WO2008088106A1

WO2008088106A1 - Structure of keyboard in electronic keyed instrument

Info

Publication number: WO2008088106A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/001954
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jin-Moon Kim
Original assignee: Jin-Moon Kim
Priority date: 2007-01-15
Filing date: 2007-04-21
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: KR100806560B1

Abstract

The present invention provides a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument which can provide an after-touch feeling and minimize impact transmitted to a player. The keyboard structure includes a key (10) and a wippen member (20), which are constructed such that, when the key is pressed, the wippen member is pressed downwards. The keyboard structure further includes a hammer (30), which has a first actuating part and a weight part therein, and a jack (40), which has a second actuating part. When the key is pressed, the second actuating part presses the first actuating part, and, when the first actuating part is released, the second actuating part is returned to its original position. The keyboard structure further includes an electric contact point (50) and a release member (60), which releases the first actuating part from the second actuating part.

Description

STRUCTURE OF KEYBOARD IN ELECTRONIC KEYED

INSTRUMENT

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates, in general, to electronic keyboard instruments and, more particularly, to a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument which can provide an after-touch feeling almost the same as that of an acoustic piano to a player, and can minimize the impact transmitted from a hammer to the finger of the player through the key. Background Art

[2] According to the development of electric and electronic techniques, electronic instruments using electronic devices for generating sounds similar to those of typical acoustic instruments have been developed. With regard to pianos, which are representative keyboard instruments, electronic pianos (or digital pianos, digital organs, etc.), which generate electronic sounds rather than sounds generated from real strings, have been proposed and used.

[3] When typical acoustic pianos are played, hammers strike the strings using the mechanical force with which players press keys, thus generating sounds. However, in the case of electronic pianos, digital electronic sounds corresponding to keys are previously stored in electronic circuits. When keys are pressed to play the electronic pianos, corresponding electric contact points are closed, so that corresponding sounds are generated.

[4] In such an electronic piano, according to the design of an electronic circuit, as well as playing the sounds of pianos, the sounds of other musical instruments (a violin, an organ, a trumpet, etc.) can be generated. Furthermore, ready-made electronic pianos are relatively inexpensive, compared to the typical acoustic pianos, and are thus widely used for learning as well as being used for performances.

[5] In the acoustic pianos, because a sound is generated by a method in which, when a player presses a key, a corresponding hammer strikes a string, there is a peculiar feeling (referred to generally as a 'touch feeling') transmitted from the hammer to the hand of the player through the key. For several hundred years, acoustic pianos have been developed to provide a superior touch feeling to players. This touch feeling of acoustic pianos is a very familiar and important factor when playing the pianos.

[6] Therefore, in the case of electronic pianos, although no hammer is required in principle because a sound is generated when an electric contact point is conducted by pressing a key, a lot of research aiming to provide a touch feeling like the touch feeling that has been developed along with and is associated with acoustic pianos has been conducted.

[7] As one representative technique for providing a touch feeling for electronic pianos, there is a keyboard structure, in which a hammer (a weight) is connected to each key such that, when a key is pressed, the load of the corresponding hammer is transmitted to the key, in the same manner as that of the acoustic pianos, although this has nothing to do with the generation of sound.

[8] Fig. 10 is views showing a conventional keyboard structure in an electronic piano using a hammer. Fig. 1OA is a view showing the state in which no force is applied to a key. Fig. 1OB is a view showing the state in which the key is pressed.

[9] As shown in the drawings, the conventional keyboard structure 100 in the electronic piano includes a frame 110, a key 120, a hammer 130 and a contact point 140.

[10] The key 120 is rotatably supported at a first end thereof by a support bracket 111 of the frame 110. A contact point pressing part 121 and a hammer pressing part 122 are provided under a medial portion of the key 120 at positions spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Thus, when a second end of the key 120 is pressed downwards, the contact point pressing part 121 presses the contact point 140, so that a corresponding sound is generated. Simultaneously, the hammer pressing part 122 presses an actuating part 132 of the hammer 130, which is rotatably supported by a support. Thus, a load of a weight part 133 of the hammer 130 is applied to the key 120. Therefore, when a player presses the key 120, the player can feel a touch feeling similar to that transmitted from hammers in acoustic pianos.

[11] As such, the conventional keyboard structure 100 of Fig. 10 can provide a touch feeling similar to that of acoustic pianos, but is disadvantageous in that it cannot provide an after-touch feeling, unlike acoustic pianos, which can provide an after- touch feeling.

