IP Library Granted Patent US 11,393,441
Granted Patent B2
US 11,393,441 · App. 16/341,564 · Granted Jul 19, 2022

Device for switching electrical or electronic systems for picking up the vibrations of the strings of a musical instrument

Inventor: Laurent Picciotto (Creuzier-le-Vieux, FR)
Assignee: WILD CUSTOMS
G10H3/183G10H3/181G10H3/182
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,393,441
App. No.
16/341,564
Granted
Jul 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device for switching electrical or electronical systems for picking up the vibrations of the strings of a musical instrument having a front face includes: a cradle to be fastened or integrated to the front face and provided with a unit for electrical connection to an amplification circuit; at least one barrel that is provided with at least two pickup systems, which is fitted to the cradle so as to be mobile in rotation with respect to the cradle between at least two positions so as to place, in each position, one pickup system in working position opposite the strings and that includes a unit for electrically coupling at least the pickup system opposite the strings to the connection unit; and a unit for rotating the barrel. The axis of rotation of the barrel is substantially parallel to the front face when the cradle is fastened to the latter.

Claims (25)

1. A device for switching electrical or electronic systems for picking up the vibrations of strings of a musical instrument including a front face facing the strings, the device comprising:

a cradle configured to be fastened or integrated to the front face, the cradle being provided with a plurality of pickup systems configured to electrically connect to an amplification circuit;

at least one barrel that is provided with at least two of the plurality of pickup systems, the at least one barrel being fitted to the cradle to be mobile in rotation with respect to the cradle between at least two positions to place, in each position, one of the pickup systems in a working position opposite the strings, at least the one pickup system that is opposite the strings being electrically connected to the amplification circuit; and

a belt-driving system configured to rotate the at least one barrel,

wherein the axis of rotation of the at least one barrel is substantially parallel to the front face when the cradle is fastened to the front face.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one barrel comprises at least two barrels, each of the at least two barrels being provided with at least two of the pickup systems and being fitted to the cradle to be mobile in rotation with respect to the cradle between at least two positions, to place, in each of the positions, one of the pickup systems in the working position opposite the strings, at least the one pickup system that is opposite the strings being electrically connected to the amplification circuit, and

the device further comprises a belt driving system configured to rotate each of the at least one barrel.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one barrel is removably fitted to the cradle.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one barrel comprises at least one housing configured to receive a removable drawer carrying one of the pickup systems.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein each of the pickup systems is carried by a removable drawer, and

each of the at least one barrel comprises a same number of housings as a number of the pickup systems.

6. A drawer configured to be removably fitted to the at least one barrel of the device according to claim 4 , the drawer comprising:

at least one electrical or electronic system configured to pick up the vibrations of the strings of the musical instrument.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pickup systems comprises a row of transducers aligned along a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the at least one barrel.

8. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of levers configured to rotationally index and immobilize each of the at least one barrel in each of the positions placing one of the pickup systems in the working position.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the belt-driving system of each of the at least one barrel is motorized.

10. A stringed instrument comprising:

a front face; and

the at least one device according to claim 1 fastened or integrated to the front face such that each of the at least two pickup systems in the working position is located opposite the strings.

11. The stringed instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one device includes another device that is fastened or integrated to the front face such that each of the pickup systems in the working position is located opposite the strings, the other device comprising:

at least two barrels, each of the at least two barrels being provided with at least two pickup systems and being fitted to the cradle to be mobile in rotation with respect to the cradle between at least two positions to place, in each position, one of the pickup systems in a working position opposite the strings, at least the one pickup system opposite the strings being electrically connected to the amplification circuit, and

a belt-driving system configured to rotate each of the at least two barrels.

12. The stringed instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the instrument is an electric guitar.

13. A barrel configured to be fitted to the device according to claim 1 , the barrel comprising:

at least two electrical or electronic systems configured to pick up the vibrations of the strings of the musical instrument.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded May 26, 2026
From: ORFIM
To: ORFIMAR
Reel/Frame 074753/0490 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 10, 2026
From: ORFIM
To: ORFIM
Reel/Frame 074732/0037 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2024
From: WILD CUSTOMS
To: ORFIM
Reel/Frame 067915/0498 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2019
From: PICCIOTTO, LAURENT
To: WILD CUSTOMS
Reel/Frame 048878/0338 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 18 52882 · Apr 3, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210327398A1 · Oct 21, 2021