# US 10,311,851 B1 · Reconfigurable electric guitar pickup hot-swap cartridge system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,311,851 B1
- Document ID: US10311851B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/104,559
- Filed: 2018-08-17
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-07
- Applicants: Mark A. Stadnyk
- Inventors: Mark A. Stadnyk
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311851B1

## CPC

- G10H 3/181: {Details of pick-up assemblies}
- G10H 3/183: {in which the position of the pick-up means is adjustable}
- G10H: ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE

## Abstract

A cartridge is formed of a mounting plate having a geometric configuration with an upper edge, a lower edge, a left edge, a right edge, an interior surface, and an exterior surface. A higher plate above the mounting plate has a geometric periphery with an upper edge, a lower edge, a left edge, a right edge, an interior surface, and an exterior surface. A plurality of posts couple the interior surface of the mounting plate and the interior surface of the higher plate to create a space for the receipt of at least one pickup. Two spring biased plates are mounted on the mounting plate. A coil spring separates the two spring biased plates. The spring biased plates have locking fingers reciprocally mounted on the mounting plate for engagement with locking projections on a docking ring. Each spring biased plate has a finger hole for retracting the locking fingers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reconfigurable electric guitar pickup hot swap cartridge system (10) comprising, in combination:
a cartridge (14) formed of a mounting plate (16) having a geometric configuration with an upper edge (18) and a lower edge (20) and a left edge (22) and a right edge (24), the mounting plate having an interior surface (26) and an exterior surface (28);
a higher plate (30) above the mounting plate having a geometric periphery with an upper edge (32) and a lower edge (34) and a left edge (36) and a right edge (38), the higher plate having an interior surface (40) and an exterior surface (42);
a plurality of posts (44) coupling the interior surface of the mounting plate and the interior surface of the higher plate to create a space for the receipt of at least one pickup; and
two spring biased plates (46) mounted on the mounting plate, a coil spring (49) separating the two spring biased plates, the spring biased plates having locking fingers (48), the locking fingers reciprocally mounted on the mounting plate for engagement with locking projections (50) on a docking ring, the two spring biased plates each having a finger hole (52) for retracting the locking fingers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including at least one opening (54) in the higher plate for the receipt of at least one pickup.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including on the mounting plate at least one repositionable circuit board (56) with repositionable fingers (58).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the higher plate (60) is beneath a pickup serving as a mounting surface and providing pivotability for the pickup.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including:
a docking ring (62) having a geometric periphery with an open center (64), a plurality of locking projections (50) coupled to the docking ring extending into the center opening.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the geometric periphery of the docking ring is on a different plane than the ring mounting surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including at least one fixed circuit board (70) with fixed fingers (72).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including at least one pickup (74) supported by the higher plate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The system as set forth in claim 5 and further including:
an electric guitar (84) having a front (86) and a back (88) and a side wall (90) defining a hollow body there between.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the front (86) of the guitar is planar.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the front of the guitar is non-planar.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the front and back of the guitar are non-parallel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system as set forth in claim 9 and further including a single opening (92) in the front for receiving the higher plate and at least one pickup.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system as set forth in claim 9 and further including at least one opening (94) in the front for receiving plural pickups of different styles.