Shoulder rest and clamping unit for a shoulder rest

Abstract

A shoulder rest (30) for stringed instruments, which shoulder rest (30) has a support element (32) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) for resting on the shoulder and / or the chest of the player, on which support element a plurality of articulated clamping units (34) are arranged, which shoulder rest (30) is intended to adapt to different geometric requirements in a particularly simple manner. To this end, the or each clamping unit (34) has a shaft (50) which is mounted in each case in an associated pivot bearing (55) by means of an integrally formed pivot pin (58), the bearing shell (60) of the pivot bearing (55) being designed in each case according to the invention in the form of an arc segment which does not completely enclose the pivot pin (58) but only encloses it over a certain arc length or engages around it only over a certain arc length. The shaft is preferably positioned eccentrically, so that a particularly simple and rapid size adjustment is possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a shoulder rest for stringed instruments, particularly violins or violas, having support elements for placement on the player's shoulder and / or chest. The invention also relates to a clamping unit for such a shoulder rest. Background Technology

[0002] String instruments, especially the violin and viola (German: Bratsch), are played by placing them at the end of the musician's body, between the chin and shoulder. However, since the distance between the player's head and shoulder area is usually greater than the thickness of the instrument, the musician can only hold or grip the instrument in a very uncomfortable position, thus—if it is possible to play the instrument at all—a detriment to the quality of performance is unavoidable. To counteract this, so-called chin rests and shoulder rests for the violin and viola have been developed.

[0003] These shoulder rests are detachably attached to the instrument's body via a retaining device, thus providing greater comfort for the musician in holding the instrument. Essentially, the shoulder rest is attached to the violin or similar instrument and forms a supporting surface resting on the musician's shoulders, with the instrument itself supported at a chosen level. This is particularly dependent on the musician's physique, especially the length of the neck, the shape of the shoulders, and the position of the violin. Such shoulder rests are known, for example, from EP 507 994 B1, US 4,062,695, DE 100 07 834 A1, US 7,265,284, or US 7,488,877 B2.

[0004] Shoulder supports can be designed with a fixed base. However, this often cannot be fully shaped to fit the musician's shoulders, thus lacking personalization, and therefore usually necessitates accepting some compromises in playing comfort and convenience. However, for comfort reasons, a pad can also be provided at the bottom of the fixed base, resting against the musician's shoulders while playing the instrument.

[0005] The base typically has upward-projecting clamping units at both ends, designed as retaining or supporting elements, carrying rotatable fork-shaped retaining clamps as end pieces. These can be attached to the side wall of the instrument body near the bottom. To securely attach this type of shoulder rest to the instrument, the bottom of the shoulder rest usually has a degree of elasticity, which generates a clamping force to hold the instrument in place by the fork-shaped retaining clamps. In other embodiments, the end pieces are also known to be combined with supporting elements, but these typically clamp the instrument with a specific clamping action.

[0006] To ensure high-quality sound and harmony with the instrument, these shoulder rests are typically made of plastic or synthetic materials, but recently they have also been made of wood or timber, and their contours are at least roughly customized to the shape of the player's body. Furthermore, this is to ensure that the player can play the instrument with exceptional comfort and harmony without compromising their focus or concentration.

[0007] EP 27 17 255 A1 also describes a shoulder rest of the above type, which allows for a significant improvement in the overall tonal characteristics of the instrument and the shoulder rest. The support element of the shoulder rest is provided with multiple holes. This design of the support element makes the vibrational behavior of the shoulder rest and its acoustic coupling with the vibrational behavior of the instrument itself particularly advantageous and with low interference, thereby achieving a particularly high overall tonal quality when playing the instrument.

[0008] These types of shoulder supports can generally be rigid, i.e., with permanently installed clamping units. However, on the other hand, an increasing number of foldable shoulder supports have been proposed, whose retaining elements or clamping units can be folded to reduce the space required for storage. Such shoulder supports are known, for example, from EP 3 018 653 A1 or US 7,488,877.

[0009] Without considering hinge design issues, the overall goal of this type of shoulder rest is to make its geometry adaptable to a wide range of stringed instruments, while also being able to accommodate the individual needs and specifications of the performer. Summary of the Invention

[0010] This invention is based on the task of providing a foldable shoulder rest for stringed instruments, which is further improved in this sense and allows the shoulder rest to be adapted, on the one hand, to be particularly flexible and variable to the geometry of the stringed instrument, and on the other hand, to be adapted to the individual requirements and specifications of the player in a particularly simple and lightweight manner, which is efficient in terms of manufacture. Furthermore, a clamping unit for the shoulder rest that is particularly suitable for this purpose will be described.

[0011] Regarding the shoulder support, according to the invention, this task is accomplished by arranging multiple foldable clamping units on the support element, wherein the clamping unit or the shaft of each clamping unit is, in each case, mounted in an associated pivot bearing by an integrally formed pivot pin, wherein the bearing housing of the pivot bearing is, in each case, designed in the form of an arc segment that does not completely surround or enclose the pivot pin but only surrounds or encloses the pivot pin over a certain arc length.

[0012] This invention is based on the idea that the foldable design of the clamping unit arranged on the support element can be achieved in a particularly simple manner using a pivot bearing. To allow for personalized adaptation to the player's requirements and / or the geometry of stringed instruments with this basic design, individual components or portions of the clamping unit and support element could, of course, be manufactured separately as custom products. However, given the relatively high cost involved, this is considered quite undesirable. To avoid this increased cost and still achieve personalized adaptation, these components should offer flexible adjustment and adaptation options, either individually or through their interaction.

[0013] In the first step, the clamping units are designed to be particularly easy to interchange. Then, by replacing one clamping unit with another of different lengths, particularly different shaft lengths, changes in geometry are already possible. This simple interchangeability of the clamping units is achieved because the pivot bearing is specifically designed for this easier replacement, with its bearing housing only partially, rather than completely, surrounding the pivot pin of the clamping unit mounted therein.

[0014] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0015] In a particularly preferred further development, the opening in the bearing housing is selected, constructed, and sized so that the pivot pin remains stably engaged, but can also be easily engaged and disengaged.

[0016] In common implementations, the clamping unit, or each clamping unit, is suitably provided with a mounting clamp, which preferably engages with an edge extending from the bottom of the stringed instrument, thereby cooperating with other clamping units to secure the shoulder rest to the stringed instrument. However, in a very particularly preferred implementation, this component is also designed for flexible adaptation to geometry. For this purpose, in a very particularly preferred implementation, the clamping unit is designed as several, preferably two parts, and includes, on one side, a leg or shaft, and on the other side, a separately designed mounting clamp, which is threadedly connected to each other. Preferably, the mounting clamp is arranged on and supported by a threaded shaft that can be screwed into an internal thread integrated into the leg or shaft of the clamping unit. This allows the length of the clamping unit to be changed in a particularly simple manner by simply screwing the threaded shaft more or less into the internal thread.

[0017] In an optional or additional advantageous further development, the shafts of the individual clamping units are also guided eccentrically or off-center, such that the central axis of the shaft does not intersect the axis of rotation of the pivot bearing holding the clamping unit, but passes through the pivot bearing at a distance between the central axis and the axis of rotation. This allows the net width of the retaining clamps relative to each other to be adjusted in a particularly simple manner by replacing clamping units with different offsets relative to each other when the clamping units are extended outward. In particular, it should be possible to select the net width between the retaining clamps such that reliable engagement of the clamps in the circumferential bottom edge of the stringed instrument is possible while applying a known but not excessive pretension to the component.

[0018] Surprisingly, the dimensions of the pivot pin are particularly relevant to the function of the assembly, including the clamping unit and bearing housing. In fact, larger pivot pins allow for finer selection of engagement torque. Preferably, the components and their dimensions are chosen to facilitate engagement while providing high levels of safety and stability. However, if the diameter is chosen too large, the width of the roller body and consequently the lowest position of the support are unfavorably increased. Taking these factors into account, the following dimensions are considered particularly advantageous: the diameter of the pivot pin, minimum 1 mm, maximum 30 mm, preferably 5 mm-15 mm, and particularly preferably 8 mm-12 mm.

[0019] In a particularly advantageous design considered to possess independent inventiveness, the shaft elements are provided in the form of a group comprising multiple shaft elements with different offsets. By replacing the corresponding shaft elements, variations in the net width and geometric parameters between the two mounting clamps in the open state can be easily achieved. Furthermore, in another advantageous embodiment, the components can also be designed symmetrically such that, in addition to the first starting position, each shaft can also be mounted in a corresponding pivot bearing in a second direction, which rotates 180° about its central axis. Due to the eccentric, offset guidance of the shaft's central axis, even such rotation will cause a change in the net width of the retaining clamps relative to each other. Moreover, due to the eccentric positioning of the threaded pins, the relative position of the shoulder rest relative to the violin can also be significantly altered in a particularly simple manner by appropriately selecting the shaft elements.

[0020] Conveniently, and for the sake of a particularly simple yet robust design, the clamping unit, or the shaft of each clamping unit, is designed in its foot region as a roller with an approximately cylindrical cross-section. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the roller is provided with end members that interact with a stop attached to the shoulder rest and form a block against the swinging out of the shaft. This ensures that when the clamping unit swings out, it is brought into a defined position and can engage with the bottom edge of the stringed instrument in a correspondingly adapted manner.

[0021] In addition to the aforementioned blocking function, the end piece can very precisely determine and differentiate the angle in the unfolded state. For example, depending on the overall length of the shaft and rubber feet, the end piece affects the strength of the leverage effect that occurs when it is clamped onto the violin. The increased leverage should be compensated for by a more inwardly inclined position of the shaft. In particular, the end piece should be precisely sized to compensate for the varying leverage effect when clamped onto the violin, depending on the overall length of the shaft and rubber feet. The increased leverage due to a longer shaft and rubber feet can be compensated, for example, by a more inwardly inclined position of the shaft. This is achieved again by the end piece, which is individually sized for each inclined leg version and, in this example, wider. Thus, relatively longer legs are preferably assigned relatively wide end pieces, while shorter legs are preferably assigned narrower end pieces. In this way, the angle in the unfolded state is integrated into the shaft element itself and is independent of the support itself.

[0022] In the preferred embodiment M4, the minimum width of the roller body preferably depends on and is selected from the screw size used. Of course, M3.5 or M4.5 can also be used theoretically. This gives the following preferred dimensions: minimum width 4 mm - maximum 12 mm, preferably 5 mm - 9 mm, particularly preferably 6 mm - 7 mm.

[0023] The diameter of the roller directly affects how far the shaft can be arranged off-center without shifting outside the geometry of the roller. Smaller rollers allow for smaller adjustments, while larger rollers allow for larger adjustments. Surprisingly, it has been found, particularly preferably, that a 5 mm off-center position is sufficient and should provide full adjustability for the violin support. This allows for approximately 1 cm of adjustability on each side of the support. Regarding the required material thickness, this results in a preferred diameter of 16 mm. Generally, the following dimensions are submitted: minimum 10 mm, maximum 50 mm. Preferably 13 mm-25 mm. Particularly preferred 15 mm-20 mm.

[0024] On the other hand, it should also be noted that as the diameter increases, the axis of the roller is further away from the support. This will increase the minimum height of the support. However, a lower setting is generally ideal. Therefore, the particularly preferred dimensions of the roller are a result of the required adjustability, minimum material thickness, and minimum height of the support at its lowest position.

[0025] Incidentally, a slanted leg can also be designed so that the axle of the rubber foot is located outside the roller body. This would allow the support to accommodate a wider range of instruments. However, this slanted leg can only be used in the "wide" position because it cannot be locked and folded in the "narrow" position. This variant would be particularly preferred for viola models.

[0026] Generally, exceptionally flexible supports are becoming increasingly popular. However, designing supports for such flexibility presents certain challenges. A certain degree of flexibility often also implies instability. However, the proposed version and size, featuring a clamping unit and bearing housing, allows the pivot pin to rotate within the bearing housing during playing. Surprisingly, it has also been found that the support legs (rubber feet) remain stably secured to the violin during rotation. This allows supports to be made of different materials or have different geometries, thus enabling very precise adjustment of flexibility according to the user's wishes.

[0027] Advantageously, the end piece is provided with an O-ring guided in a groove, the O-ring preferably being made of rubber. On the one hand, this suppresses impact when the end piece contacts the stop. On the other hand, due to the plastic deformability of the O-ring, the connection and contact between the end piece and the stop has a certain degree of elasticity. This design has a very positive overall effect on the tone quality, i.e., when the shoulder rest is attached to the stringed instrument via the clamping unit. The elasticity of the O-ring produces this micro-elasticity and release characteristic of the connection, which has a very positive effect on the tone quality of the instrument by establishing mechanical contact in the blocking area through the O-ring.

[0028] In an advantageous implementation, particularly due to suitable material selection and geometry, the shoulder rest is slightly flexible. This allows for greater tonal freedom and a more ergonomic instrument grip. However, even with a slightly flexible shoulder rest design, it is evident that the stop and end point can separate due to the pressure applied to the support and when that pressure is removed. When the stop and end point meet again, an audible knocking sound is produced, which should also be suppressed.

[0029] This damping can be achieved through a rubber layer or a rubber body. Ideally, the placement and sizing of the body should be such that the end piece and the stop piece contact each other when the support is clamped onto the violin.

[0030] This can be achieved well with the aforementioned O-rings. While O-rings are primarily used to suppress the impact noise mentioned above, the end piece and the stop should preferably be in contact with each other under tension. The flexibility of the O-ring has another positive effect, as sound waves can generate slight acoustic vibrations at this point of contact. Surprisingly, the sound with an O-ring seems more vibrant than the sound without one.

[0031] Therefore, the size of the O-ring should be chosen with particular care in terms of tone. If it is too thick, excessive "resonance" will occur; if it is too thin, it will not adequately dampen impact. Furthermore, a string thickness (SD) is preferably chosen so that when the support is clamped onto the violin, the O-ring is compressed, causing the end piece and the stop piece to contact each other. Thus, shallower grooves require a softer material, while deeper grooves require a relatively harder material.

[0032] Furthermore, if a greater resonance effect is required, a thicker ring can be provided to prevent contact between the stop and the end piece.

[0033] In view of the above considerations, the following parameters are therefore particularly preferred for O-rings: The rope thickness (SD) of the O-ring is: maximum 3 mm, minimum 0.5 mm, preferably 1.5 mm-0.7 mm, and particularly preferably 1.2 mm-0.8 mm.

[0034] Compression A of rope thickness (SD): minimum 10% and maximum 60% of rope thickness, preferably 20-50% of rope thickness, particularly preferably 30-40% of rope thickness. The inner diameter (ID) of the O-ring is preferably determined by the size of the end piece and depends on how tightly the ring is stretched in the groove surrounding the end piece.

[0035] Regarding the clamping unit, the above task is accomplished by a shaft with internal threads, which is used to receive the threaded shaft of the associated mounting fixture. The shaft is eccentrically or off-center guided such that when the shaft is mounted in the associated pivot bearing, the central axis of the shaft does not intersect the axis of rotation of the pivot bearing, but passes through the pivot bearing in a manner that the central axis and the axis of rotation are spaced apart by a certain offset.

[0036] As a particularly preferred material choice for the support element, wood, plastic, or synthetic materials are provided. In an advantageous embodiment, if the support element is made of wood, it therefore also has a thickness of at least 2 mm and at most 10 mm, preferably at least 3 mm and at most 7 mm, particularly preferably at least 3.3 mm and at most 5 mm, and if the support element is made of plastic or synthetic material, it has a thickness of at least 1.5 mm and at most 4.5 mm.

[0037] To ensure a particularly high level of wearing comfort under these boundary conditions and thus to ensure particularly advantageous playing performance, the width of the support element is also advantageously selected. Advantageously, the width of the support element is at least 20 mm and at most 48 mm, particularly preferably at least 22 mm and at most 30 mm, and more preferably at least 24 mm and at most 28 mm.

[0038] The advantages achieved by this invention lie particularly in the design of the aforementioned components, especially the combination of all the aforementioned features, which enables a wide range of flexibility in the size and geometry of the shoulder rest at low cost and weight. Due to the eccentric or off-center design of the clamping unit's axis, coupled with the bearings in the segmented bearing housing, the net width of the retaining clamp and the angle of the leg elements can be changed simply by replacing the clamping units. Alternatively, the length of each clamping unit can be changed particularly easily by means of a screw connection between the shaft and the retaining clamp and / or by simple replacement. Therefore, overall, a retaining system for the shoulder rest is available that can accommodate various geometries.

[0039] In particular, compared to known adjustment systems for shoulder supports, this solution achieves very fast, precise, and reliable adjustment of the support. Known mechanisms use screws and holes, which are not precise enough and remain cumbersome in practice. Other designs use metal bars and rubber, which wear down over time and become unreliable. Furthermore, these metal bars can damage the violin. Some systems use numerous holes for the clamping unit, making the rest of the structure heavier and requiring more time to change the width.

[0040] Furthermore, since the net width can be adjusted without the need for screw connections and other detachable parts, it can be positioned very close to the instrument if needed.

[0041] Furthermore, this design allows for very fine increments in the net width. For example, in a preferred design, adjustment in 2 mm increments is provided. This increment width is determined by the dimension of the minimum off-center position of the shaft (1 mm in this case). Theoretically, even smaller increments, such as 0.5 mm, are possible if the shaft is only 0.25 mm off-center.

[0042] The displacement of the shaft can also be made visually very obvious through a perforated pivot pin. The farther the shaft deviates from the center, the larger the opening in the pivot pin becomes, which in turn makes it easier for the user to identify. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following are shown therein: Figure 1 This is the bottom view of a classical violin. Figure 2 This is a partial perspective view of a violin with an attached shoulder rest, based on existing technology. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The shoulder support shown is in a ready-to-use position, with the clamping unit extended outwards. Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The shoulder support shown is in its stowed state, with the clamping unit folded inwards. Figure 5 shows two perspective views of the legs or shafts of the clamping unit. Figure 6 shows two perspective views of the pivot bearing associated with the legs or shaft of the clamping unit. Figure 7 shows two perspective views of the support or shaft inserted into the corresponding pivot bearing. Figure 8 It is a side view of the support or shaft inserted into the corresponding pivot bearing. Figure 9a is a longitudinal section of the support or shaft inserted into the corresponding pivot bearing. Figure 9b is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the illustration in Figure 9a. Figure 10 and Figure 11 It is a set of shaft elements, each with a different offset. Figure 12 illustrates a series of steps for replacing the support or shaft in the corresponding pivot bearing, and Figure 13 shows two shoulder supports, each equipped with a holding system, with different net widths between their holding clamps.

[0044] In all the accompanying drawings, the same parts are labeled with the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0045] according to Figure 1 The classical violin 1 includes a body 2 forming the resonator, a neck 4 on which the fingerboard is mounted, and a pinbox with tuning pegs 6, the end of which is formed by a headstock 8. The body 2 has a bottom 10 and a circumferential bottom edge 12. At the end 14 of the neck of the body 2, the neck 4 of the violin 1 is connected to the body 2 via an upper block 16. Other blocks for stabilizing the violin 1 are incorporated into the body 2.

[0046] At the lower end block 18, the strings of the violin 1 are supported by the end of the string plate located at the top of the violin 1. Therefore, the lower end block 18 is very stable and firmly attached to the body 2. The upper end block 16, which supports the neck 4 and the fingerboard, is also stably and firmly machined into the body 2. Nowadays, the upper end block 16 and the neck 4 are usually manufactured separately and then glued together to meet the necessary wearing performance and sound and vibration characteristics.

[0047] On one side of the area of ​​the circumferential bottom edge 12 of the body bottom 10, there is a side wall, namely the so-called side plate (German: Zargen) 26, and the top of the body is then attached to these side plates 26 opposite to the bottom of the body. These parts essentially form the body 2, which serves as the soundbox of the violin 1, and are stabilized by means of the so-called outer block and upper end block 16 and lower end block 18.

[0048] To allow musicians to maintain a comfortable posture while playing the violin at high volume, a shoulder rest 30 is typically provided, such as... Figure 2 The image shows the violin 1 mounted on its body 2. The shoulder rest 30 itself includes a support element 32 for resting on the player's shoulder and / or chest. This support element 32 can be attached to the violin 1's body 2 via clamping units 34 arranged at its ends, particularly to the circumferential bottom edge 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the shoulder rest 30 can therefore be directly attached to the violin 1's body 2 via the clamping units 34; however, alternatively, an adapter can be used between the shoulder rest 30 and the body 2.

[0049] To achieve exceptional playing performance and a high level of wearing comfort, the support element 32 of the shoulder brace 30 has a profile, thereby providing a personalized fit for each player. In this embodiment, the support element 32 of the shoulder brace 30 is made of a suitably selected material, such as wood or plastic, to achieve good tonal characteristics while maintaining the lowest possible weight. However, in addition, to further improve tonal characteristics, the support element 32 also has a pattern of appropriately positioned and arranged holes 40 and / or slots, as known from, for example, European Patent Application No. 20175545.1 (not previously published), the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference (“incorporated by reference”).

[0050] The holding system formed by the clamping unit 34 is designed to be particularly suitable for several design objectives, with the shoulder rest 30 attached to the violin body 2 of the violin 1 via the clamping unit 34. On the one hand, when the shoulder rest 30 is not in use, such as during transport in the violin case, it should be able to be stored in a particularly space-saving manner. For this purpose, the clamping unit 34 is designed to be rotatable or foldable, which can be achieved by comparing... Figure 3 (Shoulder support 30 with unfolded clamping unit 34, ready for use) and Figure 4 The illustration in (the shoulder support 30 with folding clamping unit 34 for storage) is easy to see.

[0051] On the other hand, the holding system should also be particularly adaptable to different geometries, such as due to the design of the stringed instrument or violin 1 and / or the anatomical requirements of the player. To achieve this, each of the clamping units 34 forming the holding system is designed as several parts; each clamping unit 34 includes a foot or shaft 50 with integrated internal threads, which is pivotally attached to the shoulder rest 30, and the actual holding clamp 52, which is arranged on and supported by the threaded shaft 54. When using the clamping unit 34, the holding clamp 52 can engage with the circumferential bottom edge 12 of the violin 1. To form the corresponding clamping unit 34, the threaded shaft 54 ​​carrying the holding clamp 52 can be screwed into the internal threads of the corresponding foot or shaft 50. This design makes it particularly easy to adjust or change the overall height of the clamping unit 34 by screwing the threaded shaft 54 ​​more or less into the internal threads of the shaft 50.

[0052] The components mentioned can be made of any suitable material. Shaft 50 is preferably made of plastic, thus exhibiting a particularly lightweight structure. The head or retaining clamp 52 is also preferably made of plastic, thereby advantageously, at least the contact area 56 that contacts the bottom edge 12 is made of rubber or a rubber-like material.

[0053] Figure 5 shows, in two perspective views, the legs or shafts 50 for attaching to the clamping unit 34 to the shoulder support 30. Figure 5a and Figure 5b To achieve the desired pivotability, the shaft 50 is rotatably mounted on the shoulder rest 30. For this purpose, Figure 6 shows, in two perspective views, a pivot bearing 55 associated with the foot or shaft 50, which is configured to receive the foot or shaft 50 and is fastened to the shoulder rest 30. Figure 6a and Figure 6b On the other hand, Figure 7 shows, in two perspective views, the assembly unit formed on one side by the support leg 50 and on the other side by the pivot bearing 55. Figure 7a and Figure 7b In addition, in Figure 8 The side view shows the legs or shaft 50 for attaching to the clamping unit 34 of the shoulder support 30, and Figure 9 shows the configuration when inserted into the pivot bearing 55. The design of the various components will now be explained further with reference to Figures 5 through 9.

[0054] On one side of the end region of shaft 50, a plurality of pivot pins 58 (two in an exemplary embodiment) are arranged, which are rotatably mounted about a rotation axis 62 in a bearing housing 60 attached to shoulder support 30. Figure 8 The drawing plane in Figure 9 is vertically aligned. (This is from the illustrations in Figures 6 and 7.) Figure 8As can be seen from the side view, the bearing housing 60 is designed in the form of an arcuate segment that does not completely surround or enclose the pivot pin 58 but only surrounds or encloses the pivot pin 58 for a certain arcuate length. Considering the elasticity of the material forming the bearing housing, preferably plastic or synthetic, the bearing housing 60 secures the pivot pin 58 in the inserted state, but the shaft 50 including its pivot pin 58 can be removed from the bearing formed by the bearing housing 60. This makes it particularly easy to replace or replace the support or shaft 50 from the bearing.

[0055] As already mentioned, the bearing housing 60 and / or clamping unit 34 are particularly preferably made of plastic or plastic material; however, alternatively, metal may be preferred as its base material. However, the support element may also be made of wood.

[0056] As can be seen from the illustration in Figure 5 and the cross-sectional view in Figure 9, the shaft 50 is thickened in its actual foot region in the form of a roller body 64 with an approximately cylindrical cross-section, and two pivot pins 58 are formed at the ends of the roller body 64. The roller body 64 is further provided with end pieces 66, which cooperate with stop pieces 68 attached to the shoulder support 30 to block the swinging out of the shaft 50. This ensures that when the clamping unit 34 is rotated outward, the clamping unit 34 is brought into a defined position and can engage with the bottom edge 12 of the violin 1 in a correspondingly appropriate manner.

[0057] In addition to the aforementioned blocking function, the end piece 66 can very precisely determine and distinguish the angle of the shaft 50 in the open state. For example, the strength of the leverage effect depends on the overall length of the shaft 50 and the rubber foot, which affects the strength of the leverage effect when clamped onto the instrument. In particular, the dimensions of these components should be precise so that they can compensate for the varying leverage effect when clamped onto the violin, depending on the overall length of the shaft and rubber foot. The increased leverage effect due to a longer shaft and rubber foot should be compensated, for example, by a more inwardly inclined position of the shaft 50. This is achieved again by the end piece 66, which is individually sized for each inclined leg version, and in this example, a wider end piece 66. Thus, relatively longer legs are preferably assigned a relatively wide end piece 66, while shorter legs are preferably assigned a narrower end piece 66. In this way, the angle in the unfolded state is integrated into the shaft element itself and is independent of the support itself.

[0058] The end piece 66 is further provided with an O-ring 70 guided in a groove 69, the O-ring 70 preferably being made of rubber. On the one hand, this suppresses the impact when the end piece 66 contacts the stop 68; on the other hand, due to the plastic deformability of the O-ring 70, the connection and contact between the end piece 66 and the stop 68 have a certain degree of elasticity. As has been quite surprisingly demonstrated, this design has a very positive overall effect on the tone quality when the shoulder rest is attached to the violin via the clamping unit 34. Due to the elasticity of the O-ring 70, a mechanical contact is established in the blocking area through the O-ring 70, thus this connection has a certain degree of elasticity, especially at a microscopic level, which has a very positive effect on the sound design of the instrument.

[0059] Particularly in the enlarged sectional view shown in Figure 9b, it can be clearly seen that when the shaft 50 is fully extended, the end piece 66 is in direct contact with the stop 68 in the contact area 71. The O-ring 70, mounted in the groove 69, deforms accordingly within its elastic range. It is also clear from this illustration that the appropriate thickness of the O-ring 70 or the choice of rope strength is crucial to the precise characteristics of the contact between the end piece 66 and the stop 68 in the contact area 70: if the rope strength is chosen to be very large, the O-ring 70 will deform within its elastic range until it absorbs the completely constant reaction force used to fix the shaft 50; direct contact between the end piece 66 and the stop 68 will not occur in the contact area 71. On the other hand, if the rope thickness is chosen to be very small, the O-ring 70 will be almost entirely contained within the groove 69, and there will be little deformation before the end piece directly contacts the stop 68 in the contact area 71; this corresponds to a substantially undamped or non-spring-like mechanical contact between the end piece 66 and the stop 68.

[0060] Advantageously, the primary function of the O-ring 70 is to suppress any striking noise that may occur when the end piece 66 strikes the stop piece 68 during the corresponding movements in the violin playing and holding system. Advantageously, the dimensions of these components are designed such that the end piece 66 contacts the stop piece 68 in the contact area 71 under tension. Since slight acoustic vibrations may occur at this point due to contact-related transmission of sound waves, the presence of the O-ring 70 is also advantageous in terms of sound. Surprisingly, the sound with the O-ring seems more "vivid" than the sound without it. In view of the above considerations, it is advantageous to appropriately select the size or shape of the O-ring 70 according to the desired characteristics, which may result in excessive "resonance" if the ring is too thick, or on the other hand, may result in no impact damping if the ring is too thin. In particular, it is advantageous to always choose the string thickness (SD) such that the O-ring 70 is slightly compressed when the rest is clamped onto the violin, causing the end piece 66 and the stop piece 68 to contact each other. Larger protrusions require softer materials (lower compressive strength), while smaller protrusions require harder materials.

[0061] Advantageously, O-rings 70 with a rope thickness (SD) between 0.5 and 3 mm, preferably 0.7 to 1.5 mm, and particularly preferably 0.8 to 1.2 mm are used. The compression of the rope thickness (SD) should be between (minimum) 10% and (maximum) 60%, preferably 20-50%, and particularly preferably 30-40%.

[0062] In the sense of the flexible adaptability of the holding system formed by the clamping units 34 to the individual geometry of the violin 1, some adjustability between the net widths of the holding clamps 52 when the clamping units 34 are deployed is also desirable. Therefore, it should be possible to select the net width between the holding clamps 52 such that reliable engagement of the holding clamps 52 in the circumferential bottom edge 12 is possible while applying a certain, but not too large, pretension to the component. To be able to change the net width of the holding clamps 52 accordingly, the shafts 50 of each clamping unit 34 are eccentrically or off-center guided such that, in the fully deployed state, the central axis 72 of the shaft 50 does not intersect the axis of rotation 62, but passes through the axis of rotation 62 at an offset V from each other. In this way, the net width of the holding clamps 52 can be changed in a particularly simple manner, simply by replacing the shaft elements and replacing them with alternative shafts having different offsets V.

[0063] Therefore, advantageously, the shaft elements are provided in a set, which includes multiple shaft elements, each with a different offset V. Figure 10 and Figure 11 Two sets of shaft elements are shown, differing from each other in length of the actual shaft 50. However, Figure 10 The groups shown Figure 11 Each of the groups shown includes a leg or shaft 50 with a relatively small offset V (shown on the left), a medium offset V (shown in the middle), and a relatively large offset V (shown on the right).

[0064] By replacing the corresponding shaft elements, the gap between the two holding clamps 52 in the deployed state can be easily varied. Furthermore, these components are also symmetrically guided outwards, so that each shaft 50 can be mounted in a second direction, rotating 180° about its central axis 72, in addition to its initial first position. Thus, the position of the central axis moves from an initial offset of +V to a new offset of -V. This replacement is schematically illustrated in a series of figures shown in Figure 12.

[0065] exist Figure 12a In the image, we can see how the clamping unit 34 rotates from the fully extended position to the removed position, with the pivot pin 58 rotating accordingly within the bearing housing 60. The pivoting motion is caused by… Figure 12a Arrow 74 indicates this. In Figure 12b As can be seen in the view, in the removal position reached by pivoting, due to the shape of the component, the clamping unit 34 is allowed to be removed from the bearing housing 60, as... Figure 12b As indicated by the middle arrow 76, the shape of the bearing housing 60, i.e., its design as only an arc segment or arc member, is particularly important for removal options.

[0066] After removal, such as Figure 12c As indicated by arrow 78, clamping unit 34 can rotate 180° around the central axis 72 of shaft 50, and then, according to... Figure 12d As shown in the diagram, it is brought back into the bearing housing 60 in the direction indicated by arrow 80. Then, the clamping unit 34 unfolds again, as... Figure 12e As indicated by arrow 82. Furthermore, due to the rotation, retaining clamp 52 now initially points in the "incorrect" direction, i.e., its engaging side faces outwards. To correct this, a further 180° rotation of retaining clamp 52 is provided by rotating threaded shaft 54 ​​within the internal thread of shaft 50, as shown... Figure 12e As shown by arrow 84 in the image.

[0067] The result of this change, in which the two clamping units 34 rotate accordingly, is shown as an example in Figure 13. Figure 13a The image shows the original state, where the shafts 50 of the two clamping units 34 are mounted in corresponding bearing housings 60 with their offsets V outward, creating a net width W between the retaining clamps 52. Conversely, Figure 13bThe configuration shown is that of the two retaining elements 34 after each of them has been rotated 180° in their respective bearing housings 60, according to the sequence shown in Figure 12. In this configuration, they are now offset inward relative to their respective central axes 72, resulting in a new clearance W' = W - 4V for the retaining clamps 52 (for each retaining clamp 52, the position changes from +V to -V, i.e., a total of 2V).

[0068] The combination of these design features provides a retaining system for attaching the shoulder rest 30 to the violin 1, which allows the shoulder rest to be effortlessly and minimally personalized to the violin 1 and the player's individual requirements, even over a wide range of parameters. The clear width W can be effortlessly adjusted according to the described method, particularly when using a complete set of shaft elements, and the height or distance of the corresponding retaining clamp 52 from the support element 32 can be changed in a particularly simple manner by screwing the threaded shaft 54 ​​into or out of the internal thread of the foot or shaft 50.

[0069] Regarding the choice of materials, two designs are particularly preferred: one design has three plastic components, namely two clamping units and a support element with an integrated bearing housing; the other design has five plastic / wood components, namely two clamping units and a bearing housing made of plastic, which is mounted on a support element made of wood.

[0070] Reference tag list 1 violin 2. Body 4-string 6-string pivot 8-piece headstock 10 Bottom of the body 12 Bottom Edge 14. End of the neck 16, 18 end blocks 20, 22 outer blocks 24 protrusions 26 side panels 30 shoulder support 32 support elements 34 clamping units 40 holes 50 axis 52 Holding clamp 54 threaded shaft 55 pivot bearing 56 contact areas 58 Pivot Pins 60 bearing housing 62 Rotation axis 64 rollers 66 terminal 68 stop 69 grooves 70O ring 71 Contact Area 72 central axis Arrows 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84 V offset W gap

Claims

1. A shoulder rest (30) for a stringed instrument, the shoulder rest (30) having a longitudinally (L) extending support element (32) for resting on the shoulder and / or chest of a player, wherein a plurality of hinged clamping units (34) are arranged on the support element, wherein the shaft (50) of the clamping unit (34) or each clamping unit (34) is in each case mounted in an associated pivot bearing (55) by an integrally formed pivot pin (58), wherein the bearing housing (60) of the pivot bearing (55) is in each case designed in an arcuate segment that does not completely surround the pivot pin (58) but only surrounds the pivot pin (58) or engages the pivot pin (58) only in a certain arcuate length. Around the pivot pin (58), each clamping unit (34) includes a corresponding retaining clamp (52) which is disposed on and supported by a threaded shaft (54) that can be screwed into an internal thread integrally formed with the shaft (50) of the clamping unit (34), wherein the shaft (50) of each clamping unit (34) is eccentrically or off-center guided such that, in the fully extended state, the central axis (72) of the shaft (50) does not intersect the axis of rotation (62) of the corresponding pivot bearing (55), but passes through the pivot bearing (55) with the central axis (72) and the axis of rotation (62) spaced apart by an offset (V) from each other. The shoulder support also includes a set of interchangeable shaft elements with different offsets, so that by changing one of the interchangeable shaft elements, the net width between the retaining clamps (52) in the fully extended state can be varied.

2. The shoulder support (30) according to claim 1, wherein, The clamping unit (34) or the shaft (50) of each clamping unit (34) is designed in its foot area as a roller (64) having an approximately cylindrical cross-section.

3. The shoulder support (30) according to claim 2, wherein, The clamping unit (34) or the roller (64) of each clamping unit (34) is provided with an end piece (66) that cooperates with a stop (68) mounted on the shoulder support (30) to block the swing of the shaft (50).

4. The shoulder support (30) according to claim 3, wherein, Each roller (64) has an O-ring (70) at its end (66) that is guided in a groove (69).

5. The shoulder support (30) according to claim 4, wherein, The O-ring (70) is made of rubber.

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