JP2001265348A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make keys to be touched visible even if the front sides of keys are concealed by the palms of the hands, etc. SOLUTION: The keyboard device is constituted by providing a keyboard chassis 2 arranged with the keys (hereafter only the white keys 3 are explained) having light transparency turnably in a vertical direction with luminous bodies 14 for the white keys in correspondence to the front lower sides of the white keys 3 and causes the luminous bodies 14 to emit light in this state to glitter the front sides of the white keys 3 by illumination from below this side. The white keys 3 are provided with light transmission members 20 for the white keys 3 to introduce part of the light emitted by the luminous bodies 14 to the rear sides of the white keys 3. Then, the light from the luminous bodies 14 illuminates the front sides of the white keys 3 and part of the light is introduced by the light transmission members 20 and is emitted from the rear sides of the white keys 3 and therefore the front sides and rear sides of the white keys 3 may be simultaneously glittered, by which the rear sides of the white keys 3 are glittered even if the front sides of the white keys 3 are concealed by the player' hands when the plural white keys 3 are simultaneously touched in order to play chords or the like and therefore the player is able to surely visually recognize the white keys 3 to be touched without missing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard device such as an electronic keyboard instrument.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic keyboard instrument such as an electronic piano, a plurality of keys are provided on a keyboard chassis in which a plurality of keys are rotatably arranged in a vertical direction. By selectively illuminating these illuminants in accordance with a pre-stored musical piece, the front side of each key is selectively illuminated and illuminated, thereby providing a navigation function for indicating a key to be pressed. Something has been developed. In this case, the plurality of keys are composed of a white key and a black key, all of which are made of synthetic resin having optical transparency, and the front side of each key is arranged from below by a light emitter disposed below each key. When illuminated, the illuminating light is transmitted through the key and emitted upward, so that the key itself appears to shine.

[0003]

However, such an electronic keyboard instrument has a structure in which the front side of the key is selectively illuminated, so that a plurality of keys are simultaneously depressed when a chord or the like is played during performance. Then, the front side of the key is hidden by the palm of the player, so that there is a problem that the shining part of the front side of the key is lost and the key to be pressed next cannot be visually recognized.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to visually recognize a key to be pressed even if the front side of the key is hidden by a palm or the like.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a key having light transmissivity is disposed on a keyboard chassis so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction, and a light emitter is provided on the keyboard chassis at a position below a front side of the key. In a keyboard device that illuminates the front side of the key by illuminating the front side of the key from below and illuminates the key in this state, a part of the light emitted by the luminous body is applied to the key at the rear of the key. A light guide portion for guiding to the side is provided.
According to the present invention, when the light emitter emits light, the light illuminates the front side of the corresponding key from below, and a part of the light from the light emitter is guided to the rear side of the key by the light guide. Since the key is emitted from the rear side of the key, the front side and the rear side of the key can be illuminated at the same time, so that when multiple keys are pressed at the same time to play chords etc. Even if the front side of the key is hidden, the rear side of the key is illuminated, so that the key to be pressed can be reliably recognized without losing it.

In this case, the key has a front-side light-emitting area larger than the rear-side light-emitting area. The player can easily visually recognize the front side of the key having a large area, and the movement of the player's eyes can be reduced. Further, as described in claim 3, the light guide is formed separately from the key and attached to the key, and the light guide has a switch provided on the keyboard chassis when the key is pressed. Since the switch pressing portion for pressing is integrally formed, the structure of the key itself is simplified, and the key molding die can be easily manufactured.

