CN105895061B

CN105895061B - Drum stud retainer providing isolated resonance

Info

Publication number: CN105895061B
Application number: CN201610084737.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 奥古斯特.D.马丁
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-02-13
Filing date: 2016-02-14
Publication date: 2021-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-14
Also published as: JP2016148835A; JP6185611B2; JP2017191342A; CN105895061A; JP6586977B2

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a drum structural frame including a top shell mount, a bottom shell mount, a rod holder, and a tension rod. The top shell mount and the bottom shell mount are mounted to both end edges of the drum shell disposed between the two mounts. A first set of rod holders is coupled to the top shell mount and an aligned second set of rod holders is coupled to the bottom shell mount. The tie rod links the two sets of holders without hindering resonance of the drum housing. An adjustment assembly on the rod holder adjusts the distance that the top shell mount is spaced from the bottom shell mount, thereby controlling the force exerted on the drum shell. Each rod holder includes one or more dampers that isolate energy transmitted from the drumhead to the shell from being reflected through the structural frames of the tie rods and the tie rod holders.

Description

Drum stud retainer providing isolated resonance

Technical Field

The present invention relates to musical instrument construction and design, and more particularly to drum construction and design.

Background

Artistic expression may be delivered through any of several mediums including music. Instruments provide the means for expressing music. A drum or percussion instrument is generally such a tool.

Drum construction and design has remained unchanged for several generations. This unchanged structure and design preserves the sound quality produced by the original instrument prototype. Despite the current standards and conventions, the sound produced by a drum constructed according to conventional constructions and designs is soft or soothing. This is because the structural features integrated into the drum head hinder the ability of the drum shell to resonate and produce an overall rich sound.

Fig. 1 shows a drum construction and design commonly used in the prior art. The drum includes a pair of drum hoops (hoops) or drum rims, a drum shell, a set of struts (lug) and a corresponding set of strut holders (holder) attached across the sides of the drum shell.

The interior of each drum hoop includes a drumhead (drumhead). The drumhead is a contact surface that vibrates when struck during a performance. For a typical drum, the drumhead on the top side of the drum, commonly referred to as the strike membrane, is the portion of the drum struck by the drummer when playing the instrument. The drumhead on the bottom side of the drum provides resonance and is typically thinner than the drumhead on the top side.

An adjustment assembly on the drumhead may be used to adjust the tension on the drumhead, thereby adjusting the drumhead sound and thereby allowing different drumheads to be coupled to the shell mount. The drum hoop also includes various openings through which the sets of struts can be coupled to respective sets of strut retainers attached across the sides of the drum shell.

The drum shell is the body of the drum. It produces most of the sound characteristics of the drum, based at least in part on the resonance of the material making up the drum shell. When the drumhead is struck, the drumhead vibrates. When the drumhead is tightly attached to the drum shell using a stud fastening system, the vibrations are directed from the drumhead to the contained hoop and are dispersed across the drum shell. These vibrations then cause the drum shell to resonate, which in turn produces some of the drum's acoustic characteristics. Often, the drum shell includes small holes, which are referred to as vents. The vent holes allow air to escape when the drum is struck, which in turn improves the resonance of the drum.

However, the conventional drum structure and design as shown in fig. 1 hinders this resonance. This is due to the strut holder 110 attached across the drum shell. In particular, when the struts are mounted to the strut retainers and tightened to facilitate coupling the drum hoop to the drum shell, a force is exerted on the strut retainers (depending on how tightly the struts are tightened). A force is then applied to the drum casing along the point at which the stud retainer is coupled to the drum casing. This force pulls the drum shell in at least one direction, preventing the drum shell from resonating completely in the opposite direction(s), and thereby softening or moderating the sound produced by the drum.

Conventional drum structures and designs also dampen the sound that can be produced by the drum by limiting current manufacturing and production of drum shells to dense materials such as metal (e.g., steel or copper), wood (e.g., birch, maple, oak, etc.), and acrylic (as some examples for thickened structures), and some combination of the two. The density of the drum shell material and the thickness of the drum shell are necessary to prevent the drum shell from absorbing the forces imparted by the tension from the drum hoop to the struts of strut retainers attached along the sides of the drum shell. This results in a large amount of force acting on the drum housing. For this reason, some drum shells are manufactured with a thickness of up to 20 mm. In these cases, more energy is required to induce resonance from such a drum shell. In addition, the density and thickness cause the drum shell to vibrate at a higher natural frequency. Thus, the sound distribution produced by the drum is limited and localized to the resonance characteristics provided by these dense or thicker materials. All possible sound spectra of the sound of the drum shell cannot be obtained unless a drum shell of reduced thickness or less dense material is used in the drum shell composition, and the drum shell is allowed to freely resonate. Both of these factors require less sound energy from the drumhead being struck to produce resonance from the drum shell. This will thus provide a more efficient resonant sound distribution for the drum.

In an attempt to remedy these shortcomings, alternative drum designs have been proposed. One such alternative design is proposed in us patent 5410938. The proposed design frees the resonance of the drum shell by using tie rods that span from the top side drum hoop (strike side) to the bottom side drum hoop, and by coupling the rod holder to the hoop rather than the drum shell. This design improves the potential resonance characteristics of the drum shell, but does so to give the drum other compromises in the sound characteristics. In particular, this design produces a distorted and unclean sound, as vibrations from the drumhead are distributed not only across the drum shell, but also into each of the tie rods. Thus, the tension rod absorbs vibrations each time the drumhead is struck, causing the tension rod to produce additional undesirable sound (i.e., rattle) with the desired drumhead. These undesirable sounds are the result of a failure to isolate the mounting or adjustment mechanism (i.e., the tie rods and rod holders) from the sound producing elements of the drum.

Accordingly, there is a need for a new drum structure and design that provides pure and unimpeded sound by allowing the drum shell to resonate freely without distortion or attenuation from mounting or adjustment mechanisms attached across the side of the drum shell. In other words, there is a need for a new drum structure and design in which the support frame couples the sound generating elements of the drum together in a manner that prevents acoustic energy from passing out of the sound generating elements through the support frame. By addressing these needs, a drum with unrivalled sound can be produced. By addressing these needs to reduce the forces imparted on the drum shell, the drum design can further improve the sound distribution of the drum. Thus, such a design would allow the drum shell to be constructed of thinner materials that are incorporated into the drum construction such that the drum shell provides stronger resonance and different sound characteristics than thicker or denser counterparts.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drum structural frame that distributes energy from the drumhead to the free-resonating drum shell while reducing or completely isolating reflections of that energy through the structural frame. Thus, it is an object to provide a drum structural frame that achieves a clean drum sound distribution in which resonance of the drum shell is not impeded and distortion and other undesirable sounds from the structural frame are eliminated.

These and other objects are achieved by the multi-mount structural frame of some embodiments. The multi-mount structural frame includes a top shell mount, a bottom shell mount, a rod retainer, and a tension rod. Unique to the multiple mount bar holder is an integrated damping scheme that incorporates energy applied to the sound generating element during play while reducing or completely isolating the reflection of this energy through the non-sound generating elements of the structural frame.

The top shell mount includes a molding hoop, a support edge ring, and a pull ring. The top shell mount secures the first drumhead of the drum to the drum shell and adjusts the first drumhead without impeding resonance of the drum shell. The bottom shell mount includes complementary molding hoops, support edge rings and pull rings that will secure and adjust the second drumhead without impeding the resonance of the shell. In particular, a first set of rod holders is coupled to the top shell mount and an aligned second set of rod holders is coupled to the bottom shell mount. The tie rods couple the first set of rod holders to the respective second set of rod holders. An adjustment assembly on the rod holder can be used to adjust the distance that the top shell mount is spaced from the bottom shell mount, thereby controlling the compressive force exerted on the drum shell. The compressive force holds the drum shell in place without impeding resonance of the drum shell because the drum shell itself is only contacted along its top and bottom terminal edges by the underside of the top and bottom shell mounts, and the free resonance of the drum shell produces a richer and overall sound distribution than other designs where external forces are exerted on the drum shell to soften the sound by impeding resonance of the drum shell. These external forces typically occur when stud retainers or other forces are disposed along the sides of the drum shell. An additional undesirable side effect of these external forces is the need for a thicker drum shell. The greater the thickness of the drum shell, the greater the amount of energy required to induce resonance and produce sound. However, because the design proposed herein removes any such external forces from the drum shell, thinner drum shells or drum shells using less dense materials (previously unsuitable), such as glass, clay and plastic, can now be used. Thus, new developments in drum sound are opened.

