US3735076A - Electronic musical instrument key-operated switch assembly having vibration-absorber attached to movable contact member - Google Patents

Electronic musical instrument key-operated switch assembly having vibration-absorber attached to movable contact member Download PDF

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Publication number
US3735076A
US3735076A US00210890A US3735076DA US3735076A US 3735076 A US3735076 A US 3735076A US 00210890 A US00210890 A US 00210890A US 3735076D A US3735076D A US 3735076DA US 3735076 A US3735076 A US 3735076A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
key
movable contact
contact member
vibration absorbing
switch assembly
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00210890A
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English (en)
Inventor
M Iijima
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nippon Gakki Co Ltd filed Critical Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3735076A publication Critical patent/US3735076A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
    • G10H1/00—Details of electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/32—Constructional details
    • G10H1/34—Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/344—Structural association with individual keys
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/50—Means for increasing contact pressure, preventing vibration of contacts, holding contacts together after engagement, or biasing contacts to the open position
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H21/00—Switches operated by an operating part in the form of a pivotable member acted upon directly by a solid body, e.g. by a hand
    • H01H21/02—Details
    • H01H21/18—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H21/22—Operating parts, e.g. handle
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
    • G10H2220/00—Input/output interfacing specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments
    • G10H2220/155—User input interfaces for electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H2220/265—Key design details; Special characteristics of individual keys of a keyboard; Key-like musical input devices, e.g. finger sensors, pedals, potentiometers, selectors
    • G10H2220/275—Switching mechanism or sensor details of individual keys, e.g. details of key contacts, hall effect or piezoelectric sensors used for key position or movement sensing purposes; Mounting thereof
    • G10H2220/285—Switching mechanism or sensor details of individual keys, e.g. details of key contacts, hall effect or piezoelectric sensors used for key position or movement sensing purposes; Mounting thereof with three contacts, switches or sensor triggering levels along the key kinematic path

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT in a key-operated switch assembly having a movable and a stationary contact member, a soft shock or vibration absorbing member is attached to the movable contact member.
  • the shock absorbing member is made of elastic or resilient material having greater shock or vibration absorbing capacity and is molded into one integral piece along with an actuator actuating the movable contact member.
  • the shock absorbing member may be provided with a thin tongue-like projection extending toward the free end of the contact member so as to obtain a better shock absorbing effect.
  • the key switch assembly comprises one or more switch units, each of which involves a stationary contract member, an elastically bendable or movable contact member, and an actuator for striking against the latter contact member, the actuator being operated by a key.
  • switch units each of which involves a stationary contract member, an elastically bendable or movable contact member, and an actuator for striking against the latter contact member, the actuator being operated by a key.
  • the key switch assembly generally consists of a large number of switch units, it is further desired that the assembly be of such construction as permits easy fabrication.
  • An object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a key-operated switch assembly so improved as to avoid the generation of mechanical and electrical noises, the assembly being of such construction as permits easy fabrication thereof.
  • the movable contact member of a key-operated switch assembly is provided with an integral piece of a material promoting damping of vibration, the integral piece comprising a vibration absorbing member attached to the movable contact member and a tongue-like projecting member made of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member and provided over one side of the movable contact member.
  • the tongue-like projecting member extends from the vibration absorbing member and is in face-to-face contact with the movable member.
  • the integral piece above-described further comprises an actuating member made of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member and extending from the vibration absorbing member toward the key so as to be directly actuated by the key.
  • the integral piece on the movable contact member of a key-operated switch assembly is formed of a material promoting damping of vibration, the integral piece comprising a vibration absorbing member attached to the movable contact member, and an actuating membermade of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member and extending from the vibration absorbing member toward the key so as to be directly actuated by the key.
  • FIG. 1 is a crosssectional side view of a key switch assembly embodying the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a movable contact member used for the key switch assembly, according to the invention
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the movable contact member with a vibration absorbing member attached thereto;
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows a key-operated switch assembly comprising one switch unit in corresponding relationship with each of juxtaposed key members 10 incorporated in an electronic musical instrument.
  • Each of the key members 10 is swingably supported by causing a V- shaped groove formed at its rear portion to engage with the upper edge of a vertically extending fulcrum member 11.
  • the latter fulcrum member 11 has a rearwardly bent lower portion, and a coiled spring 13 bridges the rear ends of the bent portion and key member.
  • the vertically extending fulcrum member 11 is attached to the rear end of a horizontal bed frame member 14 having its front portion stepped downward from the rearward main portion thereof, while the front end of the latter member 14 is fitted with a channel-shaped front frame member 15.
  • the vertical swingable movement of the key member is restricted by two stop members 16 and 17 of soft material fitted to the inner wall of the upper flange of the front frame member 15 and mounted on the aforesaid downward stepped portion of the bed frame member 14, respectively.
  • first and second supporting members 18 and 19 of electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin.
  • first supporting member 18 bar-shaped stationary contact members 20 and 21 of electrically conducting material extending in the transverse direction of the key member 11.
  • An elongated leaf-shaped elastically bendable or movable contact member 22 of electrically conducting material is attached to the second supporting member 19 and forwardly extends therefrom in a manner to cause its free end portion to be disposed between both stationary contact members 20 and 21 and normally in contact with one member 20 of the stationary members under a biasing force of the movable contact member itself.
  • the movable contact member 22 is preferably made of phospher bronze or nickel silver, having a small thickness but a substantial width with the width of the free end portion narrowing decreasingly toward its free end, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • the movable contact member 22 has at an intermediate portion between the free end and the fixed end thereof an integrally molded piece 23 formed from elastic or resilient materials sufficiently soft to permit prominent attenuation or damp ing of vibration or shock applied thereto, such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride, neoprene rubber of isobutylene-isoprene rubber, by means of insert-molding techniques as well known in the art.
  • the molded piece 23 essentially consists of two integral parts, one of which is a vibration or shock absorbing member 24 pene trated by the movable contact member 22 and provided with a tongue-like member 25 extending therefrom toward the free end of the movable member 22 on the upper surface thereof, the member 25 having a width substantially equal to that of the movable contact member 22 and being in direct contact therewith, and the other of which is an actuator 26 extending from the vibration absorbing member 24 upwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the movable contact member 22. It is preferred that the whole area of one side of the tongue-like member 25 is in contact with the member 22.
  • the vibration absorbing member 24, tongue-like member 25 and actuator 26 are molded from the above-mentioned material into one integral piece.
  • the actuator or actuating member 23 is movably inserted in a hole perforated in the bed frame 14, with the upper end of the actuator confronted with an attachment 27 fixed to the bottom of the key so as to enable the actuator 23 to be moved thereby.
  • perforation of the movable contact member 22 with one or more apertures 28 prior to the molding operation as shown in FIG.
  • numerals 29 appearing in FIG. 1 denote a bottom covering member for the switching arrangement.
  • the depression of the key member 11 causes the key bottom attachment 27 noiselessly to strike against the top end of the actuator 26 made of soft material and then bend the body of the movable contact member 22 until the free end portion of the latter member 22 comes in contact with the stationary contact member 21 so as to be electrically connected therewith.
  • the key member 11 is automatically returned by the action of the coiled spring 13 and concurrently the movable contact member 22 is returned to the original position by means of its own biasing force.
  • vibration or shock occurring in the movable contact member 22 upon its contact with the stationary contact members 20 or 21 can be fully and quickly absorbed or damped by the vibration absorbing member 24, and further, the tongue-like projection 25 positively promotes the absorption or damping.
  • the actuator 26 is formed integrally with the vibration absorbing member 24, and this eliminates the provision of a separate actuator support ing means, making the whole switching unit compact.
  • FIG. 4 shows a key switch assembly of the multicontact type according to this invention wherein there are vertically arranged in spaced relationship three elastically bendable or movable contact members 22a, 22b and 220 which are respectively provided with integrally molded pieces 23a, 23b and 23c.
  • the molded piece 230 is formed in the shape identical with that of the piece 23 according to the abovementioned embodiment, that is, it essentially consists of a vibration absorbing member 24a, a tongue-like member 25a, and an actuating member 26a, these members 24a, 25a and 26a being integrally molded with each other.
  • the other molded pieces 23b and 230 are shaped somewhat different from the piece 23a.
  • Each of the pieces 23b and 23c is comprised only of a vibration absorbing member 24b or 24c and a tonguelike member 25b or 25c, and, unlike the piece 230, is not provided with any actuator.
  • the piece 23a is superimposed on the piece 23b, and the piece 23b on the piece 230, so that the depression of the actuator 260 permits all of the movable contact members 22a, 22b and 220 to be moved downward at the same time.
  • the pieces 23a, 23b and 230 may be fixed to the movable contact members 22a,22b, and 22c by engaging a part of each piece in the hole formed in each movable contact member. It will be apparent that this embodiment can offer-the same advantages as those of the preceding embodiment.
  • a key-operated switch assembly having a key, a stationary contact member, and a movable contact member which is movable to and away from the stationary contact member
  • an integral piece of a material promoting damping of vibration said integral piece comprising a vibration abosrbing member attached to the movable contact member, a tongue-like projecting member made of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member and provided over one side of the movable contact member, said tongue-like projecting member extending from said vibration absorbing member and being in face-to-face contact with the movable contact member, and an actuating member made of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member, said actuating member extending from said vibration absorbing member toward the key so as to be directly actuated by the key.
  • a key-operated switch assembly having a key, a stationary contact member, and a movable contact member which is movable to and away from the stationary contact member
  • said integral piece comprising a vibration absorbing member attached to the movable contact member, and an actuating member made of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member, said actuating member extending from said vibration absorbing member toward the key so as to be directly actuated by the key.
  • said integral piece comprising a vibration absorbing member attached to the movable contact member, and a tongue-like projecting member made of the same material as that of the vibration absorbing member and provided over one side of the movable contact member, said tongue-like projecting member extending from said vibration absorbing member and being in face-to-face contact with the movable contact member.
  • a key-operated switch assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the movable contact member has one end fixed and the other end free, and said tongue-like member extends toward said free end of said movable contact member.
  • a key-operated switch assembly having a key, a plurality of stationary contact members vertically arranged, and a plurality of movable contact members corresponding to the respective stationary contact members and being vertically spaced from each other,
  • first integral piece of a material promoting damping of vibration said first integral piece comprising a first vibration absorbing member attached to one of the movable contact members, and a first actuating member made integral with, and of the same material as that of, the first vibration absorbing member, said first actuating member extending from said first vibration absorbing member toward the key so as to be directly acuated by the key;
  • each of said second integral pieces comprising a vibration absorbing member respectively attached to each of the other movable contact members, adjacent ones of said first and second integral pieces being superimposed successively on each other so that all of said movable contact members are actuated by the key.
  • each of said integral pieces further comprises a tongue-like projecting member made of the same material as that of each vibration absorbing member and provided over one side of the movable contact member, said tongue-like projecting member extending from said vibration absorbing member and being in face-to-face contact with the movable contact member.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
US00210890A 1970-12-26 1971-12-22 Electronic musical instrument key-operated switch assembly having vibration-absorber attached to movable contact member Expired - Lifetime US3735076A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1970131831U JPS5420991Y1 (pl) 1970-12-26 1970-12-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3735076A true US3735076A (en) 1973-05-22

