JP5234250B2 - Electronic musical instrument pedal device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pedal device for an electronic musical instrument for controlling a musical sound generation mode.

Conventionally, it has been known to obtain an operation feeling similar to that of an acoustic piano pedal in an electronic musical instrument pedal device. For example, in Patent Document 1 below, a lever that swings by a stepping operation and a first spring and a second spring for biasing the lever are provided, and when the stepping of the lever is shallow, only the first spring is the lever. The first spring and the second spring bias the lever when the pedal is depressed more than a predetermined amount. Therefore, the performer feels an operational feeling as if the pedal has become heavier in the middle of depression. In this way, the operation feeling of the damper pedal in the acoustic piano is simulated.
JP 2004-334008 A

  In an acoustic piano, when a performer depresses a damper pedal, the change rate of the reaction force of the pedal seems to change stepwise according to the amount of depression. This point will be described with reference to FIG. The damper pedal and damper of an acoustic piano are connected via some connecting portions. These connecting portions are provided with play. Therefore, when the depression of the damper pedal is shallow and within the range of A1 in FIG. 5, the operation is not transmitted to the damper, and the rate of change of the reaction force from the pedal is small. When the amount of depression of the damper pedal increases and shifts to the range of A2 in FIG. 5, the depression force starts to be transmitted to the damper via the connecting portion, and the reaction force from the elastic element of the entire connecting portion increases, partly the string The rate of change of the reaction force from the pedal increases due to the weight and friction of the damper that has started to be lifted from the pedal. When the amount of depression further increases and shifts to the range of A3 in FIG. 5, since the damper is completely separated from the string, the friction is reduced. Moreover, the reaction force from the elastic element which the whole connection part has does not increase. Therefore, the rate of change of the reaction force from the pedal becomes smaller again. A region (AH region in the figure) that enters the region A3 beyond the boundary between the regions A2 and A3 from the second half of the region A2 is referred to as a normal half pedal region. In this area AH, the advanced player can slightly change the tone color, reverberation, etc. of the generated musical tone by slightly changing the depression depth of the damper pedal. In addition, when the structure of the damper pedal, the connecting portion, and the damper is different depending on the model and manufacturer, the width of each range of A1, A2, AH, and A3 in FIG. 5 is also different. However, with the conventional electronic musical instrument pedal device as described above, it is impossible to realize the operational feeling within the range of A3 in FIG. 5 (the state in which the rate of change of the reaction force is reduced again) exceeding the range of A2 in FIG. It was.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pedal device for an electronic musical instrument that is light in weight and can realize an operation feeling similar to that of a damper pedal of an acoustic piano.

In order to achieve the above object, a feature of the present invention is that a pedal device for an electronic musical instrument comprising: a lever that swings by a stepping operation; and a biasing unit that applies a reaction force against the lever stepping operation to the lever. A cam that is interlocked, engages with the biasing means, and changes the reaction force according to the amount of depression of the lever, and has a cam having at least three surfaces that engage with the biasing means. The rate of change in force is set to the first rate of change when the amount of depression of the lever is less than the first predetermined amount, and the amount of depression of the lever is in the range of the first predetermined amount or more and the second predetermined amount or less. Is set to a second rate of change larger than the first rate of change, and when the amount of depression of the lever exceeds the second predetermined amount, a third change smaller than the second rate of change is set. It is in setting to rate.