In addition, each rod holder is connected to either the top or bottom housing mount with one or more spacer rings that act as vibration dampers. The damper isolates the energy transferred from the drumhead to the drum shell from being reflected through the structural frame of the drawbar and rod holder used to hold the drumhead and drum shell together. This prevents the tie rods and other structural frame elements from vibrating or producing other undesirable sounds or emissions that would otherwise contaminate the sound distribution of the drum.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the nature of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the multiple mount structural frame will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a drum construction and design commonly used in the prior art.

Fig. 2 illustrates a multiple mount drum design and construction of some embodiments.

Fig. 3 provides a partially exploded view of the multi-element mounting structural frame to show the pull ring, molding hoop and supporting edge ring of the top shell mount.

Fig. 4 provides an alternative exploded view showing the pull ring, die cast ferrule and support edge ring of the top shell mount.

FIG. 5 provides a cross-sectional view of different support edge rings that may be inserted into a pull ring, where each support edge ring is cut at a different angle, according to some embodiments.

Figure 6 shows a tab with at least one guide.

Fig. 7 shows a multiple mount drum design and construction with a set of inwardly facing rod holders disposed with the tension rods in the interior of the drum housing.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of a rod holder according to some embodiments.

Fig. 9 provides another exploded view of the vibration damping assembly of some embodiments.

Figure 10 shows the complete vibration damping assembly.

FIG. 11 provides an alternative representation of a complete vibration damping assembly secured to one of the housing mounts according to some embodiments.

FIG. 12 provides two views illustrating an oversized tab hole according to some embodiments.

Figure 13 illustrates an exploded view of the stretching assembly of some embodiments.

Figure 14 provides an alternative staggered exploded view of the tension assembly of some embodiments.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exploded view of components of a reinforcing rod holder assembly according to some embodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates assembly of components of a reinforcing rod holder assembly according to some embodiments.

Fig. 17 shows the plug in the vertical recess of the anchor.

Fig. 18 shows a cross section of a tension bolt.

FIG. 19 illustrates the tie rod of some embodiments and also provides a partial cross-sectional view to better illustrate the coupling heads at both ends of the tie rod.

FIG. 20 provides a cut-away view for the attachment of one end of the tension rod to the tension bolt.

Fig. 21 shows a complete assembly with both ends of the tie rod coupled to different reinforcement rod holders.

Fig. 22 illustrates a reinforced stud retainer assembly of some embodiments.

FIG. 23 provides a top view of the components of the reinforcing rod holder assembly.

Figure 24 shows a modified tab to which the anchor is coupled.

Figure 25 shows a complete reinforcing strut holder assembly connecting the molded hoop to a modified tab.

Fig. 26 shows a tension bolt connected to internal threads of a sleeve disposed within an anchor.

Fig. 27 shows the locking bolt screwed into the rear of the anchor, thereby imparting a horizontal force on the tensioning bolt which prevents further vertical movement of the tensioning bolt.

Fig. 28A shows the complete configuration of the mounting hardware relative to the anchor.

Fig. 28B illustrates convex and concave shaped portions of some embodiments.

Figure 29 shows a side view of a reinforced strut holder assembly coupled to a tab vertical support.

Fig. 30 provides a perspective view of a modified stud retainer assembly of some embodiments, which is directly coupled to the drum shell.

FIG. 31 provides an alternative side view of a modified post holder assembly.

Fig. 32 shows structural elements of a modified stud retainer assembly coupled directly to a drum shell.

Fig. 33 illustrates a modified post holder assembly and a modified anchor of some embodiments.

Fig. 34 illustrates a modified post holder according to some embodiments, wherein the modified anchor is assembled with complete horizontal-mount hardware and vertical-mount hardware.

Fig. 35 illustrates horizontal mounting hardware for coupling a modified anchor to a drum shell, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 36 illustrates vertical mounting hardware for coupling a modified anchor to each of the top and bottom drum hoops or shell mounts, according to some embodiments.

Detailed Description

Fig. 2 illustrates a multiple mount drum design and construction of some embodiments. Unlike drum designs and structures in prior designs, the multi-element mount couples the drumhead to the drum shell in a manner that does not impede resonance vibrations of the drum shell, and isolates the non-sound producing support frame from the sound producing drumhead and the drum shell. Thus, the multi-element mount provides benefits over prior art drum designs and structures. First, the multi-mount provides a richer and fully sounding drum, as the multi-mount does not impede resonance of the drum shell during play. Second, the multi-mount eliminates undesirable and distorted sound from the overall sound distribution of the drum, because the structural frame is isolated from the sound-emitting elements of the drum. Third, the multi-element mount allows for the manufacture of an entirely new drum shell because the multi-element mount removes external forces applied to the drum shell by other frames, thereby allowing the drum shell to be manufactured in a thinner construction and/or less dense materials, thereby providing better resonance.

As shown in fig. 2, the multi-mount structural frame includes a top housing mount 210, a rod holder 220, a tension rod 230, and a bottom housing mount 240. These structural frames connect the drumhead to the shell. More importantly, the structural frame ensures that acoustic energy imparted to the drumhead during performance is distributed to the unimpeded and free-resonating drum shell without echoes throughout the structural frame and without distortion or undesirable sound being caused.

The top and bottom housing mounts 210, 240 are constructed of a rigid material, such as a metal (e.g., copper, steel, etc.) or carbon fiber. Each of the housing mounts 210 and 240 is comprised of a molded ferrule, a support edge ring, and a pull ring. Fig. 3 provides a partially exploded view of the multi-element mounting structural frame to show pull ring 330, molding hoop 310, and supporting edge ring 320 of top housing mount 210. Fig. 4 provides an alternative exploded view showing pull ring 330, molding hoop 310 and supporting edge ring 320 of top housing mount 210. For simplicity, the molded ferrule is interchangeably referred to as the upper ring and the pull ring is interchangeably referred to as the lower ring.

A lower ring or pull ring 330 is mounted atop the outer lip of the drum shell. The pull ring 330 has a hollow interior cavity with a groove 340 extending centrally along the ring axis.

The supporting edge ring 320 has a downwardly convex edge that allows the supporting edge ring 320 to fit into the groove of the pull ring 330 and assists in accurate drum adjustment. Thus, the support edge ring 320 can be easily replaced, thereby allowing a multiple mounting frame to accommodate support edges cut at various angles, with each angle changing the drum tone and, more generally, changing the sound distribution. Some embodiments provide support edges cut at 30 degrees, and other embodiments provide support edges cut at 45 degrees. When the drumhead is positioned atop the 30 degree support edge, tuned and played, the resulting sound has a softer attack and a small amount of delay, while when the drumhead is positioned atop the 45 degree support edge, tuned and played, the resulting sound has a stronger attack and a large amount of delay. These angles are provided for exemplary purposes only. Thus, the ring 320 is not limited to these angles and may be cut at any other angle. FIG. 5 provides a cross-sectional view of different support edge rings 510, 520, 530, and 540 that can be inserted into a pull ring according to some embodiments, where each

support edge ring

510, 520, 530, and 540 is cut at a different angle.

The interchangeability of the support edge ring 320 within the pull ring 330 provides the user with a faster, simpler, and cost effective method of changing the sound profile of the drum. This interchangeability also allows a first support edge ring cut at a first angle to be inserted into the pull ring of the top shell mount and a second support edge ring cut at a second different angle to be inserted into the pull ring of the bottom shell mount. As some examples, the bearing edge ring 320 may be supported by steel, copper, wood, or carbon fiber.

As described above, the drumhead is disposed atop the support rim ring 320, and the upper ring or molding hoop 310 is mounted over the drumhead and secured to the pull ring 330. Generally, the molding hoop 310 is enlarged relative to the pull ring 330 to facilitate installation around the outer periphery of the pull ring 330. The tension on the drumhead is adjusted by tightening and loosening a set of screws or studs that pass through holes along the molding hoop 310 and thread into corresponding sets of threaded holes along the outer edge of the pull ring 330. Examples of these threaded holes are shown in fig. 2 by reference numeral 250. The tighter the molding hoop 310 is secured to the tab 330, the greater the force applied to the drumhead. Adjusting the force controls the degree of tension of the drumhead, thereby adjusting the sound of the drumhead. In some embodiments, a torque wrench may be used to tighten the screw or post and thereby achieve a desired level of tension of the drumhead. A different drumhead may be inserted between the top shell mount 210 and the bottom shell mount 240. Thus, for example, a drum may play as a "tom-drum" at one end or the top side or striking side of the drum, and as a "snare drum" at the other end.

In some embodiments, the pull ring 330 includes one or more guides to assist in coupling the housing mount to the drum housing. Figure 6 shows a tab with at least one guide 610. The guide 610 is a protrusion extending from the lower side of the tab interior. The guide is used to align the pull ring directly on the drum shell by being positioned along the inside of the periphery of the drum shell.

