Patent Publication Number: US-10789919-B2

Title: Acoustic guitar strap lock adapter

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application relates and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/779,668, filed on Dec. 14, 2018, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed generally to guitar strap locks, and more particularly to adapters for guitar strap locks for use on acoustic guitars that do not require modification to be made to the guitar body. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electric guitars have two metal buttons (see  FIG. 1 ) integrated into their design to which a guitar strap (see  FIG. 2 ) to be attached and permit the guitar to hang around the player&#39;s body in the playing position. The strap buttons are held in place with wood screws driven directly into the guitar body, one on the upper bout or horn and the other centered on the tail end. Guitar straps come equipped with holes formed in their ends so they can slip over the strap buttons provided on the electric guitars. 
     The problem with this traditional design is a risk of the strap slipping off the strap button while playing the guitar, which could cause it to fall off the player and become damaged. Many players thus choose to use a strap lock system that securely attaches the strap to the guitar with a metal locking mechanism. There are several designs to choose from that all function similarly, such as one shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D  that is manufactured by Schaller. The strap lock uses specially designed strap buttons that are installed on a guitar in place of the standard strap buttons, and a mechanism that installs on the ends of the strap that click onto those buttons to securely fasten (lock) the strap in place. With strap locks holding the strap in place, the strap is far less likely to accidentally slip off the button. 
     While this is a useful safety feature, it cannot be used on acoustic guitars. While most acoustic guitars have a common strap button on the heel of the neck (see  FIG. 4 ) that can be replaced with a strap lock pin, the strap attachment at the tail of the guitar is part of the electronics/pickup output jack assembly (see  FIG. 5 ). A performance ready acoustic guitar with a built in pickup typically has this type of “jack cap” strap attachment at the tail end. This is the output jack that the guitar cable plugs into with an end cap that threads on. The cap has a channel that the strap rests in. Many players struggle with fitting the strap over this larger opening and never feel secure with the fit (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     As seen in  FIG. 7 , some players who want to avoid fitting the strap over the jack or incorporate strap locks will add an additional strap pin to the bottom of the guitar. However, this requires drilling a hole in the guitar body, something many players are hesitant to do as this creates an irreversible modification to the instrument. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a strap lock adapter for acoustic guitars that utilizes existing structure on the guitar, and does not require modification to be made to the guitar body. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to a guitar strap lock adapter for use on an acoustic guitar. 
     According to an aspect is a guitar strap lock adapter for use on an acoustic guitar having a pick-up jack on the body thereof, comprises an elongated body having first and second ends; a first opening formed through the elongated body adjacent the first end thereof and being internally threaded to co-axially engage with the pick-up jack; and a second opening formed through the elongated body adjacent the second end thereof and being configured to securely receive the strap lock therein, whereby the guitar strap can be anchored to the acoustic guitar at a position offset from the pick-up jack. 
     According to an embodiment, the guitar strap lock adapter for use on an acoustic guitar having a pick-up jack having a maximum diameter on the body thereof, comprises an adapter assembly of elongate shape that is configured and adapted for placement around the pick-up jack adjacent a first end thereof and having an opening formed therethrough adjacent a second end thereof offset from the first end; a lock button positioned in axial alignment with the opening; and a fastening element for retaining the adapter assembly and lock button together. 
     According to an embodiment, the adapter assembly comprises a cover plate and a keyhole ring. 
     According to an embodiment, the keyhole ring comprises an elongated body having a first end adjacent which a first opening of predetermined diameter is formed and a first slot of predetermined width that intersects with the first opening is formed, and a second end adjacent which a second opening is formed. 
     According to an embodiment, the predetermined diameter of the first opening is greater than the maximum diameter of the pick-up jack and the predetermined width of the first slot is smaller than the maximum diameter of the pick-up jack. 
     According to an embodiment, the cover plate is of a shape essentially the same as the keyhole ring, and includes an elongated body having a first end through which a second slot is formed, and a second end adjacent which a third opening is formed. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiments described below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art electric guitar. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a prior art guitar strap. 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  are perspective views of prior art guitar strap locks. 
         FIG. 4  is a close up perspective view of the neck of a prior art acoustic guitar. 
         FIG. 5  is a close up perspective view of the bottom of a prior art acoustic guitar body. 
         FIG. 6  is a close up perspective view of the bottom of a prior art acoustic guitar body with a guitar strap placed over the jack pin. 
         FIG. 7  is a close up perspective view of the bottom of a prior art acoustic guitar body as modified with a strap button installed. 
         FIGS. 8A-8D  are close up perspective views of a strap lock adapter being installed on an acoustic guitar, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a close up perspective view of strap lock and strap attached to an acoustic guitar, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is an elevation view of the parts to a strap lock adapter used in connection with an acoustic Taylor guitar equipped with a battery box for Expression System electronics, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 11A-11F  are close up perspective views of a strap lock adapter being installed on an acoustic Taylor guitar, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a close up perspective view of strap lock and strap attached to an acoustic Taylor guitar, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a strap lock adapter, in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure describes an acoustic guitar strap lock adapter. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , in one embodiment, is an acoustic guitar strap lock adapter, designated generally by reference numeral  10 , and used on a performance ready acoustic guitar  12  having an electronic pick up jack  14  (with cap  15 ). Strap lock adapter  10  generally comprises a generally planar, elongated body  16  that extends along a longitudinal axis X-X and has an internally threaded opening  18  formed through a first end and includes a strap lock button  20  extending outwardly from and attached to/integrated with the opposite, second end to which the strap lock  21  can connect. 
     To use strap lock adapter  10 , a player would first remove the jack cap  15  off of the pick-up jack  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . Next, the internally threaded opening  18  is placed over and threaded onto pick up jack  14 , as shown in  FIG. 8 c   , leaving space through opening  18  for a jack to be inserted into the pick-up. Once threaded onto the pick-up jack  14 , the adapter  10  is rotated until the strap button  20  is positioned as desired, preferably straight inwardly from pick up jack  14  and essentially staying centered on the body of guitar  12 , as shown in  FIG. 8D . With reference to  FIG. 9 , a guitar strap  22  can be attached to adapter  10  by placing a lock  24  in engaged relation to button  20  is a typical fashion. The opposite end of strap  22  would, of course, be attached to the neck of the guitar  12  in typical fashion as well. 
     In an alternate embodiment, see  FIG. 13 , the body of adapter  10 ′ can be articulated such that it pivots about axis Y-Y, thereby permitting orientation of strap button  20 ′ to be altered as desired. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-12 , in a second embodiment, is a guitar strap lock adapter, designated generally by reference numeral  100 , for use specifically with a Taylor® acoustic guitar  102  having a battery box for Expression System electronics  104 . Adapter  100  is designed to assemble onto the existing strap pin  106 . 
     Adapter  100  generally comprises a keyhole ring  108 , preferably composed of metal, a cover plate  110 , preferably composed of plastic, a strap lock button  112  and an assembly screw  114 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . With reference to  FIGS. 11A-11F , installation of adapter  100  is illustrated. In  FIG. 11A , the battery box for Expression System electronics  104  on the Taylor guitar is shown. Keyhole ring  108  comprises an elongated, essentially diamond shaped, relatively flat body having a slotted hole  116  (slot  116 ′ leading into hole  116 ″) formed therethrough adjacent one end thereof, and a smaller hole  118  formed therethrough adjacent its opposite end. Opening  116 ″ is of large enough diameter to allow a pick-up jack to fit through the provided opening in the battery box for Expression System electronics  104 , while slot  116 ′ is of small enough width to prevent pick-up jack  104  from slipping out of and away from keyhole ring  108 . As seen in  FIG. 11B , keyhole ring  108  is placed the jack and slid such that slot  116 ′ engages with the pick-up jack. 
     With reference to  FIG. 11C , cover plate  110  comprises a flat, elongated, diamond shaped body similar in size and shape to key ring  108 , and includes a slot  120  formed into on end thereof and a small hole  122  formed therethrough adjacent its opposite end. Cover plate  110  is placed over keyhole ring  108  and slot  120  is slid into engagement with the jack such that the jack  104  is straddled by the side edges of slot  120  and hole  122  is axially aligned with opening  118  as shown in  FIG. 11D . Strap lock button  112  is placed in axial alignment with opening  118 ,  122  and assembly screw  114  is then passed therethrough to connect cover plate  110  to keyhole ring  108  and strap lock button  112  to provide the secure anchoring point for a guitar strap  124 , as shown in  FIGS. 11E-11F and 12 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 12 , guitar strap  124  is locked in the typical manner using the strap lock button  114  and lock  125 . Advantageously, adapter  100  offsets the strap lock from the pick-up jack, thus not impacting the effectiveness of the pick-up jack. 
     Both adapters  10  and  100  use familiar strap lock systems to prevent the acoustic guitar from inadvertently slipping off the strap, and do so without having to modify the guitar. Thus, a guitarist with the same style strap locks on multiple instruments can easily swap straps from guitar to guitar, while another guitarist that utilizes a unique locking mechanism on one guitar will only be able to use the strap dedicated to such mechanism. 
     While various embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure.