ES2394465B1 - WIND INSTRUMENT HEAD, WIND INSTRUMENT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF A WIND INSTRUMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

Wind instrument head, wind instrument and method of manufacturing a wind instrument. # The head comprises a tubular portion (2) to be coupled to the entrance of the body of a wind instrument, an air inlet channel (3 ), an air outlet window (4) and a bevel (5) with its edge facing the exit of the air inlet channel (3) to branch off the air that flows through it, directing it outwards, circulating through an outer face (5e) of the bevel (5) towards the window (4), and into the tubular portion (2), circulating through an inner face (5i) of the bevel (5) partially or completely concave. The instrument comprises an elongated tubular body with one end coupled to the wind instrument head. # The method comprises manufacturing the wind instrument by injection molding.

Description

  Wind instrument head. wind instrument V manufacturing method

of a wind instrument

Technical sector

The present invention concerns, in a first aspect, a winding instrument head that includes a bevel that produces sound vibrations when the air blown by an interpreter collides with its edge through an inlet channel, and more particularly to a head of wind instrument whose bevel has an inner face whose pennite shape optimizes the effort of the interpreter's breath and the correct balance between the notes and their respective upper octaves.

A second aspect of the invention concerns a wind instrument comprising the head proposed by the first aspect coupled to one end of an elongated tubular body.

The invention also concerns, in a third aspect, a method of manufacturing the wind instrument proposed by the second aspect.

Prior art

Wind instruments are known, such as peak flutes, whose heads include a bevel, commonly known as a flute bezel, with its edge facing the exit of the instrument's air inlet channel.

In general, the two faces of said bevel are flat, the outer face adopting the shape of a ramp and the inner face running horizontally and at the same level as the inner surface of the tube or chamber that forms the body of the instrument.

There are, however, proposals where, for one purpose or another, some of the faces of the bezel is configured differently from the one mentioned. Some of these proposals are cited below.

In US2883898 a musical instrument is proposed formed by a tube coupled to a mouth or head with a bevel whose outer wall is concave, and is facing the exit of the air inlet channel, in order to direct it out of the instrument, so that the bevel vibrates to produce the desired sound. In said patent, the edge of the bevel is at a level below the longitudinal axis of the air inlet channel, so that the outer face receives most of the air leaving it. In fact, said outer face of the bevel is called, in said patent, as the basis of the rest of the air channel, since the intention is that the air insufflated by the instrumentalist passes through the air channel of

entrance, through a vertical opening, or window, and then circulate on the curved outer face of the bevel, to deflect outside.

In the US2883898 patent, the configuration or shape of the inner face of the bevel is not affected, this being illustrated as a flat, horizontal surface and that is continued with the rest of the inner contour of the tube, at the same height level. This configuration is not affected because the purpose of US2883898 is not to regulate the path of the air inlet to the tube of the instrument, but that of the air outlet of the instrument.

In US5309806 a wind instrument is described, in particular an ocarina, with a bevel whose inner face is slightly bulged. Apart from the illustration of said domed inner face, said feature does not describe such a feature. Similar to US2883898, the bevel edge illustrated in US5309806 is at a level below the longitudinal axis of the air inlet channel, so that the outer face receives and deflects out most of the air leaving the channel input

US6348647 concerns a flute whose bevel has a flat inner surface but higher than the inner wall of the resonance chamber, so that there is a transition step between the two that defines a displaced cavity section. The mentioned step has the purpose of aligning the bevel edge with the outlet of the air inlet channel, to obtain certain pressure differences when the air circulates through both the outer face and the inner face of the bevel, and thus produce A certain sound. It is not indicated in said patent that the impact of the air flowing through the inner face of the bevel with the step has a beneficial effect, no, on the sound produced.

Explanation of the invention.

The present invention offers an alternative to the state of the art which, unlike conventional proposals, focuses on offering, to insufflated air, a path of entry to the resonance chamber, or body of a wind instrument, by a particular configuration of the inner face of the bevel of the wind instrument head, which allows first of all to optimize the effort of the interpreter's breath, obtaining the qualitative characteristic that consists in allowing a maximum sound performance with different pressure values and / or consequent air velocity, induced by the interpreter. Such optimization of the blow effort makes the invention particularly applicable for use by children.

Secondly, this way of channeling the channel of the air column towards the inner part of the body of the instrument, by means of said particular configuration of the inner face of the bevel that will be described below, allows a proportion of the relationship between the pressure of attack of the air with respect to the pulsation or frequency of the latter on the resonant tube, of lower value than in the use of a normal bevel, thus allowing a variability of the pressure that minimally affects the variation of the pitch of the pulsed note , while allowing your octave (double the pulse) to be more adjustable with little change or effort in the pressure of your attack.

To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the present invention concerns, in a first aspect, a wind instrument head, which comprises, in a known manner, a tubular portion to be coupled to the entrance of the body of a wind instrument, a air inlet channel, an air outlet window and a bezel arranged with its edge facing the exit of said air inlet channel to branch out the air that flows through it, directing it outwards, circulating on an outer face of said bevel towards said window, and into said tubular portion, circulating on an inner face of the bevel.

In the wind instrument head proposed by the first aspect of the invention, unlike the known proposals, the inner face of the bevel is, at least in part, concave, so that it defines the commented path for insufflated air towards the interior of the body of the wind instrument that is coupled to the head, which allows the mentioned optimization of the blow effort.

With respect to the outer face of the bevel, this is, for one embodiment, flat and defines a ramp that goes from the outer face of the tubular portion to said bevel edge.

For a preferred embodiment, the inner face of the bevel defines a parabolic line in at least one cutting plane that passes through the longitudinal axis of said tubular portion, which, according to a variant of said preferred embodiment example, is a cutting plane that runs perpendicularly to the outer face of the ramp-shaped bevel.

In general, the inner face of the bevel defines a plurality of parabolic lines in a corresponding plurality of cutting planes parallel to said cutting plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the tubular portion. For an exemplary embodiment, said plurality of cutting planes cover the entire width of the bevel.

As regards the position of the bevel edge, for an exemplary embodiment it is displaced, towards the outside of the tubular portion, according to said plane that crosses perpendicularly to the outer face of the ramp-shaped bevel, a distance predetermined in relation to the air inlet channel, so that most of the insufflated air is directed towards the inner face of the bevel.

A second aspect of the invention concerns a wind instrument comprising an elongated tubular body with a series of through holes defined at different points located along it, and with a first end coupled to a wind instrument head according to the First aspect of the invention.

The wind instrument proposed by the second aspect of the invention is, for an exemplary embodiment, an instrument of the peak flute family, and preferably a historical traditional musical instrument known as "nabior, which was developed in the 14th century (fJauta of a hand) in the areas of the ancient kingdom of Aragon, and that has come to this day through traditional culture, with different tunings (pitch heights) and temperaments (proportional divisions of the scale). Conventional construction is handcrafted and individualized. It currently has a standardized fingering set in secondary schools (music schools or conservatories), and in the Catalan Higher School of Music. "

The particular configuration of the inner face of the bezel of the instrument head also provides a correct balance between the notes and their respective upper octaves (double frequency), characteristic absent in historical instruments to the present.

A third aspect of the invention concerns a method of manufacturing a wind instrument comprising manufacturing the tubular body and the head of the wind instrument proposed by the second aspect, in plastic, by injection molding, manufacturing which is carried according to an embodiment example, in a serial manner.

In particular, the manufacturing method comprises manufacturing three pieces of plastic by means of said injection molding: a first to constitute the tubular body, and a second and third to constitute two parts of the wind instrument head that are coupled together to define the air inlet channel, inserting one into a defined through opening in the other.

The manufacturing method is applied to the manufacture of an instrument of the family of the flutes of peak, in particular the referred "flabiol".

Brief description of the drawings The above and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of some examples of

realization with reference to the attached drawings, which should be taken by way of illustration and not limitation, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinally sectioned side elevation view of the wind instrument head proposed by the first aspect of the invention, for an exemplary embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the instrument head proposed by the first aspect of the invention, taken from the left side of the drawing illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the instrument head proposed by the first aspect of the invention, taken through the plane indicated by line 111-111 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows in detail a portion of the view illustrated in Fig. 1, schematically, since the proportions existing in said Fig. 1 have not been maintained, in order to provide greater detail in the relevant elements Of the same;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the head for a winding instrument proposed by the first aspect of the invention whose longitudinal section is illustrated in Fig. 1:

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the wind instrument proposed by the second aspect of the invention, in a situation prior to the coupling of the head with the body of the instrument;

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the wind instrument as illustrated in Fig. 6, taken through the plane indicated by line VII-VII; and Fig. 8 is a view analogous to that of Fig. 7, but showing the head and body of the instrument once coupled to each other.