In this case , the urging means is composed of a first spring and a second spring, and the first spring engages with the lever without engaging with the cam and opposes the depression operation of the lever. The force is directly applied to the lever, and the second spring is preferably engaged with the cam so as to apply a reaction force against the lever depression operation to the lever via the cam. Further, when the amount of depression of the lever is less than the first predetermined amount, the urging force of the second spring is kept constant, and when the amount of depression of the lever is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount, the urging force of the second spring May be changed.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, when the cam interlocked with the lever is engaged with the urging means, the rate of change of the urging force of the urging means is initially reduced according to the stepping amount of the lever, Since it can be increased / decreased step by step, such as the next largest and the next smaller, it is possible to realize an operational feeling similar to that of an acoustic piano damper pedal. Further, since the structure is simple, a lightweight pedal device can be realized.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an overall configuration example of an electronic musical instrument to which a pedal device according to the present invention is applied. The electronic musical instrument 10 includes a keyboard 11, a pedal device 12, a plurality of panel operators 13, a display 14, a tone generator circuit 15, a computer unit 16, a clock circuit 17, and an external storage device 18. The keyboard 11 is operated by the player's hand to designate the pitch of the generated musical sound. The operation of the keyboard 11 is detected by a detection circuit 22 connected to the bus 21, and data (for example, note data, key-on data, key-off data, etc.) representing the operation content is supplied to the computer unit 16 via the bus 21. The The pedal device 12 is operated by the performer's foot to control the musical sound generation mode of the electronic musical instrument 10. In the present embodiment, the pedal device 12 is a damper pedal for imparting a damper effect to a musical sound generated by a stepping operation with a player's foot. As will be described in detail later, the operation of the pedal device 12 is detected by a detection circuit 23 connected to the bus 21, and data representing the operation content is supplied to the computer unit 16 via the bus 21. The plurality of panel operators 13 are for setting the operation of the electronic musical instrument. The operation of the panel operator 13 is detected by a detection circuit 24 connected to the bus 21, and data representing the operation content is supplied to the computer unit 16 via the bus 21. The display 14 is composed of a liquid crystal display, a CRT, etc., and displays characters, numbers, figures, etc. on the screen. The display 14 is controlled by a display circuit 25 connected to the bus 21, and display contents are designated by display instruction signals and data supplied to the display circuit 25 via the bus 21.

  The tone generator 15 is connected to the bus 21 and is based on musical tone control data (note data, key-on data, key-off data, tone color control data, volume control data, etc.) supplied from the computer unit 16 via the bus 21. A digital musical tone signal is generated, and the generated digital musical tone signal is supplied to the effect circuit 26. The effect circuit 26 is connected to the bus 21, and applies an effect to the supplied digital musical sound signal based on the effect control data supplied from the computer unit 16 via the bus 21 and supplies it to the sound system 27. . The above-described damper effect is given to the digital musical tone signal by the tone generator circuit 15 or the effect circuit 26. The sound system 27 includes a D / A converter, an amplifier, a speaker, etc., converts the supplied digital musical sound signal with the effect into an analog musical sound signal, and emits a musical sound corresponding to the analog musical sound signal. To do.

  The computer unit 16 includes a timer 16d connected to the CPU 16a in addition to the CPU 16a, the RAM 16b, and the ROM 16c connected to the bus 21, and controls the electronic musical instrument 10 by executing a program. The clock circuit 17 continuously measures the date and time. The external storage device 18 includes various recording media such as a hard disk and flash memory incorporated in the electronic musical instrument 10 and a compact disk that can be connected to the electronic musical instrument 10, and a drive unit for each of the recording media. The program can be stored and read out.

  The electronic musical instrument 10 further includes a network interface circuit 28 and a MIDI interface circuit 29. The network interface circuit 28 connects the electronic musical instrument 10 to the server device 30 via the communication network NW so as to be able to communicate. The MIDI interface circuit 29 connects the electronic musical instrument 10 to another external musical instrument or an external MIDI device 31 such as a sequencer.

  Next, the pedal device 12 according to the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a side view of the pedal device of the electronic musical instrument according to the present invention. The lever 40 is a long plate-like member, and the front portion (left side in FIG. 2) is a stepping portion, and is wide. The lever 40 is supported by a lever support portion 41 provided on the frame FR at an intermediate portion, and a front end portion can swing in the vertical direction around the rotation center 42. At the front part of the frame FR, a long lower limit stopper 43 made of an impact absorbing material such as felt extends in the lateral direction and is fixed to the frame FR. This lower limit stopper 43 restricts the downward displacement of the front portion of the lever 40. The frame FR means a structure for supporting various parts of the pedal device 12 and the housing of the pedal device 12 itself. Further, an upper limit stopper 44 similar to the lower limit stopper 43 is fixed on the frame FR below the rear part of the lever 40 and restricts the upward displacement of the front part of the lever 40.

  A first compression spring 45 is fixed to the frame FR above the rear portion of the lever 40 and urges the rear portion of the lever 40 downward. A cam 46 is provided on the rear upper surface of the lever 40.

