Patent US3592098A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3592098A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic musical instrument employing plural tuning sheets and a hand-held selector
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-05-21
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Granted: 1971-07-13
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Expires: 1989-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A device for producing selected tones includes an electrically operated tone generator which includes a stylus and a plurality of terminals for producing tones by completing a circuit through the stylus and the one of the terminals that will cause the desired tone to be produced. A separate conductor for each terminal is on a sheet and extends to one edge. Each conductor is uninsulated at a portion at said edge, and at least at one other point. By folding the edge portion of the sheet each conductor will have an uninsulated portion at both the upper and under side s of the sheet for making contacts with similarly arranged conductors on another sheet, above or below, if a number of the sheets are stacked. A contact board has contacts connected respectively to the tone generator terminals and arranged to contact respective conductors on one or more sheets by placing the board against the edge portion of one or more of the sheets. A selected tone is produced by contacting the stylus with an uninsulated point on one of the conductors on a sheet.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest A Zadig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:43
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B5/00; G09B5/06; G09B5/062; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/32; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A device for electrically producing selected tones comprising an electrical tone generator which produces a selected tone when a particular circuit is completed therethrough by making a connection between a stylus and one of a plurality of terminals of the generator, a sheet having a plurality of spaced electrical conductors thereon extending to one edge of the sheet, each of said conductors being covered with electrical insulation except along a portion of its length inward from said edge of the sheet and at least at one other selected point, an elongated board element contacting the portion of the sheet along said edge which carries the uninsulated portions of each of the conductors, said board element having a pluraliTy of electrical contacts on at least one side thereof, said contacts being spaced to conform to the spacing between the uninsulated conductors at the edge of the sheet, so that each of said contacts is in contact with the uninsulated portions of one of the conductors, and each of said contacts being connected to one of said terminals of the tone generator whereby a selected tone is produced by placing the stylus in electrical contact, through one of said uninsulated points, with the conductor that is connected through said board element to the appropriate terminal for the tone desired.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
217 words
A device for electrically producing selected tones comprising an electrical tone generator which produces a selected tone when a particular circuit is completed therethrough by making a connection between a stylus and one of a plurality of terminals of the generator, a sheet having a plurality of spaced electrical conductors thereon extending to one edge of the sheet, each of said conductors being covered with electrical insulation except along a portion of its length inward from said edge of the sheet and at least at one other selected point, an elongated board element contacting the portion of the sheet along said edge which carries the uninsulated portions of each of the conductors, said board element having a pluraliTy of electrical contacts on at least one side thereof, said contacts being spaced to conform to the spacing between the uninsulated conductors at the edge of the sheet, so that each of said contacts is in contact with the uninsulated portions of one of the conductors, and each of said contacts being connected to one of said terminals of the tone generator whereby a selected tone is produced by placing the stylus in electrical contact, through one of said uninsulated points, with the conductor that is connected through said board element to the appropriate terminal for the tone desired.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1 in which said conductors are lines of electrically conductive ink and said insulation is an overlay of nonelectrically conductive ink.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
160 words
The device of claim 1 in which said uninsulated portion of each conductor extends substantially at right angles in from said edge of the sheet, and in which the portion of the sheet along said edge is folded over to expose the uninsulated portion of each conductor on the upper side and on the underside of the sheet with the uninsulated portion of each conductor exposed on the underside in alignment with the uninsulated portion of the same conductor exposed on the upper side, at least one additional similarly constituted sheet stacked with the other with uninsulated portions of the conductors on the under side of one sheet in contact with uninsulated portions of corresponding conductors on the upper side of the sheet below, said board element having its contacts in contact with the conductors of one of the sheets to thereby effectively connect the corresponding conductors of each of the sheets to the respective terminals of the tone generator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device of claim 3, and in combination, a base member having said tone generator mounted thereon, said sheets and said board element being supported on the base member, and means attaching said edge portions of the sheets and the board element to each other and to the base member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
The device and combination of claim 4 in which the tone generator is arranged along one edge of the base member with said edge portions of the sheets and said board element attached to the base member adjacent the tone generator and parallel to said one edge of the base member thereby to form a booklike structure wherein the main portion of the topmost sheet is adapted to be folded up and away from the next lower sheet to expose the said uninsulated points of the conductors on the latter sheet for access of the stylus thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device and combination of claim 5 in which said conductors are lines of electrically conductive ink and said insulation in an overlay of nonelectrically conductive ink.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |