GB2365317A

GB2365317A - A string instrument player's finger protector

Info

Publication number: GB2365317A
Application number: GB0026112A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Remilekun Wilkinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-03
Filing date: 2000-10-25
Publication date: 2002-02-20
Also published as: GB0019075D0; GB0026112D0

Abstract

A string instrument player's finger protector 1 is a covering for the finger to eliminate the discomfort experienced at the tips or sides of a finger when pressing a string against a fret or plucking a string. It is made from an elastic, durable, material in the shape of a cylinder closed at one end, and open at the other end 2 to allow the insertion of a finger. When worn, the protector moulds itself to the contours of the wearer's finger, and extends from the finger tips to a point below the finger nail. A thickening of the material or deposition of another material at the place where the discomfort is experienced provides cushioning 3 for the finger. The protector has tiny holes 5 all over it to allow air in through to the wearer's skin.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> A STRING INSTRUMENT PLAYER'S FINGER PROTECTOR DESCRIPTION This invention relates to finger protectors for players of musical string instruments.

Musical string instruments such as the guitar, violin, banjo, double bass, are well known fretted instruments with a number of strings. Musical string instruments are used to produce musical notes by pressing one or a number of strings on frets with the fingertips of one hand while plucking the strings with the fingers of the other hand. The act of pressing strings on frets with fingertips is however painful and causes discomfort to the player. The pain and discomfort experienced on the fingers of the hand plucking the strings is significant, but not as great as that experienced when pressing on the strings. New players are especially vulnerable, as they would yet not have developed thick skins at their fingertips through frequent and prolonged playing periods. Players who have had a long break from playing their instrument also suffer the discomfort since the thick skins previously developed would have been gradually lost.

An object of this invention is to provide protective coverings for the fingers of string instrument players to eliminate the pain and discomfort.

Accordingly, this invention provides a covering for each finger of both hands. The essential features of the finger protector are: # A covering made of thin elastic material such as plastic in the general shape of a cylinder which is closed at one end, and open at the other end, allowing a finger to be inserted through the open end. The covering when worn extends from the fingertip to a point below the fingernail, and could extend beyond the distal phalange to the middle phalange.

# Material of manufacture whose properties are such that (a) its elasticity guarantees that the protector is moulded to the wearer's finger and does not fall off or get dislodged when in use; (b) it does not leave fragments, deposits or residues on the instrument that degrade the quality of sound being produced; (c) it does not cause irritation or toxicity to the human skin either through contact or prolonged use; (d) it is durable enough to allow continuous use for a minimum of twenty-four hours.

# Reinforcement at or near the closed end to provide cushioning to the finger tips when the wearer presses a string on a fret, or plucks a string. A thickening of the material or deposition of another material or substance at the place where the pain or discomfort is experienced provides the reinforcement. For die thumb of the hand that plucks the strings, therefore, reinforcement would be for the side and/or tip of the thumb that plucks the string; for all other fingers, reinforcement would be for the fingertip.

# Tiny holes all over the surface to allow the intake of air through to the skin.

Preferably, the covering is plain and transparent, but it may instead be provided in different colours and designs. Different versions of the invention may be made for different types of string instruments or types of strings. Some string instruments such as violins have their strings closer together than other instruments such as guitars. Finger protectors for string instruments whose strings are very close together may require that their elastic material be especially thin or have special surface treatment that prevents the protectors of adjacent fingers from sticking together when the instrument is being played. Similarly, metal strings are more likely than plastic strings to cut through and shred certain materials. Hence, finger protectors may be made of different types of materials to suit different types of strings.

Different versions of the invention may be made for left-handed and right-handed people. The placement of a design relative to the position of the reinforcement may differ for left- and right-handed people.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the side view of a protector.

Figure 2 illustrates the location of the reinforcement for the thumb of the hand that plucks the strings. Figure 3 shows the same view but with a design imposed on the material.

Referring to the drawings, the finger protector 1 in the general shape of a cylinder is closed at one end, and open at the other end 2 to allow a human finger to be inserted. At the tip 3 and/or side 4 of the closed end, the protector is made thicker than the rest of it, or reinforced with another substance or material. The protector has tiny holes 5 all over it to allow air through to the forger. A design 6 is imposed on the material.

Claims

A STRING INSTRUMENT PLAYER'S FINGER PROTECTOR CLAIMS 1. A string instrument player's finger protector comprising a blind cylinder of perforated elastic material, which in use, extends from the fingertip to a point beyond the finger nail, and grips the finger, the elastic material being thickened, or encrusted or ingrained with another material or substance at the places where pain or discomfort is experienced.
2. A finger protector as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the protector is provided as a plain and transparent covering, or in different colours and designs.
3. A finger protector as claimed in Claim 1 and any preceding claim wherein different versions of the invention are made for instruments with different string separations, by varying the thickness or type of material used, or providing special surface treatment of the material.
4. A finger protector as claimed in Claim 1 and any preceding claim wherein different versions of the invention are made for strings of different materials, by varying the thickness of, or type of material of, or deposited substance on the reinforcement.
5. A finger protector substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawing.