Contoured banjo bridge

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a Contoured Banjo Bridge with a flat upper surface for making contact with and securing the strings present on a stringed instrument and one or more convex overall lower surfaces which makes contact with the head of said stringed instrument, to maintain a uniform pressure with the banjo head surface when the strings are tightened, whereby the convex lower portion of the banjo bridge has a curved lower surface to compensate for the stress applied onto the head of the stringed instrument when the strings are tightened. The Contoured Banjo Bridge may be constructed with one or more openings to achieve the intended purpose of this application.

Claims

1. A contoured banjo bridge comprising: a) a bridge member for installation on, a banjo having an upper portion including a bridge member upper surface which makes direct contact with and secures the strings present on a banjo; b) said bridge member having a lower portion including a bridge member lower surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, wherein said bridge member lower surface includes a convex curved lower surface to compensate for the stress applied to the flexible head of the banjo when the strings are tightened; and further wherein said bridge member curved lower surface is curved in a convex radius curve such that when the banjo strings are tightened and the flexible head of the banjo bends under the pressure, the entire bottom surface of said bridge member curved lower surface remains in contact with the flexible head of the banjo, thereby increasing the transfer of a plucked string's vibration energy to the banjo head to amplify that vibration energy into audible sound, resulting in higher quality tone.

2. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 1, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve.

3. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 2, wherein, said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve includes a loose head tension radius range of about 18 inches to about 26 inches.

4. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 2, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve includes a standard head tension radius range of about 26 inches to about 36 inches.

5. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 2, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve includes a tight head tension radius range of about 36 inches to about 50 inches.

6. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 1, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a convex hyperbola.

7. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 1, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a convex parabola.

8. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 1, wherein said bridge member lower portion is constructed of hard wood.

9. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 1, wherein said wherein said bridge member upper portion includes a laminated hard material which makes direct contact with the strings, located on the upper surface of said bridge member upper portion.

10. The contoured banjo bridge according to claim 1, wherein said bridge member lower portion includes one or more openings.

11. A method for making a contoured banjo bridge comprising: a) providing a bridge member for installation on a banjo having a bridge member upper portion including an upper surface which makes direct contact with and secures the strings present on a banjo; b) providing said bridge member having a lower portion including a bridge member lower surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, wherein said bridge member lower surface includes a convex curved lower surface to compensate for the stress applied to the flexible head of the banjo when the strings are tightened; and further wherein said bridge member curved lower surface is curved in a convex radius curve such that when the banjo strings are tightened and the flexible head of the banjo bends under the pressure, the entire bottom surface of said bridge member curved lower surface remains in contact with the flexible head of the banjo, thereby increasing the transfer of a plucked strings vibration energy to the banjo head to amplify that vibration energy into audible sound, resulting in higher quality tone.

12. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 11, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve.

13. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 12, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve includes a loose head tension radius range of about 18 inches to about 26 inches.

14. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 12, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve includes a standard head tension radius range of about 26 inches to about 36 inches.

15. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 12, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a true convex radius curve includes a tight head tension radius range of about 36 inches to about 50 inches.

16. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 11, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a convex hyperbola.

17. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 11, wherein said bridge member lower convex curved surface which makes direct contact with the flexible head of a banjo, is shaped in a convex parabola.

18. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 11, wherein said bridge member lower portion is constructed of hard wood.

19. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 11, wherein said bridge member upper portion includes a laminated hard material which makes direct contact with the strings, located on the upper surface of said bridge member upper portion.

20. The method for making a contoured banjo bridge according to claim 11, wherein said bridge member lower portion includes one or more openings.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the Contoured Banjo Bridge and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a front view of the prior art conventional banjo bridge.

(3) FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the prior art conventional banjo bridge with the strings exerting a downward pressure on the banjo head deforming the bridge.

(4) FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a conventional banjo illustrating the mounting location of the bridge.

(5) FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the Contoured Banjo Bridge illustrating the straight upper surface and the convex lower surface.

(6) FIG. 5 depicts a front view of the Contoured Banjo Bridge illustrating the convexity of the lower surface.

(7) FIG. 6 depicts a front view of the Contoured Banjo Bridge illustrating the depression of the banjo head surface when the strings are tightened.

(8) FIG. 7 depicts a side view of a typical banjo with the location of the Contoured Banjo Bridge indicated.

(9) For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the Contoured Banjo Bridge, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the design and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(10) Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the instant Contoured Banjo Bridge invention are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 a front view of the prior art conventional banjo bridge 10. The conventional banjo bridge 10 is shown with two openings 11 creating three foot sections 12 with their lower surface 14 parallel to the upper surface 16 and having a laminated material 18 with four banjo strings 20.

(11) FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the prior art conventional banjo bridge 10 with the strings 20 tightened. This exerts a downward pressure 22 on the conventional banjo bridge 10, deforming the upper surface 16 and exerts a secondary pressure 26 on the three lower foot sections 12 deforming the banjo head 24. When this sagging deformity of the upper surface of the conventional bridge occurs, that surface which makes direct contact with the banjo strings, the overall sound quality of the banjo is negatively affected.

(12) FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a banjo 28 illustrating the mounting location of the banjo bridge 10.

(13) FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 illustrating the straight and flat upper surface 32 with the laminated material 34 having openings 35 and the foot sections 36 with convex curved lower surfaces 38. The angle 40 indicates the amount of convex curvature of the lower surfaces 38. This may vary depending upon the number of strings on the banjo 28 and the type of material of the banjo head 24 and will still remain within the scope of this application.

(14) The convex curved bottom Contoured Banjo Bridge can be constructed using many convex radius variations. Smaller convex radius bottoms will conform to looser heads used on more mellow sounding open back banjos. Medium radiuses are used for standard head tensions in the G to A range. Larger convex radiuses are used for tight heads in the B and above ranges. A true convex radius makes for a good bright tone that unlocks the midrange response that is missing with a flat bottom bridge. A non-true convex radius, such as a convex hyperbolic or parabolic curve, or any other non-true convex radius curve can be used to fine tune a particular artists/banjo player's needs. A parabolic curve will result in a little bit sweeter sound than a true radius.

(15) The loose head true radius range is 18 to 26 inches, while the standard tension true radius range is 26 to 36 inches and the tight head true tension radius range is 36 to 50 inches. Any number of varying hyperbolic and parabolic curves can also be used for the shape of the Contoured Banjo Bridge bottom curved surface.

(16) FIG. 5 depicts a front view of the Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 illustrating the convexity of the lower surface 38 while the upper surface 32 remains flat and the angle 40 that indicates the amount of convex curvature of the lower surfaces 38.

(17) FIG. 6 depicts a front view of the Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 illustrating the secondary pressure 42 on the foot sections 36 depressing the banjo head 24 surface when the banjo strings 20 are tightened. Here the Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 has two openings 35, but it may also be constructed of a single piece, with no openings present.

(18) FIG. 7 depicts a side view of a typical banjo head 24 with the location of the Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 and the downward pressure 22 exerted when the banjo strings 20 are tightened.

(19) The Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 shown in the drawings and described in detail herein disclose arrangements of elements of particular construction and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure and method of operation of the present application. It is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration and other arrangements thereof, other than those illustrated and described may be employed for providing a Contoured Banjo Bridge 30 in accordance with the spirit of this disclosure, and such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this design as broadly defined in the appended claims.

(20) Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.