JP2008070766A - Keyboard device for electronic instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a keyboard device for an electronic instrument capable of reducing the differences in sensation of key touch between a white key and a black key. <P>SOLUTION: The keyboard device for the electronic instrument is provided with: a plurality of keys comprising a white key 1W and a black key 1B; a keyboard frame 3; and supporting point parts 3W and 3B for rotatably supporting the keys. When the aspect near a player is supposed to be the front in the keyboard device, the black key supporting point part 3B is located backward compared with the white key supporting point part 3W, and a float stopping part 70 extended across the plurality of keys in the neighborhood over the white key supporting point part 3W is supported and the elevation of the rear part of the white key is controlled in the key frame 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument.

  In the present specification and claims, in the electronic musical instrument and its keyboard device, the one closer to the performer is referred to as the front, and the one far away from the player is referred to as the rear.

  On the acoustic piano keyboard, the fulcrum part of the black key is placed behind the fulcrum part of the white key. This is because the black key is located behind and shorter than the white key. The difference in touch between the white key and the black key is reduced.

However, in an electronic keyboard instrument, in order to emphasize the simplification of the structure of the keyboard device, the fulcrum portion of the key is generally provided without distinguishing between a white key and a black key. A protrusion provided on each rear end of the white key and the black key is received by a grooved member (Patent Document 1), and an elastic piece is provided on the rear end of the white key and the black key. There is a structure in which a plurality of keys are connected and formed integrally with elastic pieces, and the elastic pieces are fixed to a keyboard frame (Patent Document 2). As a result, in electronic keyboard instruments, the difference in touch between white keys and black keys is large, which has been an obstacle to accurate performance and delicate expression.
JP-A-9-198036 Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-100894

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument that can reduce the difference in touch feeling between a white key and a black key in order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of keys composed of white keys and black keys, a keyboard frame holding the plurality of keys, and a key provided on the keyboard frame so that the key can be rotated in the vertical direction. In the keyboard device having a supporting fulcrum portion, the fulcrum portion is composed of a white key fulcrum portion supporting a white key and a black key fulcrum portion supporting a black key. When the front is located, it is located at the rear part of the key, and the black key fulcrum part is located behind the white key fulcrum part, and the keyboard frame includes a plurality of parts in the vicinity immediately above the white key fulcrum part. The present invention provides a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument characterized in that a floating portion extending over a key is supported, and rising of the rear portion of the white key is restricted.

  In the keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument according to the present invention, the fulcrum portion that supports the key so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction includes a white key fulcrum portion that supports the white key and a black key fulcrum portion that supports the black key. The black key fulcrum part is located behind the white key fulcrum part, and the black key fulcrum part is located behind the key when the person closer to the player in the keyboard device is the front. Therefore, the black key fulcrum is positioned behind the white key fulcrum in a form corresponding to the black key tip positioned behind the white key tip. As a result, the difference in the radius of rotation between the black key and the white key is close, the trajectory drawn when the key touches the keyboard is close to the black key and the white key, and the white key and the black key. The difference in touch feeling between and can be reduced.

  In addition, the keyboard frame supports a suspending portion extending over a plurality of keys at a position immediately above the white key fulcrum so as to restrict the rise of the white key rear portion. In the electronic musical instrument keyboard device in which the drive part is provided near the tip of the key, the upper part of the key rear part is opened without the mass body or its interlocking member being located, so a large key pressing force When, for example, acts on the front end side of the key from the drive part, the rear part of the key jumps upward, causing a problem that the holding of the key becomes unstable. On the other hand, according to the present invention, since the floating portion is provided, the rear portion of the key is prevented from jumping up and the key can be held stably. In particular, since the floating portion is located in the vicinity immediately above the fulcrum portion of the white key, even if the white key is rotated in contact with the fulcrum portion, the relative movement amount with respect to the white key is extremely small. Therefore, resistance such as frictional force against the rotation of the white key can be made extremely small. In addition, since the buoyancy part is located in the vicinity immediately above the fulcrum part, even if the white key is rotated in a state of being restricted by the buoyancy part, the fulcrum part is the center of the original rotation. The key longitudinal position is almost unchanged. Therefore, the operation of the key is stabilized regardless of whether the rear portion of the key is raised, and the performance such as the operation of the switch 6 related to the vertical movement of the key is stabilized.

  Furthermore, the buoyancy prevention part is formed with the width | variety extended over several keys. Therefore, the attachment to the keyboard frame and the position adjustment near the white key fulcrum part can be quickly and easily performed for a plurality of keys.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or similar parts in the drawings may be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof may be omitted.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows a main part of an electronic musical instrument keyboard device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this keyboard apparatus, a plurality of white keys 1W and black keys 1B, and a mass body 2 interlocking with each key are supported by a keyboard frame 3.

  Each of the white key 1W and the black key 1B has a rear end portion supported by a fulcrum portion 3W, 3B so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction, and includes mass body drive portions 4W, 4B at positions slightly retracted from the front end. Yes. The fulcrum portions 3W and 3B are provided with pins 31W and 31B extending upward from the keyboard frame 3. The white key 1W and the black key 1B are formed with holes 11W and 11B on the funnel for passing the pins, and the pins 31W , 31B is accepted and supported.

  The fulcrum part 3B of the black key 1B is located behind the fulcrum part 3W of the white key 1W as shown in the figure. Since the tip of the black key is retracted relative to the white key, the fulcrum is taken into consideration so that the difference in turning radius from the key pressing position to the fulcrum portion between the white key and the black key is reduced. The positions of the parts 3B and 3W are determined. Therefore, it is desirable that the distance between both fulcrum portions be 20 to 100% of the distance from the white key tip to the black key tip.

  Since the configuration from the mass body 2 to the switch 6 and the touch control sensor described below is common to the white key and the black key, the white key will be described, and the description of the black key will be omitted. The mass body 2 is rotatably supported by the keyboard frame 3 by a shaft 32 that engages with a front portion of the rod 21, and the front end portion 22 is engaged with the drive part 4W of the white key 1W. A weight 23 is attached. In the non-key-pressed state, the mass body 2 has the weight 23 positioned on the stopper 33 of the keyboard frame 3 due to its weight, and the front end 22 brings the white key 1W to the raised position. The white key drive part 4W is provided with a hook 41W, and the highest position of the white key is determined by the hook being in contact with the keyboard frame 3. A switch 6 is mounted immediately below the white key 1W in the keyboard frame 3. When the white key 1W is depressed, the switch 6 responds to the depression and sends a tone generation signal to a control unit (not shown) to generate a tone. The switch 6 can have various forms that are usually used, such as a contact type and a non-contact type. In addition, in order to provide a touch control function, a sensor that detects a key speed and a contact pressure when a key is pressed may be provided. These switches and sensors can also be provided at the operating position of the mass body.

  In this embodiment, a restricting member 7 having a locking portion 70 extending over a plurality of keys above the key rear portion is attached to the keyboard frame 3. FIG. 2 shows the rear part of the key and the regulating member 7 taken out. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the restricting member 7 is for supporting the floating portion 70 with respect to the keyboard frame 3. That is, the restricting member 7 is attached to the upright wall 34 extending in the vertical direction at the rear portion of the keyboard frame 3 by the screw 35 passing through the attachment hole 74, and the vertical wall 71 extending upward from the upright wall 34 and the vertical wall 71. An upper wall 72 extending forward from the upper end of the wall, and a floating portion 70 provided at the tip of the upper wall are provided. In this embodiment, the restricting member 7 is formed of a metal plate, the buoyancy prevention part 70 is formed by bending the metal plate downward, and the lowermost end of the bent shape is located in the vicinity of the position directly above the pin 31W.

  In the present invention, the position immediately above the fulcrum part where the buoyant part is located means directly above and near the fulcrum part, and when viewed from the top surface of the key, the amount of movement up and down and up and down accompanying the rotation of the key Means a range where the resistance to rotation is small enough not to cause a problem in performance when the key is rotated with the floating portion in contact with the upper surface of the key. Specifically, the range is desirably −10 to 10 mm in the front-rear direction from the position immediately above the fulcrum part, and more desirably −5 to 5 mm.

  The buoyancy prevention part 70 is provided in the position which controls a raise of the white key 1W rear part. That is, the buoyancy prevention part 70 is provided in the proximity position which contacts the white key 1W in the non-key-pressed state, or has a slight gap. When the buoyant part 70 contacts the white key 1W, it is possible to avoid the generation of noise due to the contact with the buoyant part 70 when the rear part of the white key 1W tries to jump up. Further, if a downward pressing force is exerted by the floating portion 70 using the elasticity of the restricting member 7, the contact state can be further stabilized. The pressing force is set to a magnitude that does not prevent the moment based on the weight of the mass body 2 from holding the white key in the raised position in the non-key-pressed state.

  On the other hand, in the case where a gap is provided between the buoyancy preventing portion 70 and the white key 1W, it is possible to avoid resistance to the turning operation of the white key 1W due to the buoyancy portion always contacting. If the gap is too small, there is a risk of contact in a non-key-pressed state due to errors in the member dimensions and mounting dimensions, and if the gap is too large, the amount of lift of the key rear part until the restriction is activated increases. Holding may be unstable. From this viewpoint, the gap is desirably equal to or less than the thickness of the white key, and more desirably 0.5 to 2 mm.

  The keyboard device according to this embodiment operates as follows. When the key pressing force is applied to the tip of the key 1W rather than the drive part 4W, a moment to raise the rear part of the white key 1W due to the interaction with the reaction force from the mass body 2 applied to the drive part 4W. appear. In particular, when an abrupt key pressing force is applied to the key, the rear part of the key tends to jump up due to the moment, but the jumping up is restricted by the contact with the floating stopper 70. Thereby, holding of the white key 1W can be stabilized. Further, since the buoyancy prevention unit 70 is located in the vicinity immediately above the pin 31W, even if it is in contact with the white key 1W, the amount of movement at the contact point associated with the rotation of the white key 1W is extremely small. Also, resistance such as frictional force against rotation can be suppressed to a very small extent.

  On the other hand, as described above, the black key 1B has a small distance from the tip of the key to the drive part 4B, so that the problem of the black key jumping up at the time of key depression hardly occurs. Further, if the upper surface of the black key is substantially the same height as the upper surface of the white key, the floating portion 70 also extends above the black key 1B, thereby preventing the rear portion of the black key from jumping up. However, a floating stopper for the black key 1B can be provided. In this case, in the white key 1W, it is desirable to dispose the black key levitation portion in the same manner as the buoyancy portion 70 is located in the vicinity of the pin 31W of the fulcrum portion 3W.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows a main part of a keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the following description of the embodiment including this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and description of the same or similar parts will be omitted. In this keyboard apparatus, the black key 1B located below the float-stop part 70 has a reduced thickness at a portion 12B located below and a portion 13B reaching there. Thereby, the upper surface of the white key 1W is higher than the upper surface of the black key 1B. FIG. 4 shows the white key 1W, the black key 1B, and the regulating member 7 in a cross section taken along line IV-IV in FIG. As shown in the figure, the floating portion 70 forms a larger gap between the upper surface of the black key 1B and the upper surface of the white key 1W. In this embodiment, since the thickness of the black key 1B is changed in order to form this gap difference, it is not necessary to make the heights of the fulcrum portions 3W and 3B different, and the fulcrum portion can be easily formed. ing. According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

  As described above, the black key 1B can be structured such that the distance between the key tip and the drive part is smaller than that of the white key. In such a case, the moment to raise the rear part of the key generated when the key is pressed is small, and the problem of the key rear part jumping up hardly occurs. As a result, it is in a situation where it is easy to omit the floating portion. On the other hand, if the floating portion provided for the white key is located above the black key, the following problem may occur. That is, since the buoyant part 70 is in the vicinity immediately above the fulcrum part 3W of the white key 1W, even if the white key 1W is rotated upward about the fulcrum part 3W by some external force, the impact on the buoyant part 70 is caused. It is unlikely that an abutment will occur. On the other hand, the buoyant part 70 is separated from the fulcrum part 3B of the black key 1B by the rear installation distance of the fulcrum part 3B. Therefore, when the black key 1B is rotated upward about the fulcrum part 3B by some external force, the separation distance from the fulcrum part 3B to the buoyant part 70 becomes the rotational radius, and the buoyant part 70 is shockedly applied. There is a possibility of contact. Such abutment causes noise and hinders performance. On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the upper surface of the black key 1B is lower than the upper surface of the white key 1W below the buoyancy prevention portion 70, even if the black key is rotated upward as described above. The collision is avoided because the gap to the floating portion 70 is large. Thereby, generation of noise is prevented. For this purpose, the height difference between the upper surface of the black key 1B and the upper surface of the white key 1W is preferably 0.5 to 5 mm. This upper limit is sufficient for avoiding collision by normal upward rotation, and if it is less than the lower limit, collision avoidance is insufficient.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows a main part of an electronic musical instrument keyboard device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the black key 1B located below the buoyancy prevention part 70 is supported by a fulcrum part 3B 'whose support position is lowered. Thereby, the upper surface of the white key 1W is higher than the upper surface of the black key 1B. As a result, the floating portion 70 forms a larger gap between the upper surface of the black key 1B and the upper surface of the white key 1W. Also in this case, the same effect as that of the second embodiment can be obtained based on the gap difference. In particular, in this embodiment, since it is not necessary to partially change the thickness of the black key 1B, the design of the key shape and strength, manufacturing equipment such as a mold, related parts, etc. can be shared with the white key. There are advantages.

  It is also possible to mix the setting of the thickness of the black key 1B in the second embodiment and the setting of the support position of the fulcrum part in the third embodiment.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows a main part of an electronic musical instrument keyboard device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the buoyancy prevention part 70 is provided with the elastic body 73, and is in contact with the white key 1W upper surface in a non-key-pressed state. The elastic body 73 can be a sponge-like foam, a fiber body such as felt, a silicon rubber, a gel, or the like, and is attached to the lower surface of the distal end portion of the upper wall 72 of the regulating member 7. The elastic body may be disposed on any one of the upper end portion, the intermediate portion, and the lower end portion of the floating portion in combination with another member.

  In this embodiment, since the buoyancy prevention part 70 is provided with the elastic body 73, it is easy to give an appropriate contact pressure to the white key 1W, and the position of the white key on the fulcrum part can be stabilized. In addition, since the elastic body absorbs the dimensional error in the vertical direction, the dimensional accuracy of the parts and the attachment is relaxed, and the advantage that the processing and the attachment are facilitated is also obtained.

  FIG. 7 schematically shows a main part of an electronic musical instrument keyboard device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the buoyancy prevention part 70 is provided with the pressure sensor 70a. In the figure, a pressure sensor 70a provided between the elastic body 70b and the upper wall 72 is shown. The non-floating portion 70 is in contact with the top surface of the white key 1W in a non-key-pressed state, and a detection signal is generated by a slight change in contact pressure accompanying the rotation of the white key 1W (indicated by a one-dot chain line in the figure) when the key is pressed. To emit. This pressure sensor 70a can be a variable resistance type pressure sensor or the like, and can detect whether or not the white key 1W is rotated or the magnitude of the rotation. Further, the pressure sensor 70a may be provided in combination with the elastic body 70b, or may be integrated by making the sensor itself a pressure sensitive sensor made of conductive rubber or the like.

  FIG. 7 also shows a pressure sensor 74 provided on the vertical wall 71 of the regulating member 7. The pressure sensor 74 detects the amount of deformation using the fact that the elastic deformation of the restricting member 7 extends from the upper wall 72 to the vertical wall 71 when the float 70 is pushed up by the white key 1W. Yes, it can be composed of a strain gauge or the like. Since the pressure sensor 74 detects the amount of elastic deformation due to the bending of the regulating member 7, it can be detected with high accuracy, and an accurate detection signal according to the amount of rotation of the white key 1W can be generated continuously or intermittently. It can also be. The pressure sensor 74 can be provided in place of or in addition to the pressure sensor 70a described above. When the pressure sensor 74 is additionally provided, the pressure sensor 70a detects the presence or absence of white key rotation, and the pressure sensor 74 detects the rotation amount. Can be made. Further, the pressure sensor 74 may be provided on the upper wall 72.

