Keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9424825-B2
Application number	US-201414499547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

A keyboard apparatus has a plurality of white keys and black keys each of which pivot. The keyboard apparatus also has a plurality of reaction force generation members 21 w and 21 b provided for the white keys and the black keys, respectively. The reaction force generation members 21 w and 21 b have dome portions 21 w 1 and 21 b 1 , respectively, which are thin and shaped like a dome so as to be elastically deformed by depression, and base portions 21 w 3 and 21 b 3 , respectively, which are thick and are formed integrally with the dome portions 21 w 1 and 21 b 1 to support the dome portions 21 w 1 and 21 b 1 , the base portions 21 w 3 and 21 b 3 jutting outward from respective lower end surfaces of the dome portions 21 w 1 and 21 b 1 . The vertical position of the lower end of the dome portion 21 w 1 is displaced from the vertical position of the lower end of the dome portion 21 b 1.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, the keyboard apparatus comprising:
a plurality of keys composed of white keys and black keys, each key pivoting about a corresponding pivot axis so that a front end thereof is movable up and down; and
a plurality of reaction force generation members each provided for one of the plurality of keys, and made of an elastic body,
wherein each of the plurality of reaction force generation members is depressable by a depression of the corresponding key to generate a reaction force against the depression of the corresponding key,
wherein each of the reaction force generation members has a dome portion, which is thin and having a dome shape, the dome portion being elastically deformed by depression, and a base portion, which is thick and integral with the dome portion to support the dome portion, extending downwardly and radially outwardly from a lower end of the dome portion,
wherein a position of a point of intersection between a first line extending across the lower end surface of the dome portion of one of the white keys and an axis line of the dome portion of either the one white key or one of the black keys is vertically displaced from a position of a point of intersection between a second line extending across the lower end surface of the dome portion of the one black key and the axis line of the dome portion of either the one white key or the one black key, and
wherein the first line is perpendicular to the axis line of the dome portion of the one white key and the second line is perpendicular to the axis line of the dome portion of the one black key.

2. The keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the position of the point of intersection between the first line and the axis line of the dome portion of the one white key is vertically displaced from the position of the point of intersection between the second line and the axis line of the dome portion of the one black key.

3. The keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the position of the point of intersection between the first line and the axis line of the dome portion of the one white key is vertically displaced from the position of the point of intersection between the second line and the axis line of the dome portion of the one white key.

4. The keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein:
the reaction force generation members of the white keys are integral with the reaction force generation members of the black keys; and
the base portion of each of the white keys is shaped differently from the base portion of each of the black keys.

5. The keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 4 , wherein a step or slope is provided between an upper surface of the base portion of the one white key and an upper surface of the base portion of the one black key.

6. The keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 3 , wherein:
the reaction force generation members of the white keys are integral with the reaction force generation members of the black keys; and
an undersurface of the base portion of the one white key and an undersurface of the base portion of the one black key are seamlessly inclined in the direction in which the one white key and the one black key extend.

7. The keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the dome portion of the one white key has the same shape and size as the dome portion of the one black key.

8. A keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, the keyboard apparatus comprising:
a plurality of keys composed of white keys and black keys, each key pivoting about a corresponding pivot axis so that a front end thereof is movable up and down, and
a plurality of reaction force generation members each provided for one of the plurality of keys, and made of an elastic body,
wherein each of the plurality of reaction force generation members is depressable by a depression of the corresponding key to generate a reaction force against the depression of the corresponding key,
wherein each of the reaction force generation members has a body portion, which is thin so as to be elastically deformed by depression, and a base portion, which is thick and integral with the body portion to support the body portion, extending downwardly and outwardly from a lower end of the body portion, and
wherein the lower end of the body portion of one of the white keys is displaced in a vertical direction from the lower end of the body portion of one of the black keys.

9. A keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, the keyboard apparatus comprising:
a plurality of keys composed of white keys and black keys, each key pivoting about a corresponding pivot axis so that a front end thereof is movable up and down; and
a plurality of reaction force generation members each provided for one of the plurality of keys, and made of an elastic body,
wherein each of the plurality of reaction force generation members is depressable by a depression of the corresponding key to generate a reaction force against the depression of the corresponding key,
wherein each of the reaction force generation members has a dome portion, which is thin and having a dome shape, the dome portion being elastically deformed by depression, and a base portion, which is thick and integral with the dome portion to support the dome portion, extending downwardly and radially outwardly from a lower end of the dome portion, and
wherein the lower end of the body portion of one of the white keys is displaced in a vertical direction from the lower end of the body portion of one of the black keys.

Assignees

• Yamaha Corp

Inventors

• Osuga Ichiro
• Harimoto Hiroshi

Classifications

• G10H1/34 Primary

  Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments · CPC title

• G10H1/346 Primary

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

• G10H1/32

  Constructional details · CPC title