The pull ring 330 or lower ring of each

housing mount

210 and 240 serves two purposes. As mentioned above, the first purpose involves coupling with the molding hoop 310 to hold and adjust the drumhead. A second object involves attaching the drumhead to the drum shell to facilitate the distribution of acoustic energy from the drumhead to the drum shell while preventing the energy from reflecting through the structural frame. Acoustic energy isolation is achieved based on design and construction, wherein vibrations are isolated from the lever holder 220 and the pull lever 230 connected to the pull ring 330 of each

housing mount

210 and 240.

In some embodiments, the pull ring 330 has a width and height of 5 to 30 millimeters such that when the pull ring 330 is positioned over the end edge of the drum shell, the pull ring 330 extends some millimeters above the plane of the end edge of the shell and away from the center of the shell. In some embodiments, the pull ring 330 extends vertically below the plane of the end edge and toward the center of the drum shell based on a cap protruding from the pull ring 330 at a radius greater than the shell rim. In either configuration, a plurality of holes are drilled across the circumferential face of the tab.

Referring back to fig. 2, the first set of lever retainers 220 are coupled to the pull rings of the top housing mount 210 at holes provided. Similarly, the second set of lever retainers 220 are coupled to the pull rings of the bottom housing mount 240 at holes provided. The rod holders 220 are unique relative to those of the prior art because of their vibration isolation design and construction. The retainer 220 reduces or completely isolates the energy imparted to the drumhead during play from the structural frame holding the drums together, and more particularly from the tension rods 230. This prevents the drawbar 230 from rattling or producing other undesirable sounds during play.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, the rod holder 220 is outwardly facing such that the tension rod 230 spans along the length of the drum housing exterior. However, other embodiments, such as the one shown in fig. 7, include a structural frame in which the rod holder 220 is inwardly facing such that the tension rod 230 spans lengthwise inside the drum shell.

An exploded view of a rod holder 220 according to some embodiments is provided in fig. 8 to show structural elements that isolate acoustic energy from reflection by a multi-element mounting structural frame. As shown, the rod holder 220 is comprised of a three-sided binding anchor 810, a vibration damping assembly 815, and a tension assembly 820.

The three-sided binding anchor 810 includes horizontal threaded holes for engaging the vibration damping assembly 815 to secure the rod holder 220 to a shell mount and isolate the structural frame from the drumhead and drum shell. The three-sided binding anchor 810 also includes a two-sided vertical bore. One end of the two side vertical holes receives the drawbar 230. The drawbar 230 passes to the other end where it may then be secured using the nut 870 of the tension assembly 820.

Vibration damping assembly 815 includes bolt 830, spacer 840, damper 850, and clamp end cap 855. In some embodiments, end cap 855 and gasket 840 are made of metal for structural integrity or carbon fiber for high tensile strength. Damper 850 is made of an absorbing and damping material. In some embodiments, damper 850 is an isolator ring made of rubber, although other materials such as carbon fiber may also be used. In some other embodiments, end cap 855 and spacer 840 are also made of an absorbing and damping material to supplement the damping provided by isolator ring damper 850.

The vibration damping assembly 815 secures the rod holder 220 to one of the shell mounts 210 and 240 and, more importantly, prevents impact energy placed on the drumhead from passing through the multi-mount structural frame holding the drum together. To this end, clamp end caps 855 are positioned on either side of the bore along the circumferential face of one of the pull rings. Each grip end cap 855 includes a set of tapered protrusions that minimize surface contact with the circumferential surface of the tab. Minimizing the contact surface between the clamp end cap 855 and the circumferential surface minimizes the amount of energy transferred to the structural frame, thereby minimizing the amount of energy that must be damped in the structural frame. Further, by minimizing the amount of energy transferred to the structural frame, more energy is conserved and transferred to the drum shell, resulting in a more comprehensive and less delicate sound. In some embodiments, the circumferential face of the pull ring includes a set of concave guides for the set of conical protrusions of the end cap 855. Dampers 850 in the form of spacer rings or bushings are positioned along opposite sides of each clamp cap 855. Finally, shims are positioned on either side of damper 850. In some embodiments, end cap 855, damper 850, and spacer 840 may each be male or female in shape, depending on whether it is positioned along the interior or exterior of the tab.

End cap 855, damper 850, and spacer 840 each have a circular opening in their respective centers that are sized to receive bolt 830. Once the elements are in place, a bolt 830 passes through each element with the hole of the pull ring at the center of the arrangement. The bolt 830 is threaded into a horizontal threaded hole of the three-sided binding anchor 810. This then secures the lever retainer 220 to the pull ring of each of the top shell mount 210 or the bottom shell mount 240. In addition, it establishes the necessary contact to allow the damper 850 to absorb and prevent energy from entering the structural frame.

End cap 855, damper 850, and spacer 840 are also sized according to the radial height of the pull ring to which they are attached. In some embodiments, the radial height varies based on the drum shell size (or diameter) and the corresponding size of the shell mount that mounts the drum shell. The different sized end cap 855, damper 850, and spacer 840 ensure proper damping by providing sufficient contact between the tab and the vibration damping assembly 815 while avoiding components that are oversized such that they extend beyond the radial height of the tab or undersized such that they pass through, rather than engage, holes along the circumferential surface of the tab. This also ensures that the conical projection of the end cap 855 fits within the recessed guide (when present) along the circumferential surface of the tab.

FIG. 9 provides another exploded view of bolt 830, spacer 840, damper 850, and clamp end cap 855, which includes vibration damping assembly 815 of rod holder 220. Fig. 10 shows the complete vibration damping assembly secured to one of the housing mounts 210 or 240. Fig. 11 provides an alternative representation of a complete vibration damping assembly secured to one of the shell mounts 210 or 240 according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the aperture of the tab is slightly larger than bolt 830. This additional space in the tab hole allows air to escape when the drum is struck, thereby providing venting and improving resonance. In some embodiments, the circumferential face of fig. 12 provides two views illustrating an oversized tab hole according to some embodiments.

Referring back to fig. 8, tension assembly 820 is comprised of top bolt 860, washer 865 and nut 870. Figure 13 illustrates an exploded view of the stretching assembly 820 of some embodiments. Figure 14 provides an alternative staggered exploded view of the tension assembly 820 of some embodiments. The tension assembly operates in conjunction with the three-sided binding anchor 810 and the tension rod 230 to secure the drum shell between the multi-mount top shell mount 210 and bottom shell mount 240.

In some embodiments, each drawbar 230 is a hollow shaft that contains external and internal threads at either end of the rod. In some embodiments, the tension rod 230 is made of metal, carbon fiber, or other rigid material. Reference numeral 1410 of fig. 14 denotes an external thread and reference numeral 1420 points to the location of the internal thread. This configuration creates a two-stage male-female coupling mechanism, with the pull rod 230 attached and secured to the anchor 810 through it.

To complete the first stage of the male-female coupling mechanism, the external threads of the drawbar 230 are threaded through the first nut 880, through the vertical bore of the anchor 810, and then secured at the other end of the anchor 810 with the second nut 870. Completion of the first stage provides a loose coupling of the drawbar 230 to the anchor 810, thereby securing the drawbar 230 to the shell mount to which the rod holder for the anchor is coupled. The other externally threaded end of the drawbar 230 is similarly secured to a rod holder connected to the opposite housing mount using a supplemental second nut 870. As the threads 870 are tightened, the distance separating the shell mounts 210 and 240 decreases, thereby compressing the drum shell disposed between the

mounts

210 and 240. In some embodiments, tie rod 230 may be tightened via threads 870 such that the end of tie rod 230 is at least four centimeters away from the top of the anchor, thereby allowing a total of eight centimeters of difference between the two linked shell mounts 210 and 240. The distance that the shell mounts 210 and 240 are spaced apart and the desired compressive force applied to the drum shell disposed therebetween can be adjusted using a torque wrench to tighten the nut 870. The customization optimizes multiple mounting frames for drum shells of different materials. For example, a multi-element mounting frame can be used with more fragile drum shells, such as those made of glass, by relaxing the compressive forces on the shells, but a multi-element mounting frame can also be used with more rigid drum shells, such as those made of wood, by increasing the compressive forces on the shell material.

Once the desired distance between

mounts

210 and 240 is achieved and the desired compressive force is applied to the drum shell using second nut 870 and drawbar 230, top bolt 860 of tension assembly 820 is then used to lock the position of second nut 870 relative to drawbar 230. The external threads of the top bolt 860 are threaded into the internal threads of the drawbar 230, thereby completing the second stage of the male-female connection. In particular, the top bolt 860 is passed through the washer 865 and threaded into the drawbar 230 until the end cap of the top bolt 860 presses the underside of the washer 865 against the top of the second nut 870. Thus, the top bolt 860 prevents vibration from changing the position of the second nut 870 on the drawbar 230, thereby maintaining the distance separating the shell mounts 210 and 240, and as a result, maintaining the compressive force exerted on the drum shell by the shell mounts using the coupling of the drawbar 230 and tension assembly 820. The washer 865 may have different thicknesses to allow the top bolt 860 to be tightened when there is a gap in the space between the second nut 870 and the top bolt 865.

In some embodiments, multiple mounting structures and designs are suitable for incorporating different elements in addition to or in place of those described above. For example, in some embodiments, the tie rod may include a shaft having only external threads, thereby eliminating the need for the top bolt 860.

As is apparent from the figures, the multiple mount design is such that the drum shell is only subjected to compressive forces based on contact between the drum shell and the top and bottom shell mounts 210 and 240. In other words, the drum shell experiences a force on the y-axis. However, no x-axis force is exerted on the drum housing. Any such x-axis forces are applied to top and bottom shell mounts 210 and 240 based on the coupling of rod holder 230 to the shell mounts. By removing the x-axis force from the housing, the multi-element mounting frame can be mounted on a housing constructed of a thinner material (than is typically required for conventional drum mounts). In particular, the multiple mount structural frame supports a drum shell that is primarily made of plastic, clay, or glass. These materials have different resonance characteristics than traditional wood, steel or copper shells. Thus, the multi-mount opens new door to the drumbeat.

Some embodiments provide a reinforcing rod holder assembly that further isolates the transfer of energy from the drumhead to the structural frame. While the assembly of fig. 8 provides energy absorption and vibration dampening along the horizontal plane at which the assembly is coupled to the drum shell mount, the reinforced rod holder assembly also incorporates energy absorption and vibration dampening elements along the vertical plane for securing the tie rods to the assembly anchor. This further ensures that any energy transmitted from the drumhead to the multi-element mounting structural frame is not transferred to the tension rods, causing any rattling or other distortion of the drumhead.

Fig. 15 illustrates an exploded view of components of a reinforcing rod holder assembly 1500 according to some embodiments. Fig. 16 illustrates assembly of components of a reinforcing rod holder assembly 1500 according to some embodiments. The reinforcing rod holder assembly 1500 shown in fig. 15 and 16 includes an anchor 1510, a pair of end caps 1520, a pair of vibration absorbing bushings 1530, a first pair of washers 1540, a tie bolt 1550, a first outer nut 1560, a second pair of washers 1570, a locking bolt 1580, a second outer nut 1585, and a tie rod 1590. The components are displayed according to their assembly sequence. The part shown closest to the anchor 1510 is positioned and secured first and the part furthest from the anchor 1510 is positioned and secured last.

The anchor 1510 remains substantially unchanged relative to the triple-sided binding anchor 810 of fig. 8. The anchor 1510 includes a horizontal threaded hole that is secured to a drum shell mount using the same or similar vibration dampening assembly 815 as in fig. 8. Anchor 1510 also includes two-sided vertical bores for coupling and torquing the tie rod to assembly 1500. In some embodiments, anchor 1510 is modified to include several recesses along either vertical plane. These recesses align with teeth protruding from the end cap 1520. When the end cap 1520 is placed on both vertical faces of the anchor 1520, the surface area of contact between the end cap 1520 and the anchor 1510 is minimized to the point of contact between the teeth of the end cap 1520 and the vertical recesses of the anchor 1510. By reducing the contact point between the anchor 1510 and the end cap 1520, this design reduces the amount of energy that can be transferred from the anchor 1510 to the vertical assembly components and ultimately to the tie rod 1590 coupled to the assembly 1500. To further reduce energy transfer, some embodiments incorporate a strut in the recess. The struts are made of an energy or vibration absorbing material. In some such embodiments, the teeth of the end cap 1520 are pressed into the struts, wherein the struts cushion contact between the teeth of the end cap 1520 and the vertical recesses of the anchor 1510. In this configuration, contact between the end cap 1520 and the anchor 1510 is also minimized to the contact points between the teeth of the end cap 1520 and the vertical recesses of the anchor 1510, which has the added benefit of having an energy absorbing plug between these contact points. Fig. 17 illustrates a plug 1710 in an anchor vertical recess according to some embodiments.

A first pair of vibration absorbing bushings 1530 are mounted adjacent to the end cap 1520 to further mitigate energy transfer, particularly any energy transferred from the anchor 1510 to the end cap 1520. These bushings 1530 are made of rubber, plastic, or other energy absorbing material. Thus, any energy transferred from the anchor to the end cap is buffered or fully absorbed by the bushing 1530.

A first pair of washers 1540 are mounted on the bushing 1530. Washer 1540 serves to distribute the load placed on bushing 1530 by the vertical fastener of assembly 1500.

The vertical fastening element begins with a tie bolt 1550 and a first outer nut 1560. A cross-section of the tie bolt 1550 is provided in fig. 18. As shown in FIG. 18, the tension bolt 1550 has an enlarged top 1810, a lower semi-extension with external threads 1820, and a vertical cavity or hollow shaft with internal threads 1830. The vertical cavity spans the entire length of bolt 1550. A hole centrally located at enlarged top 1810 provides access to the vertical cavity from the top end of bolt 1550 and a complementary hole at the opposite end of bolt 1550 provides access to the vertical cavity from the bottom end of bolt 1550. As described below, cavity and threads 1830 are the means used to couple tie rod 1590 to the entire assembly 1500.

The tie bolt 1550 is inserted through the top vertical hole of the anchor 1510 such that a portion of the lower half-extension of the bolt 1550 passes through the bottom vertical hole of the anchor 1510. The first outer nut 1560 is then used to secure the bolt 1550 to the anchor 1510. Once attached, the bolt 1550 serves as a coupling receiver for the tie rod 1590, and in combination with the anchor 1510, the bolt 1550 further serves as a twist block relative to which the tie rod 1590 is twisted.

In some embodiments, the lower half-extension or body of the tie bolt 1550 has a perimeter that does not contact the interior of the anchor 1510 when the tie bolt 1550 is inserted into the anchor 1510. This is another design aspect that further moderates the transfer of energy from the anchor 1500 to the tie bolt 1550 and ultimately to the tie rod 1590 coupled to the tie bolt 1550. In other words, bolt 1550 never directly contacts anchor 1550. Thus, energy absorbed by the anchor 1510 from the drumhead can only travel to the end cap 1520 and bushing 1530, each of which provides energy buffering and absorption before there is the possibility of indirect passage to the bolt 1550 and then to the drawbar 1590.

The pull rod 1590 is an elongated tubular extension with a special coupling head at each end of the rod 1590. Fig. 19 illustrates the drawbar 1590 of some embodiments and also provides a partial cross-sectional view to better illustrate the coupling heads at both ends of the drawbar 1590. The coupling head at the top end of the drawbar 1590 includes a hex nut 1910, external threads 1920, and a hollow shaft with internal threads 1930. The coupling head at the bottom end of the drawbar 1590 includes an opposite or reversed external thread 1940 relative to the top end external thread 1920. The coupling head at the bottom end of the drawbar 1590 further comprises a hollow shaft having internal threads 1950 that are opposite or reversed relative to the top end internal threads 1930.

The opposing

external threads

1920 and 1940 provide a fastening function in combination with the pull rod internal thread 1830. In particular, when the pull rod 1590 is rotated in a first direction, the external thread 1920 at the top end is threaded into the internal thread 1830 of a first tie bolt that is secured to the anchor that is coupled to the top housing mount while the external thread 1940 at the bottom end is simultaneously threaded into the internal thread 1830 of a second tie bolt that is secured to a second anchor that is coupled to the bottom housing mount. This pulls the first anchor closer to the second anchor, which in turn increases the pressure exerted on the drum shell disposed between the top and bottom shell mounts. Rotating the pull rod 1590 in a second, opposite direction unscrews the external threads 1920 of the pull rod 1590 from the internal threads 1830 of the bolt 1550, thereby increasing the distance between the top and bottom housing mounts and reducing the pressure on the drum housing.

