Abstract:
An improved tremolo arm is provided configured for engagement to a pivoting bridge of a stringed instrument such as a guitar. The arm features a facing surface formed in a complimentary fashion to the shape of the palm of a user&#39;s hand. The arm is engageable to conventional bridges or may be employed with an arm mount having a centered attachment point to provide an even pivoting of the bridge during use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/857,394 filed on Jul. 23, 2013 U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/899,537 filed on Nov. 4, 2013, and Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/320,302 filed Jun. 30, 2014 all of which are incorporated herein in their respective entirety by this reference thereto. 
         [0003]    The present device relates to guitars. More particularly it relates to a tremolo arm for use during the playing of guitars which does require the user to grip the arm with their hand during use. 
         [0004]    2. Prior Art 
         [0005]    In music, a tremolo is a trembling vibrato effect imparted to the played music heard by the listener. When playing a guitar, a tremolo effect is produced by a variation in amplitude of the produced note. 
         [0006]    A variety of mechanical tremolo or vibrato systems for guitars have been developed and employed by musicians since the 1930&#39;s and are employed to add a vibrato to the sound of the music, by imparting a change to the tension of the strings. Typically the mechanical action to impart this change in tension is communicated to the bridge or tailpiece of an electric guitar. The implement of choice for most guitarists to impart this tensional variation to elicit the vibrato effect to their music, is a controlling lever, often referred to as a whammy bar, a vibrato armor bar, or a tremolo armor bar. 
         [0007]    During guitar playing, gripping the lever by the musician and imparting an oscillating motion to the bar, toward and away from the body of the guitar, enables the player to quickly vary the tension and sometimes the length of the strings temporarily. On an electric guitar this imparted movement of the bridge to vary string length and tension, also moves the strings into differing positions within the magnetic field proximate to the electronic string pickups. Both of these temporary and varying physical changes to the strings, cause a change the pitch of the music produced, to create a vibrato, or pitch-bend effect to the sound. 
         [0008]    Since the regular appearance of mechanical vibrato systems generally using gripped-arms to change string tension in the 1950&#39;s, such devices have been regularly employed by many guitarists. In the 1960&#39;s and 1970&#39;s, vibrato or tremolo arms connected to the mount for the guitar strings or bridge, were widely used for significantly more dramatic effects by rock and roll guitarists. Since then the pitch-bending effects produced by movement of the tremolo arm, whether subtle inflections or exaggerated effects, have become an important part of many styles of electric guitar, and a welcome addition to virtually every electric guitar. 
         [0009]    Typical prior art is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 274,114 by Fender, an example thereof shown in the drawings as prior art, teaches a tremolo device for stringed instruments and which is included in this disclosure as part hereof. Fender teaches a stout handle which is pivotally engaged to a base and which may be rotated out of the way when not in use. 
         [0010]    In use in conventional devices like that of Fender, the bar is rotated to a comfortable position for gripping in the hand of the user. Once gripped, the user oscillates movement of the bar by pushing it toward the guitar body, and immediately pulling it back again. This movement produces a tremolo effect in the music through the communicated force in the arm, moving the bridge which affects string length and position over the electronic pickups. 
         [0011]    However, systems typical of that taught in Fender have significant shortcomings. First, such long pivoting arms, when pivoted upward toward the strings for use, such conventional tremolo bars are configured for operation using the guitarist&#39;s fingers to grip there-around and activate the vibrato action. This concurrently eliminates the employment of the same fingers to continue to pluck or strum the strings of the guitar while using the bar. 
         [0012]    Further, conventional tremolo bar systems do not allow the user to keep the tremolo bar in use at all times since it is adapted to fall below the strings when not in use, and out of reach while using the guitar pick or fingers to play. Additionally, because when out of use, they are generally pivoted toward the bottom of the guitar, the conventional elongated tremolo bar must found again by the user&#39;s hand, without missing a note while plucking on the guitar in the process. 
         [0013]    Still further, as noted, such elongated members are configured to be gripped in the hand between closed fingers for use, and consequently are configured elongated and narrow in width to facilitate such a gripped-use. However this narrow elongated configuration also precludes the musician from attempting to use the member as a hand support during playing since it offers little contact support area and being pivotally engaged it tends to easily rotate in such a hand and lever contact when it is not gripped by the fingers. Finally, many arms such as the Bigsby arms, have a stop built in which prevents the arm from rotating to a position elevated over the strings. 
         [0014]    As such, there exists an unmet need for an improved tremolo bar device that allows employment for use with the palm or another surface of the hand which contacts a large planar contact surface, or may be employed by a gripping of the user&#39;s fingers along an edge to thereby allow a user to implement the tremolo effect with a surface of their hand while concurrently playing the strings. Additionally such a tremolo device should be configured to be positioned over the strings or adjacent thereto during use or non use, and thereby eliminate the need to search for the tremolo bar as in prior art, when rotated out of use. Still further, such a device should have a contact surface which is contoured in a shape which is complimentary to the curved surface of the hand of a user to achieve a comfortable and secure engagement during use. Finally, such a device should be easily engageable to a wide variety of bridge engagement with stringed instruments as a replacement. 
         [0015]    The forgoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the tremolo device and method described and claimed herein. Various additional limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    It is an object of the invention to provide a significantly improved tremolo effect imparting device and method for stringed instruments. 
         [0017]    It is an additional object of the invention to provide such a tremolo device which is easily adapted for operative engagement with the bridge of a wide variety of stringed instruments such as guitars. 
         [0018]    It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device and method which is configured for use while the user concurrently strums the strings of the instrument. 
         [0019]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide a tremolo device which is configured on its surface in a fashion that compliments the shape of the surface of a user&#39;s hand or forearm for a more secure and comfortable engagement during use, or while supporting the strumming hand. 
         [0020]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present musical invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the novel improvements described in this specification and hereinafter of this guitar tremolo arm as described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, which however in no manner should be considered as placing any limitations thereon. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    In accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a device adapted for operative engagement in fixed communication with a pivoting bridge which is operatively engaged with the strings of a guitar or other stringed instrument, which provides a significant improvement in the utility of a stringed instrument tremolo such as, for example, with a guitar. 
         [0022]    In all modes, the device has a proximal end adapted for engagement with the string mount of a stringed instrument such as a guitar. Such a mount can be direct using a conventional threaded engagement with the mount, or may employ an interface or adapter between the device and the string mount. 
         [0023]    The proximal end of the device includes a passage which is sized for a rotational engagement on a mount which engages with the string mount or an interface component. Particularly preferred in all modes of the device is a shaped front facing surface when the device is in an as-used engagement to the string mount. This shaped surface depends into the facing surface of the device when positioned in an as-used position, providing a contour to the surface which is complimentary to the curved shape of the user&#39;s palm or forearm. 
         [0024]    This comfortable complimentary engagement allows the device to support the hand or forearm of the user during strumming. A curved edge is easily engaged with the fingers to grip the device to allow the user to move it toward and away from the string instrument body for a tremolo effect. 
         [0025]    The device is preferably rotatably engaged to the adapter or a mounting point on the string support or bridge to allow for positioning adjacently, and over the strings, during use. This rotation allows the user to position the device for forearm or palm support during strumming and the curved edge is always available for a gripping by the hand. 
         [0026]    In all modes of the device whether engaged to an interface which is engaged to the string mount or bride, or directly to the bridge, the rotational engagement is preferably frictionally enhanced through the provision of means for imparting a biasing force to the device such that a slight force from the user&#39;s hand or arm is required to initiate any rotation. 
         [0027]    With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed tremolo arm system in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The device herein described and disclosed in the various modes and combinations is also capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Any such alternative configuration as would occur to those skilled in the art is considered within the scope of this patent. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0028]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other palm engageable tremolo activation components for stringed instruments such as guitars, and for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0029]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only nor exclusive examples of embodiments and/or components of the disclosed device. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting in any fashion. In the drawings: 
           [0030]      FIG. 1  depicts the disclosed device showing a recessed area providing a contoured shape which is complimentary to the shape for the palm or hand of a user providing a comfortable engagement therein. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of another mode of the device of  FIG. 1  having the Contoured surface. 
           [0033]      FIG. 2   a  is a side view of  FIG. 1   a.    
           [0034]      FIG. 3  depicts an overhead plan view of the device of  FIG. 2   a  showing the contoured contact surface for complimentary engagement with the hand of a user. 
           [0035]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the device as in  FIG. 1   a.    
           [0036]      FIG. 5  depicts a typical prior art bar-style tremolo engaged in a threaded rotational mount on one end of a rocking bridge. 
           [0037]      FIG. 6  shows a segment view through guitar body of  FIG. 5  showing a cavity occupied by a tail section of the bridge which allows the bridge to rock therein through pressure on an engaged tremolo bar. 
           [0038]      FIG. 7  depicts the device herein in a rotatable engagement at a center area of an interface component with a conventional rocking bridge such as in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0039]      FIG. 8  shows an interface component for the device providing means for engagement to one side of a bridge as in  FIG. 5 , in a retrofit thereto. 
           [0040]      FIG. 9  is an overhead view of a prior art elongated tremolo arm engaged with conventional Bigsby type string mount. 
           [0041]      FIG. 10  depicts the device herein engaged with the string mount of  FIG. 9  in a rotational engagement. 
           [0042]      FIG. 11  depicts the device being employed for a tremolo effect by the user gripping on an inward curved edge with their fingers while a curved portion of the palm is in complimentary engagement with a recess formed in a first side surface of the tremolo bar which is in operative engagement to an as-used position with a bridge. 
           [0043]      FIG. 12  shows the device rotated to a second position above the strings of a guitar wherein it will support the forearm of the user as in  FIG. 16 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 13  depicts the device with the Contoured surface in a comfortable complimentary engagement with the palm wherein the device supports the strumming hand during use. 
           [0045]      FIG. 14  depicts the device rotated to a position wherein the contoured surface is complimentary to the curved forearm surface and employable for support thereof as in  FIG. 16 . 
           [0046]      FIG. 15  shows the device employed for support of the strumming hand of the user and the provision of easy transition to and from the tremolo engagement of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0047]      FIG. 16  depicts the device in the position of  FIG. 14  with the Contoured surface providing a means for complimentary engagement with the curved forearm surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0048]    Now referring to drawings in  FIGS. 1-16 , wherein similar components of the device  10  and method herein, are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a favored mode of the disclosed device  10  herein. As depicted, the device has a proximal end  12  having a passage  14  therethrough which adapted for an engagement to the bridge  16  ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ) of a stringed instrument such as a guitar  18  ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ). 
         [0049]    This engagement may be enabled using an adapter  20  such as in  FIG. 7  which engages with the bridge  16  and provides a centered mount thereover, or using an adapter  21  configured to engage with the proximal end  12  of the device  10  and to engage with the mount  24  positioned on one end of the bridge  16  as in  FIG. 5  which is a common engagement for the bar-style tremolo shown in  FIG. 5 . This mount  24  is conventionally a threaded aperture which cooperatively engages with threads on the elongated tremolo  25  or and interface therewith. 
         [0050]    A centered engagement such as in  FIG. 7  is achievable with a bridge bracket or mount  24  and is preferable in that centering the proximal end  12  of the device  10  in an engagement in the central area of the bridge  16  will tend to cause a rotation of the bridge  16  within the cavity  17  of a conventional guitar  18 , evenly and aligned with the axis of the cavity  17 . Engagement with the mount  24  on one end of the bridge  26  as in  FIG. 5 , while a significant enhancement over the bar  25 , can tend to rock the axis of the bridge  16  out of alignment with the axis of the cavity  17 . This causes an unequal change in string  29  length during a tremolo effect, and can make some strings seem out of tune. A rocking or pivoting of the bridge  16 , keeping its axis aligned with the resting axis within the cavity  16  however, will tend to change the string  29  length equally and give a much better sound. 
         [0051]    Such a centered mount as in  FIG. 7 , will either require an adapter  20  to engage the bridge  16  and provide a mounting point  32  for the device  10 , or, a bridge  16 , configured with a substantially centered or centrally located mount  24  for the device  10 . 
         [0052]    The proximal end  12  of the device  10  is shown with the passage  14  which is sized for a rotational means for engagement on a mount  34  which is shown best in  FIG. 8  as a shoulder bolt wherein threads  35  are configured complimentary to the threaded mount  14  on one end or a central area of the bridge  16 . 
         [0053]    Alternatively, if an adapter  20  or  21  for instance is employed, the complimentary threaded mount  34  would be configured to threadably engage with, or through the adapter  20  or  21 . 
         [0054]    Particularly preferred in the device  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , is a shaped surface  41  in a central area  42  positioned between the proximal end  12  and distal end  13 . This shaped surface  41  depends into the facing surface  44  of the device  10  when positioned in an as-used position, such as in  FIG. 7 , poised for the user to employ and engaged to the guitar  18 . 
         [0055]    Preferably the shaped surface  41  depends into the facing surface  44  in the central area  42 , in a manner to form a recess or recesses which are complimentary to the shape of the human palm, such that the palm of the user will fit securely and comfortably into the shaped surface  41 . This allows the user to support their hand over the strings  29  during use comfortably engaged with the shaped surface  41 . 
         [0056]    Between the central area  42  and the distal end  13  is positioned a distal extension  48  terminating at an edge at the distal end  13 . A gripping edge  49  is positioned so it may be engaged by a wrap-around of the fingers of the user who has his hand or palm concurrently engaged in the complimentary shaped contoured surface  41 . With the user&#39;s palm comfortably engaged with the complimentary shaped contoured shaped surface  41  they may comfortably grip the edge  49  to push and pull the device  10  and cause a rocking of the bridge  16  within the cavity  17 . 
         [0057]    The device  10  is preferably rotatably engaged to the adapter or a mounting point  24  on the middle or end of a bridge  16  directly. This rotational engagement of the proximal end  42  allows the device  10  to be rotated from over the strings  29  as in  FIG. 7 , to a position where the extension  48  extends at an angle traverse to the strings  29  and below them, and allowing the user hand support against the device  10  while strumming or plucking the strings  29  during use. This gives the user a fixed and solid stand to rest their palm or a hand surface upon for steadiness while playing the strings  29 . 
         [0058]    Another favored dimension shown in  FIG. 3 , for a width of the central area  42  between the proximal end  12  and distal end  13  is between 50 to 70 mm with 65 mm having been found to be a size which will accommodate the size of a majority of guitar player&#39;s hands comfortable. The side view of  FIG. 4  shows the central area  42  and the shaped surface  41  depending into the central area  42  as a means for cooperative engagement with the Contoured surface which is formed complimentary to the shape of the palm of the user&#39;s hand during use. 
         [0059]    As depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is shown a typical prior art bar-style, tremolo bar which will rotate in a threaded or other engagement with the mounting point  24  on a bridge  16  and may be employed to rock the bridge  16  within a cavity  17  of the guitar  18  body while engaged to one end of a moveable bridge. As noted, the device  10  herein can be adapted to make the same engagement in a retrofit, either using a threaded mount  34  though the passage  14  and into the mount  24 , or by using the interface adapter of  FIG. 8 . The device  10  adapted to engage the mount  24  either with a retrofit, or directly, provides a significant enhancement with its contoured surface dimensioned to provide a complimentary engagement with the curved palm of the user and may be positioned in numerous positions adjacent and above the strings where prior art tremolo arms are not positionable in a manner where they are useable. 
         [0060]    In all modes of the device  10  wherever engaged, it is preferred that the rotational engagement is frictionally enhanced through the provision of a biasing force which thereafter requires a slight user force to initiate any rotation. One means for biasing and thereby providing a frictional enhancement that may be overcome by user force, is shown in  FIG. 8 . As disclosed as in  FIG. 7 , a spring  50  may be compressed by a nut  52  which engages the threads  35  of the threaded mount  34  and thereby cause a sandwiched biasing of the proximal end  12  of the device, between a shoulder  60  of the threaded mount  34  and a surface of the adapter  21 . The amount of the spring induced bias can be adjusted higher by tightening the nut  52  to compress the spring  50  or loosening the nut  52  to expand the spring  50  and lower the frictional force preventing a free rotation of the device  10  at the proximal end  12  engagement. 
         [0061]    Also depicted in  FIG. 7 , is a mode of rotational engagement of an end  61  of a mount  21 , with a cavity  40  having a screw member  63  for engagement with a mount  24  such as a conventional mount  24  on a bridge  16  as in  FIGS. 6-7 . The end  61  is sized to rotate within the cavity  40  and is maintained there by a set screw  68  which operatively engages within a recess  69  to hold the end  61  in the rotational engagement in the cavity  40 . 
         [0062]    It should be noted, any of the different configurations and components for operative engagement of the device  10  to the mount  24  for the strings of a stringed instrument such as a guitar can be employed, with any other configuration or component shown and described herein, to configure the device  10  for the operative engagement to a stringed instrument or employ the method herein. In all modes of such engagement, the contoured surface providing a complimentary engagement with the curved palm of the user&#39;s hand. 
         [0063]    Additionally, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, it will be appreciated that in some instance some components, or configurations, or steps in formation and/or use of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other components without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims. 
         [0064]    Further, the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. Any such abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of the invention in any way.