JP4219284B2 - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard device for playing music, and more particularly to a keyboard device suitable for inputting performance information and the like to a computer.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been provided an electronic musical instrument that includes a keyboard and a sound source and can easily enjoy playing music by playing the keyboard. On the other hand, a new song is composed using a personal computer, or an existing song is arranged. In addition, the personal computer has a function to generate musical sounds by executing a program called a so-called soft synthesizer, and the performance and performance data can be performed like a keyboard for inputting personal computer characters. There is a demand for a keyboard device that can be input.

  Such a keyboard apparatus is particularly compact and thin, and is required to accurately detect the key pressing speed and the key releasing speed although the key stroke is shorter than that of a normal keyboard.

For example, in a keyboard device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-274482 (Patent Document 1), a plurality of white keys and black keys are formed by drawing a thin steel plate, and a gap between adjacent keys is removed. Accordingly, a thin keyboard device in which at least an octave key is integrally formed by being deleted is disclosed. In this keyboard device, the rubber switch provided at the lower part of each key is configured to be pressed down by pressing the key so that two conductive rubber contacts sequentially contact fixed contacts provided on the printed wiring board. The key pressing speed is detected by the time difference at which the contacts are conducted.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-274482 (for example, FIG. 4)

  However, the rubber switch of the keyboard device disclosed in Patent Document 1 can detect the key pressing speed, but has a poor touch feeling, and particularly a feeling of reaction force against the finger when the keyboard is fully pressed is not good. There is a problem that chattering occurs at the time of contact between the fixed contact and the movable contact, and it is difficult to detect an accurate key pressing speed. In particular, in order to detect the key pressing speed, the first movable contact first comes into contact with the first fixed contact and then the second movable contact comes into contact with the second fixed contact in response to pressing of the key. It is the composition to do. Therefore, after the first movable contact comes into contact with the first fixed contact, the first movable contact is stably held even while the key is further pressed and the second movable contact comes into contact with the second fixed contact. It is necessary to continue pressing against the second fixed contact.

  However, after the first movable contact comes into contact with the first fixed contact, distortion occurs in the process in which the key is further pressed and the portion pressing the first movable contact is deformed, thereby causing chattering. is there. In particular, when the second movable contact comes into contact with the second fixed contact and the portion pressing the second movable contact starts to deform, the first movable contact may be affected.

  Further, although it is necessary to give a click feeling to the key, after giving the click feeling, it is necessary to smoothly turn the key to the lowermost part and to make a keyboard device with a good operation feeling.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device that has a good operation feeling, is thin, and can accurately detect a key pressing speed.

In order to achieve this object, the keyboard device according to claim 1 is a driven part comprising a first cylindrical part having a first movable contact and a second cylindrical part having a second movable contact. And a switch formed by integrally molding an elastic material with a skirt portion that supports the driven portion, a rotatable key that drives the driven portion, and the first movable contact. A substrate having a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact formed to face the second movable contact, and the first movable contact is the first in response to pressing of the key. And the second movable contact is in contact with the second fixed contact, and the key starts driving the driven portion of the switch. A gap is provided between the movable contact and the portion of the key corresponding to the first movable contact, and when the key is pressed, The part corresponding to the first movable contact of the key when the first movable contact is in contact with the first fixed contact and substantially when the second movable contact is in contact with the second fixed contact. Is configured to contact the upper surface of the first movable contact.

Keyboard apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in the keyboard apparatus according to claim 1, wherein is provided a projection by an elastic material which constitutes the switch on top of the first movable contact of the switch.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the keyboard device according to the first aspect , wherein a projection is provided at a portion facing the first movable contact of the switch on the key side.

According to the keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein, after the first movable contact contacts the first stationary contact, the second movable contact contacts the second fixed contact, because the second movable contact Thus, the first movable contact can be prevented from chattering.

According to the keyboard device according to claim 2 Symbol placement, in addition to the effects of the keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 Symbol placement, since provided with projections by the elastic material forming the switch on the top of the movable contact of the switch, simple Chattering can be prevented with the configuration, and the protrusion is made of an elastic material. Therefore, the reaction force when the key is pressed is reduced and the operational feeling is good.

According to the keyboard device according to claim 3 Symbol placement, in addition to the effects of the keyboard apparatus according to claim 1 Symbol mounting, there is an effect that the chattering can be prevented with a simple configuration of forming the protrusions on the key.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an application example of a keyboard device 1 according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention. In this external perspective view, the upper panel 2 is provided with a plurality of volume knobs 3, a display 4, a plurality of switches 5, and a bender 6, and is composed of a plurality of white keys 30a and black keys 32a. The keyboard part and the bottom plate member 10 are shown (exactly 2 octaves + 1).

Although not shown in the figure, a power switch and various jacks are provided on the back of the keyboard device 1. As the jacks, MIDI signals can be input / output and digital audio signals can be communicated. Personal computer communication standards such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), audio signal input / output jacks and headphone jacks are available. It is provided.

  The keyboard device 1 is mainly intended to create and edit performance data using a personal computer, and is compact and thin for use on a desk. (Velocity) can be detected. In particular, in the keyboard device 1, the key stroke is set shorter than a normal keyboard stroke in order to reduce the thickness.

  The keyboard device 1 includes a microcomputer (not shown) including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. When a key or various operators are operated by a player, these operation states are detected, and the USB device 1 is connected. MIDI messages such as note on / off and control change are output via. The personal computer connected to the keyboard device 1 via USB receives this MIDI message and transmits a digital audio signal corresponding to the MIDI message via USB. The keyboard device 1 is a D / A converter. The digital audio signal is converted into an analog audio signal, and the performer can listen using headphones or the like.

  The various volume knobs 3 can adjust the volume of the audio signal and can arbitrarily set other parameters. A MIDI message can be assigned to the volume knob 3 for setting these parameters.

  The display 4 displays the set MIDI channel and parameter values. The LCD includes 3 digits, 7 segments, and dots representing various functions.

  The various switches 5 are set with a function of assigning a MIDI channel to an operator such as a keyboard or assigning a MIDI message to the volume knob 3 for setting the above parameters.

  The bender 6 is an operator that can be swung in the direction in which the keys are arranged. When the bender 6 is not operated by the performer, the bender 6 is maintained at the midpoint, and when operated leftward or rightward, the pitch of the musical tone is maintained. Vendor information of a MIDI message, which is a control signal for controlling up or down, is output.

  These various volumes 3, display 4, switch 5, and bender 6 are soldered to a printed circuit board (not shown), and the printed circuit board is screwed to the upper panel 2 formed of resin.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the key, and two types of white key units 30 and 30d and one type of black key unit 32 constitute one octave key. The white key unit 30 includes three white keys 30a whose pitch names are D, F, and A, a hinge part 30c that is swingably connected to the rear end of the white key 30a, and a key arrangement via the hinge part 30c. A key support portion 30f extending in the direction is integrally formed of resin. Similarly, in the white key unit 30d, four white keys 30a whose pitch names are C, E, G, and B, a hinge part 30i, and a key support part 30j are integrally formed of resin, and the black key unit 32 is a sound key. Five black keys 32a having names C #, D #, F #, G #, and A #, a hinge portion 32c, and a key support portion 32d are integrally formed.

  These three key units are stacked in the order of the black key unit 32, the white key unit 30d, and the white key unit 30 in this order from the bottom, and the key base 10b (see FIG. 3) formed on the bottom plate member 10 is screwed. It is fixed with. At this time, the guide hole 32e of the black key unit, the guide hole 30h of the white key unit 3d, and the guide hole 30g of the white key unit 30 are fitted into the guide pin 10c provided in the key base 10b, and the screw hole 32b of the black key unit. A screw is inserted into the screw hole 30e of the white key unit 30d and the screw hole 30b of the white key unit 30 and is screwed into the screw hole 10d provided in the key base 10b.

  The keyboard device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a 25-key keyboard device composed of two octaves and one white key. In this case, a set of low octave key ranges is as described above. The white key units 30, 30 d, and 32, and another set of key ranges are a key unit obtained by adding one white key (sound name C) to the white key unit 30 a, a white key unit 30 d, and a black key unit 32. It is comprised using.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bottom plate member 10, the reinforcing member 20, and the switch board portion 40. The switch board 40 includes a plurality of rubber switches 42 having two movable contacts that are conductive at a time difference corresponding to the speed when each key is pressed, and a wiring circuit for detecting the conductive state of these switches. The printed wiring board 40a is formed.

  In the printed wiring board 40a, when attached to the reinforcing member 20, a slit that fits a positioning projection 10i provided on the bottom plate member 10 so that each switch is disposed at an accurate position corresponding to each key. 40b is provided. The printed wiring board 40a is soldered with a connector 44 to which wiring for detecting the connection state of each switch is connected.

  The reinforcing member 20 is a pressed member made of a steel plate that is fixed to the bottom plate member 10 formed of resin with screws. Since the bottom plate member 10 is formed of resin, it is inexpensive and lightweight, and has good productivity. However, the bottom plate member 10 is easily distorted and is likely to undergo secular change due to a temperature change. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately detect the key pressing speed with only resin. Accordingly, in the keyboard device according to the present invention, the entire bottom surface of the reinforcing member 20 made of steel plate is brought into close contact with the flat surface of the bottom plate member 10 and fixed, thereby preventing distortion and deformation of the bottom plate member 10. The width of the bottom surface of the reinforcing member 20 is at least the width of all the keys (25 keys in this embodiment) of the keyboard device 1, and the depth is at least the length of a black key. As a result, the flatness in the width direction of the keyboard device 1 can be secured, and in the depth direction, the rigidity between the rubber switches that detect the speed of the key from the fulcrum of the key can be secured, and the speed can be accurately detected. can do. In this embodiment, in order to further secure the rigidity of the bottom plate member 10, the width of the bottom surface of the reinforcing member 20 is set to be close to the length of the white key.

  The reinforcing member 20 is screwed by a screw hole 20 c provided in the reinforcing member 20 by inserting a tapping screw into a screw hole 10 f opened in the plane of the bottom of the bottom plate member 10.

  Further, the entire circumference of the reinforcing member 20 is obtained by bending the steel plate at a right angle to the bottom surface to obtain strength, and punching and bending the steel plate at five locations to form the rib 20b, thereby obtaining further strength.

  Further, a key guide 20d formed by bending the reinforcing member 20 is formed in the central portion of the reinforcing member 20, and a long hole 20f in which a steel plate for forming the key guide 20d is punched is formed (described later). ). The bottom plate member 10 is formed with a substrate receptacle 10g for supporting the printed wiring board 40a, and a relief hole 20g for escaping the base receptacle 10g and a relief hole 20i for escaping the protrusion 10i for positioning the printed wiring board 40a are formed. ing. In addition, the steel plate used for the reinforcing member 20 is preferably subjected to rust prevention treatment such as galvanization.

  The bottom plate member 10 is a bottom plate of the keyboard device 1, and forms a casing of the keyboard device 1 by fixing the upper panel 2 with screws. A boss 10a having a plurality of screw holes is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the bottom plate member 10, and bosses are formed on the upper panel 2 at positions corresponding to these bosses 10a, and are fixed by screws. Further, a plurality of through holes 10e in which various jacks are arranged are formed behind the bottom plate member 10. Further, as will be described later, a board receptacle 10g for supporting the printed wiring board 40a and a protrusion 10j for supporting the fulcrum of the key are extended in the key arrangement direction, and positioning is performed when the printed wiring board 40a is assembled. A recess 10h to which the protrusion 10i and the key stopper 12 are attached is formed.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the reinforcing member 20, the printed wiring board 40a, and the key units 30, 30d, and 32 are assembled to the bottom plate member 10 of the keyboard device, and the white key 30a of the white key unit 30d is viewed in cross section in the longitudinal direction of the key. It is. As described above, the reinforcing member 20 is assembled to the bottom plate member 10, the printed wiring board 40a is mounted on the reinforcing member 20, and a circuit for detecting the connection state of each switch is provided on the printed wiring board 40a. The diode 46 constituting the circuit is soldered.

