Abstract: The present invention is structured so that a guide pin will be captured within holes disposed on opposite walls of a case. A stopper wedge piece having a contact surface rides on the guide pin at one end of the case while a spring is disposed on the guide pin at the other end of the case. The guide pin has a collar close to one end that prevents the spring from slipping off that end of the guide pin. The collar also prevents the guide pin from passing through the hole at that end of the case. The spring keeps the stopper wedge pressed toward one side of the case while at the same time keeps the guide pin collar pressed toward the other side of the case. A metal plate pressed into the bottom of the case prevents wear of the case as the stopper wedge rides against the bottom plate during use. Assembly is facilitated by a downward incline toward the outside is formed on the lower portion of the hole on the case wall into which the stopper end of the guide pin is inserted.

Abstract: In a cup holder for an automobile which slidably holds a cup hold plate in a guide and has a spring mounted on the floor of the guide to press the cup hold plate against the ceiling of the guide, a means for preventing the tilting of the cup hold plate is provided on the lower surface of the cup hold plate so as to abut against the floor of the guide, or a means for preventing the tilting of the cup hold plate is provided on the guide so as to abut against the lower surface of the cup hold plate guide.

Abstract: An electronic stringed instrument includes strings, a plurality of metal frets, an ultrasonic transmitter/receiver, and a fret discriminator. The strings are kept taut above an instrument body. The frets are arranged below the strings along their extension direction. When a player depresses a given string to be picked, at least one of the metal frets is brought into contact with the given string. The transmitter/receiver is coupled to specified positions of the strings and causes ultrasonic vibrations of the strings and receives an echo vibration generated as a reflection of the ultrasonic vibration at a fret contacting the given string. The fret discriminator discriminates the fret contacting the string among the metal frets according to the time difference between the generation of the ultrasonic vibration and the receipt of the echo vibration by the transmitter/receiver.

Abstract: A pickup device for an acoustic guitar having metallic strings comprises an electromagnetic pickup detachably attached in a sound hole of the guitar and a piezoelectric pickup detachably attached in the sound hole or to another part of a sound board of the guitar. Outputs of the two kinds of pickups are mixed at a selectable ratio thereby to compensate for difference in the picking-up characteristics of the respective pickups.