GB2574787A - Woodwind musical instruments made from resin impregnated densified engineered wood laminate - Google Patents

Abstract

A woodwind musical instrument body is made from a densified resin impregnated engineered wood laminate, which is compressed in a single pressing to a sheet thickness greater than 20.0mm and a density greater than 1000 kg per cubic meter. The laminate can comprise beech veneers impregnated under a vacuum with synthetic resin and compressed in a single pressing under heat and pressure to a densified sheet or block. The laminate can replace the whole or any corresponding section of the instrument that is traditionally made of dense hardwood which is subject to CITES regulation. The laminate can have variable thickness or density 4, 5. The laminate can be manufactured using veneers with the wood grain aligned in the same direction. The veneers can be deformed during manufacture to give the laminate a non-linear wood grain and/or wood grain effect 6.

Description

WOODWIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MADE FROM RESIN IMPREGNATED DENSIFIED ENGINEERED WOOD LAMINATE

FIELD OF INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to woodwind musical instruments manufactured from a sustainable resin impregnated densified engineered wood laminate and a method of constructing such instruments. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the musical instrument is produced from a sustainable material, which is free from CITES Treaty restrictions. The present invention is particularly suited to those learning a woodwind instrument and for those using such instruments outdoors or in other demanding environmental and/or climatic conditions.

BACKGROUND [0002] Wood has been used for centuries for the manufacture of musical instruments due to its mechanical, physical and acoustical properties, natural beauty, availability and suitability for manufacturing into a wide range of forms and shapes using relatively low technology processes.

[0003] However, manufacturers of musical instruments who use natural dense hardwoods face problems sourcing, seasoning and using such a natural, anisotropic and increasingly expensive and controlled material.

[0004] Some of the finest instruments use wood that has been seasoned for many years, which represents a significant financial investment for the manufacturer. However, wood has the disadvantage of natural faults that may not be revealed until it is being worked on. For example, the rejection rate forgrenadilla in the making of oboes is about 12% and this further increases manufacturers’ costs. The conversion yield of total tree mass into finished woodwind instruments is extremely low with considerable waste being generated at each processing stage from tree felling to final machining.

[0005] Once dried, both hardwoods and softwoods consist of approximately 12% of moisture. However, because of hardwood's denser and more complex structure, its permeability is much less than that of softwood. Dense hardwoods can take many years to season and even then remain susceptible to cracks and splits occurring in use.

[0006] Wood is a hygroscopic material and will absorb and desorb water vapour until it reaches an equilibrium with its external environment; this is called the Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC). The EMC varies depending on relative humidity and, to a lesser extent, temperature.

[0007] To minimize the changes in wood moisture content or the movement of wooden objects in service, wood is usually dried to a moisture content that is close to the average EMC conditions to which it will be exposed. These conditions vary for interior or exterior uses in a given geographic location. For example, EMC may be as high as 20% in a humid environment such as the rainy season in the tropics or as low as 6% in a hot dry climate or indoors in centrally heated or air conditioned building.

[0008] In practice, matching the EMC to end use is not possible for woodwind instruments, which are exposed to varying environments and exported internationally.

[0009] In use, the bore of woodwind instruments becomes coated with condensation from the player’s breath, whilst the outside of the instrument remains surrounded by the ambient relative humidity. This differential across the relatively thin wall of a woodwind instrument can result in stresses developing that eventually cause partial or full cracking through the instrument’s wall. Such stressing is exacerbated by any residual stress from seasoning and/or manufacturing of the instrument.

[0010] Woodwind instruments are a very demanding environment for natural wood and care has to be taken to dry the instrument after use and to oil the bore as necessary to prevent the wood from distorting and/or cracking. Even with care, woodwind instruments have a predisposition to cracking; for example, about 3% of oboes crack within one year of purchase.

[0011] Manufacturers sometimes sleeve or replace the upper sections of woodwind instruments with plastic, hard rubber or other materials, to minimise the effect of condensation from the player’s breath on these parts. Alternatively, metal, plastic, composite, rubber or other materials are offered by some manufacturers for the sections of instrument which are most vulnerable to cracking.

[0012] Hard rubber, sometimes known as ebonite, has been used for woodwind instruments to reduce the risk of cracks occurring; especially in the mouthpiece or upper section of an instrument that is most at risk from condensation from the player’s breath. Hard rubber is formed by prolonged vulcanisation of natural rubber and contains a significant proportion of sulphur, typically 30-40%. Hard rubber is brittle and is affected by daylight and moisture, which form sulphates and sulphuric acid resulting in deterioration and discolouration of the material.

[0013] [0014] [0015] [0016] [0017] [0018]

A significant proportion of woodwind instrument production, for example oboes and other less common woodwind instruments, are produced by artisan rather than mass production manufacturing methods. Production quantities and manufacturing flexibility preclude the expensive tooling required for moulding instruments from polymers and plastics. There is also a significant traditional and emotional attachment to wood as the preeminent material for musical instruments used by professional musicians.

Alternative manmade materials to wood are generally only considered suitable for complete instruments for beginners or intermediate musicians. Advanced or professional musicians usually prefer the tonal, aesthetic and other qualities that, to date, only dense hardwoods have provided.

Woodwind instruments in marching bands are exposed both to the elements and rapid changes of environment when they are taken outdoors and back indoors again. Many musicians prefer to use instruments made from synthetic materials in such circumstances rather than risk a wooden instrument developing cracks, even though the latter will often produce a better sound.

The acoustical quality of many woodwind instruments, such as oboes, is largely dependent on wall thickness, roughness of bore and sharpness of tone-hole edges. Some of the most stable woods for woodwind instruments are dense hardwoods. These can be machined accurately, polished to a fine finish and possess excellent tonal properties. However, there is pressure to preserve many dense hardwoods by controlling their exploitation and importation in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora & Fauna (CITES).

In January 2017, all Dalbergia rosewood and palisander species, which includes grenadilla, were brought under CITES trade controls. Owners of woodwind instruments that incorporate CITES controlled species can incur problems transporting or selling their instruments across international boundaries. Similarly, manufacturers, exporters and importers of woodwind instruments can incur additional costs, delays and the need to apply for import/export permits to buy and sell dense hardwood woodwind instruments.

Grenadilla is traditionally used for many woodwind instruments as manufacturers can achieve a fine surface finish to the bore and sharp edges to the tone holes. Once fully seasoned the fine dense grain of grenadilla absorbs moisture both slowly and in relatively small amounts, producing instruments with good dimensional stability with a fair, albeit not perfect, resistance to cracking.

[0019] Other hardwoods, particularly other true rosewoods (genus Daibergia), can produce woodwind instruments of good or better tone than grenadilla, but they can be more difficult to manufacture and to maintain. For example, many of the other dense hardwoods do not machine as well as grenadilla and their open grain can cause tone hole pads to leak. This can be overcome with tone hole inserts, but at additional manufacturing cost. These woods also have a propensity to absorb more moisture than grenadilla, leading to dimensional changes to the instrument’s bore, which causes a greater susceptibility to cracking and changes in tone.

[0020] In addition, the true rosewoods (genus Daibergia) can cause sensitivities and allergic reactions; both in manufacturing and sometimes in use. Many of the genus contain dalbergiones, which are severe skin irritants. Three particular Da/bergia quinones, A, B and C have been identified in most Daibergia spp., including, but not exclusive to: D. nigra, D. retusa, D. cearensis, D. cochinchinensis, D. congestiflora, D. cultrate, D. decipuiaris, D. frutescens, D. iatifoiia, D. maritime and D. stevensonii.

[0021] In particular, two of the most widely used woods for woodwind instruments ie. D. meianoxyion (African blackwood) and D. retusa (cocobolo), contain a range of quinones known to cause dermatitis and/or aggravation of predisposed skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE [0022] Weatherproof woodwind musical instruments can be made from moulded plastics, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and hard rubber. These materials and other traditional materials, such as brass, are used as alternatives to wood for musical instruments for children. These materials are cheap, robust, waterproof and suitable for mass production of simple, especially keyless, woodwind instruments, such as recorders and fifes. The relatively high initial tooling costs are generally offset by economies of scale.

[0023] Plastic composite materials have been previously disclosed for woodwind instruments; such as incorporating grenadilla wood powder as a filler. However, the grenadilla in this particular material has none of the cell structure and tonal properties of solid wood and such composites and plastics can be brittle and chip or fracture on impact.

[0024] Carbon composites have been disclosed, but these incur significant material cost and manufacturing complexities compared to wood.

[0025] [0026] [0027] [0028] [0029] [0030]

Other composites previously disclosed incorporate processes for polymer impregnating or otherwise stabilising woods for the manufacture of musical instruments. For example, GB1460696, GB2048281, EP0152369 and WO03034399 all disclose such processes, but these do not include the compression of wood and produce a composite with properties closer to those of the polymer than of the wood. Except for stabilising the wood, the polymer has little or no beneficial effect on the wood’s other properties.

It is well known that lower density woods can be compressed or densified to produce a higher density wood. This has the advantage that many of the properties of the original wood are retained and/or enhanced by such densification.

The preferred method of densifying wood is to compress a pack of wood veneers rather than blocks of solid wood, which can deform and crack. However, once compressed such a material is susceptible to absorbing moisture and will gradually decompress. Coating the veneers with resin helps to slow the rate of moisture absorption, but does not entirely prevent it.

It is well known that the veneers used to produce compressed wood composites can be coated and/or impregnated with resin, polymer, pre-polymer and/or monomer, to produce a composite material that is dimensionally stable and is highly resistant to moisture. Such resins can be caused to set by a number of processes, including, for example: catalytic action, the application of heat, microwave, RF and/or other polymerisation processes.

EP1384574 discloses a method for the manufacture of a resin coated or impregnated compressed wood laminate for the manufacture of musical instruments. EP1384574 principally describes a widely used and previously well-known method for producing engineered wood, which has been manufactured for many years prior to this particular patent being filed.

The invention disclosed in EP1384574 has significant limitations. Specifically, that the material proposed for manufacturing woodwind instruments is limited to sheets of up to 20.0 mm thickness. This material is unsuitable for the majority of woodwind instruments, thereby requiring several sheets of laminate to be bonded together. Furthermore, EP1384574 requires that the grain directions of the laminates are aligned with each other. EP1384574 also discloses a complex multistage slicing and reforming process for the laminate. No Claims are included about any instrument made from the material disclosed as being weatherproof.

[0031] In addition, EP1384574 discloses that low density ayous and poplar woods are preferred. However, the high degree of compression disclosed causes significant damage to the wood’s cell structure, which can affect its mechanical, physical and/or acoustic qualities.

[0032] The following relevant patents disclose relevant prior knowledge:

PATENT CITATIONS

PATENT	TITLE COMMENT
WO03/034399( A)	US 4998456 document of particular relevance: A construction and Claims 1-12 of WO 03/034399A cannot be considered method of wind musical novel or cannot be considered to involve an inventive instruments step.
US 4998456	Body construction of a wind instrument and procedure for producing Epoxy plastic material reinforced with carbon fibres, a wind instrument with said construction
EP1384574	Method for manufacturing wood elements for musical Material disclosed limited to up to 20.0 mm thickness in instruments, wood a single pressing. Musical instruments disclosed elements for musical require several sheets of material to be bonded instruments obtained together. thereby, and musical instrument therewith
GB1460696	Method of treating Wood-plastic material prepared by irradiation, wood
GB2048281	Wood-plastics A wood-plastics combination and process for its combination and manufacture. No claims relating to musical process for its instruments. manufacture
EP0152369	Process for affording A method for dimensional stabilisation and protection of dimensional stability wood. No claims relating to musical instruments, and protection to wood

PATENT TITLE

COMMENT

and wood-containing materials

Construction and

• Requires a mould to be made as the first manufacturing step. • Claimed improvements are a reduction in weight as well as improved tonal qualities; specifically enhanced vibrational quality, stability and response (Claim 1).

WO03034399 method of wind musical · Not densified to replace CITES controlled

instruments	hardwoods. • An object of this invention is to provide a lightweight fibre reinforced composite wind instrument having a combination of fibres (Claim 1). • Instrument wall thickness limited from 0.0156 to 0.25 inches (Claim 2).
Compressed wooden JP2008145872 product, musical instrument and wood	Focusses on string instruments and compressing preshaped blank material to final wall thickness by
processing method	steaming. No impregnation of resin used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0033] The present invention comprises woodwind instruments manufactured from resin impregnated densified engineered wood laminate. Musical instruments obtained thereof overcome many of the disadvantages of those manufactured using traditional natural wood, such as tropical hardwoods, which are now subject to CITES control. Natural wood is susceptible to changes

in temperature and humidity.

Woodwind instruments are particularly susceptible to

condensation from the breath of the user and such instruments needs to be carefully dried during and/or after use; a procedure which may not be regularly and properly undertaken, especially by beginners learning the instrument. Even with such maintenance precautions, woodwind instruments may still develop cracks, splits and shakes due to residual or environmental stresses in the natural wood.

[0034] Compressed laminated engineered wood comprising veneers coated and/or impregnated with adhesive and/or resin is a well-known and widely used industrial material. Following the application of the resin the veneers are assembled into a pack and pressed under high pressure and temperature to form the laminate material. The properties of such a composite material can be widely varied to suit a particular application. The veneer thickness, relative veneer grain direction, resin used, compression ratio, wood type and interleaving of synthetic fibres, such as those of carbon or glass composites, can enable both the bulk and/or directional properties to be optimised as required.

[0035] The present invention overcomes the significant limitations of EP1384574. Specifically, the present invention enables woodwind instruments to be made out of an engineered wood produced in a single pressing in excess of 20.0 mm thickness without having to bond separately produced laminates together, as required in EP1384574. Furthermore, the present invention is not constrained by having the grain directions of the laminates all in parallel with each other. The present invention enables the woodwind instruments to be made from a wider range of density of impregnated laminate and the complex multistage slicing and reforming process proposed in EP1384574 is not required.

[0036] Furthermore, EP1384574 discloses that low density ayous and poplar woods are preferred. However, the high degree of compression disclosed causes significant damage to the wood’s cell structure, which affects its mechanical, physical and/or acoustic qualities. The present invention proposes that beech is a preferred wood for the laminate, but the present invention does not exclude the use of other woods.

[0037] The present invention discloses a range of woodwind instruments made from engineered wood from sustainable sources, which are not subject to CITES control. Such instruments are essentially impervious to cracking and changes in tone due to distortion to their bore and/or surface roughness of the bore. Such instruments can be exposed to changes in environmental conditions that can detrimentally affect traditional woodwind instruments.

[0038] The present invention overcomes many of the problems associated with woodwind instruments made of dense natural wood. Specifically, the present invention preserves many of the aesthetic and tonal qualities of such instruments as well as the ease of manufacture using traditional methods.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0039] Figure 1 shows how the veneers in the laminate can be aligned in different planes, [XXX], [YYY] or [ZZZ], relative to the bore [A-A] and/or principal axis and/or axis of symmetry of a woodwind instrument. In the present invention, individual sheets of veneers can be aligned at any angle between 0-90 degrees to each other in each plane.

[0040] Figure 2 shows an example of a typical woodwind instrument comprising three sections 1-3 made from the laminate with the veneer laminations running vertically parallel to the instrument’s bore [A-A] in the YYY plane.

[0041] Figure 3 shows an example of a typical woodwind instrument comprising three sections 1-3 made from the laminate with the veneer laminations running at right-angles to the instrument’s bore [A-A] in the ZZZ plane.

[0042] Figure 4 shows an example of a typical woodwind instrument comprising three sections 1-3 made from the laminate with the veneer laminations running horizontally parallel to the instrument’s bore [A-A] in the XXX plane.

[0043] Figure 5 shows an example of a typical woodwind instrument comprising three sections 1-3, where each section is made from the laminate with the veneer laminations orientated in different directions to the instrument’s bore [A-A], [0044] Woodwind instruments can be made from a laminate, which comprises veneers laid-up in the same orientation or a variety of cross-ply orientations. Overall, any required bulk orientation of the veneers can be achieved to give the desired physical, aesthetic and tonal properties.

[0045] Figure 6 shows a laminate block with a variable density, produced for example, by being compressed greater in some areas than in others. In this example 4 indicates a lower density area of laminate to that in area 5. Variations in density need not be linear or constrained within a single plane.

[0046] Figure 7 shows a laminate sheet that has been compressed to give an undulating grain structure 6 similar to certain natural woods including, but not exclusive to, rosewoods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0047] In this specification the following terms have these meanings:

a) “dense hardwoodmeans a high-density hardwood traditionally used for musical instruments. Such hardwoods include, but are not exclusive to: rosewoods (genus Da/bergia), ebonies {genus diospyros), European boxwood {buxus sempervirens), cocuswood {brya ebenus), pernambuco or brazilwood (caesa/pinia echinata), partridgewood (caesa/piniagranadilld), Pink Ivory (berchemia zeyheri) and snakewood (piratinera guianensis). The genus Da/bergia includes, but is not exclusive to: rosewood, cocobolo (D. retusa), tulipwood (D. decipularis), kingwood (D. cearensis), palisander, Honduras rosewood (D. stevensonii) and grenadilla (D. me/anoxy/on). The term “dense hardwood”also includes any other wood species with a natural density range that can equal or exceed 750 kg per cubic metre.

b) “woodwind instrument means a woodwind musical instrument and/or section and/or component and/or part of a section and/or part of a component of a woodwind musical instrument.

c) '/am/ra/e''relating to the present invention and unless described otherwise means a laminate made of beech (fagus sy/vatica) wood veneers coated and/or impregnated with resin under vacuum and compressed to a density greater than, or equal to, 1000 kg per cubic metre in a single pressing. The term “laminatespecifically refers to wood veneers compressed to create a densified sheet thickness exceeding 20.0 mm.

[0048] Woodwind instruments can be made from a range of proprietary forms laminate, for example laminate which is made from beech veneers vacuum impregnated with phenolic resin and consolidated under high pressure and temperature into homogeneous sheets.

[0049] Woodwind instruments of new designs can be made from the laminate that cannot be made using dense hardwoods because the physical properties of the laminate exceed many of those found in natural hardwoods. For example, the wall thicknesses and other dimensions of woodwind instruments, particularly woodwind instruments, can be reduced and/or otherwise varied in a way that cannot be undertaken for a stable useable instrument using dense hardwoods.

[0050] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can be quantitatively compared to each other, which is not readily possible with dense hardwoods due to variations between one piece of wood and another. The homogeneous nature of the laminate, and the large sizes commercially available, enable numerous woodwind instruments to be made from the same sheet of laminate. This allows direct comparison of the effect of design variables on the overall performance and tone of an instrument.

[0051] Making woodwind instruments from the laminate helps to conserve the dense hardwoods traditionally used for the manufacture of woodwind instruments. Dense hardwoods are often sourced from countries where certain species have become endangered; resulting in supplies that are increasingly controlled in accordance with CITES. The advantage of a laminate made from beech is that it is a temperate hardwood, which is obtained from readily available, sustainable and politically stable sources.

[0052] Woodwind instruments are susceptible to cracking and/or distortion due to condensation from the musician’s breath as well as temperature and external changes in humidity. In particular, the thicker wood sections in the upper joints of oboes, clarinets and cor Anglais are especially vulnerable to cracking between the trill keys.

[0053] The present invention discloses that woodwind instruments of the woodwind family made from the laminate are considered impervious to cracking due to temperature and/or humidity changes experienced during normal use. Such instruments require less, if any, acclimatisation and can be played for longer periods than would be prudent on a similar instrument made from dense hardwood.

[0054] The present invention discloses that woodwind instruments made of the laminate suffer significantly fewer problems, if any, caused by dimensional changes which include, for example, stuck or loose tenons between sections, and distortion in the bore and/or tone holes which affect the instrument’s tuning and voicing.

[0055] The present invention discloses that the surface of woodwind instruments made of the laminate can be treated so as to increase the surface roughness to help prevent the instrument from slipping when being held. Such means of treatment include, but are not exclusive to, engraving, laser engraving, machining and/or sanding. Similarly, patterns and/or characters can be added to the surface for aesthetic and/or branding and/or other purposes.

[0056] The present invention discloses that musical instruments made from the laminate can be made using available handmade and/or industrial techniques and processes to produce comparable or superior instruments to those made from dense hardwoods.

[0057] Musical instruments can be made cost-effectively from the laminate to finer tolerances and finish than similar instruments made from dense hardwoods.

[0058] A woodwind musical instrument made from the laminate can be designed to optimise the wall thickness and/or mass and/or centre of gravity of the instrument in a manner not achievable in woodwind instruments made from natural solid wood.

[0059] Musical instruments made from the laminate help conserve species of dense hardwoods in accordance with the aims and/or treaty obligations of CITES.

[0060] The present invention discloses woodwind musical instruments manufactured from a sustainable resin impregnated densified engineered wood laminate that is not subject to CITES Treaty control. Woodwind instruments made in this manner are essentially weatherproof and impervious to cracking. They can withstand significant variations in environmental conditions whilst retaining the principal characteristics of traditional dense hardwood instruments. The woodwind instruments disclosed can be manufactured using traditional methods and are more robust and have better intonation than many instruments made of plastic or other synthetic materials such as ebonite. Such instruments are particularly suited to matching bands, beginners, professionals who travel internationally with their instruments and manufacturers. The characteristics of woodwind musical instruments made in this manner, for example wall thickness, mass and centre of gravity, are not constrained to the designs of present instruments made from natural solid wood.

[0061] The present invention discloses that musical instruments can be made from a laminate made of wood veneers, coated and/or impregnated under vacuum with synthetic resin and densified under heat and pressure in a single pressing to a density equal to or exceeding 700 kg per cubic metre with a final laminate sheet thickness in excess of 20.0 mm.

[0062] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the wood veneers be from a sustainable wood, not subject to CITES control. A further preference is that the wood veneers be of beech.

[0063] The laminate is characterised by the following general characteristics: the strength and resilience of natural timber, with the dimensional stability and moisture resistance of thermosetting resins. The laminate’s physical properties can be developed in any required direction to suit specific applications and it has a high strength/weight ratio, good wear resistance and can be machined to an accuracy approaching that achieved with metals.

[0064] The present invention discloses that individual sections, components or complete woodwind musical instruments, which are currently manufactured from dense hardwoods, can be replaced with the equivalent section, component or complete woodwind musical instrument manufactured from the laminate.

[0065] Compressed woods, especially those that have been resin impregnated, can provide very dense and hard construction materials for recorders and other wind instruments. Preferably, beech is used and this is compressed to a density equal to or exceeding 1000 kg per cubic metre and more preferably to densities exceeding 1200 kg per cubic metre. Other woods can also be used including, but not exclusive to, maple, sycamore, alder, birch, oak, hornbeam, lime/linden (genus 777/a), pearwood, plum wood, other fruitwoods and/or non-European boxwood. Such woods are from long-term sustainable sources and therefore have very low environmental impact on natural resources; especially when compared to slow growing endangered dense hardwoods.

[0066] Beech is preferred for the laminate as few woods can be compressed by over 30% without destroying the wood’s structure. The wood’s cell structure in the laminate is less disrupted than that of compressed low-density hardwoods, such as ayous or poplar, which were preferred in EP1384574. Less destruction of the wood’s cell structure is beneficial for the mechanical, physical and tonal properties of musical instruments, especially woodwind instruments.

[0067] In the present invention it is preferred that the wood veneers comprising the laminate are coated and/or vacuum impregnated with a polymer and/or resin before compression and heating. Polymer impregnation enables the compressed state to be permanently retained irrespective of changes in humidity and/or temperature. Woodwind instruments made from the laminate are therefore essentially impervious to environmental change during normal use and this is an important attribute for musicians.

[0068] Woodwind instruments can be made from the laminate, which itself can be made from any one of a range of resins used to impregnate the veneers. In the present invention phenolic resins are preferred but melamine, formaldehyde and/or other resins, monomers, prepolymers and/or polymers can be used to impregnate and/or coat the veneers.

[0069] In the present invention it is further preferred that the veneers are impregnated with resin by a vacuum impregnation process prior to compressing the veneers. However, other manufacturing processes of impregnating, coating and compressing the veneers to form the laminate can be used. Saturation of the resin throughout the veneers is preferable to simply coating the veneers with resin as it enables the production of more consistent and homogenous laminates of known and predictable properties.

[0070] The layers of veneer that comprise the laminate can be arranged so that the overall wood grain is arranged in any particular orientation as required to optimise the mechanical, physical and/or tonal qualities of a woodwind instrument.

ADVANTAGES [0071] The present invention discloses that woodwind instruments that are currently made from dense hardwoods can be replaced cost-effectively with comparable or superior woodwind instruments made from the laminate described herein.

[0072] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate combine the strength and resilience of natural wood with the dimensional stability and moisture resistance of thermosetting resins. The laminate has a high strength to weight ratio, which enables stronger, more robust and/or lighter woodwind instruments to be constructed, which can be played for longer and which require less maintenance and care. The resilience of such woodwind instruments and their resistance to cracking and/or distortion significantly exceed that of similar instruments made of dense natural hardwoods.

[0073] Woodwind instruments, made from the laminate can be played for longer periods at a time than would be prudent for a similar instrument made from natural wood. For example, a recorder made from natural hardwood should not be played for more than about one hour daily to prevent permanent damage from water logging, whereas one made from the laminate can be played without time restriction.

[0074] The stability of woodwind instruments made of the laminate is an important attribute for musicians living in and/or travelling to or from countries with demanding climatic conditions that are significantly different from the temperate climate where such woodwind instruments are usually manufactured.

[0075] The stability of woodwind instruments made of the laminate is an important attribute for musicians who participate in playing out of doors in the open air where their instruments are exposed to the elements. Rain and high humidity can have a detrimental effect on woodwind instruments made of natural hardwood.

[0076] The design of woodwind instruments made from the laminate can be varied and modified to take advantage of the mechanical and physical properties of the laminate, which can be controlled and/or modified to tailor the material for a specific use.

[0077] The strength of the material can be developed in any required direction to suit specific applications. This is achieved by varying the arrangement of the choice, thickness and orientation of the wood veneers and therefore the collective disposition of their grain structure. Similarly, the sheets of veneer can be interleaved with one or more layers of carbon fibres, aramid and/or other carbon-based, boron-based or glass-based materials and/or composites and/or fabrics. The alignment of fibres and/or type and/or direction of woven materials can be chosen to optimise the physical, aesthetic and/or tonal properties of the woodwind instrument.

[0078] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can provide relatively low cost but high quality instruments for beginners and children. Such woodwind instruments, particularly but not exclusive to woodwind instruments, are robust, do not degrade over time even with a significant lack of care and maintenance and/or are tonally superior to instruments of similar overall manufacturing cost that have previously been disclosed.

[0079] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can be manufactured at lower commercial risk and overall cost compared to the similar woodwind instruments made of dense hardwoods. This is due to the consistent, homogeneous properties of the laminate, its availability in a range of sizes and forms, the fact that it does not need seasoning and that it can be purchased with short lead-times in the required quantities, as and when required.

[0080] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate are capable of being machined to very fine tolerances and of taking an excellent finish. These attributes enable woodwind instruments to be manufactured in an accurate and consistent manner including, for example, the position and shape of tone holes, labia, windways, tenons and the location and fitting of key work. Woodwind instruments made from the laminate maintain these critical dimensions more accurately throughout life than those in similar instruments made from dense hardwoods.

[0081] The woodwind musical instruments disclosed herein may take advantage of the laminate properties to have thinner or more variable wall thicknesses, which would not be reliably achievable with natural wood.

[0082] Lighter instruments can be manufactured by using a reduced density laminate and/or by reducing the wall thicknesses. As the laminate can be machined to accurately and without porosity, low density compositions can be used without the problems encountered with lower density and more porous hardwoods.

[0083] Children, in particular, would benefit from lighter woodwind instruments, such as oboes, made from a less dense material without compromising the mechanical, structural and tonal function of the instrument.

[0084] The use of laminates of different and/or variable density allows new designs of instruments to be explored and optimised in a manner that was not possible with natural wood.

[0085] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate, particularly woodwind instruments, are capable of producing and retaining throughout life a very fine tone, comparable or superior to similar instruments made from dense hardwoods. These qualities are maintained throughout life without the extensive care and maintenance that similar woodwind instruments made from dense hardwoods require.