[12] For example, in the case of an upright piano (a piano in which the strings are oriented upright), which is one kind of acoustic piano, after a hammer strikes a corresponding string, when a key reaches a predetermined position, the path along which force is transmitted from the key to the hammer is interrupted. Thereby, the load of the hammer that is applied to the key is removed from the key. Due to this interruption of the power transmission path, the load of the hammer, which has been transmitted to the finger of the player through the key at the moment at which the corresponding hammer strikes the corresponding string, is removed. Hence, the player can feel the event in which the hammer strikes the string (the player can sense the point of time, at which a sound is generated, using this feeling through the finger, and this feeling is referred to generally as an 'after-touch feeling'). However, in the case of the conventional keyboard structure 100 of Fig. 10, while the key is pressed, because the load of the hammer is applied to the key from the beginning to the end, the player cannot feel the after-touch feeling. Therefore, there is a problem in that the player cannot sensually and precisely play the piano.

[13] To solve this problem, a technique, which pertains to a keyboard structure in an electronic piano for providing an after-touch feeling to a key, was proposed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2006-0082959 (date: July 20, 2006), entitled 'KEYBOARD STRUCTURE IN DIGITAL PIANO'. In the keyboard structure of '959, a stepped portion is formed on an actuating part of a hammer which contacts a hammer pressing part. Thus, while the hammer pressing part slides along the surface of the actuating part, the hammer pressing part slightly drops when passing through the stepped portion. This is transmitted to the player as an after-touch feeling.

[14] In the case of the keyboard structure of '959, an after-touch feeling, which is somewhat similar to the after-touch feeling of acoustic pianos, is formed by the dropping motion generated when passing through the stepped portion. However, because the state in which the load of the hammer is applied to the key is maintained even after the dropping motion is conducted, there is a disadvantage in that the player has an unfamiliar feeling, unlike the familiar after-touch feeling of acoustic pianos.

[15] As another problem of the conventional keyboard structure of Fig. 10 and the keyboard structure of '959, which improves the structure of Fig. 10, shocks and vibrations, which are generated when the weight part of the hammer collides with the frame (or a cushion), as shown in Fig. 1OB, are directly transmitted to the finger of the player through the key, thus affecting the fingers of the player. Thereby, the fingers of the player easily become tired, and the finger joints may be chronically injured.

[16] That is, in the case of the acoustic pianos, the path along which force is transmitted between a hammer and a key is interrupted after the hammer strikes a corresponding string. Thus, the impact generated by collision of the hammer with the cushion of the frame is prevented from being directly transmitted to the finger of the player through the key. However, in the conventional keyboard structure of Fig. 10 and the keyboard structure of '959, the path along which force is transmitted between the hammer and the key continuously maintains a connected state without being momentarily broken. Therefore, the impact generated when the hammer collides with the frame is directly transmitted to the finger of the player through the corresponding key. This impact transmission problem occurs even if the weight part does not collide with the frame but remains in space. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[17] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the keyboard structures in electronic keyboard instruments according to the prior arts, and an object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument which can provide an after- touch feeling, which is an essential factor in an acoustic piano, to a player to the almost same extent as an after-touch feeling of an acoustic piano, and can minimize the impact transmitted from a hammer to the finger of the player through a key to an extent similar to that of the acoustic piano. Technical Solution

[18] In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument.

[19] The keyboard structure in the electronic keyboard instrument according to the present invention includes a key, a wippen member, a hammer, a jack, an electric contact point and a release member.

[20] The key is rotatably provided in a frame.

[21] The wippen member is rotatably provided in the frame, such that, when the key is pressed downwards, the wippen member is pressed and rotated by the key, and, when the key is released, the wippen member is elastically rotated to the position at which the key is returned to the original position thereof.

[22] The hammer is rotatably provided in the frame. The hammer has a first actuating part on a first end thereof and a weight part on a second end thereof based on a rotating shaft.

[23] The jack is rotatably provided on the wippen member. The jack includes a second actuating part, which is configured such that, when the key is pressed, the second actuating part presses the first actuating part of the hammer and thus rotates the weight part upwards, and, when the first actuating part is released from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part, the second actuating part is elastically returned to its original position, at which the second actuating part is able to press the first actuating part.

[24] The electric contact point is closed when the key is pressed to a predetermined position.

[25] The release member releases the first actuating part from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part when the key is pressed to a predetermined position.

