Abstract:
A cabinet for display of a stringed musical instrument, wherein the stringed musical instrument is oriented horizontally and is held in place within the cabinet by the supports which engage the strap buttons of the instrument. The device is optionally attachable to a wall. In one embodiment, the supports are angled brackets with notches for receiving the strap buttons. A protective material is applied on each support and the interior surface of the cabinet to avoid abrasion of the instrument surface. The orientation of the angled brackets is such that the visible profile of the brackets is very small when an instrument is displayed in the cabinet.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the priority benefits under Title 35, United States Code, §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/380,899 filed on May 16, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to devices for the display of stringed musical instruments. The present invention more particularly relates to cabinets for display of stringed musical instruments and even more particularly relates to wall cabinets for the display of guitars.  
           [0003]    Collectors and musicians frequently desire to display stringed musical instruments in manner that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to access, yet reliably prevents damage to the instrument, such as scratching or marring of the hard lacquered surfaces of many instruments. One measure of the aesthetics of such a display device is the degree to which the supports of a display device are not visibly intrusive when holding an instrument for display. Thus a display device having instrument support structures that are highly visible to one viewing the display of the instrument may be considered less aesthetically pleasing than a display device having instrument supports that are not visible to the viewer. Correspondingly, one measure of ease of access is the number of discrete steps that must be taken to place or remove an instrument in a display device. The choices of collectors and musicians desiring to display stringed musical instruments in a horizontal orientation have previously been limited to selection among devices that compromise at least one of the above stated objectives.  
           [0004]    For example, in displaying an electric guitar having strap buttons, the guitar may be suspended by a guitar strap attached to the guitar and suspended from a visually nonintrusive hanger mounted on a wall. This may be aesthetically pleasing, but the hanging of the guitar by its strap is problematic. A stable display is rarely achieved and the guitar may shift from the desired hanging position. Additionally, any shifting of a guitar so displayed may mar the lacquered surface of the guitar if it contacts nearby structures, such as a wall.  
           [0005]    Some devices have solved the problem of unintended movement of the instrument by securing guitars in a horizontal display position with large clamps that grip the body of the guitar. While such a device effectively secures the guitar, the prominent visibility and complexity of clamps detract from both the aesthetics of the display and the ease of access to the instrument housed in the display device. Other devices employ stands with one or more large cradles, or the equivalent, into which a guitar may be laid. While being both somewhat more stable than a suspending guitar strap and having greater ease of access than a device using clamps, devices employing cradle-like features have the disadvantage of having an instrument support that is visually prominent enough to detract from the aesthetics of the display.  
           [0006]    Currently there is need in the art for a cabinet suitable for housing and displaying string musical instrument, such as a guitar, in a horizontal orientation in manner that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to access, yet reliably prevents damage to the instrument.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides a cabinet for display of a stringed musical instrument, wherein the stringed musical instrument is oriented horizontally and is held in place within the cabinet by supports which engage the strap buttons of the instrument. The device is optionally attachable to a wall.  
           [0008]    In one embodiment, the supports are angled brackets with notches shaped and sized for receiving the strap buttons. A protective material is applied on each support and the interior surface of the cabinet to avoid abrasion of the instrument surface. The orientation of the angled brackets is such that the visible profile of the brackets is very small when an instrument is displayed in the cabinet. As well, the instrument is firmly secured by placing its strap buttons in sized notches of the brackets.  
           [0009]    Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a display cabinet for holding a stringed musical instrument in manner that is aesthetically pleasing.  
           [0010]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a display cabinet for holding a stringed musical instrument in manner that is easy to access.  
           [0011]    It is a third object of the present invention to provide a display cabinet for holding a stringed musical instrument in manner that reliably prevents damage to the instrument.  
           [0012]    Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a display cabinet for holding a stringed musical instrument in a horizontal orientation supported by the strap buttons of the instrument in manner that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to access, yet reliably prevents damage to the instrument.  
           [0013]    Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon the reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanied drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a front perspective of the cabinet of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the left bracket of the cabinet of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the right bracket of the cabinet of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a front silhouette of a typical string musical instrument, an electric guitar, that would be supported in the cabinet of FIG. 1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a front view of the guitar of FIG. 4 mounted horizontally in the cabinet of FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the cabinet of FIG. 1, showing an alternate embodiment of the cabinet hanger. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 4, a front silhouette of a typical string musical instrument  70 , is shown having two strap buttons  72  embedded within the body of the instrument. The apparatus of this invention for housing and displaying a stringed musical instrument  70  having at least two embedded strap buttons  72  incorporates features for suspending and housing the instrument  70  from strap buttons  72  in a horizontal orientation within the encasement of a cabinet described below.  
         [0021]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a cabinet for displaying a string musical instrument is shown and generally designated by the numeral  10 . The cabinet  10  of the present invention includes a back  20  having a surface  22  and a perimeter  24 . At least two hangers are attached to the back  20 . The size and shape of the surface  22  of the back  20  is selected such that a string musical instrument  70  of the type desired to be displayed can be mounted in a horizontal orientation within the perimeter  24  of the back  20 . In this embodiment, the cabinet  10  is shown having as hangers a left most angled bracket  30  and a right most angled bracket  31 . Each angled bracket has a first leg  34 , which is mounted to the surface  22  of the back  20 , and has a second leg  35  extending outward from the surface  22 . The second leg  34  of each angled bracket forms a support for receiving a strap button  72  of the string musical instrument  72 .  
         [0022]    Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively, the left angled bracket  30  and the right angled bracket  31  of the cabinet  10  of FIG. 1 are shown in greater detail. In this embodiment, a notch  37  formed within the second leg  35  of each angled bracket comprises the supports for receiving a strap button  72 . Each notch  35  is of such a size and shape as to securely receive and retain the strap button  72  of a string musical instrument. Referring again to FIG. 1, the left and right angled brackets  30 ,  31  are shown positioned upon and mounted to the back  20  so as to together securely receive and hold the strap buttons  72  of a string musical instrument  70  and display the string musical instrument  70  in a horizontal orientation.  
         [0023]    One advantage of this embodiment is that the notching of the angled brackets provides for ease of access. The string musical instrument  70  can readily be placed in or removed from each notch  37  in a single step. Another advantage of this embodiment is that the notching of the angled brackets provides for reliably preventing damage to the string musical instrument  70  in that the string musical instrument  70  is firmly held within each notch  37  at two points on the string musical instrument  70 , the two points being the two embedded strap buttons  72 .  
         [0024]    To prevent damage to the string musical instrument  70  displayed in the cabinet  10 , non-abrasive materials  40  are applied such surfaces of the cabinet  10  that may contact the hard lacquer finishes of the string musical instrument  70 . Now referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 , felt  42  is applied to the surface  22  of the back  20  and to each second leg  35  of the left and right brackets  30 ,  31 . Also, resilient bumpers  44  are applied to each first leg  34  of the left and right brackets  30 ,  31 . The felt  42  and resilient bumpers  44  cushion the string musical instrument  70  and prevent the surface the string musical instrument  70  from contacting any hard edges or rough surfaces of the cabinet  10 .  
         [0025]    Now referring to FIG. 6, details of an alternate embodiment of the cabinet  10  of FIG. 1 is shown herein. In this alternate embodiment one hanger utilized to support the strap buttons  72  of the string musical instrument  70  is shown as being a rigid bar  32  with a notch  37  defined therein and extending outward from the surface  22  of the back  20 . The rigid bar  33  is shown with an optional mounting plate  33 . A non-abrasive material  40  is applied to the rigid bar  33  to prevent marring and scratching the surface of the string musical instrument  70 .  
         [0026]    Again referring to FIG. 1, the cabinet  10  is further comprised of a cabinet box  12  for providing an enclosure for the displayed string musical instrument  70 . The cabinet box  12  is shown having multiple panels  60  attached to the back  20  at the perimeter  24  of the back  20 . The cabinet box  12  as depicted in FIG. 1 is a rectangular box sized to receive a typical string musical instrument  70  such as an electric guitar. However other sizes and shapes could be utilized. The interior surface  14  of the cabinet box is comprised of the surfaces of the back  20  and panels  60 . Since the interior surface  14  of such a cabinet box  12  might scratch or mar the hard lacquer finish of a typical string musical instrument  70 , non-abrasive materials  40  are applied the interior surface  14  of the cabinet box  12 .  
         [0027]    The cabinet  10  of FIG. 1 is also shown having a plate  50  attached to the edge  64  of the cabinet box  12  distal to the back  20 . As shown herein, the plate  50  is transparent and is attached by hinges  52  for easy of access to the interior of the cabinet box  12 . Numerous variations of the composition and characteristics of the plate may be utilized. For instance, the plate  50  may be trimmed in cabinetry material such as wood. Also, joining means other than hinges  52  may be used and the plate  50  may be attached to the cabinet box  12  at positions other than the distal edge  64  of a panel  60 . Finally, the plate  50  may be divided into areas having varying degrees if transparency, translucence or opaqueness.  
         [0028]    As stated above, a typical string musical instrument  70  for display in the cabinet  10  of the present invention is an electric guitar. FIG. 4 shows a silhouette of such a typical string musical instrument  70  having embedded strap buttons  72 . FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the cabinet  10  of FIG. 1 with the typical string musical instrument  70  of FIG. 4 displayed therein. The left and right angle brackets  30 ,  31  of the cabinet  10  securely receive and hold the strap buttons  72  and display the string musical instrument  70  in a horizontal orientation.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 illustrates a third advantage of the cabinet of this invention embodied in FIG. 1. The body of the guitar of FIG. 5 shields from the view of an observer the first leg  34  of each of the right and left angle brackets  30 ,  31 . Also, the second leg  35  of each of the right and left angle brackets  30 ,  31  would be observed from an “end on” perspective and do not cover any of the front face of the guitar. These visual features provide an aesthetically pleasing means of display in that the support structures are visually nonintrusive.  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIGS.  1 - 5 , this embodiment discloses a display cabinet for holding a stringed musical instrument in manner that is aesthetically pleasing, is easy to access and reliably prevents damage to the instrument. Thus it is seen that the present invention readily achieves the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described for purposes of the present disclosure, numerous changes in parts and steps may be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.