Patent Publication Number: US-8541674-B2

Title: Support bridge

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/399,482, filed on Jul. 13, 2010, and entitled “MUSICAL BRIDGE,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following generally relates to a support bridge and is described in connection with a string instrument. However, the following is also amenable to other instruments and non-instruments. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A string instrument generally includes a body portion having longitudinal axis and an elongate neck portion having first and second opposing ends. One of the ends of the neck is attached to the body, and the neck extends along the longitudinal axis. A headstock is attached to the other end of the neck, and a fretboard is attached to the neck. A bridge is attached to the body along the longitudinal axis, and a set of strings are strung along the longitudinal axis between the headstock and the bridge. As shown in  FIG. 1 , with a guitar  102 , a strap  104  is attached to the ends of the body  106  and placed over a shoulder  108  of a standing player  110 , supporting the guitar  102  in position. Unfortunately, if the player  110  is not standing (e.g., lying down, in a chair, etc.), the strap generally cannot be used to support the guitar in position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects of the application address the above matters, and others. 
     In one aspect, a support bridge includes a support platform having a top surface and a bottom surface and a holder attached to the top surface of the support platform. The holder includes a first set of support members separated by a first gap, a first material free region, in the first support member, that provides access from outside of the first member through the first member to the first gap, and a first securing member on a surface of the first support member bounding the first material free region, and a first plug configured to physically engage the first securing member to secure a first object disposed between the first members in the first gap to the holder and the support platform. 
     In another aspect, a method includes attaching a holder of a first side of a support bridge to a first object and attaching a support bracket of a second side of the support bridge to a second object. The first and second sides are opposing sides. The first object is a musical instrument which is played by a person while the support bridge is attached to the second object 
     In yet another aspect, an apparatus for supporting a musical instrument in connection with a chair or bed includes a support platform having a top surface and a bottom opposing surface, a holder attached to the top surface of the support platform, the holder configured to securely hold the musical instrument, and a support bracket attached to the bottom surface of the support platform, the support bracket configured to securely attached to an arm of the chair or a rail of the bed. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize still other aspects of the present application upon reading and understanding the attached description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates prior art. 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a support bridge. 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates the support bridge holder a guitar horizontally. 
         FIG. 4A  schematically illustrates the support bridge holder a guitar at an angle. 
         FIG. 4B  schematically illustrates the support bridge holder a guitar at an angle and rotated 180 degrees with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 5  schematically illustrates the support bridge holder a guitar having a neck positioned at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the guitar. 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates a guitar in which the support bridge is part of a body of the guitar. 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  schematically illustrate the support bridge holding a guitar in connection a wheel chair. 
         FIG. 9  schematically illustrates the support bridge holding a guitar in connection with a bed. 
         FIG. 10  schematically illustrates the support bridge holding a guitar in connection a stand. 
         FIG. 11  schematically illustrates the support bridge having multiple holders. 
         FIG. 12  schematically illustrates the support bridge having multiple support brackets. 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  schematically illustrate the support bridge attached to a wheel chair. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following generally relates to string instruments such as a guitar, violin, cello, viola, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, harp, and/or other string instruments, and/or non string instruments, and/or non-instruments. However, for brevity and clarity, the following is described in connection with a guitar. 
     Initially referring to  FIG. 2 , a support bridge  202  includes a support platform  204 , having top and bottom major surfaces  206  and  208 , and a holder  210 , which can be fixedly or removable attached to the support platform  204 , for example, on the first major surface  206  as shown in the illustrated embodiment. In another embodiment, the holder  210  is part of the support platform  204 . 
     The holder  210  includes first and second support members  212  separated by a gap  214  therebetween. Material free regions  216  in the support members  212  provide access from outside of the members  212  through the members  212  to the gap  214 . In the illustrated embodiment, support members  212  include securing members (not visible) on the surfaces bounding the material free regions  216  within the members  212 . In one instance, the securing members include threads such as threads similar to threads of a screw. 
     A plug  218  has a protrusion  220  with complementary securing members  222  (threads in this non-limiting example) that are configured to engage the securing members in the material free regions  216 . Where the securing members are threads, and the threads can be securely engaged. In the illustrated embodiment, one plug  218  is shown, however, a different plug  218  can be used for each of the two illustrated material free regions  216 . Alternatively, in another embodiment, the holder  210  includes only one of the material free regions  216 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 A and  4 B, the body  106  of the guitar  102  (or other musical or non-musical instrument) can be placed in the gap  214  and secured to the bridge  202  via the plugs  218 . That is, the body  106  can be placed in the gap  214 , and the plugs  218  can be screwed into the material free regions  216  until the plugs  218  physically contact and apply a force to the body  106  to hold the body  106 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , the guitar  102  is inserted generally horizontally in the holder  210  with respect to the top surface  206 , and, in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the guitar  102  is inserted in the holder  210  at non-zero angle with respect to the respect to the top surface  206 . As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the holder  210  may optionally be configured so that it can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the top  206  of the bridge  202 . As such, the guitar  102  can be rotated (e.g., 360 degrees) about the axis with the guitar  102  secured in the holder  210 . The illustrated guitar  102  is rotated 180 degrees. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example embodiment in which a guitar  502  includes a neck  504  that is securely or adjustably positioned at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis  506  running along the long axis of the guitar  502 . An example of such a guitar is described in application Ser. No. 12/491,955, filed on Jun. 25, 2009, and entitled “STRING INSTRUMENT,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an example embodiment in which the guitar  502  and the support bridge  202  form a single unitary instrument in which the support bridge  202  is part of the body of the guitar  502  or vice versa. In another example, the guitar  102  is part of the support bridge  202 . In another example, another instrument or non-instrument is part of the support bridge. 
     With respect to  FIGS. 2-6 , the support bridge  202  supports the guitar  102  or  502 , and can be placed across arms of a wheel (or other) chair as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the lap of a person in a bed or the rails of the bed ( FIG. 9 ), on a cart in connection with a standing person ( FIG. 10 ), and/or otherwise used to support the guitar while a person plays the guitar. 
     With respect to  FIGS. 2-10  and/or other figures herein, it is to be appreciated that the size and/or the shape of the support bridge  202  and/or the components thereof (e.g., the holder  210 , etc.) are provided for explanatory purposes and are not limiting. As such, in other embodiments, the size and the shape of the support bridge  202  and/or the components thereof (e.g., the holder  210 , etc.) can be different. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an embodiment in which the support bridge  202  includes N holders  210 , wherein N is an integer number equal to or greater than two. In this embodiment, the holders  210  are symmetrically disposed about a center region  1102  of the support bridge  202 . In other embodiments, the holders  210  are asymmetrically disposed about the center region  1102 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an embodiment in which the support bridge  202  includes the holder  210  on the top surface  206  (as described above) and one or more support brackets  1202  on the bottom surface  208 . In the illustrated embodiment, the support bracket  1202  is substantially similar to the holder  202 , but is us used to secure the bridge  202 , for example, to the arms of the chair in  FIGS. 7 and 8  (as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 ), the rail of the bed in  FIG. 8 , and stand in  FIG. 10 , etc. 
     That is, the support bracket  1202  includes one or more support members, material free regions, securing members, etc. Also like the holder  210 , the support bracket  1202  may optionally be configured so that it can rotate. However, in the example, the support bracket  1202  rotates about an axis perpendicular to the bottom  208  of the bridge  202 . 
     Although the support bracket  1202  is shown as a single member, it is to be appreciated that the support bracket  1202  may include a plurality of members fixedly attached to each other (e.g., a predetermined angles) and/or moveably attached to each other (e.g., at joints or elbows) via bearings or the like and configured to move (e.g., pivot, rotate, etc.) with respect to each other. This allows for various degrees of freedom to position the bracket  1202  to attach to members that do not run parallel to the bottom surface  208 . 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a method. 
     It is to be appreciated that the ordering of the acts is not-limiting. As such, other ordering is contemplated herein. In addition, one or more of the acts may be omitted and/or one or more acts may be added. 
     At  1502 , a musical or other instrument is attached to the support bridge  202 . 
     At  1504 , the support bridge  202  is set on and optionally secured to a chair, a bed, a stand, and/or other object. 
     At  1506 , a person plays the musical or other instrument. 
     It is to be appreciated that the support bridge  202  can be utilized, for example, by a physically challenged person or child confined to a bed or wheel chair, but not limited thereto, to facilitate the person or child play a musical instrument and/or use another instrument. Generally, the support bridge  202  can be used to support, hold and/or position the musical instrument in a way that would allow them to play the instrument. This support bridge  202  may be a separate fixture from the instrument or designed into the instrument or a combination of both and possibly designing the complete instrument to facilitate the playing of an instrument by the physically challenged. This final apparatus can also be completely or partially customizable and adaptable to many different situations. 
     Although the holder  210  and the support bracket  1202  are shown as generally “U”-shape devices, other shapes are contemplated herein. For example, in another embodiment, the bracket  1202  includes multiple sections and forms a generally closed ring around the wheel chair arm, the bed rail, etc. In another example, at least one of the holder  210  or the bracket  1202  could be “C” or “V” shaped. 
     The application has been described with reference to various embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading the application. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations, including insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.