Patent Publication Number: US-2006016317-A1

Title: String tuning device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority from GB Patent Application 0416300.2, filed Jul. 21, 2004.  
      The present invention relates to a device for fixing strings to a musical instrument, for example a guitar. More particularly, the invention concerns a tuning post arrangement mounted to the head stock of a guitar.  
      The design of tuning post for a guitar is well known, one example is illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in which the string  1  is inserted through the hole  2  and then looped several times around a post  3 . It is then tightened by turning the tuning head  4  to tighten the string. The tuning head  4  is connected to the tuning post  3  by a gear arrangement so that as the tuning head  4  is tuned the tuning post  3  is caused to be rotated which tightens or loosens the string.  
      A common problem affecting guitars is that of de-tuning, whereby the tension of the string changes over time which alters the pitch. Furthermore, the string can be subjected to repeated slackening and tensioning which results in the string becoming de-tuned. This is a particular problem for electric guitars  5  when a tremolo arm  6  is provided (see  FIG. 1A ).  
      This general problem has been identified in prior art documents, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,443. This document is concerned with the string termination unit mounted in the body of the guitar. The present invention is directed to solving the problem for a tuning post mounted to the head stock and, as such, needs to be capable of tuning the string of a guitar.  
      Past designs of tuner post attempting to alleviate this problem have employed a mechanical means of attaching the strings thereby allowing virtually no wraps around the post. This greatly enhances tuning stability but the resultant increase in cost over a standard tuner (approximately 3 to 4 times) means that these devices can only be fitted to the more expensive products in the market.  
      These are known collectively in the relevant industries as “Locking tuners” in so much as they utilise a mechanical element that exerts a clamping force to the diameter of the string thereby holding it in place by the use of a mechanical clamping device.  
      This not only adds cost to the tuners due to the sometimes considerable extra parts needed but also adds unwanted weight to the tuners which, due to their location (usually on the instruments head stock), detrimentally effects the balance of the instrument.  
      The present invention and its preferred embodiments seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.  
      A first aspect of the invention provides a tuning post for a guitar having a first and second restraining means for receiving and retaining a guitar string, said first and second string restraining means are in a spaced arrangement and allow the tuning post to be rotated to tune the string.  
      Preferably, the string is looped around the post between the first and second string restraining means.  
      In one class of embodiments the first restraining means is a lateral hole in the tuning post through which the string passes to be looped around the post thereby restricting movement of the string.  
      Optionally, the second restraining means comprises a second lateral hole in the tuning post through which the looped strong from the first restraining means passes to be retained therein. The first and second lateral holes may be oriented in an offset arrangement, or more preferably, in a substantially perpendicular arrangement.  
      In another class of embodiments, the first restraining means is a slot formed in the upper end of the post through the tuning post wherein the string passes through the slot to be looped around the post thereby restricting movement of the string.  
      The second restraining means may instead comprise a slot formed in the upper end of the post through the tuning post through which the looped string from the first restraining means passes to be retained therein. The slot forming the second restraining means may be offset the first restraining means.  
      There may comprise a bore passing through the longitudinal axis of the tuning post between the slot of the second restraining means and the lower end of the post, which bore receives the end of the string.  
      Optionally, side walls of the or each slot converge thereby providing an interference fit to receive and retain the string.  
      A second aspect of the invention provides a guitar having a head stock comprising a plurality of tuning heads connected to corresponding tuning post as described above capable of being rotated by rotating the corresponding tuning head.  
      A third aspect of the invention provides a tuning post for a guitar having a lateral hole or slot having distal and proximal ends through which the string passes to be engaged beyond the proximal end of the hole or slot, which tuning post is rotated to tune the string causing the string to abut the edge of the distal end of the hole for slot.  
      A fourth aspect of the invention provides a string restraining device for a guitar having first and second string restraining means in a spaced arrangement for receiving and restraining the string, which string is looped around the device between the first and second string restraining means.  
      The present invention allows the string to be attached in a manner which eliminates the need for multiple wraps of string around the post to achieve tuning the string to its&#39; desired pitch and also to eliminate any slipping of the string (and its&#39; resulting loss of tuning stability). 
    
    
      Exemplary embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1A and 1B  illustrate a known guitar and a conventional turning post respectively;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a tuning post according to a first embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates the tuning post according to a second embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a tuning post according to a third embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a tuning post according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;  
       FIGS. 6, 7  and  8  illustrate the process of connecting the string to the post of the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate the process of connecting the string to the post of the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate the process of connecting the string to the post of the third embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; and  
       FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate the process of connecting the string to the post of the fourth embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . 
    
