Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10G—REPRESENTATION OF MUSIC; RECORDING MUSIC IN NOTATION FORM; ACCESSORIES FOR MUSIC OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. SUPPORTS
  • G10G5/00—Supports for musical instruments

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for positioning a guitar or a double bass. It applies in particular to the positioning of all types of guitars: dry guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars. The habitual wearing of these instruments generates malpositions which cause muscular tensions. These, in the long term, cause discomfort, pain and static problems in the player.
• the object of the invention is to provide a device allowing the guitarist or the double bass player to place his instrument in the most physiological manner possible, thereby offering optimal comfort and freedom of play.
• the subject of the invention is a device for positioning a guitar or a double bass, as described in claim 1.
• the positioning device may include one or more of the features of claims 2 to 8, taken in isolation or according to all their technically possible combinations.
• the invention also relates to a guitar with a shoulder strap or a double bass equipped with a device as described above.
• the back of the instrument body may have a recess for housing the strip during periods of non-use of the device. Examples of embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a plan view of a device . positioning according to the invention, arranged flat; Figure 2 shows the device in perspective, in its configuration of use; - Figure 3 shows in perspective the back of a body or a bass guitar body on which the device has been put in place;
• FIG. 4 to 6 show, respectively from the front, from above and in perspective from three-quarters before, a standing guitarist who plays on the bass guitar of Figure 3;
• FIG. 5A is a schematic top view illustrating the use of the device for positioning a double bass
• - Figure 7 is a side view, partially in perspective, of a variant
• Figures 8 to 11 illustrate in perspective four different positions of a player who uses a bass guitar equipped with the variant of Figure 7
• - Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 1 of another embodiment of the following device
• - Figure 13 is a partial side view, in the position of use;
• - Figure 14 is a schematic side view, with partial longitudinal section, of a bass guitar according to the invention, with its positioning device in the use position;
• Figure 15 is a similar view, with the positioning device in the retracted storage position;
• - Figure 16 is a schematic top view corresponding to Figure 15;
• Figure 17 is a partial exploded view, schematic, illustrating the manufacture of the object of Figures 14 to 16;
• Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 14 of a variant
• - Figure 19 is a schematic exploded view of another variant; and - Figure 20 shows in perspective another embodiment of the invention.
• the positioning device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 consists essentially of a plate 2 of rectangular shape of about 10 cm x 7 cm, of a rigid strip 3, with a length of the order of 20 cm , a strap 4 approximately the same length as the strip 3, and two suction cups 5.
• the plate 2 and the strip 3 are for example metallic, but can be made of another sufficiently rigid material, for example in a suitable plastic manner.
• the plate 2 carries on a small edge a linear hinge 6 on which is articulated one end of the strip 3.
• One end of the strap 4 is fixed, by means of a few aligned rivets 7, along the opposite edge of the plate.
• the strip 3 has, approximately half-length, an oblique fold 8, so that the parts 9 and 10 of this strip located on either side of this line form an obtuse angle ⁇ ( Figure 2), by example of the order of 150 °, with in addition a warping effect.
• Another fold line 11, inclined in the opposite direction to the fold 8, is also provided near the free end of the strip 3, which is cut obliquely roughly parallel to the fold 8, to define an end heel 12 in the form of a parallelogram.
• the strap 4 has at its free end two gussets 13A, 13B arranged on its same face (the bottom face in Figure 1), one behind the other.
• the plate 2 comprises two arcuate slots 14, the edges of which are sinuous, so as to define several circular notches 15 connected by relatively narrow slots 16.
• Each suction cup 5, made of flexible plastic, is provided with a foot 17 with an enlarged end, as can be seen in FIG. 7. By elastic compression, the intermediate part of this foot can pass from one notch 15 to the next of the corresponding light 14.
• the lights 14 end near the strap 4.
• Two studs 18 of flexible material, for example felt, are glued in the two opposite corners of the plate, on the side of the suction cups 5.
• the flat configuration of the device shown in Figure 1 is the storage configuration of the device.
• the band 3 and the strap 4 are folded in the opposite direction to the suction cups 5, and the heel 12 is introduced into one of the two gussets, for example in the gusset 13A.
• the device then takes the general triangular configuration shown in Figure 2, in which the part 10 of the strip 3 forms an angle slightly less than 90 ° with the plate when the strap is tightened.
• the device 1 is fixed to the back 19A, of generally planar shape, of the body or of the body 19 of a guitar G, in this example a bass guitar, by means of the two suction cups 5, for example in the vicinity of the handle 20 of the instrument and slightly offset upward relative to the axis XX of this handle, as shown in Figure 3.
• the angular position of the plate relative to the axis XX can be adjusted at will, after this fixing, by placing the feet of the two suction cups in different notches of the lights 14.
• Figures 4 to 6 represent a player, assumed right-handed, who plays on the guitar equipped with the device 1, in a standing position.
• the guitar is carried by a classic strap 21 on the player's left shoulder, whose left hand plays on the neck 20.
• the strap 4 is applied to the player's abdomen, from a location slightly to the right of the navel to the iliac wing, the gussets of the strap being located roughly at the waist.
• the strap in front view, extends obliquely downwards and towards the side of the player, and its part adjacent to the plate 2 forms with the latter, and therefore with the general plane of the back 19A of the body 19 of the guitar, an angle ⁇ ( Figures 2 and 5) of the order of 60 to 80 °.
• the instrument thus positions itself in an ergonomic position in three dimensions: - In front view ( Figure 4), the X-X axis of the handle takes an inclined position at about 45 ° on the horizontal. This will prevent exaggerated flexion of the left wrist and reduce flexion of the right forearm.