  The printed wiring board 40a is inserted into a hole provided in the bottom of the reinforcing member 20, and is formed on a nut 20a formed of brass fixed by caulking and a board receiver 10g which is a protrusion formed on the bottom plate member 10. And is screwed by a screw 20e. The board receiver 10g and the printed wiring board 40a are bonded with a double-sided tape, and support the load applied to the rubber switch 42 provided on the printed wiring board 40a when the key is pressed.

  The reinforcing member 20 is formed with a relief hole 20g for escaping the substrate receiver 10g, and a rib 20h is formed by a steel plate obtained by cutting the relief hole 20g.

  The upper surface of the rubber switch 42 abuts on an actuator portion 30f formed on the key, and the key is rotated upward by the elastic restoring force of the dome-shaped portion of the rubber switch 42. Further, the rubber switch 42 is provided with two contact points that are connected at different key pressing positions for detecting the key speed. When the key is pressed, the dome-shaped portion of the rubber switch 42 swells, and the conductive rubber The two movable contacts formed by the above are sequentially brought into contact with the fixed contacts provided on the printed wiring board 40a, thereby bringing the fixed contacts into a conductive state. When the key is depressed, the first contact is first made conductive, and then the second contact is changed to conductive. By detecting the time difference between the two contact points changing to the conductive state, the velocity at the time of key depression is detected.

  When the key is released, the second contact is first made non-conductive, and then the first contact is changed to non-conductive. In this case as well, the velocity at the time of key release is detected by detecting the time difference that changes to the non-conductive state. Details of the rubber switch 42 will be described later.

  In the white key and the black key, a key guide wall 30p perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the key is provided inside the key, and a rectangular key guide hole 30m is formed in the key guide wall 30p. By the key guide hole 30m and the key guide bush 22 attached to the key guide 20d, the vertical and horizontal movements of the key are restricted. The key guide bush 22 is attached to a key guide 20d which is cut from the bottom plate portion 20f of the reinforcing member 20 and is first raised almost vertically from the bottom plate, and the raised tip is bent so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom plate. It is a thing.

  In addition, the bottom plate member 10 is provided with key stoppers 12 and 14 made of a cushioning material such as felt to alleviate the impact applied to the key when the key is pressed down to the lowest position.

  The key stopper 12 is in contact with the wall 30g connected to the key guide wall 30p, and is formed one step lower in the bottom plate member 10 inside the long hole 20f formed to form the key guide 20d from the reinforcing member 20. It is fixed to the recess 10h with an adhesive.

  The key stopper 14 is in contact with the tip end portion 30n of the key, and is fixed to the bent portion on the tip end side of the key of the reinforcing member 10 with an adhesive.

  The bottom plate member 10 is provided with a protrusion 10j having a substantially rectangular cross section in the key arrangement direction. The protrusion 10j is positioned below a fulcrum 30k formed at a portion connected to the hinge portion 30i of the key body, and the protrusion 10j and the fulcrum 30k are always separated from each other, but this fulcrum when the key is pressed down strongly. 30k contacts the upper surface of the protrusion 10j, and the hinge portion 30i is restricted so as not to be lowered below the position supported by the protrusion 10j. This prevents a large force from acting on the hinge portion 30i to break it. The same applies to the hinge portion 30c of the white key unit 30 and the hinge portion 32c of the black key unit 32.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the details of the key guide 20d. FIG. 5A is a plan view of a portion surrounded by a one-dot chain line A of the reinforcing member 20 of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the key guide bush 22 is attached only to the key guide 20d at the left end, and the key guide bush 22 is not attached to the remaining key guide 20d. FIG. 5A shows the key guide 20d without the key guide bush 22 attached thereto. As shown in the figure, the key guide 20d is formed with a tapered end so that the key guide bush 22 can be easily attached. When the key guide bush 22 is attached, the key guide bush 22 does not come off. A step is provided.

