JP2008191650A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operability and touch feeling of a key of a keyboard device of a keyboard musical instrument using a porous member and to secure durability of a hinge portion. <P>SOLUTION: The key comprises an upper member 11 and a lower member 12. The upper member 11 is the porous member. The lower member 12 is an elastic member and a horizontal hinge portion 12a is formed at a rear end of the lower member 12. A horizontal hinge portion 22a of a black key 20 is disposed in a cut portion 10a of a rear end of the key 10. The upper member 11 of the key 10 is disposed within a range of the height D of the notched portion 10a and a top surface 10A of the key 10 is made flush with the horizontal hinge portion 22a of the black key 20. Non-flexibility and fragility resulting from the material of the porous upper member 11 are avoided by the lower elastic member 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard apparatus in which an upper member and a lower member are combined to form a key body portion, the key has a hinge portion for rocking the key, and a plurality of the keys are arranged in parallel.

Conventionally, as a keyboard device, for example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. This conventional keyboard device swings a key by supporting a thin hinge portion integrally formed with a key body portion and a common base end portion of the rear end portion of the hinge portion on a key frame (support member). It is something that is made free.
JP 2005-92233 A

  By the way, when the key body is formed of a porous material such as artificial ivory or wood, the perspiration of the porous member eliminates slipping and stickiness due to sweat during performance, improving operability and touch feeling.

  In addition, when a key using such a porous member is provided with a pivot fulcrum mechanism for rocking the key, a lubricant may be used for the pivot fulcrum mechanism. However, when the porous member is artificial ivory, the durability may be significantly reduced when the scientific compatibility between the artificial ivory and the lubricant is poor.

  On the other hand, when the key is swingably supported by the thin hinge portion, there is no such problem because no lubricant is required. However, when a thin hinge portion is integrally provided on a key body portion using such a porous member, the porous member has poor flexibility, and there is a problem that durability at the hinge portion is remarkably lowered.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device that improves the operability and touch feeling of a key with a porous member and ensures the durability of a hinge portion.

  The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the key body portion is composed of an upper member and a lower member, the key can be swung by a hinge portion formed on the lower member, the upper member is formed of a porous member, and the hinge portion Is provided at a predetermined position of the lower member, and the durability of the hinge portion is ensured by the improvement of touch feeling by the porous member and the elasticity of the lower member. As the “predetermined position”, for example, the rear end of the key is particularly suitable.

  The keyboard apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the key is composed of an upper member and a lower member of a porous member, and a common base end portion of a key unit is connected to a key base end support portion of a support member such as a key frame. Each white key and each black key in the key unit can swing freely in the key release direction with respect to the common base end, the key main body, and the key main body with respect to the common base end. The hinge part is provided at a predetermined position of the lower member. As the “predetermined position”, for example, the rear end of the key is particularly suitable.

  3. The keyboard device according to claim 2, further comprising a white key unit and a black key unit, wherein the white key hinge portion is disposed on the lower side and the black key hinge portion is disposed on the upper side. In this way, a notch is formed by notching the upper part of the rear end of the white key so that the hinge of the black key is substantially flush with the upper surface of the white key. You may make it arrange | position the said upper member in the inside. In this way, in addition to the effects described later, the hinge portion of the black key can be brought close to the top surface of the white key in the vertical direction, so that the height of the swing fulcrum of the black key and the white key can be made close. The touch feeling when pressing the black key and the white key can be made uniform.

  The keyboard apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the key is composed of an upper member and a lower member of a porous member, and a common base end portion of a key unit is connected to a key base end support portion of a support member such as a key frame. Each white key and each black key in the key unit is swingable in the key release direction with respect to the common base end, the key main body, and the key main body with respect to the common base end. And the upper member is disposed in front of the hinge portion in the longitudinal direction of the key.

  5. The keyboard device according to claim 3, further comprising a white key unit and a black key unit, wherein the white key hinge portion is disposed on the lower side and the black key hinge portion is disposed on the upper side. And forming a notch in the upper part of the rear end of the white key so that the hinge part of the black key is substantially flush with the upper surface of the white key. You may make it arrange | position the said upper member in front. In this way, in addition to the effect described later, the upper member, which is a porous member, does not hook into the notch portion of the white key, so that interference between the black key hinge portion and the upper member is prevented. The durability of the hinge part of the black key and the upper member of the white key can be ensured.

  According to the keyboard device of the first aspect, the porous member of the upper member eliminates slippage and stickiness due to sweat during performance, improves operability and touch feeling, and has high durability of the hinge portion for rocking the key. Can be secured. In addition, the porous member can give a dull glossy appearance and obtain a high-quality appearance in ivory, for example.

