CA2686078A1 - Travel stringed instrument system - Google Patents

Abstract

A self aligning folding guitar comprises a neck portion, and a body porti on connected together with a Soss hinge. The Soss hinge may be mounted in a seat with flat sides. The hinge may be covered by the fretboard of the strin ged instrument. The hinge is mounted to the neck portion and the body portio n. A firsi^ alignment member is secured to the neck portion. A second alignm ent member is secitred to the body portion, the second alignment member meet ing with the first alignment member at a substantially fixed position. A sec urement member secures the first alignment member to the second alignment me mber to secure the neck: of the guitar in place.

Description

Harvey Leach P.4 Box 1315 Cedar Ridge, CA 95924 Citizen of the United States of America TRAVEL STRINGED INSTRUMENT SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD
[U1] The invention relates to a folding guitar with a position locking mechanism.
BACKGRD[Tr+iD OF THE INVENTIQN
[42] The manufacture of note producing musical instruments began as a search for the mechanical equivalent of the human voice. This in fact remained the standard through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance and the early modem period.

[03] Stringed instruments have been known since ancient times. These included such instrumenis as the lute, a guitar-like instrument with a sound box and fingerboard. A New Kingdom (ancient Egypt, 1380 BC) bronze in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art depicts a dancing Nubian raised on his toes with one knee cocked, left hand high working a fingerboard and right hand plucking the strings in a pose which might be illustrative of a modem rock musician.

[04] But the lute has a much more ancient history, perhaps originating with West Semitic nomadic people who brought the instrument to Mesopotamia, where the archaeological record includes representations dating back to the Akkadian period (2350 to 2170 B.C.), being introduced to the Egyptians, perhaps at the end of the Middle Kingdom Hyksos dynasties (XV to XVII dynasty, 1730 to 1580 B.C.).

[05] In more :recent times, stringed lute-like musical instruments continue to be amohg the most popular instruments. Folk artists throughout the United States have used the guitar, sometimes one of the homemade variety, in a wide range of musical genres including blues, bluegrass, and so forth.

[06] In contrast to percussive instrumentation, the need for amplification of the relatively weak sounds of strings, reeds, and vibrating human lips presented challenges to early musical instrument manufacturers. These challenges were met primarily by resonant systems that mechanically collect, concentrate, and output musical sound. There is a demanding standard in the stability of the instrument if high-quality soijnd is to be produced.

[07] Moreover, over the years, artists playing acoustic stringed instruments have introduced a wide variety of playing techniques into the music surrounding these instruments. W'hile, perhaps, the ancients only plucked the strings of the lute to achiove a musical tone which gradually decayed, later artists used the bow to produce notes of relatively constant and somewhat controllable amplitude.
Modem artists employ a variety of techniques in their performances. Acoustic blues performers may rap their instruments with fingertips, palms or knuckles.
Certain violin compositions, typically played by having a horsehair bundle slide

2 across the strings, also call for the strings to be plucked. This results in yet greater demands being put on the mechanical stability of the instrument.

[48] Given the popularity of stringed musical instruments, especially the guitar, people often take them along when traveling. However, they are bulky and poorly suited to convenient transport. They are unlikely to fit into airlines stowaway spaces or under airline seats. In response to this need, guitars with folding necks have been proposed. See for example my earlier United States Design Patent Number 516,114, and my earlier pending U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
11/644,095, file.d December 15, 2006. While this instrument is effective, it is difficult to make requiring significant handwork and fine tuning.

[09] Accordingly, there is a need for a stringed instrument which may be a guitar, violin or the like and which is easy to use during a performance, consistent, and rigorous in its transduction of artistic interpretations into an acoustic or other performance and easily transportable. It is believed that the structure disclosed herein is a mosi: effective solution in providing for a highly mobile instrument which may be accommodated to a range of user preferences.

[10] This invention also relates to hinges and particularly what is commonly known as invisible hinges for the use in connection with doors and other swinging artic[es and the invention described here is an improvement on previous designs for the specific use where a very narrow surface is available for the hinge mechanism and the hinge must be able to support a proportionally much longer perpendicular surface. Also significant to this invention is the method used to locate and install the hinges.

