JP2014016412A - Pickup saddle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pickup saddle having superior detection sensitivity to string vibration.SOLUTION: A pickup saddle 1 comprises an approximately rectangular tabular saddle body 2 having a plurality of string contact points on the upper long side thereof and a sensor having multiple piezoelectric elements 4 mounted approximately below the plurality of string X contact points of the saddle body, and outputs vibration of a stringed instrument in the form of an electrical signal. The saddle body has concave grooves 3, located at least below the plurality of string contact points, with bottom walls 3a formed by the concave grooves. The multiple piezoelectric elements are mounted on the back face side of the bottom walls of the saddle body. It is preferable a pair of piezoelectric elements be mounted on both sides, along the groove direction, of each concave groove on the back face side of the bottom wall. The concave grooves are preferably formed vertically on one face of the saddle body.

Description

  The present invention relates to a saddle with a pickup function.

  When the performance sound of a stringed instrument such as an acoustic guitar is amplified and output electrically, a pickup that detects vibration of the stringed instrument and outputs it as an electric signal is used, and the electric signal from this pickup is amplified by an amplifier. Sound is output electrically.

  As the pickup, a pickup mounted on the body of a stringed instrument and including a piezoelectric element is widespread. This piezoelectric element has a structure in which a piezoelectric body (piezoelectric film) is sandwiched between two electrodes, and is configured to generate a voltage between the electrodes by deformation of the piezoelectric body when subjected to pressure due to vibration.

  In order to electrically output a high-quality sound closer to the original sound of a stringed instrument using such a pickup, it is preferable to improve the detection sensitivity of the string vibration so that the output balance of each string can be easily controlled. From this point of view, a saddle with a pickup function in which a pickup is incorporated into a saddle (string support) has been devised to facilitate transmission of string vibration to the pickup, and in order to further improve the detection sensitivity of string vibration, A saddle with a pickup function in which a piezoelectric element is embedded in a side surface of the saddle (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-033806) has been developed.

  However, in the conventional saddle with a pickup function, since the piezoelectric element is sandwiched between the saddle and the instrument body, deformation of the piezoelectric element due to vibration is suppressed. Therefore, there is room for improvement in improving the sensitivity of string vibration detection.

JP 2007-033806 A

  The present invention has been made based on the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a saddle with a pickup function that is excellent in detection sensitivity of string vibration.

The invention made to solve the above problems is
A substantially rectangular plate-shaped saddle body having a plurality of string contact positions on the upper long side, and a sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed substantially below the plurality of string contact positions of the saddle body. A saddle with a pickup function that outputs the vibration of a stringed instrument as an electrical signal,
The saddle body has a concave groove disposed at least below a plurality of string contact positions, and a bottom wall formed by the concave groove;
The plurality of piezoelectric elements are attached to the back side of the bottom wall of the saddle body.

  In the saddle with a pickup function, the saddle body is disposed at least below the string abutting position, and has a concave groove that passes through a portion immediately below the string abutting position, and the bottom wall formed by the concave groove is each string. Deforms easily and reliably under vibration. Therefore, the piezoelectric element attached to the back side of the bottom wall is expanded or compressed by deformation of the bottom wall, and fine string vibration can be converted into an electric signal. As a result, the saddle with a pickup function can detect string vibration with high sensitivity.

  A pair of piezoelectric elements may be provided on the left and right sides of the concave groove on the back side of the bottom wall. By attaching a pair of piezoelectric elements so as to oppose the left and right ends of the bottom wall in this way, the pair of piezoelectric elements are simultaneously expanded or compressed by deformation of the bottom wall, so that a string vibration signal is amplified and detected. In addition, the detection sensitivity of the saddle with a pickup function to the string vibration can be further improved.

  The concave groove may be formed in the vertical direction on one surface of the saddle body. By forming a concave groove in this way, a bottom wall that is easily deformed in the string extending direction (the direction from one surface of the saddle body toward the other surface) can be formed, so a piezoelectric element is provided on the back side. Thereby, the detection sensitivity with respect to the string vibration of the saddle with the pickup function can be further improved.

  The concave groove may be formed laterally on one surface of the saddle body. By forming a concave groove in this way, it is possible to form a bottom wall that is easily deformed in the string extension direction, so that by adding a piezoelectric element on the back side of the saddle with the pickup function, the detection sensitivity to the string vibration can be further increased. Can be improved.

  Note that the upper and lower relations relating to “upper long side” and “lower” are such that the outer direction of the body of the stringed instrument is up and the opposite direction is down.

  As described above, the saddle with a pickup function of the present invention can detect string vibration with high sensitivity. Therefore, it is possible to output an electric signal that can reproduce the performance sound of the stringed instrument with high quality, and it can be suitably used for an acoustic guitar or the like.