Detailed description of some embodiments

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the wind instrument head 1 proposed by the first aspect of the invention comprises a tubular portion 2 with a section 2d2 to be coupled to the entrance of the body of a wind instrument, an intermediate section 2d1, of smaller diameter, and an initial section in which a piece 7 is inserted, leaving an uncovered remaining space that defines the air inlet channel 3, of length e, which is also seen in Figs. 2 and 3, which is, in the direction of its exit, of decreasing rectangular section, both in width and height, as can be seen by observing Figs. 2, 3 AND 4 And consulting the dimensions indicated in it (G1 to G4) in the tables included at the end of this section, which make the air inlet channel 3 according to an air attack channel that allows it A certain compression.

In the intermediate section 2d2, in particular in its upper part (according to the position illustrated by Fig. 1), an air outlet window 4 is defined which communicates the inside of the tubular portion 2 with the outside, and which It is sized by the values f and g, which determine e: 1 volume or intensity of the sound of the instrument, similar to historical or traditional instruments.

Delimiting part of the window 3 is the bevel 5, known as a flute bezel, arranged with its edge 5e facing the exit of the air inlet channel 3, whose outer face 5e is flat and defines a ramp that goes from the face outside 2e of the tubular portion 2 to the edge 5e of the bevel 5.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, and in greater detail in Fig. 4, the inner face 5i of the bevel 5 is concave, defining a parabolic line S in a plane that runs perpendicularly to the outer face 5e of the bevel 5 in shape of ramp.

Although in the sections illustrated by said Figs. 1 and 4 only one parabolic line S can be seen, in fact the inner face 5i of the bevel 5 defines a plurality of palbolic lines in a corresponding plurality of cutting planes parallel to the cutting plane passing through the longitudinal axis E of the tubular portion 2, said plurality of cutting planes encompassing the entire width of the bevel 5, as illustrated in perspective in Fig. 5, where the inner face 5i has been drawn with an inner stripe Q and the resel of the bevel 5 it has been drawn transparent to allow to see through said inner face 5i of the bevel 5.

As can be seen in Figs. 1,4 And 5, the inner face 5i of the bevel 5 encompasses part of the inner contour 2i of the tubular portion 2, thus constituting an inner transition surface with the rest of the tubular portion 2.

With particular reference to Fig. 4, it can be seen how the parabolic line S has a horizontal tangent (with an acceptable variation of +/- 1 °) that passes through points p2 and p4, and extends from p2 to the point p3. For other embodiments, not illustrated, the horizontal tangent passes through the point p1, which is chosen from among all the available points over the entire height G2, that is to say the height of the output of the input channel 3, depending on of the desired result.

The thickness of the edge 5c of the bevel 5 gives it a specific timbre, and has a height t that can be varied according to the listener's objective taste. In the tables included below, the value of said height t is indicated, with a margin of tolerances, for an embodiment.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the edge Se of the bevel 5 is displaced, towards the outside of the tubular portion 2, according to the plane that passes perpendicularly to the outer face 5e of the ramp-shaped bevel 5, a predetermined distance e, or eccentricity factor, in relation to the air inlet channel 3, in particular with respect to its axis of symmetry.

This value e towards the outside of the instrument allows the possibility of stabilizing and making possible, easily, the notes of the upper tessitura of the instrument.

By means of the unique characteristics of the flute bezel 5, without losing the timbre recognition of the historical instruments, it is possible to stabilize to the maximum the variations of pressure of the air column, produced by each note or frequency, and at the same time a good sound result at different pressures (both lower and higher than optimal), without large variations in the proportion of the scale or temperament of the instrument, a characteristic that allows the adaptation as a learning instrument in elementary school students.

This effect is complemented by a second eccentricity produced by the distance r, with respect to the total path c of the air inlet channel ~. As illustrated in Fig. 4, said distance r is due to the fact that the upper wall of the air inlet channel 3, or closer to the air outlet window 4, is shorter than the total length of the air duct air inlet 3, ending a certain distance r before the exit of the air inlet channel 3. That is, as seen in Fig. 4, the distance r is from 2t to 71.

