# US 2014/0190332 A1 · Device for muting the sound of a musical instrument

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- Number: US 2014/0190332 A1
- Document ID: US20140190332A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/737,305
- Filed: 2013-01-09
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09
- Inventors: Emilia Winquist
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190332A1

## CPC

- G10D 9/06: Mutes
- G10D: STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (organs, harmoniums or similar wind musical instruments with associated blowing apparatus G10B; pianos, harpsichords, spinets or similar stringed musical instruments with one or more keyboards G10C; automatic musical instruments G10F; electrophonic musical instruments in which tones are generated by electromechanical means G10H)

## Abstract

The present application is directed to a muting device for muting the sound of musical instruments such as wind instruments, and more particularly, flutes. The muting device is configured to mute the sound of a wind instrument by restricting the airflow through the blowhole of the wind instrument without changing the pitch of the sound produced by the wind instrument. The muting device may restrict the airflow through the blowhole of the wind instrument by means of a woven or knitted mesh fabric placed over the blowhole of the wind instrument.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for muting the sound of a wind instrument having a body and a blow hole, the device comprising:
a frame configured to clip on the body of the wind instrument and extend around the blowhole of the wind instrument, the frame having a width and a length;
a mesh fabric attached to the frame, the mesh fabric spanning across some portion of the width of the frame and some portion of the length of the frame such that when the device is clipped onto the body of the wind instrument, the mesh fabric extends over and covers the blowhole of the wind instrument.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises:
two semi-cylindrical clips spaced apart from each other; and
two struts connecting the two semi-cylindrical clips and extending along the length of the frame;
wherein the mesh fabric is attached to the two struts of the frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh fabric is a sheer stretch mesh fabric.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device according to claim 3, wherein the sheer stretch mesh fabric is a knit fabric made of at least one of nylon, polyester and spandex.

### Claim 5

A device for muting the sound of a wind instrument having a body and a blow hole, the device comprising a mesh fabric configured in an elongated tubular shape; wherein the elongated tubular shape of the mesh fabric is adapted to be slipped over and stretched taut over the body of the wind instrument to cover the blow hole for practice, and removed from the wind instrument thereafter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device according to claim 5, wherein the mesh fabric is a sheer stretch mesh fabric.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device according to claim 6, wherein the sheer stretch mesh fabric is a knit fabric made of at least one of nylon, polyester and spandex.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The device according to claim 5, wherein the elongated tubular shape of the mesh fabric defines two open ends.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The device according to claim 5, wherein the elongated tubular shape of the mesh fabric defines one open end.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device according to claim 8 further comprising a non-slip material disposed on an inner surface of the elongated tubular shape of the mesh fabric at the two open ends.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The device according to claim 9 further comprising a non-slip material disposed on an inner surface of the elongated tubular shape of the mesh fabric at the one open end.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The device according to claim 5 further comprising one or more clips configured to clip onto the body of the wind instrument and secure the mesh fabric to the wind instrument.

### Claim 13

A device for muting the sound of a wind instrument having a body and a bloc hole, the device comprising:
a mesh fabric; and
two or more clips configured to clip onto the body of the wind instrument and secure the mesh fabric to the body of the wind instrument while the mesh fabric is stretched taut over the blow hole of the wind instrument.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device according to claim 13, wherein the mesh fabric is attached to the two or more clips.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device according to claim 13 further comprising a non-slip material disposed on a surface of the mesh fabric.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The device according to claim 13, wherein the mesh fabric is a sheer stretch mesh fabric.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The device according to claim 16, wherein the sheer stretch mesh fabric is a knit fabric made of at least one of nylon, polyester and spandex.