Guitar strap with a mechanism for rapid length adjustment

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to guitar straps. More particularly, this invention pertains to adjustable guitar straps, and more specifically to a guitar strap which' s length can be adjusted rapidly by the guitarist while he is playing on the guitar. The strap enables the guitarist to adjust the strap length and, thus, the vertical position, or height, of the guitar, concurrently, while he is still playing. Changing the vertical position, or height, of the guitar can thus be achieved without interrupting the musical performance.

BACKGROUlSfD ART

Guitar players, and players of similar stringed instruments like base guitars and banjos, use guitar straps when they play in standing position. A guitar strap is an appliance used to support the guitar's weight and suspend it in front of the guitarist in a convenient playing position.

A conventional guitar strap, in its simplest form, is a length of fabric with two holes, one hole punctured at, either end. Most guitars have two pegs projecting from opposite sides of the guitar's body, and the two pegs are designed so that they can be negotiated into the two holes of the strap making a firm connection that secures the attachment between the guitar and strap.

While the strap is anchored to the two pegs, it is extended from the front of the guitarist, over his shoulder, and across his back. And thus the guitarist's shoulder bears the weight of the guitar.

A strap may be composed of two or more belts or sections, and in turn, those sections can be joined, in linear continuity, by rings and buckles. Some buckles are utilized for adjusting the overall length of the strap.

The basic design, mentioned above, is that of the most commonly used guitar straps, but a great number of variations have been introduced to that basic design, and now there is a very wide spectrum of guitar strap designs.

All current strap designs have length adjustment mechanisms that vary from simple ladder buckles to more elaborate mechanisms of length adjustment. Any strap must have a length

adjustment mechanism because, the fact of the matter is that, the strap length determines the vertical level of the guitar in relation to the player's body such that, shortening the strap raises the guitar towards chest-level and, lengthening the strap lowers the guitar towards waist-level.

The height of the guitar, relative to the player's body, has a profound effect on the ability of the guitarist to perform music; the height of the guitar, also, has an esthetic value especially on stage.

Different musical pieces, of varying levels of technical difficulty, may require situating the guitar at different vertical levels in order to play them comfortably. Usually, some demanding techniques require that the guitar be leveled chest-high, while other simpler techniques are preferred to be played while the guitar is waist-high.

Difficult chords and fast musical pieces are usually better performed the higher the guitar, because when the guitar is not high enough, the guitarist must reach further down extending his arm and forearm to an extent that compels him to angle his fingers and wrist in an uncomfortable manner.

On the other hand, when a long repetitive musical piece of low or moderate difficulty is played, guitarists usually feel more comfortable when the guitar is lowered near waist-level, and this level is also preferred for esthetic reasons that have to do with appearance on stage.

Most guitar players set the guitar strap to a certain length and try to get used to that length and its corresponding vertical guitar position, but this poses a problem to many guitarists, as they get stuck with one vertical guitar position that is fixed throughout an entire song or for the duration of a full musical session. So a guitarist, using a conventional guitar strap, may play a musical piece with broad fluctuations of difficulty but he will be unable to adjust the guitar's height, according to difficulty, midst playing. Currently available guitar straps do not produce a solution to that problem since they do not allow the guitarist to adjust the length of the strap while playing.

A number of behavioral patterns have emerged due to this persistent unsolved problem, over the years, those patterns have become closely associated with guitar playing, especially for soloists, some of those behaviors have even become fundamental parts of the performance itself, for instance, some guitarist lean forwards, or bend down, on the guitar when playing technically demanding musical parts and some, even, arch their backs backwards in what is thought to be an unconscious reflex due to an overwhelming need to raise the guitar. Those two actions are, probably, manifestations of inconvenience and, both, would not have been expressed if it wasn't for the lack of comfort due to an inappropriate guitar height. Though

many may think of them as part of the performance, it is thought that, giving the guitarist the ability to instantaneously adjust the guitar height, in accordance with the difficulty of the part being played, would eventually abolish those behavioral patterns. It is also worth mentioning that it really isn't very good, on the long run, to tense the back muscles in such a fruitless way.

