Abstract:
A bow attachment device attaches to the end of a bow to compensate for a smaller or under-developed digit. The bow attachment device provides a block that attaches to the bow in a manner allowing the stick of the bow to slide through the block. A leg on the block provides a ledge that extends outward from the block allowing the digit to rest on the ledge and be elevated higher than other digits. The device creates an extension between the bow stick and the smaller digit allowing the digit to participate in subtle manipulation of the bow.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to a device that attaches to the end of a bow to compensate for a smaller or under-developed finger. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Stringed instruments such as the violin, cello, or viola require the user&#39;s ability to properly hold the bow. Typically the bow is held in a down stroke position or an up stroke position. The musician&#39;s fingers are quite arched in the standard down stroke position. The thumb is slightly bent. The musician&#39;s fingers are slightly more elongated in an upstroke position. Relaxed fluid movement in the arm, wrist and hand are necessary to master the instrument. Proper positioning of the fingers aid in obtaining the proper manipulation of the bow. Improper positioning of the fingers causes the musician to work harder to hold the bow and may even cause the musician to lose interest in playing a stringed instrument. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention introduces a device that attaches to the end of a bow to compensate for a smaller or under-developed digit. 
     An aspect of an embodiment of the invention provides a block structure that attaches to the bow in a manner allowing the stick of the bow to slide through the block structure. 
     A further aspect of an embodiment of the invention provides a ledge that extends from the block allowing the digit to rest on the ledge. 
     A further aspect of an embodiment of the invention creates an extension between the bow stick and the smaller digit allowing the digit to participate in subtle manipulation of the bow. 
     Additional aspects, objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bow attachment device with a tie-style fastener on a bow. 
         FIG. 2  is a transparent perspective view of the bow attachment device with a strap-style fastener on a bow. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the bow attachment device on a bow. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bow attachment device on a bow in use. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of the device on its first leg. 
         FIG. 6  is a back view of the bow attachment device. 
         FIG. 7  is an inside view of the bow attachment device. 
         FIG. 8  is a left side view of the bow attachment device. 
         FIG. 9  is a right side view of the bow attachment device. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the platform structure. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the platform structure attached to the device. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device with a unitary platform structure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bow attachment device  100  with a tie-style fastener  101  on a bow  150 . The bow  150  features a screw  151 , stick  152 , hair  153  and a frog  154 . The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones. The frog  154  has a front part  154   a  and back part  154   b . The bow attachment device  100  features a block structure  110  having a front  111 , back  112 , left  113 , right  114 , top  115  and bottom side  116 . The bow device  100  may be made from ebony but other materials, often decorative, may be used as well. These materials may include ivory and tortoiseshell. The block  110  can be carved or cast in a hard, lightweight material such as hard plastic or vinyl for example. The front  111  of the block  110  is somewhat curved and meets the bottom  116  of the block  110  to form an obtuse angle. The back side  112  has a first plane  112   a  and a second plane  112   b  that meet to form an angle  120 . The second plane  112   b  is parallel to the back wall  156  on the frog  154  when the device  100  is positioned on the bow  150 . The left side  113  of the block  110  is the side that faces the user when the bow  150  is held. The right side  114  is opposite the left side  113 . Both the left  113  and right side  114  have identical shapes. The left side  113  is a first leg  121  extending from the top  115  of the block structure  110 . The right side  114  is a second leg  122  extending from the top  115  of the block structure  110 .  FIG. 9  is a right side view of the bow attachment device illustrating leg  122 . The second plane  112   b  has an opening  700  sized to receive the stick  152  and screw  151 . The opening  700  is a somewhat circular shape. The opening  700  opens to the inside  710  of the block  110 . The inside  710  of the block  110  is underneath the block  110 . The opening  700  opens into a channel  720  inside the block  150  such that the channel  720  allows the block  150  to rest on the back portion  154   b  of the frog  154 . The channel  720  is the space inside  710  the block  110  between the first and second legs  121 , 122  and below the top  115  of the block  110 . 
     The bow  150  and screw  151  are inserted through the opening  700 . The device  100  is slid onto the bow  150  until the frog back portion  154  abuts the left and right inside walls  701 ,  702  of the legs  121 ,  122  and the back inside wall  703 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The device  100  rests slightly above the bottom of the frog  154  so that the connecting holes  801 ,  802  are somewhat aligned with the front part  154   a  of the frog  154 . The first and second leg  121 ,  122  features a first and second connecting hole  801 ,  802 , respectively.  FIG. 5  is an illustration of the device on its first leg  121 . The connecting holes  801 ,  802  diameters are smaller than the opening  700  on the back  112  of the block  110 . The holes  801 ,  802  are positioned in identical locations on each leg  121 ,  121  such that they are aligned with each other on their respective legs.  FIG. 3  is a top view of the bow attachment device  100  on a bow  150 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the connecting hole  801  on the first leg  121 .  FIG. 6  is a back view of the bow attachment device  100 . 
     The holes  801 ,  802  are positioned behind where the frog  154  abuts the inside walls  701 ,  702  so that a fastener  900  can extend through the holes  801 ,  802  and around the front  154   a  of the frog  154  to secure the device  100  to the bow  150  and the fastener does not interfere with the frog  154  abutting the inside walls  701 ,  702 ,  703  of the device. The fastener  900  may form a loop and the ends may mate together or be tied together, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the fastener  900  may be in the form of a band or strap that is received around the front part  154   a  of the frog  154 .  FIG. 2  is a transparent perspective view of the bow attachment device  100  with a strap-style fastener  900  on a bow  150 . 
     The first leg  121  features a platform  500  on the leg  121 .  FIG. 8  is a left side view of the bow attachment device  100  showing the first leg  121 . 
     The platform structure  500  acts a ledge located substantially near a top portion  501  of the first leg  121  and extending outwardly from the first leg  121  such that a fourth finger  400  may be elevated when it sits on the ledge, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bow attachment device  100  on a bow  150  in use. The device  100  is in use when a user handles the bow  150 . The ledge  500  lifts the fourth finger  400  above other fingers  401  on the bow  150 . 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the platform structure  500 . The platform structure  500  is a ledge having a semi-circular body  601  with a rounded bottom  601   a  and a flat top  601   b . Additional body shapes such as square, rectangular or any polygonal shape can be used for the shape of the structure  500 . The fourth finger  400  contacts the flat top  601   b  when the device  100  is in use. The platform structure  500  is sized such that only the fourth finger  400  rests on the top  601   b  when the bow  150  is handled properly. When handled properly, only the fourth finger  400  is positioned such that it is supported by the platform structure  500 . The fourth finger  400  is elevated higher than all the other fingers when it is positioned on the structure  500 .  FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the platform structure  500  attached to the device  100 . The block  110  can have an opening  225  on the first leg  121  having block threads  226  that receive the platform  500 . The platform  500  can have a platform extension  510  which have platform threads  511  that mate with the block threads  226 . In this embodiment, the platform  500  can be screwed to the first leg  121 . Alternatively, the platform extension  510  may be glued or fitted inside the platform threads  511  without screwing. Alternatively, the platform structure  500  may not require an extension  510  and the structure may be attached to the device  100  by known attachment methods.  FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device with a unitary platform structure  500 . Rather than attaching the structure to the device, the structure  500  can be formed so that the structure has a top  650  that extends outward on the first leg  121 . The top  650  is an extension of the top  115  of the device and dips downward so that the finger  400  can rest on the top  650  and be elevated about the other fingers on the bow. 
     If the bow stick is narrow so that the attachment slides on the bow, a piece of material can be positioned inside the space between the legs of the device and the frog to help fit the attachment snuggly to the bow. 
     The platform structure  500  allows a user with an underdeveloped or smaller fourth finger  400  to arch the finger  400  for adequate handling and manipulation of the bow  150 . The device  100  creates an extension between the bow stick  140  and the smaller digit  400 . 
     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.