Title:
GUITAR PICK
United States Patent 3699838
Abstract:
A guitar pick comprising as an integral part of its construction a band extending outward from each side of the main body and forming a loop around the upper portion of said pick. Said loop acts to provide a holding tension when a thumb or finger is inserted between the main body of the pick and said loop. The area enclosed by said loop being of such size and shape as to provide for fingers of various sizes and various gripping postures.
US Patent References:
Pick for stringed musical instruments
Dopyera - June 1936 - 2045571
Pick for stringed instruments
Frasier - November 1940 - 2221234
Pick for stringed musical instruments
Dopyera - June 1936 - 2045571
Pick for stringed instruments
Frasier - November 1940 - 2221234
Application Number:
05/159357
Publication Date:
10/24/1972
Filing Date:
07/02/1971
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
984/123
International Classes:
G10D3/16; G10D3/00; G10D3/16
Field of Search:
84/322
Primary Examiner:
Wilkinson, Richard B.
Assistant Examiner:
Franklin, Lawrence R.
Claims:
Therefore I desire to protect by Letters Patent, and what I claim is
1. A one piece guitar pick comprising a flat main body portion, and a flexible loop integrally formed with said body defining an enclosed space between said loop and said body for insertion of a finger.
2. A guitar pick as in claim 1 wherein said loop normally lies in the plane of said body but is selectively deformable out of said plane, said deformation providing a holding tension on an inserted finger.
3. A guitar pick as in claim 2 wherein said pick is made of plastic.
1. A one piece guitar pick comprising a flat main body portion, and a flexible loop integrally formed with said body defining an enclosed space between said loop and said body for insertion of a finger.
2. A guitar pick as in claim 1 wherein said loop normally lies in the plane of said body but is selectively deformable out of said plane, said deformation providing a holding tension on an inserted finger.
3. A guitar pick as in claim 2 wherein said pick is made of plastic.
Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention comes within the field of manually held aids for plucking a stringed musical instrument. More specifically, it relates to guitar picks having a means whereby to secure a finger or thumb of the player to the pick in such a manner as to prevent its accidental dropping and to allow for switching back and forth between finger plucking and pick plucking.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Amongst guitar and banjo players it is a universally accepted practice to use hand-held picks to facilitate the plucking of the strings on a musical instrument.
Most users of picks hold them with their thumb in a relatively straight line perpendicular to the playing tip whereas the forefinger is usually angled and positioned in many different individually preferred ways.
Various devices have been created to secure the pick to the user's finger or thumb. These picks were limited in that they involved constriction of the thumb or finger of the player. They placed structural elements between the player's thumb or finger and the pick. The prior art were also restrictive as to the variety of initial gripping positions possible. They were restrictive as to the subsequent repositioning of the user's grip. The prior art also involved the manufacture of separate parts subsequently fitted together. U.S. Patents typifying this type of pick are No. 3,442,169 issued to C.E. Bowers and No. 2,776,592 issued to M.S. DiPreta. My invention is distinguished from this prior art in that it provides a free and unhampered grip allowing the player to position the thumb and especially the forefinger in a wide variety of individually preferred positions. My invention allows the forefinger to be moved into any of the usual positions along the gripping area of the pick and still remain secured in a nominally undroppable manner. In the instant invention the grip of the user is not limited to a single pivoting axis nor does the user encounter any interference in tactile communication with the pick. My invention is of one piece construction thereby allowing for low cost manufacture.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The instant invention was conceived to provide a guitar pick having all the features of available guitar picks of commerce plus providing the additional feature of being nominally undroppable.
This function is achieved by an integrally constructed band extending out and forming a loop around the upper portion of the main body of a pick of any size or shape. The loop being formed in the same plane and of the same material as the main body of the pick, creates tension when it is bent away from this plane by the insertion of a thumb or forefinger. This tension between the main body of the pick and the loop holds the pick in place on the thumb or finger without the necessity of a gripping action on the part of the thumb and finger.
A pick of such construction provides for:
The comfortable accommodation of any size finger;
The quick fitting of the pick around the thumb or finger, using only one hand; The immediate switching back and forth between finger plucking and pick plucking; The wearing of the pick on the finger for long periods without any discomfort; The hanging of the pick onto a tuning stem of the musical instrument for quick storage and retrieval;
The uninterrupted tactile communication between the pick and the thumb and finger; The gripping of the pick in most of the positions the user would assume on a pick not having an encircling loop;
A one piece economic manufacture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an orthographic view of my pick showing the main body and the integrally secured loop.
FIG. 2 is an orthographic view from the side showing the forefinger inserted between the main body and the loop.
