SHOULDER REST FOR A STRING INSTRUMENT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shoulder rest for a string instrument, in particular for a violin or viola, with a support element for placing on the shoulder and / or chest of the player.

[0002] String instruments, especially violins and violas (the latter also known as violas), are held at the end of their bodies between the chin and shoulder of the musician during performance. However, since the distance between the player's head and the shoulder area is usually greater than the thickness of the instrument, holding or clamping the instrument is very uncomfortable for the musician, so that - if playing the instrument is possible at all - impairments to the playing quality cannot be avoided. To counteract this, so-called chin rests, also called chin cups, and shoulder rests for violins and violas were developed.

[0003] These shoulder rests are detachably attached to the body of the instrument using a holding device and thus serve to make holding the instrument more comfortable for the musician. Basically, a shoulder rest is attached to a violin or similar instrument and forms a support surface that rests on the musician's shoulder, with the instrument itself supported at a selected level. This depends in particular on the musician's physique, in particular the neck length, shoulder shape, and violin position. 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, US 7,488,877 B2, GB 871,826, DE 36 43 225 A1, CH 277350, or US 2012 / 0011982 A1.

[0004] The shoulder rests can be designed with a solid base. However, this is usually not sufficiently shaped to fit the musician's shoulder and thus individually adjusted, meaning that some compromises in terms of playing comfort and convenience must be accepted. For comfort reasons, the solid base can also be provided with a cushion at the bottom, which rests against the musician's shoulder when the instrument is played. Attached to both ends of the base are upwardly projecting holding elements or carrying elements that support pivoting, forked end pieces. These can be attached to the side walls of the instrument body near the body bottom. To ensure this type of shoulder rest can be firmly attached to the instrument, the base of the shoulder rest has a certain degree of inherent elasticity, which serves to generate a certain clamping force with which the forked end pieces grip the instrument.End pieces are also known in other designs in combination with the support elements, but they usually all grip the instrument with a certain clamping effect.

[0005] To ensure high-quality sound and harmony with the instrument, such shoulder rests are usually made of plastic, but more recently also of wood or wood-based materials, and their contours are at least approximately customized to the player's body shape. This is intended to ensure that the player can play the instrument particularly comfortably and harmoniously, without compromising their concentration or attention.

[0006] EP 27 17 255 A1 also discloses a shoulder rest of the aforementioned type, which significantly improves the tonal characteristics of the instrument and shoulder rest ensemble. The support element of the shoulder rest is provided with a plurality of holes. This design of the support element results in a particularly favorable and low-interference vibration behavior of the shoulder rest and the acoustic coupling to the vibration behavior of the instrument itself, allowing for a particularly high overall tonal quality when playing the instrument.

[0007] The invention is now based on the object of providing a shoulder rest of the above-mentioned type with which an even further improved tonal quality of the ensemble consisting of instrument and shoulder rest can be achieved.

[0008] This object is achieved by a shoulder rest according to claim 1, in that the support element comprises a flat, extended base body which is segmented in such a way that it forms a plurality of separately oscillating elements.

[0009] The invention is based on the idea that a particularly high-quality acoustic vibration behavior of the shoulder rest can be achieved by specifically designing the shoulder rest for the ability to oscillate relatively freely. To this end, the aim is to keep the coupled, jointly vibrating masses comparatively small. To achieve this, the support element should be divided into a plurality of elements or components that are acoustically uncoupled or as little coupled as possible. For this purpose, a segmentation of the vibrating base body of the support element can be provided.

[0010] The desired segmentation of the support element can preferably be achieved by dividing the base body into elements that, viewed along the length of the support element, are separated from one another in significant areas and are connected to one another only in the edge regions, for example, only in the end zones adjacent to the respective end of the base body, for example, with a length of at most 20% of the total length of the base body. According to the invention, such segmentation is achieved by providing opening slots in the base body of the support element, so that the support element of the shoulder rest is provided with a number of opening slots extending longitudinally and completely penetrating the thickness of the support element.

[0011] The opening slots can be straight or curved. According to the invention, the opening slots should run in the longitudinal direction of the support element. The support element can essentially run straight with its side edges; alternatively, however, the support element can also be adapted to the user's body shape and be designed with a correspondingly curved or twisted shape for a high playing quality and increased user-friendliness. In this case, "longitudinal direction" is essentially understood to mean a direction parallel to the side edges of the support element.