The coupling of one end of the drawbar 1590 to the tension bolt 1550 is best shown by the cut-away view of FIG. 20. As shown in fig. 20, the tie bolt 1550 passes through the anchor 1510 with a first external nut 1560 attached to the external threads of the lower half-extension of the bolt 1550. A second pair of washers 1570 is then placed on top of the tie bolt 1550 and on the lower surface of the first external threads 1560. A second outer nut 1585 secures one of the second pair of washers 1570 against the first outer nut 1560. The drawbar 1590 is then inserted upwardly through the bottom vertical bore of the tie bolt 1550 until the external thread of the drawbar 1590 contacts the internal thread 1830 in the vertical cavity of the tie bolt 1550 (not shown in fig. 20). At this point, hex nut 1910 or the body of tie rod 1590 may be used to thread tie rod 1590 into the internal threads of tie bolt 1550, thereby coupling the two structures together. As described above, the tie rod 1590 will be coupled at both ends to different tie bolts 1550, the tie bolts 1550 themselves being coupled to different anchors 1510, which in turn are coupled to the top and bottom shell mounts. Each rotation of tie bar 1590 drives tie bar 1590 further into tie bolts 1550 coupled at both ends of tie bar 1590, thereby reducing the distance separating the anchors coupled to tie bolts 1550 and thereby reducing the distance between the top and bottom housing mounts to which anchors 1510 themselves are coupled. Hex nut 1910 is provided to help torque tie rod 1590 into tie bolt 1550. This allows the user to input pressure on the drum shell by rotation on the drum shell by finely adjusting the distance between the top shell mount and the bottom shell mount of the drum shell.

The position of the tie rod 1590 in the tie bolt 1550 may be fixed using the locking bolt 1580. The locking bolt 1580 passes through a vertical hole along the top surface of the tension bolt 1550. Locking bolt 1580 has an enlarged top and an externally threaded vertical extension that screws into internal threads 1930 of tie rod 1590. To fix the position of the drawbar 1590, the locking bolt 1580 is threaded into the internal threads of the drawbar 1590 until the enlarged top of the locking bolt 1580 abuts the enlarged top position of the tension bolt 1550. In this position, locking bolt 1580 prevents further adjustment of tie rod 1590. In other words, the position of the tie rods 1590 in the respective tie bolts 1550 is fixed, thereby fixing the distance between the two horizontally aligned but vertically spaced anchors 1510, and in turn fixing the amount of pressure exerted on the drum shell mounted by the top and bottom shell mounts coupled to the vertically spaced anchors 1510.

Fig. 21 shows the complete assembly of the tie rod 1590 with both ends coupled to different reinforcement bar holders. The figure also shows how rotating the pull rod 1590 in a first direction 2110 decreases the rod holder spacing distance and rotating the pull rod 1590 in an opposite second direction 2110 increases the rod holder spacing distance.

Some embodiments also provide a reinforced drum stud retainer assembly for further isolating and dampening the energy transferred from the drumhead to the mounting frame in a manner that does not interfere with the resonance of the drum shell. Conventionally, the stud retainer has been designed to tension the drumhead by securing the drumhead (containing the drumhead) to the drum shell. In these conventional designs, one end of the stud retainer assembly is coupled directly to the drum shell and the other end is coupled to a drum hoop (i.e., a portion of the shell mount) that holds the drumhead. However, directly coupling the conventional stud retainer to the drum housing hinders resonance of the drum housing and hinders all possibilities of the resulting sound. Further, coupling the conventional stud retainer directly to the drum shell increases the horizontal force exerted on the drum shell. In particular, once the drumhead has been vertically tensioned by the tension bolt(s), the conventional stud retainer exerts a robust horizontal force on the drum shell as a result of the anchor mounting bolts of the stud retainer tensioning the conventional stud retainer to the drum shell. These horizontal forces require increased rigidity of the drum shell material so that the drum shell does not deform or crack due to the forces imparted by the strut retainers. Thus, the drum shell, which is intended to accept a conventional strut holder direct shell coupling, cannot be made of less rigid materials such as plastic, ceramic or glass, and cannot have the freedom to resonate to the greatest potential.

Redesigned and enhanced stud retainer assemblies are provided herein to remove these obstacles on the drum shell while maintaining the purpose and function of the stud retainer. The reinforcement stud retainer assembly of some embodiments is designed to no longer be directly coupled to the drum shell. Instead, a reinforcing stud retainer assembly connects a drum hoop holding the drumhead to a modified pull ring disposed on one end of the drum shell. A multi-mount structural frame or other structural frame may then be used to couple the top drum shell (including the first drum hoop coupled to the first pull ring by one or more reinforcing strut retainer assemblies) to the corresponding bottom shell mount (including the second drum hoop coupled to the second pull ring by one or more reinforcing strut retainer assemblies). In this manner, the drumhead is coupled to the drum shell with only the top and bottom shell mounts contacting the drum shell. Some embodiments provide for energy dampening characteristics to the reinforcing stud retainer assembly to further minimize the possibility of energy transfer from the drumhead to any structural frame used to mount the drumhead to the drum shell.

Fig. 22 illustrates a reinforced stud retainer assembly of some embodiments. The reinforced stud retainer assembly includes an anchor 2210, anchor mounting hardware 2215, vertical tensioning bolts 2220, turning nuts 2230, and locking bolts 2240. FIG. 23 provides a top view of the components of the reinforcing rod holder assembly.

Anchor mounting hardware 2215 couples the anchor 2210 to the modified pull ring. Fig. 24 shows a modified pull ring 2410 to which anchor 2210 is coupled. As shown, the modified tab 2410 includes one or more vertical braces 2420 extending downwardly from the tab outer surface. Each vertical support 2410 has one or more holes 2425. Anchor 2210 is coupled to each such vertical brace 2420 using anchor horizontal mounting hardware 2215. With anchor 2210 fixed horizontally to modified pull ring 2410, one or more vertical tensioning bolts 2220 are then used to secure anchor 2210 to the drumhead-receiving drum hoop (see reference numeral 2510 in fig. 25). Obviously, the order of connection may be reversed such that the anchor 2210 is first secured vertically to the drum hoop 2510 and then horizontally to the modified pull ring 2410. In any event, the reinforced stud retainer assembly couples the drum hoop 2510 to the pull ring 2410 to form a drum shell mount. Figure 25 shows a complete reinforcing stud retainer assembly connecting the drum hoop to the modified pull ring of figure 24.

Referring back to fig. 22, the anchor 2210 is formed with two spheres that are connected with a cylindrical body. This form shows one embodiment of an anchor 2210. In particular, this form is used to couple the anchor 2210 to a pull ring having a vertical mounting bracket with two holes aligned with the position of the ball of the anchor 2210. If the tab-mounting bracket has a different orientation, the anchor 2210 may be reshaped to match the orientation of the tab-mounting bracket. Thus, other alternatives are possible without affecting the function and use of the reinforced post holder assembly.

The anchor 2210 includes a vertical cavity extending along a length of the anchor 2210. The rotating nut 2230 is inserted and attached in the vertical cavity. In some embodiments, the rotating nut 2230 has an elongated bottom that retains the rotating nut 2230 in the bottom sphere of the anchor 2210. The turning nut 2230 also contains internal threads into which the external threads of the vertical tie bolt 2220 are threaded, as shown in FIG. 26. Vertical tie bolts 2220 are threaded into turning nuts 2230 to secure the drum hoop 2510 to the modified pull ring 2410. In particular, the vertical tensioning bolts 2220 are first passed through extrusion openings extending along the outer vertical face of the drum hoop 2510 as shown in fig. 25. Then, the external threads of the vertical tie bolt 2220 are screwed into the internal threads of the turning nut 2230. The locking bolt 2240 fixes the position of the vertical tensioning bolt 2220 in the anchor 2210. More specifically, an externally threaded locking bolt 2240 is threaded into an internally threaded bore at the top ball rear of the anchor 2210 (see reference numeral 2225 in fig. 23). As shown in fig. 22 and 23, the turning bolt 2230 includes a non-threaded bore 2235 that allows the external threads of the locking bolt 2240 to pass through so that the tip of the locking bolt 2240 can contact the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 2220. To do so, the unthreaded bore 2235 of the swivel nut is aligned with the internally threaded bore 2225 located at the rear of the top sphere of the anchor 2210. As shown in fig. 27, the external thread of the locking bolt 2240 is screwed clockwise into the internally threaded hole 2225 in the rear portion of the anchor 2210, whereby a horizontal force is exerted on the external thread of the vertical tie bolt 2220, which prevents rotational movement of the vertical tie bolt 2220. The locking bolt 2240 may include Teflon (Teflon) or other material at the distal end to facilitate preventing damage to the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 2220 upon contact. In some embodiments, the drum hoop 2510 includes a threaded hole in the protrusion through which the vertical tensioning bolt 2220 passes. Locking bolts may additionally or alternatively be used with respect to the locking bolts 2240 of the anchor 2210 to facilitate fixing the vertical position of the vertical tensioning bolts 2220.

The front surface of each sphere of the anchor 2210 includes a horizontal cavity with internal threads. As described above with reference to fig. 24, these horizontal cavities are aligned with holes 2425 along the vertical supports 2420, the vertical supports 2420 extending from the modified drum pull ring 2410. Anchor mount hardware 2215 is then used to secure anchor 2210 to vertical support 2420.

