JP3377114B2 - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard device, and more particularly to a technique for detecting the amount of displacement of each key when a key is pressed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of a technique for detecting a displacement amount of each key when a key is pressed in a keyboard device, for example, an actual Kaihei 3-3
A device configuration as shown in No. 1798 is known.

In this keyboard device, a leaf spring provided for influencing the touch feeling at the time of key pressing operation and for urging each key in the returning direction is distorted by elastic deformation according to the key pressing operation amount. The detection sensor is integrally molded.

Further, as an example of a technique for compensating for a difference in touch sensitivity between a white key and a black key having different strokes when a key is pressed to provide precision control of a keyboard of an electronic musical instrument or the like, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. A device configuration as shown in Japanese Patent No. 367819 is known.

In this device, the optical multi / demultiplexer means is used to control the sensitivity of the white key to be relatively higher than that of the black key in response to the same key touch operation. Has been devised so that the white and black keys can provide the same level of touch data output.

[0006]

Generally, a leaf spring for returning a key used in a keyboard device is operated by pressing a key while complicatedly engaging a member (keyboard frame) that rotatably supports each key. It is provided to realize both the function that affects the touch feeling at the time and the function that urges each key in the return direction.

For this reason, as described above, in the configuration of the conventional keyboard device in which the key displacement amount detection sensor is provided in contact with the leaf spring and attached thereto (No. 3-31798),
There is a problem that the mounting of the sensor in the keyboard device becomes complicated.

Further, since the key displacement amount detecting sensor is integrally provided on the leaf spring whose position and shape are changed according to the key pressing operation, the sensor itself also changes its position and shape according to the key pressing operation. It will change. Therefore, with the sensor,
In some cases, it may be difficult to electrically connect with a main board on which a circuit for performing various controls such as key touch detection and key displacement detection is formed, which is disadvantageous in terms of mounting technology.

On the other hand, in the conventional device configuration (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 367819/1992) that compensates for the difference in touch sensitivity between the white key and the black key, which strokes are different when the key is pressed, an optical multi / demultiplexer is used. Since the above-mentioned compensation is performed using a means, it is unavoidable that the alignment of each element in the optical system and the combination with other control systems become relatively complicated. There is an inconvenience that it is difficult to manufacture the device used.

The present invention was created in view of the problems in the prior art, and simplifies the mounting of the key displacement amount detecting sensor means, and facilitates the connection to the substrate on which various control circuits are formed. An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device that can also contribute to facilitation of manufacturing.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of keys, a key support member for rotatably supporting each key, and the key support. In a keyboard device provided with an elastic body that is provided between each key and engaged with a member and biases each key in the return direction, in the vicinity of a portion of the key support member corresponding to the elastic body. There is provided a keyboard device comprising non-contact optical sensor means for detecting the deformation amount of the elastic body according to the displacement amount of each key when a key is pressed.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of keys, a key supporting member for rotatably supporting each key, and each of the keys engaging with the key supporting member are provided. In a keyboard device provided with an elastic body for urging each key in the return direction, a black key and a white key corresponding to each key are provided in a portion of the key support member corresponding to the elastic body. A non-contact optical sensor for detecting a deformation amount of the elastic body according to a displacement amount of each key at the time of key pressing operation is provided on the sensor supporting member so as to have a step portion with each other. A sensor means is provided, and the stepped portion of the sensor support member is set to a predetermined height such that the black key and the white key provide substantially the same level of touch data output by the key pressing operation with the same touch feeling. A keyboard device is provided.

[0013]

According to the structure of the first embodiment described above, the optical sensor means for detecting the amount of displacement of each key at the time of key-depressing operation detects a change in the position or shape of the elastic body caused by the key-depressing operation. It is provided so as not to be physically affected (that is, not attached to the elastic body). That is, the optical sensor means can detect the elastic deformation amount of the elastic body in a non-contact state with respect to the elastic body that elastically deforms according to the key displacement amount at the time of the key pressing operation.

Therefore, the optical sensor means having such an arrangement form can be relatively easily mounted in the keyboard device, and various controls such as key (key) touch detection and key displacement amount detection can be performed. Electrical connection to a substrate on which a circuit for performing the operation is formed can be easily performed.

Further, according to the configuration of the second embodiment, since the non-contact optical sensor means for detecting the key displacement amount is provided on the sensor support member having the step portion having the predetermined height, In addition to the effect based on the first mode, there is an advantage that it is possible to compensate for the difference in touch sensitivity between the white key and the black key having different strokes when the key is pressed.

In this case, in order to compensate for the difference in touch sensitivity between the white key and the black key (that is, to correct the touch data), use a complicated structure such as an optical multi / demultiplexer means found in the conventional type. Instead, it can be realized by a simple means such as simply providing a stepped portion having a predetermined height on the sensor support member. This facilitates the manufacture of a keyboard device using the touch data correction means.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the structure of the essential parts of a keyboard apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 indicates a base for supporting the whole keyboard, and the main frame 1 is mounted on the base 10.
2, a keyboard frame 14 is attached to the main frame 12 with screws 16a. The keyboard frame 14 includes a plurality of keys (white keys 20 in the illustrated example).
(Only shown) are rotatably supported at fulcrums 18, and the tip end portion 14a thereof is formed in a strip shape corresponding to each key, and the tip end portion corresponding to each key is fixed to the base 10 by a screw 16b or the like. Has been done. Also, the tip portion 14
A part of a corresponding to each key is provided with a key guide 22 so as to be housed inside the corresponding key, and the key guide 22 has a lower limit of the vertical movement of the key 20. A lower limit stopper 22a and an upper limit stopper 22b are attached to suppress the upper limit value. Correspondingly, the tip portion of the key 20 abuts on the lower limit stopper 22a during key depression operation to prevent further key displacement, and abuts on the upper limit stopper 22b during key return operation. And a contact portion 20b for preventing further displacement of the key. The illustrated example (indicated by a solid line) shows a state in which the key-side contact portion 20a is in contact with the lower limit stopper 22a at the lower limit position of the key depression stroke (key push-off state).

Reference numeral 24 denotes a hammer as a mass body. The hammer 24 is for giving a predetermined touch feeling to the player at the time of key-depressing operation, and at the fulcrum portion 26 during key-depressing operation and key-returning operation. It is rotatably supported.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a leaf spring, one end of which is the hammer 2
4, the other end is locked to the spring locking part 20c near the fulcrum part of the key, and is inserted into the spring insertion opening 12a formed in the main frame to engage with each locking part. Mounted. This leaf spring 28 has a function of urging the corresponding key 20 in the return direction (state shown by a broken line) at the time of key pressing operation, and also has the fulcrum portion 18 and the key fulcrum portion on the operated key, and The fulcrum portion 26 and the hammer fulcrum portion are also brought into contact with each other by pressing and rotating to give a frictional feeling to bring it closer to the actual playing sensation of the musical instrument (that is, a function of affecting the player's touch feeling).

Reference numeral 30 denotes a non-contact type optical sensor, which in the present embodiment (see FIG. 2) is composed of a light reflection type photocoupler having a light emitting portion 30a and a light receiving portion 30b. The sensor 30 is for detecting the amount of elastic deformation of the leaf spring 28 according to the amount of displacement of the key 20 during the key depression operation, and in the present embodiment, in the vicinity of the portion of the keyboard frame 14 corresponding to the leaf spring 28. The sensor support frame 32 fixed to the main frame 12 with screws 34a is fixedly attached with screws 34b. The sensor 30 (photocoupler) uses a light emitting / receiving element in the infrared region to eliminate the influence of ambient light.

Further, 36 is a key switch (not shown) driving actuator fixedly mounted on the hammer 24,
The acting force transmitted from the actuator portion of the key is inherited at the hammer side force receiving point 36a, and the actuator 36 drives the switch. Reference numeral 38 denotes a main substrate on which circuits for performing various controls such as key (key) touch detection and key displacement amount detection are formed. The main board 38 is fixed to the lower side of the keyboard frame 14 via a spacer 40 between the main board 38 and the keyboard frame 14.

2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the light reflection type sensor 30 in FIG. 1. FIG. 2A is a state when the amount of key displacement at the time of key pressing operation is small, and FIG. A state where the key displacement amount is larger than (A), and (C) shows the relationship of the output voltage V of the sensor 30 with respect to the key displacement amount D. The arrow P indicates the key pressing operation direction, and the arrows Q, Q1 and Q2 indicate the direction in which the leaf spring 28 is deformed in response to the key pressing operation.

As shown in the figure, when the key displacement amount D increases (that is, when the state changes from (A) to (B)), the deformation amount of the plate spring 28 also increases accordingly, and the sensor 30 and the plate 30 move. The relative distance of the spring 28 increases. by this,
The light receiving portion 30 of the sensor 30 is reflected by the surface of the leaf spring 28.
The amount of light incident on b is relatively reduced, and the output voltage V of the sensor 30 is also reduced accordingly. That is, the same figure (C)
As shown in the D-V characteristic diagram, it is possible to obtain the sensor output voltage V corresponding to the elastic deformation amount of the leaf spring 28 according to the displacement amount D of each key during the key pressing operation.

As described above, according to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the optical sensor 30 has a position change and a shape change of the leaf spring 28 which elastically deforms in response to the displacement of the key 20 during the key depression operation. It is possible to accurately detect the elastic deformation amount of the leaf spring 28 in a non-contact state without being physically affected by the above. Therefore, such a sensor 30 can be relatively easily mounted in the keyboard device, and the main board 3 can be mounted.
8, the electrical connection to the main board 38 can be easily made.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a modification of the above-described embodiment (see FIG. 1).

In this embodiment, instead of the light reflection type sensor 30 used in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a light transmission type photocoupler having a light emitting portion 42a and a light receiving portion 42b (see FIG. 4).
The non-contact type sensor 42 configured by
Further, the light emitting portion 42a and the light receiving portion 42b of the sensor 42 are
A shutter plate 44 is provided so that the area between them can be blocked. The shutter plate 44 is attached to the tip of a plate spring 28 that elastically deforms in accordance with the amount of key displacement during a key depression operation, while the light transmissive sensor 42 corresponds to the plate spring 28 of the keyboard frame 14. Near the part, it is fixedly attached to the sensor support frame 46, which is fixed to the main frame 12 'by screws 48a, by screws 48b. Therefore, when the key is operated, the substantially central portion of the leaf spring 28 is held upward, and the right end of the leaf spring 28 is held by the spring engaging portion 20c of the key. Moving. In conjunction with this, the shutter plate 44 moves substantially up and down in the area between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the sensor 42. Accordingly, the light emitting unit 42 of the sensor 42
The amount of light incident on the light receiving section 42b from a changes. The shutter plate 44 is made of a light-transmissive material such as a polyester film, and a black stripe pattern is formed on the film so that the stripe width is gradually reduced. It is composed of a known gray scale. There is. Further, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sensor 42 is used to eliminate the influence of ambient light or the like.
The (photocoupler) uses a light emitting / receiving element in the infrared region. The rest of the configuration and its operation are the same as those of the embodiment of FIG. 1, so the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of the light transmission type sensor 42 shown in FIG. 3. As in FIG. 2, (A) is a state in which the key displacement amount is small at the time of key depression operation, and (B) is shown. Is the state when the key displacement amount at the time of key depression operation is larger than (A),
(C) shows how the shutter 44 blocks the region between the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the sensor 42 in conjunction with the deformation operation of the leaf spring 28 based on the key pressing operation, and (D) shows the key displacement amount D.
Shows the relationship of the output voltage V of the sensor 42 with respect to.

As shown in the figure, when the key displacement amount changes from the state (A) to the state (B) (that is, when D increases), the deformation amount of the leaf spring 28 also increases accordingly, and The position of the shutter 44 attached to the tip of the spring 28 relatively lowers (the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7C). As a result, the area where the shutter 44 blocks the region between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the sensor 42 increases (the transmission area decreases). If the gray scale pattern is reversed, the phenomenon will be reversed and the characteristic of FIG. As a result, the amount of light incident on the light receiving section 42b of the sensor 42 relatively decreases (or increases), and the output voltage V of the sensor 42 also decreases (or increases) accordingly. That is, D in FIG.
As shown in the −V characteristic diagram, the amount of displacement D of each key when the key is pressed
The sensor output voltage V can be obtained according to

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the same effects (simple mounting and easy electrical connection) as the above-described embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows the construction of the essential parts of a keyboard device as another embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, (A) is a perspective view of the configuration, and (B) is AA ′ in (A).
It is sectional drawing which followed the line.

The feature of this embodiment is that in the portion corresponding to the leaf spring 28 of the keyboard frame 14, the white key (not shown in FIG. 5) and the black key 20 'are provided with a step difference from each other. That is, the support base 50 is provided directly on the keyboard frame 14. The sensor support base 50 is formed on the keyboard frame 14 by resin integral molding (outsert) using, for example, a mold. In this case, the black key 20 '
Corresponds to the upper surface of the sensor support base 50, that is, the position of the corresponding portion 50a (the position where the optical sensor as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 is provided) is the upper surface of the sensor support base 50 corresponding to the white key, that is, It is selected to be lower than the position of the corresponding portion 50b by a predetermined height, and in the longitudinal direction of the key, the white key sensor is provided at the spring central portion, and the black key sensor is provided at a position slightly displaced from the central portion. . This is based on the following reasons.

That is, since the black key has a shorter length than the white key, the rotation angle for obtaining the same key pressing stroke of the black and white key of the operation unit is larger for the black key than for the white key. Therefore, if you press the white key and the black key with the same touch feeling,
Naturally, the elastic deformation amount of the leaf spring corresponding to the black key is larger than the elastic deformation amount of the leaf spring corresponding to the white key. In other words, if the arrangement position of the sensor in the longitudinal direction of the key is the same for the white key and the black key, the arrangement position of the sensor and the distance between the leaf springs are the same when the touch pressure for each key is the same (with the same strength). However, the white key and the black key are different (in this case, the black key has a larger distance than the white key). As a result, as is apparent from FIG. 2, the sensor output for the white key (this is proportional to the touch sensitivity)
Is relatively lower than the sensor output for the black key,
The touch sensitivity differs between the white key and the black key.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, in order to improve this, the arrangement positions of the sensors are made different by a predetermined amount between the white key and the black key in both the stroke direction and the key longitudinal direction. That is, the sensor support base 50 is formed so that the position of the black key corresponding portion 50a is lower than the position of the white key corresponding portion 50b and is slightly displaced from the spring center facing portion, whereby the same touch is performed. The touch key operation allows the white key and the black key to provide substantially the same level of touch data output.

That is, since the black and white keys have different sensing stroke amounts per unit time even with the same touch force, and the black keys are larger, the position of 50b is lowered and the sensor position is displaced from the spring center facing portion. By
With the same touch force, the same sensing stroke amount per unit time is used.

As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the key displacement amount detecting sensor (for example, the light reflection type sensor 30 as shown in FIG. 2 or the light transmission type sensor 4 as shown in FIG. 4).
By forming the sensor support base 50 on which 2) is mounted so as to have the stepped portions 50a and 50b of a predetermined height and in the form of a strip in the longitudinal direction of the key, the stroke at the time of key depression is different. It is possible to compensate for the difference in touch force between the white key and the black key (that is, correction of touch data). Moreover, since the touch data correction can be realized by a simple means such as the stepped portions 50a and 50b provided in the sensor support base 50 in a striped manner, the keyboard device can be easily manufactured.

That is, in the prior art, since the maximum rotation angle of the black and white key is different, the positions of the upper and lower stoppers are different and the position of the abutting portion between the key and the hammer is also different in the longitudinal direction of the key. In this case, since they can be set to be the same, manufacturing and assembling work becomes extremely easy.

Also in this embodiment, the same effect as that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 or the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 (simple sensor mounting and easy electrical connection to the main board) can be obtained. Of course, it can be played.

In other words, since the sensor can be arranged on the keyboard frame, not only the main board itself becomes unnecessary, but also the key-on signal can be formed only by the sensor, so that the conventional key switch becomes unnecessary. You can
The circuit processing on the keyboard frame can be greatly simplified.

Next, a specific application example of the sensor output shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The illustrated example is a light reflection type sensor 30 as shown in FIG.
The configuration when the is used for a musical tone control system of an electronic musical instrument is shown.

In the figure, reference numeral 60 denotes a sensor circuit provided corresponding to each key, and the circuit 30 produces a sensor output voltage corresponding to a key displacement amount at the time of a key depression operation.
A power supply line + V, a variable resistor R1 for supplying an appropriate current from the power supply line to a light emitting portion 30a (light emitting diode) of the sensor 30, and a light receiving portion 30b of the sensor 30.
And a variable resistor R2 that determines the amount of current detected by the (phototransistor) (that is, the sensor output voltage). Further, 62 is a multiplexer which selectively outputs any of the outputs from each sensor circuit 60 using an oscillator, a counter or the like (not shown), and 64 is a converter which converts the output voltage (analog amount) of the multiplexer 62 into a corresponding digital signal. A / D converter, 66 is composed of ROM etc.
A characteristic converter for converting the digital output of the D / D converter 64 into a signal suitable for the musical tone object to be controlled, 68 is the output of the characteristic converter 66 is a predetermined value Vref (this predetermined value is a predetermined key displacement during key depression operation). The comparator 70 detects whether the output of the characteristic converter 66 is equal to or more than a predetermined value Vref based on the output of the comparator 68, and an AND circuit 70 that validates the output of the characteristic converter 66. is there.
The control signal K of the AND circuit 70 can be regarded as a key-on signal, and the conventional key switch can be omitted in such a system.

