Patents Examined by Robert W. Horn
  • Patent number: 11705092
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of stringed instruments including extended string retaining saddle straps are disclosed. The exemplary embodiments include an extended string retaining saddle strap connected to each of, and between, a string connection to the instrument's strings at a bottom portion of a body portion of the stringed instrument and a saddle strap connector at an upper portion of the body portion of the stringed instrument. In an aspect, the saddle strap connector may be connected to a neck block portion joining a neck portion of the stringed instrument to the body portion, within a hollow interior of the body portion. In an aspect, connecting the extended string retaining saddle strap to each of, and between, the string connection and the saddle strap connector creates a tension that tends to pull the string connection and the saddle strap connector towards each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Upton Bass String Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Gary Upton
  • Patent number: 11699418
    Abstract: A stringed instrument plectrum being made primarily from a material with desirable edge properties and from one or more secondary materials with desirable flexibility, density, and or tactile qualities. The primary material is formed so that there is one or more central recesses that are then filled by the secondary material in order to modify the flexibility and or tactile nature of the plectrum while maintaining the edge properties of the primary material and keeping the central section of the plectrum a generally uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Inventors: Isaac Daniel Derr, Gerald Francis Brown
  • Patent number: 11699928
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stator core for improving the fixing properties of a magnet wire, and a motor in which the same is applied. Provided is a stator core which comprises a protrusion pattern part for fixing the distal end portion of a magnet wire, and thus eliminates a process of fixing the wire using a separate member during a wiring process, thereby improving processability and inhibiting an insulating film of the magnet wire from being damaged by an external force such as vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bong Bae Kong
  • Patent number: 11694661
    Abstract: A harmonica with a repeating major scale configured across the draw reeds and a repeating major scale a half step lower than the draw reeds configured across the blow reeds. This configuration produces a chromatic instrument where all the notes of a major scale can be bent down to the next lower scale tone for musicality. The linear scale configuration provides trill and glissando sections for ease of playability and musicality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventor: Brian Astfalk
  • Patent number: 11694662
    Abstract: A manual pulling instrument, in particular an accordion, comprising a first housing part comprising operating elements configured to be operated by a player with one hand to generate a note. The operating elements occupy a spatial area extending to a first boundary line on a first side and to a second boundary line on a second side opposite the first side, the second boundary line is further away from the bellows than the first boundary line, and the second boundary line has a concave curvature. The spatial area occupied by the operating elements extends in a plane which encloses an angle between 20° and 65°, with a center plane which extends symmetrically with respect to the bellows between the first housing part and the second housing part when the bellows is in a folded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CARBONEON GMBH
    Inventor: Srdjan Vukasinovic
  • Patent number: 11694664
    Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument includes a musical instrument case including an upper case, and a lower case having a concave part provided on a lower surface and opened on an outer peripheral surface-side, and a strap pin fixing portion is arranged in the concave part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryohei Kobayashi, Kouji Oshima, Yuuki Nakajima, Naoto Imamura, Shingo Fukushima, Mari Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11688369
    Abstract: A harmonica with a repeating major pentatonic scale configured across the draw reeds and a repeating major pentatonic scale a half step lower than the draw reeds configured across the blow reeds. This configuration produces a chromatic instrument where all the notes of a major pentatonic scale can be bent down to the next lower scale tone for musicality. It provides more notes and more bends when playing pentatonic scales and the repeating pattern facilitates easy learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Brian Astfalk
  • Patent number: 11688298
    Abstract: A method for learning music scale theory includes utilizing a music theory-based card game. A plurality of cards forms a deck, each card representing a predetermined music note according to a 7-note system. One or more players are dealt cards to make a hand. Players draw cards from a draw deck or a discard pile, and discard cards to the discard pile, until a player creates a sequence of cards in the player's hand that corresponds to a complete musical scale or mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Jeremy Dean Harrison
  • Patent number: 11682372
    Abstract: An effector mounting plate is provided, which can protect wiring when carried while enabling work on the wiring. A back surface side of a plate is covered by a back case, and wiring (not shown) can be stored in a space formed between the plate and the back case. Therefore, when the plate and the back case are used as an effect pedal or carried, an external force can be prevented from acting on the wiring. Therefore, the wiring (jack) can be prevented from falling off an effector or from being forcibly bent and broken. By removing fastening screws, the back case can be removed from the plate to open the back surface side of the plate. Therefore, work on the wiring such as work of connecting/disconnecting the wiring to/from the effector and work of checking the wiring before performance can be easily performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Fukuda, Norihiko Wada
  • Patent number: 11676561
    Abstract: A plectrum for use with a stringed musical instrument is provided. The plectrum includes a rigid outer shell and an inlay portion, partially inserted within, and secured to, the outer shell. A portion of the inlay portion extends beyond the outer shell. The outer shell includes a first material configured to produce first tonal properties in a string of a stringed musical instrument when placed in contact with the string, and the inlay portion includes a second material configured to produce second tonal properties in the string when placed in contact with the string. The first tonal properties are different from the second tonal properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Mark S. Gardner
  • Patent number: 11670188
    Abstract: A method for online music learning of playing a musical instrument, that may be a string instrument, a woodwind instrument, a brass instrument, a percussion instrument, or vocal (singing) is described. A client device, such as a smartphone or a tablet notifies a person, such as visually by a display or audibly by a sounder, of a sequence of musical symbols that may be part of a musical piece to be played on the musical instrument. The pace or tempo of the notified sequence is adapted according to a stored skill level value of the person and the pace or tempo associated with the musical piece. The client device, monitors, using a microphone(s) in the client device, the errors in the playing of the sequence, and using a predefined accordingly updates the stored skill level value, and accordingly changes the arrangement, pace and/or tempo of the next sequence of musical symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: JoyTunes Ltd.
