1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a puller for guitar bridge pins or the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a compact pocket tool for removing guitar bridge pins to change the strings, without causing damage to the portion of the guitar adjacent the pins.
2. Description of the Related Art
It can be appreciated that guitar bridge pin pullers have been in use for years. Typically a guitar bridge pin puller is comprised of a pin puller that is positioned beneath the head of the bridge pin and uses a prying motion to remove the pin. This type of puller is often provided in the form of a rounded notch in the end portion of a guitar tuning peg winder.
Another type of known pin puller does not use the same prying motion, but instead pulls the pin straight up. However, this device is generally made of plastic, and includes two opposed claw-like teeth which are respectively positioned beneath the head of the pin for application of a pulling force. With this device, the tool can slip off the head of the pin, or slide out of position while it is being pulled.
The main problem with the first mentioned type conventional guitar bridge pin pullers is that the prying motion will often damage the bridge of the guitar. For example, the bridge is often made of soft wood such as rosewood, and removing a bridge pin with the traditional lever-type pin remover will leave small indentations in the wood. Another problem with conventional guitar bridge pin pullers such as the second type mentioned hereinabove, is that since all of these pin pullers are generally made of plastic, the pin pulling capture notch often flexes under strain, causing the tool to pop off of the pin without removing it. Furthermore, the relatively weak plastic pin pulling capture notch often wears out over time, rendering the tool useless after repeated use. Still another problem with existing upward pulling-type pin pullers is that they are open at both ends, which allows the pin to easily slip out of the tool. This action can inadvertently cause the user to damage the face of the guitar. Additionally, such existing tools are almost always connected to a tuning peg winder as a combination tool. In such arrangement, the tool needs to swivel in order to wind the pegs. The swiveling motion sometimes makes it difficult to use the tool for pin pulling due to the movement of the tool head.
While these devices may be suitable on a limited basis for the particular purposes for which they are intended, they are not as suitable for removing guitar bridge pins in order to change the strings. As noted, the main problem with conventional guitar bridge pin pullers is that the prying motion will often damage the bridge of the guitar. The bridge is often made of a soft wood such as rosewood and removing a bridge pin with the traditional lever type pin remover will leave small indentations in the wood.
Another problem is that since all of these pin pullers are made of plastic, the pin pulling capture notch often flexes under strain, causing the tool to loose its grip and slip off the pin without removing it. This problem is underscored by the fact that the capture notch generally only includes two gripping teeth, spaced about 180 degrees apart. With this type of structure, the pin pulling capture notch often wears out over time.
After repeated uses the plastic notch can wear away, rendering the tool useless. The present invention departs substantially from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing, provides a compact apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of removing guitar bridge pins in order to change the strings.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of guitar bridge pin puller now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new construction wherein the same can be utilized for removing guitar pins in order to change the strings.
The general purposes of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new puller for guitar bridge pins of the like that has many of the advantages over presently known guitar bridge pin pullers heretofore and many novel features that result in a new bridge pin puller which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the known guitar bridge pin pullers, either alone or in any combination.
To attain this objective, the present invention generally comprises a main body and swing arm with a capture notch at the free end. The main body serves as a housing for the swing arm. It also has a flange or lip having an aperture machined into it where a keychain ring can be attached. The swing arm is machined so that a major portion fits into the groove which is machined into the main body, with the exception of the capture notch. The capture notch sits next to the main body when in the closed position, forming a compact, generally cylindrical shape. The capture notch has a lip that extends over three sides—or about 270 degrees—and that is machined to fit under the head of a guitar's bridge pin to remove it. Furthermore, the capture notch is preferably made of a strong durable metal, and has a recessed cavity where the head of a bridge pin sits during removal. Other materials are contemplated, such as durable and hard plastics, etc., such as for example, Dupont's Delrin® brand plastics, glass filled nylon, or high density molecular weight polyethylene.
