Patent Publication Number: US-11640813-B2

Title: String bender for stringed instrument

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Prov. Appln. Ser. No. 62/981,710, filed on Feb. 26, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to stringed musical instruments. Specifically, the invention relates to string bending devices suited for use with stringed musical instruments. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Devices exist in the music industry which allows musicians of stringed instruments, such as guitars, to mechanically alter the pitch of a string. Such a device allows the artist great flexibility in providing a vibrato effect on a single string of the instrument. It is often used in country music to provide a country twang. 
     There are some known string benders which currently exist in the marketplace and each design varies greatly in terms of how it is mounted on the guitar and how it is activated during the playing of a guitar. The string bending devices of the prior art tend to be relatively complex. 
     There exists a need for a guitar string bender which can allow for the bending of multiple strings simultaneously. There is a need to pull, or bend, strings a halftone, a whole tone or two full tones. What is also desired is a single linkage to multiple string bender levers. What is desired is a mechanism that bends/pulls all string bender levers simultaneously. 
     What is further desired is a device that decreases the complexity of tuning a varied note, or a bent note, and improves the tuning stability, accuracy and precision of sound created. It is also desired that each string bender lever pull a string at different amounts of force based on a radius, start position and stop position of a string bender lever. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A string bender mechanism for a string musical instrument having a bender assembly comprising a control member and at least two bender levers. The control member moving between a first position and at least a second position, being a rest and active position, respectively. The at least two bender levers have a first end and a second end. The first end of said bender lever is dimensioned or adjacent to the control member and the second end of the bender lever receives a string. When the control member is in the first position, the bender levers are at rest and a tone emanates from a plucked string. When the control member is in the second position, the bender levers move simultaneously, and a varied tone emanates from a plucked string. 
     An actuator connects to the control member. The actuator may include a strap lever assembly such as but not limited to a guitar strap or a belt lanyard. The bender assembly may be disposed behind a string instrument bridge or may be a guitar bridge. In some embodiment there may be three bender levers or more. Each said bender lever has a radius that correlates to bending each string a varied note. A stop may be located behind a string instrument bridge within the string musical instrument. A stop may be dimensioned and configured to each bender lever. 
     In another embodiment, the string bender mechanism has a bender assembly comprising a control member and at least one switcher assembly. The control member moving between a first position and at least a second position such as between an off and on position, respectively. The switcher assembly includes a second bender lever, a second bender stop lever, and a switch. 
     The switcher assembly includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the switcher assembly is dimensioned to the control member and the second end selectively receives a string. The first end of said switcher assembly includes the second bender lever, and a first end of the second bender stop lever while the second end of said switcher assembly includes a second end of the second bender stop lever and said switch. 
     When the switch of the switcher assembly is in an on-position, the second end of the switcher assembly receives the string permitting a varied note to emanate from the plucked string. When the switch is in an off-position, said second end of the switcher assembly releases the string where a note, a standard note or tone, to emanate from the plucked string. 
     When the control member is in the first position, or at rest, the switcher assembly is also at rest and a tone emanates from a plucked string. However, when the control member is in the second position, the control member moves. The position of the switch control whether a tone or a varied tone emanates from a plucked string. When the switch is in the off-position a tone emanates and when the switch is in the on-position a varied tone emanates from the plucked string. 
     In one embodiment, a tuning stop support block will be added to the mechanism. The tuning stop support block will assist in defining a position of the second bender stop lever wherein a varied tone can emanate. The varied tone emanating from the plucked string may be a halftone, a full tone or two full tones. Specifically, the switcher tuning stop that mounts to a top plate of a musical instrument is disposed in the tuning stop support block and moves up and down to achieve variations in the tone emanating from the plucked string. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    shows a front view of a musical instrument with a string bender mechanism disposed within. 
         FIG.  2    shows a rear view of the musical instrument showing the bender mechanism. 
         FIG.  3 A  shows a bender assembly of the bender mechanism shown from a front view, 
         FIG.  3 B  shows a bender lever of the bender assembly. 
         FIG.  4    shows a front view of a switcher assembly used with the bender assembly. 
         FIG.  5 A  shows a rear view of the switcher assembly of  FIG.  4    in the engaged or an “on” position. 
         FIG.  5 B  shows a rear view of the switcher assembly of  FIG.  4    in the engaged or an “off” position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG.  1    shows the front of a stringed musical instrument  100 .  FIG.  2   , shows a string bender mechanism  125 ,  150  for the string musical instrument  100  of the present invention. In one embodiment, the string bender mechanism  125 ,  150  is disposed in the lower bout of the stringed musical instrument  100  behind the stringed musical instrument bridge. A top plate  300  on the front of the stringed musical instrument  100  and a back plate (not shown) conceals the inner workings of the bender mechanism  125 ,  150 . The string bender mechanism  125 ,  150  comprises a strap lever assembly  125  disposed by the neck of the stringed musical instrument and a bender assembly  150  disposed at the lower bout of the stringed musical instrument. In one embodiment, the bender assembly  150  is mounted behind the guitar bridge. In another embodiment, the bender assembly  150  may be the guitar bridge. 
     Looking at  FIG.  2   , the strap lever assembly  125  may include a strap actuator lever  22  and a strap lever extension  25 . Fasteners such as screws may be used to fasten the strap lever assembly  125  to the stringed musical instrument  100 . A rod  130  is disposed between and connects to each the strap lever assembly  125  and the bender assembly  150 . A spring may be used at the strap actuator lever  22  to maintain force on the strap actuator lever  22  so that the strings of the musical instrument  100  do not bend unintentionally when the string bender mechanism  125 ,  150  is inactive. 
     The rod  130  connects via ball joint rod end  7  to the bender assembly  150  specifically to a control member  24 . See  FIG.  2   . In one embodiment, the control member  24  connects to hinge levers  20  and first bender levers or string bender levers  26 .  FIG.  3 A  shows the bender assembly  150  with the front with the top plate  300  removed. In this front view, the ball joint rod end  7  is shown on the left of the control member  24  and the control member  24  is shown behind the bender assembly  150 . The control member  24  is connected to hinge levers  20  and bender levers  26 . Specifically, the control member  24  serves as a single linkage to the bender levers  26 . 
     It should be said that control member  24  may take any form. In one embodiment, as shown in the figures, the control member  24  is a hinge plate. In another embodiment, control member  24  may include but is not omitted to levers in various forms. In another embodiment, control member  24  could be a series of cams that rotate in the same plane as the string. Here, the series of rotating cams would be connected to each other via gears and could be calibrated to turn at different ratios to simultaneously and accurately bend multiple strings  100  when actuated. In this embodiment, a hinge plate may not be used. 
     In yet another embodiment, control member  24  may comprise the multiple bender levers  26  linked to an axle rod  10 . Here, instead of the axle  10  being static and bender levers  26  rotating on the axle  10 , the axle  10  would rotate with the bender levers  26 . The rod  130  in the strap lever assembly  125  or other actuator would be connected directly to the axle  10  so that it would cause the axle  10  to rotate. 
     In one embodiment, bender lever  26  may be used with 5 th , 2 nd , and 3 rd  strings (counting from highest pitch/thinnest string gauge to the lowest pitch/thickest string gauge) of a six-string musical instrument. In another embodiment, the bender lever  26  may be a, b and g levers for corresponding strings of a six-string musical instrument. This is just one example of a musical instrument  100  that is tuned to perfect fourths and one major third prior to the bent notes. If the stringed instrument  100  were tuned to an open tuning (ex: G, B, D, G, B, G) instead, the bender assembly  150  can be used to bend one or all of these notes to obtain notes that are above those to which the strings are normally basically tuned. The bender assembly  150  can be applied to other tunings and other stringed instruments. For instance, in another embodiment, the bender lever  26  may be used for other number-string musical instrument on all strings or with at least any two strings. 
       FIG.  3 B  shows the bender lever  26 . The bender lever  26  has a radius, a start position and a stop position that correspond to the amount of bend desired in a particular string. The amount of bend may correspond to two full tones, a whole tone or a half tone. The bender lever  26  has a specific radius corresponding to the amount of force or bend desired in a particular string intended to be pulled. The radius thus allows the bender lever  26  to pull or bend each string at a different amount of force due to the differences in gauge/diameter of each string. The radius also allows the bender lever  26  to pull or bend each string at a different amount of force due to whether or not the musical instrument string is pulled up a half tone, full tone or two full tones. 
     Each first bender lever  26  is connected to a first stop  15 ,  16 . An axle rod  10  is disposed through each the stop  15 ,  16 , the bender lever  26  and the hinge lever  20 . The stops  15 ,  16  are adjustable stops for the lever  26  that allows a player to precisely and accurately adjust the tuning of the note, or the bent note, desired to be achieved. 
     Axle rod bearing mounts  19  are disposed by the outer or inner sides of the hinge lever  20 . The axle rod bearing mounts  19  secure the axle rod in a proper position to the top plate. Barrel nuts  6  are used with the stops  15 ,  16  and permits making adjustments to a string in achieving a varied note such as a bent note. The stops  15 ,  16  limits the movement of the first bender lever  26 . The stops  15 ,  16  limit is adjusted sharp or flat via a fine tune mechanism. Flat tip set screw  9  may be used within apertures  29  in the bender levers  26  for positioning and fine tuning of the “bent note” desired from a string. The screws  9  also help set the start position of the bent note. The screws  9  may be used as tuners to achieve a “bent note.” The thumb screws  99  connect to the stops  15 ,  16  via barrel nuts  6  to allow the player to precisely adjust the tuning of the bent note. Springs may be used with thumb screws  99  to maintain force against the top plate  300  from stop  15 ,  16  so that “bent note” setting stays in place. 
       FIG.  1    shows a closer look at the top plate  300  with portions of the hinge lever  20 , stops  15 ,  16  and bender levers  26  shown exiting openings in the top plate  300 . The musical instrument strings  110  are shown connected to the bender levers  26 . In one embodiment, the 5 th , 2 nd , and 3 rd  strings of a six-string musical instrument are disposed through bender levers  26  to realize desired varied or bend notes. However, the bender mechanism  125 ,  150  is not limited to specific strings  110  or to any particular stringed musical instrument  100 . For example, bender mechanism  125 ,  150  may be used with musical instruments having 5 strings, 7 strings, 8 strings or more or less. 
     In one embodiment, a player attaches a guitar strap to strap lever extension  25 . When the player pushes down on the guitar neck the strap lever extension  25  will pull up. When the lever  25  pulls up, it pulls the rod  130  forward within the musical instrument  100  through a system of leverage. The rod  130 , being pulled forward, activates control member  24 , which simultaneously pulls up or bends multiple strings to achieve varied notes of a halftone, a whole tone or double tone. 
     For instance, with a standard tuning setup, the B string bends to C#, the G string bends to G# and the A string bends to B simultaneously. As an example, with this setup, an E chord bends up to an A chord, an F chord bends to Bb. The control member  24  lifts all levers simultaneously which decreases the complexity of tuning the bent note and improves the tuning stability, accuracy and precision. While raising multiple strings simultaneously a halftone, full tone or two full tones are good examples of the current usefulness, the range of pitch that the notes can be raised is only limited by the elastic capability of the string. It is not limited by the device. 
     Once the control member  24  is pulled forward, it pushes up the bender levers  26  to which the strings  110  are attached. When the bender levers  26  are pushed up, the strings are stretched which raises them either a half tone, a whole tone or two whole tones. With the simultaneous activation of the bender levers  26  the player is allowed to play a set of notes (a chord) that they would, otherwise, not be able to play. For instance, bending three strings simultaneously and accurately enables the player to easily simulate pedal steel chords and create other guitar licks that would, otherwise, be difficult or impossible on a standard six-string guitar. The present invention enables players to achieve guitar chords and licks that, otherwise, are out of reach. 
     Actuation may be realized by attaching the strap lever extension  25  to a guitar strap, as described above. Alternatively, other devices may be connected to the control member  24 . In one non-limiting embodiment, a lanyard connected to the player&#39;s belt may be used to control member  24 . When the strap lever extension  25  is actuated, the bender levers  26  are moved the control member  24 . 
     In another embodiment, the bender assembly  150  may include a switcher assembly  200  that may be used as a replacement for the first bender lever  26  and first stops  15 ,  16  as described above. See  FIGS.  4 ,  5 A and  5 B . The switcher assembly  200  comprises a second bender stop lever  210 , an on/off switch  220 , second bender lever  260 . Additional components to the assembly  200  may include tuning stop support block  230  switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop  240 . The second bender stop lever  210  and second bender lever  260  are each connected to the axle  10 . The on/off switch  220  is mounted on the second bender lever  260  that may be held via a captive pin  250  that is held in place via a set screw. 
     The switcher assembly  200  allows the musical instrument player to switch on or off an individual string  110  or set of strings  110 . When the on/off switch  220  is in the “on” position, See  FIGS.  4  and  5 A , switch  220  contacts or engages second bender lever  260  and the string(s)  110  are able to raise in pitch when the bender assembly  150  is activated. As stated above, an actuator such as a strap lever, a belt lanyard, etc. may be used to activate the bender assembly  150 . When the on/off switch  220  is in the “off” position, See  FIG.  5 B , the switch  220  is disengaged from the second bender lever  260  the string(s)  110  do not raise in pitch as the bender assembly  150  is not activated. 
     The second bender stop lever  210  connects to the axle rod  10 , which is a fulcrum, and is then bolted to a lever such as the control member  24 . As a result, when the on/off switch  220  is turned “on” the second bender stop lever  210  moves with the control member  24  and a varied note can emanate from the string  110  when plucked. 
     When the on/off switch  220  is turned “off”, See  FIG.  5 B , the second bender stop lever  210  is static as the on/off switch  220  is not engaged with the second bender lever  260 . Here the string  110  is not connected to the second bender stop lever  210  and a standard, or unvaried, note emanates from the string  110  when plucked. 
     A “start” position of the second bender stop lever  210  is determined by a set screw  299  that is driven through the second bender stop lever  210  (not shown in  FIG.  4   ) and holds tight against the top/sub plates  300  (see  FIG.  1   ) because the instrument string  110  holds the second bender stop lever  210  tight. A start or stop position of the second bender stop lever  210  is determined by the position of the tuning stop support block  230 . 
     It should be noted that top plate  300  may include sub plates added to the top plate  300 . The subplates increase string tension behind the bridge  120 . They move the levers lower into the guitar cavity and, therefore, cause a steeper angle at which the string  110  exits the bender lever  26 ,  260  and contacts the bridge saddle. Some guitarist prefer lower or higher string tension behind the bridge  120  because it changes the tension of the string  110  and the tone of the musical instrument  100 . Instead of stacking subplates, other variations may include a thicker top plate  300  or the top plate may be of a variable height to the top of the musical instrument  100  body. 
     The tuning stop support block  230  is mounted through the top plate  300  via a thumb screw  99 . The tuning stop support block  230  is held in place by the switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop  240  that is mounted to the top plate  300  and connects to the second bender stop lever  260 . The switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop  240  is mounted through the top plate  300  via a thumb screw  99 . The switcher tuning stop or L-shaped tuning stop  240  is held in place by the tuning stop support block that is mounted to the top plate  300 . The switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop  240 , which is disposed within the tuning stop support block  230 , limits the movement of the second bender stop lever  260  as said switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop  240  moves relative to the top plate  300 . In one embodiment, fasteners such as machine screws hold the tuning stop support block  230  to the top plate  300 . The L-shaped stop  240  travels up and down in the round channel inside the tuning stop support block  230 . It is the L-shaped stop  240  that has the range of motion which is imparted to the switcher assembly  200 . The tuning stop support block  230  allows the L-shaped stop  240  to move up and down inside of it and thus supports and keeps on track the movement of the switcher assembly as a user manipulates the switcher assembly  200  as desired. As a result, the tuning stop support block  230  has a range of motion that allows the stop position to be adjusted in a full range. In one embodiment, the range of motion, may be a range extending between a normally tuned instrument string and raising the pitch to the limit of the string&#39;s elastic strength. In one embodiment, the range of motion, may be a half tone, full tone or two full tones. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims. One of ordinary skill in the art could alter the above embodiments or provide insubstantial changes that may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.