[0012] In order to achieve the desired decoupling or segmentation of the support element into a plurality of separately oscillating elements, the opening slots should be designed in the manner of mechanically separating elements, completely or almost continuously, i.e. cutting through the support element over its entire thickness.

[0013] The number and design of the opening slots are advantageously selected with a view to the desired improvement in the tonal properties. Depending on the design of the instrument and the other circumstances and requirements, they can be provided and dimensioned from relatively short to relatively long, but according to the invention between 10% and 80% of the length of the support element in its longitudinal direction; from relatively wide to relatively narrow, but according to the invention with a width between 0.5 and 3 mm; and in a suitable number, in particular between 1 and 5.

[0014] The opening slots can penetrate the base body of the support element essentially perpendicularly, i.e., with their side walls aligned parallel to the surface normal of the support element. Alternatively, the opening slots, or at least parts or regions thereof, can also be designed with side walls inclined relative to the surface normal of the support element. The angle of inclination, i.e., the angle between the respective side wall of the opening slot and the surface normal of the support element, is advantageously between 25° and 60°, most preferably approximately 45°.

[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment, and for a particularly far-reaching improvement in the sound characteristics of the shoulder rest, the support element is provided with a combination of the aforementioned opening slots and a number of through-holes already known per se from EP 27 17 255 A1. In such a combined arrangement, from the user's or player's perspective, the holes provide a certain "transparency" or lightness in terms of sound, whereas the slots provide "freedom." The holes are expediently arranged in so-called "hole tracks" that run along a corresponding contour line. Advantageously, the support element is thus provided with a plurality of holes arranged in a number of hole tracks, each running in the longitudinal direction, and completely penetrating the thickness of the support element.

[0016] In such a combination of hole pattern and opening slots, these can in principle be positioned and arranged independently of the hole pattern. Advantageously, however, and in the interest of a particularly desirable tonal synergy between the opening slots and the hole pattern, these are positioned in combination with and relative to one another, with a number of opening slots advantageously connecting two adjacent holes in one of the hole tracks. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the respective opening slot opens into the respective hole with a rounded side edge, so that in the opening area it has a certain, possibly comparatively slight, curvature on its side edges throughout.This allows the contour of the opening slot in the junction area to be kept essentially corner-free, so that a particularly good diversion function for the sound waves arriving in the longitudinal direction can be achieved.

[0017] In another particularly preferred embodiment, the holes form a hole pattern that particularly enhances the tonal properties of the ensemble of instrument and shoulder rest. For this purpose, a hole track formed by a number of main holes is advantageously arranged centrally in the support element with respect to the width of the latter, and at least one hole track formed by a number of secondary holes is advantageously arranged off-center in the support element with respect to the width of the latter, with the secondary holes being arranged approximately midway between two adjacent main holes when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support element. The support element is thus provided with a plurality of holes that form a specifically combined ensemble of main and secondary holes, and which, as a whole, are dimensioned and positioned for particularly favorable sound transmission within the base body.This particularly preferred positioning of the holes makes it possible to take into account a number of actually diverging design objectives: on the one hand, a particularly favorable guidance of the sound in the support element is made possible, while on the other hand, the structural integrity of the support element itself can be kept particularly stable with regard to the weakening caused by the holes.

[0018] For particularly harmonious vibration behavior, the holes are advantageously selected to be of equal diameter or area for one or both of these categories, i.e., main holes on the one hand and / or secondary holes on the other. Surprisingly, it has also been found that particularly favorable vibration behavior can be achieved if the individual hole area of ​​the main holes is approximately four times the individual hole area of ​​the secondary holes, i.e., if the hole size, defined, for example, by the clear width of a hole, of the main holes is approximately twice the hole size of the secondary holes.

[0019] A particularly preferred embodiment is one in which, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support element, two secondary holes are provided between each two consecutive main holes, preferably positioned mirror-symmetrically to the center line of the support element. With such an arrangement, the aforementioned choice of geometry, in which the hole size of the main holes is approximately twice the hole size of the secondary holes, results in the cross-sectional portion filled by the material of the base body being approximately as large in the area of ​​the main holes as in the area of ​​the secondary holes across the width of the support element, resulting in particularly high-quality sound conduction properties viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support element. In particular, this makes it possible for the sound spectrum and tone of the instrument to appear high-quality and open, while the support element remains particularly flexible.

[0020] As has also surprisingly been discovered, a particularly high tonal quality of the ensemble consisting of instrument and shoulder rest can be achieved if the holes advantageously occupy a total area of ​​at least 8%, preferably at least 10%, and at most 30%, preferably at most 20%, of the surface of the support element. Particularly preferably, the holes occupy a total area of ​​approximately 12.5% ​​of the surface of the support element. In an alternative or additional advantageous development, the holes are designed with sharp edges. Compared to holes with rounded edges, this results in a particularly pleasing sound.

[0021] A particularly harmonious and high-quality sound image can also be achieved by contouring the holes, or at least some of them, in a particularly suitable way. In particular, it is intended that the holes be designed with a non-circular contour. Rather, some or all of the holes should advantageously have an elongated shape as seen in the longitudinal direction of the support element, so that they each have a larger clear width as seen in the longitudinal direction of the support element than in its transverse direction. The longitudinally extended design of the holes can, in particular in the area where the opening slots join, be accompanied by a comparatively pointed contour in the area of ​​impact of the sound waves.

[0022] In a particularly advantageous development, the contour of the main holes comprises a number of almost straight, comparatively slightly curved contour segments. This allows the holes to have, for example, a diamond-, lozenge-, or "eye"-shaped basic shape, which—as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support element—tapers comparatively sharply at its front and rear ends (apart from rounded areas) and exhibits a certain, albeit comparatively slight, curvature throughout its side edges.

[0023] It is also surprisingly beneficial for the sound if an odd number of main holes, preferably five, is provided.

[0024] As has also surprisingly been discovered, the selection of suitable geometric parameters for the shoulder rest's support element is crucial for achieving a particularly advantageous combination of acoustic properties on the one hand and comfort and user-friendly (contour) properties on the other. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the base body of the support element, based on its longitudinal direction, should be at least 60 mm 2 (particularly when used as a support for a support element and / or when using hardened wood), preferably at least 75 mm 2 , and at most 210 mm 2 (particularly with a thickness of 7 mm and a width of 3 cm), particularly preferably at most 150 mm 2 .In particular, the cross-sectional area should be approximately uniform and should change only slightly along the longitudinal direction of the shoulder rest, since changes in the cross-sectional area seem to cause disturbances in the sound behavior.

[0025] According to the invention, the support element can be made of wood, plastic, or synthetic material. According to the invention, the support element, when made of wood, has a thickness of at least 2 mm and at most 7 mm, preferably of at least 3 mm and at most 6 mm, particularly preferably of at least 3.3 mm and at most 5 mm, and when made of synthetic material, has a thickness of at least 1.5 mm and at most 4.5 mm.

[0026] To ensure particularly high wearing comfort and thus particularly favorable playability under these conditions, the width of the support element is also advantageously selected appropriately. According to the invention, a width of the support element of at least 20 mm and at most 48 mm, particularly preferably of at least 22 mm and at most 30 mm, preferably of at least 24 mm and at most 28 mm, is provided.

[0027] The advantages achieved by the invention lie in particular in the fact that the segmented design of the support element, preferably with the opening slots, allows for a sound-related division or separation of the support body into a plurality of comparatively smaller elements, which create and convey a certain lightness in the sound quality for the player. Especially in the preferred combination with the hole pattern formed by additionally provided through holes, a particularly high-quality sound quality can be achieved overall.

[0028] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. In the drawing: FIG. 1 a back view of a classical violin, FIG. 2 a shoulder rest for the violin according to FIG. 1 , FIG. 3 a perspective partial view of the violin with attached shoulder rest, FIG. 4 a section of a support element of the shoulder rest in cross section, FIG. 5 an alternative design of a shoulder rest, FIG. 6 the base body of a support element of the shoulder rest according to FIG. 5 in plan view, and FIG. 7 a hole cross-section.

[0029] Identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0030] A classical violin 1 according to FIG. 1 comprises a body 2, which forms the sound box, a neck 4, on which a fingerboard is attached, and a pegbox with pegs 6, the end of which forms a scroll 8. The body 2 has a body bottom 10 and a circumferential bottom edge 12. At the neck-side end 14 of the body 2, the neck 4 of the violin 1 is connected to the body 2 via the upper end block 16. Other blocks, which serve to stabilize the violin 1, are incorporated into the body 2.

