Offset Coil Former for String Instrument Pickups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional guitar pickups often lack desirable tonal characteristics due to their design, which requires skilled craftsmanship and is limited by the perpendicular alignment of the induction coil with respect to the magnetic field, restricting the production of rich and complex sounds.
Innovation Solution
The coil is intentionally offset and/or rotated with respect to the magnetic field, allowing magnetic field lines to intersect at different strengths and angles, resulting in a more complex, harmonic-rich sound, and this can be achieved through the use of a coil former with advanced geometry that targets specific areas of the magnetic field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the coil is aligned perpendicular to the magnetic field in conventional pickups, then the inductive effect is easy to calculate and execute, but the tonal characteristics are poor and lack richness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by deliberately misaligning the coil axis relative to the magnetic field axis, creating an asymmetric geometric relationship between the coil and magnet. This asymmetric configuration causes the magnetic field lines to intersect the coil at multiple angles, generating complex harmonic-rich tones while maintaining manufacturability through standardized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the conventional single-dimension perpendicular alignment to a multi-dimensional arrangement where the coil is both offset laterally and rotated angularly relative to the magnet. This dimensional change creates varied field-line intersection angles, producing rich tonal characteristics without requiring skilled craftsmanship.
2Manufacturing precision
If skilled craftsmanship is used to control winding vertical spacing, then desirable tonal characteristics can be achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-service by designing a coil former with integrated geometric features (offset axis and rotation angle) that automatically establish the desired spatial relationship between coil and magnet during the winding process. This self-configuring approach eliminates the need for skilled craftsmen to manually control winding parameters, achieving consistent tonal quality through standardized manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the coil former with the optimal offset and rotation geometry before the winding process begins. This pre-established geometric framework guides the coil winding to automatically achieve the desired tonal characteristics, removing the need for real-time skilled control during manufacturing.
3Productivity
If automated winding is used to improve productivity, then manufacturing efficiency increases, but tonal quality control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The self-service coil former design with built-in offset and rotation geometry enables automated winding machines to produce high-quality pickups without requiring skilled operators. The pre-configured former automatically establishes the correct coil-magnet spatial relationship, allowing standard automation to achieve both productivity and tonal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the coil former (offset distance and rotation angle) to create a configuration that is both manufacturable by automation and acoustically superior. This parameter optimization allows automated processes to produce consistent, high-quality tones without requiring complex control algorithms or skilled craftsmanship.
4Manufacturing precision
If the coil is offset and rotated with respect to the magnetic field, then harmonic-rich complex sounds are produced, but the coil and magnet positioning becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the offset and rotation adjustments into a single integrated coil former component. By combining both geometric modifications in one part, the complex positioning requirements are consolidated into a single manufacturing step, simplifying assembly while achieving the desired tonal characteristics through the combined geometric effects.
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 approach enables the production of unique, rich, and complex acoustic qualities in string instrument pickups, allowing for reliable manufacturing without requiring expert winding knowledge and enabling a variety of acoustic effects across a product line.
Implementation Method 1
the electromagnetic principle is similar: when installed on a string instrument with metal-containing strings, the permanent magnets will magnetically interact with the metal strings. Changes in the position of the string (e.g., when it is strummed or plucked) result in a change in the magnetic field that results in an induced current in the pickup coil.
Implementation Method 2
the permanent magnets will magnetically interact with the metal strings. Changes in the position of the string (e.g., when it is strummed or plucked) result in a change in the magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
Among other things, in general, the present disclosure relates to a string instrument pickup wherein the coil is intentionally rotated and/or offset with the magnetic field, or wherein the coil targets specific areas of the magnetic field, creating a more complex and rich tonal character. The present disclosure also relates to methods of manufacture of string instrument pickups.