Auxiliary device coupled to a stringed instrument

• US 10,643,585 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phillip Geeslin
• Original Assignee: Phillip Geeslin
• Inventors: Geeslin, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Horn, Robert W
• Application Number:
  US16/193,744
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 1/05 with fret boards or fingerboards
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/08 Fingerboards in the form of keyboards

Abstract

An auxiliary device coupled to a stringed instrument for producing chords is disclosed. The auxiliary device comprises a housing. The housing comprises a plurality of buttons and a plurality of actuators coupled to the plurality of buttons. Further, the auxiliary device comprises a rim coupled to the housing. In order to couple the auxiliary device to the stringed instrument, a neck of the stringed instrument is placed between the housing and the rim, such that the plurality of actuators are made to come in contact with stings of the stringed instrument. The plurality of buttons is pressed to operate the plurality of actuators. When operated, the plurality of actuators is made to depress to strum the strings to produce a chord.

Claims

1. An auxiliary device coupled to a stringed instrument, the auxiliary device comprising:

a housing including a plurality of buttons and a plurality of actuators coupled to the plurality of buttons, said plurality of buttons and said plurality of actuators being located on a top surface of said housing, said housing further defined by a buttons portion and an actuators portion, said buttons portion having rounded corners, said buttons portion being partially downwardly curving at a bottom side thereof that is ergonomic for ease of holding by a user during pressing of said plurality of buttons, said actuators portion having squared corners, said plurality of buttons arranged in columns, said plurality of actuators being arranged in rows, said buttons portion being adjacent to and lower than said actuators portion on said housing, said plurality of actuators extending downwardly therefrom said housing and being perpendicular to said housing, said plurality of actuators each including a rounded distal end; and

a rim coupled to the housing, an instrument space is defined by the space therebetween said housing and said rim, wherein a neck of the stringed instrument is placed between the housing and the rim therein said instrument space to mount said auxiliary device to said stringed instrument, such that the plurality of actuators are made to come in contact with strings of the stringed instrument, wherein the plurality of buttons are pressed to operate the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuators are depressed to strum the strings to produce a chord, said plurality of buttons being away from said neck of said stringed instrument when said stringed instrument is therein said instrument space.

2. The auxiliary device of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary device comprises screws to secure the stringed instrument to the auxiliary device.

3. The auxiliary device of claim 1, further comprises batteries.

4. The auxiliary device of claim 1, further comprises a processor and a memory.

5. The auxiliary device of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary device comprises a pad at the rim to protect the neck of the stringed instrument.

6. The auxiliary device of claim 3, wherein said batteries being below and parallel to said rows of said plurality of actuators.

7. The auxiliary device of claim 4, wherein said processor and said memory being directly beneath said plurality of buttons on said housing.

8. The auxiliary device of claim 5, wherein said pad extends an entire length of said rim and is of a rounded shape that cooperates with the shape of said rim.

9. The auxiliary device of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a power ON/OFF button to activate and deactivate said auxiliary device.

10. The auxiliary device of claim 9, wherein said power ON/OFF button is mounted thereon said buttons portion adjacent to said plurality of buttons.

11. The auxiliary device of claim 1, wherein the number of said plurality of actuators per said rows corresponds with the number of said strings on said stringed instrument.

12. The auxiliary device of claim 2, wherein said screws separate said buttons portion and said actuators portion.

13. An auxiliary device coupled to a stringed instrument, the auxiliary device comprising:

a guitar having a body including a sound hole, a neck and shoulders, said string instrument being said guitar;

a housing including a plurality of buttons and a plurality of actuators coupled to the plurality of buttons, said plurality of buttons and said plurality of actuators being located on a top surface of said housing, said housing further defined by a buttons portion and an actuators portion, said buttons portion having rounded corners, said buttons portion being above one of said shoulders of said body of said guitar, said buttons portion being partially downwardly curving at a bottom side thereof that is ergonomic for ease of holding by a user during pressing of said plurality of buttons, said actuators portion having squared corners, said actuators portion being above said sound hole of said body of said guitar, said plurality of buttons arranged in columns, said plurality of actuators being arranged in rows, said buttons portion being adjacent to and lower than said actuators portion on said housing, said plurality of actuators extending downwardly therefrom said housing and being perpendicular to said housing, said plurality of actuators each including a rounded distal end; and

a rim coupled to the housing, an instrument space is defined by the space therebetween said housing and said rim, wherein said neck of the guitar is placed between the housing and the rim therein said instrument space to mount said auxiliary device to said guitar, such that the plurality of actuators are made to come in contact with strings of the guitar, wherein the plurality of buttons are pressed to operate the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuators are depressed to strum the strings to produce a chord, said plurality of buttons being away from said neck of said guitar when said guitar is therein said instrument space.