A KEYBOARD BAG FOR A KEYBOARD-PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT

Abstract

The present invention is a keyboard bag (8) for a percussion keyboard instrument (vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, metallophone, glockenspiel, or the like) for safe operation and transportation of the keyboard (2), which is the most essential and expensive component of instruments of this class. Unlike known bags for a similar purpose, this bag (8) uses special internal bar tabs (10, 10.1) which, when placed on the keyboard (2), are inserted into the gaps (7) between adjacent bars (3), thus separating them and preventing them from coming into mutual contact, under various operating and transporting conditions. This bag (8) helps to protect the keyboard (2) of the instrument from unwanted physical impact and damage and provides for more convenient and efficient mounting and unmounting of the keyboard during assembly and disassembly of the instrument.

Claims

1. A keyboard bag for a keyboard-percussion musical instrument, the bag comprising a flat, flexible, preferably, single-bodied, base for at least covering the keyboard, where the shape and size of the base matches or closely resembles the unfolded keyboard with the bars connected through their transverse holes by chords, wherein the bag further comprises flexible bar-separating tabs attached inseparably to the base for inserting said tabs into gaps between each two adjacent bars of the keyboard when the bag covers the top-surface of the keyboard, wherein the height of each bar-separating tab is substantially greater than the maximum thickness of the bar plates, for wrapping each bar plate from underneath.

2. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the width of the bar-separating tabs corresponds to the distance between the transverse holes of the bars that have to be separated.

3. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the bar-separating tabs are attached inseparably, preferably, sewn, onto the base, all tabs being aligned to the same direction, for ease of inserting the tabs into the gaps during covering the top-surface of the keyboard by the bag.

4. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag further comprises one or two separating tabs attached to the side-edge and other side of the base, for separating the keyboard-tension-metal-spring from its adjacent bars.

5. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag has fastening means used to fasten the bag being wrapped together with the keyboard into a compact roll.

6. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag base and the bar-separating tabs are made of a strong and flexible material, preferably, strong and flexible fabrics, and comprising an internal soft padding.

7. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the bar-separating tabs, including the external strong and flexible material and the inner soft padding, is selected such to insert each bar-separating tab tightly into the gap between the corresponding adjacent bars usual to such keyboard mounted on the instrument.

8. The method of using the bag according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: covering the top-surface of the keyboard of the assembled instrument by inserting the bar-separating tabs into the bar-gaps to protect the keyboard when the instrument is not in use; during disassembly of the instrument, dismantling the percussion keyboard by covering its top-surface by the bag with the bar-separating tabs inserted into the bar-gaps, and rolling the keyboard together with the bag into a compact roll, wrapping the inserted tabs underneath each bar plate, to prevent collision and ringing of the bars and direct contact of the bars mutually and with other metal parts of the instrument; during assembly of the instrument, installing the keyboard by unrolling said compact keyboard with the bag roll onto the instrument, to allocate the keyboard into its position on the instrument, and to prevent collisions and ringing of the bars mutually and with other metal parts of the instrument; safely storing the keyboard wrapped into a compact roll, in which the bar-separating tabs of the rolled bag are inserted into the bar gaps and wrapped underneath each bar plate; safely transporting the keyboard wrapped into a compact roll, in which the bar-separating tabs of the rolled bag are inserted into the bar-gaps and wrapped underneath each bar plate.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method applicable to cover, to install and dismantle, to store safely and to transport keyboards and bars of the following keyboard-percussion musical instruments: vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, metallophone, glockenspiel.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention is explained in the drawings. The drawings are an integral part of the description of the invention and are provided as a reference to a possible embodiment of the invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 The keyboard bag with the bar-separating tabs visible on its surface;

[0017] FIG. 2 The keyboard bag with the bar-separating tabsa schematic drawing;

[0018] FIG. 3. Placing the bag on the keyboard by inserting the bar tabs into the gaps between the bars;

[0019] FIG. 4 The bag that covers the surface of the keyboard and protects the keyboard when the instrument is not in use;

[0020] FIG. 5 The bag together with the keyboard: rolling into a roll; a half-rolled roll depicted;

[0021] FIG. 6 The bag with the keyboard: fully wrapped into a compact roll, suitable for safe storage and transportation of the keyboard.

DRAWINGSREFERENCE NUMERALS

[0022] 1 keyboard-percussion instrument (vibraphone); [0023] 2 the keyboard; [0024] 3 bars of the keyboard; [0025] 4 transverse holes in plates of the bars; [0026] 5 cords connecting the bars into the keyboard through the transverse holes; [0027] 6 keyboard holders on the instrument frame; [0028] 7 bar gaps; [0029] 8 bars bag; [0030] 9 the base of the bag; [0031] 10 bar-separating tabs in the bag for bar separation and protection; [0032] 10.1side bar-separating tabs on the base to separate the keyboard tension spring from the bars; [0033] 11 means for clasping the bag; [0034] 12 tensioning spring of the keyboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] The bag (8) for the keyboard (2) of the percussion-keyboard instrument (1) is made of fabric, preferably with a soft padded base (9). The shape and size of the base (9) can vary, but in the best embodiment, the bag base (9) corresponds to the shape and size of the instrument's unfolded keyboard (2) with the outspread bars (3) and their connecting cords (5). The base (9) of the bag may be slightly larger than the unfolded keyboard (2).

[0036] The bag has special bar-separating tabs (10) attached (sewn) to its base (9). The bag with the tabs is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each of these bar-separating tabs (10) corresponds to the gap (7) on the keyboard (2) between two adjacent bars (3). That is, there are as many bar tabs (10) in the bag (8) as there are gaps (7) between the bars (3) on the keyboard (2). The width of each bar tab (10) corresponds to the distance between the transverse holes (4) in its separable adjacent bars (3). The width of the bar tab (10) may be close to or less than the distance between the holes. The height of the bar (10) is not less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the bar plate (3). Additionally, one more or two side-edge bar-separating tabs (10.1) are attached to the other side of the bag base (FIG. 2), which are provided to separate the keyboard tension metal spring (12) from its adjacent bars. The bag (8), being covered on the keyboard, is shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] The bag (8) may have clasp means (11) (FIG. 2) allowing to clasp the bag (8), wrapped together with the keyboard (2), and to hold the bag in the form of a compact roll (FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0038] The base (9) of the bag (8) and the bar-separating tabs (10) are made of a strong and rigid material suitable for cases and bags for musical instruments. Also, the padding and tabs may use internal paddings, such as nonwoven technical fabric (sintepon), cotton wool, or other similar materials.

[0039] The thickness of the bar-separating tabs (10), including the layer of material and the inner padding, can be selected so that each bar-separating tab (10) fits tightly into the space between the two bar (3), the width of which is usual to such keyboards (2) mounted onto the frame of the instrument (1).

[0040] The keyboard bag (8) can be used to cover and protect percussion keyboards and bars of the following instruments: vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, metallophone, bells, or the like. The bag (8) is suitable for the following major applications: [0041] to cover safely the keyboard (2) of the assembled instrument (1) when the instrument is not in use, for example, when left unattended until the next day. The bar tabs (10) fit into the gaps (7) between the bars, and securely hold the bag (8) on the surface of the keyboard (2), preventing it from slipping off the keyboard (FIG. 4); [0042] to store the keyboard, securely wrapped into a compact roll (FIGS. 5 and 6); [0043] to transport safely the keyboard (2) wrapped into a compact roll.

[0044] The invention is not limited to the instruments, materials, and keyboard bag functionality indicated in this specification. The keyboard bag with bar tabs, for this purpose, can also be used in other suitable cases to protect musical instruments.

LIST OF NON-PATENT CITATIONS

[0045] [1] Yamaha, Soft Cases for YM-5100A Marimba: https://www.lonestarpercussion.com/Cases-Bags/Keyboard-Soft-Cases-Bags/Yamaha-PCS-YM5100A-Soft-Cases-for-YM-5100A-Marimba.html [0046] [2] Pearl marimbas and bags thereof: https://pearldrum.com/products/adams/marimbas/