Adjustable Chinrest with Threaded Lift for Ergonomic Violin Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current chinrests for violins and violas often fail to provide a proper fit in terms of height, shape, size, and placement, leading to discomfort, physical strain, and injuries among players, particularly due to the lack of customization and ergonomic design, especially for children and adolescents.
Innovation Solution
A chinrest device and system that includes customizable components such as adjustable lifts, toppers with defined ridges, and a diagnostic fitting kit to determine optimal height, shape, and placement, ensuring a secure, comfortable, and ergonomic fit, along with a method for assembling the device using a kit that includes various jaw configurations, height adjustments, and placement options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-height chinrest is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate players with different neck lengths and body proportions
Solution Approach 1:
The chinrest incorporates an adjustable height mechanism with a threaded rod and locking nut that allows the chinrest cup to be positioned at different heights. This dynamic adjustment capability enables players with varying neck lengths and body proportions to find their optimal chinrest height, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The chinrest is divided into multiple components including the chinrest cup, lift mechanism, threaded rod, and locking nut. This segmentation allows for independent adjustment of the height while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, enabling customization without excessive complexity.
2Ease of operation
If a rigid chinrest is used, then the structure is stable, but it causes discomfort and skin problems due to improper contour matching
Solution Approach 1:
The chinrest cup features a contoured shape with a recessed area that matches the natural curvature of the player's jaw. This localized contouring provides comfort and proper fit without compromising the overall structural integrity of the chinrest assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The chinrest incorporates a combination of materials including wood or plastic for the chinrest cup and metal for the lifting mechanism. This composite construction allows the contact surface to be ergonomically shaped for comfort while the structural components maintain necessary strength and stability.
3Ease of operation
If chinrest placement is dictated by fashion or teacher preference, then the device is easy to install, but it leads to playing-related physical problems
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable height mechanism allows players to pre-adjust the chinrest to their optimal position before playing, based on their individual anatomy rather than following fashion trends or teacher preferences. This preliminary customization ensures proper ergonomics and prevents playing-related physical problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism provides tactile feedback when properly secured, ensuring that the chinrest is installed correctly at the adjusted height. This feedback system helps players verify proper installation without requiring expert knowledge, maintaining ease of installation while ensuring health-related reliability.
4Stability of the object's composition
If hard shoulder pads are used for stabilization, then instrument stability is improved, but neck, shoulder, and lower back strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stabilization function from the shoulder pad and relocates it to the chinrest through the adjustable lift mechanism. By providing precise height adjustment at the chinrest, the instrument can be stabilized without requiring hard shoulder pads, thereby eliminating the harmful physical strain on the neck, shoulder, and lower back.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable chinrest acts as an intermediary between the player's jaw and the instrument, providing stabilization through proper positioning rather than through rigid shoulder support. This intermediary mechanism transfers the stabilizing function from the shoulder area to the jaw area, reducing physical strain on the player.
Data Source
AI summary
Instrument chinrest device, method, and kit customized as to proper height, rigidity, shape, size, and placement. An assembled chinrest can include a topper having pins; a lift having lift topper holes corresponding to receive said topper pins and at least one lift hardware attachment hole; and lift hardware having at least one threaded barrel configured to receive at one end a first end of an upper lift threaded member and configured to receive at a second end a lower lift threaded member, said upper lift threaded member having a second end to attached within said lift hardware attachment hole whereby, when attached to said lift, the device is able to be clamped onto a top plate and bottom plate of the instrument. The kit can include a plurality of toppers and lifts to select from, as well as the tools to determine proper chinrest placement and shape.