  Here, the shape of the cam 46 will be described. The front surface of the cam 46 is a surface with which a tip of a pressing member 47 described later comes into sliding contact. As shown in FIG. 3, this surface is composed of three regions: a first region 46a, a second region 46b, and a third region 46c. The first region 46 a is a plane that is located above the lever 40 and is perpendicular to the upper surface of the lever 40. The second region 46b is a flat surface inclined from the lower part of the first region 46a toward the front lower side. The third region 46c is a curved surface that is convex upward from the lower part of the second region 46b toward the front and lower side, and is a surface that is nearly perpendicular to the surface of the lever 40 compared to the second region 46b. Yes.

  The pressing member 47 is a columnar member, and the tip portion is formed in a hemispherical shape. The pressing member 47 is assembled to one end of the second compression spring 48 via a disk-shaped member having a diameter larger than that of the cylindrical portion. The other end of the second compression spring 48 is fixed to the frame FR. The pressing member 47 can be moved only in the front-rear direction by a guide member (not shown).

  Further, a depression amount sensor 49 for detecting the depression amount of the lever 40 is assembled on the inner ceiling surface of the frame FR. The depression amount sensor 49 detects the depression amount of the lever 40 by detecting the distance to the upper surface of the lever 40 electrically or optically (for example, reflection of laser light). The depression amount sensor 49 constitutes a part of the detection circuit 23. Further, instead of the depression amount sensor 49, a sensor that detects the amount of vertical displacement of the lever 40 mechanically and electrically (for example, a variable resistance) may be used.

  Next, the operation of the pedal device configured as described above will be described. When the lever 40 is not depressed, the rear portion of the lever 40 is urged downward by the first compression spring 45. Further, the second compression spring 48 also urges the first region 46a of the cam 46 to the rear via the pressing member 47, and the lever 40 is rotated clockwise in FIG. Try to rotate. Therefore, the lower surface of the rear portion of the lever 40 comes into contact with the upper limit stopper 44, and the lever 40 is stationary and is in the state shown in FIG.

  When the player steps on the lever 40 against the urging force of the first compression spring 45 and the second compression spring 48, the lever 40 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. Rotation starts and the rear part of the lever 40 is displaced upward. Thereby, the 1st compression spring 45 is compressed and the urging | biasing force to the lever 40 by the 1st compression spring 45 increases.

  On the other hand, since the first region 46a of the cam 46 is a plane perpendicular to the lever surface, even if the cam 46 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. Almost no downward component force is generated at the point where the pressing member 47 and the cam 46 contact each other, and the displacement of the contact is small. Therefore, while the pressing member 47 is in sliding contact with the first region 46a of the cam 46 (between FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B), the urging force by the second compression spring 48 hardly changes. Accordingly, in this operation range, the reaction force that opposes the depression operation of the lever 40 is generated by the first compression spring 45 and the second compression spring 48, and the change in the reaction force is generated only by the first compression spring 45.

  When the amount of depression of the lever 40 is increased, the rear portion of the lever 40 is further displaced upward, and the urging force of the first compression spring 45 on the lever 40 is further increased. On the other hand, the pressing member 47 starts to slidably contact the second region 46b of the cam 46 (FIG. 4B). Since the second region 46b is a flat surface inclined forward, when the cam 46 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4B around the rotation center 42, the downward force of the urging force by the second compression spring 48 is reduced. Further, the pressing member 47 is pushed by the cam 46 and is displaced forward while compressing the second compression spring 48. Therefore, the urging force applied to the lever 40 by the second compression spring 48 changes greatly. Therefore, in this operation range (between FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C), the reaction force and the reaction force change against the depression operation of the lever 40 are applied to the second compression in addition to the first compression spring 45. Generated by the spring 48.

  When the amount of depression of the lever 40 is further increased, the urging force of the first compression spring 45 on the lever 40 is further increased as described above. On the other hand, the pressing member 47 starts to slidably contact the third region 46c of the cam 46 (FIG. 4C). Compared to the second region 46b, the third region 46c is a curved surface that is nearly perpendicular to the upper surface of the lever 40, and therefore the cam 46 is counterclockwise in FIG. Even when the second compression spring 48 is rotated, the downward generation of the urging force by the second compression spring 48 is slight, and the amount of displacement at the point where the pressing member 47 and the cam 46 are in contact with each other is also small. Therefore, the change of the urging force by the second compression spring 48 is also slight. Therefore, in this operation range (between FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D), the reaction force that opposes the depression operation of the lever 40 is generated by the first compression spring 45 and the second compression spring 48, and the reaction force Most of the change is caused by the first compression spring 45 and is slightly caused by the second compression spring 48.

