Patent ID: 7235730
Filing Date: 2007-06-26
Classification: G10D

Abstract:
1. A bridge for a stringed instrument, the bridge being located on an upper surface of a body of a stringed instrument equipped with a plurality of strings, the bridge comprising: a plurality of lever arm retainers located on the upper surface of the body, each lever arm retainer corresponding to one of the strings, and each lever arm retainer including a support shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the corresponding string; a plurality of lever arms, each arm of the plurality of lever arms being supported by one of the support shafts, each lever arm retaining an end of the one of the strings and being rotatable about the corresponding support shaft; a plurality of fine tuning bolts, each fine tuning bolt of the plurality of fine tuning bolts being located in a rear portion of one of the lever arm retainers, each fine tuning bolt including a contact portion that abuts against the corresponding lever arm above the body, wherein each contact portion is operative to be continuously adjustable in a height direction of the body; and a tuner device located on each fine tuning bolt that corresponds to at least one of the strings, the tuner device being operable to produce two distinct pitches for the at least one of the strings by selectively and discretely changing a height of the contact portion between a first height corresponding to a first one of the two distinct pitches and a second height corresponding to a second one of the two distinct pitches, the first height being lower than the second height, wherein each lever arm has a rear end that abuts against the corresponding contact portion, wherein, in a state in which the contact portion is set to either the first height or the second height, the tuner device is operative to continuously adjust the position of the rear end of the each lever arm to abut against the corresponding contact portion, wherein each fine tuning bolt comprises: a base screw positioned in the rear portion of one of the lever arm retainers, the base screw including a cylindrical shaft portion at the upper portion of the base screw, the cylindrical shaft portion including a female thread formed inside the cylindrical shaft portion, and at least one engaging projection positioned on the outer surface of the base screw; an adjustment screw screwed into the inside of the shaft portion, the adjustment screw including a head, a diameter of the head being greater than a diameter of the shaft portion; and a cylindrical tuner knob covering the outer circumference of the shaft portion, the lower end of the tuner knob abutting against the upper surface of the corresponding lever arm, the tuner knob having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having an inner diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the upper portion; a step formed between the upper portion and the lower portion, the step having an upper surface abutting against a lower end of the head of the adjustment screw, and at least one engaging recess and at least one insertion recess being formed in the step, the engaging projection being engaged with the engaging recess, and the engaging projection being inserted in the insertion recess, and wherein, when the engaging projection is engaged with the engaging recess, relative rotation of the tuner knob with respect to the base screw and movement of the tuner knob in the height direction with respect to the base screw are restricted, so that the lower end of the tuner knob is set to the first height, and when the engaging projection is inserted in the insertion recess, relative rotation of the tuner knob with respect to the base screw is restricted, and the upper surface of the step abuts against the lower end of the head, so that the lower end of the tuner knob is set to the second height.