[0086] The tone of a woodwind instrument is affected by changes in the surface roughness and profile of the instrument’s bore. Woodwind instruments can be made from the laminate with a very smooth bore that is not affected by condensation from the musician’s breath and/or changes in humidity and other environmental conditions.

[0087] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can be manufactured in a range of densities and/or colours to match the physical, aesthetic and/or tonal qualities of similar instruments made from dense hardwoods.

[0088] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can look as if they have been made of natural wood. In particular, the majority of woodwind instrument sections are turned, and such a process cuts through the layers of veneer that comprise the laminate. This process reveals the sequential layers of veneers, which look like the annual growth rings of natural wood.

[0089] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can use a laminate which has been produced with a ripple pattern throughout the material, Figure 7, to closely reproduce the look of dense hardwood.

[0090] Woodwind instruments often comprise a number of separate sections. It is aesthetically desirable for the colour of the wood to match for all the sections that comprise an individual instrument. This is not necessarily easy to achieve with dense hardwoods but can be readily achieved by using the laminate, which can be uniformly dyed to the desired colour. Complete instruments can be made from a single sheet of laminate, which enables accurate colour matching and/or graining throughout the instrument.

[0091] Woodwind instruments can be made from a laminate, which comprises veneers of different thicknesses to give the desired physical, aesthetic and tonal properties.

[0092] Woodwind instruments can be made from a laminate comprising wood veneers impregnated under vacuum with synthetic resin and compressed in a single pressing under heat and pressure to a densified sheet thickness greater than 20.0 mm. Ideally, the sections of a woodwind instrument are made from sheets of laminate of a size that minimises any machining waste.

[0093] The laminate can comprise one or more different wood veneers including, but not exclusive to, beech, maple, sycamore, alder, birch, oak, hornbeam, lime/linden (genus tilia), pearwood, plum wood, other fruitwoods and/or non-European boxwood.

[0094] Alternatively, veneers of tropical hardwoods can be used and the use of such veneers would be less wasteful than machining instruments out of solid hardwood. The use of such veneers would, most likely, be subject to CITES control.

[0095] Woodwind instruments can be made from the laminate that comprises one or more different and/or variable densities of laminate depending on the desired physical, aesthetic and tonal properties. The principal dense hardwoods preferred for woodwind instruments usually have densities in the range 1000-1400 kg per cubic metre. A woodwind instrument made from the laminate with a relative density within this range is readily achievable.

[0096] A woodwind instrument made from the laminate with a density in excess of 1400 kg per cubic metre is achievable with the laminate, which enables a new properties to be attained by woodwind instruments that have not previously been possible using natural solid wood.

[0097] Woodwind instruments can be made from a laminate of variable density, Figure 6. This can be beneficial to musicians who have to hold woodwind instruments away from the body, for example an oboe or cor Anglais, where a lower density laminate at the farthest end of the instrument minimises the amount of strain that holding the instrument can cause.

[0098] Woodwind instruments can be made from a laminate of variable density to optimise the centre of mass and/or other characteristics and/or properties of the woodwind instrument.

[0099] Woodwind instruments can be made from a laminate of variable composition and/or density impregnated with synthetic resin and compressed in a single pressing under heat and pressure to a density equal to or exceeding 1000 kg per cubic metre and a densified sheet thickness in excess of 20.0 mm. Such a laminate can comprise different proportions of different materials in different areas of the laminate. Woodwind instruments can be made from such a laminate can thereby be optimised in a range or characteristics and properties, for example but not exclusive to, mechanical, physical and/or tonal qualities.

[00100] Woodwind instruments made from the laminate can be produced with less wastage and fewer defect problems compared to similar instruments made from dense hardwoods.

[00101] Woodwind instruments can be made from the laminate that comprises wood veneers that are dyed and/or otherwise coloured, or left in the natural state, prior to densification. Colouring can be a separate stage from resin impregnation or combined with the resin impregnation stage. The resin itself can be chosen to dye the wood the desired colour. The natural colouring of beech laminate is very similar to palisander and other rosewood species used for making woodwind instruments.

[00102] The wood veneers that comprise the laminate can be dyed by any method including, but not exclusive to; soaking the veneers in a suitable dye; vacuum impregnation; compressing the wood and then letting the compressed wood absorb a dye as it regains some or all of its precompressed shape. This latter technique gives a very uniform colouring throughout the wood veneers. If necessary, the veneers can be bleached first before dyeing to adjust the final colour balance to more accurately replicate a particular dense hardwood. Once the dyed and/or bleached wood is impregnated with resin, it can be compressed under heat and pressure to the required density and sheet thickness.

[00103] The resin used for the laminate can be chosen to give the desired colour to the final laminate or can be combined with a suitable dye or separate dyeing stage(s). Similarly, woodwind instruments can be made of laminate, which has been dyed to non-traditional colours to give new combinations and permutations of colour.

[00104] Woodwind instruments can be manufactured from the laminate in a comparable way and using essentially the same equipment as is required for dense hardwoods. Alternatively, modern non-traditional production techniques and/or automated machining can be employed with the laminate. Minor tooling changes and/or cutting angles and/or cutting speeds may need to be adjusted.

[00105] The principal woodwind instruments, including but not exclusive to, oboes, clarinets, oboe d’amore, cor Anglais, flutes and recorders, come in different sizes. The larger the instrument, the more difficult it is for manufacturers to acquire suitably seasoned dense hardwood. Consequently the cost of the instrument increases, sometimes significantly, with size. Manufacturing woodwind instruments from the laminate overcomes this problem due to the homogeneity of the material and its availability in sheet sizes exceeding that necessary for the manufacture of the principal woodwind and other woodwind instruments.

