Guitar Tremolo Bridge

• US 20170061941A1
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Cardozo
• Original Assignee: William Cardozo
• Inventors: Cardozo, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,697,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 1/085 Mechanical design of electric guitars
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/04 Bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/153 Tremolo devices

Abstract

A tremolo bridge for a guitar comprising a body, a neck attached to said body, a headstock attached to said neck, a plurality of tuners disposed on said headstock and adjacent the neck, at least one post extending from said body, each of said at least one post further comprising a V-shaped notch, and a plurality of strings, whereby each string of said plurality of strings is attached to the tremolo bridge, extends along the neck of the guitar, and is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of tuners disposed on the headstock, said tremolo bridge comprising: a base plate, a block extending from said base plate, a tremolo arm attached to said base plate, and a locking mechanism for locking the position of the tremolo bridge.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A tremolo bridge for a guitar comprising a body, a neck attached to said body, a headstock attached to said neck, a plurality of tuners disposed on said headstock and adjacent the neck, at least one post extending from said body, each of said at least one post further comprising a V-shaped notch, and a plurality of strings, whereby each string of said plurality of strings is attached to the tremolo bridge, extends along the neck of the guitar, and is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of tuners disposed on the headstock, said tremolo bridge comprising:

a base plate including at least one pivot point, said at least one pivot point of said base plate engaging said V-shaped notch to allow for tilting movement of the tremolo bridge along an arc;

a block extending from said base plate;

at least one spring connecting said block to said body, said at least one spring for counter-balancing the tension of the strings of the guitar and maintaining the tremolo bridge in a default position;

a tremolo arm attached to said base plate, said tremolo arm having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion attached to said base plate and said second portion extending angularly from said first portion, said first portion defining a first portion axis along a length thereof, said tremolo arm being rotatable about a swing axis defined generally parallel to said first portion axis and connected to said base plate; and

an adjustable locking mechanism for locking the position of the tremolo bridge relative to said arc, wherein said adjustable locking mechanism is configured for locking the position of the tremolo bridge relative to said arc when the tremolo bridge is not in the default position, said adjustable locking mechanism connected to said first portion of said tremolo arm whereby said tremolo arm is rotatable between an unlocked position in which said tremolo bridge is capable of tilting freely along said arc, and a locked position in which said tremolo bridge is locked and held in its then-current position relative to said arc,

wherein said adjustable locking mechanism comprises a cam member attached about a shaft, wherein rotation of the tremolo arm causes rotation of the shaft and rotation of the cam member, wherein rotation of the cam member in a first direction causes the bridge to be locked relative to said arc, wherein rotation of the cam member in a second direction allows the bridge to be freely tilted along said arc.

22. The tremolo bridge of claim 21, further comprising a pivot arm having a first leg comprising a cam tip and a second leg comprising a pressure pin, said pivot arm pivoting around a pivot connection, said cam tip for engaging with the cam member.

23. The tremolo bridge of claim 22, wherein the cam member comprises a cam surface which serves as a contact point for the cam tip when the tremolo arm is in its engaged position, wherein the cam member is end cam shaped, comprising a dwell and a rise, the dwell and rise for serving as a contact point for the cam tip, wherein the dwell serves as a contact point for the cam tip when the tremolo arm is in its disengaged position, and wherein the rise serves as a contact point for the cam tip when the tremolo arm is in its engaged position.

24. The tremolo bridge of claim 23, wherein the cam tip extends from the pivot arm such that rotation of the tremolo arm rotates the shaft which, in turn, rotates the cam member, wherein this rotation causes the cam tip to either rest on the rise, or rest in the dwell.

25. The tremolo bridge of claim 24, wherein when the cam tip is engaged with the dwell, pivot arm is disengaged from a body plate attached to the body, wherein this allows the tremolo bridge to free-float, and conversely, when the cam tip is engaged with the rise, the pivot arm engages the body plate, causing the tremolo bridge to be fixed in its then-current position.

26. The tremolo bridge of claim 25, wherein the body plate has a first side surface defining a first contact surface, and a second side surface defining a second contact surface, wherein the body plate is configured for receipt between a pressure pin tip and a contact surface of the block.

27. The tremolo bridge of claim 26, wherein the pivot arm is generally L-shaped, comprising a first leg and second leg, wherein said first leg comprises said cam tip, and wherein the second leg comprises a pressure pin extending therefrom.

28. The tremolo bridge of claim 27, wherein the pivot arm is pivotally mounted to the block by a pivoted connection, wherein vertical movement of the first leg causes horizontal movement of the second leg and horizontal movement of the second leg causes vertical movement of the first leg, thus, when exerting an upward vertical force on the cam tip then the second leg extends in a first horizontal direction, affixing the pressure pin to the body plate.

29. The tremolo bridge of claim 28, wherein when the tremolo arm is rotated in a first direction, the shaft is rotated in a first direction, this movement rotates the cam member such that the cam tip rests on the rise resulting in an upward vertical force being exerted upon the cam tip, causing a horizontal reaction by the pressure pin in a first horizontal direction, this horizontal force causes the pressure pin to come into contact with contact surface of the body plate, forcing the opposite side surface of the body plate against a block contact surface, locking the tremolo bridge in its then-current position;

and wherein, when the tremolo arm is rotated in a second direction the shaft is rotated in a second direction, this movement rotates the cam member, causing the cam tip, biased by a spring, to rest in the dwell, causing a horizontal reaction by the pressure pin in a second horizontal direction, this second horizontal reaction causes the pressure pin to retract from the body plate, allowing the tremolo bridge to float freely.

30. The tremolo bridge of claim 26, wherein the pivot arm is generally S-shaped, comprising a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg, wherein said first leg comprises said cam tip, and wherein the third leg comprises a pressure pin extending therefrom.

31. The tremolo bridge of claim 30, wherein the pivot arm is pivotally mounted to the block by a pivoted connection, wherein vertical movement of the first leg causes horizontal movement of the third leg and horizontal movement of the third leg causes vertical movement of the first leg, thus, when exerting an upward vertical force on the cam tip the third leg extends in a first horizontal direction, affixing the pressure pin to the body plate.

32. The tremolo bridge of claim 31, wherein when the tremolo arm is rotated in a first direction, the shaft is rotated in a first direction, this movement rotates the cam member such that the cam tip rests on the rise resulting in an downward vertical force being exerted upon the cam tip, causing a horizontal reaction by the pressure pin in a first horizontal direction, this horizontal force causes the pressure pin to come into contact with contact surface of the body plate, forcing the opposite side surface of the body plate against a block contact surface, locking the tremolo bridge in its then-current position;

and wherein, when the tremolo arm is rotated in a second direction the shaft is rotated in a second direction, this movement rotates the cam member, causing the cam tip, biased by a spring, to rest in the dwell, causing a horizontal reaction by the pressure pin in a second horizontal direction, this second horizontal reaction causes the pressure pin to retract from the body plate, allowing the tremolo bridge to float freely.

33. The tremolo bridge of claim 21, further comprising a pivot arm comprising a cam tip and a pressure pin, said pivot arm pivoting around a pivot connection, said cam tip for engaging with the cam member.

34. The tremolo bridge of claim 33, wherein the cam member comprises a cam surface which serves as a contact point for the cam tip when the tremolo arm is in its engaged position, wherein the cam member is disc cam shaped, comprising a dwell and a rise, the dwell and rise for serving as a contact point for the cam tip, wherein the dwell serves as a contact point for the cam tip when the tremolo arm is in its disengaged position, and wherein the rise serves as a contact point for the cam tip when the tremolo arm is in its engaged position.

35. The tremolo bridge of claim 34, further comprising a pivot arm comprising said cam tip and a pressure pin, wherein the cam tip extends from the pivot arm such that rotation of the tremolo arm rotates the shaft which, in turn, rotates the cam member, wherein this rotation causes the cam tip to either rest on the rise, or rest in the dwell.

