Music – Instruments – Stringed
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-16
2003-02-25
Nappi, Robert E. (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Stringed
C084S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06525247
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an end block for an acoustic stringed instrument, such as a guitar.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Within the internal cavity of an acoustic instrument, such as a guitar, there are many structural bracing and support members such as braces which are typically made out of wood. The majority of these braces are thin strips fixed with adhesive to the soundboard or the back of the guitar, and don't significantly contact the sides. There are two exceptions. At the point where the neck joins the body and at the opposite end of the body cavity where the two side sections join, there are internal blocks which are required to take significant structural loading. These are often referred to as the neck block and the end block. These blocks are typically of a much larger cross-section than the braces that are fixed to the soundboard and back. These blocks are typically machined from various species of wood using jigs and fixtures.
The end block provides the structural integrity required to stabilize the two side pieces at the end furthest away from the neck block. The end block is normally machined from wood and has a hole drilled through it in order to facilitate the introduction of a strap button or endpin jack. Machining an end block requires multiple steps and significant time investment from a skilled craftsman.
The strap button, as the name suggests, is an attachment for one end of the strap, so that the instrument player may play the guitar standing up. In the case of an endpin jack, the strap button is replaced with an electronic output for guitars which have electronics installed to allow for the instrument to be amplified externally. The end block also provides gluing surface for the sides (the sides of the guitar are made from two separate pieces of wood that meet at the neck block and the heel block) as well as building strength for the strap button or endpin jack. Thus, it is desirable to maximize the size of the end block for structural reasons. However, this increases the weight of the instrument and decreases the size of the hollow of the instrument, which, in turn, decreases sound quality.
As it is difficult for most guitar builders to create a consistent join at the end of the guitar, an end piece or decorative end strip is used to cover the join and add a cosmetic benefit. This is a time consuming and skilled process with no real benefit to the end user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an end block for providing structural integrity to an acoustic stringed instrument having a hollow body. The end block is a substantially hollow end block having an open face on a body side of the end block, a receiving member on an end wall of the end block, the receiving member having an aperture through the end wall and the receiving member having a member wall projecting inwards from the end wall, and a plurality of bracing members reinforcing the receiving member to the end wall. The end block may be a single piece of rigid molded material.
The end block may have a front wall projecting perpendicular from the end wall of the end block, and a rear wall projecting perpendicular from the end wall of the end block, the front wall configured to mate with the sound board of the instrument and the rear wall configured to mate with the back wall of the instrument. The end block may have a locating slot on the front wall and a locating slot on the rear wall, the locating slots configured for keying with corresponding protrusions located in the body of the stringed instrument. The end block may have a shoulder between the front wall and the end wall, and a shoulder between the rear wall and the end wall, the shoulders configured to key with corresponding protrusions located in the body of the stringed instrument.
The end block may have a top wall projecting perpendicular from the end wall of the end block, and a bottom wall projecting perpendicular from the end wall of the end block.
The end block may have an end strip positioned medial on the end wall opposite the receiving member and extending from the rear wall to the front wall, the end strip having a strip aperture aligned with the aperture in the end block. The end strip may extend distal past the shoulders, and the shoulders and end strip are configured such that conjointly the shoulders and the end strip key with and secure corresponding protrusions located in the body of the stringed instrument.
The end block may have a projection on the end wall, the projection configured to key with a corresponding cavity on a side of the instrument body. A projection may be on the end wall proximal to the bottom wall, with a further projection on the end wall proximal to the top wall.
The invention also provides an end block for providing structural integrity to an acoustic stringed instrument having a hollow body, the end block comprising a substantially hollow walled structure, a receiving member projecting inwards from an end wall of the walled structure, an aperture extending through the end wall and within the receiving member, a plurality of bracing members reinforcing the receiving member to the end wall of the end block, and an open face on a body side of the end block.
The bracing members may be each arranged perpendicular to the receiving member and perpendicular to the end wall. There may be walls on five sides. Bracing members may extend from the receiving member to the end wall and to at least one other wall.
The invention also provides an end block for providing structural integrity to an acoustic stringed instrument having a hollow body with protrusions along inner edges of the body, comprising a single piece of structure having an end wall and an end strip, the end strip configured to cover a join where the sides of the body meet, and the end wall and the end strip configured to secure the protrusions between the end wall and the end strip.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4939970 (1990-07-01), Hoshino et al.
patent: 5353672 (1994-10-01), Stewart
patent: 5452637 (1995-09-01), DeCola
patent: 5469770 (1995-11-01), Taylor
patent: 6233825 (2001-05-01), DeGroot
patent: 6350939 (2002-02-01), Griffiths
Lockett Kim
Nappi Robert E.
Ridout & Maybee LLP
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