Vibraphone fan drive mechanism
US9922628B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 10, 2017 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 10, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02K7/14
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vibrato assembly for a keyboard percussion instrument comprises a motor and a vibrato fan or disc assembly. A motor (510) is responsive to a controller (1000), a run/stop switch (1035), and a potentiometer (1020). Pulleys (100A, 100B′, 515) and a timing belt (520) couple rotation of the motor to an assembly of resonator or vibrato fans (720) via one or more magnets (120) or magnetically susceptible members to isolate vibrations. A sensor is activated by one of the magnets to sense the rotational position of a pulley when the fans are oriented vertically. When a run/stop switch 1035 is in a “stop” condition, sensor 525 signals controller 1000 to stop the motor, thereby leaving the fans vertical so that resonant tubes (725) are in an open condition when the vibrato function is stopped.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.