Pad with impression memory
AssigneeVerne Q. Powell Flutes, Inc.
InventorsRobert W. Etheredge, III, Steven A. Wasser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pad for use in a pad cup positioned over an opening in a musical instrument, the pad having a seal element which initially forms an impression of the rim of the opening and fixes the impression. The pad further includes a support member which carries the seal element to securely position the impression relative to the rim to seal the opening when the pad is brought to bear against the rim. The support element also damps vibrations generated when the seal element contacts the rim.
Claims30
A pad for use in a pad cup positioned over an opening in a musical instrument, comprising:
- seal means for initially forming an impression of the rim of the opening to establish a custom fit with the rim, and for fixing the impression;
- and
- support means, disposed within the pad cup, for carrying said seal means to securely position the impression relative to the rim to maintain the custom fit to ensure that the opening is sealed when the pad is brought to bear against the rim, and for damping vibrations generated when said seal means contact the rim;
- and
- positioning means for minimizing rotational and translational movement of said seal means relative to the rim, said positioning means including an indentation on one of said seal means and said support means and a matching projection on the other of said seal means and support means for engaging said indentation.
A pad for use in a pad cup positioned over a tone hole in a musical instrument, comprising:
- thermoplastic seal means having a softening point temperature above the highest storage temperature of the instrument for initially forming an impression of the rim of the tone hole to establish a custom fit with the rim whenever said seal means is heated to said softening point and for fixing the impression when said seal means is cooled below said softening point;
- and
- elastomeric support means, disposed within the pad cup, for carrying said seal means to securely position the impression relative to the rim to maintain the custom fit to ensure that the tone hole is hermetically sealed when the pad is brought to bear against the rim, and for damping vibrations generated when said seal means contacts the rim.
A method of constructing a pad having seal means carried by a recess in support means comprising:
- placing the seal means in the recess;
- heating at least a portion of the pad to melt the seal means to induce flow into the recess to match the shape of the recess;
- solidifying the seal means within the recess;
- installing the pad in a paid cup positioned over an opening in a musical instrument;
- softening the seal means and depressing it against the rim of the opening to form an impression of the rim;
- and
- hardening the seal means to fix the impression of the rim.
A cup assembly for valving an opening in a musical instrument comprising:
- a cup;
- an adhesive medium in said cup;
- a support member securely embedded in said adhesive medium in said cup, said support member including an annular channel;
- and
- a thermoforming seal means disposed in said channel for forming and fixing an impression of the rim of the opening one of said channel and said seal means including an indentation and the other including a projection for engaging said indentation and securing the position of said seal means in said channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.