US 7,754,950 B2Granted

Travel string instrument and method of making same

AssigneeVoyage-Air Guitar Inc.

InventorHarvey Leach

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A string instrument comprising a neck extension primary member, having a neck extension securement end and a tuning assembly support head end, an extension top and a length extending between the ends, is disclosed. The neck extension primary member defines a neck extension cutaway volume configured to receive a hinge butt. The neck extension cutaway volume extends to be open at the neck extension securement end and open at the top of the neck extension primary member. A neck base primary member has a neck base securement end, a base top and an opposite end. The neck base primary member is made to define a neck base cutaway volume configured to receive a hinge butt. The neck base cutaway volume extends to be open at the neck base securement end and open at the top of the neck base primary member. A hinge has a first hinge butt positioned in the neck extension cutaway volume and a second hinge butt positioned in the neck base cutaway volume. A neck fretboard portion is secured over the open top of the neck extension cutaway volume and bears against the first hinge butt. A base cover is secured over the open top of the neck base cutaway volume and bears against the second hinge butt. A string instrument main body is secured to the neck base primary member.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A hinge, comprising:

(a) a first substantially rigid hinge butt comprising a first butt base and defining:
(i) a first track comprising first and second races for receiving a first Soss sliding hinge pin;
(ii) a second track comprising third and fourth races for receiving a second Soss sliding hinge pin;
(b) a second substantially rigid hinge butt comprising a second butt base and defining:
(i) a third track comprising fifth and sixth races for receiving a third Soss sliding hinge pin;
(ii) a fourth track comprising seventh and eighth races for receiving a fourth Soss sliding hinge pin;
(c) a first Soss link assembly portion associated with said first Soss sliding hinge pin mounted in said first track;
(d) a second Soss link assembly portion associated with said second Soss sliding hinge pin mounted in said second track;
(e) a third Soss link assembly portion associated with said third Soss sliding hinge pin mounted in said third track, said first and third Soss link assembly portions being mounted on a first common pin and forming a first Soss link assembly;
and
(f) a fourth Soss link assembly portion associated with said fourth Soss sliding hinge pin mounted in said fourth track, said second and fourth Soss link assembly portions being mounted on a second common pin and forming a second Soss link assembly, wherein said first substantially rigid hinge butt further comprises first and second race support walls, said first and third races being defined in said first and second race supports walls, respectively, said first and second race support walls extending from said first butt base and wherein said second substantially rigid hinge butt further comprises third and fourth race support walls, said fifth and seventh races being defined in said third and fourth race support walls, respectively, said third and fourth race support walls extending from said second butt base, said Soss sliding hinge pins being mounted in respective tracks, said first and third Soss link assembly portions joined by a first assembly pin, and said second and fourth Soss link assembly portions joined by a second assembly pin.

8 more elements

A hinge, comprising:

(a) a first hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(b) a second hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(c) a third hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(d) a fourth hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(e) a first hinge butt, comprising a first substantially rigid member having a length, a width and a height, and defining:
(I) a first hinge mechanism receiving volume, said first hinge mechanism receiving volume extending from a point displaced from one end of the length of said rigid member a distance substantially less than half the length of said first substantially rigid member, and a first track disposed in said first hinge mechanism receiving volume comprising first and second races in facing spaced relationship for receiving said first hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(II) a second hinge mechanism receiving volume, said second hinge mechanism receiving volume extending from a point displaced from the other end of the length of said first substantially rigid member a distance substantially less than half the length of said rigid member, and a second track disposed in said second hinge mechanism receiving volume comprising third and fourth races in facing spaced relationship for receiving said second hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(h) a second hinge butt, comprising a second substantially rigid member having a length, a width and a height, and defining:
(I) a third hinge mechanism receiving volume, said third hinge mechanism receiving volume extending from a point displaced from one end of the length of said second substantially rigid member a distance substantially less than half the length of said second substantially rigid member, and a fifth track disposed in said third hinge mechanism receiving volume comprising fifth and sixth races in facing spaced relationship for receiving said third hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(II) a fourth hinge mechanism receiving volume, said fourth hinge mechanism receiving volume extending from a point displaced from other end of the length of said second substantially rigid member a distance substantially less than half the length of said second substantially rigid member, and a seventh track disposed in said fourth hinge mechanism receiving volume comprising seventh and eighth races in facing spaced relationship for receiving said fourth hidden hinge sliding hinge pin;
(i) a first hidden hinge link assembly mounted in said first track;
(j) a second hidden hinge link assembly mounted in said second track;
(k) a third hidden hinge link assembly mounted in said third track;
and
(l) a fourth hidden hinge link assembly mounted in said fourth track;
(m) a first mass of material being defined in said first hinge butt between said first and second hinge mechanism receiving volumes, said first mass of material defining a first hole for securing said first hinge butt;
and
(n) a second mass of material being defined in said second hinge butt between said third and fourth hinge mechanism receiving volumes, said second mass of material defining a second hole for securing said second hinge butt.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.