Foldable Stringed Instrument Neck With Translating Bridge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stringed instruments, such as guitars, are cumbersome for travel due to their bulk and associated cases, and previous attempts at making them more portable often compromise on tuning quality and playability.
Innovation Solution
A foldable stringed instrument design featuring a translating bridge assembly and truss rods that allow the neck and body to assume a reduced profile, enabling easy folding and unfolding for travel while maintaining tuning accuracy and playability, with optional integration of on-board electronics and smartphone/tablet connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional solid neck construction is used, then tuning stability and playability are improved, but the instrument becomes cumbersome for travel and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The neck is divided into multiple sections that can be folded relative to each other. The neck includes a first section connected to the body and a second section that can be folded toward the first section, allowing the instrument to assume a compact configuration for travel while maintaining a full-length playing position when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The neck transitions from a static, fixed-length structure to a dynamic, foldable structure. The neck can change its effective length and configuration between a playing position (full length for optimal playability) and a travel position (folded/compact for portability), with locking mechanisms maintaining structural integrity in each state
2Ease of operation
If the neck is made foldable for compact storage, then ease of travel is improved, but tuning accuracy and structural rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The truss rod is pre-positioned and locked into place before the neck is folded or deployed. The bridge assembly is pre-adjusted to the correct position, and the neck locking mechanisms are engaged to secure the neck sections in their playing alignment, ensuring that when the instrument is ready to play, all components are in their optimal positions for accurate tuning
Solution Approach 2:
The truss rod acts as an intermediary structural element that maintains neck rigidity and alignment. When the neck is folded, the truss rod can be repositioned or locked to maintain the structural integrity of each neck section, preventing warping or misalignment that would affect tuning accuracy upon deployment
3Device complexity
If the bridge assembly is made stationary, then structural simplicity is improved, but the ability to detension strings for folding deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge assembly is made movable along the body of the instrument, allowing it to be shifted to adjust string tension. When the bridge is moved away from its playing position, string tension is reduced to enable safe folding of the neck. The bridge includes locking mechanisms that secure it in the correct position during playing to maintain structural simplicity when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge assembly is extracted from its fixed position and made independently movable. This allows the bridge to be separated from the main body structure temporarily during folding operations, enabling string detensioning without requiring complex disassembly of the entire instrument. The bridge can be returned to its fixed playing position afterward
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable stringed instrument having a neck and/or body that may assume a reduced profile by folding an upper neck portion away from the playing position through the use of a translating bridge assembly and a translating truss assembly, wherein the foldable stringed instrument is capable of housing or otherwise being coupled to any of a variety of electronics or electrical components (e.g. a smart phone or tablet computer) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the foldable stringed instrument.