Component mount and components for musical instruments

Abstract

A mount by which a component is non-destructively mounted on a musical instrument includes a receptacle and one or more abutment members, such as resilient clips, which do not screw into the instrument but engage the instrument to hold the mount on the instrument. A component is secured to the mount to install the component on the instrument. One such component provides digital control of an analog tone adjustment circuit. The digital control can include selectable preset conditions. Another such component provides on-board effects processing, such as a chorus effect. An output electrical coupling is provided with a switch used to energize the circuit of the component with which it is used.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A mount for a musical instrument having a side wall with inside and outside surfaces, said mount comprising: 
 a receptacle to receive and mount a component on the musical instrument, said receptacle having a flange to engage the outside surface of the side wall of the musical instrument; and    an abutment member connected to said receptacle such that said abutment member abuts the inside surface of the side wall of the musical instrument when said flange of said receptacle engages the outside surface of the side wall of the musical instrument.    
     
     
         2 . A mount as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said receptacle has a body adapted to have the component secured thereto.  
     
     
         3 . A mount as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said abutment member includes a resilient clip attached to said receptacle beneath said flange.  
     
     
         4 . A mount as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said receptacle has a keyway defined therein to receive a key of the component in a predetermined orientation.  
     
     
         5 . A component assembly for a musical instrument, comprising: 
 a frame;    two clips connected to respective locations of said frame such that said clips and said frame cooperate to hold said component assembly on the musical instrument when said component assembly is mounted thereon;    a component for the musical instrument; and    means for securing said component to said frame.    
     
     
         6 . A mount as defined in    claim 5   , wherein said frame has a keyway defined therein and said component has a key structure corresponding to said keyway such that said frame must receive said component in a predetermined orientation defined by said keyway and said key structure.  
     
     
         7 . A component for mounting on a musical instrument having an analog signal generator responsive to playing of the musical instrument, comprising: 
 a tone control variable resistance;    a comparator having an input connected to said tone control variable resistance;    a microcomputer connected to an output of said comparator;    a comparator control circuit connected to said microcomputer and another input of said comparator;    a tone adjustment circuit connected to the analog signal generator to process an analog signal from the analog signal generator in the analog domain; and    an interface circuit to vary the analog processing of said tone adjustment circuit in response to a digital signal from said microcomputer.    
     
     
         8 . A component as defined in    claim 7   , further comprising first and second analog outputs connected to said tone adjustment circuit.  
     
     
         9 . A component as defined in    claim 8   , further comprising an analog volume control variable resistance connected intermediate said analog outputs and said tone adjustment circuit.  
     
     
         10 . A component as defined in    claim 7   , further comprising a housing having said tone control variable resistance, said comparator, said microcomputer, said comparator control circuit, said tone adjustment circuit, and said interface circuit disposed therein, wherein said housing is adapted to mount on the musical instrument for operation of said component by a player playing the musical instrument.  
     
     
         11 . A component as defined in    claim 10   , further comprising: 
 first and second analog outputs; and    a cable extending from said housing connecting said outputs thereto.    
     
     
         12 . A component as defined in    claim 7   , further comprising a preset selection switch connected to said microcomputer.  
     
     
         13 . A component as defined in    claim 7   , wherein: 
 said microcomputer includes a microprocessor, a memory connected to said microprocessor, and a program stored in said memory, said program including instructions defining a predetermined preset condition for controlling said interface circuit; and    said component further comprises a preset selection switch connected to said microcomputer, said preset selection switch responsive to actuation by a player playing the musical instrument and said microcomputer controlling said interface circuit with said predetermined preset condition in response to actuation of said preset selection switch.    
     
     
         14 . A component for a musical instrument having an analog signal generator responsive to playing of the musical instrument, comprising: 
 a housing adapted for mounting on the musical instrument, said housing having an exposed face when said housing is mounted on the musical instrument; and    a circuit disposed in said housing, said circuit including: 
 a tone adjustment circuit to process an analog signal from the analog signal generator in the analog domain;  
 means for connecting said tone adjustment circuit to the analog signal generator;  
 an interface circuit to vary the analog domain processing of said tone adjustment circuit in response to a digital signal;  
 a microcomputer connected to said interface circuit to provide the digital signal thereto, said microcomputer including a microprocessor, a memory connected to said microprocessor, and a program stored in said memory, said program including instructions defining a plurality of predetermined preset conditions for controlling said interface circuit;  
 a plurality of preset selection switches accessible at said face of said housing to a player of the musical instrument, each of said preset selection switches connected to said microcomputer such that said microcomputer generates a respective digital signal for said interface circuit in response to actuation of a selected one of said preset selection switches and a corresponding one of said predetermined preset conditions; and  
 a plurality of potentiometers having wiper controls accessible to the player at said face of said housing, said potentiometers connected to said microcomputer to provide player controlled tone adjustment signals to said microcomputer for controlling the digital signal provided to said interface circuit.  
   
