Piezoelectric Pickup with Metal Capped Rods for Stringed Instruments
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sound pickup technologies for stringed instruments suffer from poor coupling, feedback, and limited sensitivity due to lightweight piezoelectric elements and soft adhesive materials, which restrict the installation on existing instruments and compromise sound transmission efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rigid electronic sensor device with metal capped rods and a pickup base that securely mounts piezoelectric elements on the inside of the soundboard, providing enhanced mass and coupling to the instrument's structure, allowing for larger piezoelectric components and improved sound wave transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If soft piezoelectric strips are used, then electrical output and sensitivity are improved, but sound transmission efficiency deteriorates due to soft material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material structure combining soft piezoelectric strips with a rigid U-shaped channel and adhesive layers. The piezoelectric strips provide sensitivity while the rigid channel structure restores sound transmission efficiency by providing a hard path for sound wave propagation.
2Loss of energy
If hard piezoelectric strips are used, then sound transmission efficiency is improved, but coupling efficiency deteriorates due to rigid material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hard rigid materials (U-shaped channel, adhesive layers) with soft piezoelectric strips. The rigid structure ensures sound transmission efficiency while the soft piezoelectric material maintains coupling efficiency with the string vibrations.
3Ease of manufacture
If piezoelectric elements are mounted in saddle slot, then installation is simplified, but the volume of piezoelectric material is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from mounting piezoelectric elements only in the limited saddle slot space to a U-shaped channel structure that extends into the instrument body, utilizing three-dimensional space in multiple directions to accommodate larger volumes of piezoelectric material.
4Ease of manufacture
If adhesive layers are used to assemble piezoelectric elements, then manufacturing is simplified, but sound wave transmission efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite assembly structure where adhesive layers join piezoelectric elements to the U-shaped channel. The rigid channel material compensates for the soft adhesive layers, maintaining overall sound transmission efficiency while enabling easy assembly.
5Weight of moving object
If the non-sensing side of piezoelectric elements has little mass, then device weight is reduced, but sensing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds mass to the non-sensing side of the piezoelectric elements through the rigid U-shaped channel structure and adhesive layers. This counterbalances the light weight of the piezoelectric elements themselves, improving sensing efficiency by creating sufficient inertial difference between sensing and non-sensing sides.
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 solution enhances the pickup's efficiency and sound quality by firmly coupling the device to the instrument, reducing feedback and improving the representation of the instrument's acoustic performance, enabling easy installation on existing instruments without compromising their structure or appearance.
Implementation Method 1
one end of the strings of the musical instrument are stretched over the saddle and connected to string pins located in string positioning holes; a piezoelectric element is mounted on the inside of the soundboard... configured to convert string vibrations into electrical signals
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An electronic sensor device for detecting the vibration related to an amplification system within stringed musical instruments. The described structure is detachably mounted below the saddle. It comprises several central piezoelectric elements, several metal capped poles, and each metal capped pole consists of an integrally formed pole and cap, from top to bottom. The top end of the pole extends through a matching positioning hole into the saddle slot and touches the bottom of the saddle. The bottom end of the cap accurately captures the top of the central piezoelectric element, and the top ring of the cap is closely pressed up to the bridge plate. The invention provides an electronic sensor device for detecting the vibration related to an amplification system within stringed musical instruments, which is easy to install and is easily uninstalled. By applying mass on the non-sensing side of piezoelectric element assembly, the electro-acoustic amplification performance of the instruments is greatly enhanced, as it is firmly coupled to the stringed instruments, therefore improving the sensing efficiency, in providing better output and tone that is closer to the original acoustic.