Schematic front view (a), schematic back view (b), schematic plan view (c), and schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the saddle with a pickup function according to the first embodiment of the present invention (d) ) Schematic rear view and schematic plan view of a saddle with a pickup function according to the second embodiment of the present invention (b) Schematic front view (a), schematic back view (b), schematic plan view (c), and schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the saddle with a pickup function according to the third embodiment of the present invention (d) ) And a schematic cross-sectional view along the line BB (e) Schematic front view (a), schematic back view (b), schematic plan view (c), and schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the saddle with a pickup function according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention (d) ) Typical sectional drawing in a field perpendicular to a string of a saddle with a pickup function concerning a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a saddle with a pickup function of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

<First embodiment>
The saddle 1 with a pickup function shown in FIG. 1 is generally provided on the surface side of the body of a stringed musical instrument via a piece and supports a plurality of strings. The saddle 1 with a pickup function is an elongated plate-like body, and its upper long side is arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the body part, and a plate surface having a large area is arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface of the body part. Yes. The saddle 1 with a pickup function includes a saddle body 2 having a plurality of concave grooves 3 and a sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric elements 4. Hereinafter, the structure of the saddle 1 with a pickup function will be specifically described.

  The saddle body 2 has a substantially rectangular plate shape, and has a plurality of string abutting positions where the string X abuts on the upper long side (upper surface side). The string contact positions are arranged substantially parallel to the upper surface of the saddle body 2 at substantially equal intervals in the longitudinal direction. The saddle body 2 has a plurality of concave grooves 3 formed on the surface (stringing side surface, the surface shown in FIG. 1A). In addition, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 4 are disposed on the back surface opposite to the front surface (string fixed side surface, surface shown in FIG. 2B).

  The size of the saddle body 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the string of the stringed instrument to which the saddle 1 with the pickup function is attached. For example, when the saddle body 2 is attached to an acoustic guitar having six strings, the length (the saddle The longitudinal direction) may be 70 mm or more and 90 mm or less, the width (direction parallel to the string) may be 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less, and the height (string contact direction) may be 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

  As the material of the saddle body 2, known materials can be used as the saddle material. For example, ivory, cow bone, synthetic resin or the like can be used, but urea resin is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of rigidity and cost. .

  The concave groove 3 is formed in the vertical direction (string contact direction) on the surface of the saddle body 2. The concave grooves 3 are arranged in the same number as the string abutting positions so as to pass through the portion immediately below each string abutting position. The concave groove 3 has a side surface that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the saddle body 2 and a bottom surface that is substantially parallel to the surface of the saddle body 2, and a bottom wall 3 a is formed in the saddle body 2 by the bottom surface.

  The size of the concave groove 3 is not particularly limited as long as the bottom wall 3a is deformed with respect to string vibration and the saddle body 2 can maintain the strength to support the string. For example, the width (longitudinal direction of the saddle) is 3 mm or more. It can be 9 mm or less, the depth can be 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less, and the length (vertical direction) can be 1.5 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

  The piezoelectric element 4 constituting the sensor is a laminated structure formed by laminating a lower electrode 5, a piezoelectric film 6 and an upper electrode 7 disposed in this order on the back surface of the saddle body 2. The lower electrode 5 is shared by the plurality of piezoelectric elements 4.

  The lower electrode 5 is a film body formed in a strip shape in the longitudinal direction of the saddle body 2 on the back side of the bottom wall 3 a, that is, on the back surface of the saddle body 2. The lower electrode 5 has a lower electrode terminal 5a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected to one end portion in the longitudinal direction.

  The size of the lower electrode 5 is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, a thickness of 1 μm to 5 μm and a width of 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

  The material of the lower electrode 5 is not particularly limited as long as it has electrical conductivity, and examples thereof include platinum, aluminum, nickel, iron, gold, silver, copper, palladium, chromium, and alloys thereof. Among these, platinum or gold is preferable from the viewpoint of electrical conductivity or chemical stability, and platinum is more preferable. Platinum has high heat resistance and can also serve as a diffusion barrier layer that prevents a part of the material of the piezoelectric film 6 disposed on the lower electrode 5 from diffusing to the saddle body side.

  The piezoelectric film 6 has a rectangular shape in plan view and is laminated on the surface of the lower electrode 5. The piezoelectric film 6 is disposed at the left and right positions of the concave groove 3 on the back side of the bottom wall 3a. Specifically, the piezoelectric film 6 is disposed at a position where both side surfaces of the concave groove 3 intersect with the surface extending to the back surface side of the saddle body 2, and the saddle 1 with a pickup function includes one concave groove 3 and a string abutment. A pair of left and right piezoelectric films 6 is provided with respect to the position. In order to prevent a short circuit between the lower electrode 5 and the upper electrode 7, the piezoelectric film 6 is shifted to the side where the upper electrode connection portion 7 b is formed (lower side in FIG. 1) and a part thereof is attached to the saddle body 2. It is preferable to form so as to be directly laminated.

  The size of the piezoelectric film 6 is not particularly limited as long as it is a size that can be sufficiently extended with the deformation of the bottom wall 3a due to the string vibration. The width (up and down direction) can be 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The interval between the piezoelectric films 6 can be, for example, 1.5 mm or more between the pair of piezoelectric films 6 and 0.5 mm or more between the non-paired piezoelectric films 6.

  The material of the piezoelectric film 6 is not particularly limited as long as it generates a voltage by the piezoelectric effect, and examples thereof include various oxides, nitrides, and polymers. Specific examples of the material of the piezoelectric film 6 include single crystals such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), crystal, lithium niobate, lithium tantalate, lithium tetraborate, potassium niobate, and langasite crystals, zinc oxide And oriented crystals such as aluminum nitride, polyvinylidene fluoride, and the like. Among these, lead zirconate titanate having high piezoelectricity is particularly preferable.

  The upper electrode 7 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is laminated on the surface of each piezoelectric film 6 one by one. Each upper electrode 7 is connected by the upper electrode connection part 7b. Further, an upper electrode terminal 7a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected is separately provided on the back surface of the saddle body 2, and each upper electrode 7 is connected to the upper electrode via an upper electrode connecting portion 7b. It is connected to the terminal 7a.

  The size of the upper electrode 7 is not particularly limited as long as the planar area is smaller than that of the piezoelectric film 6 so as not to short-circuit in contact with the lower electrode 5. For example, the thickness is 1 μm to 5 μm and the length (longitudinal direction of the saddle). 1 mm to 5 mm, and the width (vertical direction) can be 1 mm to 5 mm.

  The upper electrode terminal 7 a has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is formed in the vicinity of the same side as the lower electrode terminal 5 a on the back surface of the saddle body 2. The size of the upper electrode terminal 7a is not particularly limited as long as it has an area to which a lead wire can be connected. For example, the thickness is 1 μm to 5 μm, the length (longitudinal direction of the saddle) is 1 mm to 5 mm, and the width (Vertical direction) can be 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

  The upper electrode connection portion 7b includes a strip-shaped branch portion extending from each upper electrode 7 and a strip-shaped basic portion connecting the branch portion and the upper electrode terminal 7a. The size of the upper electrode connecting portion 7b is not particularly limited, and for example, the width of the branch portion can be 0.3 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and the width of the backbone portion can be 0.3 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

  The upper electrode 7, the upper electrode terminal 7a, and the upper electrode connection portion 7b are formed of the same material. As this material, the same material as that of the upper electrode 5 can be used.

  In addition, the connection method of the lead wire to the lower electrode terminal 5a and the upper electrode terminal 7a is not particularly limited, and a known method can be used. Specifically, for example, soldering, connection with a crimping fitting, adhesion with a conductive adhesive, wire bonding, and the like can be given.

  The saddle 1 with a pickup function has a concave groove 3 on the surface of the saddle body 2 below the string contact position, and a piezoelectric element 4 is disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 3a formed by the concave groove 3. Yes. The bottom wall 3a is less rigid than the other parts of the saddle body 2 in terms of the string extension direction (the direction from the front surface to the back surface of the saddle body 2). Deforms like a bow so that it protrudes to the side. Due to this deformation, pressure is applied to the piezoelectric film 6, and the string vibration is converted into an electric signal by the piezoelectric element 4. In particular, in the saddle 1 with a pickup function, a pair of piezoelectric elements 4 is disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 3a so as to face the left and right ends of the bottom wall 3a. Since the piezoelectric film 6 expands simultaneously, a larger deformation amount (pressure) can be detected with respect to vibration. Therefore, the saddle 1 with a pickup function can detect string vibration with high sensitivity and output it as an electrical signal.

  In the saddle 1 with the pickup function, the vibration of each string is easily detected by the piezoelectric element 4 disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 3a below the respective due to the action of the concave groove 3 described above. Therefore, it is possible to separate and output the vibration of each string by connecting a lead wire to each piezoelectric element 4 (lower electrode 5 and upper electrode 7).

(Production method)
Although it does not specifically limit as a manufacturing method of the said saddle 1 with a pick-up function, For example, it can manufacture with the following manufacturing processes.

(1-1) A plate-shaped saddle material is fixed to a stage (base), and a mask made of a mesh and a frame in which a pattern is formed in an arrangement shape of the lower electrode 5 is placed thereon.

(1-2) Next, a paste as a material for forming the lower electrode 5 is applied on the mask so as to have a thickness of 2.2 to 2.5 μm. Specifically, the paste lump is placed on a mask, and a squeegee (scalpel) is slid in the longitudinal direction of the saddle material and applied from above the mesh. In addition, this paste mixes the formation material (for example, platinum) of the lower electrode 5 in the organic solvent.

(1-3) Next, the saddle material coated with the paste is sintered at a temperature of 1200 to 1300 ° C. for 0.5 to 1.5 hours. Thereby, the film-like lower electrode 5 is formed on the saddle material. The sintering step is a heat treatment step for crystallizing the material for forming the lower electrode 5.

