Keyboard device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11776512-B2
Application number	US-201917785397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2019
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a keyboard device for which the number of parts can be reduced. The present invention is provided with: hammers rotatably linked to a chassis; keys rotatably linked to the hammer thereof; guiding pins provided to the keys and extending in the widthwise direction of the keys; and a guiding groove provided to the chassis side and into which the guiding pins are inserted. The downward displacement of the front-end sides of the keys is guided by the rotation of the hammers with respect to the chassis, and the downward displacement of rear-end parts of the keys is guided by the sliding of the guiding pins with respect to the guiding groove. This eliminates the need for links to guide the displacement of the rear-end parts of the keys, thus allowing the number of parts to be reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard device comprising:
a support member;
a link with one end side rotatably connected to the support member;
a key rotatably connected to an other end side of the link;
a guiding pin which is provided on one of a part on a rear end side of the key and a support member side and which extends in a width direction of the key; and
a guiding groove which is provided on the other of the part on the rear end side of the key and the support member side and into which the guiding pin is inserted,
wherein a displacement of a part on a front end side of the key is guided by rotation of the link with respect to the support member, and a displacement of the part on the rear end side of the key is guided by sliding of the guiding pin with respect to the guiding groove.

2. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein the part on the rear end side of the key is displaced to a front lower side by the sliding of the guiding pin with respect to the guiding groove at the time of key pressing of the key.

3. The keyboard device according to claim 2 , wherein the guiding groove is formed in a linear shape that is inclined downward to the front side of the key.

4. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein a first rotation axis, which is a rotation axis of the link with respect to the support member, is located on a rear side of a second rotation axis, which is a rotation axis of the key with respect to the link.

5. The keyboard device according to claim 4 , wherein the key is provided with the guiding pin, and
with respect to a reference point located on a rear lower side of the guiding pin in a side view of the key, the guiding groove is formed in a curved shape that is convex in a direction away from the reference point.

6. The keyboard device according to claim 5 , wherein in a case where a first virtual circle is drawn, which is a virtual circle centered on the reference point in the side view of the key and which passes through the second rotation axis in an initial state before the key is pressed,
a distance from the first rotation axis to the second rotation axis is set to be less than a radius of curvature of the first virtual circle, and
in a case where a second virtual circle is drawn, which is a virtual circle centered on the reference point in the side view of the key and which passes through the guiding pin in the initial state,
the guiding groove is formed in a shape with a larger curvature than the second virtual circle.

7. The keyboard device according to claim 4 , wherein the key is provided with the guiding groove, and
with respect to a reference point located on a rear lower side of the guiding pin in a side view of the key, the guiding groove is formed in a curved shape that is convex in a direction approaching the reference point.

8. The keyboard device according to claim 7 , wherein in a case where a first virtual circle is drawn, which is a virtual circle centered on the reference point in the side view of the key and which passes through the second rotation axis in an initial state before the key is pressed,
a distance from the first rotation axis to the second rotation axis is set to be less than a radius of curvature of the first virtual circle.

9. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein the key comprises a white key and a black key, and
for a downward displacement amount of the key when the guiding pin slides to an end position, the downward displacement amount of the black key is set to be greater than the downward displacement amount of the white key.

10. The keyboard device according to claim 4 , wherein the link has a center of gravity on a side opposite to the second rotation axis with the first rotation axis interposed therebetween, and
a distance from the first rotation axis to the center of gravity of the link is set to be greater than a distance from the first rotation axis to the second rotation axis.

11. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , further comprising a guiding member whose fixed position with respect to the support member is configured to be variable in a front-rear direction and on which the guiding pin or the guiding groove is provided.

12. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein the key is provided with the guiding groove, and
a displacement of rear end parts of a plurality of the keys is guided by one guiding pin.

13. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding groove is provided with an opening from which the guiding pin is insertable and removable with respect to the guiding groove.

14. The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein a gap is formed between a terminal end of the guiding groove and the guiding pin at an end position of the sliding of the guiding pin.

15. The keyboard device according to claim 14 , further comprising a cushioning material that regulates a displacement of the guiding pin to the terminal end of the guiding groove.

16. A keyboard device comprising:
a support member;
a link with one end side rotatably connected to the support member;
a key rotatably connected to an other end side of the link;
a guiding pin which is provided on one of a part on a rear end side of the key and a support member side and which extends in a width direction of the key; and
a guiding groove which is provided on the other of the part on the rear end side of the key and the support member side and into which the guiding pin is inserted,
wherein a part on a rear end side of the key is displaced to a front lower side by sliding of the guiding pin with respect to the guiding groove at the time of key pressing of the key.

17. The keyboard device according to claim 16 , wherein the guiding groove is formed in a linear shape that is inclined downward to the front side of the key.

18. The keyboard device according to claim 16 , wherein a first rotation axis, which is a rotation axis of the link with respect to the support member, is located on a rear side of a second rotation axis, which is a rotation axis of the key with respect to the link.

19. The keyboard device according to claim 18 , wherein the key is provided with the guiding pin, and
with respect to a reference point located on a rear lower side of the guiding pin in a side view of the key, the guiding groove is formed in a curved shape that is convex in a direction away from the reference point.

20. The keyboard device according to claim 19 , wherein in a case where a first virtual circle is drawn, which is a virtual circle centered on the reference point in the side view of the key and which passes through the second rotation axis in an initial state before the key is pressed,
a distance from the first rotation axis to the second rotation axis is set to be less than a radius of curvature of the first virtual circle, and
in a case where a second virtual circle is drawn, which is a virtual circle centered on the reference point in the side view of the key and which passes through the guiding pin in the initial state,
the guiding groove is formed in a shape that curves more strongly than the second virtual circle.

Assignees

• Roland Corp

Inventors

• Kasubuchi Masaki
• Sato Hitoshi
• Takata Yukihide
• Sawada Mutsuo

Classifications

• G10C3/16 Primary

  Actions · CPC title

• G10C3/12

  Keyboards; Keys · CPC title

• G10C1/00 Primary

  General design of pianos, harpsichords, spinets or similar stringed musical instruments with one or more keyboards · CPC title

• G10H3/14

  using mechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means (G10H3/24 takes precedence) · CPC title