    
      Turning to the drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1A and 1B  which shows a conventional tuning post  3 . One end of the string  1  is inserted in the hole  2 . The post  3  is then rotated several times to take up the slack from the string  1  and is tightened to the desired tension to tune it. As the string  1  is tightened and loosened repeatedly, for example by repeated use of the tremolo arm  6  (shown in  FIG. 1A ) the part of the string  1  looped around the tuning post  3  will tend to move slightly which results in the string  1  being de-tuned. As mentioned above, this is undesirable.  
      The present invention addresses this problem by providing alternative arrangements of tuning post; examples are shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 ,  4  and  5 .  
      Turning to the post arrangement of the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , there comprises a tuning post  10  which is preferably cylindrical in shape and is provided with a recess  12 , to receive the string  14  ( FIG. 6 ). There further comprises a first hole  16  and a second hole  18 . Preferably the second hole  18  is not aligned in the same plane as the first hole, and, more preferably, it is oriented in a substantially perpendicular arrangement to the first hole  16 .  
      The tuning post is connected to the tuning head by a suitable known gearing arrangement, so that it can be rotated by a user.  
      The second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3  is similar in overall construction to the first embodiment in that it comprises a tuning post  20  connected to the tuning head (not shown) and is provided with a recess  22  and a first hole  26 . In this embodiment, the second hole is replaced by a slot  29  which is adapted to receive the end portion of the string  24 .  
      In the third embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the tuning post  30  comprises a recess  32 , a first slot  33  and a second slot  35  provided in the upper end of the post  30 . The slots are oriented in a substantially perpendicular arrangement. Of course, in other embodiments the orientation may be altered to particular user requirements. The first slot  33  is deeper than the second slot  35 , and both slots  33  and  35  receive the string (not shown).  
      The fourth embodiment of the tuning post  40  shown in  FIG. 5  is similar to the third embodiment and like references have been used with the prefix “ 4 ” 0 . Therefore, only the differences will be described in any great detail. In this fourth embodiment there further comprises a bore  47  following the longitudinal axis of the post  40 . The bore  47  is shaped to receive surplus string after passing through the second slot. The string will then exit from the base of the tuner to be trimmed off after tuning to pitch. Beneficially, this eliminates any sharp ends of cut strings from the head stock.  
      It is envisaged that the bore  47  could also be applied to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , without departing from the scope of the invention.  
      Turning to the process of stringing the tuning post  10 , for the first embodiment, reference is made to FIGS.  6  to  8 .  
      The first step is to pull the string  14  through the first hole  12 , pull it tight and bend it, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thereafter, the string is looped around the post at least once, shown in  FIG. 7 . Finally, it passes through the second hole  16  where it terminates, shown in  FIG. 8 .  
      The end of the string  14  is held in place because it is kinked at the point designated P 1  in  FIG. 8  and will tend to remain in situ. The string  14  is tuned by turning the tuning head (not shown). Thus, the tuning post  10  will retain the string at the desired tension because it is retained by the post  10  at two points P 1  and P 2  and due to the reduction in loops of the string.  
      The process of stringing the second embodiment of post  20  is similar to the first embodiment and reference is made to  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  
      The first step is to pull the string  24  through the first hole  26 , pull it tight and bend it, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Thereafter, the string  24  is looped around the post  20  at least once. Finally, it passes through the slot hole  29  where it terminates, as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
      Like the first embodiment, the string  24  is held in place because it is kinked at the point designated P 1  in  FIG. 5  and will tend to remain in situ. The string  14  retains the desired tension because it is retained at two points P 1  and P 2  and due to the reduction in loops of string.  
      The process of stringing the third embodiment of post  20  is similar to the first embodiment and reference is made to  FIGS. 11 and 12 .  
      The first step is to insert the string  34  into the first slot  33 , and lower it to the base of the slot. The string  34  is then pulled tight and bent, as shown in  FIG. 11 . Thereafter, the string  34  is looped around the post  30  at least once. Finally, it passes through the second slot  35  where it terminates, as shown in  FIG. 12 .  
      The string  34  is held in place because it is kinked at the point designated P 1  in  FIG. 12  and will tend to remain in situ. The string  34  is tuned to the desired tension and maintains retention because it is retained at two points P 1  and P 2  and due to the reduction in loops of string.  
      The process of stringing the fourth embodiment of post  20  is similar to the third embodiment and reference is made to  FIGS. 13 and 14 .  
      The first step is to insert the string  44  through the first slot  43 , and lower it to the base of the slot  43 . The string  44  is then pulled tight and bent, as shown in  FIG. 13 . Thereafter, the string  44  is looped around the post  40  at least once and passes through the second slot  45  where it terminates. Finally, the surplus string  44  is directed down the centre of the post through the bore  47  after passing through the slot  45  and exits out of the base of the tuner to be trimmed off after tuning to pitch, shown in  FIG. 14 .  
      The string  44  is held in place because it passes through slot  45  and the bore  47  in  FIG. 14  and will tend to remain in situ. The string  44  is tuned to the desired tension and maintains retention because it is retained at two points P 1  and P 2  and due to the reduction in loops of string.  
      Various modifications are envisaged to the application, without departing from the scope of the invention, for example the slots could be shaped so that their side wall converge, thereby providing an interference type fit. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the tuning post arrangement can be applied on a retrofit basis to existing guitars or supplied with new guitars.