[11] In this tyPe of hinge the hinge parts are connected by pivoted linkages hing,ed on a hinge pin and sliding on sliding pins, the linkages being within pockets or compartments within the hinge parts, that is the hinge plates or butt plates. An early version of such hinges is a hinge design created by Joseph Soss

3 and bearing his name. It is illustrated in several patents including United States patent numbers 1,030,936, 1,484,093, 1,688,996, 1,984,092, and 2,178,271 among others. A hinge of this sort is employed in the above referenced design patent.
[121 These hniges are designed to be invisible when in the closed position and allow for the focal point of the hinge to be below the surface when in the closed position and then extend beyond the surface to allow for a full 180 degree opening. Two basic versions of the hinge are common, the first having a long narrow body with two attachment screws, one located at each end. This style is of a shape requiring a multi-level mortise cut for installation, the second is a cylinder or barrel hinge iNith a side mounted screw as a means of attachment and requiring a holle to be bored for installation.

[13] These pi-evious designs are of a similar nature but either lack the clearance nece~sary, have methods of attachment that are either insufficient or impractical in a guitar with a folding neck and also require a complex process to create the openings for the hinge butt plates or cylinders.

[14] Furthermore, while a version of the previous design has been proven capable of supporting this application to some extent in above United States Design Patent Tlumber D516,114, it has been found lacking in several areas with regaW to effective production beyond the small, hand assembly shop.

[15] First, these hinges, known as "barrel hinges," require a final outer surface, an example beiiig a fretboard on musical instruments, to be attached out of sequence with niormal production procedure and require holes to be bored extremely close to the surface of the fretboard weakening this vital structural member.

[16] Second, these hinges are very difficult to set accurately with respect to depth and aligni:nent. The other version of Soss hinge has better means of

4 securement and greater location and depth control. However, its design only allows for a single hinge to fit in the required area which lacks the structural integrity for this application and lacks sufficient capability to adequately align the two hinged parts. Furthermore, the location of the securement screws is too close to the outer edg;es of the members, which in this application creates problems because of the ] ack of material for the screws to properly secure themselves.
Currently avail,ible versions also lack the opening clearance needed for guitar hinge application. Finally, the means required to cut the mortises is very time consuming and difficult to consistently achieve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[17] In accordance with the invention, a string instrument comprises a neck extension primary member having a neck extension securement end and a tuning assembly support head end, an extension top and a length extending between the ends. The neck. extension primary member defines a neck extension cutaway volume configured to receive a hinge butt. The neck extension cutaway volume extends to be open at the neck extension securement end and open at the top of the neck extension primary member. A neck base primary member has a neck base securement end, a base top and an opposite end. The neck base primary member is made to defrie a neck base cutaway volume configured to receive a hinge butt.
The neck base cutaway volume extends to be open at the neck base securement end and open ai: the top of the neck base primary member. A hinge has a first hinge butt positioned in the neck extension cutaway volume and a second hinge butt positioned in the neck base cutaway volume. A neck fretboard portion is secuwed over th+~ open top of the neck extension cutaway volume and bears against the first hinge butt. A base cover is secured over the open top of the neck base cutaway volum-e and bears against the second hinge butt. A string instrument main body is secured to the neck base primary member.

f IS] Two or Ynore Soss link assemblies are connected to a single pair of hinge butts, with each. of the butts defining a pair of Soss hinge link receiving races, to form a pair of spaced apart Soss hinge assemblies formed on the single pair of hingje butts.

[19] The hinge butts each define a securement screw receiving bore oriented to extetid the length of the string insttwment neck.

[20] The neclc extension primary member is provided with a mounting for a screw and the neck base primary member defines a hole for receiving that screw.
This allows the neck base primary member and the neck extension primary member to be secured in the playing position.

[21] The inve:ntive hinge comprises a first hinge butt defining a pair of first and second races for receiving a first Soss sliding hinge pin. A second hinge butt defines a pair of third and fourth races for receiving a second Soss sliding hinge pin. A first Soss link assembly is mounted between and in the first and third races.
A second Soss link assembly is mounted between and in the second and fourth races, the secor.id Soss link assembly being positioned adjacent and spaced apart from, as well as extending in the same direction as the first Soss link assembly.
[22] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the first hinge butt defines a hole: between the first and second races. The second hinge butt defines a hole between the third and fourth races. The hole is oriented to receive an attachment menaber for urging and attaching the hinge into a member to be hingedly mounted.
[23] The hinge butts may be rectangular in configuration with flat sides and rounded corners or flat sides and for example pointed substantially 900 corners.
[24] The hole between the first and said second races may be aligned subs:tantially in the same direction as the races.

[25] In accordance with the invention, the improved alignment provided by that improved hinge is still further improved by the self-aligning locking mechanism provided in accordance with the present invention. Such mechanism may be a screw or a bayonet type engagement.

[26] In accordance with the invention, a self aligning folding guitar comprises a neck. portion, and a body portion. The hinge it is mounted to the neck portion and the ~ody portion. A first alignment member is secured to the neck portion. A
second aiignment member is secured to the body portion, the second alignment member meeting with the first alignment. member at a substantially fixed position.
A securement member secures the first alignment member to the second alignment member.

[27] The first alignment member may include a conical surface.

[28] The first and second alignment members may define surfaces which fit to each other.

[29] The securement member is a threaded member.

[30] The secuxement member may be a bolt or a bayonet.

[311 Advantageously, the first alignment member may define an elongated bore for r6ceiving the securement member.

[32] The first alignment member may comprise a pipe like member with an internal thread and a frustroconical stud which screws into the pipe like member.
[33] The second alignment member may comprise a solid body with a receiving volutne which rnates with the frustroconical stud, and further defines a threaded bore, for receiving the securement member.

[34], In accordance with the invention, a case which may accommodate a folding guitar, whether it is in the folded position or an unfolded playing position, is provided.

[35] The inventive guitar case comprises a guitar body receiving case portion, a guitO body portion cover and a neck portion case top. A neck portion case bottom and A neck portion case sidewall off further provided. A top neck zipper portion secures the neck portion case top to the neck portion case sidewall. A bottom neck zipper portion secures the neck portion case bottom to the neck portion case sidewall. A zipper portion secures the guitar body portion cover to the guitar body receWing case portion.

BRWF DESC]R.IPTIUN THE DRAWINGS
[36] The operation of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

[37] FIG. 1 i& schematic side view illustrating the male member of the self-aligning mechanism of the present invention;

[38] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bolt-receiving hole in the member of Figure 1;
[39] FIG. 3 illustrates the locking screw used in accordance with the present invention;

[40] FIG. 4 illustrates the female member of the self-aligning mechanism of the present invention;

[411 FIG. 5 illustrates the male and female members installed on a guitar or other string insirument in the open configuration;

[42] FIG. 6 is a side view similar to Figure 5 illustrating the alignment operation;

[43] FIG. 7 is a side view similar to Figure 6, showing the guitar neck in the playing position; and 1441 FIG. 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the guitar neck locked in the playing positioii;

[45] FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative locking member;

[46] FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a female member in accordance with the present invention for receiving the alternative locking member of Figtue 9;

[47] FIG. 1 I is a view along lines I 1-- 11 of Figured 10;

[48] FIG. 12 illustrates the alternative embodiment of the female member of the present invention in the locking position;

[49] FIG. 13 illustrates the inventive locking mechanism installed in a guitar;
[50] Figure 1.4 is a perspective view of an improved hinge useful with the locking mechariism of the present invention;

[51] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the hinge of Figure 9 in the closed position from ttie bottom;

[52] 1 Figure 16 is a perspective view of the hinge of Figure 9 from the top;

[53] Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 9 of another alternative hinge design;
[54] Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 10 of the hinge illustrated in Figure 12;

I551 Figure 1:9 illustrates the hinge of Figures 12 and 13 in use;

[56] Figure 21D is a perspective view of the hinge installed and in the open position;

[57] Figure 21 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative configuration for the inventive traveling stringed musical instrument;

1581 Figure 22 illustrates the inventive instrument with the neck folded;

f 59] ~ Figure 23 illustrates an alternative embodiment with a protruding heel block;

[601 FIG. 24 is a top plan view of a guitar case constructed in accordance with the present invention;

r61] , FIG. 25 is view along lines 25-25 of Figure 24;

[62] FIG. 26 is a view similar to Figure 25 showing a first step in the opening of the itiventive guitar case;

[63] FIG. 27 shows another step in the opening of a guitar case in accordance with; the present invention;

[64] FIG. 28 illustrates another step in the opening of the inventive guitar case;
[651, FIG. 29 illustrates the next step in the opening of the inventive guitar case;
[66] FIG. 30 illustrates a further step in the opening of the inventive guitar case;
[671, FIG. 31 illustrates the inventive guitar case in the open position with the upper neck protector unfurled for illustrative purposes;

[68] FIG. 32 is side view of an alternative embodiment of a guitar case acco~rding to the present invention;

[69] FIG. 33 a top plan view of the inventive guitar case illustrated in Figure 32;
[74] FIG. 34 is a side plan view illustrating the opening of the guitar case according to the present invention;

[71] FIG. 35 illustrates a next step in the opening of the inventive guitar case;
[72] FIG. 36 illustrates the opening of the top of the body retaking portion of the inventive guitar case;

[73] FIG. 37 illustrates inventive guitar case in an open configuration; and [74] FIG. 3 8 illustrates a folding guitar with which the inventive guitar case may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[75] Referring to Figure 1, the neck 12 of a folding guitar 1Ois provided with a male alignment member 15. An alignment member 15 comprises a docking menpber 17 which screws into the threaded bore 19. Docking member 17 includes a head 21 and an integral threaded tubular member 23.

[76] 1 Alignment member 15 further comprises elongated tube 25 which includes a top flange 27. Flange 27 defines an elongated hole 29. Hole 29 receives a bolt 31 (Figure 2)which includes a frictionally engaged retainer washer 33, as is described in de1tail below.

[77] A matinl; female member 35, as illustrated in Figure 4, is mounted in the body 14 of the ;auitar, passing through bout 26 support block 50 of bout 26. A
bolt 37 passes through block 50 to mate with female member 35. Female member 35 includes a receiving cone 39, which receives and mates with head 21, to securely lock, neck 12 wfth respect to body 14 of the guitar.

[78] As shown in Figure 5, neck 12 is mounted to the body 14 of the guitar by a hinge 48. During use, neck 12 is pivoted toward body 14 from the position illustrated in Figure 5 to the position illustrated in Figure 6. Due to wear or nonnal tolerances in hinge 48, there may be some misalignment, as is illustrated in Figure 6. Such misalignment is addressed by the engagement of surface 41 by surface 43 during the advancement of neck 12 from the position illustrated in Figure 5 to the position illusttrated in Figure 6 and on to the position illustrated in Figure 7.

[7911 Misalignment does not affect the ability to screw bolt 31 into bore 49 because elongated hole 29 allows proper alignment of bolt 31 with bore 49.
[80] Once the guitar has been put in the configuration illustrated in Figure 7, bolt 31 may be tightened to take the position illustrated in Figure S.

[8I1 Referring to Figure 9, a bayonet 131 with a retainer washer 133 and an atm 134 may be used instead of bolt 31. As shown in Figures 10- 11, a ramp 13 6 is engaged by the arm 13 S of bayonet 131. Ramp 13 b as a shallow side 140 and a higb side 142. During use arm 138 engages shallow side 140 after passing through notch 144, and is rotated to high side 142 to securely be locked in position, as illustrated in Figure 12.

[82]' Referring to Figure 13, a musical instrument constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in which the self alignment structures of the present invention are employed. While the invention may be employed in connection with acoustic or electrical guitars, violins, violas, bases, banjos or other stringed instrunnents, for purposes of illustration an acoustical guitar 10 is illustrated.

[83] Generally, guitar 10 comprises a large hollow body 12, secured to the inveiitive neck 14. Neck 14 comprises a head 16, which accommodates tuning screws 18 in a conventional manner.

[84] 1 Body 12 comprises top plate 20 which defines a sound hole 22. Bottom plate 24 is secured to top plate 20 by bouts 26 and 28 which together form a guitar sound box sidewall having U-shaped upper and lower ends at the heel and tail ends of the body 12, and a curved central bout 30 and curved central bout 32 (not illustrated) which form the waist of the instrument.

[85] Neck 14 supports a neck fretboard 34, which is glued to neck 14. Neck fretboard 34 supports a plurality of frets 36. Neck base 38 supports a neck base fretboard 40, which is glued to neck base 38. Neck base fretboard 40 supports a plurAlity of frets 42, against which strings 44 are played. For purposes of clarity of illustration, strings 44, which are supported by bridge 46 are illustrated partially and in phantom lines. Guitar neck 14 may be folded by rotation in the direction of arrow 47.

[85] A preferred embodiment of a hinge 448 for use with the self aligning mechanism of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 14-16. Hinge 448 comprises Soss link assemblies 449, which comprise hinge links 468, hinge pins 470,, hinge pins 472 and pins 478. The operation of this hinge is similar to other Soss hinges. However, advantages are provided by the placement of screw hole 476, which because it is proximate side 477 of hinge 448 supports a screw which is driven into the, for example, neck at a point where there is sufficient wood on all of the sides of the screw to provide excellent support. At the same time, sidewalls 479 have a relatively small thickness 481 which promotes making available added thickness for Soss link assemblies 449. Slanted tracks 474 cooperate in providing the requisite configuration to allow use of the hinge in a guit4r with a hiiiged neck.

[871 In additi.on, cornpactness and strength is provided by thin receiving recesses 481 } which allow the relatively large heads of robust pins 470 to be seated.

[88]I In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, it has been discovered that a short version of the hinge, as illustrated in Figures 17-18 is relatively advantageous. Hinge 548 is similar in construction otherwise to hinge 448. Part of the advantage of this construction may be seen from Figure 19, whe.re the shallower hinge butt results in a shorter lever arm acting through screw 583 ito reduce the integrity of hole 585 in which screw 583 is seated, thus promoting the ].ong-term stability of the guitar body 512 and guitar neck 514.

[89]I In accordance with a preferred embodiment, hinge 548 includes sidewalls 579 having a ffickness 585 of approximately .25 cm. The thickness 587 of the links 568 is also .25 cm. The sidewalls 579 have a height 589 of 2 cm and a length 591;of 2 cm. Sidewalls 579 have a length 593 of 2 cm. Likewise, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, hinge 548 has a width 595 of 4 cm.

[90]1 Referring to Figures 24-3 1, the inventive guitar case 810 comprises a main bod ~ portion top cover 812. Main body portion bottom 814 may be joined to top cover 812 by a zipper 816. A handle 18 is secured to bottom 814.

[9111 A neck top cover 820 is also secured by zipper 816. A neck bottom cover 822 ;it secured by a zipper 824. Guitar case 810 also includes a neck side portion 826.

[921, If one desires to open the inventive case 810, neck top cover 820 is opened and engaged by grasping zipper pul1828 and advancing it to point 830. The zipper pull 832 is advanced to point 834. This allows the inventive guitar case to be pitt into a position with its top cover 812 open as illustrated in Figure 8.

[93] If desired, zipper pu11832 may be moved from the position illustrated in ph"tom lines a Figure 26 to point 834. Similarly, pull 828 may be put at point 830, This allows neck top cover 820 to be raised as illustrated in Figure 26.
Top cover 820 may then be folded in the direction of arrow 836 to overlie the top face 838 of the guitar case and bring Velcro type hook connector 840 in contact and engagement with Velcro type loop connector 842 as illustrated in Figure 28.

[94]1 In accordance with the preferred embodiment, zipper pulls 828 and 832 may be moved in either direction. In similar fashion, hook connector 844 may be brought into contact with loop connector 846 after zipper 824 has been opened, causing neck side portion 826 to lie flat as illustrated in Figure 29. After neck side portion 826 has been put in the flat position illustrated in Figure 29, neck bottom cover 822 may be caused to assume the position illustrated in Figure 29 by engagement of hook material 848 with loop material 850. Alternatively, hook material 852 may be provided to engage loop material 854.

[95] By providing a separate zipper for neck top cover 820, the inventive guitar case 810 may be put in the configuration illustrated in Figure 30.

[96] Still yet another alternative embodiment of the inventive guitar case is illustrated in Figures 32-37. In this embodiment, guitar case 910 is provided with a central zipper CT combination of zippers 924 and 926, which allow the inventive guitar case to tELke a number of configurations. For example, it may be completely closed and adapted to receive a conventional guitar or a folding guitar in the playing positioil as illustrated in Figures 32 and 33.

[97] It may also be opened so that it may be put into a configuration suitable for a folded guitar by opening as illustrated in Figures 34 and 35 when a guitar 956 is contained within the case, it may be opened as illustrated in Figure 36.
Zipper pulls 958, 960 and 962 may be opened to cause case 110 to take the position illustrated in Figure 37 allowing a guitar to be put in or removed from the case.

[98] As illustrated in Figure 38, a folding guitar 1010 capable of having its neck 1014 folded upmardly in the direction of arrow 1018, as illustrated in phantom lines. Such action may be continued until the neck assumes the position illustrated at 10 14a in Figure 38, and wedge neck 1014a overlies guitar body 1012.

[99] In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated that a guitar in the position illustrated in solid lines in Figure 38 may be placed in the inventive guitar case 810 when it is in the position illustrated in Figure 24. Likewise, when in the playing position, a guitar will also fit into the inventive guitar case illustrated in Figures 32 and 33.

[100] When the guitar is fully folded, with its neck in the position illustrated at 1014a, it fits into the guitar case when guitar case 810 is put in the position illustrated in Fi;;ure 29. Likewise, such a folded guitar may be put into the case illustrated in Figures 32-37 by opening the neck zippers and folding back the neck top and bottom protectors and neck sidewall to positions analogous to those illustrated in Figure 29, and secured through the use of hook and loop fasteners.
[10111 In accordance with the invention, it is contemplated that zippers in all embodiments may be zippers which operate in two directions, for added functionality.

[102;~ Figure 210 shows the hinge installed and in the folded position and shows how the butt plates 61 and 63 of hinge 48 are concealed within the pockets 50 and 52 and how the attachment screws 56 and 58 are positioned in the final assembled structure in accordance with the invention it is contemplated that pockets 50 and 52 a;re cut into net 14 and block 50 in guitar body 12 prior to gluing fretboards 34 and 40 in place.. The neck 14, neck base 38, neck fretboard 34 and main body fret~oard 40 are illustrated in the storage or travel position of the musical instrument nec)!:. The inventive hinge may be suitable for other applications where a very narrow surface is available for the hinge mechanism and it must be able to support a proportionally much longer perpendicular surface.

[103] Referring to Figure 13, when the neck 14 is positioned with respect to the guitar body 12, in the open or playing position, as a result of movement from the fully folded position in Figure 5 through the position illustrated in Figure 19 and on to the positi+an illustrated in Figure 13, the guitar may be conveniently played after the securement bolt 31.

[104] Referring to Figure 21, altemative embodiments of the invention may be understood. A guitar 510 comprising a guitar body 512 has continuous sidewall bout which defines a notch 584 receiving hinge 548. A portion 582 of sidewall 515 is thus sandwiched between a heel block 538 and neck 514. Screw 531 secures neck 5].4 in the playing position in the manner of, for example, the embodiment of' Figures 1-$.

[1051 In the event that a particularly rigid securement of the neck is desired, a portion 584 of l-ieel block 538 may alternatively extend through sidewa11515 which is cut out to match portion 584. The result is that the heel block is flush with the sidewall.

[100] Still yet another alternative embodiment of the inventive guitar 610 comprising a guitar body 612 and a guitar neck 614 is illustrated in Figure 22 in the folded or travel position. In this embodiment, neck 614 folds at a breakpoint 690,which coincides with the breakpoint at which hinge bolts 661 and 663 join, which is inside from sidewa11615 each as illustrated in Figure 22. The result is added support for the neck 614 by sidewalls 692.

[101] Referring to Figure 23, a guitar 710 incorporates a protruding heel block 738~ as alluded to above.

[108] In accordance with the invention, it is contemplated, that while the guitar neck is folded down, the guitar strings will be inserted through the hole and into the body of the guitar. It is also contemplated that the inventive structures may be applied to a solid body guitar, such as an electric guitar. In this case, the hole which in an acoustic guitar leads into the body of the acoustic guitar does not exist. Thus, there is limited space for the strings. In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated that a groove or troth, or cylindrical or spherical volume may be cut into the solid guitar to allow place for the placement of strings. Altern.atively, a hole with a diameter of, for example, five centimeters may be cut in the guitar. The guitar strings may be passed through this hole, alloWing them to be laid flat against the backside of the guitar.

[109] While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, it is, of course, understood that various modifications will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications are within the spirit and scope of the invention as illiustrated and defined only by the appended claims.

Claims (33)

What is Claimed:

1. A self aligning folding guitar, comprising:
(a) a neck portion;
(b) a body portion;
(c) a hinge mounted to said neck portion and said body portion;
(d) a first alignment member secured to said neck portion;

(e) a second alignment member secured to said body portion, said second alignment member meeting with said first alignment member at a substantially fixed position; and (f) a securement member for securing said first alignment member to said second alignment member.

2. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said first alignment member includes a conical surface.

3. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said first and second alignment members to find surfaces which fit to each other.

4. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said securement member is a threaded member.

5. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said securement member is a bolt.

6. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said securement member is a bayonet.

7. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said first alignment member defines an elongated bore for receiving said securement member.

8. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said first alignment member comprises a pipe like member with an internal thread and a frustroconical stud which screws into said pipe like member.

9. A guitar as in claim 1, wherein said second alignment member comprises a solid body with a receiving volume which mates with said frustroconical stud, and further defines a threaded bore for receiving said securement member.

10. A self-aligning folding guitar as in Claim 1, wherein said hinge, comprises:

(i) a first hinge butt defining:
(A) a first track comprising first and second races for receiving a first Soss sliding hinge pin;
(B) a second track comprising third and fourth races for receiving a second Soss sliding hinge pin;
(ii) a second hinge butt defining:

(C) a third track comprising fifth and sixth races for receiving a third Soss sliding hinge pin;

(D) a fourth track comprising seventh and eighth races for receiving a fourth Soss sliding hinge pin;

(iii) a first Soss link assembly mounted in said first track;

(iv) a second Soss link assembly mounted in said second track;
(v) a third Soss link assembly mounted in said third track; and (vi) a fourth Soss link assembly mounted in said fourth track.

11. A hinge, comprises:

(9) a first hinge butt defining:

(i) a first track comprising first and second races for receiving a first Soss sliding hinge pin;

(ii) a second track comprising third and fourth races for receiving a second Soss sliding hinge pin;

(b) a second hinge butt defining:

(i) a third track comprising fifth and sixth races for receiving a third Soss sliding hinge pin;

(ii) a fourth track comprising seventh and eighth races for receiving a fourth Soss sliding hinge pin;

(c) a first Soss link assembly mounted in said first track;

(d) a second Soss link assembly mounted in said second track;
(e) a third Soss link assembly mounted in said third track; and (f) a fourth Soss link assembly mounted in said fourth track.

12. A hinge as in claims 10 and 11, wherein:
(g) a first hole is defined in said first hinge butt, said first hole positioned between said first and second tracks; and (h) a second hole is defined in said second hinge butt, said second hole positioned between said first extending and second tracks.

13. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein said hinge butts axe rectangular in configuration, and the break point between said neck portion and said body portion is offset into said body portion.

14. A hinge as in claim 13, wherein said hinge butts have flat sides and rounded corners.

15. A hinge as in claim 13, wherein said hinge butts have flat sides and pointed substantially 90° corners.

16. A hinge as in claim 13, wherein said hole between said first and said second races is aligned roughly in the same direction as said races.

17. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein said hole between said first and said second races is aligned roughly in the same direction as said races.

18. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein said hinge is mounted proximate the base of the neck of said guitar and said tracks extend from points a first distance from the fretboard and near the center of said hinge when said hinge is in a closed position to points near the ends of said hinge and displaced at a second distance, said second distance being further from the fretboard of said stringed instrument as compared to said first distance.

19. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein said Soss link assemblies comprise arms which pivot at pivot points adjacent one side of each butt of said hinge and said first hole and said second hole are positioned on the opposite side of said butt.

20. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein said hinge is positioned in a stringed instrument with one face of said hinge, when it is in the closed position, bearing against the fretboard of the instrument and said first hole and said second hole are positioned on the opposite side of said butt.

21. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein the outside sides of said butts in which said first, third, fifth and seventh races are defined have a thickness in that portion which defines said first, third, fifth and seventh races between five and ten percent the width of said hinge to find between the outside surfaces of the sidewalls of said hinge receiving said first and third races.

22. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein the outside sides of said butts in which said first, third, fifth and seventh races are defined have a thickness in that portion which defines said first, third, fifth and seventh races between seven and nine percent the width of said hinge defined between the outside surfaces of the sidewalls of said hinge receiving said first and third races.

23. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein the thickness of said Soss link assemblies in the direction of the axis of said hinge pins is between 30 and percent the width of said hinge defined between the outside surfaces of the sidewalls of said hinge receiving said first and third races.

24. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein the outside sides of said butts in which said first, third, fifth and seventh races are defined have a length between .8 and 1.2 times their width.

15. A hinge as in claim 12, wherein said hinge is mounted proximate the base of the neck of said guitar and said tracks extend from points a first distance from the fretboard and near the center of said hinge when said hinge is in a closed position to points near the ends of said hinge and displaced at a second distance, said second distance being further from the fretboard of said stringed instrument as compared to said first distance, and wherein said Soss link assemblies comprise arms which pivot at pivot points adjacent one side of each butt of said hinge and said first hole and said second hole are positioned on the opposite side of said butt.

26. A hinge as in claim 25, wherein said hinge is positioned in a stringed instrument with one face of said hinge, when it is in the closed position, bearing against the fretboard of the instrument and said first hole and said second hole are positioned on the opposite side of said butt.

27. A hinge as in claim 26, wherein the outside sides of said butts in which said first, third, fifth and seventh races are defined have a thickness in that portion which defines said first, third, fifth and seventh races between five and ten percent the width of said hinge to find between the outside surfaces of the sidewalls of said hinge receiving said first and third races.

28. A hinge as in claim 26, wherein the thickness of said Soss link assemblies in the direction of the axis of said hinge pins is between 30 and percent the width of said hinge defined between the outside surfaces of the sidewalls of said hinge receiving said first and third races.

29. A guitar case, comprising:
(a) a guitar body receiving case portion;
(b) a guitar body portion cover;

(c) a neck portion case top;
(d) a neck portion case bottom;
(e) a neck portion case sidewall;
(i) a top neck zipper portion securing said neck portion case top to said neck portion case sidewall;
(g) a bottom neck zipper portion securing said neck portion case bottom to said neck portion case sidewall; and (h) a zipper portion securing said guitar body portion cover to said guitar body receiving case portion.

30. A guitar case as in claim 29, further comprising:

(i) a first connector member secured to said neck portion case top for securing said neck portion case top in a desired position;
(j) a second connector member secured to said neck portion case bottom for securing said neck portion case bottom in a desired position; and (k) a third connector member secured to said neck portion case sidewall for securing said neck portion case sidewall in a desired position;

31. A guitar case as in claim 30, further comprising a carrying strap.

32. A guitar case as in claim 30, wherein said guitar body is provided with mating connectors to receive set for second and third connectors.

33. A method of making a folding guitar comprising cutting a neck portion pocket and a body portion pocket into a neck portion and a body portion respectively and closing a side of said neck portion pocket with a neck portion fretboard and closing a side of said body portion pocket with a body portion fretboard.