Patent US4899636A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4899636A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Instrument for tuning musical instruments
Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1989-01-17
•
Granted: 1990-02-13
•
Expires: 2009-01-17
Abstract
Abstract A tuning apparatus comprises a piezoelectric element provided on a tuner case, and a mounting member which enable the tuning apparatus to be mounted on a musical instrument to be tuned. The piezoelectric element converts vibration provided by the musical instrument through the tuner case into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal to a pitch calculation circuit. The tuning apparatus prevents the detection error due to a harmonic component having a larger amplitude than that of fundamental wave component by making the resonance frequency of the tuner case lower than the frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned.
Inventors
- 👤 Mitsuharu Chiba
- 👤 Kazuyoshi Taniguchi
- 👤 Hiroshi Iwase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:12
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10G; G10G7/00; G10G7/02; B; B06; B06B; B06B1/00; B06B1/02; B06B1/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/18; Y10S84/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument, comprising: housing means having a resonance frequency lower than a frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned; mounting means provided on an outer surface of said housing means for mounting the tuning apparatus on the musical instrument; converting means provided on an inner surface of said housing means for converting a vibration produced by the musical instrument through said mounting means and said housing means into an electrical signal; signal generating means for generating at least a signal having a reference frequency; calculating means coupled with said converting means and said signal generating means in said housing means for calculating a pitch of the output signal from said converting means and a pitch deviation between the pitch of said output signal and the pitch of said reference frequency of the signal from said signal generating means; and display means for displaying information calculated by said calculating means and being disposed on the outer surface of said housing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
A tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument, comprising: housing means having a resonance frequency lower than a frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned; mounting means provided on an outer surface of said housing means for mounting the tuning apparatus on the musical instrument; converting means provided on an inner surface of said housing means for converting a vibration produced by the musical instrument through said mounting means and said housing means into an electrical signal; signal generating means for generating at least a signal having a reference frequency; calculating means coupled with said converting means and said signal generating means in said housing means for calculating a pitch of the output signal from said converting means and a pitch deviation between the pitch of said output signal and the pitch of said reference frequency of the signal from said signal generating means; and display means for displaying information calculated by said calculating means and being disposed on the outer surface of said housing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
191 words
A tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument, comprising: housing means having a resonance frequency lower than a frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned; mounting means provided on an outer surface of said housing means for mounting the tuning apparatus on the musical instrument; inputting means provided on the same outer surface on which is provided said mounting means for inputting a vibration produced by the musical instrument into said housing means; converting means provided on an inner surface of said housing means for converting a vibration produced by said housing means into an electrical signal; signal generating means for generating at least a signal having a reference frequency; calculating means coupled with said converting means and said signal generating means in said housing means for calculating a pitch of the output signal from said converting means and a pitch deviation between the pitch of said output signal and the pitch of said reference frequency of the signal from said signal generating means; and display means for displaying information calculated by said calculating means and being disposed on the outer surface of said housing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
191 words
A tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument, comprising: housing means having a resonance frequency lower than a frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned; mounting means provided on an outer surface of said housing means for mounting the tuning apparatus on the musical instrument; inputting means provided on the same outer surface on which is provided said mounting means for inputting a vibration produced by the musical instrument into said housing means; converting means provided on an inner surface of said housing means for converting a vibration produced by said housing means into an electrical signal; signal generating means for generating at least a signal having a reference frequency; calculating means coupled with said converting means and said signal generating means in said housing means for calculating a pitch of the output signal from said converting means and a pitch deviation between the pitch of said output signal and the pitch of said reference frequency of the signal from said signal generating means; and display means for displaying information calculated by said calculating means and being disposed on the outer surface of said housing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The tuning apparatus described in claim 1 or 2, wherein said converting means comprises a piezoelectric member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tuning apparatus described in claim 1 or 2, wherein said mounting means removably mounts said tuning apparatus on said musical instrument.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The tuning apparatus described in claim 4, wherein said mounting means has a suction means for adhering by suction to a surface of said musical instrument when the suction means is pressed against the surface of said musical instrument.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The tuning apparatus described in claim 5, wherein said suction means comprises at least one sucker.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
180 words
A tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument, comprising: housing means haing a resonance frequency lower than a frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned; inputting means provided on an outer surface of said housing means for inputting a vibration produced by the musical instrument into said housing means when the tuning apparatus is placed on the surface of the musical instrument; converting means provided on an inner surface of said housing means for converting a vibration produced by said housing means into an electrical signal; signal generating means for generating at least a signal having a reference frequency; calculating means coupled with said converting means and said signal generating means in said housing means for calculating a pitch of the output signal from said converting means and a pitch deviation between the pitch of said output signal and the pitch of the reference frequency of the signal from said signal generating means; and display means for displaying information calculated by said calculating means and being disposed on the outer surface of said housing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
180 words
A tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument, comprising: housing means haing a resonance frequency lower than a frequency of the lowest note of the musical instrument to be tuned; inputting means provided on an outer surface of said housing means for inputting a vibration produced by the musical instrument into said housing means when the tuning apparatus is placed on the surface of the musical instrument; converting means provided on an inner surface of said housing means for converting a vibration produced by said housing means into an electrical signal; signal generating means for generating at least a signal having a reference frequency; calculating means coupled with said converting means and said signal generating means in said housing means for calculating a pitch of the output signal from said converting means and a pitch deviation between the pitch of said output signal and the pitch of the reference frequency of the signal from said signal generating means; and display means for displaying information calculated by said calculating means and being disposed on the outer surface of said housing means.
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) | 1993-02-12 | 1993-08-14 | 1994-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-02-12 | 1997-08-14 | 1998-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-02-12 | 2001-08-14 | 2002-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |