CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATES APPLICATIONS

[0ΘΘΤ[ This application claims, priority under -35 U.S.C §! 19(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/217,854 filed September: 12, 2015, incorporated .herein, in its entirety,

FIELS OF THE INVENTIO

|0iHI2] The invention is directed to a universal, self-contained, removable head and ring system for upgrading or nestling your acoustic musical drum kit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

$003! Transporting and setting-up drum sets is a time consumer and clumsy task which ca cause damage to the -drum set resulting i additional costs. Drums are large and the "heads" are fragile both in regard to structure and tuning issues. It is the desire of ever drummer who plays professionally, semi-professionally, -weekend warriors or bar gig players to dramatical iy reduce the amount of herns needed to bring to the venue; saving space to transport and time to set up and break down,

0 04| The otuTent a»d er most con monly used standard for tuning drums is best depicted by ITS. Design Pat. Fuji 0350,362 referred to as the drum hoop, it includes a plurality of evenly spaced holes for bolts to be inserted through, in orde to exert tension on the dram head, and having an overall shape designed to fit over the drum _, head, U.S. Design Pat, D33¾818, provides an example of lugs which, are fastened to the drum shell and/or serve as anchors for the bolts inserted through the drum hoop previously described.

[00051 Using traditional drum hoops and methods, to evenly apply tension to the drum head to set the correct pitch takes a great amount, of time and skill, often being time consuming and frustmiing. To deal, with this problem, systems for tuning drums have been proposed to simplify, this common task. For example, U.S. Pat No. 4,218,952 is comprised of a large counter-hoop with a plurality of inward facing slides angled io act as. ramps which ride on rollers or matching opposing, slides fastened to the drum shell, it is tuned by rotating the counter-hoop clockwise or -counterclockwise using a rack and pinion activation system. U.S. Pat. ^' No. 5,739,44& is comprised of an Inverted J -shaped counter -hoop, -which, engages an -externally threaded, outwardly facing tuning rim surface on a tuning collar thai is seeuxed to the drum shell. Clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the counter-hoop is -accomplished by a pair of gears, one for gross tuning, and/or one for fine tuning. U.S. Pat. No. 7,777,1 12 uses an outer -ring attached to the drum shell with, threads on the inner diameter. An inner ring which has a thread on the outside diameter engages the outer .ring's threads. A lower inner ring which is separated by ball, bearings rides on the rim of the drum head. Rotating the inner ring increases or decreases the tension on the dram head.

Tuning was described in U.S. Pal. No. 7,138,574, having three annular members o-rings. The first annular member is the cam ring which utilizes a single spiraling track or helical around ^' its ^' outside diameter starting at the top of -the spiral cam ring spiraling down and exiting a the bottom and is fastened to the cylindrical drum shell in the vicinity near the opened end of the drum shell. The second ting is a smaller inner counter-hoop having vertical and horizontal surfaces which form an L cross .section. The third ring is a larger outer rotating actuator ring has inward facing horizontal surface atop the vertical ^' surface forming an. inverted I, cross section and encompasses the spiral, cam rin parallel to the spiral track or helical at its outside diameter. Inward facing rollers or- wheels mounted on its vertical surface of the Inside- diameter engages the track or helical of the cam ring. The rotating actuators inverted L cross section -overlaps the L cross section of the inner counter-hoop, and the two rings are separated by bearings or rollers to reduce friction while twisting the rotating actuator ring clockwise or counterclockwise. The eamraing effect increases or decreases the downward force on the inner counter-hoop which, bears down on the outer run of: the drum head, when fitted oyer the open end of fee drum, shell, thereby tuning the drum. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,567, includes a method for attaching the tuning system to a drum, shell and used eccentrics on the lugs to raise and/or lower the cam ring, A horizontal radius plate with holes ibr a druni stick is included to engage asd/o be used as a leverage point, stationary in relation to the drum shell. In the '567 patent a tool was devised which, hooked on "cleats" mounted on the lower vertical walls of the rotation actuator ring. A drum stick can be used for leverage against the tool while engaging fee holes in the stationary radius plate and thereby i½iiitates movement of the rotating actuator ring, which in turn times the drum.

(.0007 J ^' There still exists today the need for a drum system that provides packaging and transportation efficiency to save time and space while providing an effective means of Tuning upon assembly.

BRIEF SlJM AIiY OF THE INVENTION 000$] The invention is directed to a universal self-contained, removable head and ring system for upgrading r nesting an _. acoustic musical drum ki t

[0009] in a first embodiment the invention is directed to a drum ring timing system having an -adjustable tuning ring in contact with a dram skin, at least one additional ring and a securing device which contacts the adjustable tuning ring and the at least one additional ring; the securing device being a bolt.

[0010] in another embodiment the invention is directed to a drum ring tuning system having _, aft adjustable tuning ring hi contact wi h a drum skin, at least one additional ring and a securing device which contacts the adjustable t nin ring nd the at least ne additional ring. The securing device being complementar ridges on th -at least one additional device and the adjustable tuning riag.

[0011] In another embodiment, the invention is -directed to a ring system which can continually monitor and maintain the pitch and tension of a musical drum head affixed to the invention,

|6012] In yet another embodiment the invention is directed to a method to assemble and disassembly the system of the present invention, wherein the system allows the drum skin to maintain its *'fane" based on the construction and components of the system. BRIfSF BlSCMFTfOH OF THE RAWiNCJS

_. [0013} FIGURE I is a partial cross-section of a first embodiment of the invention;

[0014] FIGURE 2 is a cE ss-section of a first embodiment of the invention taken along the line A~A;

|0015| FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; βΙ&Ι FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-section of another embodiment of the invention; |1 17] FIGURE 5 is a cro s-section of the embodiment of FIGURE 4 talcen along -the line A- A;

{001.8} FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of FIGURE 4; [6019] FIGURE is- a side view of an alternate embodiment of the embodiment of FIGURES 4-6:

10020] FIGURE 7 A is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIGURE 7; [0021} FIGURE 7B is a top view of the embodiment of FIGURE 7; and [0022} FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of the embodiment, of FIGURE 7, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE I VEN

Ρ ⁾ Θ23| Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to ^' be. taken as a limitation on the present invention. Th terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. The embodiments discussed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. These enibodiments are chosen and described to best explain the principle of the invention and its application and practical use and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

[0024} The invention is a drum ring system which is a ly tunable ring type system that c verts: into a nesting kit; therefore malting a drum, set compact for transportation and storage. Most pai kniarly, the invention is directed to a drum ring tuning system having an adjustable tuning ring in contact with a drum skin and at least one additional ring- A securing device i contact with the adjustable, tuning ring and the at least one additional ring provides the ability to adjust tension on the drum, sk head to produced and control the desired sound.

f!M)2S] Due to the construction of the ring components being made of wood or a. variety of plastic or neoprene, all ring system components also bring an. additional spectrum of sounds when played.

{0026] Referring to FIGURES 1-3 , in a. first embodiment,, the invention is directed to the drum, ring system 10 .made up of three rings. First, the lower ring 12 is designed with a slotted sectio 1.2 A to. provide a .flush or slightly recessed area for the mounting lug 1.4 to be applied. An oval penetration 30 from the bottom of the slotted section. 12A tiirough the bottom of lower ring 12 allows the lower ring 12 to be mounted onto most any existing- ring mount pattern used on musical drums i the: industry via the mounting lug bolts 14, used by most manufacturers. Custom spacers 16 are used as standoffs potentially having a custom length. These spacers provide a means for the lower ring 12 to be mounted to the existing drum lugs/hoop lug receivers 22 that, are typically mounted at different heights on different drums. The top of the lower ring 12 needs to be at a specific location relative to the top of the drum. Therefore, a custom spacer 16 is needed to bring the lower ring 12 to the correct height. .It will be recognized the spacer 16 will be diffe ent for different types of drums. The custom spacers 16 provided in this design will allow solid mounting of the lower ring 12 to standard drams with existing, hoop lug receivers 22. These receivers 22 are located at various intervals around the circumference of dmra shell 20, the number of receivers 22 being- determined by the size or circumference of the drum. This design provides a slotted ring that, will accommodate any standard dram design.

P 27] Assembly of the. system 10 is most commonly from, the bottom up, shell mounted lug receiver 22, custom spacer 16, lower ring 12, mounting lug 14 with an optional washer, tightened by a drum key . This lower ring 12 may sit on -a secured custom spacer 16. This lower ring 12 is the foundation for securing the upper ring assembly 26, The lower ring 12 also serves as the mounting surface for quick release clamps 24. These clamps -24 are needed to secure the upper ring assembly 26 to the lower ring 12. The clamps 24 are to be attached to the outside of the lower ring 12 in locations that will mirror the clamp receiver- assembly 28 located on the outside of the upper ring 26.

[0028] The upper ring assembly 26 is a removable, split ring system consisting of a lower mounted ^' drum head receiver ring 32. The receiver ring 32 is held affixed by quick, release clamps 24, which fasten it -to the lower ring 12, This recei er ring 32 i designed to serve as the mounting frame for the drum head 34 and the upper tuning ring 36. When the drum head 34 is positioned within the upper tuning ring 32, the timing ring 36 is then placed on top. 002 ] The receiver ring 32 has receiver inserts 42 to allow for the tuning ring 36 to be fastened to it. The tuning ring 36 fits over the drum head 34 and is fastened inio ihe receiver ring 32 with the upper lug bolts 40.

|0030] The top ring o ¾m.ing rin " 36 is aa adjustable, tunable, -drumhead, mounting ring. This inning ring 36 is -attached through the use of ^" -upper lug bolts: 40 and coordinated recei ver inserts 42 located in the recei ver ring 32 of the upper ring assembly 26. When the tuning ring 36 is placed above the dram head 34. tension is applied to the drum head 34 by tightening the upper lug bolts 40. When the tension of lite drum head 34 is tuned, to the desired note, installation is complete. More particularly, whe the tuning rin 36 is tightened down on the drum head 34 it increases the tension in the drain head 34 and makes die frequency of die sound higher when the drum is struck. Loosening the timing ring 36 allows the tension In the drum head 34 to decrease and makes the frequency of the sound lower when the dram is struck.

1 _, 0031] ^' The invention will now be described in an additional embodiment wherein like reference numbers are meant to illustrate like features.

|#632] Referring to FIGURES 4-6. in another embodiment:, the tuning ring 136 has a defined inner diameter to be positioned on top of the ring 134A that is part of the drum head 134, but it does not cover the skin of the- dram head 134. Further, the outer diameter of the tuning ring 136 has external threads 136A. The external threads 136Ά on the tuning ring 136 interface with internal threads 13 A on the lower receiver ring 132. As the tuning ring 136 is threaded into the lower receiver ring 132 it applies an, even force on the dram head 134, The tunin ring 136 can be turned in order to adjust the resulting force which changes the tension in the drum head 134 and produces a- desired sound when the drum is played. At that point the drum head 1 4 is recognized to be - correctly properly in time or 'Tuned- |0Θ33] One skilled in the art will recognize the difference in the embodiments described in the previous paragraphs is how force, is. applied to the dram head 34, 134 in order to create a _. specific tension to achieve a desired sound when the drum is played. In. both embodiments, _, the timing ring 36, .136 is used to apply tills force. However, it is designed differently ift these two embodiments, and therefore force is applied to them d fferently. In the first embodiment as provided herein, th tuning ring 36 is a ring of material that lias the correct inne diameter to rest on top of the ring 34A that is part of th drum head 34, bat it does not covet the skin, of the drum head 34, it also has the correct outer diameter to slide inside the receiver ring 32. The tuning ting 36 has multiple eoimisroored thru holes that align with, lug receiver inserts 42 in the receiver ring 32. When, upper tensio lugs 40 are inserted through the timing ring 36 and threaded into the lug receiver inserts 42,. the tuning ring 36 and the: lower receiver ring 3.2 are drawn together whic applies a force on the drum, head 34. If all of the upper tension lugs 4.0 are tightened evenly to a. correct torque, it is recognized as properl in time "tuned" and desired sound wi ll be produced when the drum is played.

P634| Referring to FICjU ES 7 and , in another embodiment, the invention, is directed to a ring system which can continuall monitor, and maintain: the pitch and tension of a musical drum head affixed to the invention. Powered by battery or DC ping in, sensors, will signal a motor to operate a mechanical screw type, clamp type, vector type, vacuum type, suction, type or any other mechanical or pneumatic system utilized to apply and reduce tension to a drum head to attain correct tune. This system will enable the user to play a musical dram set while maintamh g perfect pitch or tune set by the user allowing auto - adjusting o the time of any drum head affixed to it, this feature will be referred t as "Auto-Tune". Auto-Tune can be a. software driven system that when triggered b sensor will operate mover or movers, e.g an electronically controlled physical device (such as a motor or pneumatic system). The mover or movers will eliminate the need lor the drum to be tuned with a drum key ,

|O03S A programmable panel, pad or even a -smart phone app is used to adjust the drum tuning ori the fly as the user is performing. Tliis pre prograirxmable pad is used to enhance the arena of sound available to Mm, especially during a solo. It will also have a vajriety of preset modeling sounds to provide he user instant time correction within the dram's natural tonality to accompany a given piece of music or closely copy the soun and tone of several po ular draramers on the nits sic seen.

[0036]· Auto -tune works by a mobile application or computer software "app" on a controller, e.g. any electronic hardware that allows the user to program or control the Auto-Tune system, including but not limited to,, a .mobile device (cell phone, tablet, etc.), a hand held gaming system style controller or a radio controlled ca style controller for monitoring the drum through a microphone, vibration sensor, acceleronieter and/or .drarti head tension sensor as the drum Is played. The app then sends a signal to the .electronic control hardware 250 which is one or more circuit boards, one or more microchips and a collection of other electronic par s that control the mover or movers, that are used to exert a force on the system. Further, the electronic control hardware 250 can control lights mounted on the drum ring system, can sense environmental conditions (such as light, vibration, temperature and sound), and communicates with the app running on the controller in. either a wired configuration or a wireless configuration. Core to the function of the invention, the electronic control hardware' 250 will cause a .mover or movers to move the tuning ring 36, 136, 236 of the various embodiments, and achieve a desired sound.

{0037J Referring, to FIGURES 7 and 8, a non-Hniiting example of how this is achieved in embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 4-6. A motor 246 is mounted on the lower ring 212. The .motor 246 includes a gear 248 mounted thereto thai ^" interfaces with the gear-tooth-lilce features 236B on the outer diameter of the tunin ring 236. The app {not. shown) .running on. the controller (not shown) 'listens" through, a microphone (not shown) for the dram system 210 to foe played. Based on what the app "hears", it sends a signal to the electronic control hardware 250 through a wireless Bluetooth Low Energy connection to direct the direction and speed to activate the motor 246. The electronic control hardware 250 causes the motor 246 to "tuxrr \ which turns the. gear 248,. whic tarns the tuning ring 236. The tension in the dram, head 234 changes as the tuning ring 236 turns:. The sound of the drum changes as the tension changes as desired, by the .user/drummer of the system 210. The user continues to play the drum., and the app continues, to listen; this cycle continues until the mote 246 ^' has positioned the tuning rin 236 to the correct position, for the drum, head 234 to produce the sound that the app has been programmed to require from the system 210, At that point the tension in. the drum skin 234 is reasonabl consistent across the drum skin, and that tensio produces specific desired sound, when the drain is played; "in rune''.

[OIBSJ One skilled in the art would recognize the Auto-Tune f nctionalit described herei can be used in conjunction with the first embodiment provided herein, however, in the first .embodiment, all of the upper tension, lugs 40 need to be fumed individually to a correct torque in order to produce a desired sound and correctly ' u e" the drum. For this system t be tuned by motors or other means, each of those upper tension lugs 40 need to be turned.

[0039) The Auto-Tune features of the present nivention enable an acoustic drum t produce sound in a way that was not previously possible. This new sound is a result of a function called dynamic tuning. In dynamic tuning, the ides is that the mover or movers can be moved at _. any point in time, not onl when the drum, is being tuned at the beginning of a session or the beginning of a particular song. As a result, dynamic tuning can be used to change the dnum head 234 from one tension to another while the drum is bein played as best illustrated in FIGURE 7. This results in a sound similar to that of a ^;t whammy bar" on a guitar. The triggers, movements and or timings can be controlled by the app and'or electronic- control hardware 250.

|ΘΟ40| Dynamic toning ca he controlled in multiple ways by the app and/or electronic control hardware 250» First, it can be controlled by a predetermined, user-defined sequence of triggers, movements and/or timings. Second, it can be controlled by a freestyle user interface that would allow the drummer to improvise by changing the sound on the fly. Third, it can he controlled by environmental changes, such as lights, sounds, temperature, and/or oilie instruments. It can also be controlled by any combinatio of these three methods. Triggering of dynamic tuning can be done by a specific sound, drum strike, button press, touch screen press, cue from, another instrument, light change, or other desired sensing method.

(0041 ] Refemng again to the embodiment in FIGURES 7 AND 8, each of the three individual control methods is explained with examples,

[0042] Predetermined User-Defined Sequence

(6 31 Before play begins, the user enters a sequence of triggers, movements and/or timings into the APP. An. example of thi sequence would be: Trigger a dynamic tuning sequence when the light in the room changes from white to red. Tighten the drum head for 0.2 seconds, remain there, for 0.5 seconds, their loosen the drum head for 0.3 seconds and remain there until the sound in the room, drops below 10 decibels, then tighten the drum, head for 0.3 seconds.. In an environmentally controlled period: of time, the dram sound will have changed three times, and the drum may have been struck once or multiple times during thai time period. f 0A44] Freesty le U ser In terface 0Θ45] While the drum is being played, the user has access to an interface thai allows changing of the tension in the drum head 234 on the fly. An example of this wo ld be: using a slider widget in the app, the user can tighten the drum head or loosen the drum head in a fee style fashion that does not require preset triggers or tunings.

046| Environmental Changes

1§047] Before play begins, the user enters a specific set of environmental triggers and priorities into the APP. An example of this would be: Any time the keyboard plays an "A" note, tighten the drum head for 1 second. This is priority 1. When priority 1 is not happening, if the light in the environment brightens to more than 350 millicandelas, tighten the drum head for 0.5 seconds. Conversely, when priority 1 is not happening, if the light in the environment dims to less than: 358 millicandelas, loosen the drum head for 0,5 seconds,

048] in another embodiment a method is provided to assemble and disassembly the system. This method is based on the central concept of the present invention which provides a system tha allows the drum skin to maintain its "tune" based on the construction and components of the system (in each embodiment) as described, herein. Having the ability to remove the upper ring assembly 26, 126, 236, as illustrated best in the exploded figure views, from d e "dram, shelf allows the quick and efficient assembly and disassembly of the drum set while maintaining the "time" of each of the drum heads mat use this invention. Further, this allows the "nesting ^' ' of the various size dmms in the drum set thereby providing the ability to reduce the amount of drum cases needed for transport.

|0849J In a non-liniiting example, when one sizes a standard drum kit it may include several pieces and parts to be assembled and adjusted to prepare to actually play them. The ^• typical kit for this system can vary slightly but. provides these standard drums to be nested into one d um and. so needing only one case! The assembly includes, but is not limited to, 22"x. 22" kick -drum, 1 ^* ¾ 16" Floor torn, 8" 10" torn, toifl _* 65"x 14" Snare drum.

9@5 | The procedure is initiated by im-tightening all quick release clamps on a 14" torn torn drum and the kick drum. Position the kick drum on its unopene ring end. Place the 8" torn torn inside the 14" torn torn and replace the ring system. Then place the 14" torn torn inside the 22" Kick drum. Then place the 6.5" snare drum, on top of the 14" torn torn along with any thin padding as desired. Then replace all of the drums back into the 22" kick drum and secure the Upper ring: . ^' assembly 26,126 on that drum with quick release clamps. Packed 8" into 14" into 22" kick with snare on top; all drums ow fit into one case.

f Sl] The user of the system of the present invention will benefit many ways, -first the ease of opening and re-securing the ring assembly of the embodiments of the invention. Second, the ability that nesting:, e.g. storing a drum, within a drum based on size saves space when traveling. Third, the fact that the d um: head, itself stays in tune longer. Fourth, the ability to have a drum set to be stored for transport in minima! space and "drain cases" allowing the user can convert ^' almost any drum kit into a "nesting Mi" without having to buy additional cases.

[$052] it will be appreciated by those skilled i the art that changes coul be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inveniive concep thereof, it is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the partieiilar embodiments disclosed, but it is intended t cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.