Reference numeral 72 denotes a sound source and a control circuit, which receives envelope data corresponding to the output from the characteristic converter 66 in a time division manner via the AND circuit 70. The tone generator and control circuit 72 also receives the output from the comparator 68 as a time-division key-on signal, controls the tone of the key-on key in accordance with the envelope data, and generates and generates a tone signal. Reference numeral 74 denotes a power amplifier for amplifying the musical tone signal whose characteristics have been converted, and 76 denotes a speaker for converting the power-amplified musical tone signal to voice and radiating it.

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, each sensor circuit 6
By appropriately adjusting the values of the variable resistors R1 and R2 within 0, it is possible to correct the variation in the touch sensitivity for each key at the time of key pressing operation, but it is not necessary in the embodiment of FIG. Become. In the case where the sensor arrangement is not formed in a small pattern in FIG. 5, the above electrical correction may be performed. This corrected sensor output can be used to change preset musical tones such as volume, timbre, depth of reverb (reverberation) or PAN (direction and spread of the sound), and the player's will It is possible to realize the corresponding performance expression power.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By providing the optical sensor means for detecting the key displacement amount in a non-contact state with respect to the elastic body that deforms in response to a key pressing operation, the mounting of the sensor means in the keyboard device can be simplified. At the same time, electrical connection to the substrate on which a circuit for performing various controls such as key (key) touch detection and key displacement amount detection is easily performed.

By providing a stepped portion having a predetermined height on the member supporting the optical sensor means, it is possible to compensate for the difference in touch sensitivity between the white key and the black key having different strokes when the key is pressed. It is possible (correction of touch data), and further, the keyboard device using the touch data correction means can be easily manufactured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a partial cross-sectional view of the configuration of a main part of a keyboard device as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the light reflection type sensor in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view, partly in cross section, showing the configuration of a modified example of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the light transmission type sensor in FIG.

5A and 5B are views showing a configuration of a main part of a keyboard device as another embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 5A is a perspective view and FIG. 5B is a cross section taken along line AA ′ in FIG. It is a figure.

FIG. 6 is a block circuit configuration diagram showing a specific application example of the sensor output shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

[Explanation of symbols]

14 ... Key support member (keyboard frame), 20, 20 '... Key (key), 28 ... Elastic body (leaf spring), 30, 42 ... Non-contact optical sensor means (key displacement amount detection sensor), 38 ... main board, 50 ... sensor support member (sensor support base), 50a ... step portion (corresponding portion of the sensor support base corresponding to the black key), 50b ... step portion (corresponding portion of the sensor support base corresponding to the white key) .

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] And 1. A plurality of keys, and the key support member for supporting the key to rotatably respectively, provided between engaged with said key support member of each key, press
In a keyboard device having a leaf spring that elastically deforms according to the amount of displacement during key operation and biases each key in the return direction, a shatter that is displaced according to elastic deformation of the leaf spring during key pressing operation.
A plate member is provided on the leaf spring, and the amount of transmitted light varies depending on the position of the shutter member according to the amount of displacement of each key when a key is pressed.
A keyboard device, characterized in that non-contact optical sensor means for detecting the amount of deformation of the leaf spring is provided. 2. A plurality of keys, a key supporting member that rotatably supports each key, and a key supporting member that engages with the key supporting member and is provided between the respective keys. In a keyboard device including an elastic body for urging, a sensor support is provided at a portion of the key support member corresponding to the elastic body such that a black key and a white key have step portions corresponding to each other. A member is provided, and a non-contact optical sensor means for detecting the deformation amount of the elastic body according to the displacement amount of each key at the time of key pressing operation is provided on the sensor support member, and the step of the sensor support member is provided. A keyboard device, wherein the parts are set to a predetermined height such that a black key and a white key provide substantially the same level of touch data output when the keys are pressed with the same touch feeling.