Patent Grant
11900901
The resent invention relates to musical instruments, and more particularly to carrying straps for musical instruments.
Guitar and bass guitar straps are utilized for suspending the instrument on the musician's shoulders when playing or carrying the instrument. Due limited maneuverability, existing guitar and bass guitar straps can cause discomfort when the straps twist or do not conform to the contour of the user.
Conventional guitar straps have a first end that couples with one of the head or neck of the guitar. A second end of the guitar strap couples with the body of the instrument. While the attachment points couple the strap ends to the instrument, they do not provide a degree of rotational movement along a longitudinal length of the strap to prevent the strap from twisting and causing discomfort for the musician.
Once the strap is twisted, the musician must provide sufficient slack in the strap to straighten the strap. Alternatively, the musician may remove the instrument from their shoulders and realign the strap. The musician may also decouple the strap from the instrument and straighten the strap. In all these scenarios, the musician is otherwise unable to play the instrument while they are repositioning the strap, which would interfere with their playing, particularly during a performance.
As can be seen, there is a need for improved instrument strap that eliminates the need to detach and reattach the strap when adjustment is required for twisting, and also eliminates the wear and tear associated with having to detach and reattach the strap.
In one aspect of the present invention, a swivel connector for suspending an instrument strap from an instrument is disclosed. The swivel connector includes a first rotator having a first central hub and first rotator arms laterally extending from the hub. A second rotator has a second central hub and second rotator arms laterally extending from the second central hub. An axial pin extends through each of the first central hub and the second central hub, such that each of the first rotator and the second rotator are rotationally carried, relative to one another, on the axial pin.
In some embodiments, a head on at least one end of the axial pin is dimensioned to retain at least one of the first central hub or the second central hub on the axial shaft.
In some embodiments, a set screw is received through a lateral face of one of the first central hub and the second central hub to secure the one of the first central hub and the second central hub in a fixed condition relative the axial pin.
In some embodiments, a spacer is carried on the axial pin between the first central hub and the second central hub.
In some embodiments, the first rotator arms and the second rotator arms have a width corresponding to a width of the instrument strap.
In some embodiments, an attachment tab is formed as a length of material that is carried around at least one of first rotator arms and second rotator arms. A strap tab may also be formed as a length of material that is carried around another of the at least one of the first rotator arms and the second rotator arms.
In some embodiments, a floating link is coupled with the strap tab. The floating link is configured to adjustably carry an end loop of the instrument strap therethrough.
In some embodiments, a strap link interconnects opposed ends of the first rotator arms and a distal end of the floating link.
In other aspects of the invention, a carrying strap for a musical instrument is disclosed. The carrying strap includes an elongate strap having a first end and a second end. At least one swivel connector has a first rotator and a second rotator rotationally carried, relative to one another, on an axial pin. A strap tab is coupled with first rotator arms laterally extending from a first hub of the first rotator and an attachment tab is coupled with second rotator arms laterally extending from a second hub of the second rotator.
In some embodiments, a floating link is coupled with the strap tab, the configured to slidably receive a loop of the elongate strap to accommodate an adjustment in a longitudinal length of the elongate strap.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.
Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide an instrument strap and a swivel connector for attaching the instrument strap to the instrument to avoid twisting and bunching of the strap on the musician's shoulders. As seen in reference to the drawings of
As seen in reference to
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4014240 | Pullen | Mar 1977 | A |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20230377541 A1 | Nov 2023 | US |