[0031] The strings of violin 1 are tensioned at the lower end block 18 by means of a tailpiece end on the top of violin 1. Therefore, the lower end block 18 is very stable and firmly integrated into the body 2. The upper end block 16, which supports the neck 4 and fingerboard, is also stable and firmly integrated into the body 2. These days, the upper end block 16 and the neck 4 are usually manufactured separately and glued together to ensure the necessary load-bearing properties as well as sound and vibration characteristics.

[0032] Side walls, called ribs 26, are attached to the sides of the body bottom 10 in the area of ​​the surrounding bottom edge 12. A body top is then attached to these ribs 26 opposite the body bottom. These parts essentially form the body 2, which forms the resonance chamber of the violin 1, and are stabilized by the so-called outer blocks and the upper and lower end blocks 16, 18.

[0033] In order to enable the musician to play the violin 1 in a comfortable position while maintaining a high sound quality, a shoulder rest 30 is provided, as shown in FIG. 2 as a separate component and in FIG. 3 in the assembled state, attached to the body 2 of the violin 1. The shoulder rest 30 comprises a flat support element 32 intended to be placed on the shoulder and / or chest of the player, extending in a longitudinal direction L, which can be attached to the body 2 of the violin 1, and in particular to the circumferential bottom edge 12, via clamping units 36 arranged at the ends. In the exemplary embodiment, the shoulder rest 30 can thus be attached directly to the body 2 of the violin 1 via the clamping units 36; alternatively, however, the additional use of an adapter piece between the shoulder rest 30 and the body 2 could also be provided.

[0034] The shoulder rest 30 is designed to ensure particularly high tonal quality for the ensemble consisting of violin 1 and shoulder rest 30. Particular consideration is given to the fact that the shoulder rest 30, which is attached to the body 2 and mechanically connected to it at the support points, could influence the vibration spectrum of the body 2 as a whole, and in particular its nodes, and could impair the "free" development of the sound spectrum. In order to limit these inherently undesirable effects or, if possible, avoid them entirely, the shoulder rest 30 is designed to limit jointly vibrating masses. This is achieved by segmenting the flat base body 34 of the support element 32 to form a plurality of separately vibrating elements.This segmentation could be achieved in various ways; in the embodiment considered to be particularly preferred, the support element 32 of the shoulder rest 30 is provided for this purpose with a number of opening slots 38 running in the longitudinal direction L and completely penetrating the thickness of the support element 32.

[0035] The opening slots 38 are suitably selected and adapted to the desired improvement in the tonal properties of the violin 1. In the exemplary embodiment, they are comparatively long, having a length of approximately 70% of the length of the support element 32. Depending on the particular circumstances and requirements, they can alternatively be provided and dimensioned from comparatively short to comparatively long, according to the invention between 10% and 80% of the length of the support element in its longitudinal direction, from comparatively wide to comparatively narrow, according to the invention with a width between 0.5 and 3 mm, and in a suitable number, in particular between 1 and 5.

[0036] The opening slots 38 can penetrate the base body 34 of the support element 32 essentially perpendicularly, i.e. with their side walls 40 aligned parallel to the surface normal of the support element 32. In an alternative, preferred embodiment, as shown in the partial illustration in Fig. 4 can be removed, the opening slots 38, or at least parts or regions thereof, are designed with side walls 40 that are inclined compared to the surface normal of the support element 32 indicated by the arrow 42. The angle of inclination, i.e. the angle between the respective side wall of the opening slot and the surface normal of the support element, is advantageously between 25° and 60°, very particularly preferably approximately 45°. By such an inclination of the side edges of the opening slots,

[0037] An alternative, particularly preferred embodiment of a shoulder support 40 is shown in FIG. 5 shown, where FIG. 6 a,b each shows the top view of the support element 32 of the shoulder rest 40. As with the shoulder rest 30 according to FIG. 2 In this case, the support element 32 is provided with a number of opening slots 38 which improve the sound properties of the ensemble consisting of violin 1 and shoulder rest 40. In addition, in the embodiment according to FIG. 5 , 6 the support element 32 also has a plurality of holes 48 which completely penetrate the thickness of the support element 32 and which further improve the vibration and thus the sound behavior of the shoulder rest 40, especially in combination with the opening slots 38.

