Stringed musical instrument
US6005173A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 26, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 26, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10D3/06
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A hollow, tubular wooden musical instrument comprises a body portion of lightweight, tubular cross-section having a first and second opposite ends and at least one wooden laminate layer defining a fingerboard surface along a length of the body portion; a tuning device capable of tensioning a plurality of strings mounted lengthwise along the fingerboard surface, the body portion being capable of withstanding string tensions of up to 1200 psi perpendicular to the body portion, and defining structure for emanating sounds produced by vibrating the strings. The hollow musical instrument has a conic-section cross section, e.g., circular or elliptical, or a compound conic-section cross-section, e.g., lute shape, and may be of uniform diameter, conical, or tapered diameter formats. It may be played as an acoustic or electric instrument. The hollow, tubular instrument can additionally be of modular design having predefined sections to facilitate changes of sounds or fingerboard surfaces. Whether of unitary or modular design, the instrument can be fitted in a sound chamber to provide additional resonance of tones generated by strings, or may be retrofitted in existing sound chamber devices.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.