Pickup for musical instruments

Abstract

This invention provides a pickup for musical instruments, relating to the field of pickup technology. The device includes a fixing mechanism and a sound-producing mechanism. The fixing mechanism consists of a vertical clamping component, a horizontal clamping component, and an adjusting component. The vertical clamping component achieves bidirectional vertical clamping through an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate, and an internal linkage mechanism. The horizontal clamping component provides lateral fixation and triggers vertical clamping through an eccentric locking mechanism. The adjusting component achieves pickup installation height adjustment through the stacking of shims. The method includes steps such as height preset, installation snap-in, and linkage locking. This invention solves the problems of unstable fixing and inability to adjust the height of traditional pickup installation methods, and achieves stable, reliable, height-adjustable, and easy-to-operate pickup installation and fixing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pickup technology, and more specifically, to a pickup for musical instruments. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of electro-acoustic instrument performance and sound amplification, pickups are crucial transducer devices, especially for acoustic guitars. Surface mount or clamp-on pickups are widely used to collect vibration signals from the guitar body and strings. In current technology, these pickups are generally fixed to the guitar body or soundhole side plate using mechanical clamping. Their typical structure uses one or more bolts to drive a pair of clamping arms to generate clamping force, relying on the pads on the inside of the clamping arms or the static friction generated directly with the guitar wood surface to achieve fixation. However, this fixing method has obvious design limitations: due to the constraints of the guitar body contour and considerations to avoid damaging the instrument, the clamping range of the clamping arms is usually limited, often only covering a small portion of the guitar top thickness (e.g., less than half), resulting in a severely insufficient contact area and coverage.

[0003] This limited clamping method introduces a dual stability problem. From a mechanical perspective, the clamping mechanism needs to overcome potential displacement in two directions simultaneously: one is perpendicular to the soundboard to prevent the pickup from falling off due to its own weight or cable pull; the other is parallel to the soundboard to prevent it from slipping during playing due to vibrations or accidental contact. The existing bolt clamping scheme, with its limited positive pressure, generates static friction that must simultaneously bear the anti-slip task in both directions. This significantly weakens the effective anti-slip margin in either direction, resulting in a marked reduction in the fixation firmness. Furthermore, existing designs typically lack a convenient and reliable clamping height adjustment mechanism, making it impossible to adapt to the specific guitar model or the user's preference for pickup sensitivity. This makes it difficult to accurately align the pickup's optimal pickup position, directly affecting the efficiency of vibration signal acquisition and the accuracy of sound reproduction, thus limiting the overall performance of the pickup. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a pickup for musical instruments to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a pickup for a musical instrument, comprising a fixing mechanism and a sound-producing mechanism; The fixing mechanism includes a vertical clamping component, a horizontal clamping component, and an adjustment component. The fixing mechanism can not only fix the microphone in multiple directions but also adjust the position of the microphone, thereby improving the microphone's performance. The vertical clamping component not only ensures the fixation of traditional fixed points, but also ensures that hidden positions are simultaneously fixed, thereby improving the fixation effect. The lateral clamping component not only ensures fixation in the lateral position through simple lateral pushing, but also simultaneously ensures fixation in the hidden position. The design of the adjustment component allows the microphone to be conveniently adjusted at multiple predetermined height positions, thereby improving ease of use; The design of the sound-producing mechanism ensures the continuous operation of the pickup.

[0006] Preferably, the vertical clamping assembly includes a middle disk and an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate located at the upper and lower ends of the middle disk, respectively. External grooves are respectively formed on the adjacent surfaces of the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate. The two external grooves are located on the upper and lower sides of the middle disk. The design of the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate basically ensures the vertical fixation of the microphone.

[0007] Preferably, multiple sets of guide sleeves and guide rods are coaxially arranged on two adjacent surfaces of the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate. When the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are in a fixed state, the guide rods are inserted into the guide sleeves, and the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are connected by bolts.

[0008] Preferably, the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are respectively provided with a synchronization groove, and two shrink blocks are respectively arranged in opposite directions in the two synchronization grooves, and bidirectional rods are respectively abutted and attached to the outer walls of the two oppositely arranged shrink blocks.

[0009] Preferably, two sets of spring plates are symmetrically arranged on the side of the bidirectional rod, and an arched block is provided at the other end of the two spring plates. A fixing groove is formed inside the intermediate disk, and the arched block abuts against the fixing groove. The elastic plate ensures the reverse thrust of the bidirectional rod, and the reverse thrust causes the bidirectional rod to drive the two contraction blocks to move closer to each other.

[0010] Preferably, the transverse clamping assembly includes two concentric grooves respectively formed on the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, and a top block is abuttingly connected to the concentric groove. Each top block is connected to an eccentric block, and the eccentric block is limited to abutting within the fixed groove.

[0011] Preferably, a support sleeve is clamped and installed in the fixing groove, and two push rods are rotatably provided in the support sleeve. The two push rods are rotatably connected to the eccentric block, and each eccentric block is equipped with a handle.

[0012] Preferably, the adjustment assembly includes a plurality of directional sleeves respectively disposed in the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, each directional sleeve having a plurality of directional pieces slidably connected therein, and two directional pieces on the same plane having gaskets installed thereon, and the plurality of gaskets overlapping each other.

[0013] Preferably, the gap between two adjacent directional sleeves is less than the thickness of one directional piece, and the height of the pickup can be changed by altering the number of pads on the upper and lower sides of the middle disc.

[0014] Preferably, the sound-producing mechanism includes a pickup body mounted on the top cover and a guitar fixedly connected to the middle plate.

[0015] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a pickup for musical instruments, which has the following advantages: This invention solves the problem of insufficient stability caused by the limited clamping range and single-point friction fixation of traditional bolt clamping methods. Through the synergistic effect of the vertical clamping component and the horizontal clamping component, a composite and reliable fixation of the guitar body in both vertical and horizontal directions is achieved. The vertical clamping component not only provides external main clamping force through the upper and lower cover plates, but also generates an additional hidden clamping force in the clamped body in the opposite direction through its unique internal shrink block and spring linkage mechanism, thereby forming a two-way clamping effect and greatly improving the overall stability against vertical pull-out and lateral slippage.

[0016] This invention introduces a height-adjustable adjustment component. By adding or removing stackable shims within specific slots in the upper and lower cover plates, the installation height of the pickup body relative to the guitar body can be conveniently and precisely adjusted. Thanks to the anti-drop-off design of the directional sleeve and directional plate, the adjustment process is safe and simple, allowing users to precisely position the pickup at the optimal pickup position according to different instrument models, panel curvature, or personal tone preferences, thereby significantly optimizing signal acquisition quality and usage flexibility.

[0017] The lateral clamping assembly of this invention is designed to drive the eccentric block and the top rod through the operating handle, converting the rotational motion into a powerful lateral locking force. This force acts directly on the upper and lower cover plates to achieve lateral anti-slip, and also serves as a trigger signal, transmitted through the bidirectional rod and forcing the spring to deform, thereby triggering the hidden clamping mechanism inside the vertical clamping assembly. This achieves a highly efficient fixing process of "one operation, double locking", greatly simplifying the installation and disassembly steps and improving the user experience.

[0018] The invention features a reasonable overall structural design, with each component having a clear function and strong synergy. While providing excellent fixation and adjustment capabilities, all mechanical parts can be installed and disassembled without damage, avoiding damage to the surface of precious musical instruments. Its purely mechanical operation ensures long-term reliability and maintenance-free operation, making it highly practical and promising for market promotion. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a pickup for a musical instrument according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intermediate disk and the microphone body in this invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the support sleeve and eccentric block in this invention. Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the upper cover plate in this invention; Figure 5 This is an exploded cross-sectional view of the upper cover plate, lower cover plate, and intermediate disk in this invention. Figure 6 This is an exploded cross-sectional view of the lower cover plate, intermediate plate, and gasket in this invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lower cover plate in this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the upper cover plate in this invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the bidirectional rod in this invention.

[0020] In the diagram: 11. Vertical clamping assembly; 12. Intermediate plate; 13. Upper cover plate; 14. Lower cover plate; 15. External groove; 16. Guide sleeve; 17. Guide rod; 18. Bolt; 19. Synchronization groove; 110. Shrink block; 111. Two-way rod; 112. Spring; 113. Arched block; 114. Fixing groove; 21. Lateral clamping assembly; 22. Concentric groove; 23. Top block; 24. Eccentric block; 25. Support sleeve; 26. Top rod; 27. Handle; 31. Adjustment assembly; 32. Orientation sleeve; 33. Orientation plate; 34. Gasket; 41. Sound-producing mechanism; 42. Pickup body; 43. Guitar. Detailed Implementation

[0021] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0022] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0023] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, the directional terms such as "up" and "down" generally refer to the directions shown in the accompanying drawings, or to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "left" and "right" generally refer to the left and right shown in the accompanying drawings; "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this invention.

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. This embodiment describes a multi-directional adjustable pickup fixing mechanism for musical instruments (taking a guitar as an example). Its core lies in achieving reliable fixing of the pickup in the vertical direction (clamping force) and the lateral direction (anti-slip force) through a set of synergistic mechanical components, and has a convenient installation height adjustment function, thereby significantly improving the stability of pickup installation and acoustic acquisition effect.

[0025] See Figures 1 to 9 The pickup fixing device provided in this embodiment mainly includes a fixing mechanism and a sound-producing mechanism 41. The fixing mechanism is the core of achieving multi-functional fixing, and it further integrates a vertical clamping component 11, a horizontal clamping component 21, and an adjustment component 31. The sound-producing mechanism 41 includes the object to be fixed (pickup) and the fixing base (musical instrument).

[0026] 1. Vertical clamping component 11: Main frame and vertical main clamp The vertical clamping assembly 11 forms the skeleton of the device and provides the main clamping force on the guitar body (represented by the middle disc 12) in the vertical direction (i.e., the thickness direction).

[0027] Main frame: The assembly includes a central plate 12, an upper cover plate 13, and a lower cover plate 14. The central plate 12 represents the clamped part of the guitar body (such as the area below the bridge or the edge of the side plate). The upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14 are located on the upper and lower sides of the central plate 12, respectively, and are detachably connected by bolts 18 to form an openable clamping body. External grooves 15 are correspondingly formed on adjacent surfaces of the upper and lower cover plates to accommodate the adjustment assembly 31.

[0028] Guiding and pre-positioning: To ensure accurate alignment of the upper and lower cover plates, multiple sets of guide sleeves 16 and guide rods 17 are respectively provided on them. When closed, the guide rods 17 are inserted into the guide sleeves 16. Synchronization grooves 19 are provided inside both the upper and lower cover plates.

[0029] Concealed clamping mechanism: Within each synchronization slot 19, two slidable retractable blocks 110 are arranged in opposite directions. Both retractable blocks 110 contact the side of a bidirectional rod 111. Two sets of spring tabs 112 are symmetrically arranged on the side of the bidirectional rod 111, with arched blocks 113 connected to the ends of the spring tabs 112. When the device is installed, the arched blocks 113 abut against a fixing groove 114 formed inside the intermediate disk 12. The function of this mechanism is that when the upper and lower cover plates are subjected to lateral thrust, the force can be converted into a tendency for the two retractable blocks 110 to move towards each other through the bidirectional rod 111 and the spring tabs 112, thereby applying an additional vertical clamping force to the intermediate disk 12 from the contact point "hidden" inside.

[0030] 2. Adjustment component 31: Multi-level adjustment of pickup mounting height The adjustment component 31 is used to set the installation height of the pickup relative to the guitar body (middle plate 12) to accommodate different instruments or tone requirements.

[0031] Stacked Height Adjustment: Multiple directional sleeves 32 are installed inside the upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14. Multiple directional pieces 33 are slidably stacked within each directional sleeve 32. A gasket 34 is mounted on two directional pieces 33 located on the same horizontal plane, and multiple gaskets 34 can overlap and accumulate. The key design feature is that the gap between two adjacent directional sleeves 32 is set to be less than the thickness of a single directional piece 33. This ensures that when adjusting the total thickness by adding or removing gaskets 34 in the disassembled state, the directional pieces 33 and gaskets 34 will not accidentally detach from the directional sleeves 32, facilitating operation.

[0032] 3. Lateral clamping component 21: Lateral locking and linkage triggering The lateral clamping assembly 21 not only provides lateral fixing force to prevent the pickup from sliding along the guitar panel, but also acts as a "trigger" to activate the hidden force-amplifying mechanism in the vertical clamping assembly 11.

[0033] Eccentric locking mechanism: Concentric grooves 22 are formed on the upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14. A support sleeve 25 is placed in the fixing groove 114 of the intermediate plate 12. Two push rods 26 are rotatably installed inside the support sleeve 25. The two ends of each push rod 26 are connected to a push block 23 through an eccentric block 24, and the push block 23 contacts the concentric groove 22. A handle 27 is installed on the eccentric block 24 for the operator to operate.

[0034] Working principle: Rotating the handle 27 pushes the top block 23 through the eccentric block 24, causing it to displace within the concentric groove 22. Due to the eccentric effect, when the handle 27 passes the "dead point" position, the top block 23 will generate a strong lateral thrust on the upper cover plate 13 or the lower cover plate 14. This thrust is the main locking force source preventing the entire device from sliding laterally on the guitar panel.

[0035] 4. Sound-producing mechanism 41 The sound-producing mechanism 41 includes a pickup body 42 fixedly mounted on the top cover plate 13, and a guitar 43 serving as a fixed base.

[0036] 5. Assembly, adjustment and fixing process of the device S1: Height preset and preliminary assembly.

[0037] The operator first determines the number of shims 34 that need to be stacked in the outer slots 15 of the upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14 based on the required pickup height. The clearance between the upper and lower sets of shims is adjusted by adding or removing shims 34. Due to the design of the gap in the directional sleeve 32, the shims 34 and the directional piece 33 will not fall apart during the adjustment process. After adjustment, the upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14 are initially tightened with bolts 18, but left slightly loose, leaving a gap for inserting the center plate 12 (guitar body).

[0038] S2: Install onto the instrument and engage lateral locking.

[0039] Insert the assembled clamping body (upper cover plate 13, lower cover plate 14 and internal adjustment component 31) into the target position (middle plate 12) of the guitar. At this time, the arched blocks 113 inside the upper and lower cover plates should naturally abut against the corresponding structure or the preset fixing groove 114 inside the guitar.

[0040] Place the support sleeve 25 into the appropriate position on the guitar (such as inside the soundhole or the corresponding position inside the guitar body), aligning its two ends with the concentric grooves 22 on the upper and lower cover plates. Insert the top rod 26 to position the eccentric blocks 24 and the top block 23 at its two ends.

[0041] S3: Execute linkage fixation.

[0042] This step is the core fixing action, which achieves coordinated locking in both the horizontal and vertical directions through a single operation (pulling the handle).

[0043] Simultaneously, both upper and lower handles 27 are moved. Through the transmission of the push rod 26 and the eccentric block 24, the push block 23 applies a continuously increasing lateral thrust to the side wall of the concentric groove 22.

[0044] This lateral thrust is transmitted through the upper and lower cover plates to the internal double-acting rod 111. The double-acting rod 111 then transmits the force to the springs 112 on both sides. Since the arched block 113 at the end of the spring 112 is held in place by the guitar structure (fixed groove 114), the spring 112 undergoes elastic deformation.

[0045] The deformation of the spring 112 generates a reverse force, which, on the one hand, pushes the two contraction blocks 110 to move towards each other in the synchronization groove 19 through the bidirectional rod 111, thereby "hugging" the middle plate 12 (guitar body) from the inside and generating a strong internal vertical clamping force. On the other hand, this force also feeds back, helping to enhance the locking effect between the top block 23 and the concentric groove 22, forming a lateral fixing force.

[0046] When handle 27 is turned past a certain critical point, the mechanism enters a self-locking state, and the lateral locking force reaches its maximum.

[0047] S4: Final tightening and completion.

[0048] With the lateral clamping assembly 21 providing the main fixing force, the bolts 18 connecting the upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14 are finally tightened. This further strengthens the main clamping force in the vertical direction and makes the entire device a rigid whole, firmly fixed to the guitar. The pickup body 42 is connected to the upper cover plate 13 through a preset mounting point, the height of which has been determined by the number of shims 34 in step S1.

[0049] S5: Height adjustment and disassembly.

[0050] When adjusting the pickup height, the operation sequence is the reverse of the installation sequence: loosen bolt 18 → reverse the lever 27 to release the lateral locking force → remove the entire clamping body from the guitar → loosen bolt 18 to loosen the upper and lower cover plates → add or remove shims 34 as needed → reinstall according to steps S1-S4.

[0051] Of all the solutions mentioned above, those involving the connection between two components can be selected according to the actual situation, such as welding, bolt and nut connection, bolt or screw connection, or other known connection methods, which will not be elaborated here. For all the fixed connections mentioned above, welding is preferred. Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pickup for a musical instrument, characterized by: Includes a fixing mechanism and a sound-producing mechanism (41); The fixing mechanism includes a vertical clamping component (11), a horizontal clamping component (21), and an adjustment component (31). The fixing mechanism can not only fix the microphone in multiple directions but also adjust the position of the microphone, thereby improving the microphone's performance. The vertical clamping component (11) can not only ensure the fixation of the traditional fixed points, but also ensure that the hidden positions are fixed synchronously, thereby improving the fixation effect. The lateral clamping component (21) not only ensures fixation in the lateral position through simple lateral pushing, but also simultaneously ensures fixation in the hidden position; The design of the adjustment component (31) allows the microphone to be conveniently adjusted at multiple predetermined height positions, thereby improving ease of use; The design of the sound-producing mechanism (41) ensures the continuity of the microphone's operation.

2. The pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vertical clamping assembly (11) includes a middle plate (12) and an upper cover plate (13) and a lower cover plate (14) located at the upper and lower ends of the middle plate (12), respectively. External grooves (15) are respectively opened on the adjacent surfaces of the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14). The two external grooves (15) are located on the upper and lower sides of the middle plate (12). The design of the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14) basically ensures the vertical fixation of the microphone.

3. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that: Multiple sets of guide sleeves (16) and guide rods (17) are coaxially arranged on two adjacent surfaces of the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14). When the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14) are in a fixed state, the guide rods (17) are inserted into the guide sleeves (16), and the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14) are connected by bolts (18).

4. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 3, characterized in that: Synchronization grooves (19) are respectively provided inside the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14), and two shrinkage blocks (110) are respectively arranged in opposite directions in the two synchronization grooves (19), and two bidirectional rods (111) are respectively abutting and attached to the outer walls of the two opposite shrinkage blocks (110).

5. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 4, characterized in that: The two-way rod (111) has two sets of spring plates (112) symmetrically arranged on its side, and the other end of the two spring plates (112) is provided with an arched block (113). The middle plate (12) forms a fixing groove (114) inside, and the arched block (113) abuts against the fixing groove (114). The elastic plate ensures the reverse thrust of the two-way rod (111). The reverse thrust causes the two-way rod (111) to drive the two contraction blocks (110) to move closer to each other.

6. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transverse clamping assembly (21) includes two concentric grooves (22) respectively opened on the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14), and a top block (23) is abuttingly connected on the concentric groove (22). Each top block (23) is connected to an eccentric block (24), and the eccentric block (24) is limited to abutting in the fixed groove (114).

7. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that: A support sleeve (25) is clamped and installed in the fixed groove (114), and two push rods (26) are rotatably provided in the support sleeve (25). The two push rods (26) are rotatably connected to the eccentric block (24), and each eccentric block (24) is equipped with a handle (27).

8. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment assembly (31) includes a plurality of directional sleeves (32) respectively disposed in the upper cover plate (13) and the lower cover plate (14). Each directional sleeve (32) has a plurality of directional pieces (33) slidably connected in it. Two directional pieces (33) on the same plane are fitted with pads (34), and the plurality of pads (34) overlap each other.

9. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 8, characterized in that: The gap between two adjacent upper and lower directional sleeves (32) is less than the thickness of one directional piece (33). The height of the pickup can be changed by changing the number of pads (34) on the upper and lower sides of the middle plate (12).

10. A pickup for a musical instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sound-producing mechanism (41) includes a pickup body (42) mounted on the top cover plate (13) and a guitar (43) fixedly connected to the middle plate (12).

Images