(1-4) After the lower electrode 5 is formed, a mask composed of a mesh and a frame having a pattern formed in the arrangement shape of the piezoelectric film 6 is placed on the saddle material. The paste containing the material for forming the piezoelectric film 6 is applied so as to have a thickness of 15 to 20 μm, then dried at a temperature of 500 to 600 ° C. for 5 to 15 minutes, and then at a temperature of 1150 to 1250 ° C. for 0.5 to Sinter for 1.5 hours. By repeating this, the piezoelectric film 6 is formed on the saddle material. For example, the piezoelectric film 6 has a thickness of 10 μm to 100 μm. In addition, the said drying process is a process for volatilizing the organic solvent contained in a paste.

(1-5) After the piezoelectric film 6 is formed, from the mesh and the frame body in which the pattern is formed in the arrangement shape of the upper electrode (upper electrode 7, upper electrode terminal 7a, upper electrode connecting portion 7b) on the saddle material. In the same manner as the formation of the lower electrode 5, a paste containing a material for forming the upper electrode is applied so as to have a thickness of 2.2 to 2.5 μm. Sinter for 5-1.5 hours. Thereby, an upper electrode is formed on the saddle material.

(1-6) After forming the upper electrode, the concave groove 3 is formed in the saddle material using a processing device such as a dicer or a router. Finally, the saddle 1 with a pickup function can be obtained by shaping the shape of the saddle material.

  Since the saddle 1 with a pickup function can simultaneously form a plurality of piezoelectric elements 4 by screen printing in this way, the manufacturing cost can be kept low.

<Second embodiment>
A saddle 11 with a pickup function in FIG. 2 is a member that supports a string in the same manner as the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG. 1, and includes a saddle body 2 having a plurality of concave grooves 3 and a plurality of piezoelectric elements 14. With. Since the saddle body 2 and the concave groove 3 are the same as the saddle 1 with the pickup function, the same numbers are assigned and the description is omitted. Further, a front view and a cross-sectional view of the saddle 11 with a pickup function are the same as those of the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG.

  The piezoelectric element 14 is a laminated structure which is disposed on the back surface of the saddle body 2 and is formed by laminating the lower electrode 15, the piezoelectric film 16 and the upper electrode 17 in this order, like the piezoelectric element 4 of FIG. .

  The lower electrode 15 is the same as the lower electrode 5 in FIG. 1, and is formed in a band shape in the longitudinal direction of the saddle body 2 so as to pass through the back side of the bottom wall 3a formed by the concave groove 3. It is a film body. The lower electrode 15 has a lower electrode terminal 15a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected to one end portion in the longitudinal direction. The size and material of the lower electrode 15 can be the same as those of the lower electrode 5 in FIG.

  The piezoelectric film 16 has a rectangular shape in plan view and is laminated on the surface of the lower electrode 15. The piezoelectric film 16 is disposed at a position facing the central portion of the bottom wall 3a on the back side of the bottom wall 3a. Specifically, the piezoelectric film 16 is disposed at the same distance from two surfaces extending from both sides of the concave groove 3 to the back side of the saddle body 2, and the saddle 11 with a pickup function includes one concave groove 3 and One piezoelectric film 16 is provided for the string contact position.

  The size of the piezoelectric film 16 is not particularly limited as long as it is sufficiently large to be compressed in accordance with the deformation of the bottom wall 3a due to string vibration. Can be 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and the width (vertical direction) can be 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The material of the piezoelectric film 16 can be the same as that of the piezoelectric film 6 of FIG.

  The upper electrode 17 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is laminated on the surface of each piezoelectric film 16 one by one. Each upper electrode 17 is connected by the upper electrode connection part 17b. Further, an upper electrode terminal 17a to which a lead wire is connected is separately provided on the back surface of the saddle body 2, and each upper electrode 17 is connected to the upper electrode terminal 17a via an upper electrode connection portion 17b.

  The size of the upper electrode 17 is not particularly limited as long as the planar area is smaller than that of the piezoelectric film 16 so as not to short-circuit in contact with the lower electrode 15. For example, the thickness is 1 μm to 5 μm and the length (longitudinal direction of the saddle). Can be 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and the width (vertical direction) can be 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The material of the upper electrode 17 can be the same as that of the upper electrode 7 in FIG.

  The size and material of the upper electrode terminal 17a and the upper electrode connection portion 17b can be the same as those of the upper electrode terminal 7a and the upper electrode connection portion 7b in FIG.

  The saddle 11 with a pickup function is deformed into a bow shape so that the bottom wall 3a protrudes to the surface side by string vibration in the same manner as the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG. 1, and the piezoelectric film 16 is deformed by the deformation of the bottom wall 3a. Receives pressure and outputs an electrical signal. In the saddle 11 with a pickup function, the piezoelectric element 14 is disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 3a so as to face the center portion of the bottom wall 3a. Therefore, the piezoelectric element 14 is deformed by the deformation of the bottom wall 3a. The piezoelectric film 16 is compressed, and string vibration can be detected with high sensitivity.