• the device 1 allows to orient and wedge the instrument so that the front side of the guitar is turned upwards, roughly in the same plane as that of the right forearm, thus avoiding excessive flexion of the right wrist.
• the instrument thus calibrated, its weight is better distributed. Instead of weighing only on the shoulder, the weight is distributed over the shoulder and over the pelvis (pelvic girdle). There are therefore fewer constraints on the shoulder muscles (upper trapezium), allowing the muscles of the shoulder girdle to be positioned and used as well as possible.
• the instrumentalist is exempt from carrying the neck with his left hand, which removes any stress on the left thumb and brings the instrument into a comfortable position. He also doesn't need to wedge him with his right forearm. Once the instrumentalist has been freed from these constraints on the left hand and the right forearm, his shoulders can now optimally orient the two upper limbs in space. The two thumbs are only used for the general balance of the other fingers.
• the device can also be used to correctly position a double bass C.
• it is fixed in substantially the same position as above relative to the abdomen of the player, that is to say, in this case, with the strap 4 extending in a general direction approximately perpendicular to the general axis, approximately vertical, of the instrument.
• the double bass player no longer needs to wedge his instrument using his chest, knees or upper limbs, which then leaves his two shoulders and upper limbs completely free.
• FIG. 7 represents a variant 101 of the device which differs from that described above by the fact that the strap 4 is extended, beyond the gussets 13A and 13B, by a belt 22.
• This belt is intended to go around the size of the player and to be fixed in an adjustable manner by its free end to the face of the strap 4 opposite the strip 3, for example by means of pieces 23, 24 of material of the "VELCRO" type. The player's comfort is then further increased.
• the band 3 is deleted, and the strap 4 is replaced by a rigid band 4A.
• the strip 4A is curved, its general curved shape fitting well
• the angle ⁇ of the strip 4A and of the plate 2 ( Figure 13) is maintained by means of four strips 23, 24.
• the two strips 23 are articulated on the edges of the strip by hinges 25 and have on one side a head nail 26.
• the two strips 24 are articulated on the edges of the plate 2 parallel to the previous ones by hinges 27 and are each provided with two buttonholes 28 having a wide end which lets the head of the nails 26 pass and a narrow end which only lets through their stem.
• the strips 23 and 24 are brought into a position approximately perpendicular to the strip and the plate, and the nails 26, introduced into a pair of buttonholes 28, maintain the angle J3 at one of two possible values, as shown in Figure 13.
• the back of the body 19 has a recess 30 which makes it possible to accommodate the strip 4A in the position of non-use of the device 1 ( Figure 15).
• a removable cover (not shown) can be provided.
• the plate 2 can be omitted and the strip 4A be directly articulated by the hinge 6 on the back of the instrument.
• the latter and the strip 4A then comprise suitable means (not shown) for releasable, and preferably adjustable, maintenance of the angle ⁇ , for example strips 23, 24 as described above.
• the plate 2 is fixed in a removable manner and adjustable in position and inclination by means of a support plate 31 mounted on the back of the body 19 of the guitar, in a circular recess of this back.
• the plate 31 is circular and pivots on a threaded rod 32 secured to the body 19.
• a knurled nut 33 screwed onto it makes it possible to fix its angular position.
• the plate 31 carries two parallel rails 34 in which four bolt heads 35 can slide. The bolts pass through holes in the plate 2, and their position along the rails 34 can be locked by means of four knurled nuts 35 screwed onto these bolts .
• the plate 2 also has a longitudinal slot 37 which starts from its rear edge and lets the nut 33 pass, as shown in phantom in Figure 19.
• the instrumentalist firstly, adjusts the position of the plate 2 along the rails 34, and fixes this position by means of the nuts 35, then, in a second step, he adjusts the angular position of the assembly plate 31-plate 2 by means of the nut 33.
• the angle ⁇ must only be maintained so as to prevent it from being closed during use of the device. Indeed, the latter has the essential function of maintaining a configuration predetermined space, generally triangular in shape from above ( Figures 5 and 5A), between the player's abdomen and the back of the instrument body. It is therefore in this sense that the expression "maintenance of the angle ⁇ " must be understood.
• the plate 202 and the strip 203 are plastic plates.
• the hinge 206 which connects them is produced by an adhesive tape stuck transversely on the two plates.
• the front face of the plate 202 carries a piece of VELCRO® 38A, and a substantial part of the back 219A of the body 219 of the instrument is covered with a piece of complementary VELCRO® 38B.
• the strap 204 is made in two parts: a part 204A which leaves from the free end of the strip 203, and a part 204B which leaves, towards the rear, from an intermediate point of the length of the plate 202.
• the opposite sides of these two parts are provided with complementary VELCRO® pieces 39A and 39B.
• the plate 202 can be positioned as desired on the back 219A, in height, length and orientation, using the pieces of VELCRO® 38A and 38B, and adjusting the angle of the plates 202 and 203 using the pieces of VELCRO® 39A and 39B. If the device 201 is not used, it folds flat and is very light and very compact.
• the natural elasticity of the plastic plates used allows the plate 202 to adapt to a non-flat back 219A, and possibly cause the band 203 to bend slightly, providing a "suspension" effect of the instrument. .

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For Music (AREA)
• Stringed Musical Instruments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25681720

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1998
  • 1998-08-11 FR FR9810278A patent/FR2782407B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-08-11 WO PCT/FR1999/001971 patent/WO2000010159A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-08-11 EP EP99936723A patent/EP1105866A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-08-11 AU AU51715/99A patent/AU5171599A/en not_active Abandoned
• 2000
  • 2000-04-07 CA CA002305006A patent/CA2305006A1/fr not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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