    Inventors: Eran Aharonson, Yuval Kaminka, Oded Zewi, Amitay Dobo
  • Patent number: 11670268
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a device and process designed to accelerate the maturation of stringed musical instruments, composed of but not limited to a broad spectrum audio generator coupled with one or more fasteners via one or more armatures dimensioned to allow easy installation, secure attachment, and easy uninstallation from the stringed musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventors: Gerald Francis Brown, Isaac Daniel Derr
  • Patent number: 11670264
    Abstract: A device integrally joined with the ported opening of a musical bass drum resonant drumhead for regulating the amount of vibrating airflow passing through the inside of a bass drumshell and continuing through the ported opening for effectively controlling undesirable higher frequency drum sounds precipitated by the airflow produced upon the striking of the batter head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: REMO, INC.
    Inventors: James H. May, Scott Renolds
  • Patent number: 11666963
    Abstract: A instrument string stretching assembly for stretching instrument strings during the manufacturing process includes a curved panel that has a plurality of channels each extending through the curved panel. A plurality of instrument strings can be inserted into a respective one of the channels having each of the instrument strings extending outwardly through the respective channel. A stretching unit is aligned with each of the plurality of channels in the curved panel and the stretching unit is actuatable into a lifting condition or a lowering condition. A clamping unit is attached to the stretching unit to grip each of the plurality of instrument strings. The stretching unit lifts the clamping unit upwardly thereby stretching the instrument strings along the plurality of channels in the curved panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Joseph Anthony Zarola
  • Patent number: 11657791
    Abstract: A musical sound producing apparatus includes a plurality of keys, a sound production information generator that generates sound production information for producing a musical sound based on a first key operation on any key among the plurality of keys, a control information generator that generates control information for controlling, on the basis of a second key operation different from the first key operation, a mode of the musical sound produced on the basis of the first key operation, and a musical sound signal generator that generates a musical sound signal on the basis of the sound production information and the control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Hasebe, Shinichi Ito, Kenichi Nishida, Masahiro Kakishita, Shinichi Ohta
  • Patent number: 11657790
    Abstract: An operation detection device for a key operation of a keyboard device includes a conductive unit configured to be disposed on each of keys, a substrate configured to be disposed facing each of the keys in a pressing direction of the keys. The substrate is provided with a sensor including at least first and second coils, the sensor being configured to be disposed spaced from one key so that at least one of the first or second coil outputs a signal corresponding to a distance between the one key and the respective sensor. The operation detection device includes a detection unit configured to detect a displacement of the one key in at least one of a yaw direction or a roll direction based on signals output from the first and second coils during a key pressing stroke of the one key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Nishida, Harumichi Hotta, Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 11657785
    Abstract: A hands-free diatonic harmonica configured to be held by the mouth only, permitting harmonica to be easily played and manipulated solely by player's mouth, jaw, teeth, lips, and tongue and attachable elongated ergonomic and acoustical bullet shaped harmonica microphone housing with mirror image top and bottom access ports and through rod(s) accommodating multiple microphones digital processing and adhesive pads providing or modifying mouth alone attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Daniel Kerian
  • Patent number: 11651755
    Abstract: A drum includes a low volume drum head, a pellet chamber, and a magnetic choke. The pellet chamber is located beneath the low volume drum head. The pellet chamber is configured to hold a plurality of pellets, and the pellet chamber defines a plurality of apertures in a wall of the pellet chamber. The magnetic choke carries at least one magnet. The magnetic choke is configured to move relative to the pellet chamber so as to adjust a magnetic force imparted on the pellet chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Play Music With Friends LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Sever Stocksmith
  • Patent number: 11651753
    Abstract: A piano tuning retention system includes first and second bushings, each having a threaded upper longitudinal end and a lower longitudinal end that defines a polygonal interior for mating with a polygonal end of a respective piano tuning pin, first and second threaded fasteners corresponding to the threaded upper longitudinal ends of the bushings, first and second sleeves that fit over the bushings, each of the sleeves having an upper longitudinal end with an inward radial extension that defines a reduced inner diameter and a lower longitudinal end that defines a catch (e.g. a notch) extending in a circumferential direction of the sleeve for engagement with a piano string, and a bridge configured to be sandwiched between the threaded fasteners and the inward radial extensions of the sleeves with the bushings disposed within the sleeves and the threaded fasteners fastened to the threaded upper longitudinal ends of the bushings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventor: Timothy Jenson
  • Patent number: 11646002
    Abstract: A capo for a musical instrument with a neck and a plurality of parallel strings disposed above the neck. The capo includes a U-shaped yoke having first and second branches, and a clamping bar assembly pivotally attached to one of the yoke branches. The clamping bar assembly includes a main bar body and a plurality of separate string clamp members, which are operatively attached to the main bar body and formed of a substantially rigid plastic material. The clamping bar assembly also includes one or more flexibly resilient cushion members provided between the string clamp members and the main bar body. The main bar body may have sockets formed therein which receive individual cushion members and portions of the string clamp members. Alternatively, the string clamp members may share a single elongated cushion member, and may have passages formed therethrough allowing for slidable mounting on a solid main bar body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Inventor: Bryan Paige