Sensor unit that detects a strike

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10620020-B2
Application number	US-201715842785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2017
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A sensor unit, which is used for detecting a vibration of an object that is supported by a stand, comprises: a sensor board having a contact area that is configured to contact a lower surface of the object; a sensor that is configured to detect a vibration of the object and is fixed to the sensor board; a bearing that is fixed to the sensor board and has a through-hole; and a base that has a shaft that is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing. An outer configuration of the through-hole of the bearing is structured to substantially correspond to an outer configuration of the shaft of the base.

First claim

I claim:

1. A sensor unit that is configured to be used for detecting a vibration of an object that is supported by a stand, comprising:
a sensor board having a contact area, the contact area being configured to contact a lower surface of the object when the sensor board and the object are attached to the stand;
a sensor that is fixed to the sensor board, the sensor being configured to detect the vibration of the object when the object is struck, the sensor being configured to receive a cable through which the detected vibration is transmitted;
a bearing that is fixed to the sensor board and has a through-hole; and
a base that is configured to be detachably fixed to the stand, the base having a shaft that extends upward and is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing;
wherein an outer configuration of the through-hole of the bearing is configured to substantially correspond to an outer configuration of the shaft of the base.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein when viewed in a plan view,
the shaft of the base has a polygonal shape, and
the through-hole of the bearing has a polygonal shape.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 2 wherein
the shaft of the base has i) a hexagonal shape, ii) a pentagonal shape, or iii) a square shape, and
the through-hole of the bearing has a) a hexagonal shape, b) a pentagonal shape, or c) a square shape, correspondingly.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 1 wherein
the outer configuration of the shaft of the base has a convex portion or a concave portion, and
the outer configuration of the through-hole of the bearing has i) a concave portion that is configured to receive the convex portion of the shaft when the shaft of the base is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing, or ii) a convex portion that is configured to be inserted in the concave portion of the shaft when the shaft of the base is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor board has a protrusion which extends upwards, the protrusion having an annular shape when viewed from a top perspective, and
an upper surface of the annular shaped protrusion serves as the contact area and is configured to contact the lower surface of the object when the sensor board and the object are attached to the stand.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 5 , wherein
the sensor board comprises (i) a disk portion, (ii) a flat plate, and (iii) a connecting plate that connects the disk portion and the flat plate,
the sensor is fixed to the flat plate,
the annular shaped protrusion is formed on the disk portion, and
the bearing is fixed to an inner edge of the disk portion, the inner edge of the disk portion being disposed to surround the bearing.

7. The sensor unit according to claim 6 , wherein
a combined area of (i) the disk portion, (ii) the flat plate, (iii) the connecting plate and (iv) the bearing, is equal to or less than a predetermined value when viewed in a plan view.

8. The sensor unit according to claim 5 , wherein
the bearing is made of a material that is more flexible than the sensor board, and
the bearing has a groove into which an edge of the sensor board is inserted, such that the bearing is detachably fixed to the sensor board.

9. The sensor unit according to claim 8 , wherein the bearing has a hardness which is limited to only within a predetermined hardness.

10. A sensor unit that is configured to be used for detecting a vibration of an object that is supported by a stand, comprising:
a sensor board having a contact area, the contact area being configured to contact a lower surface of the object when the sensor board and the object are attached to the stand;
a sensor that is fixed to the sensor board, the sensor being configured to detect the vibration of the object when the object is struck, the sensor being configured to receive a cable through which the detected vibration is transmitted;
a bearing that is fixed to the sensor board and has a through-hole; and
a base that is configured to be detachably fixed to the stand, the base having a shaft that extends upward and is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing;
wherein:
an outer configuration of the through-hole of the bearing is configured to substantially correspond to an outer configuration of the shaft of the base, and
the bearing is made of a material that is more flexible than the sensor board.

11. The sensor unit according to claim 10 , wherein the bearing has a hardness which is limited to only within a predetermined hardness.

12. The sensor unit according to claim 10 , wherein when viewed in a plan view,
the shaft of the base has a polygonal shape, and
the through-hole of the bearing has a polygonal shape.

13. The sensor unit according to claim 12 wherein
the shaft of the base has i) a hexagonal shape, ii) a pentagonal shape, or iii) a square shape, and
the hole of the bearing has a) a hexagonal shape, b) a pentagonal shape, or c) a square shape, correspondingly.

14. The sensor unit according to claim 10 wherein
the outer configuration of the shaft of the base has a convex portion or a concave portion, and
the outer configuration of the through hole of the bearing has i) a concave portion that is configured to receive the convex portion of the shaft when the shaft of the base is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing, or ii) a convex portion that is configured to be inserted in the concave portion of the shaft when the shaft of the base is inserted in the through-hole of the bearing.

15. The sensor unit according to claim 10 , wherein
the sensor board has a protrusion which extends upwards, the protrusion having an annular shape when viewed in a plan view, and
an upper surface of the annular shaped protrusion serves as the contact area and is configured to contact the lower surface of the object when the sensor board and the object are attached to the stand.

16. The sensor unit according to claim 15 , wherein
the sensor board comprises (i) a disk portion, (ii) a flat plate, and (iii) a connecting plate that connects the disk portion and the flat plate,
the sensor is fixed to the flat plate,
the annular shaped protrusion is formed on the disk portion, and
the bearing is fixed to an inner edge of the disk portion, the inner edge of the disk portion being disposed to surround the bearing.

17. The sensor unit according to claim 16 , wherein
a combined area of (i) the disk portion, (ii) the flat plate, (iii) the connecting plate and (iv) the bearing, is equal to or less than a predetermined value when viewed in a plan view.

18. A sensor unit that is configured to be used for detecting a vibration of an object that is supported by a stand, comprising:
a sensor board having a protrusion and a through-hole;
a sensor that is fixed to the sensor board, the sensor being configured to detect the vibration of the object when the object is struck, the sensor being configured to receive a cable through which the detected vibration is transmitted; and
a base that is configured to be detachably fixed to the stand, the base having a shaft that extends upward and is inserted in the through-hole of the sensor board;
wherein the protrusion has an annular shape when viewed in a plan view, and
an upper surface of the annular shaped protrusion is configured to contact a lower surface of the object when the sensor board and the object are attached to the stand.

19. The sensor unit according to claim 18 , wherein
an outer configuration of

Assignees

• Yamaha Corp

Inventors

• Tanabe Emi

Classifications

• G10H2230/325

  Spint cymbal crash, i.e. mimicking thin-edged cymbals designed to produce a loud, sharp "crash", either mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick, e.g. crash cymbal, or played in pairs by hand, e.g. clash cymbals · CPC title

• G10H2220/525

  Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage · CPC title

• G10H3/143

  characterised by the use of a piezoelectric or magneto-strictive transducer · CPC title

• G01D11/16 Primary

  Elements for restraining, or preventing the movement of, parts, e.g. for zeroising (caging of moving parts when not in use G01D11/20) · CPC title

• G01H11/08

  using piezoelectric devices · CPC title