Stringed instrument

US5998712A · kind A · utility

Inventor

• Karlwalter Schmidt · Waiblingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 13, 1997
• Grant date: Dec 7, 1999
• Expiry date: Oct 13, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G10D3/02
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

The sound box (3) of the stringed instrument surrounds components (6, 8), as a result of which the sound vibrations introduced by the playing strings (4, 5), across the bridge (1), on the top board (2) of the sound box (3) lead to oppositely directed or phase-displaced vibrations of the bottom wall (11). Thus, the pumping and sucking movement exerted by the vibrating (15) top board (2) on the air enclosed in the sound box (3) is supplemented by the sound vibrations of the bottom wall (11). The components enclosed for this purpose in the sound box (3) essentially comprise a lever (6) engaging on the top board (2) at two positions and located below the bridge (1), a support member (16) laterally supporting said lever on the sound box (3) and a supporting arch (8). Due to the fact that the lever (6) acts on the central region of the supporting arch (8), its ends engaging in the corner region between the bottom wall (11) and the peripheral wall (10) exert an expanding force leading to the upward movement of the arched bottom wall (11). Thus, the instrument is given a fuller, richer sound.