<Third embodiment>
A saddle 21 with a pickup function in FIG. 3 is a member that supports a string in the same manner as the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG. 1, and includes a saddle body 2 having a plurality of concave grooves 3, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements 4 and 24. Having a sensor. Since the saddle body 2 and the concave groove 3 are the same as the saddle 1 with the pickup function, the same numbers are assigned and the description is omitted.

  The saddle 21 with a pickup function is disposed on the back surface side of the bottom wall 3a (the back surface side of the saddle body 2) and on the inner surface side of the bottom wall 3a (the surface side of the saddle body 2). And a plurality of piezoelectric elements 24 provided. The piezoelectric element 4 disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 3a is the same as that provided in the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG. 1, and the lower electrode 5, the piezoelectric film 6 and the upper electrode 7 are laminated in this order. The piezoelectric film 6 and the upper electrode 7 are disposed in a pair at left and right positions in the groove direction on the back side of the bottom wall 3a formed by the concave grooves 3.

  The piezoelectric element 24 disposed on the inner surface side of the bottom wall 3a is a laminated structure formed by laminating a lower electrode 25, a piezoelectric film 26, and an upper electrode 27 in this order.

  The lower electrode 25 is a film body formed in a strip shape in the longitudinal direction of the surface of the saddle body 2. The lower electrode 25 is formed along the surface shape of the saddle body 2 so as to cross each concave groove 3. The lower electrode 25 has a lower electrode terminal 25a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected to one end portion in the longitudinal direction. The size and material of the lower electrode 25 can be the same as those of the lower electrode 5 on the back side of the saddle body 2.

  The piezoelectric film 26 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is laminated on the surface of the lower electrode 25. One piezoelectric film 26 is disposed at the center on the inner surface side of the bottom wall 3a. The saddle 21 with a pickup function includes a pair of left and right piezoelectric films 6 disposed on the back surface side and one piezoelectric film 26 disposed on the front surface side with respect to one concave groove 3 and a string contact position. Prepare.

  The size of the piezoelectric film 26 is not particularly limited as long as the piezoelectric film 26 is sufficiently large as the bottom wall 3a is deformed by string vibration. The width (up and down direction) can be 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The material of the piezoelectric film 26 can be the same as that of the piezoelectric film 6 on the back side of the saddle body 2.

  The upper electrode 27 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is laminated on the surface of each piezoelectric film 26 one by one. Each upper electrode 27 is connected by the upper electrode connection part 27b. Further, an upper electrode terminal 27a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected is separately provided on the surface of the saddle body 2, and each upper electrode 27 is connected to the upper electrode via an upper electrode connecting portion 27b. It is connected to the terminal 27a.

  The size of the upper electrode 27 is not particularly limited as long as the planar area is smaller than that of the piezoelectric film 26 so as not to short-circuit in contact with the lower electrode 25. For example, the thickness is 1 μm to 5 μm and the length (longitudinal direction of the saddle). Can be 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and the width (vertical direction) can be 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The material of the upper electrode 27 can be the same as that of the upper electrode 7 on the back side of the saddle body 2.

  The size and material of the upper electrode terminal 27a and the upper electrode connection portion 27b can be the same as those of the upper electrode terminal 7a and the upper electrode connection portion 7b on the back surface side of the saddle body 2, respectively.

  The saddle 21 with a pickup function is deformed into a bow shape so that the bottom wall 3a protrudes to the surface side due to string vibration in the same manner as the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG. 1, and the piezoelectric film 6 is deformed by the deformation of the bottom wall 3a. And 26 receive pressure and output an electrical signal. In the saddle 21 with a pickup function, a pair of piezoelectric elements 4 are disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 3a so as to face the left and right ends of the bottom wall 3a. In addition, the center on the inner surface side of the bottom wall 3a. Since the piezoelectric element 24 is disposed in the portion, the piezoelectric films 6 and 26 are expanded together by the deformation of the bottom wall 3a, and the string vibration can be detected with higher sensitivity.

<Fourth embodiment>
A saddle 31 with a pickup function in FIG. 4 is a member that supports a string in the same manner as the saddle 1 with a pickup function in FIG. 1, and includes a saddle body 32 having a concave groove 33 and a sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric elements 34. Prepare.

  The saddle body 32 has a plurality of string abutting positions where the string X abuts on the upper surface. The saddle body 32 has a concave groove 33 formed on the surface (a string-striking side surface, the surface shown in FIG. 4A). In addition, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 34 are disposed on the back surface opposite to the front surface (string fixed side surface, surface shown in FIG. 4B). The size and material of the saddle body 32 can be the same as those of the saddle body 2 shown in FIG.

  The concave groove 33 is formed in the lateral direction (longitudinal direction) on the surface of the saddle body 32, and is continuous from one side surface to the other side surface of the saddle body 32 so as to pass through a portion immediately below each string contact position. Is formed. The concave groove 33 has a side surface that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the saddle body 32 and a bottom surface that is substantially parallel to the surface of the saddle body 32, and a bottom wall 33 a is formed in the saddle body 32 by the bottom surface.

