JP7599261B1 - Brass Instrument Mutes - Google Patents

Abstract

A mute for brass instruments that is soft to the touch while providing excellent playing comfort is provided, comprising: a cylindrical body 10 with a bottom and a base 13 on which a trumpet bell 100 is placed at an axially intermediate portion; a lid 30 that is screwed onto the upper portion of the body 10 and that sandwiches the trumpet bell 100 placed on the base 13 between the body 10 and the base 13; and a sound absorbing material 20 that covers the inner wall of the body 10 below the base 13, the lid 30 being made up of a pair of half-split lids 31 and having cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 on the upper surface of the base 13 and on the back surfaces of the pair of half-split lids 31.

Description

The present invention relates to a mute that is attached to the bell of a brass instrument such as a trumpet.

Silencers and mutes are devices for reducing the volume of brass instruments such as trumpets. A well-known silencer is one that fits into the opening of the bell. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a silencer for brass instruments that has a body that is roughly conical and tubular, with the outer diameter decreasing from the large diameter end at the front to the small diameter end at the rear along the inner wall of the bell of the brass instrument, and has a recess on the outer wall near the small diameter end of the body that serves as an exhalation passage for discharging exhaled air out of the silencer when playing.

Patent Document 2 discloses a mute for a brass instrument that includes a cover body that covers the bell of a brass instrument from the outside, and is equipped with a mute member made of a non-breathable material, a first cushioning member made of a breathable material, and a second cushioning member inside the cover body, and is assembled by placing the mute member on the bottom of the cover body and the first cushioning member on top of the mute member, and engaging the outer edge of the first cushioning member with the bottom of the second cushioning member.

Patent No. 4124236 Patent No. 5689559

Mute devices, which are typically fitted into the opening of the bell of a brass instrument, are excellent at reducing the volume of sound, but they increase resistance to airflow when playing, resulting in poor playing comfort, pitch, and control. On the other hand, mutes, which are designed to allow air to easily escape, reduce resistance to airflow when playing, but are unable to sufficiently reduce the volume of sound.

As mentioned above, mutes attached to the bells of brass instruments generally involve a trade-off between reducing the volume and making the instrument easier to play. Efforts have been made to improve mute and silencer devices in order to achieve both reduced volume and a more comfortable playing experience, but the results are still not sufficient.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mute for a brass instrument that provides soft sound while also being comfortable to play.

The present invention is a mute for a brass instrument, comprising a cylindrical main body with a bottom and a mounting stand for placing the bell of a brass instrument on the axially middle portion, a lid that screws onto the top of the main body and sandwiches the bell of the brass instrument placed on the mounting stand between the lid and the mounting stand, and a sound-absorbing material that covers the inner wall of the main body below the mounting stand, the lid being composed of two or more cover members and having cushioning material on the upper surface of the mounting stand and on the underside of the lid.

In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the cover body includes a trumpet-shaped portion having an opening in the center through which the bell of a brass instrument can be inserted, and a cylindrical portion having a male thread that screws into a female thread provided on the upper part of the main body, and the cushioning material is provided on the back surface of the trumpet-shaped portion.

In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the cushioning material is attached to the entire or part of the upper surface of the mounting stand, and is attached to the entire or part of the underside of the cover.

In the brass instrument mute of the present invention, the stand is characterized by having an air vent that allows breath blown into the main body to be exhausted to the lid side.

In the brass instrument mute of the present invention, the cover body is characterized by having a connector that connects two or more cover members and holds them in the connected state.

In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the sound-absorbing material is removably attached to the inner wall.

The mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention is further characterized in that a sound-proofing material is provided between the inner wall and the sound-absorbing material.

In the brass instrument mute of the present invention, the cover body is characterized in that it consists of a pair of half-split covers.

In the mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention, the main body comprises a first cylindrical portion with a bottom, a second cylindrical portion with an open top and a larger inner diameter than the first cylindrical portion, and a conical portion connecting the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, and the second cylindrical portion is provided with a female thread into which the cover is screwed.

The mute for a brass instrument according to the present invention is characterized in that the main body is configured so that it can be attached to the bell of the brass instrument with the central axis of the main body coinciding with or eccentric to the central axis of the bell of the brass instrument.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a mute for brass instruments that provides soft sound while also providing excellent playing comfort.

1 is a perspective view of a mute 1 for a brass instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a half-split lid 31 of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of connectors 51, 55, 57 of a half-split lid 31 of a brass instrument mute 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining the arrangement of cushioning materials 40, 42 of a mute 1 for a brass instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external view showing a state in which a trumpet is attached to a mute 1 for a brass instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 11 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. 10 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a mounting base 14 of a mute 2 for a brass instrument according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 11 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically. FIG. 13 is an end view of a cut portion of a brass instrument mute 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, cut vertically.

1 is a perspective view of a brass mute 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the brass mute 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the half-split cover 31 of the brass mute 1. FIG. 4 is an end view of the cut portion of the brass mute 1 cut vertically, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the connectors 51, 55, and 57 of the half-split cover 31 of the brass mute 1, FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining the arrangement of the cushioning materials 40 and 42 of the brass mute 1, and FIG. 7 is an external view showing the state in which a trumpet is attached to the brass mute 1. In FIG. 4, the female thread 18 of the main body 10 of the brass mute 1 and the male thread 36 of the cover 30 are omitted.

In this embodiment, the direction of the central axis (center line M) of the main body 10 of the mute 1 for brass instruments in Figure 4 is defined as the axial direction, the direction perpendicular to the center line M is defined as the radial direction, and the direction along the arc centered on the center line M is defined as the circumferential direction. The bottom plate 12 side of the main body 10 is defined as the downward or tip direction. The axial direction, radial direction, and circumferential direction include the approximate axial direction, approximate radial direction, and approximate circumferential direction, which are essentially the same. This is the same in other embodiments.

The brass instrument mute 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention is attached to the bell of a brass instrument such as a trumpet, trombone, or alto horn (tenor horn) to reduce the volume of the sound when played. Below, the structure of the brass instrument mute 1 will be explained assuming that the brass instrument is a trumpet. Hereinafter, the brass instrument mute 1 may be referred to as mute 1.

The mute 1 has a body 10 that covers the bell 100 of the trumpet, and a lid 30 that closes the upper opening of the body 10. A sound-absorbing material 20 is attached inside the body 10, and cushioning materials 40, 42, and 44 are attached to the top surface of the mounting base 13 of the body 10 and the back surface of the lid 30.

The main body 10 is a cylindrical tube having a bottom plate 12, and the top of the main body 10 is open. The main body 10 is made of synthetic resin such as ABS resin, and the diameter of the main body 10 is the same in the axial direction. When the main body 10 is manufactured by injection molding, a draft angle is required, and the diameter of the main body 10 expands slightly toward the top, but the main body 10 may be in this state. This is the same for the other embodiments.

A ring-shaped mounting base 13 on which the bell 100 is placed is provided in the axial middle of the main body 10. The upper inner wall surface of the main body 10 is provided with a female thread 18 into which the male thread 36 of the lid 30 screws.

Naturally, the inner diameter _DI of the body 10 must be large enough to accommodate the trumpet bell 100, but it is preferable that this be as small as possible. Similarly, the outer diameter _DO of the body 10 is also preferable to be as small as possible. In other words, it is preferable that the thickness of the body 10 is as thin as possible while still ensuring adequate rigidity. Since the mute 1 is attached to the trumpet bell 100 when in use, it is preferable that it is as light as possible. Making the body 10 unnecessarily large and making the wall thickness of the body 10 unnecessarily thick will result in the body 10 becoming heavy, which is undesirable.

It is preferable that the inner diameter D _I and outer diameter D _O of main body 10 correspond to the size of trumpet bell 100, but since commercially available trumpet bells 100 come in a wide variety of sizes, when mute 1 is commercialized, the inner diameter D _I and outer diameter D _O of main body 10 may be designed to accommodate a certain range of trumpet sizes. Here, the size of bell 100 refers to the outer diameter of the bell tip.

The size of bell 100 for a typical trumpet available on the market is 115 to 140 mm. The size of bell 100 for a volume zone available on the market is 120 to 127 mm. For these reasons, it is preferable that the inside diameter _DI of body 10 of mute 1 be 142 mm for the former and 130 mm for the latter.

The mounting base 13 has a ring shape and an opening in the center. The mounting base 13 may be molded integrally with the cylindrical body constituting the main body 10, or may be molded separately from the cylindrical body and then bonded to the cylindrical body. This point is the same for the other embodiments.

When the mute 1 is not attached, the trumpet can be played without any obstructions in front of the bell 100, but the mounting base 13 becomes an obstacle when playing the trumpet. The size of the bell 100 of a typical trumpet is 115 to 140 mm, so the diameter d _I of the opening of the mounting base 13 corresponding to this is preferably about 100 mm.

A cushioning material 40 is attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13, and the bell 100 comes into contact with it when the mute 1 is attached to the trumpet.

The length of the main body 10 is not particularly limited, but as long as the preferred distance from the top of the mounting base 13, including the cushioning material 40, to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom and the preferred thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 can be secured, it is preferable for the length to be shorter in terms of reducing weight.

The distance H from the top of the mounting base 13 including the cushioning material 40 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom, in other words the distance H from the tip of the bell 100 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom when the bell 100 is attached, affects the playing comfort, pitch, and controllability when playing the trumpet.

The longer the distance H, in other words, the more open the tip of the bell 100 is, the closer it is to a state where the mute 1 is not attached, and the more comfortable it becomes to play. On the other hand, the greater the distance H, the heavier and longer the mute 1 becomes, making it heavier when attached to the trumpet. Tests using three types of trumpets with bell 100 diameters of 127 mm, 123 mm, and 116 mm showed that a distance H of around 50 mm is preferable.

The sound-absorbing material 20 is attached so as to cover the side walls and the bottom of the main body 10 below the mounting base 13. The sound-absorbing material 20 in this embodiment is made of a thick sponge-like material with a peak-valley type surface, but the material and thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 can be appropriately determined in terms of the sound volume reduction required of the mute 1. It is preferable that the sound-absorbing material 20 is lightweight.

The amount (thickness) of the sound-absorbing material 20 attached is preferably large from the standpoint of reducing the volume, but it also affects the volume of the internal space V of the main body 10. Here, the internal space V refers to the space surrounded by the sound-absorbing material 20 below the mounting base 13. The size of the internal space V affects the comfort, pitch, and controllability when playing the trumpet, and making the internal space V too small makes it difficult to play. It is preferable that the thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 attached to the side wall be approximately the same as the width of the mounting base 13.

The sound-absorbing material 20 may be attached to the main body 10 using adhesive, but in the case of a sponge-like sound-absorbing material, since it has elasticity, it is possible to use a sound-absorbing material 20 with dimensions slightly larger than the bottom and side wall parts and fix it by pressing it into the main body 10.

The lid 30 consists of a pair of half-split lids 31 made of synthetic resin that screw into the female threads 18 provided on the top of the main body 10. The pair of half-split lids 31 are the same in material, shape and structure. The lid 30 is screwed onto the top of the main body 10, and clamps and fixes the trumpet bell 100 placed on the mounting base 13 between the lid 30 and the mounting base 13.

The cover body 30, which is formed by butting together a pair of half-split covers 31, has a trumpet-shaped portion 33 in the center that is similar to the outer shape of a trumpet bell 100, a cylindrical portion 35 with a male thread 36 that screws into a female thread 18 provided on the top of the main body 10, and a flat portion 37 that connects the outer periphery of the tip of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the outer periphery of the tip of the cylindrical portion 35. The trumpet-shaped portion 33 is formed so that it narrows toward the top, and an opening 34 is provided in the center of the upper end through which the trumpet bell 100 is inserted.

The lid body 30 is preferably lightweight, so the thinner the thickness, the better. On the other hand, the lid body 30 is made up of a pair of split lids 31, and the trumpet-shaped portion 33 has an opening 34, so the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 is easily deformed. For this reason, a thick reinforcing portion 38 is provided around the entire periphery of the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33.

Cushioning materials 42, 44 are attached to the back surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the back surface of the flat portion 37 of the cover 30, and at least one of them comes into contact with the bell 100 when the mute 1 is attached to the trumpet. In the cover 30 of this embodiment, the cushioning material 42 attached to the back surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the cushioning material 44 attached to the back surface of the flat portion 37 are separate, but the cushioning material 42 and the cushioning material 44 may be integrated together.

The pair of half-split lids 31 are screwed onto the main body 10 while sandwiching the trumpet bell 100 from the left and right and butting against each other. Therefore, the pair of half-split lids 31 are integrated when butted against each other, making it easier to use.

Figure 5 shows a pair of half-split lids 31 equipped with connectors 51, 55, and 57 that connect the pair of half-split lids 31 to each other. All connectors 51, 55, and 57 are provided in positions that do not interfere with the butting of the pair of half-split lids 31, making it possible to easily connect and separate the pair of half-split lids 31.

The connector 51 shown in Fig. 5 (A) is composed of a claw 52 and a holder 53 into which the claw 52 fits. The claw 52 and holder 53 are arranged so that they fit together when the pair of half-split lids 31 are butted against each other from the left and right. When the claw 52 is pressed against the holder 53 with a little strong force, the claw 52 engages with the holder 53, and the pair of half-split lids 31 are connected. When force is applied to pull the connected pair of half-split lids 31 apart, the claw 52 comes off the holder 53, and the pair of half-split lids 31 can be separated.

The connector 55 shown in Fig. 5(B) is made of a magnet and is attached to the end faces of the cylindrical portions 35 of the pair of half-split lids 31. This allows the pair of half-split lids 31 to be easily connected and separated. The magnet is preferably a lightweight one such as a rubber magnet or a plastic magnet.

The connector 57 shown in Figure 5 (C) is made of a hook-and-loop fastener and is attached to the end of the flat portion 37 of the pair of half-split lids 31. This allows the pair of half-split lids 31 to be easily connected and separated.

The connectors 51, 55, 57 that connect the pair of half-split lids 31 to each other may be of other forms. The connectors are intended to prevent the lid body 30 from separating when attaching the lid body 30 to the trumpet bell 100 and when screwing the lid body 30 into the body 10, and to facilitate attachment to the body 10. Therefore, the connectors 51, 55, 57 do not need to firmly connect the pair of half-split lids 31, but only need to temporarily fasten them. In addition, connectors that can be easily connected and removed and that are lightweight are preferable.

The cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are elastic and flexible members that are attached to the top surface of the mounting base 13 and to the back surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and flat portion 37 of the lid 30. The cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are pressed against the bell 100 when the bell 100 is sandwiched and fixed between the mounting base 13 and the lid 30. Because the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are elastic, they can be firmly fixed without damaging the bell 100 when the bell 100 is sandwiched and fixed between the mounting base 13 and the lid 30.

The cushioning materials 40, 42, and 44 may be basically made of materials that have elasticity and flexibility, but lightweight materials are preferable. If a sponge-like material is used for the cushioning materials 40, 42, and 44, it will function as a sound absorbing material and will also provide a flow path for the breath blown into the main body 10 to escape to the outside when playing. The cushioning materials 40, 42, and 44 may be made of cloth-like materials such as felt. This is the same for the other embodiments.

In the mute 1 of this embodiment, the cushioning material 40 attached to the upper surface of the mounting base 13 is not attached to the entire upper surface of the mounting base 13, but has an opening 46 in part. Similarly, the cushioning material 42 attached to the bottom surface (rear surface) of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid body 30 is not attached to the entire bottom surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid body 30, but has an opening 47 in part. Similarly, the cushioning material 44 attached to the bottom surface (rear surface) of the flat portion 37 of the lid body 30 is not attached to the entire bottom surface of the flat portion 37 of the lid body 30, but has an opening 48 in part. The openings 46, 47, and 48 serve as flow paths through which the breath blown into the main body 10 escapes to the outside when playing.

In this embodiment, the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 are partially attached and have openings 46, 47, 48, but the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 may be attached without gaps to the entire upper surface of the mounting portion 13, the entire bottom surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid body 30, and the entire bottom surface of the flat plate portion 37 of the lid body 30, respectively, and the openings 46, 47, 48 may be eliminated. If the openings 46, 47, 48 are not provided, it is sufficient to use cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 that are relatively breathable, and allow the breath blown into the main body 10 to pass through the cushioning materials 40, 42, 44 and escape to the outside.

The method of use and the effects of the mute 1 according to this embodiment will now be described. The trumpet is placed so that the tip of the bell 100 of the trumpet touches the cushioning material 40 attached to the top surface of the mounting base 13 of the main body 10, and the lid 30 is firmly screwed onto the main body 10. This sandwiches the bell 100 of the trumpet between the mounting base 13 and the lid 30, and the mute 1 is firmly fixed in place.

When the trumpet is played with the mute 1 attached, the breath blown into the mute 1 spreads into the internal space V of the main body 10 and comes into contact with the sound-absorbing material 20, where it is absorbed. The breath blown into the mute 1 then passes through the cushioning material 40 attached to the mounting base 13 and the opening 46 of the cushioning material 40, and the cushioning materials 42, 44 attached to the lid 30 and the openings 47, 48 of the cushioning materials 42, 44, where it is also muted, and escapes through the gap between the bell 100 and the opening 34 of the lid 30.

The mute 1 according to the first embodiment described above has an internal space V inside the mute 1, which allows for a playing feel, pitch, and control similar to that of a trumpet without the mute 1 attached. The mute 1 also has sound-absorbing material 20 inside the main body 10, and cushioning materials 40, 42, and 44 attached to the mounting base 13 and lid 30, and with the mute 1 attached, the gap between the opening 34 of the lid 30 and the bell 100 of the trumpet is narrow, providing sufficient sound-deadening properties.

In addition, the mute 1 of the first embodiment can be attached firmly to the trumpet without wobbling, so that the trumpet can be played without any discomfort even when the mute 1 is attached.

Figure 8 is an end view of a cut portion cut vertically through a brass mute 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the mounting base 14 of the brass mute 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the brass mute 2, the same components as those in the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. Figure 8 omits the female thread 18 of the main body 10 and the male thread 36 of the cover 30.

The basic configuration of the mute 2 for a brass instrument of the second embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 2) is the same as that of the mute 1 for a brass instrument of the first embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 1), but the configuration of the main body 11 of the mute 2 is different from the configuration of the main body 10 of the mute 1.

Specifically, the main body 11 of mute 2 differs from the main body 10 of mute 1 in that the base 14 has an air vent 15. The method of attaching the cushioning material 40 to the upper surface of the base 14 also differs from that of mute 1. Mute 2 has the same configuration, structure, and dimensions as mute 1, except for the air vent 15 in the base 14 and the method of attaching the cushioning material 40.

The ventilation hole 15 provided in the mounting base 14 of the main body 11 is a ventilation hole for discharging the breath blown from the trumpet and spreading in the internal space V of the main body 11 to the lid body 30 side. The ventilation hole 15 is provided in the mounting base 14 so as to follow the inner peripheral surface 16 of the side wall of the main body 11.

In the mute 2 of the second embodiment, the ventilation holes 15 are provided in four locations at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction on the mounting base 14. The number and size of the ventilation holes 15 may be determined as appropriate, but tests using three types of trumpets with bell 100 diameters of 127 mm, 123 mm, and 116 mm showed that the length (arc length) of each ventilation hole 15 is preferably 10 to 20 mm, and the width is preferably 3 to 5 mm.

In the mute 2 of the second embodiment, the cushioning material 40 is attached without any gaps to the entire upper surface of the mounting base 14. The material of the cushioning material 40 is the same as that of the mute 1 of the first embodiment.

The method of using the brass mute 2 of the second embodiment described above is the same as that of the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment. Compared to the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment, the brass mute 2 of the second embodiment provides better softness and a better feeling of playing because the breath that is blown into the mute 2 spreads into the internal space V of the main body 11, comes into contact with the sound-absorbing material 20 and is absorbed by the cushioning material 40 through the air vent 15 provided in the mounting base 14, and is discharged to the lid 30 side.

Figure 10 is an end view of a cut portion cut vertically through a brass mute 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the brass mute 3, the same components as those in the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. Figure 10 omits the female thread 18 of the main body 10 and the male thread 36 of the cover 30.

The basic configuration of the mute 3 for a brass instrument of the third embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 3) is the same as that of the mute 1 for a brass instrument of the first embodiment (hereinafter referred to as mute 1), but unlike mute 1, mute 3 is equipped with sound-proofing material 60.

The sound insulation material 60 is a rubber plate, and is disposed between the side wall surface below the mounting base 13 of the main body 10 and the sound absorbing material 20, and between the bottom surface of the main body 10 and the sound absorbing material 20. In this embodiment, the sound insulation material 60 is sandwiched and fixed between the main body 10 and the sound absorbing material 20 so that it can be removed. In this embodiment, a rubber plate is used for the sound insulation material 60, but other materials may also be used. It is preferable that the sound insulation material 60 is lightweight and has excellent sound insulation properties.

The method of using the brass mute 3 of the third embodiment described above is the same as that of the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment. The brass mute 3 of the third embodiment is superior in muteness compared to the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment in that it is provided with a sound-insulating material 60. Other effects of the brass mute 3 of the third embodiment are the same as those of the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment. The brass mute 3 of the third embodiment can be said to be the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment with a sound-insulating material 60 attached, but the sound-insulating material 60 may also be attached to the brass mute 2 of the second embodiment in the same manner.

Figure 11 is an end view of a cut portion cut vertically through a brass mute 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the brass mute 4, the same components as those in the brass mute 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. In Figure 11, the female threads of the main body 65 and the male threads of the cover 85 are not shown.

The fourth embodiment of the mute 4 for brass instruments (hereinafter mute 4) is a mute for a trombone, and its basic configuration is the same as that of the mute 1 of the first embodiment. However, a trombone has a larger bell 100 compared to a trumpet, and is equipped with a slide tube 110, which causes the shape of the main body 65 and the lid 85 to differ from the main body 10 and the lid 30 of the mute 1. The following will focus on the differences with mute 1.

The main body 65 that covers the trombone bell 100 is a cylindrical member with a bottom plate 12 and an open top, similar to the mute 1 of the first embodiment, and is made of a synthetic resin such as ABS resin, with a female thread on the upper inner wall surface into which the cover 85 screws. As with the mute 1, the main body 65 is provided with a mounting base 13 in the axial middle portion on which the bell 100 is placed.

The main body 65 has a first cylindrical portion 66 having a bottom plate 12, a second cylindrical portion 68 having a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion 66, and a conical portion 67 connecting the first cylindrical portion 66 and the second cylindrical portion 68. The main body 65 has the first cylindrical portion 66 disposed at the tip side, and the top surface of the second cylindrical portion 68 is open. The first cylindrical portion 66 and the second cylindrical portion 68 each have the same axial diameter.

The mounting base 13 is provided at the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 68, and the upper inner wall surface of the second cylindrical portion 68 is provided with a female thread 18 into which the male thread 36 of the lid body 85 screws. A sound-absorbing material 20 is attached to the inner wall surface of the main body 65 below the mounting base 13, and this is also the same as that of the mute 1.

The inner diameter _D1I and outer diameter _D1O of the first cylindrical portion 66 are the same as the inner diameter _D1I and outer diameter _D0 of the main body 10 of the first embodiment. The inner diameter _D2I of the second cylindrical portion 68 is preferably as small as possible while still being able to accommodate the trombone bell 100. Similarly, the outer diameter _D2O of the second cylindrical portion 68 is also preferably as small as possible. As with the main body 10 of the first embodiment, the main body 65 is preferably as thin and lightweight as possible while still being able to ensure the necessary rigidity.

To make the second cylindrical portion 68 compact, it is preferable that the inner diameter _D2I and outer diameter _D2O of the second cylindrical portion 68 correspond to the size of the trombone bell 100, but since commercially available trombone bells 100 come in a wide variety of sizes, when the mute 4 is manufactured, the inner diameter _D2I and outer diameter _D2O of the second cylindrical portion 68 may be designed to accommodate a certain range of trombone sizes. Here, the size of the bell 100 refers to the outer diameter of the bell tip.

The size of the bell 100 of a typical commercially available trombone is 200 to 241 mm. For a trombone equipped with a bell 100 of this size, the size of the second cylindrical portion 68 of the mute 4 is preferably an inner diameter _D2I of 243 mm and an outer diameter _D2O of 247 mm.

The mounting base 13 on the mute 4 is similar to the mounting base 13 on the mute 1, and is ring-shaped with an opening in the center. When the mute 4 is not attached, the trombone can be played without any obstructions in front of the bell 100, but the mounting base 13 becomes an obstacle when playing the trombone.

The size of bell 100 for a typical trombone is 200 to 241 mm. When bell 100 is small, it is attached to body 65 with the central axis (center line m) of bell 100 eccentric to the central axis (center line M) of body 65, as shown in Figure 11. Experiments have shown that the corresponding preferred diameter d _I of the opening of mounting base 13 is approximately 140 mm.

A cushioning material 40 is attached to the top surface of the mounting base 13, and the bell 100 comes into contact with it when the mute 4 is attached to the trombone. This is the same as the mute 1 in the first embodiment.

The length of the main body 65 is not particularly limited, but as long as the preferred distance from the top of the mounting base 13 including the cushioning material 40 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom and the preferred thickness of the sound-absorbing material 20 can be secured, it is preferable that the length be shorter in terms of reducing weight.

The distance H from the top of the mounting base 13 including the cushioning material 40 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom, in other words the distance H from the tip of the bell 100 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom when the bell 100 is attached, affects the comfort, pitch, and controllability when playing the trombone. The longer the distance H, in other words leaving the tip of the bell 100 as open as possible, the closer it is to a state where the mute 4 is not attached and the more comfortable it becomes to play. On the other hand, the greater the distance H, the heavier and longer the mute 4 becomes, making it heavier when attached to the trombone.

Representative sizes of the mute 4 are as follows: inner diameter _D1I of the first cylindrical portion 66 = 142 mm, inner diameter _D2I of the second cylindrical portion 68 = 243 mm, distance H from the mounting base 13 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom = 105 mm, total length = 190 mm, diameter _dI of the opening of the mounting base 13 = 140 mm, and diameter of the opening 34 at the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 = 140 mm. However, the size of the mute 4 is not limited to these.

The amount (thickness), shape, material and installation method of the sound-absorbing material 20 attached to the main body 65 are basically the same as those of the mute 1 of the first embodiment.

The basic structure of the cover 85 is basically the same as the cover 30 of the mute 1 of the first embodiment, and is composed of two cover members made of synthetic resin. The cover 85, which is formed by butting two cover members together, has a trumpet-shaped portion 33 in the center that resembles the outer shape of a trombone bell 100, a cylindrical portion 35 with a male thread 36 that screws into a female thread 18 provided at the top of the second cylindrical portion 68 of the main body 65, and a flat portion 37 that connects the outer periphery of the tip of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the outer periphery of the tip of the cylindrical portion 35.

The trumpet-shaped portion 33 is formed so that it narrows towards the top, and an opening 34 is provided at the center of the top end through which the bell 100 of a trumpet passes. In the case of a mute 4 corresponding to a trombone, which has a different size of bell 100, it is necessary to attach the mute 4 to the bell 100 so that the center line m of the bell 100 is eccentric to the center line M of the body 65 of the mute 4, so the opening 34 is sized accordingly.

The cover 30 of the mute 1 in the first embodiment is made up of a pair of half-split covers 31, but the cover 85 in this embodiment is made up of two cover members with different arc lengths. The size of the arc of one cover member, expressed as the central angle θ of a fan, is about 90 to 120°, and the size of the arc of the other cover member, expressed as the central angle θ of a fan, is about 240 to 270°.

The outer shape of the lid body 85, which is formed by butting two lid members together, is circular in plan view, the same as the lid body 30 of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the lid body 85 is formed of two lid members with different arc lengths, but the lid body 85 may be formed of a pair of half-split lids, as with the lid body 30 of the first embodiment.

The amount (thickness), shape, material, and installation method of the cushioning materials 42, 44 attached to the back surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the back surface of the flat portion 37 of the lid body 85 may be considered to be the same as the cushioning materials 42, 44 attached to the back surface of the lid body 30 of the mute 1 of the first embodiment. It is also preferable to provide a connector for the lid body 85 to integrate the two lid members when they are butted against each other, and this connector can be the connector for connecting the pair of half-split lids 31 of the first embodiment.

The method of attaching the mute 4 to the bell 100 is basically the same as the mute 1 of the first embodiment, but since a trombone has a slide tube 110, the method of attaching the mute 4 differs depending on the size of the bell 100. In the case of a trumpet, regardless of the size of the bell 100, the mute 1 is attached to the bell 100 so that the central axis (center line M) of the main body 10 of the mute 1 coincides with the central axis (center line m) of the bell 100.

When the size of the trombone bell 100 is approximately the same as the inner diameter _D2I of the second cylindrical portion 68, the mute 4 is attached to the bell 100 so that the central axis (center line M) of the body 65 of the mute 4 coincides with the central axis (center line m) of the bell 100.

If the size of trombone bell 100 is smaller than the inner diameter _D2I of second cylindrical portion 68, and mute 4 is attached to bell 100 so that center line M of main body 65 of mute 4 coincides with center line m of bell 100, then distance ΔL between slide tube 110 and outer wall 69 of second cylindrical portion 68 will be narrow, making it difficult to operate slide tube 110; then, mute 4 is attached to bell 100 so that center line m of bell 100 is eccentric to center line M of main body 65 of mute 4 so that distance ΔL is wider.

When attaching the mute 4 to the bell 100, it is attached so that the distance ΔL between the slide tube 110 and the outer wall 69 of the second cylindrical portion 68 is greater than or equal to the distance required to operate the slide tube 110.

