String Instrument Pickup Resin Base Plate Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pickup designs for stringed instruments face issues with assembly precision due to plastic deformation of metal base plates, leading to increased magnetic resistance and decreased gain.

Innovation Solution

A pickup design featuring a base plate with parallel bobbins and pole pieces penetrating through, with a magnet arranged on the opposite surface to contact the pole pieces, improving assembly precision and maintaining the flatness of the base plate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a metal base plate is used in the pickup, then structural strength is improved, but plastic deformation occurs leading to deteriorated assembly precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidassembly precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the metal base plate with a resin base plate, which is a cheaper material that does not suffer from plastic deformation. This substitution resolves the contradiction by using a material that maintains its shape and flatness, thereby preserving assembly precision while still providing sufficient structural strength for the pickup application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If the magnet is arranged between the base plate and the coil, then magnetic contact is improved, but assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnetic contactVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional arrangement by placing the magnet on the opposite side of the base plate from the coil, rather than between them. This inversion simplifies the assembly process while maintaining reliable magnetic contact between the magnet and pole piece, as the magnet can be directly positioned to contact the pole piece without requiring complex intermediate structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Power

If the coil bobbin is arranged on the magnet and spacer, then magnetic field generation is improved, but horizontal alignment becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnetic field generationVSAvoidhorizontal alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the coil bobbin from the traditional arrangement on top of the magnet and repositions it to be integrated with or adjacent to the base plate structure. This extraction eliminates the need for spacers and maintains horizontal alignment, as the bobbin can be directly positioned relative to the base plate's reference surfaces, thereby improving both magnetic field generation and alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 assembly precision and contact precision between the magnet and pole pieces, resulting in improved gain and reduced complexity in the assembly process.

Implementation Method 1

An electric guitar has a pickup that converts vibrations of strings into electrical signals

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

a magnet arranged on a second surface of the base plate which is opposite to the first surface such that the magnet contacts the first pole piece and the second pole piece

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP4535346A1Pickup for stringed instrument and guitar
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 YAMAHA CORP
  • EP4535346A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4535346A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4535346A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A pickup 10 includes a base plate 3, a first bobbin 21A and a second bobbin 21B arranged in parallel with other on a first surface of the base plate 3, a first pole piece 5A inserted into in the first bobbin 21A and penetrating the base plate 3, a second pole piece 5B inserted in the second bobbin 21B and penetrating the base plate 3, and a magnet 4 arranged on a second surface of the base plate 3 which is opposite to the first surface such that the magnet 4 contacts the first pole piece 5A and the second pole piece 5B.