Patent US4048592A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4292875A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4292875A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Strain-gauge sound pickup for string instrument
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-03-27
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Granted: 1981-10-06
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Expires: 2000-03-27
Abstract
Abstract The strings of a musical instrument, e.g., a guitar, are individually supported on an instrument body by webs of a hard but elastic polymeric material which are free to vibrate in the longitudinal direction of the strings and carry respective strain gauges whose direction of maximum sensitivity includes an acute angle with that longitudinal direction and with the underlying body surface. The webs may be integral with or bonded onto a more massive bridge or bridge section and have gable-shaped tops carrying the strain gauges.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl-Ernst Nourney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:12
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H3/00; G10H3/12; G10H3/14; G10H3/18; G10H3/185; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/461; G10H2220/465; G10H2220/475; G10H2220/485; G10H2220/525; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/27
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A musical instrument comprising: an instrument body; a plurality of strings anchored under tension to said body while extending with major portions of their length in a plane generally parallel to a surface of said body; support means on said surface holding said strings separated from said body, said support means including a plurality of webs of hard elastic material engaged by respective strings under a pressure transverse to said plane, said webs being free to vibrate in a direction parallel to said major portions in response to changes in the effective lengths of the respective strings; and transducer means for converting vibrations of said strings into electrical signals, said transducer means including a plurality of strain gauges respectively disposed on said webs with a direction of maximum sensitivity inclined to said plane at an acute angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
A musical instrument comprising: an instrument body; a plurality of strings anchored under tension to said body while extending with major portions of their length in a plane generally parallel to a surface of said body; support means on said surface holding said strings separated from said body, said support means including a plurality of webs of hard elastic material engaged by respective strings under a pressure transverse to said plane, said webs being free to vibrate in a direction parallel to said major portions in response to changes in the effective lengths of the respective strings; and transducer means for converting vibrations of said strings into electrical signals, said transducer means including a plurality of strain gauges respectively disposed on said webs with a direction of maximum sensitivity inclined to said plane at an acute angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said webs are provided with gabled tops having sloping front and back faces separated by ridges in contact with said strings, each of said strain gauges being mounted on one of said sloping faces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein said strings have anchor portions in contact with said back faces, and bent at an obtuse angle about rear edges of the latter, said strain gauges being mounted on said front faces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An instrument as defined in claim 3 wherein the supplement of said obtuse angle is less than the slope angle included between said back faces and said plane whereby said ridges are more strongly loaded than said rear edges by the respective strings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
An instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein said ridges are concave to form shallow grooves receiving said strings.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
An instrument as defined in claim 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said webs have bases rigidly joined to a bridge member resting on said surface, said bridge member having wings flanking said webs with narrow lateral clearances.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
An instrument as defined in claim 6 wherein the width of said clearances exceeds the thickness of a string, said wings being provided with projections overhanging said grooves with intervening gaps less than a string thickness.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said acute angle lies between substantially 30° and 60°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said elastic material is a synthetic polymer.
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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) | 1984-10-05 | 1985-04-06 | 1985-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-10-05 | 1989-04-06 | 1989-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-10-05 | 1993-04-06 | 1993-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |