HARNESS FOR A VIOLIN OR VIOLA

An ergonomic harness for chin-free support of violins and violas that incorporates clamps for a stringed instrument, a support arm, and a stabilizer. Adjustable clamps allow the harness to accommodate instrument size variations and provides an adjustable binding force. A neck strap secures the harness system around the neck of a person playing a stringed instrument and holds the harness in place against the person's shoulder and/or chest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Violinists (and especially violists) can incur injury and pain to their upper back and neck regions due to the common methods of supporting an instrument using the chin and shoulder. Typically, the left shoulder is elevated to support the body of the instrument and can be held in this elevated position for extended periods of time. For example, when a musical piece is technically difficult, a musician may generate substantial movement of the upper shoulder positions while performing. Providing consistent support for the instrument under such conditions, the musician often must apply excessive pressure between the chin and shoulder to pin the instrument in place. As a result, many musicians incur significant expense on chiropractic care and physical therapy to provide relief from discomforts involving the spine, nerves and muscles of the neck, shoulder and upper back. In addition to the ergonomics of instrument support, many musicians must cease supporting and performing their instrument from time to time to allow their chin to be moved during singing. What is needed in the art is a neck strap for a violin or viola that provides both an ergonomically improved support for the instrument during performing yet does not involve the use of the shoulders, neck and head. Such a strap would also allow a musician to play the instrument and sing simultaneously, if so desired.

Existing straps for acoustic violins generally cannot provide simultaneous instrument support and allow maximum freedom of movement. One type of strap employs a belt of fabric placed around the neck and under the arm, like a standard guitar strap. This type strap is often secured to the instrument by threading it under the tailpiece of the violin, which sets the weight of the instrument on the tail piece and end pin. This type of design is not a structurally sound configuration for a violin.

What is needed in the art is a harness or support attached to the instrument that protects it from scratching or causing structural damage to the instrument. Such a harness or support can be connected to a neck strap so that the device would form a complete system for supporting the instrument during performances. Such a harness system does not pass under the musician's arm, nor would it bolt into the instrument, nor require any modification to the instrument.

This novel harness system should further be lightweight, strong, comfortable, aesthetically simple and beautiful. The harness system should also be as small as possible and collapsible to fit in a standard instrument case. The harness system should also attach quickly and securely to the instrument while not affecting the acoustics of the instrument and not requiring any physical modification to the instrument. Finally, the harness system should be adjustable and be available to musicians at an affordable price. In one embodiment, the harness system comes in two basic sizes, one for violin and a slightly larger size for viola.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device presented is a combination of an adjustable neck strap that clips onto a lightweight harness. The device clamps to the instrument around the instrument's C-bouts and is adaptable to most all instrument shapes and sizes. In the one embodiment, the harness clasps a violin or viola symmetrically at two tabs in the C-bouts and two tabs along the bottom body of the instrument. In one embodiment, the device clamps to opposite sides of the lower C-bouts. The points of contact between the device and the surface features of the instrument are fitted with a malleable material that compresses slightly. In another embodiment, an adjustable, padded chest or shoulder support arm is attached to the device for additional support options.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, one embodiment of the harness system is comprised of a standard neck strap6and an instrument harness1. The instrument harness is further comprised of two partly-overlapping, rigid harness plates,1A and1B. The upper harness plate,1A engages the instrument in at least two points on opposite sides of the instrument at each of the lower curves of the C-bouts (a C-bout is the C-shaped curve in the middle of the sides of a violin which forms its “waist”). The lower harness plate attaches at two points on opposite sides of the instrument at each of the curves that converge to the bottom of the instrument and closest to the musician's upper torso when the instrument is played.

In continued reference toFIG. 1, and in more detail inFIG. 6, the neck strap6can be a short, adjustable, padded neck strap similar type to those used with a saxophone. In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the strap attaches to the harness at either of the lower plate contact points. In one embodiment, the strap is fitted on either end with standard swivel bolt snap hooks that can connect to the lower plate contact points to allow the strap to rotate without applying torque to the strap.

Referring to the embodiment ofFIG. 2, the upper and lower harness plates1A and1B can be fabricated from a thin frame made of carbon fiber, plastic, metal or other strong, lightweight material which securely anchors to the back of the instrument at the points of contact. The function of the harness is to securely attach to the instrument in a minimum of four symmetrically distributed attachment points and to provide at least two attachment points for the neck strap.

In continued reference toFIG. 2, at least two rib tabs2A and2B extend outward from the lower harness plate1B over the top of the instrument and serve as attachment points for the strap. In one embodiment, the harness plates are substantially planar, but in the embodiment ofFIG. 2, the harness plates can be slightly arched to match the curved profile of the back of an instrument. In one embodiment, the harness is low profile matching the curve of an instrument so that it can remain on the instrument while in the case.

In continued reference to ofFIG. 2, the rib tabs of the bottom harness plate extend away from the lower plate at a right angle to the centerline of the plates. In one embodiment, the rib tabs include one or more soft saddles2C that engage the instrument edges securely without damaging the instrument when the harness is tightened or attached. These soft saddles clasp the extended edging of the front and back surfaces of the instrument, which is common to many violin designs. However, other soft saddle shapes and positions could be added or even customized to accommodate other instrument shapes. In one embodiment, the soft saddles are formed from flexible reinforced silicon or neoprene rubber and are readily stretched over the rib tabs and positioned as the musician desires to optimally contact and stabilize the harness to their particular instrument shape. When the stretching is released, the soft saddle grips the rib tab with sufficient force to be relatively immovable when the harness is tightened in place about the instrument. In the one embodiment, the rib tabs of the lower plate have two soft saddle contact points that engage the extended front and rear edging common to many types of violins. The rib tabs of the C-bout contact points of the upper plate have at least one soft saddle that engages the extended edge of the rear face of the instrument. On the ends of the rib tabs, holes2A and2B are provided for attaching a neck strap. The neck strap can attach to the rib tabs using a swivel bolt snap hook, which also can be coated with a material that reduces any undesired sounds caused by the vibration of the instrument. Also, in one embodiment, the profile of the rib tabs are contoured to match the surface shape of the instrument at each contact point. In another embodiment, the profile of the rib tabs can be rounded opposite the contour of the instrument so they will easily receive different angles and curves of varying instruments by minimizing the contact points. Contouring the rib tab contact points to a rounded shape with a curvature opposite the curvature of the instrument is generally better for preventing damage to the instrument and allows for reduced thickness of the soft saddles, which would have to fill in the spacing between the rib tab and instrument if the rib tab were flat or non-contoured.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 3, an adjustable chest support arm3is attached to one end of the upper harness plate1A using a rotatable joint3B. The adjustable chest support is then extended until a stop pad3A on the end of the arm engages the musician's body to provide hands-free support of the instrument while in the playing position. The adjustable chest pad can either be permanently attached to the upper harness plate at the rotatable joint3B or can be readily separated from the harness using a quick-release strap-lock, such as, for example, a quick release used by modern guitarists. For low-profile instrument cases, the chest support arm is removable for placement elsewhere in the case when the instrument is stored. In another embodiment, a storing clasp can be installed on either of the plates for receiving and securing the adjustable chest pad support arm when the instrument is not being played or the musician is not in need of chest support arm.

In one embodiment, the plates are bound together by a single threaded fastener that is tightened after the rib tabs are placed at their proper positions. In another embodiment, the two harness plates are bound together by an alternate fastener comprising a standard worm gear ratcheting mechanism and a quick-release lever. Using this embodiment, the harness plates are expanded and retracted in one direction relative to each other by simply toggling the quick-release lever between a “loose” and “locked” position.

In continued reference toFIG. 2, a side view of the lower harness plate1B is shown with the upper harness plate1A behind the lower plate and extending into the background. The surface finish of the plates allows them to readily slide against each other. The lower harness1B plate is rigid and is designed to retain its basic shape. Generally, the thickness of the plate that provides the requisite rigidity will vary depending on the type of material the plates are made from. Also, one method known in the art that can add rigidity to certain materials such as metals, is to break the edges at an acute angle to the plane of the plate. Adding rigidity using either edge-breaking or adjoining a stiffener to the plate will allow for lighter plate weight, thickness and manufacturing cost.

In reference toFIG. 3, an adjustable chest support is attached near one of rib tabs of the upper plate. The chest support consists of a telescoping arm3and a chest pad3A which are connected to the harness with an upper rotatable joint3B. The rotatable joints at3B and3C and the telescoping arm at3D provide the chest support a wide range of adjustment options to accommodate different instrument positions and different body heights and orientations during playing and can be readily collapsed into another position to fit in a violin case. The chest support arm can also hold the instrument in playing position without the musician's hand supporting the instrument neck. The rotatable chest pad3A can also be fitted with a soft contact surface, such as a ⅜″ foam pad, where it contacts the musician's body. Where the chest pad joins the telescoping arm, a lower rotatable joint3C is placed to allow additional positioning of the chest pad to the musician's comfort. In one embodiment, the chest support arm can be readily detached at the rotatable joint3B using a quick-release mechanism commonly used on guitar strap-locks. In another embodiment, a stowing clasp is attached to one of the plates so that the chest support arm is secured into a fixed position when the chest pad is not being used.

In reference toFIG. 4, a side view of the upper harness plate is shown. The upper harness plate can also be profiled to match the contour of the instrument. In one embodiment, the upper harness plate is smoothly curved. The upper harness plate1A can be made from the same material as the lower harness plate and of a similar construction to the various embodiments disclosed. The edges of the upper harness plate can also be broken (i.e., bent in a stiffening brake) to increase the rigidity of the plates. A plurality of fastener holes4A are inserted into the upper plate symmetrically about the centerline of the plate to receive fasteners4B that secure the upper and lower plates together. A pair of rib tabs4C extend at a right angle from the centerline of the plate and include a pair of soft saddles4D that engage the instrument. In one embodiment, the rib tabs of the upper plate have a convex profile that more closely matches the concave profile of the C-bouts at points of contact.

In reference toFIG. 5, a standard neck strap is shown for use with the instrument body harness. An adjustable, padded neck strap (such as the kind used for a saxophone) attaches to the harness at one or more of the harness plates using quick-release clasps5D. The area contacting the musician5A can be made of stretchable padding, such as foam. In one embodiment, the strap can be thickest in the middle where it contacts the musician's neck and tapered on the ends where it attaches to the harness. Typically, one end of the tapered strap pad terminates in a short synthetic cable5B which includes a swivel quick-release thumb clasp5D. The other end of the tapered strap pad includes an extended, thinner synthetic cable5C, due to the instrument being held somewhat to the side, and terminates into a second swivel quick-release clasp. At the point where the thinner cable meets the neck pad, there is also an adjustable clasp5E that can vary the length of the thinner strap cable.

In reference toFIG. 6, a top view of the lower harness plate1B is shown. The rib tabs6A extend at a right angle away from the plane of the plate and contain a plurality of soft saddles that contact the top and bottom edges of the instrument. A threaded guide block6B can either be centered and affixed to the top surface of the plate near the edge of the top arch6C of the plate, be comprised of a threaded block placed within a similarly-sized recessed cavity into the surface of the lower harness plate, or be integrally formed in the upper or lower harness plate. In either embodiment, the threaded guide block provides a structure that extends upward from the plane of the plate and engages a similarly-sized cavity in the fastening block. The fastening block is secured to the lower harness plate using a single fastener6D that is inserted through a hole in the side of the fastener block and into matching female threads6E into the guide block6B. With the fastener loosened around ½ to ¾ inch, the plates can separate outward relative to each other to fit around the instrument. The fastener is then tightened, which pulls the plates together and compresses the rib tab's soft saddles at their points of contact, securing the harness to the instrument. As a general matter, the requisite amount of saddle compression against the instrument imparted by tightening the fastener is predetermined for a given sized instrument and sets the general length, shape and angle of the harness plates. The length of the fastener is such that it can accommodate smaller variations in any given class of instruments. For example, since the body dimensions of a full-sized viola are generally larger than a violin, and the contours of the C-bouts and bottom body thickness are slightly different, the harness plate dimensions are proportionally increased or decreased to accommodate these differences. Violins are generally sized from “full scale,” which equates to a 14″ body length and 32″ or 32½″ overall length down to 1/32″ scale, which equates to 7½″ body length and 13 or 13½″ overall length. Violas are generally sized from 16½″ body lengths down to 12″ body lengths. Even these dimensions can vary slightly from one manufacturer to another. In the one embodiment, the harness plates are sized and the rib tabs are profiled such that the harness can safely and surely fit the most number of violin and viola sizes or scales. Other embodiments of the invention can be scaled versions optimized to provide the requisite compressive force for any given scale of the instrument.

In reference to the embodiment ofFIG. 7, a part of the lower harness plate1B overlaps the upper harness plate1A up to the middle of the lower harness plate at7A, which marks the lowest point of the arch in the upper harness plate. The required length and width of each plate is determined by the dimensions of the instrument body and this minimum overlap area of the plates up to the middle of the lower plate. Overlapping to the midpoint of the lower plate at7A is the minimum distance that provides sufficient stability to the harness when the plates are secured together. The minimum overlap can vary depending on the strength and rigidity of the material used to form the harness. In one embodiment, the area of overlap of the two plates forms the shape of a prolate spheroid7B, or an American football-shape. A similarly shaped fastening block7C is placed on top of the lower plate over this area of plate overlap. The fastening block has a generally planar top and bottom sides, except for a guide rail7C that extends away from the bottom face of the fastening block down to the upper face of the upper harness plate1A. The fastening block and guide rail can be integrally-formed components. The guide rail binds to the upper harness plate while the tightening fastener binds the fastening, the upper harness plate and the lower harness plate together. A plurality of female fastener threads7D are installed into the bottom face of the guide rail7C. The curved shape of the guide rail7C matches the curved shape of the lower harness plate1B to facilitate assembly of the harness. The fasteners are positioned symmetrically about the centerline of the guide rail and are evenly-spaced apart. Holes matching this fastener pattern are bored through the upper plate. A threaded block7E is either attached permanently to the upper face of the lower harness plate or it can be inserted into a corresponding recessed cavity into the upper face of the lower harness plate. A cavity7F is formed inside the fastening block. As the tightening fastener is turned, the threaded block moves in one direction within cavity7F. In the embodiment ofFIG. 7, 6evenly-spaced fasteners are shown and the alignment block is essentially square and aligned with the centerline of the harness plates.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 8, slightly different features are added to the harness plates to accommodate an alternate vertical adjustment and plate-locking mechanism. In this embodiment, a standard worm-gear type mechanism8A is located near the middle center of the lower harness plate1B. A plurality of rectangular slots8B are installed into the upper plate. A corresponding plurality of rectangular, threaded tabs8D extend upward from the lower harness plate through the rectangular slots8B of the upper plate. The rectangular slots of the upper plate are larger in length than the rectangular tabs so that as the plates are vertically adjusted, the tabs move within the rectangular slots. The width of the rectangular slots is more closely sized to the width of the rectangular tabs so that the upper harness plate remains properly aligned with the lower harness plate during movement. Two rounded groove contours8C can be formed into the lower harness plate which fit into corresponding groove contours of the upper harness plate. The contour of the upper plate can be convex relative to the instrument while the matching contour of the lower plate can be concave so to minimize localized contact with the instrument. As with other embodiments disclosed, the overall contour of the plates can be customized for different instruments or be sufficiently rounded to accommodate the instrument models with the greatest arches. The bottom end of the lower harness plate terminates into two rib tabs8E, which grip the edge of the instrument and provide attachment points for the strap.

In continued reference to the embodiment ofFIG. 8, the lowermost end of the upper plate arch is segmented at8E to accommodate the vertical adjusters8A. A plurality of rectangular slots8B receive matching rectangular tabs extending outward from the surface of the lower plate. It should be noted that in the embodiment ofFIG. 8, the upper plate overlays the top surface of the lower plate. Whereas, in the embodiment ofFIG. 7, the lower plate over lays the top surface of the upper plate. In either configuration, the overlap extends at a minimum to the midpoint of the lower plate, or slightly more, to maximize the rigidity of the plates when secured together. A threaded guide nut8F is attached to and extends outward from the bottom surface of the upper harness plate. The guide nut is aligned with the centerline of the upper plate and receives a male thread screw that is rotated into the threads by toggling the worm gear and quick-release lever mechanism. The rectangular posts8B can be designed to include other shapes, such as cylindrical or triangular, as the posts primarily form guides that prevent horizontal movement of the plates while allowing limited vertical movement.

In continued reference toFIG. 8, the vertical adjustment mechanism8A provides a reliable and securable method for moving the harness plates relative to each other until the upper rib tabs8F engage the C-bouts. The worm-gear, quick-release lever mechanism is known in the art and is a similar mechanism installed on some guitar headstock e-string tuners. When the locking nut is released, the tuning of the string changes to a preset position (e.g., going from a standard E note to a D note). Although the linear distance change these worm gear, quick-release levers provide is generally limited, they are nonetheless suitable for adaptation to the harness plates as the extent of vertical adjustment required for most violins and violas is less than ¾″ of an inch. Once the travel stop of the mechanism is set for a given instrument, the musician need only open or close the quick-release locking lever to secure remove or secure the harness to the instrument body.

In reference toFIG. 9, a side view of the fastening block used with another embodiment is shown. The fastening block9consists of a prolate spheroid shape with substantially planar top and bottom faces9A and9B, respectively and an arching guide rail9C that extends down below the fastening block to contact the upper surface of the upper harness plate. The arch of the guide rail9C generally matches the convex profile of the of the lower harness plate (seeFIG. 7, at7C). The overall height of the fastening block is generally determined by the length of fasteners selected. The guide rail9C extends below the edge of the upper edge of the lower harness plate down to the upper face of the upper harness plate. Since the guide rail9C is curved to match the convex profile of the lower harness plate, the fastening block and lower harness plate readily fit together and only further require the alignment of the fastener holes in the upper harness plate to the female threads of the guide rail and insertion of the fasteners to complete the harness assembly. A plurality of fasteners9D are symmetrically distributed about the centerline of the guide rail and are evenly spaced apart. A cavity9E is formed in the fastening block for receiving the guide block (seeFIG. 6, item6D). Finally, a hole is inserted into the side wall of the fastening block for receiving the threaded section of the tightening fastener (seeFIG. 6, item6E). When tightened, the fastener head pulls the upper harness plate toward the lower harness plate and ultimately binds the harness components together securely. The fastening block ofFIG. 9can be used with the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1-4, and 6-7.

In reference to the embodiment ofFIG. 8, the locking quick-release lever binds the two plates together when placed in the “locked” position. When the lever is flipped to the “unlocked” position, the rectangular slots and guides as well as the groove contours allow vertical movement but prevent horizontal movement between the two harness plates. In reference to this embodiment, the tightening fastener and insert block perform essentially the same translational functions of movement and control.

In one embodiment, the harness plates are cast into a single, non-vertically-adjusting harness system. In this embodiment, the stiffness of the composite harness plate and or the rib tabs would provide a spring force that secured the harness to the instrument. If formed from an optimally flexible material, the musician could bend back slightly the rib tabs and the harness plates and insert the harness on to the instrument body. When the tabs and or harness plates flex back their normal position, a binding force is applied that compresses the soft saddles to the instrument securely. For the composite body embodiment, the harness plate and rib tabs can be uniformly coated with the compressible material to minimize the potential for wear between the harness and the instrument.

In other embodiments of the disclosed device, the device uses instrument clamps (similar to those used to attach a chin rest to a violin) to attach the device to the c-bouts of a stringed instrument. In such an embodiment, the harness supports the stringed instrument using a support arm (e.g., a shoulder rest, chest support, shoulder brace, chest brace, or other bracket, brace, or support) sits under the instrument and attaches to the sides of the instrument using the instrument clamps. In such an embodiment, the support arm can attach to the instrument on a single side (for example, at one of the lower c-bouts). In such an embodiment, a stabilizer can be used to stabilize the instrument in the harness on the support arm. Such stabilizer can attach to another part of the instrument, in one embodiment, at an opposite side of the c-bout from the attachment point of the support arm. The stabilizer keeps the instrument from swinging or rotating and provides additional support to the instrument and the support arm. A person having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the principles between such an embodiment with a support arm and an embodiment having harness plates operate using similar principles, but use different clamps to fasten the device to the instrument.

As shown inFIG. 10, in one embodiment, a harness comprises two instrument clamps13,14. In one embodiment, these instrument clamps13,14are identical and in another embodiment they are mirror images, reversely arranged or direct opposites. In one embodiment, these instrument clamps13,14are standard, commercially available instrument clamps, such as clamps commonly found on chin rests for violins.

Also as shown inFIG. 10, in one embodiment, the device comprises a support arm10attached on one end to a first instrument clamp13. In some embodiments, the support arm is a cantilevered shoulder rest or a cantilevered support arm (e.g., a shoulder rest, chest support, shoulder brace, chest brace, or other bracket, brace, or support) that attaches near a side of the instrument and acts as a counterbalance against a neck strap to support a stringed instrument and hold the instrument in place. In such an embodiment, the device can also comprise a stabilizer12attached to a second instrument clamp14. In one embodiment, the device comprises a neck strap5, having two ends5B and5D. In one embodiment, the neck strap5comprises padding for a user's neck5A. In one embodiment, the device comprises a quick release connector11(e.g., a ball-detent pin attachment) that connects the support arm10to the first instrument clamp13.

As shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, in one embodiment, the instrument clamps13,14are each configured to receive one of the two ends5B,5D of the neck strap5. In one embodiment, the instrument clamps13,14have a hook16on a top side of the instrument clamp13,14. In other embodiments, another type of attachment point other than a hook can be used. In one embodiment, one instrument clamp14is connected to the stabilizer12and the other instrument clamp13is connected to the support arm10. In one embodiment, the support arm10is detachably connected to the stabilizer12. In one embodiment, the instrument clamps13,14are detachably connected to the support arm10and the stabilizer12, respectively. In one embodiment, the support arm10is cantilevered, and so the stabilizer12relieves some of the strain on the support arm10and acts as a brace or buttress for the support arm10.

FIG. 13shows another view of the same embodiment shown inFIGS. 11 and 12. In such an embodiment, instrument clamp13has a hook16on the top side and clamp14also has a hook16on the top side. The bottom side of instrument clamp13attaches to the support arm10and the bottom side of instrument clamp14attaches to the stabilizer12. A person having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that instrument clamps13and14can be interchangeable in one embodiment and that the device setup can be reversed for a left-handed player.

As shown inFIG. 14, in one embodiment, the stabilizer12has a non-clamp end12A, a body12B, and a clamp end12C. In one embodiment, the clamp end12C has a flange15D. The flange15D can be used as a grasping point for a user when attaching and detaching stabilizer12. In one embodiment, the flange15D is optional. In one embodiment, the clamp end12C of the stabilizer12attaches to an instrument clamp14with a fastener15. In one embodiment, a different instrument clamp is used. For example, the instrument clamp shown inFIGS. 1 to 9can be used or any other clamp suitable for holding a stringed instrument.

As shown inFIGS. 14 and 15, in one embodiment, clamps13,14comprise one or more adjustable fasteners13A,14A, that allow the clamps13,14to accommodate instruments having different thicknesses. Also as shown inFIGS. 14 and 15, the clamps13,14have at least one moveable jaw13B,14B. Each of the movable jaws13B,14B have a cushion13C,14C or other soft saddle or compressible material to protect the instrument from the clamp13,14. The jaws13B,14B should not mar or damage the surface of the instrument.

As shown inFIG. 15, in one embodiment, the support arm10comprises a cushioned or padded underside10C on one surface that interfaces with a user's shoulder and/or chest and a rigid structure10B that maintains the shape of the support arm10and resists bending under the weight of the instrument it supports. In one embodiment, the support arm10comprises a clamp end10D where it attaches to the instrument clamp and a non-clamp end10C. In one embodiment, the support arm10is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, steel alloy or other malleable metal. In one embodiment, the support arm10is approximately 1¼ inches wide, 9 inches long and ¾ inches thick. In one embodiment, the support arm10has approximately ½ inch padding on a 3/32 inch aluminum structure. In other embodiments, the support arm10varies considerably in width, length and thickness. For example, a version for a child would be much smaller than a version for an adult. In some embodiments more or less padding is used. In some embodiments the support arm varies in width, thickness, and/or height at different points.

As shown inFIG. 16, in one embodiment, the support arm10curves and twists between its clamp end10D and its non-clamp end10C. In some embodiments, the curve provides support, which allows the clamp end of10D of the support arm10to sit on a person's shoulder and exert upward support from the top of a person's shoulder while the non-clamp end10C is simultaneously providing lateral support or resistance against the neck strap5. The twist in the support arm10allows the non-clamp end10C of the support arm10to directly resist the neck strap5when the device is on a person's shoulder and/or chest when the neck strap is around a person's neck and an instrument is attached to the device. In some embodiments, the twist in the body of the support arm10is needed because the direction of force from the neck strap5and the moment of force from the instrument are different than the direction of force required to hold the support arm10firmly against a person's shoulder and/or chest. Said another way, the curve in the support arm10should fit comfortably against a person's shoulder and/or chest, and, in one embodiment, the non-clamp end10C extends downward on the person's chest, and the neck strap5extends from behind the person's neck forward and to the side but the device should allow all these forces to be equal keeping the instrument firmly placed in its intended position. Said yet another way, the non-clamp end10C of the support arm10needs to be pulled firmly back against the person's shoulder, but the neck strap5pulls from an angle off to the side (part of the force pulls the support arm10back, but part of the force pulls the support arm10sideways toward the person's neck.) even though the moment of force from the instrument is at an angle to the user's body. Without the twist in support arm10, in some embodiments, the support arm10would naturally flip or rotate toward the moment of force (load) exerted by the instrument. In one embodiment, the clamp end10D takes most of the load, but the support arm10distributes part of the load to the non-clamp end10C and the twist in the support arm10changes the direction of the load and distributes it straight back into the person's chest at the non-clamp end10D. The support arm10has a twist so that it can receive the sideways or even diagonal (lateral) force of the neck strap received by the clamp end10D and/or transfer a portion of that force back against the person's chest. In one embodiment, support arm10bears most of the load from an instrument, but the twist in the support arm10, the non-clamp end10C of the support arm10, and the stabilizer12counteract the torque from the weight of the instrument.

Additionally, as shown inFIG. 16, in one embodiment, the stabilizer12attaches to the second clamp14and the body12B of the stabilizer12bends and twists so that the non-clamp end12A of the stabilizer12meets the non-clamp end10C of the support arm10. In one embodiment, the non-clamp end12A of the stabilizer12attaches to the non-clamp end10C of the support arm10by a hook and loop, Velcro®, mushroom fastening (e.g., DualLock®) strip or some other fastener. The device can be used in a right-handed configuration, but it can also be in a left-handed configuration in which all of the components would be reversed and the stabilizer12attaches to the first clamp13and the cantilever should rest10attaches to the second clamp14. In some embodiments, the features of the fastener used to connect the stabilizer12to the support arm10are that the fastener is silent (i.e., will not rattle or rub when the instrument is played), that the fastener is strong enough that it will not accidentally unfasten, and that it is not bulky so that it will not interfere with playing the instrument.

As shown inFIG. 17, in one embodiment, the clamp end10C of the support arm10terminates in a ball-detent pin or other quick release mechanism11E, which receives the clamp13and detachably connects the clamp13to the support arm10so that it cannot accidentally separate. As shown inFIG. 17, in one embodiment, the ball-detent pin11E can be released by pressing a button11A on the clamp end10C of the support arm10. In one embodiment, the button11A is encircled by a flanged washer11D. In one embodiment, the flanged washer11D prevents the button11A from accidentally being pressed. In one embodiment, the flanged washer11D is optional.

As further shown inFIG. 18, in one embodiment, the support arm10has two layers adhered together, a cushion layer10A and a rigid body10B. In one embodiment, the cushion is thicker than the height of the flanged washer11D at the clamp end10C of the support arm10so that a user cannot feel the flanged washer11D or accidentally press the button11A when the support arm is resting on the person's shoulder. In one embodiment, the support arm10has a third layer10E that can have a hook and loop, Velcro®, mushroom fastening (e.g., DualLock®) strip or some other fastener10E attached to the rigid body10B. In such an embodiment, the stabilizer12can attach to the support arm anywhere on the third layer10E.

As shown inFIG. 19, in one embodiment, the support arm10has a top side opposite the cushion10C. In one embodiment, the top side is the rigid body10B. In another embodiment, the top side is the third layer10E. The third layer can be the entire stop side of the rigid body10B or a portion of it. In one embodiment, the third layer10E can be a decorative material. In an embodiment that uses a fastener other than mushroom fastening or hook and loop, the third layer can be omitted or be entirely decorative.

As further shown inFIG. 19, in one embodiment, the ball-detent pin11E extends up from the top side of the clamp end10D of support arm10so that its embedded bearings clear the top side of the support arm10. In one embodiment, the ball-detent pin11E is attached to the support arm10with a washer11F and a washer, snap ring, e-clip, locking washer, nut, or other fastener11G. In one embodiment, the washer11F is a vibration-damping washer and in other embodiments, the washer11F is omitted. In other embodiments, another type of quick-release connector is used instead of a ball-detent pin to connect the support arm10to the instrument clamp13. In some embodiments, the connector between the support arm10and the instrument clamp13(e.g., the ball-detent pin) allows the instrument to rotate. In some embodiments, the connector between the support arm10and the instrument clamp13is not rotatable but is instead a non-rotating connector that holds the support arm10to the instrument clamp13. In such a non-rotatable embodiment, the angle of the instrument relative to the support arm10is determined and fixed when the support arm10is attached to the instrument clamp13.

As shown inFIG. 20, in one embodiment, the stabilizer12is a rubberized or polymer coated wire that can be bent to hold the support arm's10non-clamp end10C in a person's preferred position. In such an embodiment, the wire is thick enough that it will not allow the support arm10to freely rotate. In such an embodiment, the wire is malleable enough that it can be shaped by hand to match the position of the support arm10. In other embodiments, the stabilizer is rigid and cannot be adjusted. In such an embodiment, the amount of twist and bend in the stabilizer is pre-determined based on the position of the cantilever shoulder support10. In one embodiment, the stabilizer is rod, wire, or plate made from carbon fiber, metal, or plastic. In some embodiments, the stabilizer is a thick wire or malleable metal plate so that it can be bent by a user when needed but hold a set position under the weight of a stringed instrument. In some embodiments, the stabilizer is straight and does not bend. In some embodiments, the stabilizer is not twisted. In one embodiment, the stabilizer is made of a steel alloy or other malleable metal. In one embodiment, the stabilizer is approximately an ⅛ inch diameter wire with approximately 5/32 inch padding wrapped around it and approximately 4 inches long. In other embodiments a larger gauge wire with more or less padding is used. The gauge wire may vary considerably as may the padding used. In embodiments using a metal bracket or brace the size and padding may vary considerably.

Additionally as shown inFIG. 20, in one embodiment, the stabilizer12can have a stabilizer body12B that is a wire or cylindrical in shape. However, the stabilizer body12B can be any shape or thickness. In one embodiment, the clamp end12C of the stabilizer12ends in a flange15D to assist a person as a grasping point when pressing button15A to release the stabilizer. In one embodiment, the non-clamp end12A of the stabilizer12ends in a head.

As shown inFIG. 21, in one embodiment, the non-clamp end12A of the stabilizer12can have a hook and loop, Velcro®, mushroom fastening (e.g., DualLock®) strip or other fastener12G that allows the stabilizer12to attach to the cantilever support arm10. In one embodiment, the fastener on the stabilizer12attaches to the third layer on support arm10. In other embodiments, any other detachable fastener can be used to connect the stabilizer12to the support arm10. In one embodiment, as shown, the clamp end12C of the stabilizer12has a stabilizer ball-detent pin15E and a washer, snap ring, e-clip, locking washer, nut, or other fastener15F. In such an embodiment, when the stabilizer12is attached to the clamp14, the stabilizer12can rotate around the ball-detent pin15E when configuring the device. In some embodiments, the clamp end12C of the stabilizer12has a fastener that is not rotatable and holds the stabilizer12in a fixed position relative to the clamp14.

Although the embodiment shown inFIGS. 10 to 23depict a support arm that detachably connects to a separate stabilizer, an alternate version of the device consists of a support arm that either has no stabilizer or has a stabilizer on the support arm. For example, one embodiment has a support arm with a wide non-clamp end and a non-rotatable attachment point. Such an embodiment uses the wide base of the support arm as leverage to prevent the device from rotating or flipping under the instrument's load and the non-rotatable attachment point prevents the device from rotating about the attachment point. For another example, on embodiment attaches the support arm to a belt or strap that fastens around the person's chest or waist and prevents the device from rotating or flipping out to the side under the instrument's load. In another embodiment, the support arm has a built in buttress that attaches to a second point on the instrument to stabilize the instrument in the device. Such a built in buttress may be malleable so that the device can be fitted to the person's body.

FIG. 22shows an exploded view of one embodiment of each of the clamps13,14. As discussed above, the clamps can be identical or they can be mirror images of each other. In one embodiment, each clamp fits around a different side of the instrument and attaches to the instrument without harming the finish on the instrument. As shown inFIG. 23, in one embodiment, each clamp comprises a lower jaw14B, a pin catch14D, a lower instrument pad14C, a lower clamp fitting14E, a fastener14A, and upper clamp fitting14G, and upper instrument pad14F. In one embodiment, a hook16is integrally formed with the upper clamp fitting14G for receiving a neck strap5. In one embodiment, each of the upper instrument pad14F and the lower instrument pad14C are made of cork, rubber, or another polymer that absorbs vibration, resists transition of sound, and will not harm the finish of the instrument. In one embodiment, the clamp can be any standard clamp with alternative configurations, such as, for example: a lower jaw14B can be integrally formed with the lower clamp fitting14E; the lower clamp fitting14E can be integrally formed with the fastener14A; the lower clamp fitting14E, the fastener14A, and the lower jaw14B can be integrally formed; the upper clamp fitting14G and the fastener14A can be integrally formed; and the upper clamp fitting14G, the fastener, the lower clamp fitting14E, and the lower jaw14B can all be integrally formed. In one embodiment, a clamp is form fitted for a particular size instrument and cannot be adjusted to accommodate instruments having different widths. In one embodiment, an pin catch14D has a flange14H on one end that fits into a hole14J in the lower jaw14B. The pin catch14D is countersunk, and the flange14H prevents the pin catch14D from pulling through the hole14J. The pin catch14D extends downward through the hole14J and receives the ball-detent pin11E or the stabilizer ball-detent pin15E depending on the clamp13,14. In one embodiment, the pin catch14D is identical on both clamps. In other embodiments, the pin catch14D for each clamp13,14has different threading or is even a different type of fastener altogether from the other clamp. In other embodiments, a different fastener such as an embedded nut, embedded nut, sleeve, or other fastener can be used to mate with the particular type of fastener replacing the ball-detent pin15E.

FIG. 23shows an exploded view of one embodiment of the device and an instrument to which it attaches.

With the embodiment of the device shown inFIGS. 10 to 23, a person would use the device by attaching the clamps to the stringed instrument, i.e., one clamp on each side of the lower c-bout of the instrument. The person would then attach the neck strap onto the device and place the neck strap around his or her neck. The person would then position the device so that the device's support arm is positioned with the clamp end sitting on the person's shoulder (e.g., on the person's left shoulder) and the non-clamp end extending downward onto the person's chest. The person would fasten the stabilizer to the non-clamp end of the support arm and adjust the position of the support arm so that the instrument is positioned correctly to the person's preferences. At that point, the person would confirm that all attachment points are firmly connected. When using the device, the person can stand or sit with his or her neck straight and without clamping the instrument with his or her chin. The device will hold the weight of the instrument in position while the person plays the instrument, and no other adjustments to the person's playing technique are required.

Miscellaneous

One embodiments of this invention are described herein. Variations of those one embodiments may become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect that skilled artisans will employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced other than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations hereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

While the disclosure above sets forth the principles of the present invention, with the examples given for illustration only, one should realize that the use of the present invention includes all usual variations, adaptations and/or modifications, within the scope of the claims attached as well as equivalents thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing that various adaptations and modifications of the just described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.