     
     
         15 . A component as defined in    claim 14   , wherein said circuit further comprises a user defined preset selection switch connected to said microcomputer to actuate said microcomputer to respond to said potentiometers.  
     
     
         16 . A component as defined in    claim 15   , wherein said circuit further includes a volume control potentiometer connected to said tone adjustment circuit, said volume control potentiometer having a wiper control accessible to the player at said face of said housing.  
     
     
         17 . A component as defined in    claim 16   , further comprising: 
 first and second outputs adapted to mount on the musical instrument; and    a cable extending from said housing to said first and second outputs and connecting said outputs to said circuit, including said volume control potentiometer thereof.    
     
     
         18 . A component for a musical instrument having an analog signal generator responsive to playing of the musical instrument, comprising: 
 a tone control circuit having an input to receive an analog signal from the analog signal generator of the musical instrument such that said tone control circuit provides a tone controlled signal representative of the sound played by a player playing the musical instrument;    an effects circuit connected to said tone control circuit such that said effects circuit generates an effects signal in response to said tone controlled signal;    an output connected to receive said tone controlled signal;    a switch to connect said effects circuit to said output in a first switch state such that said effects signal is output in conjunction with said tone controlled signal and to disconnect said effects circuit from said output in a second switch state such that only said tone controlled signal is output; and    means for mounting said tone control circuit, said effects circuit, said output, and said switch on the musical instrument.    
     
     
         19 . A component as defined in    claim 18   , wherein: 
 said means for mounting includes a housing adapted for mounting on the musical instrument, said housing having an exposed face when said housing is mounted on the musical instrument; and    said switch is accessible to the player through said exposed face.    
     
     
         20 . A component as defined in    claim 19   , wherein: 
 said effects circuit includes a chorus effects circuit having an intensity control potentiometer and a speed control potentiometer, each of said potentiometers having respective wiper controls accessible to the player through said exposed face of said housing; and    said tone control circuit includes tone control potentiometers having wiper controls accessible to the player through said exposed face of said housing.    
     
     
         21 . A component as defined in    claim 18   , wherein said effects circuit includes: 
 means for compressing a signal derived from the analog signal generator;    means for changing a frequency of a compressed signal from said means for compressing; and    means for expanding a changed signal from said means for changing.    
     
     
         22 . A component for a musical instrument having an analog signal generator responsive to playing of the musical instrument, comprising: 
 an electrical signal processing effects circuit; and    a housing having said electrical signal processing effects circuit mounted therein, said housing adapted to mount on the musical instrument and to connect to the analog signal generator.    
     
     
         23 . A component as defined in    claim 21   , wherein said electrical signal processing effects circuit includes: 
 means for compressing a signal derived from the analog signal generator;    means for changing a frequency of a compressed signal from said means for compressing; and    means for expanding a changed signal from said means for changing.    
     
     
         24 . A musical instrument, comprising: 
 a portable body;    a plurality of strings attached to said body;    an analog signal generator mounted on said body and responsive to playing of said strings; and    an electrical signal processing effects circuit mounted on said body and connected to said analog signal generator.    
     
     
         25 . An electrical coupling, comprising: 
 a body;    an electrically conductive connector member disposed on said body such that said connector member engages a mating coupling to complete an electrical path therethrough in response to connecting the mating coupling to said electrical coupling; and    a switch disposed on said body, said switch having a first switch state and a second switch state and said switch switching from the first switch state to the second switch state in response to connecting the mating coupling to said electrical coupling.    
     
     
         26 . In an electrical coupling of the type including a body and three pins for providing a symmetric output from a musical instrument when said electrical coupling is mounted thereon, the improvement comprising a switch disposed on the body such that said switch is responsive to attachment of a mate of said electrical coupling.  
     
     
         27 . An improvement as defined in    claim 26   , wherein said switch includes a push actuated switch element responsive to engagement of the mate of said electrical coupling.  
     
     
         28 . An improvement as defined in    claim 27   , wherein said switch further includes first and second terminals to connect respectively to a battery and an electrical ground of the musical instrument.