JP2007047689A - Keyboard musical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily clean a periphery of a keyboard musical instrument equipped with pedals. <P>SOLUTION: This electronic piano 100 has a keyboard unit 120 and a pedal unit 130 supported by support plates 110R and 110L, and the pedal unit 130 is configured to rotate and move about a horizontal axis X in a right-left direction based upon a player. When the electronic piano is played, the reverse surface of the pedal unit 130 is made to abut against top surfaces of bottom part stoppers 140R and 140L provided to inner-surface lower-end positions of the support plates 110R and 110L (a). When peripheries of the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are cleaned, the pedal unit 130 is lifted against the gravitational force (as shown by an arrow Y) (b) and then rotated until the pedal unit abuts against a front stopper 150 having both ends fixed to the support plates 110R and 110L to store the pedals 132, 133, and 134 (c). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard instrument having a pedal.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a keyboard instrument having a pedal for performing a performance operation with a foot in addition to a keyboard unit for performing a performance operation with a hand (finger) is known. For example, in the case of an electronic piano, a damper pedal is provided for changing the decay time of the output musical sound. In addition, for example, in the case of an electronic organ, a foot keyboard having a plurality of pedals for designating the pitch (frequency) of the musical tone and the timing for output is provided. Generally, such a pedal is integrally formed with a keyboard instrument body (a main part of a keyboard instrument comprising a keyboard unit and a support member for supporting the keyboard unit).

Note that there is a pedal unit having a pedal that is configured separately from the keyboard instrument body (see Patent Document 1). However, in such a keyboard instrument, the position of the pedal unit with respect to the keyboard unit is not fixed. It is necessary to adjust the installation position of the pedal unit, which takes time and labor. For these reasons, keyboard instruments in which the pedal is configured integrally with the keyboard instrument body tend to be preferred.
JP-A-5-88672

  However, a keyboard instrument in which the pedal is configured integrally with the keyboard instrument body is arranged with the pedal protruding toward the player at the lower position of the keyboard instrument body. There is a problem that it is difficult to clean, and dust or the like tends to collect around the pedals (between a plurality of pedals arranged side by side or between the pedals and the floor). Although it is easy to clean if the keyboard instrument itself is moved, such a keyboard instrument is usually large and has a large mass, so it is usually not easy to move it.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to facilitate the cleaning of the periphery of a keyboard instrument having a pedal.

  The keyboard instrument according to claim 1 of the present invention made to achieve the above object is provided with a pedal for performing an operation for performance. In the keyboard instrument, the pedal is configured to be movable from a performance position where an operation for performance is performed to a storage position different from the performance position.

  According to the keyboard instrument having such a configuration, by moving the pedal from the performance position to the storage position, it is possible to easily clean around the pedal without moving the keyboard instrument itself.

  Specifically, for example, as described in claim 2, the pedal may be configured to be movable from the performance position to the storage position by rotational movement. According to the keyboard instrument having such a configuration, the movement of the pedal can be realized by a simple mechanism (for example, a mechanism including a rotating shaft and a bearing). In addition, the rotational movement said here is the movement which maintained distance relationship with respect to the predetermined rotation center.

  As the rotational movement, for example, rotational movement around the rotation axis in the vertical direction (up and down direction with respect to the performer) can be considered. However, with this configuration, if you attempt to rotate and move these pedal groups together with a keyboard instrument in which a large number of pedals are arranged along the left-right direction with respect to the performer, the unit of the pedal group will be It is necessary to secure a large space for rotational movement in the front-rear direction with respect to the performer.

  Therefore, in the keyboard musical instrument according to claim 3, in the keyboard musical instrument according to claim 2, the pedal is moved by rotating around a horizontal rotation axis that is a horizontal direction when the player is a reference. It is configured to be movable. According to the keyboard instrument having such a configuration, even in a keyboard instrument in which a large number of pedals are arranged along the left-right direction, it is not necessary to secure a large space for the pedals to rotate.

  On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to such rotational movement. For example, as described in claim 4, the pedal may be configured to be movable from the performance position to the storage position by sliding movement. According to the keyboard musical instrument having such a configuration, the space required for moving the pedal can be reduced. The slide movement referred to here is a movement along a predetermined direction (not limited to a linear direction but may be a curved direction).

  As the slide movement, for example, a slide movement along the vertical direction (vertical direction with respect to the performer) can be considered. However, when configured in this way, for example, when the mass of the pedal is large, such as a foot keyboard of an electronic organ, it cannot be easily moved.

  Accordingly, in the keyboard instrument according to claim 5, the pedal is configured to be movable by sliding along a horizontal direction which is a front-rear direction when the player is a reference. Has been. According to the keyboard instrument having such a configuration, since it is not necessary to lift the pedal upward, it can be easily moved even when the mass of the pedal is large, such as a foot keyboard of an electronic organ.

Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic piano 100 as a keyboard instrument of the first embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the electronic piano 100 is configured such that support plates 110R and 110L, a keyboard unit 120, and a pedal unit 130 are integrally formed. In the following description, for the sake of convenience, a player (not shown) who plays the electronic piano 100 is assumed, and the directions of up and down, front and rear, and left and right are expressed with the player as a reference.

  The support plates 110 </ b> R and 110 </ b> L are generally U-shaped plate members having a rectangular upper portion and a lower portion extending in the vertical direction extending to the performer side (rear), and are erected on both the left and right sides of the electronic piano 100. Has been. The support plates 110R and 110L support the keyboard unit 120 from both sides at the upper position, and support the pedal unit 130 from both sides at the lower position. Thereby, the keyboard unit 120 and the pedal unit 130 are juxtaposed in the vertical direction vertical position.

  The keyboard unit 120 includes a plurality of keys 121, 121,... For performing a pressing operation for designating the pitch (frequency) of the musical sound output from the electronic piano 100 and the output timing. That is, each key 121 is previously associated with a different tone (for example, a tone representing A to G), and when the key 121 is pressed, the corresponding tone is output.

  The pedal unit 130 includes a rectangular box-shaped pedal unit main body 131 that is long in the left-right direction, three pedals (a damper pedal 132, a sostenuto pedal 133, and a soft pedal 134) that protrude from the center of one surface of the pedal unit main body 131. It has. The pedal unit 130 is arranged at a position below the electronic piano 100 so that the pedals 132, 133, and 134 protrude toward the performer.

  Here, the damper pedal 132 is a pedal for performing a stepping operation for changing the decay time of the musical sound output from the electronic piano 100, and the decay time of the musical sound output from the electronic piano 100 after the stepping operation is started (reverberant). To change.

  The sostenuto pedal 133 is a pedal for performing a stepping operation for changing the decay time of the musical sound output from the electronic piano 100, similar to the damper pedal 132, but is output by the electronic piano 100 before the start of the stepping operation. The difference is that the decay time of the musical sound is changed.

The soft pedal 134 is a pedal on which a stepping operation is performed to change the volume and tone color of a musical tone output from the electronic piano 100 (for example, a harmonic component included in the musical tone).
Although not shown, the electronic piano 100 according to the present embodiment generates a musical sound based on performance operations performed by the keyboard unit 120 and the pedal unit 130, and a musical sound generated by the electronic circuit for the sound source. A speaker for output is provided.

  By the way, in the keyboard instrument in which the pedals 132, 133, and 134 protrude to the player side in this way, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 prevent cleaning when the surroundings are cleaned.

  Therefore, the electronic piano 100 according to the first embodiment causes the pedals 132, 133, and 134 to move by rotating the pedal unit 130 about the horizontal rotation axis that is the left-right direction when the player is the reference. It is configured to be stowable.

  That is, in the electronic piano 100, the left and right side surfaces of the pedal unit main body 131 are centered on the axis line X along the left and right direction (horizontal direction) at positions away from the protruding surfaces of the pedals 132, 133, and 134. Columnar projections (not shown) are formed (one on each side).

  On the other hand, through holes 111R and 111L that function as bearings are formed by inserting the protrusions at positions of the support plates 110R and 110L that face the protrusions of the pedal unit 130 (the through holes 111L are respectively formed). Not shown).

  Further, the lower end position of the inner side surfaces (surfaces facing each other) of the support plates 110R and 110L is in contact with the lower surface of the pedal unit 130, thereby limiting the range in which the pedal unit 130 can be rotated downward. Rectangular plate-shaped bottom stoppers 140R and 140L are respectively provided (see FIGS. 2B and 2C). The bottom stoppers 140R and 140L are designed to be high enough to keep the pedals 132, 133, and 134 in the horizontal direction (performance position) while the pedal unit 130 is in contact with the top surface. (Refer FIG. 1, FIG. 2 (a)).

