Contoured guitar tremolo arm

Abstract

An improved tremolo arm is provided configured for engagement to a pivoting bridge of a stringed instrument such as a guitar. The arm features a facing surface formed in a complimentary fashion to the shape of the palm of a user's hand. The arm is engageable to conventional bridges or may be employed with an arm mount having a centered attachment point to provide an even pivoting of the bridge during use.

Claims

1. A tremolo arm, comprising: a planar member having a proximal end opposite a distal end; said proximal end configured to operatively engage with a guitar bridge to an as-used engagement, said planar member having a first side edge extending between said proximal end and said distal end; said planar member having a second side edge extending between said proximal end and said distal end, said second side edge being opposite said first side edge; said first side edge extending in an arched curve between said proximal end and said distal end; said second side edge having a projecting edge portion proximal to said proximal end, said projecting edge portion defining a projection extending in a direction away from said first side edge and in between said proximal end and said distal end; said second side edge having a curved section extending from said distal end to an intersection with said projecting edge; said curved section defining a grip for fingers of a user to engage during a translation of said tremolo arm toward and away from an underlying guitar body; and a first side surface of said planar member having a contour positioned in a central area between said proximal end, said distal end, and said first side edge and said second side edge, wherein said contour provides a complimentary engagement with an exterior of a palm of said user of said guitar with said planar member in said as-used engagement.

2. The tremolo arm of claim 1 additionally comprising: said contour having a recess formed into said first side surface, said recess having a curve configured to accommodate the curve of a human hand on a side of the palm, opposite the thumb of said hand.

3. The tremolo arm of claim 2 additionally comprising: said proximal end configured to said operatively engage with a guitar bridge with an aperture located adjacent said proximal end communicating thorough said planar member; and said aperture sized for rotational engagement with a mount component communicating therethrough.

4. The tremolo arm of claim 3 additionally comprising: a mount, said mount having a body having a first side configured for attachment to said bridge; and a mount aperture positioned on said mount, said mount aperture configured for cooperative engagement with one end of said mount component extending from a communication through said aperture.

5. The tremolo arm of claim 1 additionally comprising: said proximal end configured to said operatively engage with a guitar bridge with an aperture located adjacent said proximal end communicating thorough said planar member; and said aperture sized for rotational engagement with a mount component communicating therethrough.

6. The tremolo arm of claim 5 additionally comprising: a mount, said mount having a body having a first side configured for attachment to said bridge; and a mount aperture positioned on said mount, said mount aperture configured for cooperative engagement with one end of said mount component extending from a communication through said aperture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only nor exclusive examples of embodiments and/or components of the disclosed device. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting in any fashion. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 depicts the disclosed device showing a recessed area providing a contoured shape which is complimentary to the shape for the palm or hand of a user providing a comfortable engagement therein.

(3) FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the device of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 1a is a perspective view of another mode of the device of FIG. 1 having the Contoured surface.

(5) FIG. 2a is a side view of FIG. 1a.

(6) FIG. 3 depicts an overhead plan view of the device of FIG. 2a showing the contoured contact surface for complimentary engagement with the hand of a user.

(7) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the device as in FIG. 1a.

(8) FIG. 5 depicts a typical prior art bar-style tremolo engaged in a threaded rotational mount on one end of a rocking bridge.

(9) FIG. 6 shows a segment view through guitar body of FIG. 5 showing a cavity occupied by a tail section of the bridge which allows the bridge to rock therein through pressure on an engaged tremolo bar.

(10) FIG. 7 depicts the device herein in a rotatable engagement at a center area of an interface component with a conventional rocking bridge such as in FIG. 6.

(11) FIG. 8 shows an interface component for the device providing means for engagement to one side of a bridge as in FIG. 5, in a retrofit thereto.

(12) FIG. 9 is an overhead view of a prior art elongated tremolo arm engaged with conventional Bigsby type string mount.

(13) FIG. 10 depicts the device herein engaged with the string mount of FIG. 9 in a rotational engagement.

(14) FIG. 11 depicts the device being employed for a tremolo effect by the user gripping on an inward curved edge with their fingers while a curved portion of the palm is in complimentary engagement with a recess formed in a first side surface of the tremolo bar which is in operative engagement to an as-used position with a bridge.

(15) FIG. 12 shows the device rotated to a second position above the strings of a guitar wherein it will support the forearm of the user as in FIG. 16.

(16) FIG. 13 depicts the device with the Contoured surface in a comfortable complimentary engagement with the palm wherein the device supports the strumming hand during use.

(17) FIG. 14 depicts the device rotated to a position wherein the contoured surface is complimentary to the curved forearm surface and employable for support thereof as in FIG. 16.

(18) FIG. 15 shows the device employed for support of the strumming hand of the user and the provision of easy transition to and from the tremolo engagement of FIG. 11.

(19) FIG. 16 depicts the device in the position of FIG. 14 with the Contoured surface providing a means for complimentary engagement with the curved forearm surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(20) Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-16, wherein similar components of the device 10 and method herein, are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 a favored mode of the disclosed device 10 herein. As depicted, the device has a proximal end 12 having a passage 14 therethrough which adapted for an engagement to the bridge 16 (FIGS. 5 and 7) of a stringed instrument such as a guitar 18 (FIGS. 5 and 7).

(21) This engagement may be enabled using an adapter 20 such as in FIG. 7 which engages with the bridge 16 and provides a centered mount thereover, or using an adapter 21 configured to engage with the proximal end 12 of the device 10 and to engage with the mount 24 positioned on one end of the bridge 16 as in FIG. 5 which is a common engagement for the bar-style tremolo shown in FIG. 5. This mount 24 is conventionally a threaded aperture which cooperatively engages with threads on the elongated bar 25 or and interface therewith.

(22) A centered engagement such as in FIG. 7 is achievable with a bridge bracket or mount 24 and is preferable in that centering the proximal end 12 of the device 10 in an engagement in the central area of the bridge 16 will tend to cause a rotation of the bridge 16 within the cavity 17 of a conventional guitar 18, evenly and aligned with the axis of the cavity 17. Engagement with the mount 24 on one end of the bridge 16 as in FIG. 5, while a significant enhancement over the bar 25, can tend to rock the axis of the bridge 16 out of alignment with the axis of the cavity 17. This causes an unequal change in string 29 length during a tremolo effect, and can make some strings seem out of tune. A rocking or pivoting of the bridge 16, keeping its axis aligned with the resting axis within the cavity 17 however, will tend to change the string 29 length equally and give a much better sound.

(23) Such a centered mount as in FIG. 7, will either require an adapter 20 to engage the bridge 16 and provide a mounting point 32 for the device 10, or, a bridge 16, configured with a substantially centered or centrally located mount 24 for the device 10.

(24) The proximal end 12 of the device 10 is shown with the passage 14 which is sized for a rotational means for engagement on a mount 34 which is shown best in FIG. 8 as a shoulder bolt wherein threads 35 are configured complimentary to the threaded mount 14 on one end or a central area of the bridge 16. Alternatively, if an adapter 20 or 21 for instance is employed, the complimentary threaded mount 34 would be configured to threadably engage with, or through the adapter 20 or 21.

(25) Particularly preferred in the device 10 as shown in FIG. 1, is a shaped surface 41 in a central area 42 positioned between the proximal end 12 and distal end 13. This shaped surface 41 depends into the facing surface 44 of the device 10 when positioned in an as-used position, such as in FIG. 7, poised for the user to employ and engaged to the guitar 18.

(26) Preferably the shaped surface 41 depends into the facing surface 44 in the central area 42, in a manner to form a recess or recesses which are complimentary to the shape of the human palm, such that the palm of the user will fit securely and comfortably into the shaped surface 41. This allows the user to support their hand over the strings 29 during use comfortably engaged with the shaped surface 41.