[0038] The holes 48 are, as can be seen particularly from the top view according to FIG. 6 , are arranged in hole tracks 50 running in the longitudinal direction L of the support element 32. In principle, the opening slots 38 could be positioned independently of the hole pattern formed by the holes 48, but in the exemplary embodiment, the holes 48 are positioned in combination with the opening slots 38 in order to achieve a synergistic effect to improve the sound properties. As can be seen from the top view of the shoulder rest 40 in Fig. 6 As can be seen particularly clearly, the opening slots 38 are positioned such that one of the opening slots 38 in each of the hole tracks 50 connects two adjacent holes 48 in the respective hole track 50. In particular, the opening slots 38 run in the respective hole track 50. In the exemplary embodiment shown, only the main holes 52 arranged in the central hole track 50 are connected via the opening slots 38; of course, this can also be provided for the secondary holes 54 in the off-center hole tracks 50, or further opening slots 38 independent of the hole tracks 50 can be provided.

[0039] In the Fig. 6b In the variant shown, the opening slots are not straight, but curved. As a result, the respective opening slot 38 opens into the respective hole 48 with a rounded side edge, so that in the opening area, it has a certain, possibly comparatively slight, curvature on its side edges throughout.

[0040] The holes 48 also form a hole pattern considered particularly advantageous, in which a specifically combined ensemble of main holes 52 on the one hand and secondary holes 54 on the other hand is provided. In this case, a hole track 50 formed by a number of main holes 52 is arranged centrally in the support element 32 with respect to the width of the latter, and at least one hole track 50 formed by a number of secondary holes 54 is arranged off-center in the support element 32 with respect to the width of the latter, wherein the secondary holes 54 are each arranged approximately midway between two adjacent main holes 52, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support element 32. This arrangement of the holes 48 as a whole enables particularly favorable sound transmission within the base body 34.

[0041] A total of five main holes 52 are arranged centrally in the support element 32, based on the width of the latter, and the secondary holes 54, also based on the width of the support element 32, are arranged off-center in pairs, symmetrical to the center of the support element 32, and, viewed in its longitudinal direction, approximately midway between two adjacent main holes 52. This positioning of the holes 48 makes it possible, in particular, to accommodate a number of actually diverging design objectives: on the one hand, a particularly favorable guidance of the sound in the support element 32 is enabled, while on the other hand, the structural integrity of the support element 32 itself can be maintained particularly stable with regard to the weakening caused by the holes 48.

[0042] The main holes 52 are selected to be the same size as the secondary holes 54. In addition, the individual hole area of ​​the main holes 52 is approximately four times the individual hole area of ​​the secondary holes 54, i.e. the hole size, defined for example by the clear width of a hole 48, of the main holes 52 is approximately twice the hole size of the secondary holes 54. This choice of geometry ensures that, across the width of the support element 32, the cross-sectional portion filled by the wood material in the area of ​​the main holes 52 is approximately exactly as large as in the area of ​​the secondary holes 54, resulting in particularly high-quality sound conduction properties viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support element 32. In the exemplary embodiment, the holes 48 take up a total area of ​​approximately 12.5% ​​of the area of ​​the support element 32.In general, it has been found that comparatively smaller holes 48 tend to produce a more muffled sound, whereas comparatively larger holes 48 tend to produce a more open sound, so that the selected hole size and thus also their area share in the total area of ​​the support element 32 can be suitably selected with regard to the desired sound behavior and, if necessary, also with regard to the material intended for use (wood).

[0043] In addition, the holes 48 are designed with sharp edges, as this results in a particularly pleasing sound compared to holes with rounded edges.

[0044] As the top view in FIG. 6 As can be seen particularly clearly, the holes 48 are not round, but rather contoured in an elongated shape as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the support element 32. Thus, they each have a larger clear width as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the support element 32 than in its transverse direction.

[0045] The support element 32 can be provided on the rear side, i.e., on the side intended to rest on the player's shoulder, with a buffer element made of a comparatively elastic or soft material, such as a rubber buffer or the like. This buffer element can also have holes that preferably correspond to the holes 48 and are arranged in a position and dimensionally appropriate manner. This provides completely continuous holes for the composite body consisting of the support element and buffer element, which also ensures a special tonal quality of the composite body.