  FIG. 5B is a plan view (upper) and a front view (lower) of the key guide bush 22, and as shown in the front view, an insertion hole to be inserted into the key guide 20 d is formed at the center, and the upper portion Two rows of chevron protrusions are formed on the bottom and the bottom, respectively. These protrusions are for reducing the impact when the key is rotated to the lower limit or the upper limit position.

  FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 4. The key guide bush 22 is attached to the key guide 20d, and a rectangle (a square shape) formed on the key guide wall 30p of the white key 30a. Key guide hole 30m. This figure shows a case where the key is held at the upper limit position, and the bottom side of the rectangular key guide hole 30m is in contact with the protrusion formed on the lower surface of the key guide bush 22.

  When the white key 30a swings up and down, the left and right ends of the key guide bush 22 move along the vertical side of the rectangular key guide hole 30m, so that the left and right positions of the key are restricted.

  When the white key 30a is pressed, the upper side of the key guide hole 30m comes into contact with the protrusion formed on the upper surface of the key guide bush 22, and the side wall and the vertical wall 30g (see FIG. 4) of the white key 30a are the bottom plate member. 10 is abutted against the cushion 12 affixed on the upper surface 10, the lower limit position of the key 30 a is restricted, and the downward impact is alleviated. Therefore, the operability is good and an appropriate reaction force acts on the player's finger.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the rubber switch 42 in detail. FIG. 6A is a plan view (upper) and a front view (lower) of the entire rubber switch 42. The rubber switch 42 is integrally formed with switches corresponding to all 25 keys. As shown in the front view, protrusions 42f are formed on the lower surface between the switches, and these protrusions are inserted into mounting holes provided in the printed wiring board 40a. Since the diameter of these protrusions is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole provided in the printed wiring board 40a, the rubber switch 42 is fixed to the printed wiring board 40a. In particular, the protrusions 42g at both ends have thick tips and are firmly fixed to the printed wiring board 40a. As a result, a gap is generated between the rubber switch 42 and the printed wiring board 40a to prevent dust from entering the switch.

  FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. This switch supports a driven part 42h composed of a first cylindrical part having a first movable contact 42a and a second cylindrical part having a second movable contact 42b, and the driven part 42h. The skirt portion 42i is integrally formed of an elastic material (rubber). The first movable contact 42a forms a protrusion 42d on the top of the contact.

  In addition, an air hole 42c is formed in a portion that is in close contact with the printed wiring board on the first contact side between the adjacent switches, and the air is supplied to the outside according to the change in the internal volume of the skirt portion by pressing the key. It is configured to exhaust and inhale.

  In FIG. 6, the protrusion 42d is formed integrally with the driven part 42h and the skirt part 42i on the upper part of the first movable contact 42a, but the protrusion may be provided on the key side.

  FIG. 7 shows how the rubber switch 42 changes according to the key depression, when the projection is provided on the switch and when the projection is provided on the key. When the switch is provided with a protrusion, it is in an initial state or a state immediately after the key pressing is started, and the key actuator portion 30f presses the upper surface of the driven portion 42h of the rubber switch 42, but the rubber switch 42 still remains. Is a state in which no deformation has occurred.