A second aspect of the invention concerns a wind instrument, which is illustrated for an exemplary embodiment for which it is a "flabior, in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, in which it can be seen that the instrument comprises a elongated tubular body 6 with a series of through holes defined at different points located along it, and with an end 6a coupled to the wind instrument head 1 proposed by the first aspect of the invention, in particular by introducing said end 6a in the tubular section 2d2, both being communicated through a tubular section of a certain diameter d.

The tubular body 6 ends at a second end 6b at a distance D7 from the edge Sc of the bevel 5, as shown in Fig. 8.

Depending on the embodiment, the instrument is conical or cylindrical, that is, the dimensions E1 and E2 indicated in Fig. 8 are the same (cylindrical) or different (conical).

In particular, the wind instrument proposed by the second aspect of the invention comprises a first group of five through holes Q1-05, which correspond to an independent set of holes to be covered and uncovered with the fingers of one hand, with certain diameters 81, 82, 83, A 1 and A2 Y with their geometric cencles arranged at certain distances - with respect to the edge 5e of the bevel 5, indicated as 01, 02, 03, 08 and 09.

Although for an exemplary embodiment, the device only has said first group of through holes, for the exemplary embodiment illustrated by Figs. 6, 7 and 8, this comprises a second group of four through holes R1-R4, of proportionality independent of the holes of the first group, with diameters 84, 85, 86 and A3, Y with their geometric centers arranged at certain distances with respect to the edge 5c of the bevel 5, indicated as D4, D5, D6 and D10. The function of this second group of through holes is to allow the M tuning fork or the tuning height of the instrument.

According to other embodiments, not illustrated, the number of holes in this second group can be from one to an indefinite set of holes, to be covered or not with a second hand.

For another embodiment, the instrument also has the addition of perforations to solve the "alterations" or "chromatisms" of sLl "" natural scale "by means of keys.

The distances of the perforations of both groups and their respective diameters, which confer an area of decompression on the resonance tube, are determined from the position of the bevel 5c of the bevel 5. All this proportional set determines the characteristics of the temperament of the scale of the instrument (tuning of the set of musical notes), and its tonal height (reference pitch of the main tone).

The values of the diameters and distances mentioned, as well as the rest of the dimensions indicated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8, are included in the following tables, for an embodiment that corresponds to the pitch referred to La3 (440Hz), so that the instrument can play music with any other instrument with this standard tuning (for example the piano). The tolerances indicated as "+/- interval" refer to the possible variations by scale, linear or logarithmic, of the whole set of values of the diameters of the perforations and their respective distances to the edge 5c of the bevel 5, or of some thereof.

Dimensional parameters and their variability (in mm): Distances to the bevel edge:

Dimension DI D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 DIO

Value 85 108.5 133.37 163.87 181, 62 197.49 217.25 75 149.37 176.49 interval + / 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Diameters of the perforations:

Dimension

Value interval + /

To the

6.5 one

A2

6.25 one

A3

8 one

81

7.5 one

82

6.5 one

83

9.75 one

84

8.25 one

85

5.75 one

86

7.5 one

Parameters of the bevel and the emptying to define the window:

Dimension

Value interval + /

He

23.98 twenty

E2

20.1 19

and

23.8 -23 +90

F

5.2 -5 +15

h

21, 07 -20 +60

d

12 2

9

10.45 -10 + (El-g)

t

0.32 -0.3 +5

and

0.058 G2 / 2

L

21.07 -20 +120

Gl

1.6 0.3

G2

1.01 0.3

G3

13 0.3

G4

10.5 0.3

One skilled in the art could introduce changes and modifications in the 10 embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (17)