As mentioned earlier, guitar straps of the prior art do not permit the guitarist to adjust strap length while playing and, as a matter of fact, the guitarist must adjust the strap length before he puts on the guitar; and if the strap needs further length adjustment, at any time while he is playing, the guitarist has to stop playing and take off the guitar, or sit down, to loosen up the strap and then use both hands to manipulate the length adjustment mechanism on the strap, usually a standard ladder buckle, and finally strap-on the guitar once again to resume playing. Another way to describe the limitation is that all currently available, prior art, guitar straps cannot be adjusted lengthwise while the strap is taut and fully supporting the weight of the guitar, thus the guitarist has to loosen up the strap before he is able to adjust its lengths.

This restriction regarding length adjustability is shared by all prior art guitar straps, and it poses a problem to many guitarists, and players of similar instruments.

The present invention alleviates the, above-mentioned, problem giving the guitar player an instantaneous ability to adjust strap-length and thus guitar-height while playing; and the invention eliminates the need to take off the guitar strap when length adjustment is required. The invention allows the guitarist to continuously keep changing the guitar height, up and down, in accordance with his preference in the midst of a performance without interrupting the music flow.

There are two categorical versions of the invention: one is a manual version and the other is an electric version. Both serve the same purpose which is to give the guitarist the ability to adjust strap-length without interrupting the musical performance. The manual version, as its name indicates, is manually adjusted by the guitarist, while he is playing, using one hand to do a swift adjustment maneuver. The electric version is equipped with an electric motor that drives the adjustment mechanism of the strap, and it is controlled by a pedal-board on the ground which has two control pedals, one to raise the guitar, the other to lower it. The electric version may also be controlled by a switch panel attached to the strap itself or mounted on the guitar.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The inventive concept, as mentioned earlier, is embodied by two main versions, a manual and an electric version; the kernel architecture of both is basically the same but each shall be described separately because of differences in constitution.

The manual version

In this version there is a principal strap. And there are four groups of elements that are mounted on that principal strap. The first group is for length-shortening, the second for locking, the third is a release mechanism, and the fourth is for anchoring.

The function of the length shortening group, as its name indicates, is to shorten the strap and accordingly raise the guitar. The locking mechanism fastens the shortened strap and thus holds the guitar in its raised position and prevents it from passively falling back to its previous lower height. The release mechanism unlocks the shortened strap allowing gravity to pull the guitar back down to the lower level and thus re-lengthens the strap to its original length. The anchoring elements prevent sliding of the strap on the guitarists shoulder when the strap- shortening maneuver is undertaken. All of the previously mentioned features shall be clarified shortly within the next descriptive paragraphs.

Fig. 1 shows an overall view of the manual version where all the groups of elements are mounted on the principal strap 1. The features inside the dashed circle are enlarged in Fig. 9.

But it is best for clarity to start the description with Figs. 2 & 3.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the features assembled in Fig. 3 wherein the principal strap 1, which is a length of fabric, has two leather reinforced pads at either end. Both, the front pad 11 as well as the back pad 14, have eyelets that are used to engage the guitar pegs 100 as the main

Strap-Guitar attachment.

The adjustment belt 2 is a plain simple length of fabric that has two ends; the front end of the adjustment belt 2 is attached permanently and firmly to the principal strap 1 at, or near, the junction of the front pad 11 with the rest of the principal strap 1.

The other end of the adjustment belt 2 is convoluted in a ladder buckle 21 making a firm nonpermanent attachment. The relative length of the adjustment belt 2 can be adjusted by

changing the linear position of the buckle 21 along the belt's length; the latter feature is of a functional importance that will be explained later.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4, illustrate a classic side-release buckle (also called a quick release buckle) composed of a male part 22 and a female part 24. The two parts compose the lock mechanism that holds the guitar in place after it is raised. The male part 22 is fused to the ladder buckle 21 to compose a single part. There is also a strong fabric pulling chord 23, the front end of which is, attached to the male part of the side-release buckle 22 at the latter' s center between the engagement hooks; the hind end of the pulling chord 23 is passed through the insertion canal of the female part of the side-release buckle 24 and transcends through a hole (not shown) present at the back surface of the female part of the side-release buckle 24.

The lower surface of female part of the side-release buckle 24 is firmly attached to the principal strap 1; the location of this attachment is, roughly, at a distance, of one third of the total length of the principal strap 1, from the back pad 14.

Another simple fabric belt is the Anchoring belt 4; it is attached to the lower surface of the principal strap 1; this attachment is located, roughly, at a third of the distance between the front pad 11 and the back pad 14. The opposite free end of the anchoring belt 4 extends downwards.

A Thigh belt 6, illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, is a simple fabric belt that is worn around the guitarist's thigh; it is fastened around the thigh by a nonpermanent attachment. The thigh belt

6 has a vertical extension belt 5 that ascends upwards to meet the anchoring belt 4; where the latter two meet, they are fastened together by a nonpermanent attachment such as a latch lock

41 illustrated in Fig. 5.

Figs. 1, 3, and 7, also feature an alignment ring 13; it can be slide-positioned any where along the principal strap 1. Its purpose is to align the adjustment belt 2 as it slides over the principal strap 1.

All the, above mentioned, permanent attachments can be achieved using any fabric attachment measures as: direct sewing, pressed metal or plastic eyelets, pressed rings, staples, or even strong fabric glues or bonding resins. And all the nonpermanent attachments, mentioned above, can be achieved using plastic or metal locks such as latch locks, side-release buckles, ladder buckle, or even Velcro fasteners.

Fig. 4 and 5, respectively, illustrate hind and front views of a guitarist using the manual version. (The release mechanism is not shown for clarity). The principal strap 1 and the

adjustment belt 2 are slung over the guitarist's shoulder while the eyelets of the principal strap are engaged with the guitar pegs 100 so that the guitar becomes supported by the principal strap 1. The pulling chord 23 extends, from its attachment with the male part of the side- release buckle 22, through the insertion canal of the female part of the side-release buckle 24 and, then, exits from the latter' s back to run parallel with the principal strap 1 and, finally, dwindle freely beside the guitarist's waist.

Fig. 5 shows the thigh belt 6 worn with its vertical extension 5 running upwards to get attached, by means of a latch buckle 41 or similar fastener, to the anchoring belt 4; the latter ascends, in close proximity to the guitarist's abdomen and chest contours, until it becomes sandwiched between the guitarist's body and the principal strap 1 and, finally, terminates at its attachment on the inner, or lower, surface of the principal strap 1.

Now to mention how the elements of the manual version work in assembly.

When the guitarist wishes to raise the guitar, he has to reach back with his hand to grasp the pulling chord 23 and pull it downward (as the big arrows indicate in Fig. 6); the latter maneuver raises the guitar because the pulling chord 23 drags the male part of the side-release buckle 22 along with it and, in turn, the latter drags the adjustment belt 2; the adjustment belt 2 slides on the principal strap 1, which curls-up in the process, and the front pad 11 is pulled upwards raising the guitar in the process.

As the pulling chord 23 is pulled down, the male part of the side-release buckle 22 is guided into the female part of the side-release buckle 24 so that both would eventually lock together at the end of the pulling stroke.

That maneuver is also depicted with arrows in Fig. 7 wherein the arrows indicate that pulling the pulling chord 23 drag-guides, and eventually locks, the male part of the side-release buckle i 22 into the female part of the side-release buckle 24; and while the latter maneuver is taking place the principal strap is subjected to an anchoring force, that originates in the thigh belt 6 and is transmitted by the anchoring belt 4, that holds the hind two thirds of the principal strap in place and allowing the its front third to curl; the anchoring force, thus, prevents the principal strap 1 from sliding on the guitarist's shoulder as the pulling chord is being pulled

) down.