(27) Between the central area 42 and the distal end 13 is positioned a distal extension 48 terminating at an edge at the distal end 13. A gripping edge 49 is positioned so it may be engaged by a wrap-around of the fingers of the user who has his hand or palm concurrently engaged in the complimentary shaped contoured surface 41. With the user's palm comfortably engaged with the complimentary shaped contoured shaped surface 41 they may comfortably grip the edge 49 to push and pull the device 10 and cause a rocking of the bridge 16 within the cavity 17.

(28) The device 10 is preferably rotatably engaged to the adapter or a mounting point 24 on the middle or end of a bridge 16 directly. This rotational engagement of the proximal end 42 allows the device 10 to be rotated from over the strings 29 as in FIG. 7, to a position where the extension 48 extends at an angle traverse to the strings 29 and below them, and allowing the user hand support against the device 10 while strumming or plucking the strings 29 during use. This gives the user a fixed and solid stand to rest their palm or a hand surface upon for steadiness while playing the strings 29.

(29) Another favored dimension shown in FIG. 3, for a width of the central area 42 between the proximal end 12 and distal end 13 is between 50 to 70 mm with 65 mm having been found to be a size which will accommodate the size of a majority of guitar player's hands comfortable. The side view of FIG. 4 shows the central area 42 and the shaped surface 41 depending into the central area 42 as a means for cooperative engagement with the Contoured surface which is formed complimentary to the shape of the palm of the user's hand during use.

(30) As depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a typical prior art bar-style, tremolo bar which will rotate in a threaded or other engagement with the mounting point 24 on a bridge 16 and may be employed to rock the bridge 16 within a cavity 17 of the guitar 18 body while engaged to one end of a moveable bridge. As noted, the device 10 herein can be adapted to make the same engagement in a retrofit, either using a threaded mount 34 though the passage 14 and into the mount 24, or by using the interface adapter of FIG. 8. The device 10 adapted to engage the mount 24 either with a retrofit, or directly, provides a significant enhancement with its contoured surface dimensioned to provide a complimentary engagement with the curved palm of the user and may be positioned in numerous positions adjacent and above the strings where prior art tremolo arms are not positionable in a manner where they are useable.

(31) In all modes of the device 10 wherever engaged, it is preferred that the rotational engagement is frictionally enhanced through the provision of a biasing force which thereafter requires a slight user force to initiate any rotation. One means for biasing and thereby providing a frictional enhancement that may be overcome by user force, is shown in FIG. 8. As disclosed as in FIG. 7, a spring 50 may be compressed by a nut 52 which engages the threads 35 of the threaded mount 34 and thereby cause a sandwiched biasing of the proximal end 12 of the device, between a shoulder 60 of the threaded mount 34 and a surface of the adapter 21. The amount of the spring induced bias can be adjusted higher by tightening the nut 52 to compress the spring 50 or loosening the nut 52 to expand the spring 50 and lower the frictional force preventing a free rotation of the device 10 at the proximal end 12 engagement.

(32) Also depicted in FIG. 7, is a mode of rotational engagement of an end 61 of a mount 21, with a cavity 17 having a screw member 63 for engagement with a mount 24 such as a conventional mount 24 on a bridge 16 as in FIGS. 6-7. The end 61 is sized to rotate within the cavity 17 and is maintained there by a set screw 68 which operatively engages within a recess 69 to hold the end 61 in the rotational engagement in the cavity 17.

(33) It should be noted, any of the different configurations and components for operative engagement of the device 10 to the mount 24 for the strings of a stringed instrument such as a guitar can be employed, with any other configuration or component shown and described herein, to configure the device 10 for the operative engagement to a stringed instrument or employ the method herein. In all modes of such engagement, the contoured surface providing a complimentary engagement with the curved palm of the user's hand.

(34) Additionally, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, it will be appreciated that in some instance some components, or configurations, or steps in formation and/or use of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other components without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims.

(35) Further, the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 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. Any such 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.