Musical instrument accessory

A musical instrument accessory with a capo carrying an adjustable connector in turn carrying a screen receiving fixture. When the capo is clamped to the neck of a guitar at a first position, the screen receiving fixture may be arranged and oriented for convenient viewing of a screen carried therein by the guitar musician. When moved to second position, viewing the screen necessitates re-orientation of the screen receiving fixture to accommodate geometry of the second position, which re-orientation is conveniently carried out by re-orientation of the adjustable connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an accessory for a musical instrument. More particularly, the present invention is an accessory for a stringed instrument, especially a stringed instrument having a neck, such as a guitar, banjo, or ukulele.

Music in sheet form (i.e. sheet music) has for centuries been used to memorialize songs and prompt musicians to perform a predesignated composition. A problem for a musician with sheet music is encountered when moving about. Numerous approaches to holding sheet music for a mobile musician include music holders separately carried by the musician (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,855 Cashman (sheet music holder carried about neck)) or carried upon their instrument (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,531,732 Dunlop (sheet music holder carried by a suction cup attachment to body of a guitar.)) In modern times, sheet music may also be displayed upon a screen, for example, the screen of a smart phone or tablet or similar device. The L′MS “Guitar Sidekick” device takes an approach similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,531,732 Dunlop to use a suction attachment to a guitar body to support a handheld computer or smart phone instead of sheet music.

A capo is an accessory for a stringed instrument such as a guitar, which alters the length and tension of vibrating string sections, upon a plurality of strings, by clamping to the neck of a guitar and engaging and clamping the strings. Examples of capos may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,566,824 Small and U.S. Pat. No. 8,779,292 Steinberger. It is common for musicians to alter the placement of the capo along the neck of the guitar to achieve different tuning effects. Although it is known to provide for carrying a capo, when not in use upon a guitar (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,957 Hatfield), it is not known to carry a smart phone screen, displaying music, upon an engaged capo.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When considered relative to a guitar used with both a capo on the neck and also used with a separate sheet music holder, for example, the above-mentioned L′MS “Guitar Sidekick” type device attached to the guitar body, a potential new combination of utilizing a capo to carry a display screen would have the heretofore unrecognized advantage of reducing the number of accessory items a musician must deal with while performing. However, one significant drawback and issue with such a new combined arrangement is that when the capo is deployed at different positions along the neck of a guitar, the viewing orientation or angle of the screen should be geometrically altered to accommodate its modified position relative to the musician. An elegant approach to accommodating the need for adapting to the demands of a changing viewing angle associated with different capo positions is needed and is provided by the present invention disclosed herein.

The present invention is a musical instrument accessory with a screen receiving and displaying fixture, for example, for receiving and displaying the screen of a handheld computer or smartphone or tablet. The accessory is used with and attached to a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, and most preferably clamped to and thereby engaging the neck of the stringed instrument. An adjustable connector is present between the clamp attachment for the neck of the stringed instrument and the screen receiving fixture. The adjustable connector allows the screen receiving fixture to be oriented or re-oriented such that a screen carried by the screen receiving fixture may be viewed by a musician. In a preferred embodiment, the clamp attachment for the neck is a capo. As is well known, a capo may be applied or clamped upon the neck of a stringed instrument and alter the tension and length of the strings active vibrating segments, thereby resetting the nature of the musical cords produced when strumming or otherwise perturbing the strings. This resetting is primarily a function of placement of the capo along the neck, whether distal or proximate. However, each change in positioning of the capo along the neck of the guitar results in a change of its position relative to the musician playing the guitar and thus, a profound desirability to re-orient the screen receiving fixture.

In another embodiment, the present invention is a method of performing with a guitar, the guitar having a neck. The method includes the steps of providing a handheld screen, the handheld screen displaying music to be performed; providing an accessory including a clamp attachment, an adjustable connector attached to the clamp attachment and a screen receiving fixture attached to the adjustable connector; placing the handheld screen in the screen receiving fixture; clamping the clamp attachment to the neck of the guitar; and, manipulating the adjustable connector such that the handheld screen is conveniently viewable and the music thereon displayed for performance on the guitar. Preferably, the method further includes the steps of unclamping the clamp attachment and clamping at a new position on the guitar; re-manipulating the adjustable connector such that the handheld screen is conveniently viewable from the new position on the guitar. Most preferably, in the method, the clamp attachment is a capo.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is a musical instrument accessory10. As shown inFIG. 1, the accessory10has three major sub-assemblies: a capo20, an adjustable connector30, and a screen receiving fixture50.

The capo20has a first arm22with a top string engaging bumper22aand a lever of the first arm22bwith an aperture22ctherein. The capo20also has a second arm24with a guitar neck bottom abutting or engaging arm24a. The first arm22and the second arm24are connected at pivot26and biased by spring28such that the neck of a guitar and the associated guitar strings may be clamped between the top string engaging bumper22aand the guitar neck bottom engaging arm24bof the second arm24at a range of desirable positions along the neck of the guitar.

The desirable positions along the neck of a guitar may range between a proximal position, adjacent the body of a guitar, to a distal position adjacent the tuning pegs of the guitar. As is well known, distal positioning of a capo, such as capo20has a modest effect, modestly raising the frequency of all of the guitar string vibrations, whereas progressively positioning the capo20toward the proximal end, adjacent the guitar body has a progressively more pronounced effect of even further raising the frequency of all of the guitar string vibrations.

The adjustable connector30has first end32with a threaded interior32awithin. A threaded fastener33, with a fastener head33aand threaded fastener shaft33bpasses aperture22cof lever of the first arm22bof capo20, and engages the threaded interior32a. The shaft33b, threaded interior32a, and aperture22cdefine a first axis36whereby rotation may occur within the adjustable connector30. Preferably, a friction element38, such as a washer, is present between the fastener head33aand the lever of the first arm22b. When the threaded fastener33is tightened into the threaded interior of the first end32aof the adjustable connector30, rotation is reduced or prevented about first axis36. Most preferably, the threaded fastener33is tightened into the threaded interior32asuch that rotation about first axis36is achievable with manipulative effort, but does not occur without a conscious application of a manipulative effort:

The adjustable connector30also has a second end34, a second axis42of rotation is present in the second end34, The second axis42is distinct from and preferably perpendicular to the first axis36. The second axis42is defined by a threaded bolt46with a manually manipulable head46a, a threaded shaft46band a nut47. The threaded bolt46passes through fork48with a first tine48awith an aperture48band a second tine48cwith an aperture48d, which apertures48band48dare aligned. A central insert49with aperture49a, having bolt46passing therethrough, is also situated between tines48aand48c. When the threaded bolt46is tightened against nut47, the frictional element38for controlling and squeezing central insert49between tines48aand48cto control and limit and potentially prevent rotation about second axis42. Preferably, the bolt46is tightened into the nut47, preferably captive in the second tine48c, such that rotation may be achieved by manually moving the central insert49relative to the fork48but undesired further rotation about second axis42is prevented. Alternatively, the threaded bolt46may be loosened, that desired orientation set, then the threaded bolt46re-tightened into nut47such that further rotation is prevented.

The screen receiving fixture50has a first screen bracket52which is connected to the fork48and tines48aand48b. The screen receiving fixture50also has a second screen engaging bracket54. An internal spring arrangement56urges the second bracket54toward the first bracket52, such that a handheld computer or cellphone or tablet is held therebetween with a screen potentially visible to a musician. To insert a handheld screen such as a cell phone or tablet or Ipod or Palm device or other like displays, the second bracket54is pulled against the internal spring arrangement56such that the handheld screen is place between the first screen engaging bracket52and the second screen engaging bracket54, then the brackets52and54are allowed to re-approach each other, thereby capturing the handheld screen. Removal is a reversal of this procedure. This arrangement also allows a variety of handheld devices of differing dimensions to be carried, thereby increasing the versatility of the accessory. Orientation or re-orientation of the screen is achieved by rotation about the first axis36and second axis42, such that the screen carried in the screen receiving fixture50is viewable by the musician and may be easily coordinated with the capo20position along the neck of the guitar.

As depicted inFIG. 4, the accessory10also has a second surprising capability, that of folding into a compact shape when not in use upon a guitar and not carrying a handheld screen. It is believed that musicians employing the accessory10will appreciate the ability to fold the accessory10down into a position for compact easy storage. This is particularly convenient since many if not most musicians will want to take their relatively fragile handheld screen and use it as a phone or computer when not in operation displaying music to be played during a performance. In particular, the presence of two rotational axis, first rotational axis36and second rotational axis42allow the accessory10, when not carrying a handheld computer or similar screened device, to fold such that the space between the first screen engaging bracket52and second screen engaging bracket54, which typically would accommodate and carry a handheld computer, instead accommodates a portion of lever of first arm22btherebetween. In this compact configuration, the internal spring assemblies56are arranged with the same portion of the lever of the first arm22btherebetween and generally are arranged nearly parallel to but spaced apart from the first arm22and the top string engaging bumper22athereon of capo20. This transformation is accomplished by rotation at one or more typically two of the available axis36and42.

One of ordinary skill will recognize that there are numerous ways to carry a handheld screen other than the spring loaded clamping arrangement described as the screen receiving fixture50. For example, suction cup devices, rubber or elastic bands, plastic clips, mtl clips, adhesive tape, velcro (hook and pile) arrangements, or magnetic arrangements might be substituted to carry a handheld screen device. Similarly, one of ordinary skill will recognize there are alternative adjustable connectors which might be substituted for the adjustable connector30described herein. For example, bendable metals or a plurality of pipe cleaners might be substituted. Similarly, one of ordinary skill will recognize that there are other capo designs than the capo20described herein. Those of ordinary skill will further recognize that various modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.