Shoulder rest device for use with a violin or viola

A shoulder rest having an upper boundary surface, a bottom boundary surface, and a peripheral boundary surface for use with a violin or viola musical instrument comprising:

• (a) an elastic member made entirely of a non-rigid resilient compressible elastic material and having a longitudinal axis, an upper surface coincident with and identical to said upper boundary surface, a bottom surface coincident with and identical to said bottom boundary surface, and a peripheral surface coincident with and identical to said peripheral boundary surface and integrally interconnecting said upper and bottom surfaces of said elastic member, said upper surface having integral therewith a multiplicity of regions of depressions and regions of elevations where said regions of elevations are so dimensioned and proportioned to permit said regions of elevations to exclusively and compressively bear against said musical instrument while said bottom surface is at least in part in compressive engagement with a shoulder such that external forces acting on said upper surface of said elastic member are exclusively and resiliently transmitted through said regions of elevations, and where said multiplicity of regions of elevations are planar surfaces contained in said upper surface and said regions of depressions are planar surfaces contained in said upper surface and where said planar surfaces of said regions of elevations and depressions are substantially parallel;
• (b) elastic mounting means carried by said elastic member for removably mounting said elastic member to said musical instrument.

In combination:

• (a) a violin or viola musical instrument;
• (b) a shoulder rest having an upper boundary surface, a bottom boundary surface and a peripheral boundary surface made entirely of a non-rigid resilient compressible elastic material and having a longitudinal axis, where said shoulder rest comprises an elastic member having an upper surface coincident with and identical to said upper boundary surface, a bottom surface coincident with and identical to said bottom boundary surface, and a peripheral surface coincident with and identical to said peripheral boundary surface and integrally interconnecting said upper and bottom surfaces of said elastic member, said upper surface having integral therewith a multiplicity of regions of depressions and regions of elevations where said regions of elevations are so dimensioned and proportioned to permit said regions of elevations to exclusively and compressively bear against said musical instrument when said bottom surface is at least in part in compressive engagement with a shoulder such that external forces acting on said upper surface of said shoulder rest are exclusively and resiliently transmitted through said regions of elevations and where said multiplicity of regions of elevations are planar surfaces contained in said upper surface and said regions of depressions are planar surfaces contained in said upper surface and where said planar surfaces of said regions of elevations and depressions are substantially parallel;
• (c) elastic mounting means carried by said elastic member for removably mounting said elastic member to said musical instrument.