FIG. 3 is an isometric view from the rear and and above of FIG. 2; and, FIG. 4 is an orthographic view from above showing the thumb inserted between the main body and the loop.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In reference to the accompanying drawing the guitar pick comprises a loop 11, which is an integrally secured part extending out, up, and around the upper portion of the main body 10.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the forefinger F, or in FIG. 4 the thumb T, is inserted into the space between the loop 11 and the main body 10. By inserting the forefinger or thumb into this space the loop 11, is forced to angle away from the main body 10. The tension thusly caused by such action acts to retain the pick in a secure manner upon the forefinger or thumb of the player.
It is to be noted that the instant guitar pick can be made from any of the plastics normally used in guitar pick manufacture.
It is to be further noted that my invention due to its single plane one piece construction can be made in a one step stamping process from plastic sheet material, or, a one step plastic molding process as well.
It is to be further noted that the size of the space formed, between the loop 11, and the main body 10, of the pick is much larger than the size of the average finger. This size allows for positioning of the forefinger in a great number of individually preferred positions.
It is to be further noted that the loop 11, as shown in FIG. 3, only contacts the forefinger in one small area. My invention does not depend, for its function, on completely encircling the finger in a constrictive or restrictive manner.
This invention comes within the field of manually held aids for plucking a stringed musical instrument. More specifically, it relates to guitar picks having a means whereby to secure a finger or thumb of the player to the pick in such a manner as to prevent its accidental dropping and to allow for switching back and forth between finger plucking and pick plucking.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Amongst guitar and banjo players it is a universally accepted practice to use hand-held picks to facilitate the plucking of the strings on a musical instrument.
Most users of picks hold them with their thumb in a relatively straight line perpendicular to the playing tip whereas the forefinger is usually angled and positioned in many different individually preferred ways.
Various devices have been created to secure the pick to the user's finger or thumb. These picks were limited in that they involved constriction of the thumb or finger of the player. They placed structural elements between the player's thumb or finger and the pick. The prior art were also restrictive as to the variety of initial gripping positions possible. They were restrictive as to the subsequent repositioning of the user's grip. The prior art also involved the manufacture of separate parts subsequently fitted together. U.S. Patents typifying this type of pick are No. 3,442,169 issued to C.E. Bowers and No. 2,776,592 issued to M.S. DiPreta. My invention is distinguished from this prior art in that it provides a free and unhampered grip allowing the player to position the thumb and especially the forefinger in a wide variety of individually preferred positions. My invention allows the forefinger to be moved into any of the usual positions along the gripping area of the pick and still remain secured in a nominally undroppable manner. In the instant invention the grip of the user is not limited to a single pivoting axis nor does the user encounter any interference in tactile communication with the pick. My invention is of one piece construction thereby allowing for low cost manufacture.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The instant invention was conceived to provide a guitar pick having all the features of available guitar picks of commerce plus providing the additional feature of being nominally undroppable.
This function is achieved by an integrally constructed band extending out and forming a loop around the upper portion of the main body of a pick of any size or shape. The loop being formed in the same plane and of the same material as the main body of the pick, creates tension when it is bent away from this plane by the insertion of a thumb or forefinger. This tension between the main body of the pick and the loop holds the pick in place on the thumb or finger without the necessity of a gripping action on the part of the thumb and finger.
A pick of such construction provides for:
The comfortable accommodation of any size finger;
The quick fitting of the pick around the thumb or finger, using only one hand; The immediate switching back and forth between finger plucking and pick plucking; The wearing of the pick on the finger for long periods without any discomfort; The hanging of the pick onto a tuning stem of the musical instrument for quick storage and retrieval;
The uninterrupted tactile communication between the pick and the thumb and finger; The gripping of the pick in most of the positions the user would assume on a pick not having an encircling loop;
A one piece economic manufacture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an orthographic view of my pick showing the main body and the integrally secured loop.
FIG. 2 is an orthographic view from the side showing the forefinger inserted between the main body and the loop.
FIG. 3 is an isometric view from the rear and and above of FIG. 2; and, FIG. 4 is an orthographic view from above showing the thumb inserted between the main body and the loop.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In reference to the accompanying drawing the guitar pick comprises a loop 11, which is an integrally secured part extending out, up, and around the upper portion of the main body 10.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the forefinger F, or in FIG. 4 the thumb T, is inserted into the space between the loop 11 and the main body 10. By inserting the forefinger or thumb into this space the loop 11, is forced to angle away from the main body 10. The tension thusly caused by such action acts to retain the pick in a secure manner upon the forefinger or thumb of the player.
It is to be noted that the instant guitar pick can be made from any of the plastics normally used in guitar pick manufacture.
It is to be further noted that my invention due to its single plane one piece construction can be made in a one step stamping process from plastic sheet material, or, a one step plastic molding process as well.
It is to be further noted that the size of the space formed, between the loop 11, and the main body 10, of the pick is much larger than the size of the average finger. This size allows for positioning of the forefinger in a great number of individually preferred positions.
It is to be further noted that the loop 11, as shown in FIG. 3, only contacts the forefinger in one small area. My invention does not depend, for its function, on completely encircling the finger in a constrictive or restrictive manner.