# US 8,541,675 B2 · Sound modification device for percussion instruments

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- Number: US 8,541,675 B2
- Document ID: US8541675B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/924,566
- Filed: 2010-09-30
- Published: 2011-08-11
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-30
- Applicants: Mathew Ephram Strickland
- Inventors: Mathew Ephram Strickland
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541675B2

## CPC

- G10D 13/02: Drums; Tambourines with drumheads
- G10D 13/14: Mutes or dampers
- 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 invention is a sound modification device used for a percussion instrument. It is comprised of a rigid body, interchangeable absorbent inserts, and a magnet. Once assembled and placed on the skin of a drum, these three pieces work together to make a highly effective and versatile damper to eliminate unwanted ranginess when drum is struck. The damper can be slid around the perimeter of the drum until the desired sound is achieved. The weight of the damper body adds mass to the drum, the magnet adds pull to the rim of the drum to hold the damper, and the absorbent inserts tailor the amount of dampening desired by the musician.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vibration damper for use with a drum instrument of the type including a membrane that is supported in a stretched state by a rigid frame and which can be selectively vibrated when the drum is played, said damper comprising:
a plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, said plate having a predetermined weight;
a damper component located between said bottom surface of said plate and said drum membrane;
so that said damper component effectively presses into vibration-dampening contact with said drum membrane by gravity influencing on said predetermined weight of said plate, there by affecting the vibration characteristics of said membrane when the drum is played, further comprising a slot located within said plate, said slot being sized and shaped to firmly fasten to a portion of said frame, hoop, or lug of said drum.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The damper of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said plate is made from a ferrous material so that at least one ferrous portion can be selectively magnetically attracted to rim of drum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The damper of claim 1, further comprising of a magnet so that said plate can be selectively secured to a ferrous component of said rigid frame of said drum.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The damper of claim 1, wherein said plate includes a first cavity which is sized and shaped to receive said first damper component.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The damper of claim 4, wherein said plate further includes a second cavity for receiving a second damper component.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The damper of claim 5, wherein said damper component is made from a first material, said damper component is made from a second material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The damper of claim 1, wherein damper component is made from one of the group of leather, plastic, fabric, ferrous metal, alloy metal, paper, glass, or sand.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The damper of claim 1, wherein said slot is shaped similar to the shape of any engagement portion of said rigid frame, rim, or lug of said drum.