[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 cross-sectional view of a white key portion of the keyboard device, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the black key portion. This keyboard device includes a keyboard chassis 2 formed integrally with a musical instrument case 1 made of synthetic resin. 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, a white key guide portion 5 and a black key guide portion 6 for respectively guiding the white key 3 and the black key 4 are provided at the front portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4 (in each of the drawings, the left side is shown). In the vicinity of the white key guide portion 5 and the black key guide portion 6, a light emitter unit 7 for a white key and a light emitter unit 8 for a black key to be described later are respectively formed. Is provided. further,
On the keyboard chassis 2, a rubber switch unit 10 is provided which is pressed by each switch pressing unit 9 formed on the white key 3 and the black key 4 when the key is pressed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of white keys 3 have thin portions 3a formed at their rear portions (right portions in FIG. 1), and the rear ends of the thin portions 3a extend along the key arrangement direction. They are connected in parallel to the common connecting portion 3b, whereby they are integrally formed. Similarly, a plurality of black keys 4
Also, as shown in FIG. 2, thin portions 4a are respectively formed at rear portions (right portions in FIG. 2), and rear ends of these thin portions 4a are arranged in parallel with a common connecting portion 4b along the key arrangement direction. They are connected and formed so that they are integrally formed. Then, the white key 3 and the black key 4 are
In a state where the connecting portions 3b and 4b are overlapped, the connecting portions 3b and 4b are mounted on the key mounting portion 11 at the rear end of the keyboard chassis 2 with screws 12, and in this state, the connecting portions 3b and 4b are vertically moved around the thin portions 3a and 4a. It is configured to rotate in the direction. Also,
The white key 3 and the black key 4 are formed of a light-transmitting synthetic resin, and when illuminated by illuminant units 7 and 8 described later, a part of the illumination light is transmitted, thereby forming the white key 3 and the black key 4. The black key 4 itself and the black key 4 themselves are configured to look shining.

On the other hand, a light-emitting unit 7 for a white key is provided below the keyboard chassis 2 corresponding to the front side of the white key 3, as shown in FIG. This luminous body unit 7
Is a white key light-emitting substrate 13 and a plurality of white key light-emitting bodies 1
It consists of four. The luminous body substrate 13 is screwed to a boss 13 a provided on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 2. The plurality of light emitters 14 are high-intensity light emitting diodes (L
ED) and the like, and each lead wire 14a
Thus, it is mounted on the light-emitting substrate 13 for the white key in a state of being electrically connected. In addition, these luminous bodies 14
Are located below the front side of each white key 3, and the keyboard chassis 2
Each hole is exposed to the rear side (right side in FIG. 1) of each white key guide 5 through each hole, and in this state, the front side of each white key 3 is illuminated from below. In this case, on the keyboard chassis 2, a substantially frame-shaped light-shielding rib 15 that blocks light from the light emitting body 14 from irradiating the adjacent white key 3 is formed continuously at the rear of each white key guide 5. ing.

On the keyboard chassis 2 corresponding to the front side of the black key 4, a light emitting unit 8 for the black key is provided as shown in FIG. The luminous body unit 8 includes a luminous body substrate 16 for a black key, a luminous body holder 17 arranged on the luminous body substrate 16, and a plurality of luminous bodies for a black key arranged in the luminous body holder 17. It consists of body 18. The luminous body substrate 16 and the luminous body holder 17 for the black key
The black key guide 6 is screwed to a boss 17a provided on the keyboard chassis 2 near the front side (the left side in FIG. 2). The plurality of light emitters 18 are made of a lamp such as a high-brightness LED similarly to the light emitter 7 for the white key.
Each of the black keys 4 is mounted on the corresponding one of the black keys 4 so as to be illuminated from below. The light emitters 14 and 18 for the white key and the black key are controlled so as to be selectively lit according to the music played during automatic performance or performance practice.

On the upper surface inside each of the white key 3 and the black key 4, as shown in FIGS. A light guide member 20 for a white key and a light guide member 21 for a black key are provided to guide to the respective rear portions. These light guide members 2
Reference numerals 0 and 21 are made of a material having high light transmittance such as acrylic, and light incident portions 20a and 21a are provided on a lower surface of a front end thereof, and light emitting portions 20b and 21b are provided on an upper surface of a rear end thereof. The upper end surfaces of the light emitting portions 20b and 21b are formed with uneven surfaces, so that light is diffused and emitted from each of the light emitting portions 20b and 21b.

In this case, the light guide member 20 for the white key is formed as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the light incident portion 20a is located above the illuminator 14 for the white key, the light emitting portion 20b is located at the rear of the white key 3, and the upper end surface of the light emitting portion 20b at the rear has the white key. The white key 3 is attached to the inner upper surface of the white key 3 with an adhesive 22 so as to be exposed upward through the hole 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the light guide member 21 for the black key has the light incident portion 21 a located above the light emitter 18 for the black key and the light emitting portion 21 b located behind the black key 4. The rear light emitting portion 21b is attached to the upper surface of the black key 4 with an adhesive 23 in a state where the upper end surface is exposed upward through the hole of the black key 4.

The light guide member 20 for the white key is formed to be longer than the light guide member 21 for the black key, and the light emitting portions 20b, 21b at the rear ends of the light guide members 20 are substantially at the same position. Are located in Such a white key 3 and a black key 4 have a light emitting area on the front side larger than a light emitting area on the rear side. That is, the light emitting area on the front side of each of the white key 3 and the black key 4 is equal to the light emitting area of the light from the light emitters 14 and 18 because the light guide members 20 and 21 have optical transparency. The area of the light guide members 20, 21 excluding the light incident portions 20 a, 21 a corresponds to substantially the entire front side of the white key 3 and the black key 4. The light emitting area on the rear side of each of the white key 3 and the black key 4 is equal to the light emitting portion 2 of each of the light guide members 20 and 21.
0b and 21b, the light incident portions 20a and 21a
It is formed smaller than.

The switch pressing portions 9 of the white key 3 and the black key 4 are formed between the lower portions of the side walls of the intermediate portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4, as shown in FIGS. It comprises a beam 9a and a pressing projection 9b formed on the lower surface of the beam 9a and having a substantially cross section in cross section. The pressing projection 9b is configured to press the rubber switch section 10 when a key is pressed. The rubber switch unit 10 is disposed on a circuit board 25 provided on a lower surface of an intermediate portion of the keyboard chassis 2. That is, the rubber switch section 10 has elastically deformable swelling rubbers 26 respectively corresponding to the switch pressing sections 9 of the white key 3 and the black key 4, and these swelling rubbers 26 pass through the opening of the keyboard chassis 2. It is provided on a circuit board 25. In this case, a fixed contact and a movable contact are provided in each swelling rubber 26 so as to be able to contact and separate from each other.
The upper end of each swelling rubber 26 projecting upward through the opening of the keyboard chassis 2 abuts against the lower surface of each switch pressing portion 9 of the white key 3 and the black key 4, and the swelling rubber 26 elastically returns. The white key 3 and the black key 4 are pushed up through the respective switch pressing parts 9 by force.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an upper limit stopper 27 made of felt or the like is provided on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 2 located below the black key light-emitting substrate 16. The upper limit stopper 27 is formed on the white key 3 and the black key 4 by pushing up the white key 3 and the black key 4 by the elastic restoring force of each bulging rubber 26 and the elastic restoring force of each of the thin portions 3a and 4a. L-shaped stopper pieces 3
c and 4c are in contact with each other, thereby regulating the position of the white key 3 and the black key 4 to a predetermined upper limit position (initial position). Also,
On the bottom of the keyboard chassis 2 located below the L-shaped stopper pieces 3c, 4c, a lower limit stopper 28 such as felt is provided.

In such a keyboard device, for example, when the white key 3 shown in FIG. 1 is depressed, the white key 3 rotates downward around the thin portion 3a, and the switch of the white key 3 is turned on. The pressing portion 9 presses the swelling rubber 26 of the rubber switch portion 10. At this time, the white key guide portion 5 formed on the keyboard chassis 2 guides the white key 3 to prevent the white key 3 from swinging sideways. Similarly, when the black key 4 shown in FIG.
The black key 4 rotates downward around the center of the key, and the switch pressing portion 9 of the black key 4 presses the swelling rubber 26 of the rubber switch portion 10. At this time, the black key guide section 6 formed on the keyboard chassis 2 guides the black key 4 to prevent the black key 4 from swinging sideways. As described above, when the white key 3 and the black key 4 are pressed and the switch pressing portions 9 of the white key 3 and the black key 4 press the swelling rubbers 26 of the rubber switch portion 10, the pressed white key is pressed. The rubber switch unit 10 sequentially outputs a switch signal in accordance with 3 and the black key 4, whereby a musical tone is emitted.

Further, in this keyboard device, during automatic performance or performance practice, the luminous bodies 14, 18 of the luminous body units 7, 8 for the white key and the black key are selectively selected in accordance with the performance music. When the light is turned on, light from the illuminated light emitters 14 and 18 is irradiated from below on the front sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4, and the irradiated light passes through the white key 3 and the black key 4. Since the light is emitted upward, the front sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4 appear to shine. At the same time, a part of the light from the light emitters 14 and 18 is applied to the light incident portions 20a and 21a of the light guide members 20 and 21.
And the light guide members 20 and 21 guide the light to the rear portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4 and are emitted from the light exit surfaces 20b and 21b. appear. Thereby, in the automatic performance, the white key 3
Also, each front side and each rear side of the black key 4 can be illuminated. In the performance practice, the front and rear sides of the white key 3 and the black key 4 to be pressed according to the music played are illuminated, so that the white key 3 and the black key 4 to be pressed as the navigator are good. Can be instructed.

As described above, in this keyboard device, the luminous body 1
When the lights 4 and 18 selectively emit light, the lights selectively illuminate the front sides of the corresponding white keys 3 and black keys 4 and a part of the light from the light emitters 14 and 18 is guided. Light member 2
The keys 0 and 21 are guided to the rear portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4 and emitted upward from the rear portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4, respectively. The rear side can be illuminated simultaneously. Thus, for example, when a plurality of white keys 3 and black keys 4 are simultaneously pressed to produce a chord or the like, even if the front sides of the white keys 3 and black keys 4 are hidden by the palm of the player, white Since the rear side of each of the key 3 and the black key 4 is illuminated, the white key 3 and the black key 4 to be pressed can be visually recognized without loss. In this case, since the white key 3 and the black key 4 have a larger light emitting area on the front side than the light emitting area on the rear side, when the light emitters 14 and 18 emit light to make the white key 3 and the black key 4 glow. In addition, the player can easily visually recognize each front side of the white key 3 and the black key 4 having a large light emitting area, and the movement of the player's eyes can be reduced.

In the first embodiment, the light guide member 2
The white key 3 and the black key 4 are bonded by the adhesives 22 and
However, it is not always necessary to attach with adhesives 22 and 23, and may be fixed by press-fitting.
A hook portion may be provided on the black key 4 and the light guide members 20 and 21 may be fixed by the hook portions. Further, the light guide members 20 and 21 are integrated with the white key 3 and the black key 4 by two-color molding. May be formed.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a keyboard device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. This keyboard device has a structure in which a switch pressing portion 30 is integrally formed on each of the light guide members 20 and 21 for white keys and black keys, and has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment except for this. That is, as in the first embodiment, the light guide member 20 for a white key is made of a material having high light transmittance such as acrylic, and a light incident portion 20a is provided on the lower surface of the front end portion, and the upper surface of the rear end portion is provided. 3, a light emitting portion 20b is provided, and as shown in FIG. 3, the light incident portion 20a is located above the illuminant 14 for the white key, and the light emitting portion 20b is located at the rear of the white key 3. The light emitting portion 20b is attached to the inner upper surface of the white key 3 with an adhesive 22 in a state where the upper end surface is exposed on the upper surface of the white key 3.

Similarly to the first embodiment, the light guide member 21 for the black key is also made of a material having high light transmittance such as acrylic, and a light incident portion 21a is provided on the lower surface of the front end, and the rear end is provided. A light emitting portion 21b is provided on the upper surface of the portion, and as shown in FIG. 4, the light incident portion 21a is located above the black key illuminant 18, and the light emitting portion 21b is located behind the black key 4. The light emitting portion 21b is attached to the inner upper surface of the black key 4 with an adhesive 23 in a state where the upper end surface is exposed on the upper surface of the black key 4. A switch pressing portion 30 for pressing the rubber switch portion 10 provided on the keyboard chassis 2 is provided at an intermediate portion between the light guide member 20 for the white key and the light guide member 21 for the black key.
Are formed integrally with each other. These switch pressing portions 30 are formed in a columnar shape having a cross-shaped cross section, and the light introduced from the switch pressing portions 30 is applied to the respective switch pressing portions 30 located at the boundaries between the light guide members 20 and 21. Square hole-shaped notches 31 for suppressing leakage are formed.