  Then, the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the lever 40 comes into contact with the lower limit stopper 43, and the downward displacement of the front portion of the lever 40 is restricted. When the operation of the lever 40 is released, the lever 40 rotates clockwise around the rotation center 42 in FIG. 4D by the urging force of the first compression spring 45 and the second compression spring 48, and the lever 40 The rear lower surface comes into contact with the upper limit stopper 44 and returns to the original state (FIG. 4A). Further, the depression amount of the lever 40 as described above is detected by a depression amount sensor 49, and a damper effect corresponding to the depression amount is given to the generated musical sound.

  In the pedal device according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the relationship between the amount of depression of the lever from the start to the end of the pedal of the acoustic piano as shown in FIG. 5 and the reaction force received by the player from the pedal is close. Characteristics can be realized. That is, by appropriately setting the shapes of the first region 46a, the second region 46b, and the third region 46c of the cam 46, in addition to the first compression spring 45 in the operation range corresponding to the range of A2 in FIG. Thus, the urging force applied to the lever 40 by the second compression spring 48 changes. In the other operation ranges (ranges corresponding to A1 and A3 in FIG. 5), the urging force by the second compression spring 48 hardly changes or changes little, and most of the change in the urging force is the first. It is generated by one compression spring 45. The range of A4 in FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the amount of stepping on the lever and the reaction force generated when the lever and the link mechanism abut against each stopper member and slightly compress the stopper member in the acoustic piano. Show. This range corresponds to a state in which the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the lever 40 is in contact with the lower limit stopper 43 in the pedal device 12 according to the present embodiment. Therefore, in the pedal device 12 according to the present embodiment, the characteristics of an acoustic piano as shown in FIG. 5 can be realized. Further, since the structure is simple, a lightweight pedal device can be realized.

  In the above embodiment, the pedal device 12 is applied to a damper pedal of an electronic musical instrument. However, the pedal device 12 is also applied to pedals such as a sostenuto pedal and a soft pedal of an electronic musical instrument.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of an electronic musical instrument to which a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a side view of the pedal device concerning the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a detailed view showing a configuration of the cam of FIG. 2. (A)-(D) is a figure which shows the positional relationship of the 1st compression spring, the 2nd compression spring, and cam at the time of stepping on of a lever. It is a characteristic graph which shows the change amount of the depression amount and reaction force of the lever of an acoustic piano.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Electronic musical instrument, 11 ... Keyboard, 12 ... Pedal device, 15 ... Sound source circuit, 16 ... Computer part, 40 ... Lever, 41 ... Lever support part, 43 ... Lower limit stopper, 44 ... Upper limit stopper, 45 ... 1st compression spring , 46 ... cam, 47 ... pressing member, 48 ... second compression spring

Claims (3)

A lever that swings when depressed,
In a pedal device for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: an urging means that applies a reaction force to the lever against a depression operation of the lever;
A cam that interlocks with the lever, engages with the urging means, and changes the reaction force according to the amount of depression of the lever, and has at least three surfaces that engage with the urging means. Have
The rate of change of the reaction force is set to a first rate of change when the amount of depression of the lever is less than a first predetermined amount, and the amount of depression of the lever is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount and a second place. When it is in the range below the fixed amount, the second rate of change is set to a second rate of change larger than the first rate of change, and when the amount of depression of the lever exceeds the second predetermined amount, the second rate of change A pedal device for an electronic musical instrument, characterized in that the third rate of change is set smaller than that of the electronic musical instrument. The biasing means includes a first spring and a second spring,
The first spring engages with the lever without engaging with the cam, and directly applies a reaction force against the stepping operation of the lever to the lever.
2. The pedal of the electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second spring is engaged with the cam and applies a reaction force against the stepping operation of the lever to the lever via the cam. apparatus. When the depression amount of the lever is less than the first predetermined amount, the urging force of the second spring is kept constant,
3. The pedal device for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein an urging force of the second spring changes when an amount of depression of the lever is equal to or greater than the first predetermined amount.

Images