Three dimensional offset right-angle 1/4-inch audio plug

Abstract

Common ?-inch audio plugs include straight and right-angle orientations. Neither type is best suited for use with Fender Stratocaster-style guitars, whose output jacks are not surface-mounted but recessed into the body of the instrument. This invention modifies the design of the right-angle plug such that its shape reconciles the contours of Stratocaster-style jack plates with the aesthetic and practical needs of Stratocaster players. This modification occurs by introducing a new angle into the body segment of a right-angle plug, thereby creating two body segments. The proximal body segment (the one closer to the plug's shaft) serves to extend the plug from the recessed jack to the surface of the instrument. The new angle serves to orient the distal body segment (the one closer to the plug's cable) such that it, and the cable protruding therefrom, run exactly or approximately parallel to the surface of the instrument.

Claims

1. An audio plug comprising: a shaft with a ?-inch diameter; and a body that houses and protects the electrical connections between the cable and the shaft's electrical contacts.

2. An audio plug as in claim 1, wherein said body is oriented at a 90-degree angle from said shaft.

3. An audio plug as in claim 2, wherein said body contains an angle demarcating proximal and distal segments of said body, with the proximal segment being the segment closer to said shaft and the distal segment being the segment further from said shaft.

4. An audio plug as in claim 3, wherein the angle bifurcating said body measures preferably at least 90 degrees and preferably less than 180 degrees, but even more preferably approximately 135 degrees.

5. An audio plug as in claim 4, wherein the angle bifurcating said body orients the distal segment to protrude, from the two-dimensional plane defined by the plug's shaft and proximal body segment, into a third dimension.

6. An audio plug as in claim 5, wherein when it is inserted into a guitar with the type of output jack plate typical of Fender Stratocaster-style guitars, it can be rotated around the axis of the plug's shaft until the cable protrudes from the plug at an angle exactly or approximately parallel to the body of the guitar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0027] FIG. 1 is a top view of an ?-inch phono audio plug exemplifying the right-handed version of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a bottom view thereof;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a left-side view thereof;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a right-side view thereof;

[0031] FIG. 5 is a front view thereof;

[0032] FIG. 6 is a rear view thereof;

[0033] FIG. 7 is a perspective view thereof;

[0034] FIG. 8 is a top view of a ?-inch phono audio plug exemplifying the left-handed version of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 9 is a bottom view thereof;

[0036] FIG. 10 is a left-side view thereof;

[0037] FIG. 11 is a right-side view thereof;

[0038] FIG. 12 is a front view thereof;

[0039] FIG. 13 is a rear view thereof;

[0040] FIG. 14 is a perspective view thereof;

[0041] FIG. 15 shows the plug inserted into a Fender Stratocaster-style input jack plate from a front-perspective view;

[0042] FIG. 16 shows the same from a rear-perspective view;

[0043] FIG. 17 shows the same from a side-perspective view

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] This invention improves upon the prior art of one-dimensional straight and two-dimensional right-angle ?-inch audio plugs by adding a new angle in the body of a right-angle plug. The body therefore divides into two segments, a proximal segment, which shares a right angle with the plug's shaft, and a distal segment, from which the cable protrudes. The proximal segment is therefore bounded by 1) the right angle connecting to the plug's shaft, and 2) the new angle connecting to the distal segment. And the distal segment is therefore bounded by 1) the new angle connecting to the proximal segment and 2) the plug's exit from which the cable protrudes.

[0045] The axes running through the plug's shaft and proximal segment create a two-dimensional geometric plane; let this plane be called the shaft-proximal plane. The new angle separating the proximal and distal segments creates the distal segment's axis, which departs from the shaft-proximal plane into a third dimension.

[0046] Let the angle connecting the shaft and the proximal segment be called the right angle. Let the angle connecting the proximal and distal segments be called the new angle.

[0047] The new angle should be less than 180 degrees, but preferably at least 90 degrees, and even more preferably approximately 135 degrees. The variability of the new angle's measurement is acceptable because the intended effect of the inventionto facilitate the laying-flat of the cable on a Strat-style guitarcan be accomplished with different angles, depending on the girth of the plug's body. For example, a plug with a thinner body can be rotated further 220 around the axis of the plug's shaft before hitting the sides of the recessed output jack plate. Let a centerline be defined as being equidistant from both sides of the jack plate. The further the body rotates from the centerline, the larger the new angle must be to keep the distal segment parallel to the surface of the guitar. In contrast, a plug with a thicker body has a more limited range of rotation. The closer the body stays to the centerline, the smaller the new angle must be to keep the distal segment parallel to the surface of the guitar. In the drawings accompanying this application, the new angle measures 135 degrees.

[0048] To use this invention, there are only three steps: [0049] 1. Acquire a guitar with a Strat-style, angle-recessed output jack [0050] 2. Pull the instrument-end of the cable through the strap gap from back to front [0051] 3. Insert the plug into the guitar's output jack
The design of the plug intuitively suggests how properly to use it once confronted with the step of inserting the plug into the guitar's output jack. It is so intuitive, even, that if one skipped the step of pulling the cable through the guitar strap gap (but knew that some guitarists do route their cables through their straps), upon inserting the plug into the output jack, it would likely occur to the guitarist that he should pull the cable through the strap.

[0052] Guitars are manufactured in both right- and left-handed orientations. The orientation of the instrument determines to which side of the output jack the cable must be led by the plug's body to be routed through the player's strap gap. From the perspective of a right-handed guitarist, the strap is to the right of the output jack. From the perspective of a left-handed guitarist, the strap is to the left of the output jack. Therefore, the new angle for a right-handed plug must bend to the right and the new angle for the left-handed plug must bend to the left. Both the left- and right-handed orientations of the plug are therefore claimed in this invention.

[0053] This substitute specification, amended to correct spacing issue on pages 8-9, contains no new matter.