[00106] Woodwind instruments, particularly the principal woodwind instruments, can be made from single pressings of the laminate without the necessity to bond separate sheets of the laminate together. Previously disclosed impregnated compressed wood laminates for manufacturing woodwind instruments, for example EP1384574, have been limited to sheet sizes of 20.0 mm thickness or less, unless multiple sheets are stuck together. Woodwind instruments disclosed in this Application are made from a single laminate sheet and have an increased homogeneity and visual coherence compared to previously disclosed materials.

[00107] Woodwind instruments can be made from sheets or pieces of the laminate bonded together to produce sheets or pieces of greater thickness and/or dimensions than can be produced in a single pressing. Typically, the sheets are bonded together with a cold setting resin of the same family as that impregnated into the veneer sheets. Blocks of the laminate up to 600 mm thickness are routinely produced using this method; this provides sufficient size of laminate from which to manufacture the majority of woodwind instruments in any direction of laminate layers.

[00108] Bonding sheets together enables the direction of the veneers to be orientated in a desired direction and/or in the same or different directions for woodwind instruments comprising one or more separate sections. This enables the properties of the laminate to be utilised in the most effective manner for each section of a woodwind instrument.

[00109] Woodwind instruments can be made from sheets or pieces of the laminate bonded or otherwise connected or joined to other materials, including, but not exclusive to, natural wood, plywood, metal, carbon fibre, aramid fibre and/or other composites.

[00110] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the wood veneers can be replaced and/or interleaved with carbon fibres, glass, ceramic and other composites, aramid, Kevlar, fabric/woven material.

[00111] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the wood veneers have been dyed with contrasting colours.

[00112] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the wood veneers have been dyed with a single colour.

[00113] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the wood veneers have been dyed black.

[00114] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the veneer grain is aligned in the same direction.

[00115] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the veneer grain is laid in two or more different directions.

[00116] The present invention incorporates musical instruments made from densified impregnated wood veneers where the veneer grain alternates at 90 degrees to each other.

Claims (75)

1. A weatherproof woodwind musical instrument body, or section thereof, made from a densified resin impregnated engineered wood laminate, which is compressed in a single pressing to a density greater than 700 kg per cubic metre and where the grain direction of adjacent laminate veneers are not aligned.

2. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 1 where the wood laminate comprises beech veneers impregnated under vacuum with synthetic resin and compressed in a single pressing under heat and pressure to a densified sheet or block with a thickness in excess of 20.0 mm and with a density equal to or greater than 850 kg per cubic metre.

3. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, where the densified resin impregnated wood laminate is made in a single pressing of sufficient thickness to manufacture a whole section of the instrument without requiring two or more sheets of laminate to be bonded together.

4. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the densified resin impregnated wood laminate replaces the whole or any corresponding section or comparable part of the instrument traditionally made of dense hardwood which is subject to CITES regulation.

5. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the densified resin impregnated wood laminate has the equivalent density to a dense hardwood of the genus Dalbergia, including, but not exclusive to: rosewood, cocobolo (£>. retusa), tulipwood (Z7. decipu/aris), kingwood (Z7. cearensis), palisander, Honduras rosewood (D. stevensonii) and grenadilla (Z7. melanoxylon).

6. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the densified resin impregnated wood laminate has the equivalent density to a dense hardwood such as that of one of the following: ebony (genus Diospyros), European boxwood (buxus sempervirens), cocuswood [brya ebenus), pernambuco or brazilwood (caesa/pinia echinata), partridgewood (caesalpinia granadillo), pink ivory (berchemia zeyheri), snakewood (piratinera guianensis).

7. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the densified resin impregnated wood laminate has the equivalent density to a wood species that is subject to control by the CITES Treaty.

8. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the density of the laminate is greater than, or equal to, 1000 kg per cubic metre.

9. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from a laminate comprising beech wood veneers impregnated under vacuum with synthetic resin and compressed in a single pressing under heat and pressure to a densified sheet thickness greater than 20.0 mm and with a density greater than, or equal to, 1000 kg per cubic metre.

10. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 20.0 mm and less than, or equal to, 30.0 mm.

11. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 30.0 mm and less than, or equal to, 40.0 mm.

12. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 40.0 mm and less than, or equal to, 50.0 mm.

13. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 50.0 mm and less than, or equal to, 60.0 mm.

14. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 60.0 mm and less than, or equal to, 70.0 mm.

15. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 70.0 mm.

16. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from two or more pieces of the laminate bonded together where at least one sheet of laminate was manufactured in a single pressing to a densified sheet thickness greater than 20.0 mm.

17. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is joined or otherwise connected to another material and/or any corresponding section or comparable part of the woodwind musical instrument.

18. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a phenolic resin.

19. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a melamine resin.

20. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a formaldehyde resin.

21. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a synthetic thermosetting resin.

22. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a cold-setting resin.

23. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a synthetic and/or semi-synthetic and/or natural thermosetting resin, polymer, pre-polymer and/or monomer.

24. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a synthetic and/or semi-synthetic and/or natural thermoplastic resin, polymer, pre-polymer and/or monomer.

25. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using a synthetic and/or semi-synthetic and/or natural adhesive, resin, polymer, pre-polymer and/or monomer.

26. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using unidirectional veneers.

27. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using cross ply veneers.

28. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the veneers comprising the laminate are of uniform thickness arranged in any desired orientation and/or order.

29. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the veneers comprising the laminate are of different thicknesses arranged in any desired orientation and/or order.

30. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is arranged so that the veneers run parallel to the axis of the bore of the instrument; as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4.

31. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is arranged so that the veneers run at 90 degrees to the axis of the bore of the instrument; as shown in Figure 3.

32. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is arranged so that the veneers run in more than one orientation when the instrument is assembled; an example of which is shown in Figure 5.

33. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is manufactured using veneers that are impregnated with a dye and/or stain and/or coloured resin.

34. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is stained, painted and/or otherwise coloured during manufacture and/or after machining the body of the woodwind musical instrument has been completed.

35. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from a laminate comprising wood veneers impregnated under vacuum with synthetic resin and compressed in a single pressing under heat and pressure and with a densified sheet thickness in excess of 20.0 mm where the laminate is made from more than one species of wood.

36. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the laminate is made from one or more of the following species of wood: beech, maple, sycamore, alder, birch, oak, hornbeam, and/or lime/linden (genus 777/a).

37. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the laminate includes other woods in addition to one or more of the following wood species: beech, maple, sycamore, alder, birch, oak, hornbeam, and/or lime/linden (genus 777/a).

38. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the laminate is made from wood veneers that exclude the following species: beech, maple, sycamore, alder, birch, oak, hornbeam, and/or lime/linden (genus 777/a).

39. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the laminate is made from one or more of the following: maple, pearwood, plum wood, other fruit woods, European boxwood and/or non-European boxwood.

40. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the laminate is manufactured with some of the wood veneers replaced and/or interleaved with other materials including, but not exclusive to any combination and/or arrangement of one or more of the following: carbon fibres, woven carbon fabric, aramid fibres, woven aramid fabrics, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanotube composites, other carbon composites, boron fibres, boron composites, ceramic fibres, glass fibres and/or glass fibre composites.

41. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the veneers are deformed during manufacture to give the laminate a non-linear wood grain and/or wood grain effect; for example as shown in Figure 7.

42. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from a laminate comprising beech veneers impregnated under vacuum with synthetic resin and compressed in more than one pressing under heat and pressure to greater than, or equal to, 1000 kg per cubic metre, and with a densified sheet thickness in excess of 20.0 mm.

43. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate has a variable density.

44. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where sections of the instrument use laminate of different densities.

45. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where a single section of the instrument use laminate of variable density.

46. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate where the laminate is a proprietary product.

47. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, made from the laminate, which is novel in design and/or function.

48. A woodwind musical instrument, according to any one or more preceding Claims, which is machined and/or carved out of one or more solid blocks of the laminate.

49. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, which is made from a laminate of variable composition.

50. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is an oboe.

51. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is an oboe.

52. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a bassoon.

53. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a bassoon.

54. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a Bb clarinet.

55. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a Bb clarinet.

56. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a flute.

57. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a flute.

58. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a recorder.

59. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a recorder.

60. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a chanter or drone.

61. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a chanter or drone.

62. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a double reed aerophone, including but not exclusive to: oboe, Conservatoire oboe, Wiener oboe, piccolo oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais (English horn), oboe da caccia, bombarde, bass oboe, heckelphone, contrabass oboe, piston oboe, bassoon, contraforte, tenoroon, semi-contrabassoon, contrabassoon and/or their historical predecessors.

63. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a double reed aerophone, including but not exclusive to: oboe, Conservatoire oboe, Wiener oboe, piccolo oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais (English horn), oboe da caccia, bombarde, bass oboe, heckelphone, contrabass oboe, piston oboe, bassoon, contraforte, tenoroon, semicontrabassoon, contrabassoon and/or their historical predecessors.

64. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is a single reed aerophone, including but not exclusive to: soprano clarinets, octave clarinet, basset horn, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, contrabass clarinet and/or their historical predecessors.

65. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is a single reed aerophone, including but not exclusive to: soprano clarinets, octave clarinet, basset horn, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, contrabass clarinet and/or their historical predecessors.

66. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is an internal duct flute, including but not exclusive to: sopranissimo recorder, sopranino recorder, soprano recorder, alto recorder, tenor recorder, bass recorder, great bass recorder, contrabass recorder, contragreat bass recorder, sub-contrabass recorder and/or their historical predecessors.

67. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is an internal duct flute, including but not exclusive to: sopranissimo recorder, sopranino recorder, soprano recorder, alto recorder, tenor recorder, bass recorder, great bass recorder, contrabass recorder, contra-great bass recorder, sub-contrabass recorder and/or their historical predecessors.

68. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is an edge-blown aerophone, including but not exclusive to: fife, piccolo, treble flute, soprano flute, concert flute, flute d'amour, alto flute, bass flute, contra-alto flute, contrabass flute, subcontrabass flute, double contrabass flute, hyperbass flute and/or their historical predecessors.

69. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is an edge-blown aerophone, including but not exclusive to: fife, piccolo, treble flute, soprano flute, concert flute, flute d'amour, alto flute, bass flute, contra-alto flute, contrabass flute, subcontrabass flute, double contrabass flute, hyperbass flute and/or their historical predecessors.

70. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument is an enclosed reed aerophone, including but not exclusive to the chanters, drones and practice chanters of: Scottish Great Highland bagpipes, Irish uilleann pipes, Scottish Border pipes, Scottish Lowland pipes; Northumbrian smallpipes, pastoral pipes, English Border pipes; French musette de cour and/or their historical predecessors.

71. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims, where the instrument is an enclosed reed aerophone, including but not exclusive to the chanters, drones and practice chanters of: Scottish Great Highland bagpipes, Irish uilleann pipes, Scottish Border pipes, Scottish Lowland pipes; Northumbrian smallpipes, pastoral pipes, English Border pipes; French musette de cour and/or their historical predecessors.

72. A woodwind musical instrument according to Claim 3, where the instrument comprises one or more sections of concentric tubing.

73. A woodwind musical instrument according to any one or more preceding Claims where the wall thickness and/or mass and/or centre of gravity are optimise by using the laminate in a manner not achievable in woodwind instruments made from natural solid wood.

74. Any novel feature or combination of features or improvements in or relating to woodwind musical instruments as described herein.

75. A woodwind musical instrument substantially as described herein.