Packable Stringed Instrument with Segmented Body and Tail Wire
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large and bulky stringed instruments, such as upright basses, pose challenges for storage, transportation, and travel due to their size and sensitivity to environmental conditions, leading to potential damage and degradation of sound quality.
Innovation Solution
A packable stringed instrument design featuring a segmented body and adjustable components, including a string retaining saddle strap and neck connecting system, allows for disassembly and reconfiguration to reduce size for travel while maintaining sound quality and playability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the upright bass is made with a large hollow body and long neck to produce deep sound and full pitch range, then the sound quality and playability are improved, but the instrument size and storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The upright bass is divided into separate modular components including a body portion, neck portion, and leg portion that can be detached and stored separately. This segmentation allows the instrument to be disassembled into compact parts for storage while maintaining the full-size configuration for playing, resolving the contradiction between large size for sound quality and compact size for storage.
2Reliability
If the upright bass is stored in a case as big as the instrument to protect it from damage and environmental conditions, then the instrument protection is improved, but the storage space and transportation convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is segmented into detachable components that can be stored in smaller, more manageable cases. The body, neck, and legs can be stored separately or in different configurations, reducing the overall case size needed while still providing protection for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument configuration is made dynamic and adaptable - components can be assembled in different arrangements based on storage or playing needs. This flexibility allows the same components to occupy minimal space during storage while forming the complete instrument during performance.
3Reliability
If the upright bass is transported as a complete instrument, then the sound quality is maintained, but the transportation convenience and accessibility in busy areas deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The bass is divided into portable segments that can be carried separately through airports, train stations, and other busy areas. Each component (body, neck, legs) is small enough to be managed individually, avoiding the difficulties of transporting a full-sized instrument while ensuring the complete assembly maintains sound quality when assembled.
4Volume of moving object
If the neck is made removable to increase packability, then the storage convenience is improved, but the device complexity and assembly requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The neck is designed as a removable component that separates from the body, allowing the instrument to be packed more efficiently. The segmentation is designed with simple connection mechanisms that reduce assembly complexity while maintaining structural integrity and sound quality.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary embodiments of stringed instruments including extended string retaining saddle straps are disclosed. The exemplary embodiments include an extended string retaining saddle strap connected to each of, and between, a string connection to the instrument's strings at a bottom portion of a body portion of the stringed instrument and a saddle strap connector at an upper portion of the body portion of the stringed instrument. In an aspect, the saddle strap connector may be connected to a neck block portion joining a neck portion of the stringed instrument to the body portion, within a hollow interior of the body portion. In an aspect, connecting the extended string retaining saddle strap to each of, and between, the string connection and the saddle strap connector creates a tension that tends to pull the string connection and the saddle strap connector towards each other.