  When the pressing force is increased, the skirt portion 42i of the rubber switch starts to deform, and the first movable contact 42a comes into contact with the first fixed contact formed on the printed wiring board 40a. In this state, there is a gap between the upper part of the protrusion 42d formed on the upper part of the first movable contact 42a and the key actuator part 30f, and the second movable contact 42b and the printed wiring board 40a are formed. There is also a gap between the second fixed contact.

  When the driven portion 42h is further driven downward, the key actuator portion 30f and the first movable contact 42a are almost simultaneously with the contact of the second movable contact 42b with the second fixed contact formed on the printed wiring board 40a. The upper surface of the protrusion 42d formed on the upper surface of the protrusion abuts. When a pressing force is further applied to the key, each part of the switch formed of an elastic material is deformed, and the first fixed contact 42a and the second movable contact 42b are firmly formed on the printed wiring board 40a. Pressing the contact and the second fixed contact ends the key pressing.

  When the projection is provided on the key actuator portion 30f, the same operation is performed, and the upper surface of the first movable contact 42a is brought into contact with the actuator portion 30f almost simultaneously with the second movable contact 42b contacting the printed wiring board 40a. It contacts the lower surface of the provided projection and presses the first movable contact 42a.

  Therefore, in any case, after the first movable contact 40a once contacts the fixed contact provided on the printed wiring board, the upper surface of the first movable contact comes into contact with the key, so that the key is further pressed. It is possible to prevent chattering from occurring in the process.

  The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It can be easily guessed.

  For example, in the above embodiment, a keyboard device has been described in which two contact points are provided in one rubber switch and the key pressing speed is detected by the time difference between the contact points. However, one contact point is provided in one rubber switch. Even in this case, the present invention may be applied. That is, the present invention is effective when the contact contacts at a predetermined position of the key stroke and needs to be maintained after that, and the contact may chatter during that time.

  Further, although the key returning force is obtained by the rubber switch, the returning force may be obtained by a spring or the like. In this case, the driven part of the switch may not be in contact with the actuator part of the key when the key is released.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the protrusion is provided on the upper surface of the first movable contact of the rubber switch 42 and the case where the protrusion is provided on the key portion corresponding to the first movable contact have been described. Protrusions may be provided in the same manner for the contacts to prevent the second contact from chattering.

It is an external appearance perspective view of the keyboard apparatus of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of a key. It is a disassembled perspective view of a board | substrate, a reinforcement member, and a baseplate member. It is assembly sectional drawing of a white key. It is detail drawing of a key guide. It is a detailed figure of a rubber switch. It is a figure which shows a mode that a rubber switch changes according to key depression.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Keyboard apparatus 2 Upper panel 10 Bottom plate member 12 Key stopper 14 Key stopper 20 Reinforcing member 30 White key unit 32 Black key unit 40 Switch board part 40a Printed wiring board 42 Rubber switch 42a First movable contact 42b Second movable contact 42d Projection 42h Driven part 42i Skirt part

Claims (3)

A driven part composed of a first cylindrical part having a first movable contact and a second cylindrical part having a second movable contact and a skirt part supporting the driven part are integrated by an elastic material. A molded switch, a rotatable key for driving the driven part, a first fixed contact formed opposite to the first movable contact, and a second movable contact. A substrate having a second fixed contact formed, and the first movable contact comes into contact with the first fixed contact first in response to pressing of the key, and then the second movable contact comes into the second In a keyboard device configured to contact a fixed contact of
A gap is provided between the first movable contact and a portion of the key corresponding to the first movable contact in a state where the key starts driving the driven portion of the switch, and the first movable contact is depressed in response to depression of the key. even after the movable contact is in contact with the first fixed contact, when almost the second movable contact contacts the second fixed contact, is a portion corresponding to the first movable contact of the key A keyboard device, wherein the keyboard device contacts an upper surface of the first movable contact. The first keyboard apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a projection of an elastic material which constitutes the switch on top of the movable contact of the switch. Keyboard apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a projection at a portion facing the first movable contact of the switch of the key side.

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