Helical Coil Pick Holder for Strap Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pick holders for musical instruments face issues such as pick misplacement, distortion, interference with instrument vibrations, and complexity in design and manufacturing, often requiring modifications to the instrument or strap, and failing to provide easy accessibility and visibility during performance.
Innovation Solution
A helical coil spring device with u-shaped arms that wrap around a musical instrument strap or microphone stand, featuring cleats to prevent slippage and modify compressive force distribution within the coil for robust pick holding, allowing easy insertion and visibility without distorting the picks or affecting instrument vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pick holder is rigidly adhered to the musical instrument itself, then the pick holder is securely attached, but it may dampen the vibrations and affect the tonal qualities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a magnetic field as an intermediary force to attach the pick holder to the instrument. The holder contains a magnet that magnetically attracts to a ferromagnetic material embedded in or attached to the instrument, creating a secure attachment without direct rigid contact that would dampen vibrations. This magnetic intermediary allows the holder to remain firmly attached while minimizing harmful vibration transmission.
2Reliability
If the pick holder is attached to the strings or tuning pegs, then it is securely positioned, but it may affect tuning, rattle, and come loose easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the attachment mechanism from the string/tuning peg area and relocates it to the instrument body surface. By placing the magnetic attachment on the instrument's body rather than on moving parts like strings and tuning pegs, the design eliminates the harmful effects of tuning interference, rattling, and loosening while maintaining secure positioning.
3Ease of operation
If the pick holder requires detachment for instrument storage, then it does not interfere with case closure, but it provides opportunity for misplacement or loss
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic attachment mechanism serves as an intermediary that provides both secure holding and easy detachment. The magnet allows the pick holder to be firmly attached during use, preventing misplacement or loss, while simultaneously enabling simple one-handed detachment when the instrument needs to be stored in a case, thus resolving the contradiction between retention reliability and operational ease.
4Reliability
If picks are stored in the strings, then they are held in place and visible, but they must be removed prior to storing the guitar in a protective case
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pick storage function from the instrument body, creating a separate, dedicated pick holder attachment. This segmented design allows picks to be stored in a dedicated location that is both visible and accessible during performance, while independently enabling easy removal of the entire holder unit when the instrument needs to be stored, eliminating the need to remove picks from string storage.
5Ease of manufacture
If the pick holder uses adhesive attachment, then it is easy to attach, but the adhesive properties degrade with multiple attachments and detachments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical adhesive attachment system with a magnetic mechanical attachment system. Instead of relying on adhesive bonds that degrade with repeated use, the design uses magnetic attraction between a magnet in the holder and a ferromagnetic material on the instrument, providing durable, reusable attachment that maintains reliability over multiple attach-detach cycles while remaining easy to apply and remove.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device securely holds multiple pick sizes and shapes, prevents misplacement, maintains pick visibility, and integrates seamlessly with instruments and straps without modifying them, ensuring easy attachment and detachment while preserving instrument tone quality.
Implementation Method 1
a spring wire form with at least one helical coil section... Helical coil sections hold the picks
Implementation Method 2
two u-shaped arms that each terminate with a cleat... The cleats press against the underside of the strap to prevent pick holder slippage
Data Source
AI summary
An improved pick holder device made from a single length of memory retentive material and having a helical coil (20) and u-shaped arm assemblies (30) with cleats (24) provides convenient insertion, retention, extraction, and storage of a plurality of variously sized stringed musical instrument picks (25). Removable attachment to an unmodified musical instrument strap (26) or microphone stand (33) is both firm and non-damaging. Pick holder manufacturing is accomplished on standard equipment using no special tooling.