IP Library Granted Patent US 9,728,170
Granted Patent B2
US 9,728,170 · App. 15/224,209 · Granted Aug 8, 2017

Mounting system for pivotal coupling of a tuner to an instrument

Inventor: Robin Richard Slaton (Fort Collins, CO)
Assignee: Guitar Center, Inc.
G10G7/00F16B2/10F16C11/06F16C11/0695F16M13/022G10G7/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,728,170
App. No.
15/224,209
Granted
Aug 8, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a mounting system for pivotal coupling to an instrument, the mounting system including a tuner, a ball element outwardly extending from the tuner, and a socket element having a wall defining a socket in communication with a wall opening; whereby the socket is configured to pivotally receive at least a portion of the ball element via the wall opening to pivotally couple the ball element to the socket element.

Claims (26)

1. A mounting system for pivotal coupling of a tuner to an instrument, comprising:

said tuner;

a ball element outwardly extending from said tuner along a longitudinal axis of said tuner;

a rod which couples said ball element to said tuner in spaced apart relation;

a socket element and a mount formed as a one-piece construct;

wherein said mount comprises opposing front and back faces;

wherein said socket element outwardly extends from said front face of said mount;

a socket defined by said socket element;

a first slot disposed in said socket element to provide a pivot plane along a longitudinal axis of said mount, said first slot communicating with said socket;

wherein upon reception of said ball element within said socket, said tuner is able to pivot to a first end position in which said rod passes through said first slot to allow said tuner to overlay said front face of said mount.

2. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein said ball element has a generally spherical shape.

3. The mounting system of claim 2 , wherein said wall defines a generally spherical socket.

4. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein said ball element and said tuner are formed as a one-piece construct.

5. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein upon receipt of said ball element within said socket, said tuner is able to rotate about 360° about a rotation axis which runs through said ball element and said tuner.

6. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein upon receipt of said ball element within said socket, said tuner is able to pivot about 90° between a medial position, in which said rod passes through a wall opening proximate a top portion of said socket element, and a said first end position, in which said rod passes through said first slot.

7. The mounting system of claim 6 , further comprising a second slot disposed in said socket element, said second slot communicating with said socket.

8. The mounting system of claim 7 , wherein upon receipt of said ball element within said socket, said tuner is able to pivot about 90° between said medial position and a second end position, in which said rod passes through said second slot.

9. The mounting system of claim 8 , wherein upon receipt of said ball element within said socket, said tuner is able to pivot about 180° between said first end position and said second end position.

10. The mounting system of claim 1 ,

wherein said back face of said mount is configured to couple to said instrument.

11. The mounting system of claim 10 , wherein said back face of said mount is configured to removably couple to said instrument.

12. The mounting system of claim 11 , further comprising a removable adhesive layer coupled to said back face of said mount.

13. The mounting system of claim 11 , further comprising a clip coupled to said back face of said mount.

14. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein said mount is configured as a clip having pivotally connected opposing first and second jaws.

15. The mounting system of claim 14 , wherein said mount further comprises a cushioning element coupled to an inner surface of each of said first and second jaws.

16. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein said socket element is integrated with said instrument.

Assignments (11)
NOTICE SECURITY INTEREST TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS 1L Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 072522/0902 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS 2L Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; AVDG, LLC; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; GUITAR CENTER STORES, INC.
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
Reel/Frame 072542/0325 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; GUITAR CENTER STORES, INC.; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; AVDG, LLC
Reel/Frame 072542/0688 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS 3L Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; AVDG, LLC; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; GUITAR CENTER STORES, INC.
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
Reel/Frame 072498/0428 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.
To: U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054746/0251 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS Recorded Dec 22, 2020
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; GUITAR CENTER STORES, INC.; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; AVDG, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054837/0191 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS Recorded Nov 25, 2020
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; MUSICIAN'S FRIEND, INC.; WOODWIND & BRASSWIND, INC.
Reel/Frame 054516/0577 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2020
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; GUITAR CENTER STORES, INC.; AVDG, LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 052690/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2018
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045696/0791 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS Recorded Mar 16, 2018
From: GUITAR CENTER, INC.; GTRC SERVICES, INC.; MUSICIAN'S FRIEND, INC.; WOODWIND & BRASSWIND, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045615/0865 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2016
From: SLATON, ROBIN RICHARD
To: GUITAR CENTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 039295/0660 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 29545153 · Nov 10, 2015
Related Publication 20170132994A1 · May 11, 2017