 Claims 1.-Wind instrument head, of the type comprising a tubular portion (2) to be coupled to the entrance of the body of a wind instrument, an air inlet channel (3), an air outlet window (4 ) and a bevel (5) arranged with its edge (5e) facing the exit of said air inlet channel (3) to branch out the air that flows through it, directing it outwards, circulating on an outer face (5e ) of said bevel (5) towards said air outlet window (4), and into said tubular portion (2), circulating on an inner face (5i) of the bevel (5), said instrument head being of wind (1) characterized in that said inner face (5i) of the bevel (5) is at least partly concave. 2. Wind instrument head according to claim 1, characterized in that said inner face (5i) of the bevel (5) defines a parabolic line (S) in at least one cutting plane passing through the longitudinal axis (E) of said tubular portion (2). 3. Wind instrument head according to claim 2, characterized in that said outer face (Se) of the bevel (5) is flat and defines a ramp that goes from the outer face (2e) of the tubular portion (2) to said edge (5c) of the bevel (5). 4. Wind instrument head according to claim 3, characterized in that said cutting plane in which the inner face (5i) of the bevel (5) defines a parabolic line (S) is a plane that passes perpendicularly to said outer face (5e) of the bevel (5) in the form of a ramp. 5. Wind instrument head according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that the inner face (5i) of the bevel (5) defines a plurality of parabolic lines in a corresponding plurality of cutting planes parallel to said passing cutting plane along the longitudinal axis (E) of the tubular portion (2). 6. Wind instrument head according to claim 5, characterized in that said plurality of cutting planes cover the entire width of the bevel (5). 7. Wind instrument head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least part of said inner face (5i) of the bevel (5) comprises part of the inner contour (2i) of said tubular portion (2). 8. Wind instrument head according to claim 4, characterized in that the edge (5e) of the bevel {5} is displaced towards the outside of the tubular portion (2), according to said plane that passes perpendicularly to the outer face ( 5e) of the bevel (5) in the form of a ramp, a predetermined distance (e) in relation to said air lining channel (3). 9. Wind instrument head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the upper wall of said air inlet channel (3), or closer to said air outlet window (4), is more short than the total length of the air inlet channel (3), ending a certain distance (r) before the exit of the air inlet channel (3). 10. Wind instrument head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said air inlet channel (3) is, in the direction of its exit, of decreasing rectangular section, both in width and height. 11. Wind instrument, characterized in that it comprises an elongated tubular body (6) with a series of through holes defined at different points located along it, and with an end (6a) coupled to a wind instrument head ( 1) according to any one of the preceding claims. 12. Wind instrument according to claim 11, characterized in that said series of through holes comprises a first group of five through holes (01-05) with their geometric centers arranged, with a tolerance of +/- 2 mm, at the ~ following distances from the bevel edge: 75 mm, for a first hole (01), 85 mm, for a second hole (02), 108.5 mm, for a third hole (03), 133.37 mm, for a fourth hole (04), and 149.37 mm, for a fifth hole (05). 13. Wind instrument according to claim 12, characterized in that said five through holes (01 -05) of said first group have 105 following diameters, with a tolerance of +/- 1 mm: 6.5 mm, for said first hole (01), 7.5 mm, for said second hole (02), 6.5 mm, for said third hole (03), 9.75 mm, for said fourth hole (04), and 6.25 mm, for said fifth hole (05). 14. Wind instrument according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said series of through holes comprises a second group of four through holes (R1-R4) with its arranged geometric centers, with a tolerance of + 1-2 mm, a the following distances from the bevel edge: 176.49 mm, for a first hole (R1), 163.87 mm, for a second hole (R2), 181.62 mm, for a third hole (R3) and 197, 49 mm, for a fourth hole (R4). 15. Wind instrument according to claim 14, characterized in that said four through holes of said second group have the following diameters, with a tolerance of +/- 1 mm: 8 mm, for said first hole (R1), 8.25 mm, for said second hole (R2), 5.75 mm, for said third hole (R3), 7.5 mm, for said fourth hole (R4). 16.-Instrument according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the distance between the edge (5c) of the bevel (5) and a second end (6b) of the elongated tubular body (6) is 217.25 mm, with a tolerance of +/- 2 mm, and the internal diameter of the elongated tubular body (6) and the tubular portion (2), of the 5 head of the wind instrument, communicated with it is, in both cases, 12 mm, with a tolerance of +/- 2 mm. 17.-Method of manufacturing a wind instrument, characterized in that it comprises manufacturing the elongated tubular body (6) and the head (1) of the wind instrument of claim 11, in plastic, by injection molding. 18. Method of manufacture according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises manufacturing three pieces of plastic by means of said injection molding: a first to constitute said elongated tubular body (6), and a second and third to constitute two parts (2, 7) of said wind instrument head (1) which are coupled ent [e yes to define said air inlet channel (3). 19. Method of manufacture according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that it is applied to the manufacture of an instrument of the family of peak flutes.