Fig. 28A shows the complete configuration of the mounting hardware 2215 relative to the anchor 2210. The mounting hardware 2215 includes horizontal tensioning bolts 2250, spacers 2260, dampers 2270, clamp end covers 2280, and coupling spacers 2290. A washer 2260, a damper 2270, a clamping end cap 2280 and a coupling washer 2290 are positioned on both sides of the tab vertical support. In particular, coupling washers 2290 are mounted on both sides of the vertical bracket holes. The extrusion on the side of the coupling shim 2290 faces the vertical support. Small circular recesses on opposite sides of the coupling shim 2290 provide guides for the teeth on the clamp end cap 2280 (which abuts the coupling shim 2290). The teeth on the clamp end cap 2280 reduce the likelihood of energy transfer from the drumhead to the pull ring and ultimately to the structural frame of the compression drum shell. Damper 2270 abuts clamp end cap 2280 (along the side where it does not have teeth). The damper 2270 also helps to reduce the energy transferred to the structural frame. The spacers 2260 are then positioned on both sides of the damper 2270, as shown in fig. 22. To couple anchor 2210 to tab vertical brace 2420, horizontal tensioning bolts 2250 are threaded through positioning mounting hardware 2215 and through holes 2425 in vertical brace 2420, as shown in fig. 24, with horizontal tensioning bolts 2250 threaded into one of the horizontally internally threaded horizontal cavities of the front surface of each ball of anchor 2210.

It should be noted that in some embodiments, the mounting hardware 2215 is shaped to remain flush with the radius of the modified tab vertical stand 2420. The shape of the

components

2260, 2270, 2280, and 2290 can be seen in the top view provided in fig. 28B. In fig. 28B, the shim 2810, damper 2820, clamp end cap 2830, and coupling shim 2840 positioned against the inner radius of the modified tab vertical brace 2420 have a convex shape. Instead, the shim 2850, damper 2860, clamp end cap 2870, and coupling shim 2880 positioned against the outer radius of the modified tab vertical brace 2420 have a concave shape. In some embodiments, due to these different profiles of each set of vibration damping components, the two sets of components are not interchangeable for their assembly to the vertical supports 2420.

Figure 29 shows a side view of a reinforced stud retainer assembly coupled to a modified tab vertical stand. As shown, the vertical supports provide sufficient spacing to allow the drum shell to resonate freely. In other words, no components other than the top and bottom shell mounts contact the drum shell. A reinforced stud retainer assembly connects the drumhead to the modified pull ring to form a shell mount, and a structural frame (such as the aforementioned multi-piece mounting frame) is used to hold the drum shell between the top and bottom shell mounts at a user specified amount of pressure on the drum shell.

To this end, the reinforcing stud retainer assembly has been described as operating in conjunction with a multi-mount structural frame or other structural frame that controls the amount of compression the top and bottom shell mounts apply to the drum shell. In some embodiments, the reinforced stud retainer assembly is adapted to operate without such a separate structural frame. In particular, some embodiments provide a modified stud retainer assembly that can function similar to existing stud retainers in the prior art (which directly couple a drum hoop or a shell mount containing the drum hoop to a drum shell). In some such embodiments, the modified strut holder assembly is coupled directly to the drum shell at one end and directly to the drum hoop or shell mount containing the drum hoop at the opposite end. In this way, the modified stud retainer assembly itself can be used to adjust the compression on the drum shell, thereby eliminating the need for the reinforcing tab with vertical braces described above with reference to fig. 24 and 25, and the need for a separate structural frame that controls the force exerted on the drum shell by the top and bottom shell mounts to compress the drum shell. The modified retainer assembly of some embodiments improves upon prior art stud retainer assemblies by providing energy isolating and dampening structural elements that minimize the transfer of undesirable energy from the drumhead to the stud retainer assembly that could distort the drumhead by rattling the stud retainer or otherwise create noise during drum play.

Fig. 30 provides a perspective view of a modified stud retainer assembly of some embodiments, which is directly coupled to the drum shell. FIG. 31 provides an alternative side view of a modified post holder assembly.

As can be seen in both figures, the modified stud holder assembly is coupled directly to the drum hoop or housing mount by passing the vertical tensioning bolt 3020 through the circular extrusion 3055 along the outer vertical face of the drum hoop or housing mount, and threading the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020 into the internal threads of the swivel nut 3030, which swivel nut 3030 is inserted in the assembly anchor 3010. In some embodiments, the circular extrusion comprises a threaded bore. A locking bolt may be threaded into the threaded bore such that the tip of the locking bolt may disengage the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020, thereby preventing further rotation of the vertical extension 3020.

The modified stud retainer assembly is also coupled horizontally to the drum shell by passing a second bolt (not shown) through a hole from inside the drum shell along the surface of the drum shell and by screwing the second bolt into a horizontal threaded cavity near the level of the assembly anchor 3010. Various energy absorbing and sound isolating elements are positioned on either side of the drum shell to reduce undesirable rattle and other sound distortions from the modified stud retainer. Vertical tensioning bolts 3020 are used to adjust the amount of y-axis compression the drum hoop (containing the drumhead) exerts on the drum shell.

As shown in fig. 32, the structural elements for the modified stud retainer assembly that is directly coupled to the drum shell are very similar to the structural elements for the reinforced stud retainer assembly of fig. 22-29 (which is coupled to the modified tab vertical support). As previously described, the elements include a horizontal anchor bolt 3210, a washer/spacer 3220, a bumper 3230, a clamp end cap 3240, a coupling spacer 3250, an anchor 3260, a locking bolt 3270, and a vertical tensioning bolt (not shown). The anchor 3260 includes an inserted swivel nut having internal threads for receiving external threads of a vertical tensioning bolt (not shown). In some embodiments,

elements

3220, 3230, 3240 and thus 3250 may be shaped so that the inner and outer radii of the drum shell surface are flush, with elements having a convex shape disposed on the inside of the drum shell and those elements positioned on the outside of the drum shell having a concave shape.

In contrast to the structural similarities possessed by the above elements, the modified strut holder assembly 3260 and the horizontal anchor bolts 3210 have been modified to adequately couple the modified strut holder assembly directly to the drum shell. In some embodiments, an internally threaded mounting coupler plate (reference numeral 2880 in fig. 28B) attached to each sphere of the modified post holder anchor 3260 extends horizontally from a front face of each sphere of the modified post holder anchor 3260. In addition, the horizontal anchor bolts 3210 are elongated such that they have sufficient length to extend outwardly from the interior of the drum shell to an internally threaded mounting coupler plate that extends horizontally from the front face of each ball of the modified strut holder anchor 3260. Fig. 31 also shows a horizontal extension 3110 that occupies the same space as the vertical shelf 2420 present on the modified pull ring 2410 and used for the reinforced stud retainer anchor 2210 of fig. 22-29. These horizontal extensions 3110 are elongated such that they are of sufficient length to extend outwardly away from the radially outer surface of the drum shell to the ball of the modified strut holder. This aligns the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020 with the internal threads of the swivel nut 3030, which is inserted into the anchor so that the vertical tensioning bolt 3020 can be threaded into the swivel nut 3030 to secure the drum hoop (containing the drumhead) to the drum shell.

Referring back to fig. 32, coupling the modified stud retainer assembly directly to the drum shell involves positioning the extrusions of the coupling washer 3250 toward each side of the opening along the drum shell face, with the drum shell opening aligned with the horizontal cavity of the anchor 3260. Small circular recesses on opposite sides of the coupling washer 3250 provide guides for teeth on the clamp end cap 3240 (which abuts the coupling washer 3250). The teeth on the clamp end cap 3240 reduce the likelihood of energy transfer from the modified strut holder anchor 3260 to the horizontally mounted hardware that abuts the clamp end cap 3240 and compresses the drum shell in the x-axis. The bumper 3230 is positioned adjacent to the clamp end cap 3240, along the side without teeth, and the washer/spacer 3220 is positioned adjacent to the bumper 3230. The shaft of the horizontal anchor bolt 3210 is then passed from inside the drum shell through the positioned mounting hardware, and the external threads of the horizontal anchor bolt 3210 are screwed into horizontally internally threaded cavities on the front face of each ball of the anchor 3260. This secures the anchor 3260 to the outer surface of the drum shell. The process of securing the modified stud retainer across the side of the drum shell is repeated for all of the reinforcing stud retainer assemblies as would be required to couple the drum hoop or shell mount to the drum shell. A tie bolt (i.e., 3020) is used to secure each anchor 3260 to the hoop containing the drumhead. Again, the tightening bolt 3020 passes through a hole along the outer peripheral surface of the drum hoop 3055. The external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020 are then threaded into the internal threads of the swivel nut 3030, and the swivel nut 3030 is inserted into the vertical cavity of the anchor 3260. The y-axis compression force on the drum shell can be controlled by tightening or loosening the vertical tensioning bolts 3020. As previously described, the swivel nut 3030 includes a non-threaded bore along one side of its axis. The hole allows the external thread of the locking bolt 3270 to pass through so that the tip of the locking bolt 3270 can come into contact with the external thread of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020. To this end, the unthreaded bore of the swivel nut 3030 is aligned with an internally threaded bore positioned at the rear of the top sphere of the anchor 3260. As shown in fig. 32, the external threads of the locking bolt 3270 are threaded clockwise into an internally threaded hole in the rear portion of the top sphere of the anchor 3260, thereby exerting a horizontal force on the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020, which prevents further rotational movement of the vertical tensioning bolt 3020. Locking bolt 3270 may include Teflon (Teflon) or other material at the distal end to facilitate preventing damage to the external threads of tightening bolt 3020 upon contact. Similar assembly is performed on the opposite end of the drum shell for the second set of stud retainer assemblies to directly couple the opposite hoop shell mounts to the drum shell (if desired).

