Plectrum sheath designed to retain a single plectrum

Abstract

A plectrum sheath made of a rigid material designed to retain a single plectrum, having a thin wide opening at the top and a closure at the bottom. Two clip springs are built into the device due to the nature of its fabrication. These clip springs provide downward spring tension that holds a plectrum firmly in place once the plectrum is fully inserted into the plectrum sheath.

Claims

1. A bent piece of flat material comprising two bends dimensioned to create a triangular envelope-like enclosure having a front and rear face that form a thin wide opening at the top of the invention that tapers down to a natural closure at the bottom point of the triangle with said bends being formed so that the terminus of the bend is closer to the rear face of the enclosure than it is at the hinge point of the bend, in doing so two clip springs are created, inserting a plectrum into the invention flexes these clip springs causing spring tension to hold the plectrum within the invention.

2. The clip springs of claim 1, being dimensioned so that neither one overlaps the other but instead terminates to form a vertical centerline that bisects the front face of the invention.

3. The clip springs of claim 1, being designed to apply increasing spring tension to the plectrum as it is pushed further into the device due to the leverage on the plectrum being lesser where the terminus of the clip springs are further from the hinge point of the clip springs at the opening of the invention and closer to the hinge point at the tip of the invention.

4. The clip springs of claim 1, each having an opening dimensioned to allow the user to pinch the exposed edges of a fully inserted plectrum in order to remove the plectrum from the invention, but each opening also being dimensioned so that the plectrum cannot escape the invention via the openings cut into the clip springs.

5. A small insertion hole in the rear face of claim 1, dimensioned to accept the tip of the plectrum between the front face/clip springs of the invention and the rear face of the invention by allowing the plectrum to be initially inserted not under spring tension and then, as the user inserts the plectrum, gradually increase the spring tension on the plectrum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1. An isometric view of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2. A top down view of the invention's front face.

(3) FIG. 3. A top down view of the invention's back face.

(4) FIG. 4. A side view of the opening of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The present invention is a bent piece of flat material comprising two bends of slightly more than 180 deg that create an envelope-like enclosure. The invention has the general profile of an equilateral triangle, created by the two bends, each bend having a bend line that converges at a point. The point at which these two lines converge will henceforth be referred to as the tip of the invention. The remaining side of the triangular profile, tangent to the tip of the invention and not having a bend, will henceforth be referred to as the opening of the invention. When fully formed the device comprises a solid back face and two pieces of material, connected to the solid back face by the aforementioned bends, that create a bisected front face. Between the front and back faces is a void where a single plectrum could reside. At the tip of the invention, where the bend lines converge, the available space becomes significantly smaller than the plectrum, disallowing it to slip out the tip of the device. As the bends of the invention diverge a thin wide opening is created directly opposite to the tip of the invention. This opening is large enough to accept the vast majority of plectrums used by musicians today. These two bends and the unbent back face of the envelope-like enclosure further create two semi-rigid clip springs each being biased towards the back face.

(6) The termination of these clip springs forms a vertical centerline down the front face of the device thus bisecting the front face of the device. The converging bend lines in combination with the centerline formed by the meeting of the two clip springs is designed to apply increasing spring tension to the plectrum as it is pushed further into the device due to an increase in the leverage applied to the plectrum by the clip springs. This increase in spring tension is caused by said leverage being lesser where the centerline is further from the bend lines and greater where the centerline is closer to the bend lines. This increased spring tension ensures that a fully inserted plectrum cannot, without the direct intent of the user, become separated from the invention.

(7) A triangular insertion hole is cut into the back face directly beneath the centerline of the bisected front face and is partially visible from the opening of the device. A side of the triangular insertion hole faces the opening and a point of the triangular insertion hole faces the tip of the device. This insertion hole allows the tip of the plectrum to initially be inserted under no spring tension. However, as the plectrum is inserted further into the opening of the device, the triangular shape of the insertion hole forces the tip of the plectrum out of the Triangular insertion hole and into contact with the clip springs that form the bisected front face. This insertion point allows the flat profile of a plectrum to be easily slid into the opening at first, but, as the plectrum is slid into the device, the amount of spring tension applied to the plectrum gradually increases. This increase in spring tension disallows the plectrum from becoming unintentionally dislodged from the device, as the plectrum is firmly pressed against the back face of the invention by the two clip springs that form the bisected front face.

(8) In order to allow the user to remove their plectrum and reduce the overall spring tension applied to a fully inserted plectrum, two openings have been made that extend from the seam of the bends inward towards the centerline of the bisected front face of the device. These openings allow the user to simultaneously pinch the exposed left and right edges of a fully inserted plectrum, gradually decreasing the spring tension applied to the plectrum as it is pushed up and out of the device.

(9) The Figures represent particular embodiments, and are not intended to be construed as limiting the invention.

(10) Referring now to the Figures,

(11) FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention showing the opening 1, the tip 2, the centerline 3 where the two clip springs 4, 5 meet to form the bisected front face, and the back face of the invention 6.

(12) FIG. 2 is a top down view of an embodiment of the invention showing the opening 1, the tip 2, the centerline 3 where the two clip springs 4-5 meet to form the bisected front face, the back face of the invention 6, and part of the insertion hole 7.

(13) FIG. 3 is a top down view of an embodiment of the invention showing the tip 1, the bend lines of the spring clips 2-3, the back face 4, the triangular insertion hole 5, and the centerline where the two clip springs meet 6.

(14) FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention showing the opening 1, the tip 2, the centerline where the two spring clips meet 3, the two spring clips 4-5 that form the front face of the invention, and the back face of the invention 6.