Electromagnetic pickup with flexible magnetic carrier

• US 5,168,117 A
• Filed: 01/14/1991
• Issued: 12/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tom Anderson Guitarworks
• Original Assignee: Tom Anderson Guitarworks
• Inventors: Anderson, Thomas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US07/640,600
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 84/723, 84/725-729, 84/743, 29/602.1, 29/609.1
• US Class Current: 84/726
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/511 Stacked, i.e. one coil on top of the other
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/181 Details of pick-up assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

A pickup for an electrical musical instrument of the type having a plurality of strings, the pickup including a non-magnetized pole piece for each string, each pole piece having a first end for confronting its associated string and a second end. End pieces having a generally planar surface are press fit on the pole pieces so that the second ends of the pole pieces are disposed adjacent a generally planar surface of one end piece. A coil of wire is wound around the at least one pole piece. Magnetic material in a deformable plastic carrier having a generally planar surface is disposed adjacent the generally planar surface of said end piece, the carrier being deformed to occupy surface discontinuities between the second end of the at least one pole piece and the carrier.

Claims

1. A pickup for an electrical musical instrument of the type having a plurality of strings, said pickup comprising:

(a) at least one non-magnetized pole piece having a first end for confronting a string of said instrument and a second end;

(b) a coil of wire wound around said at least one pole piece;

(c) end piece means defining a generally planar surface and having at least one opening therein for receiving said at least one pole piece, said second end of said at least one pole piece being disposed adjacent said generally planar surface; and

(d) magnetic material disposed in a deformable plastic carrier, the carrier having a generally planar surface disposed adjacent the generally planar surface of said end piece means, said carrier being deformed to occupy surface discontinuities between the second end of said at least one pole piece and said carrier.

2. The pickup of claim 1, wherein said magnetic material is neodymium, said carrier is a flexible rubberized plastic carrier and further including means for applying pressure between said end piece means and said carrier.

3. An electromagnetic pickup comprising:

(a) a first coil means including a plurality of first pole pieces mounted in a first support means having a generally planar surface, each of the first pole pieces having first and second ends, said second ends of said first pole pieces being disposed adjacent said generally planar surface of said first support means;

(b) a second coil means including a plurality of second pole pieces mounted in a second support means having a generally planar surface, each of the second pole pieces having first and second ends, said first ends of said second pole pieces being disposed adjacent said generally planar surface of said second support means;

(c) at least one magnetic, deformable carrier means disposed between the generally planar surfaces of said first and second support means, said magnetic carrier means being deformable to occupy surface discontinuities between the second ends of said first pole pieces and said carrier and to occupy surface discontinuities between the first end of said second pole pieces and said carrier.

4. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 3 having two magnetic, deformable carrier means and a metal plate disposed between same.

5. The electromagnetic pick-up of claim 4 wherein said first pole piece means are arranged in a straight line and said second pole pieces are also arranged in a straight line and wherein fixing means pass through said magnetic, deformable carrier means, through said metal plate and in an alignment with said straight lines, said fixing means applying pressure between said first and second support means and said carrier means.

6. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 3 having a single magnetic, deformable carrier means and wherein said first and second pole piece means are arranged in a straight line and wherein fixing means pass through said second coil means, through said single magnetic, deformable carrier means, and into said first coil means and in alignment with its straight line, said fixing means applying pressure between said first and second support means and said single carrier means.

7. A pickup for an electrical musical instrument of the type having a plurality of strings, said pickup comprising:

(a) at least one non-magnetized pole piece having a first end for confronting a string of said instrument and a second end;

(b) a coil of wire wound around said at least one pole piece;

(c) end piece means defining a generally planar surface and having at least on opening therein for receiving said at least one pole piece, said second end of said at least one pole piece being disposed adjacent said generally planar surface; and

(d) magnetic material disposed in a flexible plastic carrier, the carrier having a generally planar surface disposed adjacent the generally planar surface of said end support means, said carrier being deformed to occupy surface discontinuities between the second end of said pole piece and said carrier.

8. The pickup of claim 7, wherein said magnetic material is neodymium and said carrier is a flexible rubberized plastic carrier.

9. A method of manufacturing an electromagnetic pickup comprising the steps of:

(a) winding a coil on at least on a pole piece disposed between two end pieces, at least one of which has at least one aperture therein and a surface adjacent said at least one aperture said at least one pole piece being disposed in said at least one aperture;

(b) disposing a deformable magnetic carrier adjacent said surface; and

(c) applying pressure and heat to said carrier s that said carrier deforms to occupy surface discontinuities between said at least one pole piece and said carrier.

12. The method of claim 9, further including the steps of winding a second coil on at least a second pole piece disposed between two end pieces, at least one of which has a surface through which said at least second pole piece is visible, disposing said surface of said second coil on a surface of said deformable magnetic carrier and wherein said applying step comprises first applying pressure to said deformable magnet as it is positioned between the first mentioned coil and said second coil and subsequently applying heat to said coils and said carrier so that said carrier deforms to occupy surface discontinuities between said pole pieces and said carrier.

10. A pickup for an electrical musical instrument of the type having a plurality of strings, said pickup comprising;

(a) a first set of pole pieces, each of which has a first end for confronting a string of said instrument and a second end;

(b) a first coil of wire wound on said first set of pole pieces;

(c) first end piece means having a generally planar surface and having openings therein for receiving said first set of pole pieces, the second ends of said pole pieces being disposed adjacent said generally planar surface;

(d) a second set of pole pieces having a first end and a second end;

(e) a second coil of wire wound around said second set of pole pieces;

(f) second end piece means having a generally planar surface and having openings therein for receiving said second set of pole pieces, said second end of said second set of pole pieces being disposed adjacent said generally planar surface;

(g) magnetic material disposed in a deformable plastic carrier, the carrier having first and second generally planar surfaces, the generally planar surface of said first end piece means being disposed adjacent said first planar surface of said deformable plastic carrier and the generally planar surface of said second end piece means disposed adjacent said second planar surface of said deformable plastic carrier; and

(h) means for urging said second end piece means towards the first mentioned end piece means so as to apply pressure to said deformable plastic carrier, said carrier being deformed to occupy surface discontinuities between the second ends of said first and second sets of pole pieces and said carrier.

11. A pickup for a stringed instrument said pickup comprising a first set of non-magnetized pole pieces, each having a first end for confronting a string of said instrument and a second end and further including a second set of non-magnetized pole pieces, each having a first end and a second end;

first and second coils of wire respectively wound around said first and second sets of pole pieces;

first and second end piece means each defining a generally planar surface and each having openings therein for receiving respectively said first and second sets of pole pieces, said second ends of said sets of pole pieces being disposed adjacent the generally planar surface of the associated end piece means, magnetic material disposed in a flexible plastic carrier, the carrier having two generally planar surfaces, the generally planar surfaces of said first and second end piece means each being disposed adjacent one of the generally planar surfaces of said plastic carrier.