Patent Abstract:
Snap away musical instrument picks. A sheet of material is provided that has a plurality of musical instrument picks formed therein by cut lines around the perimeter of the picks except for uncut web areas around each pick. The ends of the cut lines turn into the picks. A pick can be detached from the card body by severing the web to remove a pick when desired, and any rough edges formed by breaking the web are not located along the outer perimeter of the pick. The sheet of material can be sized to be carried in a purse or wallet and the like for easy access.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention is in the field of plectrums, or “picks”, for stringed musical instruments, and more particularly a die-cut, snap away pick for guitars and other stringed musical instruments that can be easily detached from a card, sheet, strip and the like. 
         [0002]    Many stringed instruments such as guitars, mandolins, basses are played with picks, which consist of small generally flat pieces of material that are usually (but not always) flexible. Picks come in many sizes and are made of many kinds of materials including plastics (e.g. PVC, acetal polyoxymethylene (POM) resins (i.e. Delrin®), Nylon, etc), shell, metal, stone, wood, paper, composite materials, and other materials. Picks are manufactured in a variety of thicknesses and stiffnesses, depending on a user&#39;s preferences. Picks are often shaped to have one or more rounded points, and can have a generally ogive shape at one or more ends. Picks come in numerous colors and can have graphics appearing thereon. Indeed, picks are collected by musicians and non-musicians alike. 
         [0003]    Picks are often displayed at music stores in bulk in plastic bags, in open containers, displayed on paper displays, and the like. 
         [0004]    Although picks can last a long time, they are frequently lost or misplaced, and users may wish to use different picks for different songs, instruments and conditions. Lacking a proper pick, a musician can improvise and use another object, such as a coin, as a pick if required. It would be useful for musicians to have a convenient way to carry extra picks so that they are available anytime and any place. 
         [0005]    Comfort in use and slip resistance are two additional important factors in choosing picks, and it would therefore be desirable to have picks that are comfortable to hold and which do not have any sharp edges, and also picks which are designed to be firmly gripped without slipping or sliding in the fingers. 
         [0006]    It would also be useful to provide a readily accessible supply of picks to musicians during performances that can easily be taken when needed, yet will not be misplaced or lost. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Further advantages of the invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of a wallet-sized card of detachable picks. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the card of  FIG. 1  with pick removed. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the pick removed from the card of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of a wallet-sized card of detachable picks. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the card of  FIG. 4  with one piece removed. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of one removed pick from the card of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a top plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of a wallet-sized card  10  of detachable picks and  FIG. 2  is a top plan view showing the wallet-sized card  10  of  FIG. 1  with pick  14 D removed. The card has a card body  12  with four detachable picks  14 A,  14 B,  14 C, and  14 D, which are attached to the card body  12  by webs  18  separating cut line sections  16 A and  16 B. The cut lines  16 A and  16 B have end sections  20  that turn into the interior of the picks such that the webs  18  are located inwardly of the generally rounded triangular outline of the picks created by the cut lines  16 A and  16 B. Although four picks are shown, a greater or lesser number of picks can be used. In order to provide a wallet-sized card having standard “business card” dimensions of 85.7 mm×54.0 mm (3.375″×2.125″) and picks that are about 31.8 mm to 35 mm (1.25″ to 1.375″) long, four picks can be accommodated. If larger picks are desired, fewer picks will fit on the card footprint. Also, while the wallet-sized card is convenient to carry, larger sized cards that accommodate more cards can be used. Also, while two cut line sections  16 A and  16 B are shown, a single cut line can be used, in which case there will be just one web  18 . 
         [0015]    The card  10  can be made of material such as plastic (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acetal polyoxymethylene (POM) resins (i.e. Delrin®.), polycarbonate, Nylon, etc., Teslin® (a synthetic dimensionally stable, highly filled, single layer, microporous film that is polyolefin-based with 60% of its weight comprised of non-abrasive filler and 65% of its volume comprised of air), laminated paper, composite materials, etc., and the like. The picks  14 A,  14 B,  14 C, and  14 D can be conveniently die-cut from the card leaving the webs  18  intact so that the picks remain integral with the card until the webs are broken or cut (e.g. by pushing on the pick, twisting the picks relative to the card body  12 , or slicing the webs with a blade.) The width and size of the webs  18  can be varied depending on how much force is desired to remove a pick from the card body  12 . Although two webs  18  are shown bridging between each pick and the card body  12 , a lesser or greater number of webs can be used depending on how secure the picks need to be carried on the card. Depending on the materials used, the card thickness (and thus pick thickness) can be varied to control the stiffness of the pick. Using PVC and Teslin® sheet material, good results have been achieved with 0.51 mm thickness material (0.02″ or 20 mil), 0.76 mm thickness material (0.03″ or 30 mil), 1.02 mm thickness material (0.04″ or 40 mil), and 1.27 mm thickness material (0.05″ or 50 mil). Other thicknesses can be used, and these thicknesses apply to all of the embodiments disclosed herein. 
         [0016]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , it is a top plan view showing the wallet-sized card  10  of  FIG. 1  with pick  14 D removed, leaving an opening  22  in the card body  12 . As can be seen, after pick  14 D is removed from the card body  12 , the webs  18  will break between the end sections  20  along a bridging cut  24  interior of the general outline of the removed pick. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the snapped off pick  14 D. The removed pick  14 D has as its outline the cut line sections  16  that defines its wider top  32  which extends down at its left and right sides to the upper ends of the turned in cut lines  20 , and its lower half has left and right side  34  and a lower narrower end  30 , which is generally used for contact with strings when plucking and picking. As can be seen, the inwardly turn ends  20  of the cut lines generally extend into the body of the pick  14 D, and the areas where the webs  18  are broken  28  lie inwardly of the general outline of the side edges  34  of the pick. So, if there are any sharp edges or projections that might have resulted when the picks were removed from the card body, they will lie inwardly of the general outward edges of the pick, and any such sharp edges or projects would not be in contact to cause discomfort with the user&#39;s fingers or create a projection which might inadvertently rasp on a musical instrument string. The result is a pick that is comfortable to hold and use and which is smooth at all possible contact surfaces. 
         [0018]    The cut lines are made to be relatively thin, so that even after a pick, e.g.,  14 D is removed from the card body  12 , the pick  14 D can be reinserted in the opening  22  with the tight fit of the pick  14 D forming an interference fit with the opening, thereby allowing reinsertion of the pick and storage therein. 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of a wallet-sized card  40  of detachable picks that is very similar to the embodiment of wallet-sized card  10  of  FIG. 1 . Picks  44 A,  44 B, and  44 C are integral with a card body  42 , and each pick is connected to the card body  42  by two webs  48  which are uncut areas between the inwardly angled ends  50  of cut lines  46 A and  46 B. Wile a total of four picks  44 A,  44 B, and  44 C are shown, a greater or lesser number of picks can be arranged on a card body, as discussed with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Also, while two cut line sections  46 A and  46 B are shown, a single cut line can be used, in which case there will be just one web  48 . The material and construction of this card can be as described with the card of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Each pick, in addition, preferably includes an inwardly located grip  60 . The grip  60  is formed by a cut line  62  which can define, for example, a generally triangular cut line through the pick with two terminated spaced apart ends  64 , leaving an uncut gap region  66 . The cut line  62  can follow other contours and can form other shapes as desired. Due to the flexibility of the material used to form the pick, the grip can pivot slightly on its uncut gap region  66 . The cut lines  62  create a discontinuity in the surface of the pick, which discontinuing provides a gripping area for the user&#39;s fingers to help the pick avoid slipping when in use. 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view showing the wallet-sized card  40  of  FIG. 4  with pick  44 D removed, leaving an opening  52  in the card body  42 . As can be seen, after pick  44 D is removed from the card body  42 , the webs  48  will break between the end sections  50  along a bridging cut  54  interior of the general outline of the removed pick. 
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the snapped off pick  44 D. The removed pick  44 D has as its outline the cut line sections  46  that defines its wider top  52  which extends down at its left and right sides to the upper ends of the turned in cut lines  50 , and its lower half has left and right side  54  and a lower narrower end  60 , which is generally used for contact with strings when plucking and picking. As can be seen, the inwardly turn ends  50  of the cut lines generally extend into the body of the pick  44 D, and the areas where the webs  48  are broken  58  lie inwardly of the general outline of the side edges  54  of the pick. So, if there are any sharp edges or projections that might have resulted when picks were removed from the card body, they will lie inwardly of the general outward edges of the pick, and any such sharp edges or projects would not be in contact to cause discomfort with the user&#39;s fingers or create a projection which might inadvertently rasp on a musical instrument string. These inturned areas provide further grip areas with which to hold the piece. The result is a pick that is comfortable to hold and use and which is smooth at all possible contact surfaces. 
         [0022]    The cut lines are be made to be relatively thin, so that even after a pick, e.g.,  44 D is removed from the card body  42 , the pick  44 D can be reinserted in the opening  52  with the tight fit of the pick  44 D forming an interference fit with the opening, thereby allowing reinsertion of the pick and storage therein. 
         [0023]    With respect to the card bodies of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 , and  5 , they can be conveniently sized to be the same or similar to charge cards, credit cards or business cards (e.g. from about 50.8 mm to 54 mm (2″ to 2.125″) by about 85.7 mm to 88.9 mm (3.375″ to 3.5″) so that it can be conveniently carried in a user&#39;s wallet or handbag along with other similar sized cards. Naturally, other sizes can be used. Also, as noted above, other sizes of card bodies can be provided. 
         [0024]    If desired, the cut lines can be made to be relatively thin, so that even after a pick, e.g.,  14 D or  44 D is removed from the card body  12  or  42 , respectively, the pick  14 D and  44 D can be reinserted in the opening  22  or  52  with the tight fit of the pick  14 D or  44 D forming an interference fit with the opening, thereby allowing reinsertion of the pick and storage therein. With modern die cutting equipment, very thin die cut lines can be formed such that the cut line does not remove much, if any, material along the cut line. Accordingly, with use of the proper die cutting equipment, the object being die cut (“die cut object”) from a section of material (“base material”) may be snapped back into place and frictionally retained with an interference fit in the opening in the base material from which the die cut object was cut. In such cases, interruption(s) in the die cut line to form webs between the die cut object and the base material can be made to be very thin so that the dimensions and number of webs can be adjusted as desired to adjust the amount of force necessary to be applied to detach a die cut object from the base material. Also, depending on the thickness of the blade used and angle of the cutting edge of the blade, when die cutting the object from the base material, the perimeter edge of the pick may become somewhat rounded off and become very smooth. 
         [0025]    Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it should not be construed to limit the scope of the appended claims. For example, the present invention may be implemented to include a variety of different pick sizes, shapes, thicknesses and layouts. 
         [0026]    In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications may be made to the described embodiment. Moreover, to those skilled in the various arts, the invention itself herein will suggest solutions to other tasks and adaptations for other applications. It is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6