RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/146,076, filed on Apr. 10, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/166,592, filed on May 26, 2015 which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to ergonomic support devices that can improve ergonomic posture and aid in injury prevention and, in particular, to ergonomic support devices for musical instruments. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Instrumental musicians often struggle with balance, alignment, and posture. Some musicians, such as cellists and upright bass players, have the advantage that their instruments are supported by a post that transfers the weight of the instrument to the floor. Likewise, pianos and other large percussion instruments have legs that transfer the weight of the instrument to the floor. Some woodwind players such as saxophonists and bassoonists are known to use a lanyard to assist in supporting and positioning their instrument. Guitar players often use a strap to support the weight of a folk guitar or an electric guitar while playing. 
         [0006]    In contrast, violins and violas are supported completely by the player, wherein the neck of the instrument is partly supported by the left hand and the body of the instrument is supported by the collarbone. The violin is then held in place by the weight of the player&#39;s chin, placed on the top of the instrument, directly over the collarbone. 
         [0007]    Supporting the instrument properly is one of the main challenges involved in playing the violin. Even advanced and professional players are vulnerable to injuries caused by the strain of holding up the instrument. Although violins are typically more awkward than they are heavy, the weight of a viola can be significant and problematic. Most violinists and violists use accessories to aid in supporting their instruments. For example, a chinrest that clamps onto one end of the instrument provides a cup that keeps the chin in position. Players may also use a pad or shoulder rest to fill some of the space between the chin and the shoulder. A high-friction cloth can be used to prevent the instrument from slipping out of position. Players who have long necks may need a customized chinrest that is elevated several inches above the top of the instrument. Unfortunately, any such device that constrains or absorbs vibration of the instrument tends to interfere with tone production. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    A specialized ergonomic apparatus in the form of a harness supports the weight of a violin or a viola, eliminating the need for the player to engage the neck or chin to support the instrument while playing. The harness transfers the weight of the instrument to larger muscles in the player&#39;s back, thus providing an ergonomic solution, and encouraging beneficial posture. Use of the violin harness permits playing freely, without a need for a chinrest or similar accessories. Furthermore, the player need not engage the chin or neck at all. Such an advantage may allow those with upper torso injuries, who might otherwise be prevented from playing the violin, to do so comfortably and painlessly. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, the violin harness includes a shoulder strap, a back strap, and an adjustable strap that attaches to the instrument. Various different attachment options are disclosed. In an embodiment, the shoulder strap is omitted, and the back strap connects to the player&#39;s belt, so that the harness is substantially invisible to an audience. In an embodiment, the back strap is omitted and the shoulder strap connects to a counterweight near the center of the player&#39;s back. The counterweight may be hidden in a pocket of the harness. In an embodiment, the counterweight may be a central element of the harness to which the straps are directly attached. Embodiments of the violin harness as shown and described herein can be used or adapted to support loads, other than musical instruments, that are carried in front of the wearer. 
         [0010]    In use, a musician dons the harness, placing the shoulder strap over the right shoulder, and joining the back strap with the shoulder strap to form a closed loop. The third, adjustable, strap is then connected to the instrument. Such a connection may be made indirectly by first attaching the adjustable strap to an attachment mounted to the instrument. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a violin harness having anatomically contoured shoulder and back straps, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates adjustable closure of the violin harness shown in  FIG. 1 , forming a closed loop. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a magnified view of a coupling ring that joins various straps of the violin harness shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a front view of the violin harness shown in  FIG. 1  when fitted to a wearer. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a back view of the violin harness shown in  FIG. 1  when fitted to a wearer. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4C  is a back view of a violin harness in use, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  is a top plan view showing attachment of a violin harness connector to a violin chinrest, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  is a side elevation view showing the attachment arrangement of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a strap clamp, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view showing attachment of a violin harness connector to the strap clamp shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a magnified view of a connection apparatus that attaches the adjustable strap of a violin harness to the violin, according to an embodiment described herein. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a magnified view of a connection apparatus that attaches the adjustable strap to the violin, according to an embodiment described herein. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 10 and 11  are perspective views of a bracket that permits attachment of the adjustable strap to a violin chinrest, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a magnified view of a connection apparatus that attaches the adjustable strap to the violin, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is a top plan view of a connection apparatus that attaches the adjustable strap to the violin, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the connection apparatus shown in  FIG. 13 , when mounted to the violin. 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is an end view of a violin to which a connection apparatus is attached at the button, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is a side elevation view of the violin and the connection apparatus shown in  FIG. 15 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is a magnified side view of the connection apparatus shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  is an end view of a violin to which a connection apparatus is attached at the button, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  is a side elevation view of the button and the connection apparatus shown in  FIG. 18 , equipped with a quick release swivel ring. 
           [0032]      FIG. 20  is a pictorial view of a violin harness having an anatomically contoured shoulder strap and a pocket that accommodates a counterweight, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0033]      FIG. 21  is a back view of the violin harness shown in  FIG. 20 , when fitted to a wearer. 
           [0034]      FIG. 22  is a pictorial view of a harness having an anatomically contoured shoulder strap and a coupler in the form of a counterweight, according to an embodiment as described herein. 
           [0035]      FIG. 23  is a pictorial view of the counterweight shown in  FIG. 22 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 24  is a back view of a person wearing the violin harness having the counterweight feature, as shown in  FIG. 22 , wherein the harness is fully supporting the violin. 
           [0037]      FIGS. 25-27  show examples of decorated counterweights for use with the violin harness shown in  FIG. 22 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0038]    In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of the disclosed subject matter. However, the disclosed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and methods comprising embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the descriptions of other aspects of the present disclosure. 
         [0039]    Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims that follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is, as “including, but not limited to.” 
         [0040]    Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “In an embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same aspect. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more aspects of the present disclosure. 
         [0041]    In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts unless the context indicates otherwise. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
         [0042]    Specific embodiments are described herein with reference to violin harnesses that have been produced; however, the present disclosure and the reference to certain materials, dimensions, and the details and ordering of processing steps are exemplary and should not be limited to those shown. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 1-3, 4A, and 4B  show a violin harness  100 , according to an embodiment. The violin harness  100  includes an anatomically contoured back strap  102 , an anatomically contoured shoulder strap  104 , a coupling device such as a coupling ring  106 , an adjustable length strap  108 , and a connector assembly  110  that connects the violin harness  100  to a musical instrument, e.g., a violin or a viola. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the anatomically contoured straps  102 ,  104  are curved and have widths that vary along their lengths to fit the human form so that the violin is supported ergonomically. The violin harness  100  fits around a wearer, such that the back strap  102  and the shoulder strap  104  connect to form a closed loop as shown in  FIG. 2 , using an adjustable closure device such as, for example, a Velcro™ hook and loop closure  112 / 114 . The straps  102 ,  104 , and  108  can be made of a durable fabric, leather, or any other suitable material. 
         [0044]      FIG. 3  shows a magnified view of the coupling ring  106 , according to an embodiment. The coupling ring  106  serves as an automatic adjustment mechanism for orienting the straps  102 ,  104 , and  108 , relative to one another. The straps are attached to the coupling ring  106  by loops  115 . The coupling ring  106  may be made of metal, plastic, or carbon fiber, for example. The coupling ring may be anodized and may have a color that matches the straps  102 ,  104 ,  108 . Alternatively, another type of coupling device may be used in place of a ring. The coupling ring  106 , however, advantageously allows the straps  102 ,  104 , and  108  to self-adjust so as to facilitate assuming the most comfortable and ergonomically desirable positions relative to one another. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the violin harness  100  connected to a violin  200 , while being worn by a violin player. It is noted that a viola generally may be substituted for the violin  200 . The violin  200  includes a back  202 , ribs  204 , a top  206 , and a neck  207 , typically made of wood, although other materials may be used such as, for example, carbon fiber. With reference to  FIG. 4A , accessories to the violin  200  include a chinrest  208  that rests on a chinrest foot  209 , a tailpiece  210 , and one or more fine tuners  212 . As shown in  FIG. 4A , the violin harness  100  fully supports the weight of the violin  200  so that the player&#39;s left hand  220  is free. That is, the player&#39;s left hand  220  need not touch the instrument, and still, the neck  207  and the strings are maintained substantially parallel to the ground in proper playing position. The player may optionally use a shoulder rest  231 , which is placed between the back  202  and the player&#39;s shoulder. As shown in  FIG. 4B , the coupling ring  106  is positioned in contact with the wearer&#39;s back. The closed loop fits under the wearer&#39;s right arm, and the adjustable length strap  108  extends over the left shoulder to connect with the instrument via the connector assembly  110 . The violin harness  100  is substantially invisible to an audience when the player wears a jacket, which is often the case in a music performance. 