The method of use and the effect of the mute 4 are the same as those of the mute 1 of the first embodiment, and because an internal space V is provided within the mute 4, it is possible to obtain a playing comfort, pitch, and controllability similar to that of a trombone without the mute 4 attached. The mute 4 also has sufficient soundproofing properties, since the sound-absorbing material 20 is attached within the main body 65, and the cushioning materials 40, 42, and 44 are attached to the mounting base 13 and the lid 85. The mute 4 can also be attached firmly to the trombone without wobbling, so the trombone can be played without any discomfort even with the mute 4 attached.

The above describes the configuration of mute 4 in comparison with mute 1 of the first embodiment, but mute 4 may also adopt the configurations of mute 2 and 3 of the second and third embodiments. For example, mute 4 may have an air vent 15 in the mounting base 13, as in mute 2, and a cushioning material 40 may be attached to cover this air vent 15, and sound insulation material 60 may be attached, as in mute 3.

The above describes the brass instrument mute of the present invention using the first, second, third and fourth embodiments of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3 and 4, but the brass instrument mute of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without changing the gist of the invention. In addition, the above embodiments show preferred dimensions for the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3 and 4, but the brass instrument mute of the present invention is not limited to the above dimensions.

In the first embodiment of the mute 1 for brass instruments, the cushioning material 40 attached to the top surface of the mounting base 13, the cushioning material 42 attached to the bottom surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the cover 30, and the cushioning material 44 attached to the bottom surface of the flat portion 37 of the cover 30 each have openings 46, 47, and 48. On the other hand, in the second embodiment of the mute 2 for brass instruments, the cushioning material 40 attached to the mounting base 13 does not have an opening.

In the mute for brass instruments according to the present invention, the cushioning material attached to the mounting base, the trumpet-shaped portion, and the flat portion may not have gaps (openings) in any of the cushioning materials for the mounting base, the trumpet-shaped portion, and the flat portion. Alternatively, the cushioning material for the mounting base may have gaps (openings), and the cushioning material for the trumpet-shaped portion and the flat portion may not have gaps (openings). The presence or absence of gaps (openings) in the cushioning material attached to the mounting base, the trumpet-shaped portion, and the flat portion, and the combination thereof, are determined as appropriate. Also, cushioning material with openings may be attached to a mounting base that has air vents.

The lids 30, 85 in the brass instrument mutes 1, 2, 3, 4 of the first, second, third and fourth embodiments have a trumpet-shaped portion 33, a cylindrical portion 35 and a flat portion 37, but the tip end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 may be connected to the cylindrical portion 35 and the flat portion 37 may be omitted. The flat portion 37 may also be gently curved and become part of the trumpet-shaped portion 33. Furthermore, the trumpet-shaped portion 33 and the flat portion 37 may be made into a trumpet-shaped portion.

In the first, second, third and fourth embodiments of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3, 4, the female thread 18 that screws into the male thread 36 of the cover 30, 85 is provided on the upper inner wall surface of the main body 10, 65 over a 360° circumferential direction, but as long as the cover 30, 85 can be firmly fixed, the female thread 18 may be provided partially in the circumferential direction as follows.

For example, the upper inner wall surface of the main body 10 may have female threads 18 in four circumferential sections: 15 to 75°, 105 to 165°, 195 to 255°, and 285 to 345°.

In the first embodiment of the brass instrument mute 1, as shown in Figure 2, the male threads 36 are provided on the entire outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 35 of the cover 30, but the male threads 36 may be provided partially on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 35. For example, the male threads 36 may be provided on about 1/2 or 2/3 of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 35 of the cover 30 from the top. This is the same for the other embodiments of the brass instrument mute.

In the first embodiment of the mute 1 for brass instruments, Fig. 5 shows the connectors 51, 55, and 57 that connect the pair of half-split lids 31 to each other. Furthermore, to prevent the pair of half-split lids 31 connected via the connectors 51, 55, and 57 from shifting, the lid body 30 or the pair of half-split lids 31 may be provided with anti-slip means such as anti-slip protrusions. This makes it easier to attach and detach the lid body 30 to and from the main body 10. This is the same for the other embodiments of the mute for brass instruments.

The lids 30, 85 of the brass instrument mutes 1, 2, 3, 4 of the first, second, third, and fourth embodiments are provided with a thick reinforcing portion 38 around the entire upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33, but ribs may be provided instead of the thick reinforcing portion 38. The ribs may be, for example, 2 to 3 mm wide and 10 mm long, and may be attached at a 30° pitch around the circumference of the upper outer peripheral surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 so that the longitudinal direction of the ribs is parallel to the center line M of the main body 10 and protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface.

The rib can be easily provided by molding it integrally with the pair of half-split lids 31 and the two lid members that make up the lid body 30, 85. In this case, it is preferable to arrange one rib at the circumferential end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the half-split lid 31 or the two lid members. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent deformation of the upper end of the trumpet-shaped portion 33.