In such a keyboard device, in addition to the substantially same functions and effects as those of the first embodiment, in particular, a switch pressing portion is provided at each intermediate portion of the light guide member 20 for the white key and the light guide member 21 for the black key. Since the keys 30 are integrally formed, the structure of the white key 3 and the black key 4 itself is simplified, and the fabrication of a molding die for molding the white key 3 and the black key 4 is facilitated. Can be achieved. In this case, the light guide member 20 for the white key and the light guide member for the black key 21
When the light is guided from the light guide members 20 and 21a to the light emitting portions 20b and 21b at the rear end, the introduced light may leak from the switch pressing portions 30 of the light guide members 20 and 21. , 21 are formed in the respective switch pressing portions 30 at the portions located at the boundary portions, so that the amount of light leakage can be minimized.

In the first embodiment, the light guide member 2
The white key 3 and the black key 4 are bonded by the adhesives 22 and
However, it is not always necessary to attach with adhesives 22 and 23, and may be fixed by press-fitting.
A hook may be provided on the black key 4 and the light guide members 20 and 21 may be fixed by the hook. In the first and second embodiments, the keyboard chassis 2 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.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the thin portions 3a, 4a are formed at the rear portions of the white key 3 and the black key 4, respectively, and these thin portions 3a, 4a are connected to the common connecting portions 3b, 4b.
b, a plurality of white keys 3 and a plurality of black keys 4 are integrally formed to form a simple integrated key structure. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a white key and a black key may be used. Are rotatably mounted on key support shafts provided on the keyboard chassis, respectively, and coil springs are respectively provided between the white and black keys and the keyboard chassis. It can also be applied to a keyboard device with a structure that urges the key upward, and a hammer arm is rotatable corresponding to the white key and black key on the keyboard chassis where the white key and black key are rotatably mounted. A keyboard with a structure in which a key touch feeling similar to that of an acoustic piano can be obtained when a key is pressed by applying an action load to the white and black keys using these hammer arms. It can also be applied to the location.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, the light-emitting member is arranged on the keyboard chassis on which the light-transmitting key is rotatably arranged in the up-down direction so as to correspond to the front lower side of the key. In a keyboard device that emits light in this state and illuminates the front side of the key by illuminating it from below, a light guide that guides a part of the light emitted by the light emitter to the key to the rear side of the key is provided. When the light-emitting body emits light, the light illuminates the front side of the corresponding key from below, and a part of the light from the light-emitting body is guided to the rear side of the key by the light guide. The key can be emitted from the rear side, so that the front and rear sides of the key can be illuminated at the same time, so that when a plurality of keys are pressed simultaneously to play a chord or the like, the player's Even if the front side of the key is hidden by the palm, the back side of the key shines, It is possible to reliably visible without losing.

In this case, since the light emission area on the front side of the key is larger than the light emission area on the rear side, when the illuminator is illuminated and the key is illuminated, the front side of the key having a large light emission area is illuminated. The player can easily visually recognize, and the movement of the player's eyes can be reduced. Further, the light guide is formed separately from the key and attached to the key, and the light guide is integrally formed with a switch pressing portion for pressing the switch of the keyboard chassis when the key is pressed. The structure of the apparatus itself is simplified, and a key molding die can be easily manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a white key portion in a first embodiment of a keyboard device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a black key in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a white key in a keyboard device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a black key in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 2 keyboard chassis 3 white key 4 black key 7, 8 light emitter unit 9, 30 switch pressing part 10 rubber switch part 14, 18 light emitter 20, 21 light guide member 20a, 21a light incidence part 20b, 21b light emission part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A key having light transmissivity is disposed on a keyboard chassis so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction, and a luminous body is provided on the keyboard chassis corresponding to a lower portion on the front side of the key. A keyboard device that emits light from the light emitter to illuminate the front side of the key by illuminating the key from below, wherein the key is provided with a light guide that guides a part of the light emitted by the light emitter to the rear side of the key. A keyboard device characterized in that: 2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the key has a light emitting area on a front side thereof larger than a light emitting area on a rear side thereof. 3. A switch which is formed separately from the key and is attached to the key, and wherein the light guide is provided with a switch for pressing a switch provided on the keyboard chassis when the key is pressed. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion is formed integrally.