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00210890A Expired - Lifetime US3735076A (en) 1970-12-26 1971-12-22 Electronic musical instrument key-operated switch assembly having vibration-absorber attached to movable contact member

Country Status (4)

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US (1) US3735076A (pl)
JP (1) JPS5420991Y1 (pl)
DE (1) DE2164338C3 (pl)
NL (1) NL153698B (pl)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4099439A (en) * 1974-06-14 1978-07-11 Norlin Music, Inc. Electronic musical instrument with dynamically responsive keyboard
US4375179A (en) * 1980-10-27 1983-03-01 The Wurlitzer Company Action for electronic piano
US5243125A (en) * 1991-03-22 1993-09-07 Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho Keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instrument having cooperating jacks and hammers
WO2001018784A1 (en) * 1999-09-10 2001-03-15 Wayne Cohen Maraca with flexible handle
WO2010094984A1 (en) * 2009-02-20 2010-08-26 Bereznai Jozsef Pushbutton mechanism for multi-measure controlling a feeder valve

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4416178A (en) * 1980-12-22 1983-11-22 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Touch response providing apparatus

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3248488A (en) * 1961-02-20 1966-04-26 Globe Union Inc Switch construction and contact clip mounting arrangement therefor
US3304491A (en) * 1964-05-25 1967-02-14 Magnavox Co Musical instrument switch device
US3485982A (en) * 1965-10-14 1969-12-23 Robertshaw Controls Co Ultrasonically welded switch construction and method
US3600543A (en) * 1968-11-21 1971-08-17 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Keying switch assembly
US3663776A (en) * 1970-05-19 1972-05-16 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Vibrator absorbing means for an electrical switch

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3248488A (en) * 1961-02-20 1966-04-26 Globe Union Inc Switch construction and contact clip mounting arrangement therefor
US3304491A (en) * 1964-05-25 1967-02-14 Magnavox Co Musical instrument switch device
US3485982A (en) * 1965-10-14 1969-12-23 Robertshaw Controls Co Ultrasonically welded switch construction and method
US3600543A (en) * 1968-11-21 1971-08-17 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Keying switch assembly
US3663776A (en) * 1970-05-19 1972-05-16 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Vibrator absorbing means for an electrical switch

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4099439A (en) * 1974-06-14 1978-07-11 Norlin Music, Inc. Electronic musical instrument with dynamically responsive keyboard
US4375179A (en) * 1980-10-27 1983-03-01 The Wurlitzer Company Action for electronic piano
US5243125A (en) * 1991-03-22 1993-09-07 Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho Keyboard apparatus for electronic musical instrument having cooperating jacks and hammers
WO2001018784A1 (en) * 1999-09-10 2001-03-15 Wayne Cohen Maraca with flexible handle
US7045695B1 (en) * 1999-09-10 2006-05-16 Wayne Cohen Maraca with flexible handle
WO2010094984A1 (en) * 2009-02-20 2010-08-26 Bereznai Jozsef Pushbutton mechanism for multi-measure controlling a feeder valve
CN102326131A (zh) * 2009-02-20 2012-01-18 B.B.I.P.知识产权与资产管理恢复有限责任公司 用于多量度控制馈送阀的按钮机构
CN102326131B (zh) * 2009-02-20 2014-03-05 Bery知识产权与资产管理恢复有限责任公司 用于多量度控制馈送阀的按钮机构
US8820710B2 (en) 2009-02-20 2014-09-02 Bery Intellectual Properties Szellemi Tulajdonjogokat Hasznosito Es Kezelo Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag Pushbutton mechanism for multi-measure controlling a feeder valve

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2164338B2 (pl) 1974-11-07
NL153698B (nl) 1977-06-15
NL7117791A (pl) 1972-06-28
DE2164338C3 (de) 1975-06-19
DE2164338A1 (de) 1972-07-27
JPS5420991Y1 (pl) 1979-07-27

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