Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02845642 2014-03-13
CANADA - PATENT APPLICATION
TITLE: DRUM MALLET
INVENTOR: TYLER FRY
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Musical bands, such as bagpipe bands, commonly have
various types of drums played during musical performances.
Specific kinds of drum mallets are used to play the tenor drums
and bass drums in such bands.
[0002] The present invention relates to drum mallets, and
more particularly relates to drum mallets for use with tenor
drums and bass drums played in bands having a tenor drum section
and a bass drum, such as a bagpipe band.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] One of the most popular tenor drum mallets in the
prior art is known as the TyFryTm Platinum tenor drum mallet, was
developed by the present inventor, and is produced and marketed
by TyFryTm Limited, of Houston, Texas, and of Tiverton, Canada.
The TyFryTm Platinum tenor drum mallet comprises an elongate main
body having a handle portion and a mallet-head-receiving
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portion. A
stop member is disposed at the bottom end of the
handle portion to help preclude the tenor drum mallet from
slipping out of a user's hand. The
mallet head receiving
portion is disposed at the top end of the elongate main body and
comprises a semi-spherically shaped enlarged portion. A
polyurethane mallet head is mounted over the mallet-head-
receiving portion and is secured thereto by means of a suitable
adhesive. A flourish cord is tied around the elongate main body
for engagement with the hand of the user.
[0004] While
the TyFryTm Platinum tenor drum mallet has been
found to be excellent and has gained wide market acceptance, it
has been found that enhancements are indeed possible. Further,
it has been found that this type of mallet is generally suitable
for use with bass drums to create certain specific sounds, and
would be even more suitable with adaptation of specific
features.
[0005] More specifically, the shape of the mallet-head-
receiving portion could be revamped to improve the swing
characteristics of the tenor drum mallet. The shape of the stop
member at the bottom end of the elongate main body, specifically
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at the bottom end of the handle portion, could be refined to
preclude the flourish cord from riding up and over the stop
member at the bottom end of the handle portion. Further, it has
been found that through use, that the polyurethane mallet head
can push down slightly on the elongate main body, which changes
the swinging characteristics of the tenor drum mallet.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
drum mallet for use with a tenor drum or a bass drum, which drum
mallet has excellent swing characteristics.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
drum mallet for use with a tenor drum or a bass drum, which drum
mallet has excellent sound characteristics.
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
drum mallet for use with a tenor drum or a bass drum, which drum
mallet helps preclude the flourish cord from riding over the
stop member at the bottom end of the handle portion of the main
body.
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[0009] It is
an object of the present invention to
provide a drum mallet for use with a tenor drum or a bass drum,
which drum mallet helps preclude the mallet head from moving
downwardly along the elongate main body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[00010] In
accordance with one aspect of the present invention
there is disclosed a novel drum mallet for use with a tenor drum
or a bass drum, the drum mallet comprising an elongate main body
having a top end and a bottom end, a handle portion extending
from the bottom end towards the top end, and a mallet-head-
receiving portion extending from the top end towards the bottom
end; a mallet head mounted on the mallet-head-receiving portion
of the elongate main body; a stop member disposed at the bottom
end of the handle portion of the elongate main body; wherein the
stop member has a top-facing abutment surface for receiving in
abutting relation a portion of a flourish cord tied onto the
elongate main body; wherein the top-facing abutment surface is
distinctly angled with respect to the remainder of the outer
surface of the stop member.
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[00011] In accordance with another aspect of the present
invention there is disclosed a novel drum mallet for use with a
tenor drum or a bass drum, the tenor drum mallet comprising an
elongate main body having a top end and a bottom end, a handle
portion extending from said bottom end towards said top end, and
a mallet-head-receiving portion extending from said top end
towards said bottom end; a mallet head abutment member
projecting generally radially outwardly from the elongate main
body, and dividing the elongate main body into the handle
portion extending between the mallet head abutment member and
the bottom end of the elongate main body, and the mallet-head-
receiving portion extending between the mallet head abutment
member and the top end of the elongate main body; and a mallet
head mounted on the mallet-head-receiving portion of the
elongate main body.
