Keyboard apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11211037-B2
Application number	US-202017016957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 26, 2018
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A keyboard apparatus includes a first key assembly, a second key assembly, and a third key assembly. The first key assembly includes a first key being slidably in contact with a first member at a first position and a second member at a second position. A first minimum distance between the first key assembly and the second key assembly at the rear ends thereof is larger than a second minimum distance between the first key assembly and the second key assembly at the second position within a range of rotation of the first key assembly. A third minimum distance between the first key assembly and the third key assembly at the rear ends thereof being larger than a fourth minimum distance between the first key assembly and the third key assembly at the second position within the range of rotation of the first key assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard apparatus comprising:
a first key assembly including:
a first key arranged along a plane;
a first member disposed at a first position; and
a second member disposed at a second position, which is positioned between a front end and a rear end of the first key, and a rear side of the first position,
wherein the first key is slidably in contact with the first member and the second member, and rotatable about the second member;

a second key assembly including:
a second key arranged next to the first key along the plane;
a third member disposed at a third position; and
a fourth member disposed at a fourth position, which is positioned between a front end and a rear end of the second key, and a rear side of the third position,
wherein the second key is slidably in contact with the third member and the fourth member, and rotatable about the fourth member, and
wherein a first minimum distance between the first key and the second key at the rear ends thereof being larger than a second minimum distance between the first key and the second key at the second position within a range of rotation of the first key; and

a third key assembly including:
a third key arranged next to the first key along the plane on a side opposite to the second key;
a fifth member disposed at a fifth position; and
a sixth member disposed at a sixth position, which is positioned between a front end and a rear end of the third key, and a rear side of the fifth position,
wherein the third key is slidably in contact with the fifth member and the sixth member, and rotatable about the sixth member, and
wherein a third minimum distance between the first key and the third key at the rear ends thereof being larger than a fourth minimum distance between the first key and the third key at the second position within a range of rotation of the first third key.

2. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first key includes a seventh position, which is positioned at the rear side of the second position, for receiving a load applied to the first key,
the second key includes an eighth position, which is positioned at the rear side of the fourth position, for receiving a load applied to the second key,
the first minimum distance is larger than a fifth minimum distance between the first key and the second key at the seventh position within the range of rotation of the first key,
the third key includes a ninth position, which is positioned at the rear side of the sixth position, for receiving a load applied to the third key, and
the third minimum distance is larger than a sixth minimum distance between the first key and the third key at the seventh position within the range of rotation of the first key.

3. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first key assembly includes a first capstan positioned at the rear side of the second position,
the second key assembly includes a second capstan positioned at the rear side of the fourth position,
the first minimum distance is larger than a fifth minimum distance between the first key and the second key at the first capstan within the range of rotation of the first key,
the third key assembly includes a third capstan positioned at the rear side of the sixth position, and
the third minimum distance is larger than a sixth minimum distance between the first key assembly and the third key assembly at the first capstan, within the range of rotation of the first key.

4. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein:
the fifth minimum distance is larger than the second minimum distance, and
the sixth minimum distance is larger than the fourth minimum distance.

5. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a first width of the first key at the rear end of the first key is smaller than a second width of the first key at the second position of the first key.

6. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a first width of the first key at the rear end of the first key is smaller than a second width of the first key at the first capstan.

7. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a first width of the first key at the first capstan is smaller than a second width of the first key at the second position.

8. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a width of the first key changes discontinuously at the rear side of the second position.

9. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a width of the first key changes discontinuously at the rear side of the first capstan.

10. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a width of the first key changes discontinuously between the second position and the first capstan.

11. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a central axis of the rear end of the first key and a central axis of the second position of the first key are not aligned with each other in a direction perpendicular to the plane.

12. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the central axis of the rear end of the first key and a central axis of the first capstan are not aligned with each other in the direction perpendicular to the plane.

13. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the central axis of the first capstan and the central axis of the first key at the second position are not aligned with each other in the direction perpendicular to the plane.

14. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a key bed,
wherein the second member comprises a first balance pin protruding in the direction substantially perpendicular to the key bed, the fourth member comprises a second balance pin protruding in the direction substantially perpendicular to the key bed, and the sixth member comprises a third balance pin protruding in the direction substantially perpendicular to the key bed.

15. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a key bed,
wherein the first member comprises a first front pin protruding in the direction substantially perpendicular to the key bed, the third member comprises a second front pin protruding in the direction substantially perpendicular to the key bed, and the fifth member comprises a third front pin protruding in the direction substantially perpendicular to the key bed.

16. A keyboard apparatus comprising:
a key assembly including:
a key arranged along a plane and being slidably in contact with a first member along the plane at a first position of the key and a second member along the plane at a second position, which is positioned on a rear side of the first position, of the key; and
a capstan positioned at a rear side of the key at the second position,
wherein a first width of the key at the rear end of the key is smaller than a second width of the key at the capstan.

17. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the second width is smaller than a third width of the key at the second position.

Assignees

• Yamaha Corp

Inventors

• Takahashi Ken
• Ogawa Kento
• Suzuki Hirotsugu

Classifications

• G10C3/12 Primary

  Keyboards; Keys · CPC title

• G10C3/18 Primary

  Hammers · CPC title