Percussion instrument, drumhead for percussion instrument, mold for manufacture of drumhead, and manufacturing method of drumhead

Abstract

A percussion instrument includes: a cylindrical shell portion having an open upper surface side; and a drumhead stretched to be installed on the upper surface side of the shell portion, wherein the drumhead includes: a membrane formed of a membranous material, having a struck head portion configured as a striking face to be struck by a performer and an outer periphery located on an outer circumferential side of the struck head portion; and an annular frame formed of a resin material and having the outer periphery of the membrane fixed thereto, and the drumhead is integrally formed by the membrane and the frame by injection molding.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drumhead for a percussion instrument, the drumhead comprising:
 at least one stretchable membrane having a striking portion for receiving a strike from a user, and an outer peripheral portion; and   a rigid frame integrally fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane, the frame having an outer edge defining an outermost edge of the drumhead;   wherein the frame comprises a hardened resin annular body in which the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane is contained, and wherein each side of the annular body of the frame has a surface shape defined by a mold.   
     
     
         2 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the hardened resin annular body is composed of a resin material that is free of any other materials, except for the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane contained therein. 
     
     
         3 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the annular body of the frame has an inner circumference that is configured to fit over the outside of a shell portion of a percussion instrument. 
     
     
         4 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane extends partially into the resin annular body of the frame by length that is less than a shortest radial width of the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The drumhead of  claim 4 , wherein the membrane extends through a radially inward facing side surface of the annular body of the frame. 
     
     
         6 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane extends through a radially inward facing side surface of the annular body of the frame. 
     
     
         7 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the annular body of the frame has an upper surface that includes a plurality of first recessed relief portions, the annular body of the frame has a lower surface that includes a plurality of second recessed relief portions. 
     
     
         8 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the annular body of the frame has a plurality of pin traces located within the plurality of first recessed relief portions, and wherein each pin trace is in alignment with a second recessed relief portion of the plurality of second recessed relief portions. 
     
     
         9 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stretchable membrane comprises a first membrane and a second membrane, the first membrane being separable from the second membrane in the striking portion of the membranes. 
     
     
         10 . The drumhead of  claim 9 , wherein the second membrane is fixed to the rigid frame with less tension than the first membrane. 
     
     
         11 . The drumhead of  claim 10 , wherein the second membrane is below the first membrane and the first membrane defines a striking surface in the striking portion of the first membrane. 
     
     
         12 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stretchable membrane comprises an air permeable mesh material. 
     
     
         13 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stretchable membrane comprises a first membrane of an air permeable mesh material and a second membrane of an air permeable mesh material. 
     
     
         14 . The drumhead of  claim 1 , wherein the resin comprises a heat-melt resin that hardens when cooled and that shrinks in size when cooled. 
     
     
         15 . A percussion instrument comprising:
 a shell having an upright portion;   at least one membrane affixed in a tensioned state over the upright portion of the shell portion, the at least one membrane having a striking portion for receiving a strike from a user, and an outer peripheral portion; and   a rigid frame integrally fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane, the frame having an outer edge defining an outermost edge of the drumhead;   wherein the frame comprises a hardened resin annular body in which the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane is contained, and wherein each side of the annular body of the frame has a shape defined by a mold.   
     
     
         16 . The percussion instrument of  claim 15 , wherein the hardened resin annular body of the frame is composed of a resin material that is free of any other materials, except for the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane contained therein. 
     
     
         17 . The percussion instrument of  claim 15 , wherein the rigid, annular body of the frame has an inner circumference that is configured to fit over the outside of a shell portion of a percussion instrument. 
     
     
         18 . The percussion instrument of  claim 15 , wherein the membrane extends partially into the resin annular body of the frame by length that is less than a shortest radial width of the frame. 
     
     
         19 . The percussion instrument of  claim 18 , wherein the membrane extends through a radially inward facing side surface of the annular body of the frame. 
     
     
         20 . The percussion instrument of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one stretchable membrane comprises a first membrane and a second membrane, the first membrane being separable from the second membrane in the striking portion, and wherein the second membrane is fixed to the rigid frame with less tension than the second membrane. 
     
     
         21 . The drumhead of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one stretchable membrane comprises an air permeable mesh material. 
     
     
         22 . The drumhead of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one stretchable membrane comprises a first membrane of an air permeable mesh material and a second membrane of an air permeable mesh material. 
     
     
         23 . The drumhead of  claim 10 , wherein the resin comprises a heat-melt resin that hardens when cooled and that shrinks in size when cooled. 
     
     
         24 . A method of making a drumhead for a percussion instrument, the method comprising:
 providing at least one stretchable membrane having a striking portion for receiving a strike from a user, and an outer peripheral portion; and   integrally fixing a rigid outer frame to the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane, the frame having an outer edge defining an outermost edge of the drumhead;   wherein integrally fixing the rigid outer frame comprises molding a hardened resin annular body in an enclosed mold that contains the outer peripheral portion of the at least one membrane.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the enclosed mold comprises an injection mold.