Keyboard apparatus and keyboard instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9384715-B2
Application number	US-201514662130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2015
Priority date	Mar 20, 2014
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A keyboard apparatus is provided, which is provided with plural keys 2 disposed in parallel, plural transmission members 10 rotating in response to a key pressing operation on the plural keys, and plural hammer members 11 rotating in accordance with rotation of the transmission member to give an action load to the key. The weights of the transmission members together with the weights of the hammer members bring the plural keys to the initial positions and initial loads of the keys are adjusted by the weights of the hammer members. Even if the weight of the hammer member is changed, the initial load of the key can be adjusted based on the weight of the transmission member. Therefore, when the weights of the hammer members are changed, the initial loads of the keys can be kept constant on the high-pitched tone side and the low-pitched tone side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard apparatus comprising:
plural keys;
plural transmission members provided for the plural keys respectively, each having one of plural kinds of weights, each of which displaces, when a corresponding key is pressed by a user; and
plural hammer members provided for the plural keys respectively, each having one of plural kinds of weights, each of which swings in accordance with displacement of the corresponding transmission member, when the corresponding key is pressed by the user, thereby applying an action load onto the pressed key.

2. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when a weight of one hammer member corresponding to one of the transmission members is lighter than a hammer member corresponding to the other transmission member, the weight of the one transmission member is made heavier than the other transmission member.

3. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
inertia moments of the weights of the hammer members are set lower in a high-pitched tone side than in a low-pitched tone side.

4. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the plural hammer members are made lighter in weight in a high-pitched tone side than in a low-pitched tone side, and the plural transmission members are made heavier in weight in the high-pitched tone side than in the low-pitched tone side, whereby initial loads of the respective keys are kept approximately constant.

5. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hammer member consists of a hammer portion and a hammer arm, the hammer portion and the hammer arm forming a single component of a synthetic resin.

6. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the weight of the hammer member is adjusted by a shape of said hammer member.

7. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a body of the transmission member has a plate portion and plural rib portions formed on the plate portion, the plate portion and the plural rib portions forming a single component of a synthetic resin.

8. The keyboard apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the weight of the transmission member is adjusted based on a shape of the plate portion and a density of the rib portions to be formed on the plate portion.

9. A keyboard instrument comprising:
plural keys;
plural transmission members provided for the plural keys respectively, each having one of plural kinds of weights, each of which displaces, when a corresponding key is pressed by a user;
plural hammer members provided for the plural keys respectively, each having one of plural kinds of weights, each of which swings in accordance with displacement of the corresponding transmission member, when the corresponding key is pressed by the user, thereby applying an action load onto the pressed key;
plural switch units provided for the plural hammer members respectively, each of which generates an on-signal when pressed in response to swing of the corresponding hammer member; and
a sound source which generates a musical signal in response to the on-signal generated by the switch unit.

10. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein
when a weight of one hammer member corresponding to one of the transmission members is lighter than the other hammer member corresponding to the other transmission member, the weight of the one transmission member is made heavier than the other transmission member.

11. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein
inertia moments of the weights of the hammer members are set lower in a high-pitched tone side than in a low-pitched tone side.

12. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein
the plural hammer members are made lighter in weight in a high-pitched tone side than in a low-pitched tone side, and the plural transmission members are made heavier in weight in the high-pitched tone side than in the low-pitched tone side, compensating difference in weights of the hammer members between the high-pitched tone side and the low-pitched tone side, whereby initial loads of the respective keys are kept approximately constant.

13. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein
the hammer member consists of a hammer portion and a hammer arm, the hammer portion and the hammer arm forming a single component of a synthetic resin.

14. The keyboard instrument according to claim 13 , wherein
the weight of the hammer member is adjusted by a shape of said hammer member.

15. The keyboard instrument according to claim 9 , wherein
a body of the transmission member has a plate portion and plural rib portions formed on the plate portion, the plate portion and the plural rib portions forming a single component of a synthetic resin.

16. The keyboard instrument according to claim 15 , wherein
the weight of the transmission member is adjusted based on a shape of the plate portion and a density of the rib portions to be formed on the plate portion.

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Taniguchi Hirokazu

Classifications

• G10C3/12

  Keyboards; Keys · CPC title

• G10H1/346

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

• G10C3/18 Primary

  Hammers · CPC title