A standalone ergonomic puller for removing a bridge pin from a guitar bridge is disclosed, which comprises a handle configured and dimensioned to accommodate a hand crush grip with thumb resting on index finger, and an extension member attached to the handle and having a capture notch at a free end thereof. The extension member includes a recessed cavity directly adjacent to the capture notch, the recessed cavity being configured and dimensioned to receive and engage the undersurface of the bridge pin head in a manner to facilitate application of direct force thereto to remove the bridge pin from the guitar bridge.
The capture notch of the ergonomic puller is dimensioned and configured to snugly surround the stem of the bridge pin so as to engage the undersurface of the bridge pin head. The capture notch extends approximately 270 degrees around the inner perimeter of the free end to fit under the head of the bridge pin for optimal engagement therewith. The capture notch is formed with a beveled undersurface to promote substantial purchase with the undersurface of the bridge pin head to prevent slippage of the puller with respect to the bridge pin.
The extension member is pivotably movable between a first closed position in-line with the handle, and a second open position generally perpendicular to the handle having an over-center position, and in a manner such that when the handle is positioned adjacent the guitar bridge in a generally parallel relation thereto, the extension member is in a generally perpendicular relationship to the guitar bridge.
The handle is formed as a housing with a groove to receive the swing arm when in the closed position such that at least a portion of the swing arm fits in the groove to form a generally ergonomically cylindrical shaped puller.
The capture notch is made of a material selected from one of metal, hard plastic, glass filled nylon, high density molecular weight polyethylene and other hard materials.
The recessed cavity is dimensioned and configured to accommodate commercially available bridge pins, each bridge pin having a size distinct from other bridge pins.
In one embodiment, the extension member is fixedly oriented in a generally perpendicular relationship to the handle in a non-collapsible monolithic structure.
It should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary feature of the present invention is to provide a puller for guitar bridge pins that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an improved collapsible and compact pocket device for removing guitar bridge pins in order to change the strings.
Another feature is to provide a strong and durable pin puller for guitar bridge pins that can remove guitar bridge pins without prying on the bridge of the guitar and without causing surface damage to the adjacent areas.
Still another feature is to provide a puller for guitar bridge pins that is small, lightweight and easy to carry.
Still another feature of the invention relates to a puller for guitar bridge pins that is not connected to a tuning peg winder, and that can be used with a majority of bridge pins. Furthermore, the present device will never wear out from repeated uses.
A method of using the ergonomic puller for removing a bridge pin from a guitar bridge is also disclosed.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader, and it is intended that these objects, features and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, features and advantages, the present invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings, wherein:
Turning now to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the attached Figs. illustrate a standalone ergonomic pin puller 10 for guitar bridge pins constructed according to the invention. Referring initially to
The entire guitar is not shown in
As can be seen in
As can be seen in the Figs., the main body 12 serves as a housing for the swing arm 14. Preferably, the main body 12 is a one-piece machined chrome plated steel cylinder with a rectangular notch 26 that runs little more than half way through the length thereof to accommodate the swing arm 14 when in the stored position. Inside the notch 26 of the main body 12, there is a small spring cavity 32 where a cam 34 and a coil spring 36 sit to keep the swing arm 14 in the desired position, i.e. either in the folded, or the open—or active—position. Housing 12 also has a hole 38 drilled through the midsection as shown in
As can be seen in the Figs., the main body 12 is the housing for all of the other components. The main body can be various sizes, shapes and finishes. Various hinge placement and applications can be used to create the same desired effect. Optionally, the key ring protrusion can be removed to provide a sleeker design. Also, the capture notch 26 for the swing arm 14 can be made in various shapes to accommodate other swing arm shapes, dimensions and configurations, or even alternative types of pins.
One variation of this pin puller is shown in
The tool which is illustrated in
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and descried in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/933,445, filed Jun. 5, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this application.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4997163 | Henning | Mar 1991 | A |
D386373 | Weinmuller | Nov 1997 | S |
6066143 | Lane | May 2000 | A |
6793200 | Bystrom | Sep 2004 | B2 |
20070193430 | Jang | Aug 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20080302230 A1 | Dec 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60933445 | Jun 2007 | US |