  In addition, the support plates 110R and 110L are fixed in the horizontal direction by being supported by the respective support plates 110R and 110L at the substantially central position in the vertical direction on the surface opposite to the player side. A bar-shaped front stopper 150 is provided for restricting the range in which the pedal unit 130 can be rotated upward by contacting the upper surface of the pedal unit 130 when it is rotated upward with respect to the performance position. The front stopper 150 is located at the position where the pedal unit 130 is rotated upward by more than 90 degrees (for example, 100 degrees) from the state where the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are arranged at the performance position. It is provided at a position where it abuts.

  In the electronic piano 100 of the first embodiment configured as described above, when performing, the pedal unit 130 is brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the bottom stoppers 140R and 140L (FIG. 2A). In this state, the pedal unit 130 is applied with a force to rotate the pedals 132, 133, 134 in the direction in which the pedals 132, 133, 134 are moved downward by its own weight, but the rotational movement is limited by the bottom stoppers 140R, 140L. As a result, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are maintained at the performance positions, and performance operations can be performed.

  On the other hand, when cleaning around the pedals 132, 133, and 134, the side of the pedal unit 130 protruding from the pedals 132, 133, and 134 is lifted upward (arrow Y) against gravity (FIG. 2B).

  Then, the pedal unit 130 is brought into contact with the front stopper 150 by rotating as it is about the axis X (FIG. 2C). In this state, the pedal unit 130 is applied with a force to rotate the pedals 132, 133, and 134 in the direction away from the performer side by its own weight, but the rotational movement is limited by the front stopper 150. As a result, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are maintained in the state of being stored in the storage position below the keyboard unit 120.

  As described above, according to the electronic piano 100 of the first embodiment, when cleaning is performed, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are moved from the performance position (FIG. 2A) to the storage position (FIG. 2C). ), The vicinity of the pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be easily cleaned without moving the electronic piano 100 itself. Further, in the electronic piano 100, since the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are integrally formed with the keyboard instrument body, the position of the keyboard unit 120 when the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are moved to the performance position. The relationship is always constant, and it takes less time to adjust the installation positions of the pedals 132, 133, and 134. Moreover, since the electronic piano 100 is configured to rotate and move the pedal unit 130 itself, which is a box including the pedals 132, 133, and 134, it is possible to easily clean the lower side of the pedal unit 130.

  Further, the rotational movement of the pedal unit 130 can be realized at a low cost by a simple mechanism in which protrusions are formed on both side surfaces of the pedal unit 130 and the through holes 111R and 111L are formed in the support plates 110R and 110L. it can.

  Furthermore, in the present electronic piano 100, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are configured to be rotatable about the axis X in the left-right direction, so that the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are greatly protruded from the main body of the electronic piano 100. And can be moved without rotation. In particular, such a configuration is effective for a keyboard instrument having a large number of pedals, because even if a plurality of pedals are arranged in the left-right direction, the rotation radius of each pedal with respect to the rotation axis can be made equal.

  In the electronic piano 100 of the first embodiment, the pedal unit 130 returns to its performance position from the storage position to its performance position by setting the position where the pedal unit 130 is rotated more than 90 ° from the performance position as the storage position. Needless to say, other structures are possible. For example, even when the rotation angle of the pedal unit 130 from the performance position to the storage position is 90 ° or less, a stopper that prevents the rotational movement of the pedal unit 130 from the storage position to the performance position is attached and detached. By providing it as possible, it is possible to prevent the pedal unit 130 from returning from the storage position to the performance position.

  On the other hand, in the electronic piano 100 according to the first embodiment, the pedal unit 130 is configured to rotate about the axis X that is the rotation axis in the left-right direction (horizontal direction), but is not limited thereto. Instead, for example, the pedal unit 130 may be configured to rotate around a vertical rotation axis.

  In addition, an operation unit (a handle, a lever, or the like) for lifting the pedal unit 130 may be provided in the pedal unit 130. In this way, the lifting work can be facilitated. In particular, if the handle portion of the lever is separated from the rotating shaft, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be easily moved with a small force.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, an electronic piano 200 as a keyboard instrument of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that in the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment, the same components as those of the electronic piano 100 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment.
As shown in the figure, this electronic piano 200 is configured such that support plates 210R and 210L, base stands 220R and 220L, a keyboard unit 120, and a pedal unit 230 are integrally formed. In the following description, as in the first embodiment, a player (not shown) who plays the electronic piano 200 is assumed, and the vertical and forward / backward and left / right directions are expressed with the player as a reference.

