The present invention relates to a restringing device for stringed musical instrument. More particularly, this invention relates to a restringing device, which can perform tensioning of strings, cutting of the strings and pulling out bridge pins effectively and by itself.
Strings of most musical instruments need to be replaced when damaged or worn out. It is also known that strings are regularly replaced for its optimal performance. However, replacing the strings is not an easy task.
It is because tuning pegs of theses instruments have plural gears installed. These gears fight against tension of the strings and, therefore, help the user to tune with relatively small effort. These gears also prevent loosening of the strings and allow more precision tuning. On the other hand, because of the gear ratio (1/15+), the user has to wind the peg many times. This is very time and effort consuming, inflicts stress on fingers and wrist of the musician. Moreover, it sometimes causes more serious harm such as carpal tunnel syndrome. It is painful work for all stringed instrument musicians for the above reasons.
Also musicians commonly need two or more tools to replace strings. Besides leading to wind and unwind strings, a cutting tool is needed to cut off the excess strings. Most replacement strings are made longer than necessary length in order to be available for variety of instruments. For the above reasons, cutting tools (such as clipper and nipper) are used to cut excess strings according to size of the instrument.
But above tools wear out easily when used for thick strings (such as bass strings, lower strings) and sometimes require extra tools.
In addition, instruments, such as acoustic guitars, use bridge pins to hold down strings. These pins need to be removed every time the strings need to be replaced, but the pins are so firmly placed that it cannot be removed with bare hands but need yet another tool (such as pliers, nippers etc). But such tools may damage expensive musical instruments and bridge pins of high-quality material (ivory, ebony etc).
It is very inconvenient and ineffective to carry all the necessary tools.
Many tools were developed by prior art in order to solve these problems.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,505,116, 6,255,575, and 5,272,953 disclose manual string winders. These tools use an attached handle to manually wind pegs. It lessened the stress of winding the peg, but still required lots of work and was not a significant improvement. Also, since the axis, about which rotation of the handle occurs, is not fixed, the handle may move laterally thereby decreasing efficiency.
Following the manual winder, a motorized restring tools were invented. In 1974, APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING THE TENSION OF AN ELONGATED STRETCHED FILAMENT (U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,983) was introduced and similar items soon followed (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,791,849, 6,294,719, D412, 011, 4,791,849, 5,410,939, 4,889,029). The function of tools disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,791,849 and 4,889,029 is directed to fine tuning of a string. These tools does not provide fast operation including rapid winding or unwinding. The function of tools disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,983, D421,882, 6,294,719, D412,011, D342,001 and 5,410,939 is directed to winding and unwinding of a string. But these tools were only used to wind the strings and still required the user to carry extra tools for cutting and removing bridge pins.
Another disadvantage of the above-described motorized tools is that due to their fast speed and strong power, breaking of string may occur from over winding when a user is careless.
Among the tools that are already known, the manual string winder disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,505,116 and 6,255,575 has the ability to cut strings but was not effective for thick strings (such as bass strings, lower strings) because it was very hard to cut and both hands had to be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,719 discloses a tool, which can be applied to many different types of pegs (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar etc). But this is relatively too big for some instruments, which have narrow space between pegs (such as 12 strings guitar, banjo, mandolin, etc). Actually, this size of tuning socket interferes with surrounding tuning pegs.
A multi-function restringing tool that can effectively perform the various tasks for changing and restringing strings for stringed musical instruments has long been in need.
The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.
An objective of the invention is to provide a restringing device for stringed musical instrument, which can perform tensioning of strings, cutting of the strings and pulling out bridge pins without requiring separate tools.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a restringing device for stringed musical instrument, which utilizes motorized turning of pegs, and controlled turning of pegs according to the tension of a string that is wound by the device.
Still another objective of the invention is to provide a restringing device for stringed musical instrument, which minimizes motion path for performing the tensioning of strings-and cutting of the strings.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a restringing device for a stringed musical instrument. The restringing device includes an elongated housing including a first end and a second end, a driving shaft rotatably attached to the first end of the housing, a tuning socket that is adapted to receive a tuning peg of the stringed musical instrument, a string cutter that is adapted to cut excess length of a string for the stringed musical instrument, a bridge pin puller that is adapted to pull out a bridge pin of the stringed musical instrument, and an illuminating light, which is provided near the first end of the housing.
The rotating speed and the torque of the driving shaft are adjustable. The rotation direction of the driving shaft is selectable. The tuning socket engages with the driving shaft.
The string cutter is provided at the second end of the housing.
The bridge pin puller is provided at the second end of the housing, and the bridge pin puller includes an open bridge pin slot that is adapted to hold the bridge pin.
The rotation speed of the driving shaft is controllable in a fast winding mode and a fine tuning mode. The rotation speed of the driving shaft in the fast winding mode is faster than the rotation speed of the driving shaft in the fine tuning mode.
The rotation speed of the driving shaft changes from the fast winding mode to the fine tuning mode when the tension of a string reaches a threshold for the string.
Alternatively, the rotation the driving shaft stops when the tension of a string reaches a threshold for the string.
The restringing device is adapted to receive information of vibration frequency of the string from the stringed musical instrument.
Alternatively, the device is adapted to receive information of vibration frequency of the string from a microphone. Preferably, the microphone is a built-in microphone.
The string cutter includes a cutter handle, a moving cutter blade, and a fixed cutter blade. The moving cutter blade is pivoted toward the fixed cutter blade by the cutter handle.
The string cutter further includes a cutter release button and a spring coil. The spring coil presses the cutter handle outward from the housing and the cutter handle in turn pivots the moving cutter blade away from the fixed cutter blade. When the cutter release button is pushed, the cutter handle is pivoted outward from the housing by the spring coil.
The tuning socket includes a peg receiver and a connecting part that protrudes from the peg receiver, and a driving shaft receiving recess that is adapted to receive the driving shaft, and is provided in the connecting part.
The peg receiver includes a peg receiving recess that is open in the direction opposite to the direction that the connecting part protrudes.
The peg receiver further includes a first wall and a second wall, two side walls that connect the first wall and the second wall, and a base from which the first wall, the second wall and the side walls extend. An oversize peg guide slot is formed on each of the side walls.
The base may include a round recess that has a substantially constant width.
The connecting part includes a magnet that is provided in the driving shaft receiving recess.
The restringing device further includes an audible alert device that generates an audible alert when the vibration frequency of a string approaches to a predetermined value. The contents of the audible alert are gradually changed as the vibration frequency approaches to or recedes from the predetermined value.
The restringing device further includes a visual alert device that generates a visual alert when the vibration frequency of a string approaches to a predetermined value. The contents of the visual alert are gradually changed as the vibration frequency approaches to or recedes from the predetermined value.
The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the restringing device of the present invention functions as a multi-function portable motorized electric device that can change strings for most stringed musical instruments; (2) the restringing device enables restringing effect working with least movement and effort; (3) the restringing device enables winding, unwinding, cutting, and pulling bridge pins with only one hand without changing the position of tool's grip or a user's pose; (4) sockets that engage with tuning pegs of instrument are designed to fit each different instrument perfectly allowing instruments with narrow pegs space like banjo, mandolin, guitar, and 12 strings guitar so that it would not get in the way of surrounding tuning pegs; (5) the restringing device uses inter-changeable sockets to use on different sizes of tuning pegs; (6) the inside of tuning socket is made with elastic material such as rubber plastics to prevent tuning peg's scratch; (7) the operation button is installed at the middle of the device to allow easier operation even when user holds it backward; (8) the restringing device prevents overwinding of a string.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGS. 12(a), 12(b) and 12(c) are elevation views showing steps of the cutting operation;
FIGS. 12(d), 12(e) and 12(f) are partial enlarged views showing steps of the cutting operation;
FIGS. 20(a), 20(b) and 20(c) are partial elevation views showing a tuning socket that accommodates various shapes of tuning pegs;
FIGS. 22(a) and 22(b) are partial elevation views showing a tuning socket that accommodates various shapes of tuning pegs of base guitars; and
The rotating speed and the torque of the driving shaft 12 are adjustable. The rotation direction of the driving shaft 12 is selectable. The tuning socket 11 engages with the driving shaft 12. A motor 86 and gear train 88 are enclosed inside the housing 1 to rotate the driving shaft 12 in both directions (refer to
Referring to
The operation switch 5 is positioned around the middle of the housing 1. In this way, the operation of the restringing device 70 is facilitated when a user grips the device in the opposite direction.
Referring to
Referring to
The position of the string cutter 18 and the bridge pin puller 31 enables a user to cut strings or remove bridge pins or wind strings without changing position or grip.
The rotation speed of the driving shaft 12 is controllable in a fast winding mode and a fine tuning mode. The rotation speed of the driving shaft 12 in the fast winding mode is faster than the rotation speed of the driving shaft 12 in the fine tuning mode.
The rotation speed of the driving shaft 12 changes from the fast winding mode to the fine tuning mode when the tension of the string 43 reaches a threshold for the string 43. The threshold is predetermined for a given string 43 and is stored in or input to the stringing device 70. In this way, the fast winding mode is used for winding the string quickly to the point at which the string 43 has a tension, which is approximate to but slight less than the precise tension for the string 43. Fine tuning mode is used to fine-tune the string 43 until the string 43 has the precise tension, or vibration frequency.
Alternatively, the rotation the driving shaft 12 stops when the tension of a string 43 reaches a threshold for the string 43. In this way, the restringing device 70 prevents overwinding of the string 43. Therefore excess tension, or break of the string 43 is prevented.
The restringing device 70 is adapted to receive information of vibration frequency of the string 43 from the stringed musical instrument.
Alternatively, the restringing device 70 is adapted to receive information of vibration frequency of the string 43 from a built-in microphone 9 (refer to
When a user intends to use this automatic stop function, the user sets the restringing device 70 into an automatic stop mode, and selects a string to be restringed. When the user play or pluck the string, an electronic circuit inside the restringing device 70 senses the vibration of the string and starts the motor to wind the string. The vibration is sensed by receiving signal from the instrument via a connector cable 50 (refer to
The string cutter 18 further includes a cutter release button 22 and a spring coil 24. The spring coil 24 presses the cutter handle 23 outward from the housing 1 and the cutter handle 23 in turn pivots the moving cutter blade 21 away from the fixed cutter blade 20. When the cutter release button 22 is pushed, the cutter handle 23 is pivoted outward from the housing 1 by the spring coil 24. The spring coil 24 also returns the cutter handle 23 when a user releases the cutter handle 23 after cutting a string.
The peg receiver 68 includes a peg receiving recess 69 that is open in the direction opposite to the direction that the connecting part 14 protrudes.
The peg receiver 68 further includes a first wall 71 and a second wall 72, two side walls 73 that connect the first wall 71 and the second wall 72, and a base 74 from which the first wall 71, the second wall 72 and the side walls 73 extend. An oversize peg guide slot 15 is formed on each of the side walls 73. The oversize peg guide slots 15 are useful to hold a large peg.
FIGS. 21(a)-21(e) show a relatively thin tuning socket 16, which is suitable for holding a peg of a base guitar and a vintage guitar. The base 74 includes a round recess 76 that has a substantially constant width. The round recess 76 is used to hold a thin tip of a peg. The tuning socket 16 is suitable for banjos, mandolins, 12 strings guitars, for which the distance between pegs is narrow. The tuning socket 16 has vintage peg guides 17, which are narrow slots provided in the side walls of the tuning socket 16.
The tuning socket 11 is provide in various shapes as explained above, and a tuning socket that is particularly suitable for an instrument to be restringed may be selected and used, and replaced when a user wants to restring a different instrument that has many different size and types of peg.
The audible alert device 82 generates an audible alert when the vibration frequency of the string 43 approaches to a predetermined value for the string 43. The audible alert is given with a built-in speaker 10 (refer to
The visual alert device 84 generates a visual alert when the vibration frequency of a string approaches to a predetermined value. The contents of the visual alert is gradually changed as the vibration frequency approaches to or recedes from the predetermined value. The contents may be light intensity or blinking frequency of the tuning guide light 3, or numbers or symbols that are displayed on the screen 2.
The user may effectively use the audio or video alerts in fine and precise tuning of musical instruments.
Referring back to the drawings,
FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) showing the tuning peg 42, which is connected to a tuning gear 44, is engaged with the tuning socket 11 and rotated.
FIGS. 14-16(b) show removing operation of the bridge pin 48 that is inserted in the bridge 47 which is provided on a guitar body 46.
FIGS. 17(a)-20(c) show the details of the tuning socket 11 and how the tuning socket 11 is used.
FIGS. 21(a)-22(b) show the details of the tuning socket 16 and how the tuning socket 16 is used for various shapes and sizes of tuning pegs such as a large guitar tuning peg 51 and a small guitar tuning peg 52.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.