Music – Instruments – Stringed
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-02
2002-06-25
Hsieh, Shih-Yung (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Stringed
CD17S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06410832
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capotasto of the kind with a clamping bar which is intended to extend transversely over the fingerboard on the neck of the stringed instrument.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,514 teaches a capo which, according to one embodiment, includes a bar that has a recess at one end thereof. A straight highly elastic, plastic tubular member has an end part fitted on the bar and fixed thereto. The remainder of the tubular member extends around the neck of the instrument and has a screw at one end. The neck of the screw is received in a recess in the bar. The tensioned state of the capo can be adjusted, by screwing the screw deeper into the end of the tube. According to another embodiment of the capo taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,514, the spring member includes a coiled tension spring and the bar includes a bore hole at each end. A screw extends through respective bore holes into the end of the coil spring. The coil spring is covered with an elastic sheet.
Examples of known capos of this kind are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,012, U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,012, U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,247, U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,776, U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,279, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,433 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,670.
A capo will preferably be capable of fulfilling several different requirements, as far as possible. It should be easy to remove and fit the capo to and from the neck of the instrument, and also capable of being easily moved to desired positions along the instrument's neck and there quickly fastened in a simple manner. The capo should present the smallest possible obstacle to hand movement along the neck of the instrument and it should also minimise unintentional changes in pitch.
The aforesaid known capos are unsatisfactory with respect to one or more of the above requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a capo which essentially satisfies the requirements.
Other objects of the invention and advantages afforded thereby will be apparent from the following description, or can be perceived therefrom.
These objects are achieved with an inventive capotasto that has the features that include a clamping bar which is intended to extend transversely over the fingerboard on the neck of a stringed instrument. A tensioning device is provided and it includes a resiliently bendable tensioning strap.
The strap has two end parts, and one of the end-parts is essentially flexurally rigid and connects generally perpendicularly with one of the ends of the clamping bar. The other end can be detachably connected to the other end of the bar with the aid of fastening means, so as to clamp the bar securely against the fingerboard with a clamping force. The tensioning strap is free-standing from the clamping bar in its non-tensioned memory state, and the one end-part of the tensioning strap is directed at its connection with the bar in a manner such as to diverge from an undersurface of the neck when no tension is applied to the tensioning strap. The tensioning strap has a non-tensioned state and the non-tensioned state is a memory form in which the strap holds the components of the fastening means close to their mutual position of engagement.
The tensioning strap is pre-formed such that when initially tensioned, it will contact the neck in a peripheral region that lies beyond a symmetrical plane of the neck from a corner angle between the one bar end and the one end-part of the tensioning strap. Accordingly, a force resultant to the area of contact of the strap with the neck holds the neck corner in engagement with the corner angle when the capotasto is tightened.
Further embodiments of the inventive capotasto are that the other end of the tensioning strap is designed to generate an initial displacement effect that causes a neck corner to be driven into a corner angle as parts of the fastening means are brought into fastening engagement.
Also, in another embodiment, the tensioning strap is integral with the bar, and the fastening element is comprised of a screw carried by the tensioning strap, and a nut carried by the screw. The other end of the bar includes a recess which is open, and the recess opens towards the other end of the bar and receives the screw.
The capotasto also defines the nut as generally conical having a narrower end, wherein the narrower end of the nut is for resting against an edge of the recess.
Other features of the capotasto are that the other end of the bar is rounded at the recess, and a thicker end of the nut includes a semi circumferential edge flange.
The capotasto has a side of the bar that faces towards the fingerboard and carries a clamping pad which includes on the side facing towards the bar an undercut projection which is snapped. The undercut projection is for snapping into a corresponding undercut groove in the bar, and the tensioning strap is essentially non-stretchable in its longitudinal direction.
The fastening element includes a rod which is fixed to the free-end of the strap and carries a row of teeth. Another tooth, located on the free-end of the bar, is intended for engagement with the row of teeth. The mutually co-acting teeth are directed to facilitate closure of the components of the fastening element and to counteract separation of the components along the row of teeth.
The inventive capo includes a clamping bar which is intended to extend across the finger board on the neck of a string instrument, and a tensioning means which includes a resiliently bendable tensioning strap whose one end is essentially flexurally rigid and connects with one end of the bar essentially at right angles thereto, and whose other end can be detachably connected to the other end of the bar by means of a fastening device, such as to tension the bar against the fingerboard with a desired clamping force, wherein the tensioning strap is free-standing from the bar in its non-tensioned memory state, and wherein at its junction with the bar said one end-part of the tensioning strap is directed so as to diverge from the adjacent surface of the neck of the instrument when the strap is not under tension. The memory shape of the tensioning strap is such that the parts of the fastening device will be held close to their mutual positions of engagement in the non-tensioned state of the capo. The strap is constructed so that as it is tightened it will initially contact the neck of the instrument in a circumferential region that lies beyond the symmetry plane of said neck, as seen from said one end-part, whereby a force resultant to the initial pressure-contact area of the strap against said neck will tend to pull an angled corner defined by one end of the bar and one end-part of the tensioning strap into engagement with the adjacent corner on the neck of the instrument as the fastening means is tightened.
The other end-part of the tensioned strap is configured and directed so that when in contact with the adjacent peripheral part of the neck of the instrument it generates a wedging effect which causes the capo to be displaced so that said corner receives the adjacent corner of the neck as the parts of the fastening means are fastened together.
Because the capotasto strap has a memory form and a degree of springiness such that the capotasto will lie shape-bound around the neck of the instrument even though subjected to gravitational forces, the capo will not fall from the neck of the instrument even when the fastening device is open. When open, the capotasto will normally be free to move along the neck of the instrument while, as before mentioned, the components of the fastening means are constantly in the immediate vicinity of each other and therewith readily fastened by the user.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the components of said fastening means can be snapped into effective engagement with one another with finger force. The fastening means may alternatively include a screw
ut tightener which will enable the fastening or tensioning force to be adjusted.
Hsieh Shih-Yung
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
LandOfFree
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