Keyboard instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11145278-B2
Application number	US-201916274251-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2019
Priority date	Feb 16, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

There is provided a keyboard instrument in which a plurality of white keys and a plurality of black keys are arranged in a widthwise direction, a total width dimension of the plurality of white keys that constitute one octave is set to 160 mm or less, and a width dimension of an upper surface of each of the black keys is set to 9 mm or more and 10.5 mm or less.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard instrument in which a plurality of white keys and a plurality of black keys are arranged in a widthwise direction,
wherein a total width dimension of the plurality of white keys that constitute one octave is set to 160 mm or less resulting in a narrowing of the white keys, and
a width dimension of an upper surface of each of the black keys is set to 9 mm or more and 10.5 mm or less.

2. The keyboard instrument according to claim 1 , wherein a width dimension of a bottom of each of the black keys is less than 11 mm.

3. The keyboard instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the width dimension of the bottom of each of the black keys is 10.7 mm or more.

4. The keyboard instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the width dimension of the bottom is set to be larger than the width dimension of the upper surface of each of the black keys.

5. The keyboard instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the width dimension of the bottom is set to be larger than the width dimension of the upper surface of each of the black keys.

6. The keyboard instrument according to claim 4 , wherein, provided that the width dimension of the upper surface of each of the black keys is La, the width dimension of the bottom of each of the black keys is Lb and a height dimension of each of the black keys is Lc, each of the black keys is formed in an isosceles trapezoidal shape that satisfies a relation of 2 degrees≤arctan ((Lb-La)/(2×Lc)).

7. The keyboard instrument according to claim 5 , wherein, provided that the width dimension of the upper surface of each of the black keys is La, the width dimension of the bottom of each of the black keys is Lb and a height dimension of each of the black keys is Lc, each of the black keys is formed in an isosceles trapezoidal shape that satisfies a relation of 2 degrees≤arctan ((Lb-La)/(2×Lc)).

8. The keyboard instrument according to claim 6 , wherein an inclined angle of a side surface of each of the black keys is set to 2 degrees or more and about 3 degrees.

9. The keyboard instrument according to claim 2 , wherein a surface roughness of the upper surface is larger than a surface roughness of a side surface of each of the black keys.

10. The keyboard instrument according to claim 3 , wherein a surface roughness of the upper surface is larger than a surface roughness of a side surface of each of the black keys.

11. The keyboard instrument according to claim 4 , wherein a surface roughness of the upper surface is larger than a surface roughness of a side surface of each of the black keys.

12. The keyboard instrument according to claim 5 , wherein a surface roughness of the upper surface is larger than a surface roughness of a side surface of each of the black keys.

13. The keyboard instrument according to claim 6 , wherein a surface roughness of the upper surface is larger than a surface roughness of a side surface of each of the black keys.

14. The keyboard instrument according to claim 7 , wherein a surface roughness of the upper surface is larger than a surface roughness of a side surface of each of the black keys.

15. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein the side surface of each of the black keys is formed as a mirror plane.

16. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein emboss processing is performed on the side surface of each of the black keys.

17. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein emboss processing is performed on the upper surface of each of the black keys.

18. The keyboard instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the keyboard instrument is configured as a piano.

19. The keyboard instrument according to claim 1 , wherein hammers linked to operations of the white keys and the black keys are provided.

20. The keyboard instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the keyboard instrument is configured as an electronic keyboard instrument configured to generate a musical sound signal according to operations of the white keys and the black keys.

Assignees

• Roland Corp

Inventors

• Takata Yukihide
• Kitagawa Yoshiyasu

Classifications

• G10C3/125 Primary

  Materials or treatment of materials for the manufacturing of keys · CPC title

• G10C3/12

  Keyboards; Keys · CPC title

• G10H1/344 Primary

  Structural association with individual keys (electrically operated wind-actuated organs G10B3/22) · CPC title

• B44F9/00

  Designs imitating natural patterns · CPC title

• G10H1/346

  Keys with an arrangement for simulating the feeling of a piano key, e.g. using counterweights, springs, cams · CPC title