Patents by Inventor Jimmie Ray Melhart
Jimmie Ray Melhart 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).
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Patent number: 11881194Abstract: A folding marimba may include a first set of spaced apart rails; a first set of tone bars suspended from the first set of spaced apart rails; a second set of spaced apart rails; and a second set of tone bars suspended from the second set of spaced apart rails; wherein the first and second sets of spaced apart rails are configured for hinged rotation about a hinge line such that the marimba is configurable in an unfolded configuration having a first length and a folded configuration having a second length that is less than the first length. For example, the second length may be about half of the first length.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 11605367Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2022Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Publication number: 20220139362Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 11244662Abstract: A folding marimba may include a plurality of rails, a plurality of natural bars suspended from some of the rails, and a plurality of accidental bars suspended from some of the rails. In some embodiments, the rails may be mounted to resonator panels. The rails and/or the resonator panels may be configured for hinged rotation such that the marimba is configurable in an unfolded position having a first length and a folded position having a second length that is less than the first length. For example, the second length may be about half of the first length.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2021Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano And Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 11227569Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Publication number: 20210233502Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 10930254Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2020Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Jim Melhart Plano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Publication number: 20200335071Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 10643590Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2019Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Publication number: 20190304416Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 10325577Abstract: A foldable idiophone musical instrument may have two frames to support accidental tone bars on the first frame and natural tone bars on the second frame. Connecting members may attach to opposite ends of the frames. The connecting members may allow the frames to rotate from 0° to 180° from a horizontal position to collapse or fold the instrument. The connecting members may have a riser portion and a stop block portion. The riser portion may elevate the accidental tone bars above the natural tone bars. The stop block portion may prevent the frames from rotating to less than 0° from the horizontal when in a performance position.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 10127900Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 9536506Abstract: A lighted drum or other article may have a LED strip light and a wireless receiver/decoder in communication with the LED strip light. The wireless receiver/decoder may be configured to receive wireless control signals from a remote computer and control operation of the LED strip light in response to the control signals. Some embodiments may include a trigger assembly engaged with a drum head; a wireless receiver/decoder in communication with the trigger assembly; and at least one LED strip light in communication with the wireless receiver/decoder. The trigger assembly may be configured to generate a trigger signal in response to movement of the drum head. The wireless receiver/decoder may be configured to receive the trigger signal and wireless control signals and control operation of the at least one LED strip light in response to the trigger signal and the control signals. Related systems and methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventors: Jimmie Ray Melhart, Samuel David Eanes
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Publication number: 20160307557Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2016Publication date: October 20, 2016Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 9378726Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2014Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Publication number: 20140290874Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 8783328Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2012Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Jim Melhart Paino and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Publication number: 20120152468Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2012Publication date: June 21, 2012Inventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 8091605Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2007Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: D650611Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2011Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart