JP2000155582A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to allow the front part sides of keys to look bright by illuminating the same with light sources and to surely prevent the lateral oscillation of the keys by means of key guide parts. SOLUTION: The surface of a keyboard chassis 2 which is vertically freely turnably arranged with the plural white keys 3 and black keys 4 having translucency is provided with the square cylindrical white key guide parts 5 and black key guide parts 6 for respectively guiding the respective keys 3 and 4. The light sources 7 and 8 for the white keys and black keys for illuminating the front part sides of the respective keys 3 and 4 from below are arranged in the hollows of the respective key guide parts 5 and 6. Then, the chassis may be provided with the key guide parts 5 and 6 and the light sources 7 and 8 in correspondence to the front parts of the keys 3 and 4. The front part sides of the keys 3 and 4 may, therefore, be well illumination from below by the light sources 7 and 8 so as to glow and in addition, the front parts of the keys 3 and 4 may be effectively guided by the key guide parts 5 and 6 and the lateral movement of the front part sides of the keys 3 and 4 may be surely prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a keyboard device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a keyboard device such as an electronic piano, a light source is provided on a keyboard chassis on which a plurality of keys are rotatably arranged in a vertical direction so as to correspond to the front side of each key. Developed with a navigation function that selectively lights up the front side of each key and selectively indicates the key to be depressed by selectively lighting the key according to the music played in the storage unit in advance. Have been. In this case, the plurality of keys include a plurality of white keys and a plurality of black keys, all of which are made of a synthetic resin having a light-transmitting property, and the front side of each key is formed by a light source disposed below each key. When illuminated from below, a part of the illumination light passes through the key and exits upward,
The key itself is configured to look shiny.

[0003]

However, in such a keyboard device, since the light source is provided on the keyboard chassis so as to correspond to the front side of the key, a key guide for guiding the key is provided for the key rather than the light source. It must be provided at the rear, so the key guide cannot effectively guide the key,
There were inconveniences such as the key swinging large on the front side, making it difficult to play, and difficult to assemble.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to illuminate the front side of a key by illuminating the key with a light source, and to reliably prevent the key from swinging laterally by a key guide portion.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there are provided a plurality of keys having translucency, a keyboard support on which the plurality of keys are rotatably arranged in a vertical direction, and a keyboard support on the keyboard support. A plurality of hollow key guides are provided corresponding to the respective front portions of the plurality of keys and guide the corresponding keys, respectively, and the plurality of key guides are disposed in the hollows of the plurality of key guides, respectively. And a plurality of light sources for illuminating each front side of the key from below. According to the present invention, a plurality of hollow key guide portions are provided on the keyboard support so as to correspond to the respective front portions of the plurality of keys, and a light source is arranged in each hollow of the key guide portions. A key guide part and each light source can be provided corresponding to the front part of each key,
Therefore, the front side of each key can be illuminated and illuminated from below by each light source, and the front part of each key can be effectively guided by each key guide section. Deflection can be reliably prevented.

In this case, as described in claim 2, the key guide portion is provided with a lens for converting divergent light from the light source disposed inside the hollow into parallel light and irradiating the collimated light to the front side of the key. By being provided, the divergent light from each light source can be efficiently condensed on the front side of each key and uniformly illuminated, thereby uniformly irradiating the irradiation area on the front side of each key. Can be lit. Claim 3
As described in the above, the keyboard support is a keyboard chassis formed integrally with a case of a keyboard device, and the plurality of key guide portions are formed integrally with the keyboard chassis, thereby reducing the number of parts. It is possible to improve the assembly work.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of a keyboard device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of a keyboard device,
2 is a plan view in which the upper part of the front side of each key is cut away, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. This keyboard device is an instrument case 1 made of synthetic resin.
And a keyboard chassis 2 formed integrally with the keyboard chassis. On the keyboard chassis 2, a plurality of white keys 3 and a plurality of black keys 4 (each one is shown in each drawing) are arranged so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction. Further, on the keyboard chassis 2, hollow white key guides 5 and black key guides 6 for guiding the white keys 3 and the black keys 4 respectively are provided at the front portions of the white keys 3 and the black keys 4 (in FIG. (Left side), and a light source 7 for a white key and a light source 8 for a black key are provided in the hollows of the white key guide 5 and the black key guide 6, respectively. . Further, on the keyboard chassis 2, there is provided a rubber switch section 10 which is pressed by each pressing section 9 formed on the white key 3 and the black key 4 when the key is pressed.

