AU750620B2

AU750620B2 - Didgeridoo containing an inserted sound emitting device

Info

Publication number: AU750620B2
Application number: AU63561/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Glen Jacobs; Rodney Meares
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-28
Filing date: 2001-08-21
Publication date: 2002-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-21
Also published as: AU6356101A; WO2003056544A1

Description

DIDGERIDOO CONTAINING AN INSERTED SOUND EMITTING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a didgeridoo which can be of conventional manufacture, and which can be fitted with a sound emitting device to allow an unskilled person to emulate the sounds of a didgeridoo.

The invention will be described with reference to a didgeridoo, but it should be appreciated that the invention need not be limited in this manner and may extend to other tubular type musical instruments.

BACKGROUND ART A didgeridoo is a typically Australian musical instrument which consists of a hollow, usually wooden, tube. One end of the tube can be seen as a mouthpiece and is blown into. The air resonates through the tube and a deep resonating sound is produced out of the other end of the tube. A didgeridoo is extremely difficult to play properly and requires a great deal of skill and learning. On the other hand, didgeridoo's are extremely popular as purchase items by tourists, yet virtually all the tourists find it deeply frustrating 0 to play the didgeridoo due to the complex nature of the instrument.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 2The present invention is directed to a didgeridoo which can 20 contain an inserted sound emitting device, the device being pre-programmed to emit sounds which are typical for a didgeridoo.

el.coi The present invention is also directed to a sound emitting device .000 which can be placed inside a tubular type instrument.

It is an object of the invention to provide a didgeridoo and/or a sound emitting device which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in a didgeridoo comprising an S"elongate hollow body having two ends, one end being the mouthpiece and the other end being the outlet, and a didgeridoo sound emitting device positioned at least partially within the body, the device having an activation means to allow the device to be selectively activated to produce a didgeridoo sound.

In another form, the invention resides in a sound emitting device adapted for insertion into a tubular instrument, the device able to emit sounds resembling the normal sound of the instrument, the device having a body, resilient spacer means extending from the body and which is adapted to contact the internal wall of the instrument to position the device in the instrument, and an activation means to allow the device to be selectively activated.

The didgeridoo is typically of conventional manufacture and existing didgeridoo's can be fitted with the sound device. A didgeridoo has a typical length of between 1 to 2 m, and a typical diameter of between 40 to 100 mm.

The sound emitting device has a body. The body may be formed of rigid material which may comprise plastics material or other type of material. The body typically houses the electronic components of the device.

The device may be powered by batteries which can be housed inside the body. The body may have a compartment in which the batteries can be placed, the compartment having a door which can be opened to remove the ~batteries. The body may house a speaker. The speaker may be positioned at one end of the body and preferably such that when the body is inserted into the didgeridoo, the speaker points down the passageway of the didgeridoo.

The device typically contains electrical or electronic circuitry to generate the desired sounds. This type of circuitry is known in the art. The circuitry drives l the speaker to emit the desired type of sound.

The body has an activation means to allow the device to be selectively activated. The activation means may be in the form of a switch.

25 The switch may be in the form of a button which can be depressed by a person's finger or even tongue to cause the device to emit sounds. The ooooi button is preferably located at one end of the body such that when the body is inserted into the didgeridoo, the button is adjacent the mouthpiece. A pressure activated switch is envisaged which can be activated by blowing into the mouthpiece of the didgeridoo.

The device may be provided with means to allow it to be fitted into the didgeridoo passageway, or the passageway of other types of instruments, in such a manner that the device does not merely slide down the passageway. In one form of the invention, the device (and typically the body) has at least one resilient spacer means extending therefrom. The spacer means can be compressed as the device is pushed into the passageway, and can then expand to press up against the internal wall of the passageway to keep the device in place. Various types of spacer means are envisaged. In one form, the spacer means may be in the form of a body of compressible foam material. In another form, the spacer means may comprise a compressible rubber or other type of material. In yet another form, the body itself may be formed of compressible material. Spring fingers are also envisaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1. Illustrates a sound emitting device.

Figure 2. Illustrates a didgeridoo fitted with the sound emitting device of Figure 1.

Figure 3. Illustrates a sound emitting device substantially the S: same as that illustrated in figure 1, but with a slightly squatter shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the figures and initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated a sound emitting device 10. In the embodiment, device 10 has a length of between 10 to 12 cm. Device 10 has a relatively rigid plastics body 11. The body 11 is elongate and tapers from a narrower front end 12, to a wider rear end 13. Inside the body 11 is a battery compartment (not illustrated). The body 11 also houses and protects the electronic circuitry (not °illustrated) which provides the necessary sounds. Rear end 13 terminates in a speaker 14. Front end 12 is fitted with an activating switch 15 which can be depressed by persons finger, or even by persons tongue, to activate the device. Depression of switch 15 will cause the circuitry to activate speaker 14 to emit didgeridoo type sounds.

Fitted about the body 11 is a resilient spacer means which, in the embodiment, is in the form of a compressible foam ring 16. Foam ring 16 is "doughnut" shaped and can be slid over the body 11 from the narrower front end towards the wider rear end until ring 16 grips body 11. If desired, ring 16 can be glued or otherwise attached to the body 11 such that it cannot be easily removed.

The device 10 is pushed through the mouthpiece of a didgeridoo 17 which is illustrated in Figure 2. Didgeridoo 17 has an elongate hollow body having two ends, one end 18 being the mouthpiece of the didgeridoo, and the other end 19 being open to allow sound to pass out of the didgeridoo in the direction of arrow 20. The didgeridoo is of known design. The device is positioned adjacent mouthpiece 18 in such a manner such that switch 15 is accessible to a person wishing to "play" the didgeridoo. Ring 16 has a diameter which is larger than the internal diameter of the didgeridoo which means that ring 16 is compressed as the device is pushed down the internal passage of the didgeridoo. When in the desired location, the device is let go and ring 16 will grip against the internal passageway wall. This will locate the device in place sufficiently to allow switch 15 to be manipulated without the device falling down the didgeridoo, but the device is still able to be removed if required.

20 In use, the device can be placed in the didgeridoo and the didgeridoo can be placed against a persons mouth. Switch 15 can then be activated to cause the speaker 14 to emit didgeridoo type sounds. The speaker 14 points down the length of the didgeridoo passageway and can create an authentic sound. The didgeridoo can then be "played" by an untrained person, and to a casual onlooker, it appears that the person is actually playing the didgeridoo.

•Referring to figure 3, there is illustrated a sound emitting S°device 30 which is similar to that described above except that it has a slightly more squatter shape. The device has a speaker 31 positioned inside a substantially hollow body. A foam sponge ball 32 is positioned about the body and has a diameter of between 60-70 mm. The speaker outlet 33 has a diameter of approximately 37 mm. On the other end is a push switch 34 which can be pushed by persons finger to activate the speaker. The unit has a length of approximately 90 mm.

The sound emitting device in the embodiment consists of a battery powered IC unit with a speaker and a select switch. The internal workings of the unit are encased into a plastic case which is surrounded by a very light sponge ball which is designed to fit into most sized timber tubes.

The device can be inserted into either end of a long timber tube (for instance a didgeridoo). The device as illustrated in figure 3 has a IC unit which is capable of delivering eight separate tunes each tune lasting for about seconds. The speaker sizes 37 mm, and the speaker wattage is 0.25-0.5 watts. The speaker resistance is 4-8 ohms. The speaker volume can be between 70-90 decibels tested 1 m from the end of the tube. The unit voltage is 4.5 V DC. The frequency response is 3-4 kHz.

It should be appreciated that various other changes or modifications can be made to the embodiment described. For instance, device 10 can be programmed or manufactured to emulate different types of sounds thereby making the device suitable for using different types of instruments or implements.

*I

Claims

1. A sound emitting device adapted for insertion through the mouthpiece or outlet into a tubular instrument, the device able to emit sounds resembling the normal sound of the instrument, the device having a body, resilient spacer means extending from the body and which is adapted to contact the internal wall of the instrument to position the device in the instrument, and allowing the device to be removed without damage to the instrument and an activation means on the device to allow the device to be selectively activated.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the body is formed of rigid material.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has electronic components, which are housed in the body.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein batteries, which are housed inside the body, power the device. 15

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the body houses a speaker.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the speaker is positioned at one end of the body and such that when the body is inserted into the tubular member, the speaker points down the passageway of the tubular member.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the electronic components in the body generates the desired sounds.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the activation means is a switch.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the switch is a device which can be switched to provide power to activate vibration/impact switching to cause the device to emit sounds. 25

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the switch is located at one end of the body such that when the body is inserted into the didgeridoo, the switch is facing the mouthpiece. o

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the spacer means is a body of compressible foam material.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the spacer means comprises a compressible rubber material.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the body itself comprises compressible material.

14. A tubular instrument having a passageway formed with an internal wall and having a sound emitting device in the internal passageway, the device able to emit sounds resembling the normal sound of the instrument, the device having a body, resilient spacer means extending from the body and which and contacting the internal wall of the instrument to position the device in the instrument, and an activation means on the device to allow the device to be selectively activated.

The instrument of claim 14, wherein the resilient spacer means comprises foam.

16. The instrument of claim 15, which is an Australian didgeridoo. 0.. a. oo.ooi