  The support plates 210R and 210L have the same basic configuration as the support plates 110R and 110L of the first embodiment, except that the through holes 111R and 111L are not formed on the side surfaces. The support plates 210R and 210L support the keyboard unit 120 from both side surfaces at the upper position. Each of the support plates 210R and 210L supports the bases 220R and 220L at the lower position on the inner surface thereof.

  The bases 220R and 220L are rectangular parallelepiped members that are long in the left-right direction, are arranged so as to extend inwardly from the lower portions of the support plates 210R, 210L, and are spaced apart at the center in the left-right direction of the electronic piano 200. They are facing each other. The pedal unit 230 is supported from both sides by this facing surface. As a result, the keyboard unit 120 and the pedal unit 230 are juxtaposed in the vertical position.

  The pedal unit 230 has a rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped pedal unit main body 231 that has a smaller size in the front-rear direction and the same vertical dimension as the base bases 220R and 220L, and projects from the center of one surface of the pedal unit main body 231. 3 pedals (a damper pedal 132, a sostenuto pedal 133, and a soft pedal 134). The pedal unit 230 is arranged in a direction in which the pedals 132, 133, and 134 protrude toward the performer at the lower position of the electronic piano 200.

Note that the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment also includes a sound source electronic circuit, a speaker, and the like (not shown), similar to the electronic piano 100 of the first embodiment.
In the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment, in order to prevent the pedals 132, 133, and 134 from interfering with cleaning, the pedal unit 230 is arranged along the horizontal direction that is the front-rear direction when the player is used as a reference. The pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be accommodated by sliding.

  That is, in the electronic piano 200, slide rails 221R and 221L extending along the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) are formed on the surfaces of the base tables 220R and 220L facing the pedal unit 230, respectively.

  On the other hand, on the left and right side surfaces of the pedal unit main body 231, the slide unit 221R, 221L formed on each base table 220R, 220L is gripped from the vertical direction, whereby the pedal unit 230 is moved in the front-rear direction with respect to the base table 220R, 220L. Slide materials 232R and 232L that are slidable are provided respectively.

  Furthermore, plate-like front rail ends 240R and 240L and rear rail ends 250R and 250L are provided at both longitudinal positions of the slide rails 221R and 221L, respectively, for limiting the slide movable range of the slide members 232R and 232L. ing.

  In the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment configured as described above, when performing, the slide members 232R and 232L of the pedal unit 230 are brought into contact with the rear rail ends 250R and 250L (FIG. 4A). ). As a result, the pedal unit main body 231 protrudes toward the player as compared with the base bases 220R and 220L, and the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are arranged at positions (performance positions) suitable for performance operations.

On the other hand, when cleaning around the pedals 132, 133, and 134, the pedal unit 230 is slid by pushing away from the performer (arrow Z) (FIG. 4B).
Then, by sliding the pedal unit 230 as it is, the slide members 232R and 232L are brought into contact with the front rail ends 240R and 240L (FIG. 4C). As a result, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are housed in a space formed between the bases 220R and 220L.

  As described above, according to the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment, when cleaning is performed, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are moved from the performance position (FIG. 4A) to the storage position (FIG. 4C). ), The vicinity of the pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be easily cleaned without moving the electronic piano 200 itself. Moreover, in this electronic piano 200, since the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are integrally formed with the keyboard instrument body, the position of the keyboard unit 120 with the pedals 132, 133, and 134 moved to the performance position. The relationship is always constant, and it takes less time to adjust the installation positions of the pedals 132, 133, and 134. Moreover, since the electronic piano 200 is configured to slide and move the pedal unit 230 itself, which is a box including the pedals 132, 133, and 134, it is possible to easily clean the lower side of the pedal unit 230.

  Moreover, in this electronic piano 200, since the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are slid, the space required to move the pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be reduced compared to the configuration in which the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are rotated. Can do.

  Furthermore, in the present electronic piano 200, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 are slid along the horizontal direction, so there is no need to lift the pedal unit 230 upward. For this reason, for example, even a pedal having a large mass in which a plurality of pedals are integrally formed, such as a foot keyboard of an electronic organ, can be easily moved.

  In the electronic piano 200 according to the second embodiment, the configuration for fixing the position of the pedal unit 230 is not particularly provided, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the pedal unit 230 can be fixed at the performance position by detachably providing a stopper that prevents the sliding movement of the pedal unit 230 on the movement path from the performance position to the storage position. In this way, it is possible to reliably prevent the pedal unit 230 from moving during performance.

  The electronic piano 200 according to the second embodiment is configured such that the pedal unit 230 slides along slide rails 221R and 221L formed on the inner side surfaces of the bases 220R and 220L on the left and right sides. However, it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), a rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped base stand 320 is disposed at a lower position of the support plates 210R and 210L, and pedals 132, 133, It is good also as a structure which can accommodate the pedal unit 330 provided with 134. FIG. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5B, a space 320a for accommodating the pedal unit 330 is formed at the left and right central portions of the surface of the base stand 320 on the player side. On the other hand, the pedal unit 330 is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction by slide rails 321R, 321L provided along the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) on the ceiling surface in the space 320a formed in the base table 320. Yes. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), by pulling out the pedal unit 330 to the performer side, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be positioned at performance positions suitable for the performance operation. ), By pushing the pedal unit 330 into the space 320a formed in the base table 320, the pedals 132, 133, and 134 can be positioned at the storage positions suitable for cleaning. According to such a configuration, the aesthetic appearance of the pedal portion can be improved.

  Furthermore, in the electronic piano 200 of the second embodiment, the pedal unit 230 is configured to be slidable along the front-rear direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pedal unit 230 is aligned along the vertical direction. It is also possible to configure so as to be slidable. In this case, by providing a stopper for supporting the pedal unit 230 in the storage position vertically above the performance position, the pedal unit 230 can be prevented from returning from the storage position to the performance position due to its own weight.

As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention can take a various form.
In the electronic pianos 100 and 200 of the above embodiments, the pedal units 130 and 230 are moved to move the plurality of pedals 132, 133 and 134 integrally from the performance position to the storage position. The present invention is not limited to this, and the pedal alone may be moved from the performance position to the storage position.

  For example, a plurality of pedals may be configured to be independently rotatable. Specifically, each pedal is configured to be rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis that is the left-right direction when the performer is used as a reference, and the rotational movement range of the pedal is set above the performance position. Provide a stopper to limit the storage position. If comprised in this way, the surroundings of a pedal can be easily cleaned by moving each pedal from a performance position to a storage position.

  For example, a plurality of pedals may be configured to be slidable independently. Specifically, each pedal is configured to be slidable along the horizontal direction, which is the front-rear direction with respect to the performer, and the slidable range of the pedal from the performance position to the front (from the performer) Provide a stopper to limit the storage position on the far side. If comprised in this way, the surroundings of a pedal can be easily cleaned by moving each pedal from a performance position to a storage position.

  On the other hand, in the electronic pianos 100 and 200 of the above embodiments, the pedal is configured to be movable by rotational movement or sliding movement, but is not limited thereto. For example, the movement can be a combination of rotational movement and slide movement. If it does in this way, it will become possible to design the arrangement | positioning at the time of pedal accommodation comparatively freely, and can aim at the aesthetics improvement at the time of pedal accommodation.

  In each of the above embodiments, an electronic piano is exemplified as a keyboard instrument. However, the present invention can naturally be applied to other keyboard instruments (for example, an electronic organ having a foot keyboard).

It is an external view of the electronic piano of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the rotational movement of a pedal unit. It is an external view of the electronic piano of 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the slide movement of a pedal unit. It is explanatory drawing of the electronic piano as a modification of 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100,200 ... Electronic piano, 110R, 110L, 210R, 210L ... Support board, 111R, 111L ... Through hole, 120 ... Keyboard unit, 121 ... Key, 130,230 ... Pedal unit, 131,231 ... Pedal unit main body, 132 ... damper pedal, 133 ... sostenuto pedal, 134 ... soft pedal, 140R, 140L ... bottom stopper, 150 ... front stopper, 220R, 220L ... base base, 221R, 221L ... slide rail, 232R, 232L ... slide material, 240R, 240L ... front rail end, 250R, 250L ... rear rail end, X ... axis

Claims (5)

In a keyboard instrument with a pedal that performs operations for performance,
The keyboard instrument is configured to be movable from a performance position where an operation for performance is performed to a storage position different from the performance position. The keyboard instrument according to claim 1, wherein the pedal is configured to be movable from the performance position to the storage position by rotational movement. The keyboard instrument according to claim 2, wherein the pedal is configured to be movable by a rotational movement around a horizontal rotation axis that is a left-right direction when a player is used as a reference. The keyboard instrument according to claim 1, wherein the pedal is configured to be movable by sliding movement from the performance position to the storage position. The keyboard instrument according to claim 4, wherein the pedal is configured to be movable by sliding along a horizontal direction that is a front-rear direction when a player is used as a reference.

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