Patents by Inventor Banri Abe

Banri Abe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230169940
    Abstract: A vibration plate for a musical instrument includes: a plate-shaped vibration plate main body that has a deformation anisotropy property; a first elongated reinforcing member disposed on a first face of the vibration plate main body, and that projects outwardly from the first face and extends along the first face in a direction that prevents the vibration plate main body from deforming; and a second elongated reinforcing member disposed on a second face of the vibration plate main body, and that projects outwardly from the second face and extends along the second face in the direction that prevents the vibration plate main body from deforming. As viewed from a thickness direction of the vibration plate main body, at least part of the first elongated reinforcing member overlaps with at least part of the second elongated reinforcing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Banri ABE, Ichiro OSUGA, Masatsugu OKAZAKI, Shinji SUMINO, Taishi SHINOHARA, Takashi KITAGAWA, Takuya ABE
  • Patent number: 11114071
    Abstract: Provided is a percussion instrument including a substantially cylindrical barrel and a weight fixed to the barrel. More specifically, a plurality of weights 5A to 5D may be provided on the inner circumferential surface of a shell 2 of a drum 1 (a percussion instrument). The weights 5A to 5D may be provided at positions where the weights 5A to 5D have four-fold rotational symmetry in the circumferential direction of the shell 2. The weights 5A to 5D may be each provided between lugs 3 that are provided adjacent to each other on the outer circumferential surface of the shell 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Hashimoto, Noritaka Nagai, Banri Abe
  • Patent number: 11094302
    Abstract: An effect imparter for a musical instrument includes a wire bundle including at least one snare, and a plate that has a hook configured to be hooked by a string and that is fixed to a first end portion of the wire bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Banri Abe
  • Patent number: 10984760
    Abstract: Provided is a musical instrument including a vibratable body; and a vibrator. The vibrator includes a vibrating body that vibrates in a predetermined direction; and a coupling member coupling the vibrating body and the vibratable body and that transmits vibration of the vibrating body to the vibratable body. The coupling member includes a shaft extending between the vibrating body and the vibratable body; a first wire rod coupling one end portion of the shaft and the vibrating body; and a second wire rod coupling another end portion of the shaft and the vibratable body. A resonance frequency of each of the shaft, the first wire rod, and the second wire rod is at least 10 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Banri Abe, Masatsugu Okazaki, Ichiro Osuga, Shinji Sumino, Takuya Abe, Takashi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10891923
    Abstract: A vibrator includes: a movable portion connected to a vibratable member; a driver configured to drive the movable portion to cause vibration of the movable portion to vibrate the vibratable member; and a driver supporter secured to a support member and configured to support the driver such that the driver is pivotable about an axis extending in a direction intersecting a movable direction of the movable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatsugu Okazaki, Ichiro Osuga, Banri Abe, Shinji Sumino, Takashi Kitagawa, Takuya Abe
  • Publication number: 20200342838
    Abstract: An effect imparter for a musical instrument includes a wire bundle including at least one snare, and a plate that has a hook configured to be hooked by a string and that is fixed to a first end portion of the wire bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventor: Banri ABE
  • Patent number: 10692479
    Abstract: A musical instrument pickup includes a vibrating body that is disposed facing a plurality of sound sources and excited in response to sounds from the sound sources, and a sensor that detects vibration of the vibrating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Banri Abe, Tetsuya Yamakoshi
  • Publication number: 20200184935
    Abstract: Provided is a musical instrument including a vibratable body; and a vibrator. The vibrator includes a vibrating body that vibrates in a predetermined direction; and a coupling member coupling the vibrating body and the vibratable body and that transmits vibration of the vibrating body to the vibratable body. The coupling member includes a shaft extending between the vibrating body and the vibratable body; a first wire rod coupling one end portion of the shaft and the vibrating body; and a second wire rod coupling another end portion of the shaft and the vibratable body. A resonance frequency of each of the shaft, the first wire rod, and the second wire rod is at least 10 kHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Banri ABE, Masatsugu OKAZAKI, Ichiro OSUGA, Shinji SUMINO, Takuya ABE, Takashi KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200152160
    Abstract: A vibrator includes: a movable portion connected to a vibratable member; a driver configured to drive the movable portion to cause vibration of the movable portion to vibrate the vibratable member; and a driver supporter secured to a support member and configured to support the driver such that the driver is pivotable about an axis extending in a direction intersecting a movable direction of the movable portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Masatsugu OKAZAKI, Ichiro OSUGA, Banri ABE, Shinji SUMINO, Takashi KITAGAWA, Takuya ABE
  • Publication number: 20190287507
    Abstract: A musical instrument pickup includes a vibrating body that is disposed facing a plurality of sound sources and excited in response to sounds from the sound sources, and a sensor that detects vibration of the vibrating body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Banri ABE, Tetsuya YAMAKOSHI
  • Publication number: 20190251934
    Abstract: Provided is a percussion instrument including a substantially cylindrical barrel and a weight fixed to the barrel. More specifically, a plurality of weights 5A to 5D may be provided on the inner circumferential surface of a shell 2 of a drum 1 (a percussion instrument). The weights 5A to 5D may be provided at positions where the weights 5A to 5D have four-fold rotational symmetry in the circumferential direction of the shell 2. The weights 5A to 5D may be each provided between lugs 3 that are provided adjacent to each other on the outer circumferential surface of the shell 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Ryuji HASHIMOTO, Noritaka NAGAI, Banri ABE
  • Patent number: 9959849
    Abstract: A drum, including: a shell; at least one head; and a vibration damping portion including at least one of (a) an outer-surface facing surface which is disposed in substantially parallel with and is closely opposed to an outer surface of an outer peripheral portion of the at least one head without contacting the outer surface and (b) an inner-surface facing surface which is disposed in substantially parallel with and is closely opposed to an inner surface of the outer peripheral portion of the at least one head without contacting the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Banri Abe, Ryuji Hashimoto, Keita Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20170263222
    Abstract: A drum, including: a shell; at least one head; and a vibration damping portion including at least one of (a) an outer-surface facing surface which is disposed in substantially parallel with and is closely opposed to an outer surface of an outer peripheral portion of the at least one head without contacting the outer surface and (b) an inner-surface facing surface which is disposed in substantially parallel with and is closely opposed to an inner surface of the outer peripheral portion of the at least one head without contacting the inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Banri ABE, Ryuji HASHIMOTO, Keita MIYAZAKI
  • Patent number: 9570054
    Abstract: A musical bar for a musical instrument includes a striking surface and a back surface which is a back side of the musical bar from the striking surface. When the striking surface is struck, the musical bar is vibrated to produce a musical tone with a unique pitch as a pitch of a fundamental tone. A recess is formed in the musical bar so as to be recessed from the back surface toward the striking surface. A position of a node of vibration of the fundamental tone for the musical bar is substantially aligned with an imaginary center of gravity of the recess in a longitudinal direction of the musical bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Banri Abe, Kiminori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20160247493
    Abstract: A musical bar for a musical instrument includes a striking surface and a back surface which is a back side of the musical bar from the striking surface. When the striking surface is struck, the musical bar is vibrated to produce a musical tone with a unique pitch as a pitch of a fundamental tone. A recess is formed in the musical bar so as to be recessed from the back surface toward the striking surface. A position of a node of vibration of the fundamental tone for the musical bar is substantially aligned with an imaginary center of gravity of the recess in a longitudinal direction of the musical bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Banri ABE, Kiminori INOUE
  • Patent number: 8426711
    Abstract: A snare strainer adapted to a snare drum is equipped with two strainers, which are attached to the opposite positions on the circumferential exterior of a cylinder of the snare drum and which control a snappy member to be selectively brought into contact with or separated from the backside head opposite to the drumhead. Herein, a moving base vertically moves along a fixed base attached to the circumferential exterior of the cylinder; holding members, which are tightly joined together so as to hold the terminal of the snappy member, are supported by a support member fixed to the moving base. The holding members are engaged with the support member due to a magnetic attraction exerted by permanent magnets. This makes it possible for the person to detachably attach the holding members to the support member without using tools; hence, it is possible to improve the handling of the snare strainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Banri Abe
  • Patent number: 8022281
    Abstract: A shell for drum according to the present invention includes a laminated plywood-panel including a plurality of single-panels having different densities, the plurality of single-panels being jointed in decreasing order of density from a center portion in a thick direction of the laminated plywood-panel toward an outermost portion and an innermost portion, such that a single-panel having a highest density is arranged at the center portion, and single-panels having lowest densities are arranged at the outermost portion and the innermost portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Banri Abe, Takuya Abe
  • Publication number: 20110100193
    Abstract: A snare strainer adapted to a snare drum is equipped with two strainers, which are attached to the opposite positions on the circumferential exterior of a cylinder of the snare drum and which control a snappy member to be selectively brought into contact with or separated from the backside head opposite to the drumhead. Herein, a moving base vertically moves along a fixed base attached to the circumferential exterior of the cylinder; holding members, which are tightly joined together so as to hold the terminal of the snappy member, are supported by a support member fixed to the moving base. The holding members are engaged with the support member due to a magnetic attraction exerted by permanent magnets. This makes it possible for the person to detachably attach the holding members to the support member without using tools; hence, it is possible to improve the handling of the snare strainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: BANRI ABE
  • Patent number: 7884272
    Abstract: A snare strainer adapted to a snare drum is equipped with two strainers, which are attached to the opposite positions on the circumferential exterior of a cylinder of the snare drum and which control a snappy member to be selectively brought into contact with or separated from the backside head opposite to the drumhead. Herein, a moving base vertically moves along a fixed base attached to the circumferential exterior of the cylinder; holding members, which are tightly joined together so as to hold the terminal of the snappy member, are supported by a support member fixed to the moving base. The holding members are engaged with the support member due to a magnetic attraction exerted by permanent magnets. This makes it possible for the person to detachably attach the holding members to the support member without using tools; hence, it is possible to improve the handling of the snare strainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Banri Abe
  • Patent number: 7692082
    Abstract: A drum is formed using a drum shell having openings at both ends thereof, across which drumheads are stretched under tension. At least one air hole is formed at a prescribed position of the exterior surface of the drum shell, allowing air flow to occur between the inside and the outside of the drum shell. At least one tone color change member, which is composed of cloth and rubber sheets, is attached to the interior wall of the drum shell in connection with the air hole; hence, the air hole is closed by the tone color change member. Thus, it is possible to appropriately change the tone color of drum sound without substantially changing the size of the drum, which can be designed similar to any types of conventionally known drums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Banri Abe