         [0046]      FIG. 4C  shows a violin harness  233  connected to a violin  200 , while being worn by a violin player, according to an embodiment. The violin harness  233  omits the coupling ring  106  and substitutes a back strap  235  that attaches to the player&#39;s belt  237  using a clip  239 . The belt  237  assists in supporting the weight of the instrument. However, the violin harness  233  may be somewhat less flexible than the violin harness  100  because, unlike the coupling ring  106 , the back strap  235  may not shift its position to automatically compensate for movement of the wearer. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show magnified views of the connector assembly  110 , according to an embodiment. The connector assembly  110  includes a two-part clip having a male portion  116   a  that fits into a female portion  116   b.  The two-part clip removably connects to the adjustable length strap  108 . A buckle  117  facilitates adjusting the length of the adjustable length strap  108 . The connector assembly  110  also includes a protective flap  118   a  that prevents contact between the buckle  117  and the instrument. The protective flap  118   a  can be made of fabric, leather, e.g., chamois, or any other suitable material that will not harm the polished wood finish of the instrument. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show in greater detail how the connector assembly  110  is secured to a violin  200 . It may be advantageous to secure the violin harness  100  to an accessory instead of directly to the violin  200  so as not to alter the violin  200 , itself, in any way, which may compromise its value. For example, the connector assembly may be connected to the chinrest  208  as described below. The chinrest  208  is attached to the violin  200  by a chinrest clamp  213 . The chinrest clamp  213  includes threaded rails  214 , a lower plate  215 , and a barrel screw  216  having screw holes  217 . The chinrest foot  209  contacts the top  206  of the instrument and is held in place by the chinrest clamp  213  by tightening the barrel screw  216 . The threaded rails  214  are mounted in the side of the chinrest  208  and are therefore an integral part of the chinrest  208 . The lower plate  215  of the chinrest clamp  213  contacts the back  202 . The end  120  of the adjustable length strap  108  may be attached to the violin  200  simply by loosening the barrel screw  216 , sliding the end  120  underneath the chinrest foot  209 , and re-tightening the barrel screw  216 . The end  120  may be made thicker than the rest of the adjustable length strap  108  so the end  120  will not pull out from under the chinrest foot  209 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate a strap clamp  230  that secures the adjustable strap  208  in place of a chinrest, according to an embodiment. The strap clamp  230  includes the threaded rails  214 , the lower plate  215 , and the barrel screw  216 , as well as a base plate  232 , a top plate  236 , and screws  238 . The threaded rails  214  of the strap clamp  230  are mounted to a base plate  232  having an indentation  234  that accommodates the adjustable strap  208 . The top plate  236  exerts pressure against the base plate  232  and the adjustable strap  208  when the screws  238  are tightened. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 8-22  show magnified views of alternative designs for the connector assembly  110  of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , with various options for connecting the violin harness  100  to an instrument via a connection apparatus. Some embodiments of the connection apparatus include the connector assembly  110  as well as additional hardware mounted to the instrument to receive the connector assembly  110 . Some embodiments of the connection apparatus replace the connector assembly  110 . Detailed descriptions of the various embodiments are presented below. One reason that alternative designs are presented is that players may or may not use various ones of the violin accessories. In addition, accessories such as the chinrest  208  are available in many different styles and shapes. 
         [0051]    In particular, embodiments shown in  FIGS. 8-22  are concerned with different connectors and points of connection used to removably attach the adjustable length strap  108  to the violin. The connector itself can take on various different forms. For example, in the connector assembly  110 , the connector is the male portion  116   a  of a plastic clip that includes a short length of strapping material. The buckle  117  may be provided with a pliable backing that protects the instrument from contacting the buckle. The backing itself may wrap around the connection point, e.g., a clamp or a bracket. Alternatively, the short length of strap attached to the buckle  117  may attach to the connection point. Additionally or alternatively, the connector may include a push-button quick-release mechanism so that when the violin harness is disconnected, no elements related to the harness or its connection apparatus protrude from the instrument. 
         [0052]    In some embodiments the connector assembly attaches to the chinrest  208  or to the chinrest clamp  213 ; in other embodiments, the connector assembly attaches to the endpin or “button”  218 , which is mounted in a hole in the rib  204  of the violin. It is noted that the tail gut  211  wraps around the button  218 , securing the tailpiece  210 . The button  218  is therefore already under a high degree of tension from the strings and the tailpiece  210 . In some embodiments, string tension on the button may be balanced by opposing tension due to the violin harness  100 . In another embodiments, the chinrest  208  is removed, but the chinrest clamp  213  is retained as part of the connection apparatus of the violin harness  100 . In an embodiment, a strut is mounted over the button  218  for attachment to the chinrest clamp  213 . The strut then receives an end of the adjustable length strap  108  or an end of the protective flap  118   a.    
         [0053]      FIG. 8  shows a connection apparatus  240 , according to an embodiment. The connection apparatus  240  is compatible with an exemplary chinrest that straddles the end of the tailpiece and therefore does not have a unitary chinrest foot  209 , e.g., a Guarneri style chinrest. The connection apparatus  240  includes a bracket  242  affixed to a sidewall  248  of the chinrest  208  and a hook  246  attached to the end of the adjustable length strap  108 . The bracket  242  may attach to the sidewall  248  using fasteners  249 . The bracket  242  may be made of metal, for example. The hook  246  may be made of a strong plastic material and may be curved so that it wraps around the bracket  242  securely. A clip or any other suitable fastener may be substituted for the hook  246 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 9  shows a connection apparatus  250 , according to an embodiment. The connection apparatus  250  is similar to the connection apparatus  240 , except that the connection apparatus  250  may be used without a chinrest  208  entirely. Instead of mounting the bracket  242  to a chinrest, the bracket  242  may be mounted to the saddle  219 . 
         [0055]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show a connection apparatus  260 , according to an embodiment. The connection apparatus  260  is similar to the connection apparatus  240 , except that the connection apparatus  260  features a chinrest clamp bracket  262  that attaches to the chinrest clamp  213  instead of to the sidewall  248 . For example, the chinrest clamp bracket  262  may include a plurality of hooks  264  (four shown) that wrap around the rails  214  of the chinrest clamp  213 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 12  shows a magnified view of the connector assembly  110  with the clip removed, exposing the male portion  116   a.  Such two-part clips  116   a,    116   b  are well known. In  FIG. 12 , the exemplary protective flap  118   b  folds over and has a slightly different shape than the protective flap  118   a  shown in  FIG. 1 . The protective flap  118   b  can be used as part of the connection apparatus  260  to connect the violin harness  100  to the chinrest clamp bracket  262 . 
         [0057]      FIGS. 13 and 14  show a connection apparatus  270 , according to an embodiment. The connection apparatus  270  has a protective flap that is compatible with a Guarneri style chinrest. The connection apparatus  270  is similar to the connector assembly  110 , except that the connection apparatus  270  features a protective flap  118   c  shaped like a “Y,” having two ends  274  that are secured under respective chinrest feet  209   a,    209   b.  The connection apparatus  270  has the additional advantage that it does not require additional mounting hardware to be installed on the chinrest  208 , the chinrest clamp  213 , or the saddle  219 . 
         [0058]      FIGS. 15, 16, and 17  illustrate a connection apparatus  280 , according to an embodiment. The connection apparatus  280  can be used with or without the chinrest  208 . The connection apparatus  280  includes an angled strap  284  and a U-shaped attachment bar  286 . A narrow end  285   a  of the angled strap  284  is secured to the instrument at the button  218 . In an embodiment, the angled strap  284  and the button are fabricated as a unitary device. The U-shaped attachment bar  286  is attached to a wide end  285   b  of the angled strap  284 . The U-shaped attachment bar may desirably be made of a rigid material such as metal or plastic. The angled strap  284  desirably may be made of a soft material, e.g., fabric or leather. 
         [0059]      FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate a connection apparatus  290 , according to an embodiment. The connection apparatus  290  includes an angled strap  292  and a grommet  294 . A narrow end  292   a  of the angled strap  292  is secured to the instrument at the button  218 . In an embodiment, the angled strap  292  and the button  218  are fabricated as a unitary device. The angled strap  284  desirably may be made of a soft material, e.g., fabric or leather. The grommet  294  is positioned at a wide end  292   b  of the angled strap  292  to receive a quick release swivel ring  296 . The quick release swivel ring  296  is in turn attached to an end of the adjustable length strap  108 . The quick release swivel ring  296  includes a shaft  298 , a plurality of ball detents  300 , a ring  302 , and a push button  304 . The pushbutton  304  controls the position of the ball detents  300  relative to a surface of the shaft  298 . When the push button  304  is depressed, the ball detents  300  retract into the shaft  298 , permitting the shaft  298  to be inserted into the grommet  294 . The push button  304  is then released, causing the ball detents  300  to extend out from the shaft  298 , so that the shaft is retained in the grommet  294 . Such a quick release swivel ring  296  is known in the art and is commercially available. 
         [0060]      FIGS. 20 and 21  illustrate a violin harness  320 , according to an embodiment. The violin harness  320  includes the anatomically contoured shoulder strap  104  and, in place of a coupling ring  106 , provides a panel  324  that contains a pocket  326  for holding a counterweight  328  against the player&#39;s back as shown in  FIG. 21 . The pocket  326  may have a pocket closure  332 , e.g., made of Velcro™. The counterweight  328  supports the instrument by balancing the weight of the instrument while holding the instrument in a correct playing position. Consequently, the counterweight  328  may eliminate the need for the chinrest  208 , the shoulder rest  231 , or both. The counterweight  328  can be, for example, a contiguous solid weight, or a plurality of weights that can change position within the pocket  326  in accordance with the player&#39;s motion. The counterweight  328  may be in the form of, for example, a distributed weight such as steel shot held together in a fabric bag. The violin harness  320  can attach to the violin  200  using any one of the connectors described above for use with the violin harness  100 , or combinations of such connectors. 
         [0061]      FIGS. 22-27  illustrate an ergonomic harness  330  according to an embodiment. The ergonomic harness  330  features a contiguous solid counterweight  332 . The solid counterweight  332  serves as a coupler, joining the back strap  102 , the shoulder strap  104 , and the adjustable length strap  108  via a plurality of connectors  334 . In an embodiment, the solid counterweight  332  has a somewhat irregular shape, for example, an ellipsoid having four foci. The solid counterweight  332  may desirably weigh in the range of about 0.5-5.0 pounds and can be made of various materials such metal, molded plastic, natural stone, ceramic, wood, or engineered stone. The solid counterweight  332  may include a protective or a decorative surface covering in the form of a thin layer of material bonded to the surface or painted on the surface. Additionally or alternatively, the solid counterweight  332  may be in the shape of a recognizable object such as an animal shape, a sports logo shape, or the like. Exemplary designs for counterweights  332   a,    332   b,  and  332   c  are shown in  FIGS. 25-27 , respectively. The ergonomic harness  330  may be used as a musical instrument harness, or it may be used to support other types of loads, for example, for use as a baby carrier, for use in carrying heavy objects around a construction site, or as a weight belt, featuring the specialized solid counterweight  332  having an ellipsoid shape as described and shown herein. 
         [0062]    All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties. 
         [0063]    It will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments. 
         [0064]    These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
A specialized harness supports the weight of a violin or a viola, eliminating the need for the player to engage the neck or chin to support the instrument while playing. The harness transfers the weight of the instrument to larger muscles in the player's back or shoulder, thus providing ergonomic assistance to the player, and encouraging beneficial posture while playing. Such an ergonomic apparatus may be further equipped with a counterweight. Use of the violin harness permits playing freely, without a need for customary accessories. The violin harness may allow those with upper torso or neck injuries, who might otherwise be prevented from playing the violin, to do so comfortably and painlessly.