The release mechanism is not shown in figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 for clarity of illustration.

The release mechanism, as mentioned in the second paragraph, releases the male part of the side-release buckle 22 from the female part 24; it then allows the guitar to be passively pulled

down by gravity to attain its former lower height and, thus, let the strap regain its original length.

Fig. 8 shows the elements of the release mechanism and how they are assembled; the elements are all mounted on the female part of the side-release buckle 24. The first elements to be constructed are two pairs of cylindrical projections that issue from the top of the female part of the side-release buckle 24; both, the front pair 25 and the rear pair 26, serve as plain bearing supports for other elements. There is also a pair of lever arms 27; each lever arm 27 has two cylindrical holes. The first hole of each lever arm accommodates one of the cylindrical projections 25, and once mounted, the lever arms may maneuver as simple hinges. The second hole of each lever arm 27 accommodates a slim cylindrical rod 28; the latter is inserted from the top and emerges from the bottom to serve as an axle for a roller wheel 29 which rotates freely about the slim cylindrical rod 28; the latter should also be as long as to fully support the roller wheel 29 and, in the mean time, keep its upper half projected from the top of the lever arm 27.

Two grooved wheels 30 are mounted on the rear cylindrical projections 26, with the latter serving as plain bearings, the grooved wheels 30 can freely rotate.

Once all the parts, mentioned above, are assembled, a fabric release string 31 is fitted on the assembly as shown in Fig. 8 ; the release string 31 is twisted to form two loops; the rear loop is bound by a string stop 32 which joins the ends; the rest of the release string 31 continue through the string stop 32 to emerge from the rear side of the latter and extends to the back for some distance; the two loops are fitted on the assembled elements, in such a way, that the front loop embraces the slim cylindrical rods 28 forming a noose around them, and the rear loop embraces the grooved wheels 30; the latter are grooved on the side so that the release string 31 would snuggle them to preserve the alignment; the string stop 32 should be set as close as possible to the grooved wheels 30 in order to make both loops of the release string 31 as taut as possible around their embraced elements.

The release mechanism parts can be made out of any durable plastic or metal. And the roller wheels 29 may function better if they are padded with a layer of rubber on their outer surface.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the contents of the dashed circle in Fig. 1 (but the pulling chord 23 is not shown in Fig. 9 for clarity), and it illustrates the final assembly of the release mechanism. Fig. 9 also shows how the release mechanism works. When the free end of the release string 31 is pulled, the front loop, which acts like a noose, tightens up around slim

cylindrical rods 28 and squeezes them inwards and, thus, turns the lever arms 27 inwards also, this pushes the roller wheels 29 against the lateral surface of the engagement hooks of the male part of the side-release buckle 22 and, this pincer action eventually, unlocks the side- release buckle and drives the male part of the side-release buckle 22 out of the female part 24 towards the front. Gravity pulls down the guitar and, thus, insures that the latter function can proceed passively. The actions, mentioned above, are depicted by the big arrows in Fig. 9.

So, if the guitarist wants to raise the guitar he has to reach back to pull down the pulling chord 23, and when he wants lower the guitar back to its original height, he has only to reach back for the release string 31 and pull it down it in one short stroke.

The electric version

The electric version is a motorized version of the invention. It does not require any manual labor from the guitarist's side to adjust the strap length.

The electric version, like the manual version, is composed mainly of a fabric principal strap 1 and a fabric adjustment belt 2; the latter is responsible for raising and lowering the guitar while playing just like in the manual version but with a slight difference that shall be explained shortly. (Because, both, the principal strap 1 and the adjustment belt 2 serve the same purpose, they had in the manual version, in the electric version they shall be references by the same reference numbers).

Fig. 10 shows an overall view of the electric version wherein: a principal strap 1, identical to that of the manual version, has a front leather pad 11 and a back pad 14, each having an eyelet. A roller, (surrounded by the front dashed circle in Fig. 10 and is illustrated in an enlarged view in Fig. 11), is attached to the top surface of the principal strap just to the rear of the front pad 11.

The roller, as shown in Fig. 11, is composed of a horizontal simple cylindrical roller 72 supported by two plain bearings on two side walls 71 that issue vertically from a base plate 7; the base plate is attached to the principal strap as mentioned above.

At about a quarter of the length of principal strap I ₅ from the back pad 14, a motor-support base plate 8 is attached; on the lateral side of the latter, issues vertically, a motor-support wall 81. The latter two elements support the motor 83 which is fixed on them. The motor-support wall 81 also supports, by a plain bearing, a freely rotating roll-axle 82; the latter is a simple cylindrical bar. The elements mentioned in this paragraph are surrounded by the rear dashed circle in Fig. 10 and are more clearly illustrated in an enlarged view in Fig. 12. And as shown, in Figs. 10 and 12, the adjustment belt 2 is attached, at one end, to the front of the motor-support base plate 8, and at the other end to the roll-axle 82. The adjustment belt 2 extends from one attached end forward to go around the roller 72 and head beck to the other attached end. The roll-axle 82 is initially rotated about its axis, after the adjustment belt 2 is attached on it, until there is no slack left in the adjustment belt 2, thus, part of the length of the adjustment belt becomes coiled around the roll-axle 82 while the principal strap 1 is extended at full length as shown in Figs. 10, 12, 13, and 14.

All the attachments, mentioned above, are permanent and can be achieved using any fabric attachment measures as: direct sewing, pressed metal or plastic eyelets, pressed rings, staples, or even strong fabric glues or bonding resins.

Fig. 13 is a top view of the motor-support base plate 8 and all the elements it supports; the axle of the motor 83 is coupled to the roll-axle 82 by a gear system. The motors gear 85 drives the gear 86 of the roll-axle 82 directly or indirectly through other intermediate gears; there is one intermediate gear hi Fig. 13. The ratio of the gears should be arranged to maximize the torque that drives the gear 86 of the roll-axle 82.

The choice, of gear type, number, sizes, and configuration, as well as, motor type and roll-axle caliber, is subject of great variability, and the invention includes all possible variations that would do a similar function.

The motor 83 should be a bidirectional high-current motor.

All the non-fabric parts mentioned above, except for the motor, can be made of metal or any durable plastic material.

The wire 84, illustrated in Figs. 10, 12, 13, and 14, connects the motor to its power supply. The wire 84 extends down, while the guitarist is standing, to connect the motor to a floor controller (not shown); the floor controller is a double-pedal board; and it is supplied by a DC

source, either by batteries or, by a standard AC/DC transformer. The double-pedal, as its name indicates, has two pedals; when the guitarist steps on one pedal the current goes to the motor 83 in one direction; but when the other pedal is stepped-on, the current flows in the opposite direction. The latter function can be achieved using, any one of a great number of,

5 forward/reverse circuits; one such circuit is diagramed in Fig. 15 wherein two SPDT (single pole double throw) switches are connected to the DC source and the motor as diagrammed; the double-pedal is constructed such that SPDTl is switched by one pedal, and SPDT2 is switched by the other pedal. And since the motor 83 is bidirectional, as mentioned above, the motor 83 and, hence, the roll-axle 82, can rotate in a forward and reverse direction depending

) on which pedal is stepped on.

Fig. 14 illustrates how the electric version works. When the forward-current pedal is stepped on, the motor starts running, driving the roll-axle 82 to rotate with it; the rotation of the latter pulls back the adjustment belt 2, which keeps coiling around the roll-axle 82, and the uncoiled

5 length of the adjustment belt 2 keeps getting shorter; this process attracts the front roller 72 towards the motor-support base plate 8 pulling the front pad 11 and the guitar along with it; the principal strap 1 becomes loosened and folds as the adjustment belt takes over the front support of the guitar. The process is indicated by arrows in Fig. 14. The electric version doesn't need a lock mechanism to hold the guitar in its higher position because the passive

) mechanical resistance of the motor and gear system is usually sufficient to hold the weight of the guitar. When the guitarist wants to re-lower the guitar to its original position, he has not but to step on the reverse pedal to reverse the strap-shortening process. The electric version, in other words, is a motorized class-two pulley.

5 A floor double pedal is the most convenient way to control the electric version, but other controllers such as floor step-on switches or belt-mounted and guitar-mounted switch panels, may also be used as well.

Brief Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the manual version of the invention with all its elements complete and fully assembled.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a number of unassembled elements of the manual version of the invention; the featured elements are those responsible for the function of raising the guitar and locking it in the high position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the elements, shown in fig. 2, fully assembled.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of a guitarist with his guitar strapped-on using the manual version of the invention. (Elements of the release mechanism are not shown for clarity)

Fig. 5 is a front view of a guitarist with his guitar strapped-on using the manual version of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a guitarist raising the guitar using the manual version of the invention. (Some elements are not shown for clarity)

Fig. 7 is a perspective view, of the manual version of the invention, showing, by arrows, how the strap shortening maneuver proceeds and how the final length is locked to hold the guitar in its higher position. (Elements of the release mechanism are not shown for clarity)

Fig. 8 is a perspective view that shows how the release mechanism, of the manual version of the invention, is assembled.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the elements contained in the dashed circle in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 shows the release mechanism fully assembled, and also shows, by arrows, how the release mechanism unlocks the side-release buckle to permit the guitar to fall passively to a lower position and re-lengthen the strap to its original length in the process.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the electric version of the invention in full assembly.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the roller encircled by the front dashed circle in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the elements contained in the rear dashed circle in Fig. 10; it shows the motorized mechanism that manipulates the adjustment belt of the electric version of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a top view of the motorized mechanism compartment.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view, of the electric version of the invention, wherein the strap is being shortened to raise the guitar; the mechanical movements, which are basically those of a class-two pulley, are indicated by arrows.

Fig. 15 is diagram of a circuit that controls the direction of the DC supply of the motor; it controls the direction of rotation of the motor and the resultant shortening or lengthening of the strap as indicated by the invention.

Mode for carrying out the Invention

Both, the manual and electric versions of the invention, are simple to manufacture. And the invention can be of great use to onstage-performing musicians who play the guitar or similar instruments like bass guitars, banjos, and mandolins. Guitar, and similar instrument, players who practice technically challenging music pieces offstage may also appreciate the convenience of having the ability to adjust the instrument height while playing.

In the manual version of the invention, the side-release buckle is amended by two inventive concepts. The first concept is that the male part is tethered by a fabric chord that passes through the female part; when that chord is pulled it perpetually guides the male part into the female part and eventually secures the lock between them. The second inventive concept is that of the release mechanism; wherein two lever arms, embraced by a fabric string loop, are hinged on the female part, and those act as pincers, releasing the male part and driving it out of the female part when the string is pulled due to the squeezing action of the loop; and thus the side-release buckle can be unlocked and released by a simple pull of a string. The two inventive concepts are best described in the disclosure section above.

The latter two inventive concepts may have applications other than their role in the manual version of the invented guitar strap. They may be used generally, in comparison with prior art side-release buckles, as a more convenient way to tighten, lock, and release, belts and straps which rely on side-release buckles for fastening.

Examples include: Belts used to fasten handbags and backpacks, Belts used to fasten cargo on car tops and trucks, Parachute harnesses, Straps and belts used with medical ambulatory equipment.

If chords of multiple buckles are bundled together; all the buckles involved can be locked simultaneously upon pulling the chord bundle. And if the release strings of multiple buckles are bundled together; all the buckles involved can be simultaneously unlocked and released.

Thus the two inventive concepts, mentioned above, may have applications in situations where a batch control of fasteners is needed. Examples include: bags, harnesses, tents, and possibly sailing and diving equipment.

And thus the scope, of applications of the latter two inventive concepts, is not limited to their role in the manual version of guitar strap.