[00012] In
accordance with yet another aspect of the present
invention there is disclosed a novel drum mallet for use with a
tenor drum or a bass drum, the drum mallet comprising an
elongate main body having a top end and a bottom end, a handle
portion extending from said bottom end towards said top end, and
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a mallet-head-receiving portion extending from said top end
towards said bottom end; wherein said mallet-head-receiving
portion is semi-spherically shaped, having a truncated top end
and a bottom end adjoined to said elongate main body; wherein
said mallet-head-receiving portion has a top opening leading to
a substantially hollow interior generally defined by a
peripheral outer wall; wherein the ratio of maximum thickness of
said peripheral outer wall to the diameter of said semi-
spherically shaped mallet-head-receiving portion is less than
about 1:5; and a mallet head mounted on said mallet-head-
receiving portion of said elongate main body.
[00013] Other
advantages, features and characteristics of the
present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions
of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of
parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent
upon consideration of the following detailed description and the
appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
latter of which is briefly described herein below.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00014] The novel features which are believed to be
characteristic of the drum mallet for use with a tenor drum or a
bass drum therefor according to the present invention, as to its
structure, organization, use and method of operation, together
with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better
understood from the following drawings in which a presently
known first illustrated embodiment and second illustrated
embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way of
example. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings
are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and
are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
In the accompanying drawings:
[00015]
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first illustrated
embodiment of the drum mallet according to the present
invention;
[00016] Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the first
illustrated embodiment drum mallet of Figure 1;
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[00017] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the first
illustrated embodiment drum mallet of Figure 1, with the cloth
head-cover removed to make the polyurethane mallet head visible,
and with the flourish cord removed;
[00018] Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the first
illustrated embodiment drum mallet of Figure 1, with the cloth
head-cover removed to make the polyurethane mallet head visible,
and with the flourish cord removed;
[00019] Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the elongate
main body of the first illustrated embodiment drum mallet of
Figure 1, with the cloth head-cover removed with the
polyurethane mallet head removed, and with the flourish cord
removed from the drum mallet;
[00020] Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of a
portion of the bottom end of the elongate main body of Figure 5;
[00021] Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevational of a portion
of the top end of the elongate main body of Figure 5;
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[00022] Figure 8 is a top end view of the elongate main body
of Figure 5;
[00023] Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion
of the bottom end of the elongate main body of Figure 5;
[00024] Figure 10 is a perspective view of a second
illustrated embodiment of the drum mallet according to the
present invention;
[00025] Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the second
illustrated embodiment drum mallet of Figure 10, with the
flourish cord removed;
[00026] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the elongate main
body of a second illustrated embodiment drum mallet of Figure
10, with the cloth head-cover removed with the polyurethane
mallet head removed, and with the flourish cord removed from the
drum mallet; and,
[00027] Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the elongate
main body of Figure 12.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[00028] Referring to Figures 1 through 13 of the drawings, it
will be noted that Figures 1 through 9 illustrate a first
embodiment of the drum mallet according to the present
invention, and Figures 10 through 13 illustrate a second
embodiment of the drum mallet according to the present
invention.
[00029] Reference will now be made to Figures 1 through 9, which
show a first illustrated embodiment of the drum mallet, as
indicated by the general reference numeral 100, for use with a
tenor drum or a bass drum (not specifically shown) and according
to the present invention. More specifically, the drum mallet is
for use with a drum, such as a tenor drum or a bass drum, such
as might be played in a bagpipe band, or a marching band, or
other types of bands having a tenor drum section and/or a bass
drum. In brief, the first illustrated embodiment of the present
invention comprises a drum mallet 100 for use with a tenor drum
or a bass drum, and comprises an elongate main body 110 having a
top end 112 and a bottom end 114, a handle portion 116 extended
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from the bottom end 114 towards the top end 112, and a mallet-
head-receiving portion 130 extending from the top end 112
towards the bottom end 114. A flourish cord 118 is tied around
the elongate main body 110 for engagement with the hand of a
user.
[00030] A
stop member 140 is disposed at the bottom end 114 of
the elongate main body 110, which is also the bottom end of the
of the handle portion 116.
Preferably, the stop member 140 is
generally semi-spherical in shape. The
stop member 140 has a
top-facing abutment surface 142 for receiving in abutting
relation a portion of a flourish cord 118 tied onto the elongate
main body 110. The
top-facing abutment surface 142 is
distinctly angled with respect to the remainder of the outer
surface of the stop member 140, and is preferably substantially
flat, and preferably facing the top end of the elongate main
body 110. The
top-facing abutment surface 142 also defines a
plane that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the
elongate main body 110.
Accordingly the top-facing abutment
surface 142 helps preclude the flourish cord 118 from riding
over the stop member 140 at the bottom end of the handle portion
116 of the elongate main body 110.
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[00031] A
mallet head abutment member 150 projects generally
radially outwardly from the elongate main body 110, and divides
the elongate main body 110 into the handle portion 116 extending
between the mallet head abutment member 150 and the bottom end
of the elongate main body 110, and the mallet-head-receiving
portion 130 extending between the mallet head abutment member
150 and the top end of the elongate main body 110. Preferably,
the mallet head abutment member 150 is disc-shaped and is
substantially circular.
[00032] A
mallet head 160 having a cylindrical throughpassage
162 is preferably made from a suitable polyurethane compound and
is mounted over the mallet-head-receiving portion 130 and is
secured thereto by means of a suitable adhesive. The
mallet-
head-receiving portion 130 is inserted into the cylindrical
throughpassage 162 in the mallet head 160. A
conventional
"furry" type cloth head-cover 164 is tied tightly in place over
the readily compressible mallet head 160, to thereby cover the
mallet head 160 and to compress the mallet head 160 slightly.
Preferably, the mallet head 160 is substantially circular in a
direction extending radially outwardly from the elongate main
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body 110, and has a diameter defined by the circular shape and a
height defined by the maximum dimension along the elongate main
body 110. A suitable range for the ratio of the diameter "D" of
the mallet head 160 to the height "H" of the mallet head 160 is
between about 1.9:1 and about 2.0:1, in an uncompressed state.
It has been found that it is preferable to have the ratio of the
diameter "D" of the mallet head 160 to the height "H" of the
mallet head 160, in an uncompressed state, of about 1.95:1, in
an uncompressed state. It has been found that a diameter "D" of
about 8.2 centimetres and a height "H" of about 4.2 centimetres,
in an uncompressed state, works well.
[00033] As can be best seen in Figures 5, 6, and 8, the
mallet-head-receiving portion 130 has a truncated top end 132
and a bottom end 134 adjoined to the mallet head abutment member
150. The
mallet-head-receiving portion 130 comprises an
enlarged portion 131 and a neck portion 133. The
enlarged
portion 131 is semi-spherically shaped, and defines the
truncated top end 132 of the mallet-head-receiving portion 130.
Further, the enlarged portion 131 of the mallet-head-receiving
portion 130 has a top opening 136 leading to a substantially
hollow interior 138 generally defined by a peripheral outer wall
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139. The
ratio of maximum thickness of the peripheral outer
wall 139 to the diameter of the semi-spherically shaped enlarged
portion 131 of the mallet-head-receiving portion 130 is less
than about 1:5.
Preferably, the truncated top end 132 is
generally flat.
[00034] The
ratio of the diameter of the top opening 136 of
the semi-spherically shaped enlarged portion 131 of the mallet-
head-receiving portion 130 to the diameter of the semi-
spherically shaped enlarged portion 131 of the mallet-head-
receiving portion 130 is between about 21:28 and 23:28, and
preferably about 22:28. The
ratio of the maximum thickness of
the peripheral outer wall 139 of the semi-spherically shaped
enlarged portion 131 of the mallet-head-receiving portion 130 to
the diameter of the semi-spherically shaped enlarged portion 131
of the shaped mallet-head-receiving portion 130 is between about
2:28 and 4:28, and preferably the ratio of the maximum thickness
of the peripheral outer wall 139 of the mallet-head-receiving
portion 130 to the diameter of the semi-spherically shaped
enlarged portion 131 of the shaped mallet-head-receiving portion
130 is about 22:28.
