Guitar aid

A guitar aid enables a user to selectively position and control tension and angle of a guitar pick for a richer sound with decreased strain on the user's hand and fingers. The guitar aid can includes a ring member defining an opening sized and shaped to fit around a finger of a user and a pick retainer unitarily formed with the ring member and configured to secure a guitar pick therein. The pick retainer can include first, second, and third retentions arms extending outwardly from the ring member and defining pick receiving channels configured to receive and secure a guitar pick therein. The guitar aid can also include at least one retention nub extending upwardly from and unitarily formed with the ring member, the retention nub being configured to contact a body of the guitar pick when the guitar pick is positioned within the pick receiving channels.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the use of a guitar pick for playing stringed instruments and more particularly, to a guitar aid that provides a user with the ability to apply a controlled tension while maintaining a fixed position of the guitar pick while playing a guitar or other stringed instrument.

BACKGROUND

Guitar picks are typically small, flat apparatuses that are triangular shaped with rounded edges. The pick can be used to pluck or strum stringed musical instruments such as guitars. Use of a guitar pick can help generate a higher quality sound and improve the ability of a musician to strike large chords. A pick is generally made of a rigid material such as metal or plastic and is lightweight and may vary in thickness based on the desired sound quality.

Conventionally, picks have been designed for placement between a user's thumb and one or more fingers to assist while playing instruments such as the guitar. Drawbacks of this technique, however, include difficulty of maintaining a fixed position and proper control of the pick and proper tension on the pick while playing an instrument. For example, if the pick is held too loosely, it could cause the pick to shift in the musician's fingers, affecting the ability of the musician to retain a proper grip on the pick. Conversely, holding the pick too tightly can interfere with the play of the instrument by distorting the sound. Sound quality can also be negatively impacted if the pick is not held at a proper 90-degree angle to the strings.

Mounting apparatuses such as rings or band-like structures have been designed to secure a guitar pick onto a user's finger or thumb. Such designs, however, are directed towards preventing accidental dropping of a guitar pick and/or providing a user with the ability to interchangeably alternate between the use of a user's finger and a guitar pick to strum or pluck instrument strings.

Designs for guitar aids that are used to assist with proper pick angle and placement for enhanced sound quality are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,240,167, invented by the inventor of the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent includes both a guitar aid designed to removably receive a pick and a unitarily formed pick and ring combination.

SUMMARY

A guitar aid enables a user to selectively position and control tension and angle of a guitar pick for a richer sound with decreased strain on the user's hand and fingers. The guitar aid can include a ring member defining an opening size and shape to fit around a finger of a user and a pick retainer unitarily formed with the ring member and configured to secure a guitar pick therein. The pick retainer can include first, second, and third retentions arms extending outwardly from the ring member and defining pick receiving channels configured to receive and secure a guitar pick therein. The guitar aid can also include at least one retention nub extending upwardly from and unitarily formed with the ring member, the retention nub being configured to contact a body of the guitar pick when the guitar pick is positioned within the pick receiving channels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, a guitar aid100according to an embodiment of the present invention is depicted. Guitar aid100comprises a pick retainer102, center support structure106, and a ring member104that can be adjusted in size to fit a user's finger. Ring member104can comprise an arcuate body portion145having a pair of ends144defining a space therebetween. Body portion145includes an outer surface146to which pick retainer102couples and an inner surface148defining an opening for a user's finger (typically the user's index finger as shown inFIG. 7). Ring member104can be comprised of a pliable material such that ring member104can easily adjust to fit different finger sizes. The material can be any material having such flexibility, including polymer and metal materials. In some embodiments, ring member104can be injection molded. In one embodiment, as can be seen in, e.g.,FIG. 2, arcuate body portion145can define a generally helical shape such that ends144are generally laterally offset from each other and do not align with or abut each other. This offset further enhances the flexibility of the ring member104to conform to different user's fingers and to be adjusted along a given user's finger (e.g., to be positioned to use the pick or moved along the user's finger to allow the user to pick the strings of the guitar with the user's fingers). In alternative embodiments, ring member104can comprise a complete circle of material.

Pick retainer102, which is configured to retain a guitar pick200(refer, e.g., toFIG. 4) in position without the need for a user to hold the guitar pick in place in the retainer, can be unitarily formed with ring member104as a single unitary construct. Alternatively, pick retainer can be attached to ring member through welding or other means. In embodiments, pick retainer102can comprise a first retention portion114and a second retention portion116. It should be noted, however, that pick retainer102can comprise fewer or more retention portions in other embodiments.

First retention portion114can be arranged such that it extends laterally outwardly from ring member104in a direction opposite that of second retention portion116. First retention portion114can comprise a first retention arm124aand a second retention arm124b. In some embodiments, arms124a,124bcan each have a tapered design such that a wider portion125a,125btapers inwardly toward a thinner portion126a,126bto provide increased strength at the point of attachment with ring member104. Each arm124a,124bcan include a clamp member127a,127bthat defines a pick receiving channel128a,128b. Pick receiving channel or slot128a,128bcan comprise an upper inner surface130a,130band lower inner surface132a,132bthat interface, respectively, with a top surface and a bottom surface of a guitar pick200upon insertion into channels128aand128b. Such a configuration allows for the effortless and sustained placement of guitar pick200.

In various embodiments, the distance between upper inner surfaces130a,130b,140and lower inner surfaces132a,132b,142(i.e., channel widths) can vary for a given guitar aid to accommodate guitar picks of different thicknesses. However, pick retainer102is configured to accommodate picks of different thicknesses with single channel width. As can be seen in, e.g.,FIG. 2, each clamp member127a,127b,137and corresponding channel can be rotationally offset from one another, with each channel128a,128b,138aligned parallel with the circumferential portion of the ring member102from which it extends. The angling of the clamp members enhances the ability to maintain a firm hold of picks of different thicknesses during use with the same channel width, while still making the picks easy to remove and insert from the pick retainer. As can also be seen inFIG. 2, with respect to upper inner surface140, one or more of the inner surfaces130a,130b,140and corresponding hook portion of the clamp member can taper upwardly towards the ring member102, which aids in insertion and guidance of the pick into the channels.

The design and structure of the arm134of second retention portion116is substantially similar to that of the arms124a,124bof first retention portion114in that it tapers from a wider portion135to a narrower portion136having a clamp member137. Clamp member137similarly defines a pick receiving channel138with an upper inner surface140and a lower inner surface142. Use of three arms in the depicted embodiment provides a more secure hold of the pick to aid in stability of the pick within the pick retainer102and guidance of the pick into a proper position within the guitar aid. The pick can more easily snap into place in the retainer with a guiding slot at three positions and is held along a first side of the pick and a second side of the pick (in two places) for the more secure and firm retention. As shown in, e.g.,FIG. 3, the arm134of second retention portion can be generally centrally located between the arms124a,124bof the first retention portion, equidistant from each.

As can be seen in the Figures, the arms124a,124b,134of retention portions can be formed of a solid material that, as discussed above can be unitary formed with the ring member104. This solid construction provides needed strength to the pliable arm portions because as the user plays a stringed instrument such as a guitar with the device, continuous strain and movement is placed on arms, and under these conditions the previously disclosed wire retention members were prone to breakage. In various embodiments, the arms are comprised of a plastic or other polymer material. In one embodiment, the material is Delrin® plast. Such a solid material is more durable and flexible such that it does not break with use while still being light weight and comfortable to wear. In addition, during use it was found that the pick may slip or shift position within the wire retention members and the solid plastic of the described embodiment holds the pick more firmly in place while still providing the proper tension for proper sound quality.

In some embodiments, center support structure106can include one or more upwardly protruding members or retention nubs150,152. In one embodiment, two nubs150,152are centrally located on opposing sides of second retention portion116and between the arms124a,124of first retention portion114. The protruding members150,152can comprise a generally inverted V-shape, but may vary in other embodiments. For example, in other embodiments, members protruding members150,152can comprise a generally circular, spherical, or hemispherical shape, rectangular shape, or other suitable configurations. As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, protruding members150,152can be configured such that a top portion154,156extends upwardly from ring member104to a predetermined height above ring member104at a position that is located between upper inner surfaces130a,130b,140and lower inner surfaces132a,132b,142of pick receiving channels128a,128b,138(refer, e.g., toFIG. 2). Nubs150,152therefore push a middle of the pick200up slightly. Such a configuration is advantageous in that support structure106causes a tighter fit for the pick10to provide additional support to pick200and minimizes movement of pick200once it is inserted into first and second retention portions114,116. In addition, nubs150,152aid the device in accommodating different thicknesses of picks, providing further flexibility of the user to choose a preferred pick thickness or vary pick thicknesses used with the same guitar aid.

Referring now toFIGS. 4-6a conventional guitar pick200installed within and held by a pick retainer102of a guitar aid100is depicted according to an embodiment of the present invention. Guitar pick200can comprise a body202having a wider proximal portion204and a narrower distal end206. Guitar picks200come in a variety of standard pick sizes that can have different thicknesses. In some embodiments, guitar aid100can be provided in a kit along with multiple guitar picks200of varying thicknesses, each of which can be used with guitar aid100as described herein.

As depicted, body202of guitar pick200is inserted into pick retainer102such that the distal end206protrudes outwardly from pick retainer102for striking strings of a guitar or other stringed instrument. The proximal portion204of body member202is positioned within pick receiving channels128a,128b,138of clamp members127a,127b,137, which securely hold the pick200in place. Guitar pick200can easily be inserted into and retained within guitar aid100with a single sliding motion without the need for additional fasteners or other parts. The guitar pick200can similarly be removed from guitar aid100by applying a pulling force on the proximal portion204of pick200without substantially distorting or moving any elements of pick retainer102. In one embodiment, the guitar pick200can only be slid into pick retainer102with the distal end or tip206going first, and only be removed in the opposite direction, by withdrawing the proximal portion204away from the pick retainer102. As described above,FIG. 5depicts retention nubs150,152pushing central portion of body202of pick200slightly upwards.

The relative positioning of pick retainer102on ring member104as shown inFIG. 7determines the angle of the guitar pick200held by guitar aid100. For example, pick retainer102and ring member104can be arranged such that pick200creates an acute angle of approximately 45 degrees with the user's finger when the user's hand is at rest. Such a configuration causes the pick to be at an approximately 90-degree angle to guitar strings252when the user is positioned to play the guitar, which is the optimum angle for proper sound quality. In alternate embodiments, the pick retainer102and ring member104can be arranged such that pick200is oriented at any other angle to the guitar strings.

To utilize guitar aids100as disclosed herein, a user inserts the user's index finger254through the ring member104, which conforms to the size of the user's finger254. The user grasps the upper surface of pick200with the user's thumb256. In this manner, the guitar aid100of the present invention ensures proper alignment and a proper grip of the pick200, which helps the user to not overuse the forearm muscles and aids in producing a proper sound from the guitar. This proper positioning and grip provided by the guitar aid100can further function in teaching a beginner how to properly hold a guitar pick. In addition, ring member104allows a user to easily slide the pick-rite guitar aid100up and down the user's finger to either grasp the pick for playing the instrument or move the pick out of the way to utilize the user's fingers to play the instrument, with the pliable band conforming to the size of whatever portion of the user's finger on which it is positioned. As shown inFIG. 7, in one embodiment, the first retention portion114having a pair of retention arms124a,124bis positioned further from the end of the user's finger and the second retention portion116including a single arm134is positioned nearer to the end of the user's finger. Alternatively, the opposite arrangement could be employed.