 2016-06-07 Grover Musical Products, Inc. Illumination system for percussion instruments
WO2018232470A1 (en) * 2017-06-23 2018-12-27 Flipo, Marc Drum

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9360206B2 (en) 2013-10-24 2016-06-07 Grover Musical Products, Inc. Illumination system for percussion instruments
WO2018232470A1 (en) * 2017-06-23 2018-12-27 Flipo, Marc Drum
AU2018288389B2 (en) * 2017-06-23 2023-05-11 G Flip Pty Ltd Drum

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FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20140108