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[00035]
Reference will now be made to Figures 10 and 11, which
show a second illustrated embodiment of the drum mallet, as
indicated by the general reference numeral 200, for use with a
drum or a bass drum (not specifically shown) and according to
the present invention. In
brief, the second illustrated
embodiment of the present invention comprises a drum mallet 200
for use with a drum, as is typically played in bagpipe band, or
other types of bands having a drum section. The
second
illustrated embodiment drum mallet 200 is similar to the first
illustrated embodiment drum mallet 100 and comprises an elongate
main body 210 having a top end 212 and a bottom end 214, a
handle portion 216 extended from the bottom end 214 towards the
top end 212, and a mallet-head-receiving portion 230 extending
from the top end 232 towards the bottom end 234. A
flourish
cord 218 is tied around the elongate main body 210 for
engagement with the hand of a user.
[00036] A
stop member 240 is disposed at the bottom end 214 of
the elongate main body 210, which is also the bottom end of the
of the handle portion 216.
Preferably, the stop member 240 is
generally semi-spherical in shape. The
stop member 240 has a
top-facing abutment surface 242 for receiving in abutting
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relation a portion of a flourish cord 218 tied onto the elongate
main body 210. The
top-facing abutment surface 242 is
distinctly angled with respect to the remainder of the outer
surface of the stop member 240, and is preferably substantially
flat, and preferably facing the top end of the elongate main
body 210. The
top-facing abutment surface 242 also defines a
plane that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the
elongate main body 210.
Accordingly the top-facing abutment
surface 242 helps preclude the flourish cord 218 from riding
over the stop member 240 at the bottom end of the handle portion
216 of the elongate main body 210.
[00037] As
can readily be seen and as stated above, the second
illustrated embodiment drum mallet 200 is similar to the first
illustrated embodiment drum mallet 100; however, there are minor
differences. In
the second illustrated embodiment drum mallet
200, the elongate main body 210 has a greater diameter than the
elongate main body 110 of the first illustrated embodiment drum
mallet 100.
Further, the elongate main body 210 has plurality
of annular grooves 211 spaced along a portion of the length of
the elongate main body 210.
Preferably, but not necessarily,
the annular grooves 211 are evenly spaced one from the next.
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There is also a cord-receiving annular groove 213 disposed
immediately above the stop member 240.
[00038] As
can be best seen in Figures 12 and 13, the mallet-
head-receiving portion 230 has a truncated top end 232 and a
bottom end 234 adjoined to the mallet head abutment member 250.
The mallet-head-receiving portion 230 comprises an enlarged
portion 231 and a neck portion 233. The enlarged portion 231 is
semi-spherically shaped, and defines the truncated top end 232
of the mallet-head-receiving portion 230. Further, the enlarged
portion 231 of the mallet-head-receiving portion 230 has a top
opening 236 leading to a substantially hollow interior 238
generally defined by a peripheral outer wall 239. Preferably,
the truncated top end 232 is generally flat.
[00039] The
ratio of the diameter of the top opening 236 of
the semi-spherically shaped enlarged portion 231 of the mallet-
head-receiving portion 230 to the diameter of the semi-
spherically shaped enlarged portion 231 of the mallet-head-
receiving portion 230 is between about 6:18 and 8:18, and
preferably about 7:18. The
ratio of the maximum thickness of
the peripheral outer wall 239 of the semi-spherically shaped
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enlarged portion 231 of the mallet-head-receiving portion 230 to
the diameter of the semi-spherically shaped enlarged portion 231
of the shaped mallet-head-receiving portion 230 is between about
6:18 and 7:18, and preferably the ratio of the maximum thickness
of the peripheral outer wall 239 of the mallet-head-receiving
portion 230 to the diameter of the semi-spherically shaped
enlarged portion 231 of the shaped mallet-head-receiving portion
230 is about 6.5:18.
[00040] It can be readily seen that the present invention
provides a drum mallet for use with a tenor drum or a bass drum,
which drum mallet has excellent swing characteristics, has
excellent sound characteristics, helps preclude the flourish
cord from riding over the stop member at the bottom end of the
handle portion of the main body, and helps preclude the mallet
head from moving downwardly along the elongate main body, all of
which features are not found in the prior art.
[00041] Other variations of the above principles will be
apparent to those who are knowledgeable in the field of the
invention, and such variations are considered to be within the
scope of the present invention.
Further, other modifications
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and alterations may be used in the design and manufacture of the
drum mallet, of the present invention, without departing from
the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.
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