Flute pads
OwnerDavid J. Straubingerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Self-leveling pad assemblies are described having novel backing disks, a cushion layer in contact with the backing disk and a skin covering the cushion and at least one surface of the backing disk. The novel backing disks have an outer collar and a channel at the collar's base about the collar's inner circumference that provides the disk with an enhanced flexing region. The outer collar provides sufficient support for the pad's sealing surface, maintains an even tension on the pad's skin, has sufficient flexibility to allow the pad's surface to conform to an imperfect tone hole and to seal with only a cursory leveling procedure and reduces the number of tears in the pad's skin resulting from repeated contacts with the tone hole and from fluctuations in the skin's moisture content.
Claims27
A backing disk for supporting the sealing surface of a wind instrument's pad assembly comprising a disk having:
- (a) a first surface;
- (b) a second surface:
- (c) an outer flexible collar positioned on the second surface and having an inner circumference;
- (d) a channel positioned within the first or second surface adjacent the flexible collar proximate the inner circumference;
- and
- (e) an enhanced flexing region proximate the channel, providing the collar with an enhanced ability to flex in the direction of an applied force,
- wherein the first surface is adapted to be positioned in the pad assembly opposite the sealing surface and the second surface is adapted to be positioned in the pad assembly facing the sealing surface.
A pad assembly for closure of a wind instrument tone hole comprising:
- (a) a backing disk having:
- (i) a first surface;
- (ii) a second surface:
- (iii) an outer flexible collar positioned on the second surface and having an inner circumference;
- (iv) a channel positioned within the first or second surface adjacent the flexible collar proximate the inner circumference;
- and
- (v) an enhanced flexing region proximate the channel, providing the collar with an enhanced ability to flex in the direction of an applied force,
- wherein the first surface is adapted to be positioned in the pad assembly opposite the sealing surface and the second surface is adapted to be positioned in the pad assembly facing the sealing surface
- (b) a cushion having a first surface and a second surface, the cushion's first surface positioned against the disk's second surface, proximate the outer flexible collar;
- and
- (c) a sealing skin, the sealing skin covering the disk's second surface, the cushion and outer flexible collar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.