  The size of the concave groove 33 is not particularly limited as long as the bottom wall 33a is deformed with respect to string vibration and the strength with which the saddle body 32 supports the string can be maintained. For example, the width (vertical direction) is 1 mm to 5 mm. The depth can be 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

  The piezoelectric element 34 is a laminated structure that is disposed on the back surface of the saddle body 32 and is formed by laminating a lower electrode 35, a piezoelectric film 36, and an upper electrode 37 in this order.

  The lower electrode 35 is a film body formed in a strip shape in the longitudinal direction of the saddle body 32 on the back surface side of the bottom wall 33 a, that is, on the back surface of the saddle body 32. The lower electrode 35 has a lower electrode terminal 35a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected to one end portion in the longitudinal direction.

  The size of the lower electrode 35 is not particularly limited. For example, the thickness can be 1 μm or more and 5 μm or less, and the width can be 1.5 mm or more and 5.5 mm or less. The material of the lower electrode 35 can be the same as that of the lower electrode 5 in FIG.

  The piezoelectric film 36 has a rectangular shape in plan view and is laminated on the surface of the lower electrode 35. The piezoelectric film 36 is disposed at the left and right positions of the concave groove 33 on the back side of the bottom wall 33a. Specifically, a piezoelectric film 36 is disposed at a position where both side surfaces of the concave groove 33 intersect with the surface extending to the back surface side of the saddle body 32 and below the string contact position, and the saddle 31 with a pickup function is provided. Is provided with a pair of upper and lower piezoelectric films 36 for one string contact position.

  The size of the piezoelectric film 36 is not particularly limited as long as the piezoelectric film 36 is sufficiently large as the bottom wall 33a is deformed by string vibration. For example, the thickness is 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, and the length (longitudinal direction of the saddle) is. The width (vertical direction) can be 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less. The spacing between the piezoelectric films 36 can be, for example, 0.5 mm or more in the string contact direction (vertical direction) and 0.5 mm or more in the longitudinal direction (lateral direction) of the saddle. The material of the piezoelectric film 36 can be the same as that of the piezoelectric film 6 in FIG.

  The upper electrode 37 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is laminated on the surface of each piezoelectric film 36 one by one. Each upper electrode 37 is connected by an upper electrode connecting portion 37 b formed around the lower electrode 35. Further, an upper electrode terminal 37a to which a lead wire for outputting an electric signal to the outside is connected is separately provided on the back surface of the saddle body 32, and each upper electrode 37 is connected to the upper electrode via an upper electrode connecting portion 37b. It is connected to the terminal 37a.

  The size of the upper electrode 37 is not particularly limited as long as the planar area is smaller than that of the piezoelectric film 36 so as not to short-circuit in contact with the lower electrode 35. Can be 0.5 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and the width (vertical direction) can be 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less. The material of the upper electrode 37 can be the same as that of the upper electrode 7 in FIG.

  The sizes of the upper electrode terminal 37a and the upper electrode connection portion 37b can be the same as those of the upper electrode terminal 7a and the upper electrode connection portion 7b in FIG.

  The saddle 31 with a pickup function is deformed like a bow so that the bottom wall 33a protrudes to the surface side of the saddle body 32 by string vibration. By this deformation, pressure is applied to the piezoelectric film 36, and the string vibration is converted into an electric signal. In the saddle 31 with a pickup function, a pair of piezoelectric elements 34 are disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 33a so as to face the left and right ends of the bottom wall 33a, and a pair of piezoelectric films is formed by the deformation of the bottom wall 33a. Since 36 extends at the same time, a larger deformation amount (pressure) can be detected with respect to vibration.

  The formation direction of the concave groove 33 is not limited to a direction substantially parallel to the lower surface of the saddle body 32 as shown in FIG. 4A, and may have an angle with respect to the lower surface of the saddle body 32. . In addition, the concave groove 33 may have a bent or curved shape such as a V-shaped band or a U-shaped band in a plan view from the surface side of the saddle body 32. Furthermore, the width of the concave groove 33 may change midway.

  Further, the sensor is not limited to the one in which the piezoelectric element 34 is disposed at each string contact position as described above, and the plurality of piezoelectric elements 34 disposed on the back side upper side of the bottom wall 33a and the back side lower side. A plurality of opposing piezoelectric elements 34 may be integrated together and formed into a strip shape substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the saddle. When such a piezoelectric element 34 is used, the manufacture of the saddle 31 with a pickup function can be facilitated.

<Fifth embodiment>
The saddle 41 with a pickup function shown in FIG. 5A is a member that supports a string like the saddle 1 with a pickup function shown in FIG. 1 and includes a saddle body 42 and a sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric elements 44. The saddle body 42 includes an upper saddle body 42a having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a lower saddle body 42b having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape positioned on the lower surface of the upper saddle body 42a, and a concave groove 43 is formed in the lower saddle body 42b. .

  The saddle body 42 includes an internal space in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements 44 are disposed (between the upper saddle body 42a and the lower saddle body 42b), and lead wires (not shown) connected to the piezoelectric elements 44. Is inserted into the lower saddle main body 42b from the inner space portion.

  The size of the upper saddle main body 42a is not particularly limited as long as it can support the string of the stringed instrument to which the saddle 41 with the pickup function is attached. For example, when it is attached to an acoustic guitar having six strings, the length (saddle) The longitudinal direction) can be 70 mm or more and 90 mm or less, the width (direction parallel to the string) can be 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less, and the height (string contact direction) can be 3 mm or more and 6 mm or less. Further, the size and length of the lower saddle body 42b can be the same as those of the upper saddle body 42a, and the height can be 3 mm or more and 6 mm or less.

  Further, the distance from the string contact surface of the upper saddle body 42a to the internal space portion can be, for example, 3 mm or more and 6 mm or less, and the size of the internal space portion is, for example, 65 mm to 85 mm in length, width Can be 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less, and the height can be 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less. Furthermore, the diameter of the lead wire insertion hole can be 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

  The material of the upper saddle body 42a and the lower saddle body 42b can be the same as that of the saddle body 2 of FIG. It is also possible to use different materials for the upper saddle body 42a and the lower saddle body 42b.

  The concave groove 43 is formed in a comb-like shape in the vertical direction from below the lower saddle body 42b. The concave grooves 43 are arranged in the same number as the string abutting positions so as to pass directly under the respective string abutting positions. The concave groove 43 has a side surface that is substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the internal space portion and a bottom surface that is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the internal space portion, and the bottom wall 43a is formed in the lower saddle body 42b by the bottom surface. .

  The size of the concave groove 43 is not particularly limited as long as the bottom wall 43a is deformed with respect to string vibration and the saddle body 42 can maintain the strength to support the string. For example, the width (longitudinal direction of the saddle) is 0. 5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, the depth can be 3 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and the interval in the width direction between the concave grooves 43 can be 10 mm or more and 12 mm or less.

  The piezoelectric element 44 is a laminated structure that is disposed on the bottom surface of the internal space and is formed by laminating the lower electrode 45, the piezoelectric film 46, and the upper electrode 47 in this order.

  The lower electrode 45 is a film body formed in a strip shape in the longitudinal direction of the saddle body 42 on the back side of the bottom wall 43a, that is, on the bottom surface of the internal space.

  The size of the lower electrode 45 is not particularly limited, and for example, the thickness can be 1 μm to 5 μm and the width can be 0.5 mm to 4 mm. The material of the lower electrode 45 can be the same as that of the lower electrode 5 in FIG.

  The piezoelectric film 46 has a rectangular shape in plan view and is laminated on the surface of the lower electrode 45. The piezoelectric film 46 is disposed at the left and right positions in the groove direction of the concave groove 43 on the back side of the bottom wall 43a. Specifically, the piezoelectric film 46 is disposed at a position where both side surfaces of the concave groove 43 intersect with the surface extending to the internal space, and the saddle 41 with a pickup function is located at one concave groove 43 and the string contact position. And a pair of left and right piezoelectric films 46.

  The size of the piezoelectric film 46 is not particularly limited as long as it is a size that sufficiently expands with the deformation of the bottom wall 43a due to string vibration. The width (up and down direction) can be 0.5 mm or more and 4 mm or less. The interval between the piezoelectric films 46 can be, for example, 1.5 mm or more between the pair of piezoelectric films 46 and 0.5 mm or more between the non-paired piezoelectric films 46. The material of the piezoelectric film 46 can be the same as that of the piezoelectric film 6 shown in FIG.

  The upper electrode 47 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is laminated on the surface of each piezoelectric film 46 one by one. Each upper electrode 47 is connected by an upper electrode connecting portion (not shown).

  The size of the upper electrode 47 is not particularly limited as long as the plane area is smaller than that of the piezoelectric film 46 so as not to short-circuit in contact with the lower electrode 45. For example, the thickness is 1 μm to 5 μm and the length (longitudinal direction of the saddle). Can be 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and the width (vertical direction) can be 0.5 mm or more and 4 mm or less. The material of the upper electrode 47 can be the same as that of the upper electrode 7 in FIG.

  The upper saddle body 42a and the lower saddle body 42b are fixed by means such as pinning, screwing, and bonding with an adhesive. At this time, the piezoelectric elements 44 are preferably brought into contact with the lower surface of the upper saddle body 42a, and more preferably adhered with an adhesive or the like so that the vibration of the strings can be easily transmitted.

  The saddle 41 with a pickup function is deformed like a bow so that the bottom wall 43a protrudes to the upper surface side (inner space portion side) of the lower saddle body 42b by string vibration. By this deformation, pressure is applied to the piezoelectric film 46, and the string vibration is converted into an electric signal. In the saddle 41 with a pickup function, a pair of piezoelectric elements 44 are disposed on the back side of the bottom wall 43a so as to face the left and right ends of the bottom wall 43a, and a pair of piezoelectric films is formed by the deformation of the bottom wall 43a. Since 46 simultaneously expands, a larger deformation amount (pressure) can be detected with respect to vibration.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the saddle 41 with a pickup function has a concave shape between the string abutting positions on the upper saddle body 42a between the string abutting positions and on both outer sides of the string abutting positions. The groove 10 can be formed. The concave groove 10 between the string contact positions is formed in a comb-like shape in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the upper saddle body 42a during the string contact. The side surface of the concave groove 10 between the string contact positions is formed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the internal space portion, and the bottom surface is formed so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the internal space portion. By having such a concave groove 10 between the string contact positions, the portion where the piezoelectric element 44 is disposed is easily deformed by string vibration. Therefore, the detection sensitivity of the string vibration of the saddle 41 with the pickup function is further improved. be able to.

  The size of the concave groove 10 between the string contact positions is not particularly limited as long as the area and strength for supporting the string can be maintained. For example, the width (longitudinal direction of the saddle) is 0.5 mm to 5 mm and the depth is 3 mm to 5 mm. Hereinafter, the interval in the width direction between the concave grooves 10 between the string contact positions can be set to 10 mm or more and 12 mm or less.

<Other embodiments>
The saddle with a pickup function of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, each concave groove in each of the embodiments has a cross-sectional shape in which the side surface and the bottom surface are planar and intersect at right angles, but the cross-sectional shape of the concave groove in the present invention is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the concave groove may be, for example, a U shape or a wedge shape (triangular shape) whose width decreases toward the bottom surface. Further, in the case of having a plurality of concave grooves as in the first embodiment, the size (width, depth, etc.) of the concave grooves does not have to be all the same, and the thickness of the string that abuts on the string abutment position directly above. It can be adjusted accordingly.

  Further, the concave groove may be filled with a filler having a rigidity lower than that of the saddle body. As this filler, for example, synthetic resin, rubber or the like can be used. By filling the inside of the concave groove with such a filler, the strength of the saddle can be improved while maintaining the deformability of the concave groove. The filler may be solidified after pouring into the concave groove in a fluid state, or may be molded according to the shape of the concave groove and then fixed with an adhesive or the like.

  Furthermore, in 1st embodiment, 2nd embodiment, 3rd embodiment, and 4th embodiment, you may form a concave groove in the back surface (string fixed side surface) of a saddle main body. When the concave groove is formed on the back surface of the saddle body, the deformation direction of the bottom wall is reversed, but the direction of pressure (compression or expansion) applied to each piezoelectric film is the same as when the concave groove is formed on the surface of the saddle body. Since they are unified, vibration detection sensitivity equivalent to that of the above-described embodiment can be achieved.

  Further, the arrangement pattern (position and size) of the lower electrode, the piezoelectric film, and the upper electrode constituting the piezoelectric element is not limited to those shown in each drawing, but by changing the mask for pattern formation. It can be designed as appropriate. For example, in the first embodiment, the lower electrode connecting portion may be disposed above the upper electrode and the lower electrode (string contact position side), and the terminal positions of the upper electrode and the lower electrode may be reversed upside down. Further, an upper electrode connection terminal may be formed on the surface side of the lower electrode through a piezoelectric film. In the first embodiment, the concave groove is formed only in the upper half of the saddle, but it may be formed for the length of the saddle (for the entire height). In that case, a concave groove can be easily formed with a dicer.

  As described above, the saddle with a pickup function of the present invention is excellent in detection sensitivity of string vibration. Therefore, it is possible to output an electric signal that can reproduce the performance sound of the stringed instrument with high quality, and it can be suitably used for a stringed instrument such as an acoustic guitar.

1, 11, 21, 31, 41 Saddle with pickup function 2, 32, 42 Saddle body 3, 33, 43 Concave groove 3a, 33a, 43a Bottom wall 4, 14, 24, 34, 44 Piezoelectric element 5, 15, 25 , 35, 45 Lower electrode 5a, 15a, 25a, 35a Lower electrode terminal 6, 16, 26, 36, 46 Piezoelectric film 7, 17, 27, 37, 47 Upper electrode 7a, 17a, 27a, 37a Upper electrode terminal 7b, 17b, 27b, 37b Upper electrode connecting portion 10 Concave groove between string contact positions 42a Upper saddle body 42b Lower saddle body X string

Claims (4)

A substantially rectangular plate-shaped saddle body having a plurality of string contact positions on the upper long side, and a sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed substantially below the plurality of string contact positions of the saddle body. A saddle with a pickup function that outputs the vibration of a stringed instrument as an electrical signal,
The saddle body has a concave groove disposed at least below a plurality of string contact positions, and a bottom wall formed by the concave groove;
The saddle with a pickup function, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric elements are attached to the back side of the bottom wall of the saddle body.   The saddle with a pickup function according to claim 1, wherein a pair of piezoelectric elements are attached to the left and right in the groove direction on the back side of the bottom wall.   The saddle with a pickup function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the concave groove is formed on one surface of the saddle body in the vertical direction. The saddle with a pickup function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the concave groove is formed laterally on one surface of the saddle body.

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