Electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments

• US 5,530,199 A
• Filed: 08/22/1995
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dimarzio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dimarzio, Inc.
• Inventors: Blucher, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Application Number:
  US08/517,749
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 84/725, 84/726, 84/727, 84/728
• US Class Current: 84/728
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/515 Staggered, i.e. two coils side by side
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/181 Details of pick-up assemblies

Abstract

An electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments has a primary bobbin having an elongated body with holes for receiving at least one pole piece or magnet and a coil of wire wrapped around the elongated body. At least one magnet is positioned in close proximity to the primary bobbin to create a magnetic field around the primary bobbin. In addition, the pickup includes a secondary bobbin having a body significantly smaller than that of the primary bobbin; a coil of wire is wrapped around the smaller body. The secondary, or hum-cancelling, bobbin is positioned in close proximity to the primary bobbin solely to cancel an audible hum caused by a power supply used in the amplification equipment and/or other environmental sources.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic pickup device for a stringed musical instrument comprising:

a primary bobbin having an elongated body around which is wrapped a first coil of wire;

magnetic means for generating a magnetic field around said primary bobbin such that vibrations of said instrument'"'"'s strings causes variations in said magnetic field which are sensed by said primary bobbin and converted into electrical signals for amplification; and

a secondary bobbin having a body around which is wrapped a second coil of wire, said body being significantly smaller than said elongated body of said primary bobbin, said secondary bobbin positioned in close proximity to said primary bobbin to cancel an audible hum caused by frequencies radiating from surrounding electromagnetic generating sources.

2. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 1 wherein said magnetic means includes at least one permanent magnet having a first edge and a second edge of opposite polarities, said magnet positioned in close proximity to said primary bobbin to create said magnetic field therearound.

3. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 2 wherein said secondary bobbin is structured and positioned solely to cancel said audible hum.

4. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 3 wherein said elongated body of said primary bobbin further comprises one or more holes therethrough and wherein said magnetic means further comprises a plurality of pole pieces extended through said holes, said pole pieces having a first end adjacent to said permanent magnet and a second end adjacent to said instrument'"'"'s strings.

5. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 4 wherein said secondary bobbin is adjacent to and in the same parallel plane as said primary bobbin.

6. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 5 wherein said secondary bobbin further comprises a ferromagnetic core.

7. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 6 wherein said first edge of said magnet constitutes a magnetic north pole and said second edge of said magnet constitutes a magnetic south pole.

8. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 3 wherein said at least one magnet is positioned within said primary bobbin.

9. The electromagnetic pickup of claim 8 wherein said secondary bobbin is positioned below said primary bobbin.