It is apparent that a drum configured to use two drumheads requires two separate sets of modified stud holder assemblies-providing a playable drum. A first set of modified stud retainer assemblies couple a top drum hoop or top shell mount that retains the drumhead to the drum shell, and a second set of modified stud retainer assemblies couple a bottom drum hoop or drum shell mount to the drum shell, thereby compressing the drum shell at both ends. To simplify installation and eliminate the need for two sets of post holder assemblies, some embodiments provide a modified post holder assembly having a single modified anchor with upwardly and downwardly oriented swivel nuts, each having internal threads therein. This modified anchor allows for coupling of the drumstick (including the drumhead) to the top and bottom of the drum shell, and allows for independent adjustment of the top and bottom drumsticks by adjusting the amount of y-axis compression of each drumstick.

Fig. 33 illustrates a modified post holder assembly with a modified anchor 3310 of some embodiments. Similar to the modified stud retainer assembly of fig. 32, the modified stud retainer assembly of fig. 33 with the modified anchor relies on horizontal mounting hardware to couple the modified anchor directly to the drum shell and relies on vertical mounting hardware to couple the modified anchor to the top and bottom drum hoops or shell mounts. Fig. 34 illustrates a modified post holder according to some embodiments, wherein the modified anchor is assembled with complete horizontal-mount hardware and vertical-mount hardware.

Fig. 35 illustrates horizontal mounting hardware 3510 for coupling a modified anchor 3310 to the drum shell, in accordance with some embodiments. The modified anchor 3310 includes two horizontally internally threaded cavities around its interior face for receiving horizontally mounted hardware 3510.

As shown in fig. 35, the horizontal mounting hardware 3510 for the modified stud retainer assembly that is directly coupled to the drum shell is very similar to the mounting hardware for the reinforced stud retainer assembly of fig. 22-29 (which is coupled to the modified tab vertical bracket). As previously described, the horizontal mounting hardware 3510 includes a pair of horizontally mounted bolts 3520, a pair of mounting washers/shims 3530, a pair of mounting bumpers 3540, a pair of mounting clamp end caps 3550, and a pair of spacer washers/shims 3560, which are positioned in that order as they are mounted on the interior side of the drum shell over the holes around the drum shell. To be flush with the drum shell, these components may be shaped according to the shape of the drum shell, thereby having a convex shape in some embodiments. The horizontal mounting hardware 3510 also includes an anchor plate 3570, anchor clamp end cap 3580, and anchor bumper 3590, which are positioned on the outside of the drum shell, on the same hole. Likewise, to be flush with the drum shell, the

components

3570, 3580, 3590 and anchor 3310 may be shaped according to the shape of the drum shell, and thus have a concave shape in some embodiments. The horizontal mounting hardware provides energy isolation and dampening that minimizes or eliminates the energy transferred from the modified stud retainer assembly to the drum shell. The main difference between the inner and outer parts is the size of the structural elements. The

outer portions

3570, 3580, 3590 are larger and they have the same general shape as the anchor 3310. In some embodiments, the shaft of each mounting bolt 3520 is elongated to provide each bolt shaft with sufficient length to pass through

elements

3530, 3540, 3550, and 3569 disposed inside the drum shell, around the bore of the drum shell and

elements

3570, 3580, and 3590 disposed outside the drum shell, and then thread into the horizontally threaded cavity of anchor 3310. Similar to the horizontal extension 3110 shown in fig. 30-32, the modified anchor 3310 shown in fig. 33, 34, 35, and 36 shows a modified anchor 3310 elongated along an anterior surface of the anchor. The elevated portion of the anchor occupies the same space as the vertical shelf 2420 present on the modified pull ring 2410 and used for the enhanced newel retainer anchor 2210 of fig. 22-29. In addition, the anchor bumper 3590, anchor gripping end cap 3580, and anchor plate 3570 shown in fig. 35 extend the modified anchor 3310 distally outwardly from the radially outer surface of the drum shell. These combined elements align the external threads of the upper and lower vertical tensioning bolts 3610 with upwardly and downwardly directed turning nuts 3620 that are inserted into unthreaded vertical holes 3640 in a modified anchor 3310 so that the upper and lower vertical tensioning bolts 3610 can be threaded into the turning nuts 3620 to facilitate securing the top and bottom drum hoops (each containing the drumhead) to the drum shell.

Coupling the modified stud retainer assembly of fig. 35 directly to the drum shell involves positioning the extrusion on one side of a pair of isolation washers/shims 3560 to face an opening along the inside of the drum shell, wherein the drum shell opening is aligned with the horizontal cavity of the anchor 3310. Small circular recesses on opposite sides of the pair of isolation washers/shims 3560 provide guides for teeth on a pair of clamp end caps 3550 (which abut isolation washer/shims 3560). Mounting bumper 3540 is positioned adjacent mounting clamp end cap 3550, along the side without teeth, and mounting washer/spacer 3530 is positioned adjacent mounting bumper 3540. Further, coupling the modified stud retainer assembly of fig. 35 directly to the drum shell also involves positioning the extrusion on one side of the anchor plate 3570 to an opening along the outside of the drum shell, wherein the drum shell opening is aligned with the horizontal cavity of the anchor 3310. The teeth of the anchor pinch end cap 3580 abut concave guides on opposite sides of the extrusion of the anchor plate 3570. The anchor bumper 3590 is positioned adjacent the anchor clamping end cap 3580, along the side without the teeth, and the anchor 3310 is positioned adjacent the anchor bumper 3590. The horizontal anchor bolt 3520 is then passed from inside the drum shell through the positioned mounting hardware, and the external threads of the bolt 3520 are threaded into the horizontally internally threaded cavity of the anchor 3310. It should be noted that the presence of teeth and anchor clamp end cap 3580 on installation clamp end cap 3550 (as shown in fig. 35) reduces the likelihood of energy transfer from the modified strut holder anchor 3310 to the horizontal installation hardware that abuts

toothed end caps

3550 and 3580 and compresses the drum shell in the x-axis.

Fig. 36 illustrates vertical mounting hardware for coupling a modified anchor 3310 to each of the top and bottom drum hoops or shell mounts, in accordance with some embodiments. The modified anchor 3310 includes a top vertical unthreaded bore 3640 for receiving a first set of vertical mounting hardware (for coupling the top drum hoop or top shell mount to the anchor 3310), and a bottom vertical unthreaded bore (not shown) for receiving a second set of vertical mounting hardware (for coupling the bottom drum hoop or bottom shell mount to the anchor 3310). A horizontally threaded bore around the exterior face of anchor 3310 receives locking bolt 3630 to fix the position of vertical tensioning bolt 3610 in swivel nut 3620 (inserted in anchor 3310).

The vertical mounting hardware includes a pair of vertical pull tie bolts 3610, a pair of swivel nuts 3620 and a pair of locking bolts 3630. The swivel nut 3620 includes internal threads for receiving external threads of the vertical tie bolt 3610. Each vertical tensioning bolt 3610 passes through an extrusion opening (see reference number 3350 in fig. 33) extending along the outer vertical face of the drum hoop. The external threads of vertical tensioning bolt 3610 are then threaded into the internal threads of top or bottom turning nut 3620 (which is inserted into anchor 3310). Locking bolts 3630 fix the position of top or bottom vertical tensioning bolts 3610 (which are threaded into top or bottom turning nuts 3620 inserted into anchors 3610). More specifically, the external threads of either locking bolt 3630 are threaded into one of a pair of internally threaded bores 3650 in the exterior face of anchor 3310. As shown in fig. 36, top and bottom swivel nuts 3620 each contain an unthreaded bore along one side of their shaft. The unthreaded bore allows the external threads of each of top and bottom locking bolts 3630 to pass through so that the tips of these locking bolts 3630 can contact the external threads of top and bottom vertical tensioning bolts 3610. To this end, the unthreaded holes of top and bottom swivel nuts 3620 are aligned with top and bottom internally threaded holes 3650 of the anchor positioned in the outer side of anchor 3310. Further, as shown in fig. 36, the external threads of a pair of top and bottom locking bolts 3630 are threaded clockwise into top and bottom internally threaded holes 3650 in the outer side of anchor 3310, thereby exerting a horizontal force on the external threads of the pair of vertical tensioning bolts 3610 that prevents further rotational movement of either the top or bottom vertical tensioning bolts 3610. The locking bolt 3630 may include Teflon (Teflon) or other material at the distal end to facilitate preventing damage to the external threads of the vertical tensioning bolt 3610 upon contact.

Thus, the modified stud retainer assembly shown in fig. 30-36 (with or without a modified anchor) may be used to couple the drumhead to the drum shell without a separate structural frame (such as a multi-mount structural frame). The modified strut retainer assembly continues to provide the benefits of energy dampening over prior art strut retainers. In particular, the modified stud retainer assembly of some embodiments minimizes the amount of energy transferred from the drumhead and drum shell to the stud retainer by way of bumpers positioned on each side of the drum shell. This reduces or eliminates undesirable sound distortion that would otherwise result from rattling of the stud retainer during drum play, while increasing the likelihood of resonance of the drum shell. It should be noted that the shape of the modified post holder anchor, as shown in fig. 30-36, can be fabricated to mimic the shape of the large number of shells that prior art large number of existing post holder assemblies/shells are fabricated to. The installation footprint of the modified post holder anchor is shown as the vertical distance between the two horizontal installation anchor bolts 3210 (fig. 32) and 3520 (fig. 35). Further, the location where the modified stud retainer is attached to the drum shell is shown as the horizontal mount anchor bolt is positioned a distance from the top or bottom edge of the drum shell. The modified stud retainer anchor shown in fig. 30-36 is generally compatible with existing stud retainer anchors of the prior art for installation and positioning onto a drum shell. This allows the modified post holder anchor and modified post holder mounting hardware listed herein to be used as a universal replacement for various existing post holder anchors of the prior art without requiring modification of the modified post holder anchor, the modified post holder mounting hardware, or the drum shell. This replacement is not intended to confuse the aesthetics of any proprietary (branded) existing post holder housing shape of the prior art (as any drum manufacturer would know about).

Priority of related applications

The present application filed on 8.11.2014 entitled "Drum Mounting and Conditioning System Providing Unhindered Isolated Resonance (Drum Mounting and Tuning System) non-provisional application 14/536,606, the 14/536,606 application filed on 27.11.2013 entitled "Drum Mounting and Conditioning System Providing Unhindered Isolated Resonance (Drum Mounting and Tuning System rendered and Isolated Resonance)" continuation-in-part application of U.S. non-provisional application 14/092,400 (now U.S. patent 8,884,144), this 14/092,400 application is a continuation application entitled "Drum Mounting and regulating System Providing Unhindered Isolated Resonance (Drum Mounting and Tuning System rendered and Isolated Resonance)" U.S. non-provisional application 13/857,924 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,629,340 filed on 5.4.2013. The contents of applications 14/536,606, 14/092,400, and 13/857,924 are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An energy buffering stud retainer for a drum, the stud retainer comprising:

an anchor comprising a body having a vertical cavity, and a first threaded horizontal cavity vertically spaced from a second threaded horizontal cavity about a same side of the anchor;

a rotating nut, including an internal thread, inserted into the vertical cavity;

a first bolt having an external thread coupling the anchor to the first drum structure by passing through the bore of the first drum structure and threading into the turning nut; and

first and second sets of mounting hardware coupling the anchor to a different second drum structure, each of the first and second sets of mounting hardware including a pair of energy buffers and a second bolt having external threads that secures the pair of buffers against opposite sides of the second drum structure by threading into one of the first threaded horizontal cavity and the second threaded horizontal cavity.

2. The stud retainer of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sets of mounting hardware further comprises a pair of end caps, the end caps including a plurality of protrusions that minimize surface contact between the end caps and the second drum structure when the end caps are positioned between the bumper and the second drum structure with the plurality of protrusions facing the second drum structure.

3. The stud retainer of claim 1, wherein the second drum structure is not a drum housing.

4. The stud retainer of claim 3, wherein the first drum structure is a molding hoop that receives a drumhead, and the second drum structure is a pull ring positioned between the molding hoop and the drum shell.

5. The stud retainer of claim 1, wherein the second drum structure is a drum shell including at least one opening through which the second bolt passes.

6. The post holder of claim 1 wherein the anchor further comprises a hole on a back side of the anchor opposite the front side, wherein the first and second threaded horizontal cavities are disposed at the front side.

7. The stud retainer of claim 6, further comprising a locking bolt that secures a position of the first bolt within the threaded vertical cavity by threading into the bore and laterally contacting the first bolt within the threaded vertical cavity.

8. A mounting system, comprising:

a molding hoop housing a drumhead, the molding hoop including a plurality of vertically oriented bores around an outer periphery of the molding hoop;

a tab for mounting to one end of the drum shell, the tab including a plurality of legs extending vertically from an outer periphery of the tab; and

a plurality of post holder assemblies, each post holder assembly of the plurality of post holder assemblies comprising:

(i) an anchor having a horizontal cavity and a vertical cavity,

(ii) a rotating nut inserted into the vertical cavity and including an internal thread,

(iii) a pair of shock-absorbing bumpers each of which is a shock-absorbing bumper,

(iv) a first bolt coupling the anchor to the die cast ferrule by passing through a hole of the plurality of holes and threading into a swivel nut, an

(v) A second bolt coupling the anchor to the pull ring by positioning the pair of shock absorbing bumpers along either side of a bracket of the plurality of brackets, inserting the second bolt through the pair of shock absorbing bumpers and the bracket, and threading the second bolt into the horizontal cavity.

9. The mounting system of claim 8, wherein each post holder further comprises an end cap having a plurality of protrusions, the end cap positioned between the shock absorbing bumper and the bracket, and the plurality of protrusions abutting the bracket so as to reduce surface contact with the bracket.

10. The mounting system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of stud retainer assemblies do not contact the drum housing when coupled to the plurality of brackets.

11. The mounting system of claim 8, further comprising a drum housing that does not contain any holes across its outer surface, and wherein the pull ring is adapted to be coupled to a top end or a bottom end of the drum housing.

12. The mounting system of claim 8, wherein the tab further comprises a bearing edge slot for retaining an interchangeable bearing edge.

13. The mounting system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of support edges, each cut at a different angle, each support edge angle changing the drum tone when inserted in a support edge slot.

14. The mounting system of claim 8, wherein the anchor horizontal cavity is a first horizontal cavity, the anchor further comprising a second vertical cavity on an opposite side of the anchor from the first horizontal cavity.

15. The mounting system of claim 14, further comprising a locking bolt that fixes the position of the first bolt in the anchor vertical cavity by threading into the second horizontal cavity and laterally contacting the first bolt within the vertical cavity.

16. A mounting system, comprising:

a drum housing comprising a cylindrical body and having at least one bore along the cylindrical body;

a drum shell mount comprising a drumhead and a plurality of vertically oriented apertures about an outer periphery of the drum shell mount; and

a plurality of strut retainer assemblies coupling the drum shell mount to the drum shell at a user-specified force magnitude, each strut retainer assembly of the plurality of strut retainer assemblies comprising:

(i) an anchor having a threaded horizontal cavity and a vertical cavity,

(iv) a first bolt coupling the anchor to the drum shell by passing through a first bumper of the pair of bumpers, the hole, and a second bumper of the pair of bumpers from inside the drum shell body, and screwing into the horizontal cavity, and

(v) a second bolt coupling the anchor to the drum shell mount by passing through a hole of the plurality of holes and threading into a turn nut, wherein the pair of shock absorbing bumpers reduces energy transfer from the drum shell to each stud-holder assembly, maintaining pure drumbeats.

17. The mounting system of claim 16, wherein the anchor horizontal cavity is a first horizontal cavity, the anchor further comprising a second vertical cavity on an opposite side of the anchor from the first horizontal cavity.

18. The mounting system of claim 17, further comprising a locking bolt that fixes the position of the second bolt within the anchor vertical cavity by threading into the second horizontal cavity and laterally contacting the second bolt within the vertical cavity.