  According to the keyboard device of the second aspect, in addition to the same effect as that of the first aspect, it is possible to avoid the difficulty of bending and the brittleness (easy to break) that come from the material of the upper member that is the porous member.

  According to the keyboard device of the third aspect, in addition to the same effect as that of the first aspect, it is possible to avoid the difficulty of bending and the brittleness (easy to break) that come from the material of the upper member that is the porous member.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a principal part of a basic configuration of a keyboard device 100 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, the left side of the drawing is the player's side, and the direction perpendicular to the drawing is the key arrangement direction. In the following description, “up / down / left / right” of the keyboard device is an upright state as viewed from the player side during the performance. The meaning of “up, down, left and right” in FIG. Also, when referring to the “front-rear direction (or front and back)”, the performer side is “front, front” and the back side is “back, back”.

  The keyboard device 100 is, for example, an electronic keyboard instrument, and includes a key 10 and a key frame 110 formed of, for example, a hard synthetic resin. The key 10 includes an upper member 11 made of a porous member and a lower member 12 made of synthetic resin. The upper member 11 constitutes the upper surface 10 </ b> A of the key 10, and the upper member 11 is bonded and fixed to the upper surface of the lower member 12 to constitute the key body 1. Examples of specific materials for the upper member 11 and the lower member 12 will be described later. The lower member 12 includes a thin horizontal hinge portion 12a (for example, a horizontal flat plate shape) extending backward from the rear end portion of the key body portion 1 and a rear end portion of the horizontal hinge portion 12a. The arranged support portion 12b is integrally formed.

  The support portion 12b is fixed to the key frame 110 with a screw N1. The lower member 12 is made of a synthetic resin and is an elastic member having elasticity particularly in the horizontal hinge portion 12a. Therefore, the key body 1 can swing up and down with respect to the key frame 110 with the horizontal hinge 12a as a swing fulcrum. Although only the white key is shown in FIG. 1, a large number of white keys and black keys having the same configuration are provided in the direction perpendicular to the drawing of FIG. 1 (key arrangement direction).

  A hook-shaped member 121 is suspended from the tip of the lower member 12 on the key frame 110 side. When the key 10 is depressed, the contact surface 122 on the back side of the lower member 12 abuts against the stopper 18, and the key 10 When the key is released, the contact surface 121a of the hook-shaped member 121 contacts the stopper 19, and the swing range of the key 10 is restricted.

  Thus, the key body 1 is configured by combining the upper member 11 and the lower member 12, and the key body 1 has a horizontal hinge portion 12a for rocking the key. In the keyboard device 100 configured in parallel, the upper member 11 is formed of a porous member. The lower member 12 is made of an elastic material, and the horizontal hinge portion 12a is provided at a predetermined position of the lower member 12 (in this example, the rear end portion of the key body portion 1).

  Therefore, the upper surface 10A of the key 10 has a sweat-absorbing property, which eliminates slipping and stickiness due to sweat during performance, and improves operability and touch feeling. In addition, since the horizontal hinge portion 12a that enables the key body portion 1 to swing is an elastic material (synthetic resin) that is the material of the lower member 12 itself, the horizontal hinge portion 12a High durability against dynamic motion. The horizontal hinge portion 12a may be formed at any position in the vertical direction of the rear end portion of the key body portion 1, and this position (predetermined position) may be appropriately determined in relation to other configurations.

  2 is a side sectional view of a main part of a keyboard device according to another embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of a key assembly in the keyboard device. FIG. 4 is a common base end of the key assembly. It is an enlarged side view of the part vicinity. Elements corresponding to those in FIG. Further, “white key” and “black key” are also simply referred to as “keys”. As shown in FIG. 2, in the keyboard device 100, a key frame 110 is fixed to a lower case (not shown), and a key assembly K composed of a plurality of white keys 10 and black keys 20 is arranged on the key frame 110 in the key arrangement direction. Are arranged for a plurality of octaves.

  Hereinafter, among the components of the keyboard device 1, for the white key 10 and the black key 20, the same symbol may be used for the same type of element, but the one corresponding to the white key 10 and the one corresponding to the black key 20 may be used. When distinguishing, it distinguishes by attaching | subjecting "W" and "B" to the code | symbol, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the key assembly K is composed of two types of white key units KUW1 and KUW2 and one type of black key unit KUB. The key unit KUB for the black key is illustrated with a virtual line (two-point difference line). In this embodiment, one key assembly K is configured in units of one octave, and the white key is a white key 10 of “D, F, A” as a pitch name, and is integrally connected at a common base end portion 12c1. The first key unit KUW1 and the second key unit KUW2 in which the white keys 10 of “C, E, G, B” are integrally connected by the common base end portion 12c2. In the black key unit KUB, black keys 20 of “C #, D #, F #, G #, A #” are integrally connected at a common base end portion 22c.

  More specifically, the key unit KUW of the white key includes a thin horizontal hinge portion 12a (for example, a horizontal flat plate shape) as a “hinge portion” extending rearward from the rear end portion of the key 10, and a horizontal hinge portion. The key 10 is connected to the common base end portion 12c1 (or 12c2) by the horizontal hinge portion 12a and the vertical hinge portion 12d. ing. The black key unit KUB is connected to the common base end portion 22c by thin horizontal hinge portions 22a and 22a extending rearward from the rear end portion of the key 20.

  Here, the horizontal hinge portions 22a, 22a of the black key have a bifurcated structure with respect to one black key 20, and the overall width of the horizontal hinge portions 22a, 22a in the key arrangement direction is larger than the width of the black key 20. Widely formed. The horizontal hinge portion 22a partially overlaps the horizontal hinge portion 12a of the adjacent white key 10 with a predetermined interval. Further, in order to prevent interference between the horizontal hinge portion 22a of the black key 20 and the white key 10, a cutout portion 10a (FIGS. 3 and 4) in which a part of the white key 10 is cut out is formed at the upper part of the rear end portion of the white key 10. Reference) is formed. That is, the cutout portion 10 a is also formed so that the horizontal hinge portion 22 a of the black key 20 is substantially flush with the upper surface of the white key 10.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the key units KUW1, KUW2, and KUB are, in order from the bottom, the common base end portion 12c2 of the key unit KUW2, the common base end portion 12c1 of the key unit KUW1, and the common base end portion 22c of the key unit KUB. Stacked and fitted. In addition, a plurality of screw fastening holes 12n2, 12n1, and 22n are formed in the common base end portions 12c2, 12c1, and 22c, respectively, and a positioning reference in the front-rear direction is provided below the common base end portion 12c2 of the key unit KUW2. The contact surfaces 12t and 12t are formed.

  The key frame 110 shown in FIG. 2 is a “support member”, and a key base end support portion 40 is formed in the rear portion of the key frame 110. As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the key base end support portion 40 has fixing portions 115 and 116 serving as front and rear end surfaces thereof, and a contact surface of the common base end portion 12c2 of the key unit KUW2. 12t and 12t are brought into contact with and opposite to the fixing portions 115 and 116, and the common base end portions 12c2, 12c1 and 22c are screwed to the key base end support portion 40 by screws. As a result, the key 10 can swing up and down with respect to the key frame 110 with the horizontal hinge portion 12a as a swing fulcrum and the key 20 with the horizontal hinge portion 22a as a swing fulcrum. In this way, the horizontal hinge portion 12a of the white key 10 is placed on the lower side, and the hinge portion 22a of the black key 20 is placed on the upper side, so that they are arranged in an overlapping manner.

  A hammer structure 3 is disposed below the key assembly K. The hammer structure 3 includes a mass rod 31 extending in the front-rear direction and an operating portion 32 that holds an end of the mass rod 31, and is pivotally supported by the key frame 110 with the shaft 32a of the operating portion 32 as a fulcrum. Yes. Further, a connecting piece 32b is formed at the tip of the actuating portion 32 so as to be bifurcated vertically, and a connecting plate 14a formed at the lower end of the operating portion 14 of the key 10 is connected to the connecting piece 32b.

  With the above configuration, the operation is as follows. The white key 10 will be described as an example, but the same applies to the black key 20. When the key 10 is depressed, the operating portion 14 pushes down the operating portion 32 of the hammer structure 3, and the hammer structure 3 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2 about the shaft 32a. When the key 10 is released, the hammer structure 3 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 2 by the weight of the mass bar 31, and the key 10 is operated in cooperation with the elastic force of the horizontal hinge portion 12 a of the key 10. Return. This realizes a touch feeling like an acoustic piano. The key frame 110 is provided with felt stoppers SD and SU at the lower rear end and the rear upper end, and the rotation range of the hammer structure 3 is restricted by the stoppers SD and SU. A substrate 50 is disposed between the key unit KU and the hammer structure 3, and a key switch 50 a on the substrate 50 is turned on / off by pressing and releasing the key 10.

  Next, details of the key 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the key 10 includes an upper member 11 made of a porous member and a synthetic resin lower member 12. The upper member 11 is formed on the lower member 12, and the upper member 11 constitutes the upper surface 10 </ b> A of the key 10. The upper surface of the lower member 12 is formed with, for example, irregularities 2 that form grooves in the key length T direction. When the key unit KUW is molded in the portion having the irregularities, the lower member 12 is molded in two colors. is there. The horizontal hinge portion 12 a is formed integrally with the lower member 12.

