TW202536849A - A shim used for making keys of woodwind instruments and a method of making keys of woodwind instruments using them - Google Patents

Abstract

A technique for making woodwind instrument tone-hole keys uses a shim, a key cover, a pad, and a locking element. The shim is made of a thermoplastic material and is placed between the pad and key cover. It has a central through hole and at least one overflow space. The key cover has an accommodation groove. The locking element passes through the pad and shim hole and locks onto the key cover. The shim is softened by heat and then pressed to fill the overflow space and the space between the pad and key cover, which is enclosed by the locking element after the pad is secured to the key cover. The shim solidifies after curing to form a gap-filling shim. This forms a tone-hole key composed of a key cover, pad, gap-filling shim and locking element.

Description

Gaskets for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments and the method of making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using them.

This invention relates to a pad, and more particularly to a pad used in the manufacture of woodwind instrument keys.

The main structure of a woodwind instrument is a cylindrical tube with several tone holes, and multiple tone hole keys that can cover or expose the tone holes. Woodwind instruments are usually made of wood (such as ebony or coconut wood) or metal (such as nickel-silver alloy, silver alloy, gold alloy, or platinum and gold). The tonal characteristics of woodwind instruments made of wood are mellow, warm, and delicate, while the tonal characteristics of woodwind instruments made of metal are relatively bright.

The tone hole keys consist of a rubber pad and a keycap, connected to the woodwind instrument via a metal key arm. When the keycap is pressed, the rubber pad covers the tone hole, allowing the player to produce the corresponding pitch. However, because the keycaps of woodwind instruments are usually manufactured using a stamping process, the bottom of the keycap is uneven. This causes the rubber pad and keycap, when assembled into tone hole keys, to not completely cover the tone hole, resulting in air leakage. This, in turn, affects the tone and intonation of the woodwind instrument. Furthermore, after prolonged use, the metal key arm may inevitably deform slightly, causing the rubber pad to no longer completely cover the tone hole.

In previous techniques, woodwind instrument technicians would use round, intact or incomplete paper or plastic pads, layer by layer, between the rubber pad and the keycap. This was to adjust the flatness of the rubber pad covering the tone hole when the key was pressed, ensuring that there would be no air leakage when playing the woodwind instrument, which would affect the tone and pitch of the instrument.

However, a difficult problem existed in the prior art. This problem was that after each paper or plastic gasket was installed, the flatness of the rubber pad covering the sound hole needed to be tested. As a result, with a large number of paper or plastic gaskets, this required a significant amount of time for testing. Furthermore, because paper or plastic gaskets have limited deformation under pressure, they could not completely fill the uneven bottom of the keycap, leading to unavoidable air leakage as the rubber pad could not flatly cover the sound hole after assembly.

Given that in previous technologies, filling the space between the keycap and the rubber pad with paper or plastic pads layer by layer was time-consuming, and that paper or plastic pads could not completely fill the uneven bottom of the keycap, resulting in unavoidable air leakage, this issue needs to be addressed. The main purpose of this invention is to provide a gasket for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments. The gasket, made of thermoplastic material, softens when heated and can be pressed to fill the uneven bottom of the keycap. This allows the gasket to cover the tone hole smoothly after being assembled into the keycap, thereby solving the problem of air leakage that affects the tone and pitch of the woodwind instrument.

Accordingly, the first essential technical means adopted by the present invention to solve the problems of the prior art is to provide a washer for manufacturing tone hole keys for woodwind instruments, which is suitable for a tone hole key of a woodwind instrument. The tone hole key includes a key cover, a rubber pad, and a locking element. The washer is made of a thermoplastic material, disposed between the rubber pad and the key cover, and has a central through hole and at least one overflow space.

The keycap has a recess for accommodating the pad. The inner diameter of the recess is larger than the outer diameter of the pad. The rubber pad has a central through-hole and, after being locked to the keycap by a locking element, together with the keycap, forms an accommodating space. The volume of the accommodating space is equal to the volume of the pad.

The locking element is sequentially passed through the central through-hole of the rubber pad and the central through-hole of the gasket to lock onto the keycap. When the gasket softens due to heat and is subjected to pressure, the softened gasket fits the bottom of the keycap and fills the overflow space and receiving space, and after curing, it transforms into a gap-filling gasket.

Based on the aforementioned necessary technical means, the following auxiliary technical means can be derived. Preferably, the gasket can have at least one overflow hole to form the aforementioned overflow space. More preferably, the aforementioned overflow hole can be a plurality of overflow holes surrounding the central through hole of the gasket and alternating with each other. The woodwind instrument can be one of a flute, a clarinet, an oboe, a saxophone, and a bassoon. In order to distribute the pressure exerted on the pad after the locking element is locked in the keycap, preferably, the tone hole key can further include a locking gasket, which is disposed between the pad and the locking element. Preferably, the thermoplastic material can be polycaprolactone, which softens when heated to between 60 and 70 degrees Celsius.

The second essential technical means adopted by this invention to solve the problems of the prior art is to provide a method for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using a shim, which is made using the shim described in the first essential technical means, and includes the following steps (a) to (g).

Step (a) is to provide a gasket. Step (b) is to provide a keycap, and the keycap has a receiving groove. Step (c) is to place the gasket in the receiving groove and close the leather pad cover onto the gasket. Step (d) is to pass the locking element sequentially through the central through-hole of the leather pad and the central through-hole of the gasket and then lock it onto the keycap. Step (e) is to heat and soften the gasket. Step (f) is to press the gasket to fill the overflow space and fill the receiving space formed by the leather pad and the keycap after being locked by the locking element. Step (g) involves cooling and curing the gasket to transform it into a gap-filling gasket, thereby creating a keyhole button consisting of a keycap, a leather pad, a gap-filling gasket, and a locking element.

Based on the aforementioned necessary technical means, the following auxiliary technical means can be derived. Preferably, step (d) may further include steps (d1) and (d2). Step (d1) involves providing a locking washer. Step (d2) involves sequentially passing the locking element through the locking washer, the central through-hole of the leather pad, and the central through-hole of the washer, and then locking it to the keycap.

Preferably, step (f) may further include steps (f1) and (f2). Step (f1) involves assembling the keycap onto a key arm, corresponding to a tone hole, and placing it on a woodwind instrument. Step (f2) involves pressing the keycap, causing the rubber pad to cover the tone hole, and compressing the softened pad to fill the overflow space. The rubber pad is then locked to the keycap by a locking element, forming the receiving space. The tone hole is located on the woodwind instrument. Depending on the position of the keycap fixed to the key arm, preferably, the key arm is either a French key arm or a Y-key arm.

In summary, since the gasket provided in this invention for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments is made of thermoplastic material, it softens when heated and can be pressed to fill the uneven bottom of the keycap, so that the rubber pad can flatly cover the tone hole after being assembled into the keycap, thereby solving the problem of air leakage that affects the tone and pitch of the woodwind instrument.

Even better, in the method of making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using gaskets provided by this invention, the aforementioned gaskets are assembled between the rubber pad and the keycap in a certain order, and the gaskets are heated and softened to fill the overflow space and the receiving space formed by the rubber pad being locked to the keycap by the locking element. After curing, a gap-filling gasket is formed, which can produce tone hole keys composed of keycap, rubber pad, gap-filling gasket, locking element and locking gasket.

The specific embodiments used in this work will be further explained through the following embodiments and diagrams.

Since the pads for making tone holes and keys for woodwind instruments provided by this invention, and the method for making tone holes and keys for woodwind instruments using them, can be widely used in various woodwind instruments, they will not be described in detail here. Instead, only one of the better embodiments will be given for specific explanation. This embodiment is only used to conveniently and clearly help to illustrate the purpose and effect of the embodiments of this invention.

Please refer to Figures 1 through 4. Figure 1 is a front view of the pad used for making tone hole buttons for woodwind instruments according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded view of the components of the tone hole buttons in the pad used for making tone hole buttons for woodwind instruments according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembled components of the tone hole buttons in the pad used for making tone hole buttons for woodwind instruments according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 3 along section A-A.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a pad 1 for making tonehole keys for woodwind instruments is suitable for a tonehole key 100 of a woodwind instrument 200. The tonehole key 100 includes a key cover 2, a pad 3, a locking element 4, and a locking pad 5. Preferably, the woodwind instrument 200 can be one of a flute, a clarinet, an oboe, a saxophone, and a bassoon. In this embodiment, the woodwind instrument 200 is a flute.

The gasket 1 is made of a thermoplastic material and is disposed between the pad 3 and the keycap 2. It has a central through-hole SCH and at least one overflow space. In this embodiment, the gasket 1 has a plurality of overflow holes arranged around the central through-hole SCH, alternating with each other, forming a plurality of overflow spaces (this embodiment includes eight overflow holes forming eight overflow spaces; only one overflow hole OH and its corresponding overflow space OS are shown in the figure). In other embodiments, the gasket 1 may further have at least one overflow groove (not shown) to form at least one overflow space.

In this embodiment, the aforementioned thermoplastic material is polycaprolactone, and the gasket 1 can be manufactured from powdered or granular polycaprolactone through processes such as injection molding, molding, 3D printing, and laser cutting after heating. The gasket 1 softens and transforms into a malleable gasket 1a after being heated.

The keycap 2 has a locking seat 21 and a receiving groove AG. The inner diameter of the receiving groove AG is larger than the outer diameter of the pad 1, and is used to receive the pad 1. The locking seat 21 extends from the inner bottom of the keycap 2 and is fixed to the keycap 2.

The pad 3 has a central through-hole PCH, and together with the locking element 4, it forms an accommodating space AS after being locked to the locking seat 21 of the keycap 2. The volume of the accommodating space AS is equal to the volume of the pad 1. The locking element 4 passes through the locking pad 5, the central through-hole PCH of the pad, and the central through-hole SCH of the pad in sequence and is locked to the locking seat 21. After the locking element 4 passes through and is locked to the locking seat 21, the central through-hole PCH of the pad is slightly deformed due to the pressure of the locking pad 5 and the pad 1, because the rigidity of the pad 1 is greater than that of the pad 3.

When the malleable pad 1a is under pressure, since the rigidity of the pad 3 is greater than that of the malleable pad 1a, the pad 3 returns to its original shape from slight deformation and squeezes the malleable pad 1a, causing the malleable pad 1a to fill the overflow space OS and the receiving space AS. After cooling and solidification, the malleable pad 1a will transform into a gap-filling pad 1b (as shown in Figure 9).

In summary, the overflow space OS (formed by the overflow hole OH) is provided for the priority filling of the malleable gasket 1a to prevent the malleable gasket 1a from overflowing from the gap between the keycap 2 and the pad 3 when under pressure.

Please continue referring to Figures 5 through 9. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the method of making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using washers, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which the key cover is assembled behind the key arm; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the method of making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using washers, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which the key cover is assembled behind the key arm and positioned in relation to the tone hole on the woodwind instrument; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of Figure 6 along B-B. The cross-sectional view after sectioning; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the softened pad filling the overflow space after the keycap is pressed to cover the sound hole, and the receiving space formed by the pad being locked to the keycap by the locking element; and Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the pad cooling and solidifying to transform into a gap-filling pad after the keycap is released to move the pad away from the sound hole, thus creating a sound hole key composed of the keycap, pad, gap-filling pad, and locking element. Please also refer to Figures 1 through 4.

As shown in Figures 5 through 9, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using a pad, comprising the following steps: First, the first step is to provide a pad 1. The second step is to provide a key cover 2, which has a receiving groove AG. The third step is to place the pad 1 in the receiving groove AG and cover the pad 3 with a leather pad 3.

The fourth step involves sequentially passing the locking element 4 through the center through-hole PCH of the leather pad and the center through-hole SCH of the pad, and then locking it into the locking seat 21 of the keycap 2. As described above, the fourth step in this embodiment can be further divided into the following two sub-steps: First, a locking pad 5 is provided; then, the locking element 4 is sequentially passed through the locking pad 5, the center through-hole PCH of the leather pad, and the center through-hole SCH of the pad, and then locked into the locking seat 21 of the keycap 2.

The fifth step involves heating and softening the pad 1 to transform it into a malleable pad 1a. In this embodiment, the pad 1 is made of polycaprolactone and softens to a semi-solid state when heated to between 60 and 70 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the pad 1 can be softened by heating it to the aforementioned temperature range using a heat gun (not shown), and the leather pad 3 and keycap 2 will not deform due to temperature changes when heated to the aforementioned temperature range. The sixth step is to press the malleable gasket 1a to fill the overflow space OS, and to fill the receiving space AS formed by the leather pad 3 after it is locked to the locking seat 21 by the locking element 4.

As described above, step six in this embodiment can be further divided into the following two sub-steps: First, the keycap 2 is assembled onto a key arm 300 and positioned on the woodwind instrument 200 corresponding to a tone hole SH; then, the keycap 2 is pressed, causing the pad 3 to cover the tone hole SH, and the malleable pad 1a is deformed under pressure to fill the overflow space OS. The pad 3 and the matte pad 3 are locked to the locking seat 21 by the locking element 4, forming the receiving space AS. The tone hole SH is located on the woodwind instrument 200.

The key arm 300 is either a French key arm or a Y-type key arm. The connection point between the French key arm and the key cover 2 is at the center of the outer bottom surface of the key cover 2, while the Y-type key arm is connected to the side wall of the key cover 2. In this embodiment, the key arm 300 is a Y-type key arm and is connected to the side wall of the key cover 2. The seventh step is to cool and solidify the malleable pad 1a into a gap-filling pad 1b, thereby manufacturing the sound hole key 100 composed of the key cover 2, the pad 3, the gap-filling pad 1b, the locking element 4, and the locking pad 5.

In summary, since the gasket provided in this invention for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments is made of thermoplastic material, the gasket 1 softens when heated and transforms into a malleable gasket 1a, which can be pressed to fill the uneven bottom of the keycap. This allows the rubber pad 3 to flatly cover the tone hole SH after being assembled into the locking seat 21 of the keycap 2, thereby solving the problem of air leakage that affects the tone and pitch of the woodwind instrument 200.

Even better, in the method of making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using a pad provided by the present invention, the pad 1 is assembled between the pad 3 and the key cover 2, and the pad 1 is heated and softened to become a malleable pad 1a. After being pressed, the malleable pad 1a fills the overflow space OS and the receiving space AS formed by the pad 3 being locked to the locking seat 21 by the locking element 4. After curing, it forms a gap-filling pad 1b, which can be used to make tone hole keys 100 composed of key cover 2, pad 3, gap-filling pad 1b, locking element 4 and locking pad 5.

The detailed description of the preferred embodiments above is intended to more clearly describe the features and spirit of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention by means of the preferred embodiments disclosed above. Rather, the aim is to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements within the scope of the patent claims made by the invention.

100: Tone hole key 200: Woodwind instrument 300: Key arm 1: Washer 1a: Molded washer 1b: Gap-filling washer 2: Key cover 21: Locking seat 3: Leather pad 4: Locking element 5: Locking washer AG: Receiving groove AS: Receiving space OS: Overflow space OH: Overflow hole SCH: Center through hole of washer PCH: Center through hole of leather pad SH: Tone hole

Figure 1 is a front view of the gasket used for manufacturing tone hole buttons for woodwind instruments according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the components of the tone hole buttons in the gasket used for manufacturing tone hole buttons for woodwind instruments according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembled components of the tone hole buttons in the gasket used for manufacturing tone hole buttons for woodwind instruments according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along section A-A of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the assembly of the key cover onto the key arm in the method of manufacturing tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using a pad, as provided in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the key cover assembled onto the key arm and positioned on the woodwind instrument corresponding to the tone hole, in the method of manufacturing tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using a pad, as provided in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along section B-B of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the space formed by the pressure of the keycap covering the sound hole, the softened pad filling the overflow space, and the pad being locked to the keycap by a locking element; and Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the process of releasing the keycap and moving the pad away from the sound hole, the pad cooling and solidifying to become a gap-filling pad, thus creating a sound hole key composed of the keycap, pad, gap-filling pad, and locking element.