36. The tremolo bridge of claim 35, wherein when the cam tip is engaged with the dwell, pivot arm is disengaged from a body plate attached to the body, wherein this allows the tremolo bridge to free-float, and conversely, when the cam tip is engaged with the rise, the pivot arm engages the body plate, causing the tremolo bridge to be fixed in its then-current position.

37. The tremolo bridge of claim 36, wherein the body plate has a first side surface defining a first contact surface, and a second side surface defining a second contact surface, wherein the body plate is configured for receipt between a pressure pin tip and a block contact surface.

38. The tremolo bridge of claim 37, wherein when the tremolo arm is rotated in a first direction, the shaft is rotated in a first direction, this movement rotates the cam member such that the cam tip rests on the rise resulting in a horizontal force being exerted upon the cam tip, causing a horizontal reaction by the pressure pin in a first horizontal direction, this horizontal force causes the pressure pin tip to come into contact with contact surface of the body plate, forcing the opposite side surface of the body plate against the block contact surface, locking the tremolo bridge in its then-current position;

and wherein, when the tremolo arm is rotated in a second direction the shaft is rotated in a second direction, this movement rotates the cam member, causing the cam tip, biased by a spring, to rest in the dwell, causing a horizontal reaction by the pressure pin in a second horizontal direction, this second horizontal reaction causes the pressure pin tip to retract from the body plate, allowing the tremolo bridge to float freely.

39. A tremolo bridge for a guitar comprising a body, a neck attached to said body, a headstock attached to said neck, a plurality of tuners disposed on said headstock and adjacent the neck, at least one post extending from said body, each of said at least one post further comprising a V-shaped notch, and a plurality of strings, whereby each string of said plurality of strings is attached to the tremolo bridge, extends along the neck of the guitar, and is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of tuners disposed on the headstock, said tremolo bridge comprising:

a base plate including at least one pivot point, said at least one pivot point of said base plate engaging said V-shaped notch to allow for tilting movement of the tremolo bridge along an arc;

a block extending from said base plate;

at least one spring connecting said block to said body, said at least one spring for counter-balancing the tension of the strings of the guitar and maintaining the tremolo bridge in a default position;

a tremolo arm attached to said base plate, said tremolo arm having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion attached to said base plate and said second portion extending angularly from said first portion, said first portion defining a first portion axis along a length thereof, said tremolo arm being rotatable about a swing axis defined generally parallel to said first portion axis and connected to said base plate;

a sensor for generating a signal, said sensor capable of transmitting said signal, said sensor capable of being placed in a locked position and an unlocked position, said locked position capable of locking said tremolo bridge in its then-current position relative to said arc, said unlocked position capable of allowing said tremolo bridge to tilt freely along said arc;

an adjustable locking mechanism for locking said tremolo bridge in a fixed position relative to said arc, said adjustable locking mechanism comprising an electronic actuator for receiving said signal, said electronic actuator operably connected to said sensor, said electronic actuator capable of moving in an engaging direction in response to said signal, said electronic actuator capable of moving in a disengaging direction in response to said signal, said electronic actuator further comprising a biasing portion for biasing said electronic actuator in said disengaging direction, wherein placing said sensor into said unlocked position causes said electronic actuator to disengage, allowing said biasing portion to cause the electronic actuator to disengage from said locked position; and

wherein said adjustable locking mechanism is configured for locking the position of the tremolo bridge relative to said arc when the tremolo bridge is not in the default position, said adjustable locking mechanism connected to said first portion of said tremolo arm whereby said tremolo arm is rotatable between an unlocked position in which said tremolo bridge is capable of tilting freely along said arc, and a locked position in which said tremolo bridge is locked and held in its then-current position relative to said arc.

40. The tremolo bridge of claim 39, wherein said sensor is a touch sensor.