  That is, the lower member 12 of the key 10 is made of synthetic resin, and is an elastic member having elasticity particularly in the horizontal hinge portion 12a. Therefore, the key 10 can swing about the horizontal hinge portion 12a as a swing fulcrum. The vertical hinge portions 12d and 12d connected to the common base end portions 12c1 and 12c2 are easily bent in the left-right direction, and allow the free ends of the keys 10 to swing in the key arrangement direction in the free state.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the key 10, the upper member 11 is disposed within the range of the upper and lower thickness D of the notch 10 a of the key 10, and the upper surface of the key 10 constituted by the upper member 11. 10A and the upper surface of the black key hinge portion 22a are almost flush with each other. For this reason, the height of the swing fulcrum of the black key 20 and the white key 10 can be made close, and the touch feeling when the black key 20 and the white key 10 are pressed is uniform.

  Further, the upper member 11 is disposed in front of the notch 10a in the longitudinal direction of the key 10 (on the player side), and the upper member 11 does not engage with the notch 10a of the white key 10. Interference between the 20 hinge portions 22a and the upper member 11 can be prevented, and the durability of the hinge portion 22a and the upper member 11 can be ensured.

An example of specific materials of the upper member 11 and the lower member 12 of the embodiment is as follows. For the upper member 11 which is a porous member, ivory, ebony, artificial ivory, artificial ebony, other wood, and the like are suitable. Further, as the upper member 11, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, diatomaceous earth, or the like is mixed with a white colorant and AS (acrylonitrile styrene) resin. As the white colorant, a white pigment or the like is used (for example, titanium oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, white lead, litbon, etc.). The content of the above calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, diatomaceous earth, etc. can maintain the characteristics suitable for performance if the weight ratio is 3 to 50%. 10 to 30%. The lower member 12 is made of ABS resin, AS resin or the like suitable for repeated bending. In this case, a material having a flexural modulus of 50 MPa to 20 GPa is used. For example, a soft elastomer or soft vinyl chloride type having a flexural modulus of 50 MPa to 200 MPa, an ABS resin, an AS resin, an acrylic type having a flexural modulus of 2 GPa to 4 GPa, or an FRP having a flexural modulus of 6 GPa to 20 GPa. In particular, the above ABS resin, AS resin, and acrylic resin are suitable. Further, the lower member 12 may be processed with metal or the like, and the horizontal hinge portion 12a may be made elastic by a metal plate.

It is principal part side sectional drawing of the basic composition of the keyboard apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is principal part side sectional drawing of the keyboard apparatus of further detailed embodiment of this invention. It is a partial top view of the key assembly in the keyboard apparatus. It is an enlarged side view of the base end part vicinity of the key assembly.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Key body part, 10 ... Key, 10A ... Upper surface, 10a ... Notch part, 11 ... Upper member, 12 ... Lower member, 12a ... Horizontal hinge part (hinge part), 12c1, 12c2 ... Common base end part, 20 ... Black key, 22a ... Horizontal hinge part (hinge part), 22c ... Common base end part, 40 ... Key base end part support part, 100 ... Keyboard device, 110 ... Key frame (support member), K ... Key assembly, KUW ... white key unit, KUB ... black key unit

Claims (3)

A key device comprising a key body portion by combining an upper member and a lower member, the key device having a hinge portion for rocking the key, and a plurality of the keys arranged in parallel In
The keyboard device, wherein the upper member is formed of a porous member, the lower member is formed of an elastic material, and the hinge portion is provided at a predetermined position of the lower member. A support member having a key base end support portion;
A plurality of white keys and black keys that constitute a key body portion by combining an upper member and a lower member are integrally connected at a common base end, the upper member is formed of a porous member, and the common base end is A key unit held by the key base end support portion of the support member,
Each white key and each black key in the key unit connect the common base end portion, the key main body portion, and the key main body portion to the common base end portion so as to be swingable in the direction of pressing and releasing keys. It consists of a hinge part,
The keyboard device, wherein the hinge portion is provided at a predetermined position of the lower member. A support member having a key base end support portion;
A plurality of white keys and black keys that constitute a key body portion by combining an upper member and a lower member are integrally connected at a common base end, the upper member is formed of a porous member, and the common base end is A key unit held by the key base end support portion of the support member,
Each white key and each black key in the key unit connect the common base end portion, the key main body portion, and the key main body portion to the common base end portion so as to be swingable in the direction of pressing and releasing keys. It consists of a hinge part,
A keyboard device, wherein the upper member is disposed in front of the hinge portion in the longitudinal direction of the key.

Images