  The pressure sensor 70a described above can be continuously extended over a plurality of keys together with the upper wall 72. In this case, a detection signal is generated by rotation of any of the keys that are in contact. . Further, the pressure sensor 70a can be provided independently for each key, and in this case, a detection signal is generated by the rotation of the corresponding key. When provided independently for each key, it can be provided for each black key 1B as well as for each white key 1W. Further, a slit can be provided in the upper wall 72 or the upper wall 72 and the vertical wall 71 so that the response operation of the floating portion 70 with respect to the key rotation can be made independent.

  The same can be said for the pressure sensor 74 as to whether it extends continuously over a plurality of keys or is independent for each key. Furthermore, even if only one pressure sensor 74 is provided for the restriction member 7 that continuously extends over a plurality of keys, if the restriction member 7 is elastically deformed by the rotation of any of the keys, a detection signal is generated. Since it emits, the structure can be simplified.

  In this way, by detecting the presence or absence and the amount of rotation of the key by the pressure sensors 70a and 74, the detection signal can be used for on / off of sound generation and after-touch control.

  FIG. 8 schematically shows a main part of an electronic musical instrument keyboard device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the buoyancy prevention unit 70 includes a non-contact type proximity sensor 75. The proximity sensor 75 generates a detection signal due to a slight change in the gap with the top surface of the white key accompanying the rotation of the white key 1W (indicated by a one-dot chain line in the drawing) when the key is pressed. Therefore, there is an advantage that the white key rotates without requiring contact with the upper surface of the white key and without receiving resistance such as frictional force due to contact. The proximity sensor 75 can be an electromagnetic induction type sensor, a capacitance type sensor, a photo reflector, or the like, and can detect whether or not the white key 1W is rotated or the magnitude of the rotation. The same description as the pressure sensor 70a can be said with respect to whether the floating portion 70 extends continuously over a plurality of keys or is independent of each key. .

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. The fulcrum part of the white key and the black key may be provided such that the pin is supported by the key instead of the pin supported by the keyboard frame as in the illustrated example, and the pin receiving part is provided on the keyboard frame. Other fulcrum structures that rotatably support the key may be used.

It is the schematic of the principal part of the keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instruments which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the key of the keyboard apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and a control member (it is provided with a floating part). It is the schematic of the principal part of the keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instruments which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a rear view which shows the key of the keyboard apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and a control member (it is provided with a floating part). It is the schematic of the principal part of the keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instruments which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic of the principal part of the keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instruments which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic of the principal part of the keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instruments which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic of the principal part of the keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instruments which concerns on 6th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1B: Black key, 1W: White key, 2: Mass body, 3: Keyboard frame, 3B: (Black key) fulcrum part, 3W: (White key) fulcrum part, 4B: (Black key) Drive part, 4W (White) Key) drive part, 7: regulating member, 70: floating portion, 70a: pressure sensor, 70b: elastic body, 73: elastic body, 75: proximity sensor

Claims (6)

A keyboard device comprising: a plurality of keys including white keys and black keys; a keyboard frame that holds the plurality of keys; and a fulcrum portion that is provided on the keyboard frame and supports the keys so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. ,
The fulcrum part is composed of a white key fulcrum part that supports a white key and a black key fulcrum part that supports a black key, and is located at the rear part of the key when the player is closer to the player in the keyboard device. And the black key fulcrum part is located behind the white key fulcrum part,
A keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard frame supports a flotation portion extending over a plurality of keys in the vicinity immediately above the white key fulcrum, and the rise of the rear portion of the white key is restricted. 2. The keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the white key is set higher than the upper surface of the black key in a portion located below the floating portion. 3. The black key located below the floating portion is supported at a lower position by the black key fulcrum portion, whereby the upper surface of the white key is made higher than the upper surface of the black key. The keyboard device for electronic musical instruments described in 1. The said floating part is in contact with the white key in the non-key-pressed state, and is provided with the elastic member which can be elastically deformed by the contact pressure with a key. Keyboard device for electronic musical instruments. 5. The electronic musical instrument keyboard according to claim 4, wherein the elastic member is provided with a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor detects a change in the contact pressure to the key accompanying the rotation of the key when the key is depressed. apparatus. The non-contact type proximity sensor is provided in the floating part, and the proximity sensor detects a change in the gap with the key upper surface accompanying the rotation of the key when the key is pressed. The keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument according to any one of 5.

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