[0046] As the top view in FIG. 6 and in particular the contour representation of the holes 48 in plan view in FIG. 7 As can also be seen, the contour of the main holes 52, like that of the secondary holes 54, comprises a number of contour segments 56 that extend almost rectilinearly, but nevertheless with a comparatively slight continuous bend, so that the holes 48 essentially have a diamond-, eye-, or lozenge-shaped basic shape. The relationship between the clear longitudinal width and clear transverse width of the holes 48 can vary, in particular depending on the geometric parameters of the shoulder rest as a whole, such as its overall length and / or overall width. List of reference symbols

[0047] 1Violin 2Body 4Neck 6Peg 8Scroll 10Body back 12Bottom edge 14Neck ends 16, 18End block 20, 22Outer block 24Curvature 26Sides 30, 40Shoulder rest 32Support element 34Main body 36Clamping unit 38Opening slot 48Holes 50Hole track 52Main holes 54Secondary holes 56Contour segment Longitudinal direction

Claims

1. A shoulder support (30, 40) for a bowed string instrument, having a rest element (32) for resting on the shoulder and / or chest of the player, which rest element extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and the planar main body of which is segmented such that it forms a plurality of elements that vibrate separately from one another, wherein the rest element (32) is provided with a number of opening slots (38), which run in the longitudinal direction (L) and pass through the full thickness of the rest element (32), wherein each opening slot (38) has a length of between 10 % and 80 % of the length of the rest element (32) in its longitudinal direction (L), wherein the opening slots (38) pass through the main body of the rest element (32) perpendicularly or with side walls inclined to the surface normal of the rest element (32), and wherein the rest element (32) has a width of at least 20 mm and at most 48 mm; characterised in that each opening slot (38) has a width between 0.5 and 3 mm, and the rest element (32) consists of wood, plastic or synthetic material and, if designed in wood, has a thickness of at least 2 mm and at most 7 mm and, if designed in synthetic material or plastic, has a thickness of at least 1.5 mm and at most 4.5 mm.

2. The shoulder support (40) according to Claim 1, the rest element (32) of which is provided with a plurality of holes (48), which are arranged in a number of hole tracks (50) each running in the longitudinal direction (L) and pass through the full thickness of the rest element (32).

3. The shoulder support (40) according to Claim 2, in which, in one of the hole tracks (50), a number of the opening slots (38) each interconnect two holes (48) that are adjacent to one another in the hole track (50).

4. The shoulder support (40) according to Claim 3, in which each opening slot (38) opens into each hole (48) with a rounded side edge.

5. The shoulder support (40) according to one of Claims 2 to 4, in which a hole track (50) formed by a number of main holes (52) is arranged centrally in the rest element (32) in relation to the width thereof, and at least one hole track (50) formed by a number of secondary holes (54) is arranged eccentrically in the rest element (32) in relation to the width thereof, wherein the secondary holes (54) are each arranged approximately in the centre between two adjacent main holes (52) as seen in the longitudinal direction (L) of the rest element (32).

6. The shoulder support (40) according to Claim 5, in which the main holes (52) are selected to be of equal size.

7. The shoulder support (40) according to Claim 5 or 6, in which the secondary holes (54) are selected to be of equal size.

8. The shoulder support (40) according to one of Claims 5 to 7, in which the main holes (52) have approximately four times the hole area of the secondary holes (54).

9. The shoulder support (40) according to one of Claims 5 to 8, in which the holes (48) in total take up an area of at least 8 %, preferably of at least 10 %, and at most 30 %, preferably of at most 20 %, of the area of the rest element (32).

10. The shoulder support (40) according to one of Claims 5 to 9, in which the holes (48) each have a greater clearance in the longitudinal direction (L) of the rest element (32) than in the transverse direction thereof.

11. The shoulder support (40) according to one of Claims 5 to 10, in which the contour of the main holes (52) comprises a number of contour segments (56) running in a curved manner.

12. The shoulder support (40) according to one of Claims 5 to 11, in which the total number of the main holes (52) is odd, preferably equal to five.

13. The shoulder support (30, 40) according to one of Claims 1 to 12, the rest element (32) of which has, in relation to its longitudinal direction (L), a cross-sectional area of at least 60 mm2, preferably of at least 75 mm2, and at most 210 mm2, preferably of 150 mm2.