100: Tone hole buttons

1: Pads

2: Keycaps

21: Locking base

3: Leather pad

4: Locking Components

5: Locking Pads

OS: Overflow Space

AG: Receptacle

OH: Overflow hole

SCH: Center through hole of the pad

PCH: Center through-hole of the pad

Claims (10)

A washer for manufacturing tonehole keys for woodwind instruments is applicable to a tonehole key of a woodwind instrument. The tonehole key includes a key cover, a rubber pad, and a locking element. The key cover has a receiving groove. The rubber pad, locked to the key cover by the locking element, together form a receiving space. The washer is characterized in that it is made of a thermoplastic material, disposed between the rubber pad and the key cover, and has a central through hole, and at least [missing information - likely a hole or opening]. An overflow space is provided, wherein the pad has a central through hole, the locking element passes through the central through hole of the pad and the central through hole of the pad in sequence to lock it to the key cover, the outer diameter of the pad is smaller than the inner diameter of the receiving groove, the volume of the pad is equal to the volume of the receiving space, and it softens when heated, so that after the pad is locked to the key cover, it is pressed and fills the at least one overflow space and the receiving space, and after solidification, it transforms into a gap-filling pad. As described in claim 1, the pad for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments, wherein the pad is provided with at least one overflow hole to form the at least one overflow space. As described in claim 2, the pad for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments, wherein the at least one overflow hole is a plurality of overflow holes that surround the central through hole of the pad and are alternated with each other. The pads for making tonehole keys for woodwind instruments as described in claim 1, wherein the woodwind instrument is one of a flute, a clarinet, an oboe, a saxophone, and a bassoon. As described in claim 1, the pad for making tonehole buttons for woodwind instruments further includes a locking pad disposed between the pad and the locking element. As described in claim 1, the pad for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments, wherein the thermoplastic material is polycaprolactone and softens when heated to between 60 and 70 degrees Celsius. A method for manufacturing tonehole keys for woodwind instruments using a pad, comprising the following steps: (a) providing the pad; (b) providing the keycap, wherein the keycap has the receiving groove; (c) placing the pad in the receiving groove and fitting the leather pad cover onto the pad; (d) sequentially passing the locking element through the central through-hole of the leather pad and the central through-hole of the pad and locking it to the keycap; (e) heating and softening the pad; (f) The gasket is compressed to fill the at least one overflow space and to fill the receiving space formed by the leather pad locked to the keycap by the locking element; and (g) The gasket is cooled and cured to transform into the gap-filling gasket, thereby manufacturing the tone hole key composed of the keycap, the leather pad, the gap-filling gasket, and the locking element. The method for manufacturing tonehole keys for woodwind instruments using washers as described in claim 7, wherein step (d) comprises the following steps: (d1) placing a locking washer between the leather pad and the locking element; and (d2) sequentially passing the locking element through the locking washer, the central through-hole of the leather pad, and the central through-hole of the washer, and then locking it to the keycap. The method for manufacturing tonehole keys for a woodwind instrument using a pad, as described in claim 7, wherein step (f) comprises the following steps: (f1) Assembling the keycap onto a key arm and placing it on the woodwind instrument corresponding to a tonehole; and (f2) Pressing the keycap so that the pad covers the tonehole, and pressing the softened pad to fill the at least one overflow space and the receiving space formed by the pad being locked to the keycap by the locking element. The method for making tone hole keys for woodwind instruments using pads as described in claim 9, wherein the key arm is either a French key arm or a Y-type key arm.