Stringed Instrument Frame Bridge Soundboard Tension
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stringed musical instruments require bracings on the top and bottom surfaces to absorb string tension, which can detrimentally affect the quality of sound produced.
Innovation Solution
A stringed musical instrument design featuring a frame that connects the bridge to the soundboard, allowing the top and bottom surfaces to move independently and absorb string tension, eliminating the need for bracings by distributing tension through a peripheral frame and transmitter components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If bracings are added to the top and bottom surfaces to absorb string tension, then the structural strength is improved, but the sound quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument body is divided into distinct functional components: a peripheral frame structure for strength, a separate soundboard for sound generation, and a bridge system for string tension transmission. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interfering with others, eliminating the need for bracings that would compromise sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge acts as an intermediary component between the strings and the soundboard. It transmits string vibrations to the soundboard while the peripheral frame absorbs the static string tension. This intermediary arrangement allows the soundboard to remain free of bracings, maintaining its acoustic properties while still providing structural support through the frame.
2Stability of the object's composition
If bracings are installed to support string tension, then the structural stability is improved, but the material selection is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the structural support function (peripheral frame) from the sound generation function (soundboard), the design allows the soundboard to be made from a wide variety of materials including different woods, composites, or even alternative materials, without being constrained by the need to incorporate bracings that would limit material choices.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral frame serves multiple functions: it provides structural stability, absorbs string tension, and allows the soundboard to be made from diverse materials. This multi-functional design increases versatility in material selection while maintaining structural integrity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a frame structure is introduced to eliminate bracings, then the sound quality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracing system is extracted and removed from the soundboard. Instead, a peripheral frame is implemented that provides the necessary structural support without interfering with the soundboard's acoustic properties. This extraction simplifies the overall structure by eliminating the complex network of internal bracings while maintaining or improving sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame structure concentrates structural support at the periphery of the instrument body, allowing the central soundboard area to remain open and unobstructed. This local concentration of structural elements provides the necessary strength while minimizing interference with sound generation, effectively reducing overall structural complexity.
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
This design enhances sound quality by eliminating bracings, allowing for a wider range of materials in construction and achieving a desirable tone, similar to a double bass, with improved sustain and resonant frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
The tension in the strings 118 passes through the body of the guitar and necessitates the various bracings
Implementation Method 2
The bridge 116 supports the strings and transmits the vibration of the strings to the body of the guitar, thus producing louder sounds
Implementation Method 3
A first part of the frame may be connected to a portion of the body at or adjacent its shoulder/neck end and another part of the frame may be connected to a portion of the body at or adjacent a body end opposite the shoulder/neck end
Data Source
AI summary
A Stringed Musical Instrument A stringed musical instrument having a body includes a soundboard (602, 202) and a bridge (250) directly or indirectly connected to the soundboard via a frame (216, 518, 220, 222, 224) that is at least partially fitted within the body of the instrument.