Music – Instruments – Stringed
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2001-05-01
Hsich, Shih-Yung (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Stringed
C084S320000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06225539
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of musical instruments and, more particularly, to a pick for playing stringed musical instruments, such as a guitar, banjo, ukulele, or the like.
BACKGROUND
Picks, or “plectrums,” are commonly used by musicians to play stringed instruments. A conventional pick is generally comprised of a plate-like structure that is usually triangular in shape. The plate-like structure typically includes a gripping region consisting of opposing gripping surfaces, which enables the musician to grasp the pick between his or her thumb and forefinger, and a tip having opposing striking surfaces for impacting the strings of a stringed instrument. Gripping the pick, the musician can repeatedly pluck the strings on an instrument with the striking surfaces in order to produce sound from the instrument.
The design and structure of the conventional pick has been varied widely as changes in geometric features and materials can alter the acoustic properties of the pick, as well as, facilitate use of the pick by a musician. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,614 to Cavallo; U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,372 to Filipetti; U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,444 to Walker; U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,160 to Picciochi; U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,562 to Kline; U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,715 to Hucek; U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,609 to Acocella; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 330,905; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 358,833 to Ridley et al., all disclose variations from the conventional pick such as, for example, multiple tips and striking surfaces. However, conventional guitar picks share a common weakness in that they fail to provide adequate structure for enabling the user to grip and control the pick. Thus, a need exists in the field of musical instruments for an improvement over the conventional plate-like pick that provides the musician with positive grip and greater control over motion of the pick.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a compressible pick for playing stringed instruments having features that provide the pick user with an improved grip and greater control over movement of the pick. The invention may provide the musician with multiple striking surfaces and the ability to alter the stiffness and acoustic properties of the compressible pick. Further, gripping and control of the compressible pick may be improved by the additional of one or more frictional features. Also, the compressible pick may include decorative images or other ornamental features.
The compressible pick includes a resiliently compressible pick body having a tip at one end and a variable thickness user grip on the opposing end. The tip has at least two adjoined striking surface and may further include a permanent angle of twist. The pick body may also have frictional features disposed thereon for improved grip and control. Further, the compressible pick may have decorative images disposed on its surfaces. In another embodiment, one or more stiffening members are disposed on the pick body. The stiffening members provide increased stiffniess to the compressible pick and may also alter the acoustical characteristics of the compressible pick.
To use the compressible pick, the musician grasps the variable thickness user grip between a thumb and one other finger. A compressive force is exerted on the variable thickness user grip by the musician's fingers, thereby compressing the variable thickness user grip and pick body. Under compression, internal stresses develop within the pick body and these internal stresses may alter the acoustical characteristics of the compressible pick. Gripping the variable thickness user grip, the musician can strike the string of a stringed instrument with a striking surface. When the musician's fingers release the variable thickness user grip, the compressible pick returns to its original uncompressed state.
In one embodiment, the pick body includes two flexible plates attached to one another adjacent their striking surfaces. Opposite the striking surface of each flexible plate is a gripping surface, both of which combine to form the variable thickness user grip. In a second embodiment, the pick body includes a plurality of flexible members attached to a central spine. Each flexible member has opposing gripping surfaces on one end and opposing striking surfaces on the other end, wherein the opposing gripping surfaces on the flexible members form the variable thickness user grip. In a third embodiment of the invention, the pick body includes a generally planar member having opposing striking surfaces on one end, and a shaped member is attached to the opposing end of the planar member. The shaped member and a portion of the planar member form the variable thickness user grip. In a fourth embodiment, two flexible plates are attached to one another to form the pick body. The pick body has a variable thickness user grip on one end; however, striking surfaces are provided on the opposing end by inserting a conventional pick between the two flexible plates such that a striking surface of the conventional pick extends from the pick body.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 317171 (1991-05-01), Saks
patent: D. 330905 (1992-11-01), Thomas
patent: D. 358833 (1995-05-01), Ridley et al.
patent: 1184561 (1916-05-01), Napoletano
patent: 4226160 (1980-10-01), Picciochi
patent: 4253372 (1981-03-01), Filipetti
patent: 4398444 (1983-08-01), Walker
patent: 4651614 (1987-03-01), Cavallo
patent: 4691609 (1987-09-01), Acocella
patent: 4993302 (1991-02-01), Jonathan
patent: 5253562 (1993-10-01), Kline
patent: 5341715 (1994-08-01), Hucek
patent: 5641923 (1997-06-01), Merski
patent: 194966 (1923-03-01), None
Hsich Shih-yung
Trask & Britt
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