Each of the plurality of white keys 3 has a thin portion 3a formed at a rear portion (right side portion in FIG. 3), and a rear end portion of each of the thin portions 3a is arranged in parallel with a common connecting portion 3b along the key arrangement direction. , So that they are integrally formed. Similarly, the plurality of black keys 4 also have thin portions 4a formed at their rear portions (right side in the figure), and the rear ends of these thin portions 4a are connected to the common connecting portion 4 along the key arrangement direction.
b are connected in parallel to each other so that they are integrally formed. Then, these white key 3 and black key 4
Is a state in which the connecting portions 3b and 4b are overlapped with each other, and the connecting portions 3b and 4b are attached to the key attaching portion 11 at the rear end of the keyboard chassis 2.
It is mounted on the upper side with a screw 12, and in this state, it is configured to rotate vertically about the thin portions 3a, 4a.

The white key 3 and the black key 4 allow a part of the illumination light emitted by the light sources 7 and 8 to be described later to pass therethrough so that the white key 3 and the black key 4 themselves can be seen shining. Therefore, it is formed of a light-transmitting material. That is, the material of each of the white keys 3 and the black keys 4 is such that a transparent base resin contains a pigment for coloring the base resin and a light diffusing agent having a light diffusing property. In this case, as the base resin, for example, polystyrene (PS), acrylic (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), AS resin, ABS resin, etc.
In particular, styrene-butadiene rubber (SB)
HI with improved impact resistance by adding synthetic rubber such as R)
Polystyrene is preferred. As the pigment, the white key 3 uses titanium oxide to produce white, and the black key 4 uses carbon black to produce black. As the light diffusing agent, an organic matting agent is used.

On the other hand, a white key guide section 5 for guiding the white key 3
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, is formed in a substantially rectangular flat rectangular tube shape, and is integrally formed on the keyboard chassis 2 corresponding to the front part of the white key 3. As shown in FIG. 3, a light source accommodating portion 5a is formed in the hollow of the white key guide portion 5 as shown in FIG. 3, and both side surfaces (upper and lower side surfaces in FIG. 4), a guide projection 5b that is in contact with or can contact the inner wall surface 3c of the white key 3 is formed in a vertical direction as shown in FIG. Similarly to the white key guide 5, the black key guide 6 for guiding the black key 4 is formed in a substantially rectangular elongated rectangular tube shape, and is integrally formed on the keyboard chassis 2 corresponding to the front of the black key 4. Is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, light source housing portions 6a are formed in the rectangular cylindrical hollow of the black key guide portion 6, and both side surfaces (upper and lower side surfaces in FIG. 2) of the rectangular cylindrical outer surface are formed. 4) is a guide projection 6b that can contact or can contact the inner wall surface 4c of the black key 4. FIG.
As shown in FIG.

The light source 7 for the white key is composed of a light-emitting diode (LED) having a high brightness, and is arranged in a light source storage portion 5a formed in the hollow of the white key guide portion 5. It is configured to illuminate from below. In this case, on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 2 corresponding to the white key guide portion 5, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, a light source substrate 13 is mounted via a boss 14, and a light source 7 is mounted on the light source substrate 13 in a state where the light source 7 is electrically connected to the lead wire 7a. The light source 8 for the black key, like the light source 7 for the white key, is composed of a high-brightness LED, and is disposed in a light source housing 6 a formed in the hollow of the black key guide 6. The part is configured to be illuminated from below. Also in this case, as shown in FIG. 3, a light source substrate 15 is mounted on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 2 corresponding to the black key guide portion 6 via a boss 16, and the light source substrate 15 8 are attached in a state where they are electrically connected by a lead wire 8a. The light sources 7 and 8 for the white key and the black key are
At the time of automatic performance or performance practice, it is controlled so as to be selectively turned on according to the performance music.