The multiple ribs provided on the upper outer peripheral surface of the trumpet-shaped portion 33 of the lid body 30, 85 protrude from the outer peripheral surface and can be used as handles when screwing the lid body 30, 85 into the main body 10, 65 or removing it.

The cover body 30 of the brass instrument mute 1, 2, 3 in the first, second and third embodiments is composed of a pair of half-split covers 31, and the cover body 85 of the brass instrument mute 4 in the fourth embodiment is composed of two cover members, but the cover bodies 30, 85 may also be composed of three or four or more cover members.

In the above embodiment, one type of sound absorbing material is used, but two or more types of sound absorbing material may be used and stacked. The sound insulation material may be bonded to the inner wall surface of the main body or the back surface of the sound absorbing material. In the above embodiment, the main body is cylindrical and the tip of the main body is flat, but the tip of the main body may have a rounded shape.

A suitable mute for brass instruments has been described with reference to the drawings, but a person skilled in the art would easily imagine various changes and modifications within the obvious scope upon reading the specification. Therefore, such changes and modifications are to be interpreted as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

A mute was made for use on a trumpet, and its performance was verified. The structure of this mute is the same as that of the mute 1 for brass instruments in the first embodiment. The mute has a body 10 made of ABS resin, an outer diameter D _O of 145 mm, an inner diameter D _I of 142 mm, an opening diameter d _I of the mounting base 13 of 100 mm, and a distance H from the top of the mounting base 13 including the buffer material 40 to the sound-absorbing material 20 at the bottom of the mounting base 13 of 50 mm. The sound-absorbing material 20 is a sponge-like sound-absorbing material with a peak-valley surface (see FIG. 2) and a thickness of 20 mm. The buffer materials 40, 42, and 44 are made of porous elastic buffer materials of 5 mm thickness, and have openings 46, 47, and 48, respectively.

Three types of trumpets were used, with bell 100 diameters of 127 mm, 123 mm, and 116 mm. The volume of the sound in the room when the trumpets were played was measured with a small digital sound level meter, and the playing comfort, pitch, and controllability of the trumpets when muted were confirmed.

The indoor volume when playing a trumpet without a mute was over 100 dB, while the indoor volume when playing a trumpet with a mute was about 80 dB. The playing comfort, pitch, and controllability of the trumpet when the mute was attached were not significantly different from when the mute was not attached.

1, 2, 3, 4 Brass mute 10, 11, 65 Body 13, 14 Mounting base 15 Vent 18 Female thread 20 Sound absorbing material 30, 85 Lid 31 Half-split lid 33 Trumpet-shaped portion 34 Opening 35 Cylindrical portion 36 Male thread 37 Flat plate portion 40, 42, 44 Cushioning material 46, 47, 48 Opening 51, 55, 57 Connector 60 Sound insulating material 66 First cylindrical portion 67 Conical portion 68 Second cylindrical portion 100 Bell 110 Slide tube D _I Body inner diameter D1 _I First cylindrical portion inner diameter D2 _I Second cylindrical portion inner diameter D _O Body outer diameter D1 _O First cylindrical portion outer diameter D2 _O Second cylindrical portion outer diameter d _I Mounting base opening diameter H Distance M from mounting base to sound absorbing material at bottom Center line m of brass mute body Center line V of the bell Internal space ΔL Distance between the outer wall of the second cylindrical portion and the slide tube

Claims (10)

a cylindrical main body having a bottom and a base on which a brass bell is placed at an axially intermediate portion;
a cover that is screwed onto an upper portion of the main body and that sandwiches the bell of the brass instrument placed on the stand between the cover and the stand;
a sound absorbing material covering an inner wall of the main body below the mounting stand;
Equipped with
The lid body is composed of two or more lid members,
13. A mute for a brass instrument, comprising: a cushioning material provided on an upper surface of said mounting base and on an underside of said lid. The cover includes a trumpet-shaped portion having an opening at the center through which a bell of a brass instrument can be inserted, and a cylindrical portion having a male thread that screws into a female thread provided on the upper portion of the main body,
2. The mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the cushioning material is provided on a rear surface of the trumpet-shaped portion. A mute for a brass instrument as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cushioning material is attached to the entire or part of the upper surface of the stand and to the entire or part of the rear surface of the lid. A mute for a brass instrument as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mounting base is provided with an air vent that allows air blown into the main body to be exhausted to the lid side. A mute for a brass instrument as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover body is provided with a connecting device that connects two or more cover members and holds them in a connected state. A mute for a brass instrument as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sound-absorbing material is removably attached to the inner wall. A mute for a brass instrument as described in claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that a sound-proofing material is provided between the inner wall and the sound-absorbing material. A mute for a brass instrument as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover body consists of a pair of half-split covers. The main body includes a first cylindrical portion having a bottom, a second cylindrical portion having an upper opening and an inner diameter larger than that of the first cylindrical portion, and a conical portion connecting the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion,
3. A mute for a brass instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second cylindrical portion is provided with a female thread into which the cover is screwed. A mute for a brass instrument as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main body is configured to be attached to the bell of the brass instrument with the central axis of the main body coinciding with or eccentric to the central axis of the bell of the brass instrument.

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