US4096780A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stereophonic electromagnetic pickup device for stringed musical instruments
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-12-23
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Granted: 1978-06-27
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Expires: 1996-12-23
Abstract
Abstract An electric guitar with steel strings feeds into a stereophonic amplifier and loudspeaker system with two channels and is fitted with a pickup which senses each guitar string individually and proportions the signals from each string differently, so that each guitar string sounds from the loudspeakers as though that string is in a different position from all the other strings. For each guitar string the pickup has a respective pair of coils of varying numbers of turns and a respective permanent magnet. Electrical connections to the coils enable one channel to receive a signal from one coil of each pair and the other channel to receive a signal from the other coil of each pair, so that there are two composite signals, one per channel.
Inventors
- 👤 Lorna Ann Dawson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:00
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H3/00; G10H3/12; G10H3/14; G10H3/18; G10H3/182; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/27
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
325 words
A polyphonic pickup device for use with a stringed musical instrument of a type having an instrument body, a plurality of strings of ferromagnetic material, means for suspending said strings under tension from two spaced portions of the instrument body and means for individually adjusting the tension in each string so as to adjust the musical pitch of that string, the pick-up device comprising: a support; a plurality of groups of electric coils mounted to the support, the number of groups of said coils corresponding to the number of strings of the musical instrument, each group of coils being spaced apart from the other groups of coils, several of said groups having at least first and second coils; a plurality of spaced-apart permanent magnets mounted to the support and corresponding in number to the number of groups of said coils and hence to the number of said strings; each group of coils being positioned close to an associated one of the said magnets so as to be in the magnetic field thereof; first electrical connections between said first coils of said groups of coils; second electrical connections between said second coils of said groups of coils; the ratio of the number of turns in the first coil to the number of turns in the second coil being different for each group of coils; means for mounting the support to the instrument body to place each string in the magnetic field of a respective one of the said magnets; means for producing as a first electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said first coils resulting from vibration of said strings; and means for producing as a second electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said second coils resulting from vibration of said strings; whereby polyphonic reproduction of said first and second electrical output signals produces an aural effect as if the individual strings of the musical instrument are widely spaced apart.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
325 words
A polyphonic pickup device for use with a stringed musical instrument of a type having an instrument body, a plurality of strings of ferromagnetic material, means for suspending said strings under tension from two spaced portions of the instrument body and means for individually adjusting the tension in each string so as to adjust the musical pitch of that string, the pick-up device comprising: a support; a plurality of groups of electric coils mounted to the support, the number of groups of said coils corresponding to the number of strings of the musical instrument, each group of coils being spaced apart from the other groups of coils, several of said groups having at least first and second coils; a plurality of spaced-apart permanent magnets mounted to the support and corresponding in number to the number of groups of said coils and hence to the number of said strings; each group of coils being positioned close to an associated one of the said magnets so as to be in the magnetic field thereof; first electrical connections between said first coils of said groups of coils; second electrical connections between said second coils of said groups of coils; the ratio of the number of turns in the first coil to the number of turns in the second coil being different for each group of coils; means for mounting the support to the instrument body to place each string in the magnetic field of a respective one of the said magnets; means for producing as a first electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said first coils resulting from vibration of said strings; and means for producing as a second electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said second coils resulting from vibration of said strings; whereby polyphonic reproduction of said first and second electrical output signals produces an aural effect as if the individual strings of the musical instrument are widely spaced apart.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A pickup device as defined in claim 1 wherein the total number of turns in each group of coils is the same.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A pickup device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first electrical connections connect said first coils in series with each other and wherein said second electrical connections connect said second coils in series with each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A pickup device as defined in claim 1 wherein the groups of coils and the permanent magnets are each six in number and are arranged on the support to underlie guitar strings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A pickup device as defined in claim 1 wherein the number of coils in each group is two for stereophonic reproduction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
318 words
In a stringed musical instrument having an instrument body, a plurality of strings of ferromagnetic material, means for suspending said strings under tension from two spaced portions of the instrument body and means for individually adjusting the tension in each string so as to adjust the musical pitch of that string, the provision of a polyphonic pickup device comprising: a support; a plurality of groups of electric coils mounted to the support, the number of groups of said coils corresponding to the number of strings of the musical instrument, each group of coils being spaced apart from other groups of coils, several of said groups having at least first and second coils. a plurality of spaced-apart permanent magnets mounted to the support and corresponding in number to the number of groups of said coils and hence to the number of said strings; each group of coils being positioned close to an associated one of the said magnets so as to be in the magnetic field thereof; first electrical connections between said first coils of said groups of coils; second electrical connections between said second coils of said groups of coils; the ratio of the number of turns in the first coil to the number of turns in the second coil being different for each group of coils; means mounting the support to the instrument body and placing each string in the magnetic field of a respective one of the said magnets; means for producing as a first electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said first coils resulting from vibration of said strings; and means for producing as a second electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said second coils resulting from vibration of said strings; whereby polyphonic reproduction of said first and second electrical output signals produces an aural effect as if the individual strings of the musical instrument are widely spaced apart.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
318 words
In a stringed musical instrument having an instrument body, a plurality of strings of ferromagnetic material, means for suspending said strings under tension from two spaced portions of the instrument body and means for individually adjusting the tension in each string so as to adjust the musical pitch of that string, the provision of a polyphonic pickup device comprising: a support; a plurality of groups of electric coils mounted to the support, the number of groups of said coils corresponding to the number of strings of the musical instrument, each group of coils being spaced apart from other groups of coils, several of said groups having at least first and second coils. a plurality of spaced-apart permanent magnets mounted to the support and corresponding in number to the number of groups of said coils and hence to the number of said strings; each group of coils being positioned close to an associated one of the said magnets so as to be in the magnetic field thereof; first electrical connections between said first coils of said groups of coils; second electrical connections between said second coils of said groups of coils; the ratio of the number of turns in the first coil to the number of turns in the second coil being different for each group of coils; means mounting the support to the instrument body and placing each string in the magnetic field of a respective one of the said magnets; means for producing as a first electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said first coils resulting from vibration of said strings; and means for producing as a second electrical output signal a combination of electric signals from said second coils resulting from vibration of said strings; whereby polyphonic reproduction of said first and second electrical output signals produces an aural effect as if the individual strings of the musical instrument are widely spaced apart.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as defined claim 6 wherein the total number of turns in each group of coils is the same.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein said first electrical connections connect said first coils in series with each other and wherein said second electrical connections connect said second coils in series with each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein the musical instrument is a six-stringed electric guitar and the groups of coils and the permanent magnets are each six in number and underlie the guitar strings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
The combination as defined in claim 7 wherein said first electrical connections connect said first coils in series with each other and wherein said second electrical connections connect said second coils in series with each other and wherein the musical instrument is a six-stringed electric guitar and the groups of coils and the permanent magnets are each six in number and underlie the guitar strings.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-26 | 1981-12-26 | 1982-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-26 | 1985-12-26 | 1986-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-26 | 1989-12-26 | 1990-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |