Guitar pick with integral strap holder

Abstract

The present invention is a guitar pick with an integral strap holder. The present invention comes in a variety of embodiments. In one set of embodiments, a slot can be made in the guitar pick, for accommodating a guitar strap. In another set of embodiments, a breakaway shaft can be connected to the guitar pick. The breakaway shaft contains a toothed slot for accommodating a guitar strap.

Claims

1. A guitar pick with integral strap holder comprised of a single piece of solid material with at least a front surface and a bottom surface, separated by and connected with a plurality of edges; wherein a slot passes orthogonally through the front surface, the bottom surface, and the bulk of solid material separating the two surfaces; said slot originating at an edge and continuing partially through the front surface, the bottom surface, and the solid material of the guitar pick; said slot being sized to accommodate a standard fabric or leather guitar strap.

2. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 1, wherein the material is polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, LDPE, bone, stone, or metal.

3. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 2, wherein the slot is linear.

4. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 3, wherein the slot has one or more protrusions, called teeth, designed to engage with a standard fabric or leather guitar strap.

5. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 2, wherein the slot is curved.

6. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 5, wherein the slot has one or more protrusions, called teeth, designed to engage with a standard fabric or leather guitar strap.

7. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 5, wherein the slot extends laterally almost completely through the top and bottom surface, nearly bi-secting the guitar pick with integral strap holder into two pieces.

8. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 7, wherein the material of the guitar pick is significantly thinner in a region between the termination of the slot and the nearest edge to the slot termination point.

9. A guitar pick with integral strap holder comprised of a single piece of solid material with a main body comprised of at least a front surface and a bottom surface, separated by and connected with a plurality of edges; wherein a breakaway shaft extends from the main body, creating a connected end of the breakaway shaft, and a free-end of the breakaway shaft; wherein, extending from the free-end of the breakaway shaft, are two extensions, separated by a gap and opposed to one another; wherein the gap between the two extensions is sized to accommodate a standard fabric or leather guitar strap.

10. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 9, wherein the material is polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, LDPE, bone, stone, or metal.

11. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 10, wherein each extension has at least one surface opposed to, and in proximity with, the other extension, called a facing surface.

12. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 11, wherein each facing surface has at least one tooth, designed to engage with a standard fabric or leather guitar strap.

13. The guitar pick with integral strap holder in claim 12, wherein connected end of the breakaway shaft has a kiss-cut in which the material at the connected end of the breakaway shaft is substantially thinner than the rest of the breakaway shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) There are fifteen relevant drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of a standard guitar pick.

(3) FIG. 2 is a isolation view of a standard guitar pick.

(4) FIG. 3 is a back view of a standard guitar pick.

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of a first embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of the first embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is an isolation view of the first embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(8) FIG. 7 is a back view of the first embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(9) FIG. 8 is a top view of a second embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(10) FIG. 9 is a side view of the second embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(11) FIG. 10 is a back view of the second embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(12) FIG. 11 is a top view of a third embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(13) FIG. 12 is a side view of a third embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(14) FIG. 13 is a top view of a fourth embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(15) FIG. 14 is an elevated side view of the fourth embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

(16) FIG. 15 is a back view of the fourth embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(17) The following description represents the inventors' current preferred embodiments. The description is not meant to limit the invention, but rather to illustrate its general principles of operation. Examples are illustrated with the accompanying drawings. A variety of drawings are offered, showing the present invention with configurations for attaching a guitar pick directly to a strap, belt, or similar planar, flexible object. All of the guitar picks shown here have a thumb dimple on one side. Although this is a common feature of guitar picks, it is not a requirement for this invention, nor is a dimple on only one side a limitation of this invention. All of the guitar picks drawn in this patent are a triangular wedge. The triangular, wedge-shape of the guitar pick is not a limitation of this patent, and is merely used to highlight the differences between the standard guitar pick and the embodiments.

(18) FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 show a representative, standard guitar pick 1. The guitar pick 1 is constructed from a single piece of material, having a top surface 3, a bottom surface 10, and a variety of curved edges 8, 6, and straight edges 4. A standard guitar pick is typically triangular, tear-drop shaped, or a combination of triangular and tear-drop shaped. For the sake of this patent, all guitar picks are being drawn as a combination of triangular and tear-drop shaped. The guitar pick 1 has a dimple 5, with a dimple perimeter 2. The guitar pick 1 has a curved point 7, which is used to strum the string of a guitar or other musical instrument (not shown).