The rubber switch unit 10 is disposed on a circuit board 17 provided on the lower surface of an intermediate portion of the keyboard chassis 2. That is, the rubber switch portion 10 has elastically deformable swelling rubbers 18 corresponding to the pressing portions 9 formed at the intermediate portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4, respectively. It is provided on the circuit board 17 through the two openings 2a. In this case, a fixed contact and a movable contact are provided in each swelling rubber 18 so as to be able to contact and separate from each other. The upper end of each swelling rubber 18 protruding upward through the opening 2a of the keyboard chassis 2 abuts against the lower surface of each pressing portion 9 of the white key 3 and the black key 4, and the swelling rubber 18 elastically returns. The white key 3 and the black key 4 are pushed up through the respective pressing portions 9 by force.

In this case, the lower surface of the light source board 15 for the black key located on the lower surface side of the keyboard chassis 2 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 7, an upper limit stopper 19 such as felt is provided. This upper limit stopper 19 is provided for each swelling rubber 18.
The white key 3 and the black key 4 are pushed up by the elastic restoring force of each of the thin portions 3a and 4a,
The L-shaped stopper pieces 3d and 4d formed on the white key 3 and the black key 4 abut, thereby restricting the position of the white key 3 and the black key 4 to a predetermined upper limit position (initial position). A lower limit stopper 20 such as a felt is provided on the upper surface of the keyboard chassis 2 located below the L-shaped stopper pieces 3d and 4d.

In such a keyboard device, for example, when the black key 4 is pressed, the black key 4 rotates downward around the thin portion 4a, and the pressing portion 9 of the black key 4 is made of rubber. The bulging rubber 18 of the switch unit 10 is pressed. At this time, the guide protrusions 6b on both sides of the black key guide portion 6 formed on the keyboard chassis 2 contact the inner wall surface 4c of the black key 4 to guide the black key 4, so that the black key 4 swings laterally. Can be prevented.
Similarly, when the white key 3 is pressed, the white key 3 rotates downward about the thin portion 3a, and the pressing portion 9 of the white key 3 is pressed.
Presses the swelling rubber 18 of the rubber switch section 10. At this time, the guide protrusions 5b on both sides of the white key guide portion 5 formed on the keyboard chassis 2 come into contact with the inner wall surface 3c of the white key 3 to guide the white key 3, so that the white key 3 swings laterally. Can be prevented. As described above, when the black key 4 and the white key 3 are pressed and the pressing portions 9 of the black key 4 and the white key 3 press the bulging rubbers 18 of the rubber switch portion 10, the pressed black key 4 is pressed. The rubber switch unit 10 sequentially outputs a switch signal in accordance with the white key 3 and thereby, a musical tone is emitted.

Further, in this keyboard device, during automatic performance or performance practice, when the light sources 7 and 8 for the white key and the black key are selectively turned on in accordance with the music played, the light sources 7 and 8 which are turned on
8 is radiated from below onto the front side of the white key 3 and the black key 4 and a part of the radiated light passes through the white key 3 and the black key 4 and is emitted upward. The front sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4 appear to shine, so that in the automatic performance, the front sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4 can be illuminated according to the music to be played. By illuminating the front sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4 to be pressed according to the music played, the white key 3 and the black key 4 to be pressed as the navigator can be favorably indicated.

As described above, in this keyboard device, the white key guide portion 5 and the black key guide portion 6 are formed on the keyboard chassis 2 so as to correspond to the front portions of the plurality of white keys 3 and the plurality of black keys 4, respectively. , The light source housing 5 in the hollow of each of the key guides 5, 6.
Since the light sources 7 and 8 for the white key and the black key are disposed on the light guides a and 6a, respectively, the key guides 5 and 6 and the light sources 7 and 8 are provided.
Can be installed corresponding to each front part of the white key 3 and the black key 4. Thus, the front sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4 can be illuminated and illuminated from below by the light sources 7 and 8, and the white key 3 and the black key 4 can be illuminated by the key guides 5 and 6. Can be effectively guided, whereby the white key 3 and the black key 4 can be reliably prevented from swaying on the front side, the operability at the time of key pressing is good, and the playing is easy. Also, assemblability is improved. Further, in this keyboard device, a keyboard chassis 2 is formed integrally with a musical instrument case 1 made of synthetic resin, and a white key guide portion 5 and a black key guide portion 6 are provided on the keyboard chassis 2 for each of a white key 3 and a black key 4. Since it is integrally formed corresponding to the front part, the number of parts can be reduced, and the assembling work can be improved.

[Second Embodiment] Next, referring to FIG.
A second embodiment of the keyboard device of the present invention will be described.
The same parts as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. This keyboard device has a configuration in which a lens 25 (only the lens of the black key guide portion 6 is shown in FIG. 5) is provided at each upper end of the white key guide portion 5 and the black key guide portion 6, respectively. Has the same configuration as the first embodiment. That is, the lens 25 provided at the upper end of the black key guide 6 is a plano-concave lens that refracts the divergent light from the light source 8 for the black key into parallel light and irradiates the front side of the black key 4 from below. The light source 8 has a concave surface facing the light source 8 and its focal point is located at the center of the light source 8. Although not shown, the white key guide unit 5
Similarly, a lens 25 is provided at the upper end of the lens.

In such a keyboard device, the same functions and effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained, and in particular, light sources for the white key and the black key are provided at the upper ends of the white key guide 5 and the black key guide 6, respectively. By providing lenses 25 for refracting the divergent light from 7 and 8 into parallel light and irradiating the front portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4 from below, respectively, the lenses 25 diverge from the light sources 7 and 8. The light can be efficiently condensed on the irradiation area on the front side of each of the white key 3 and the black key 4 and uniformly illuminated, whereby the irradiation area on the front side of each of the white key 3 and the black key 4 can be reduced. The light can be evenly and uniformly emitted. In the second embodiment, a plano-concave lens is used as the lens 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a concave lens such as a biconcave lens or a meniscus concave lens may be used, or a Fresnel lens may be used.

In the first and second embodiments, the keyboard chassis 2 serving as a keyboard support is formed integrally with the musical instrument case 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the keyboard chassis 2 may be formed separately from the musical instrument case 1. . In the first and second embodiments, the white key 3
And a plurality of white keys 3 and a plurality of black keys 4 are formed by forming thin portions 3a, 4a at the rear portions of the black key 4 and connecting the thin portions 3a, 4a to the common connecting portions 3b, 4b. Has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a key support in which the rear ends of each white key 3 and each black key 4 are provided on a keyboard chassis, respectively. A hammer arm is rotatably mounted on a shaft corresponding to each of the white keys 3 and each of the black keys 4, and a hammer arm is rotatably mounted on the keyboard chassis corresponding to each of the white keys 3 and each of the black keys 4. By applying an action load, the present invention can be applied to a keyboard device in which a key touch feeling similar to that of an acoustic piano can be obtained when a key is pressed.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of hollow key guides are provided on a keyboard support in correspondence with respective front portions of a plurality of keys, and the plurality of key guides are provided. Since each light source is arranged in each hollow, each key guide portion and each light source can be provided corresponding to the front part of each key, so that the front side of each key can be favorably provided from below by each light source. In addition to being able to illuminate and illuminate, the front part of each key can be effectively guided by each key guide part, so that it is possible to reliably prevent the keys from swaying.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of a first embodiment of a keyboard device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the white key and the black key of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing a black key guide section in a keyboard device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument case 2 Keyboard chassis 3 White key 4 Black key 5 White key guide part 6 Black key guide part 7, 8 Light source 25 Lens

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of keys having translucency; a keyboard support on which the plurality of keys are rotatably arranged in a vertical direction; and a front portion of each of the plurality of keys on the keyboard support. A plurality of hollow key guides are provided correspondingly to guide the corresponding keys, respectively, and the front sides of the plurality of keys are arranged in the hollows of the plurality of key guides, respectively. A keyboard device comprising: a plurality of light sources each illuminating from below. 2. The key guide part is provided with a lens for converting divergent light from the light source disposed inside the hollow into parallel light and irradiating the collimated light to the front side of the key. The keyboard device according to claim 1. 3. The keyboard support according to claim 2, wherein said keyboard support is a keyboard chassis formed integrally with a case of a keyboard device, and said plurality of key guide portions are each formed integrally with said keyboard chassis. The keyboard device according to 1.