(19) FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 show a first embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention, a guitar pick with integral strap holder 101. The guitar pick 101 is larger than a standard guitar pick 1. The guitar pick 101 is constructed from a single piece of material, having a top surface 103, a bottom surface 120, and a variety of curved edges 108, 106, and straight edges 104. The guitar pick 101 has a dimple 105, with a dimple perimeter 102. The guitar pick 101 has a curved point 107, which is used to strum the string of a guitar or other musical instrument (not shown). The guitar pick 101 can be made out of a variety of useful materials, including, but not limited to, polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, LDPE, bone, stone, or metal.

(20) The guitar pick 101 has a straight slot 110, so that the guitar pick 101 can be temporarily attached to a strap, belt, or other planar, flexible material. At the inner most part of the straight slot 110, there are two teeth 111, 113, that grab and softly hold a fabric or leather strap or belt.

(21) FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 show a second embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention, a guitar pick with integral strap holder 201. The guitar pick 201 is constructed from a single piece of material, having a top surface 203, a bottom surface 220, and a variety of curved edges 208, 206, and straight edges 204. The guitar pick 201 has a dimple 205, with a defined dimple perimeter 202. The guitar pick 201 has a curved point 207, which is used to strum the string of a guitar or other musical instrument (not shown). The guitar pick 201 can be made out of a variety of useful materials, including, but not limited to, polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, LDPE, bone, stone, or metal. The guitar pick 201 has a curved slot 210, so that the guitar pick 201 can be temporarily attached to a strap, belt, or other planar, flexible material.

(22) FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a third embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention, a guitar pick with integral strap holder 301. The guitar pick 301 is constructed from a single piece of material, having a top surface 303, a bottom surface (not shown), and a variety of curved edges 308, 306, and straight edges 304. The guitar pick 301 has a dimple 305, with a defined dimple perimeter 302. The guitar pick 301 has a curved point 307, which is used to strum the string of a guitar or other musical instrument (not shown). The guitar pick 301 can be made out of a variety of useful materials, including, but not limited to, polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, LDPE, bone, stone, or metal.

(23) The guitar pick 301 has a curved slot 310, so that the guitar pick 301 can be temporarily attached to a strap, belt, or other planar, flexible material. The curved slot 310 extends most of the way through the guitar pick 301, and is held on by a thinned piece of material, called a kiss cut 315. The curved slot 310 and kiss cut 315 are designed to break easily when the user pulls the guitar pick 301. In this way, the third embodiment 310 removes the possibility of the guitar pick 301 snagging or getting stuck when the musician pulls it.

(24) FIG. 13, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15 show a fourth embodiment of the present guitar-pick invention, a guitar pick with integral strap holder 401. The guitar pick 401 is constructed from a single piece of material, having a top surface 403, a bottom surface 420, and a variety of curved edges 408, 406, and straight edges 404. The guitar pick 401 has a dimple 405, with a defined dimple perimeter 402. The guitar pick 401 has a curved point 407, which is used to strum the string of a guitar or other musical instrument (not shown). The guitar pick 401 can be made out of a variety of useful materials, including, but not limited to, polypropylene, ABS, HDPE, LDPE, bone, stone, or metal.

(25) The guitar pick 401 has a breakaway shaft assembly 450. The breakaway shaft assembly 450 has a shaft 451, that connects the breakaway shaft assembly 450 to the main portion 403, 420, 404, 406, 407, 408 of the guitar pick 401. At the top of the shaft 451 are an upper extension 454, and a lower extension 456, in proximity with, and disposed in opposition to, one another. The upper extension 454 has a tooth 453 on the surface facing the lower extension 456; likewise, the lower extension has a tooth 455 on the surface facing the upper extension 454. The gap between the upper extension 454 and the lower extension 456, in which the teeth are present 455, 453, is designed to allow the guitar pick to be temporarily fastened to a strap or belt (not shown). At the base of the shaft 451 are two kiss-cuts 452. The kiss-cuts 452 are designed to make the shaft 451 breakaway from the main portion 403, 420, 404, 406, 407, 408 of the guitar pick 401, when the user pulls the guitar pick 401. This embodiment is designed to have the guitar pick 401 break-free from the breakaway shaft assembly 450, prior to use.