[26] Preferably, the electric contact point may be provided on a path along which the wippen member is rotated, so that the electric contact point is pressed by a contact point pressing part provided on the wippen member and is conducted.

[27] Furthermore, the jack may have a trigger part angled relative to the second actuating part at a predetermined angle, so that, when the key is pressed to a pre- determined position, the release member presses the trigger part to rotate the jack, thus releasing the first actuating part from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part.

[28] The keyboard structure may further include a delay member, which momentarily delays the upward rotation of the first actuating part of the hammer such that the upward rotation of the first actuating part to an original position thereof is not faster than the rotation of the second actuating part of the jack to the original position thereof.

[29] The delay member may have an elastic bar, a first end of which is in contact with the upper surface of the first actuating part of the hammer, and a second end of which is fastened to the wippen member, so that the elastic bar applies elastic resistant force to the first actuating part to momentarily delay the upward rotation of the first actuating part. Advantageous Effects

[30] A keyboard structure in an electric keyboard instrument according to the present invention can overcome the weak points of the conventional keyboard structure in the electric key board instrument merely using a simple structure in which a wippen member (20) and a jack (40) are interposed between a key (10) and a hammer (30). That is, the present invention can provide an after-touch feeling, which is an essential factor in an acoustic piano, to a player to almost the same extent as the after-touch feeling of an acoustic piano, and can minimize the impact transmitted from the hammer to the finger of the player through the key to an extent similar to that of the acoustic piano. Brief Description of the Drawings

[31] Figs. 1 through 4 are views illustrating a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument and the operation thereof, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[32] Fig. 5 is views illustrating a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument and the operation thereof, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[33] Figs. 6 through 9 are views illustrating a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument and the operation thereof, according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and

[34] Fig. 10 is views showings a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument having a hammer according to a conventional technique. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[35] Hereinafter, a keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The following embodiments of the present invention are only examples for illustrating the keyboard structure in the electronic keyboard instrument of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[36] As shown in Figs. 1 through 9, the keyboard structure 1 in the electronic keyboard instrument according to the present invention includes a key 10, a wippen member 20, a hammer 30, a jack 40, an electric contact point 50 and a release member 60. These components are provided at predetermined positions in, and are supported by a frame 2 of, a keyboard of the electronic keyboard instrument, such as an electronic piano.

[37] In the present invention, the term "electronic keyboard instrument" means various electronic instruments using keyboards, for example, an electronic piano and an electronic organ.

[38] Below, an embodiment of the keyboard structure of the electronic keyboard instrument according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 through 4.

[39] The key 10 is a typical key, which is widely used in electronic keyboard instruments. In the attached drawings, only a single key is illustrated for simplification of the drawings.

[40] In the same manner as typical keyboards, the key 10 of the present invention is also rotatably mounted at a first end thereof to the frame 2. A cushion member 12 may be provided in the frame 2, which is disposed under the key 10, in order to absorb shock of collision between the frame 2 and the key 10. The detailed structure of the key 10, such as the rotating structure thereof, is well known in this art, therefore further explanation is deemed unnecessary.

[41] The wippen member 20 is provided under each key 10. In the typical acoustic pianos, the member for transmitting the operation of each key to a corresponding hammer is called a 'wippen'. Therefore, in conformance with this, in the present invention, reference numeral 20 indicates the 'wippen member'.

[42] The wippen member 20 is installed in the frame 2 so as to be rotatable around a rotating shaft 22. When the key 10 is pushed downwards, the wippen member 20 is pushed and rotated downwards by the downward rotation of the key 10. In this embodiment shown in the drawings, a protrusion 11 is provided under the lower surface of the key 10. Thus, when the key 10 is pushed downwards, the protrusion 11 pushes the upper surface of the wippen member 20. Hence, the wippen member 20 is rotated downwards in conjunction with the downward rotation of the key 10.

[43] Furthermore, an elastic member (a wippen spring) 23 is coupled to the wippen member 20. The elastic member 23 provides restoring force, with which the wippen member 20 is rotated to its original position, at which no force is applied to the key 10. Therefore, when force, which has been applied to the key 10, is removed therefrom, the wippen member 20 is rotated upwards and thus pushes the key 10 upwards, so that the key 10 is returned to its original position.

[44] Meanwhile, the hammer 30 is provided below the wippen member 20. The hammer

30 is rotatably coupled to a rotating shaft 33, which is provided in the frame 2. A first actuating part 31, which is operated in conjunction with the jack 40, which will be explained later herein, is provided on a first end (the right end when seen in the drawings) of the hammer 30, which extends from the rotating shaft 33 towards the space below the wippen member 20. A weight part 32 for providing a touch feeling to the key 10 is provided on a second end (the left end in the drawings) of the hammer 30. Cushion members 34 for absorbing the shock of collision between the weight part 32 and the frame 2 are provided adjacent to the weight part 32 in the frame 2.

[45] The jack 40 is provided on a rotating shaft 43, which is provided at a predetermined position on the wippen member 20, so as to be rotatable relative to the wippen member 20 around the rotating shaft 43. The jack 40 serves to transmit the operation of the wippen member 20 to the hammer 30. A second actuating part 41, which presses the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 (that is, they are in contact with each other for power transmission), is provided on a first end (a lower end extending downwards from the rotating shaft 43 in the drawings) of the jack 40. Preferably, a trigger part 42, which is operated in conjunction with a release member 60, which will be explained later herein, is provided on a second end (the right end in the drawings) of the jack 40.

[46] Furthermore, an elastic member (a jack spring) 44, which provides elastic force to the jack 40 such that the jack 40 can be elastically returned to its original position, at which the second actuating part 41, pressing the first actuating part 31, is provided on the jack 40.

[47] Due to the above-mentioned construction of the key 10, the wippen member 20, the hammer 30 and the jack 40, when no force is applied to the key 10, the second actuating part 41 is disposed at its original position, at which it can press the first actuating part 31. In this state, when the key 10 is pressed, the key 10 is rotated downwards and the wippen member 20 is rotated downwards, so that the weight part 32 of the hammer 30 is moved upwards. Therefore, a player can feel the touch feeling thanks to the load of the weight part 32 of the hammer 30.

[48] The electric contact point 50 is a part of an electronic circuit of the electronic keyboard instrument which is typically constructed such that, when the key 10 is pressed, the electric contact point 50 is closed, so that a sound corresponding to the key 10 is generated.

[49] The electric contact point 50 is provided on a path, along which the key 10 or the wippen member 20 is rotated, so that, when the key 10 is pressed to a predetermined depth, the electric contact point 50 is pressed and thus electrically closed. This embodiment, shown in the drawings, illustrates an example, in which the electric contact point 50 is disposed below a contact point pressing part 21, which protrudes downwards from the second end of the wippen member 20. When the key 10 is pressed and the wippen member 20 is thus rotated downwards below a predetermined position, the contact point pressing part 21 presses the electric contact point 50, so that a corresponding sound is generated. Of course, the electric contact point 50 may be disposed on the path along which the key 10 or the hammer 30, rather than the wippen member 20, is rotated, although this is not shown in the drawings.

[50] The release member 60 serves to release the first actuating part 31 from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part 41, when the key 10 is pressed to a predetermined position. Here, the release member 60 is not limited to a special construction, as long as it is constructed such that, when the key 10 is pressed to a predetermined position, the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30, which has been pressed by the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40, can be released from the second actuating part 41.

[51] In the embodiment, the trigger part 42 extends a predetermined length from the rotating shaft 43 in a direction angled to the second actuating part 41 at a predetermined angle. Thus, the jack 40 has an approximate L shape. The release member 60, having a column shape, is disposed below the trigger part 42. A cushion member 61 is provided on the upper end of the release member 60.

[52] Due to the above-mentioned construction of the jack 40 and the release member 60, when the key 10 is pressed to the predetermined depth or more, the release member 60 presses the trigger part 42 and thus rotates the jack 40, so that the first actuating part 31, which has been pressed by the second actuating part 41, is released from the second actuating part 41.

[53] The operation of the keyboard structure according to the embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4.

[54] In the initial state of FIG. 1, when no force is applied to the key 10, the key 10 is biased upwards by the elastic member (23: wippen spring) and the wippen member 20 and thus maintains its original position. Furthermore, the jack 40 is maintained by the elastic member (44: jack spring) of the jack 40 in the state in which the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40 can press the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30. The weight part 32 of the hammer 30 maintains the state of having been disposed at the lowermost position.

[55] As shown in Fig. 2, when the key 10 is pressed downwards to a predetermined depth (for example, in the case where the range within which the end of the key moves in the vertical direction is 10mm, when the key is pressed to a depth of 7.6mm), the key 10 presses the wippen member 20, and the hammer 30 is pressed by the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40, so that the weight part 32 is moved upwards. At this time, thanks to the load of the weight part 32, the player can feel a touch feeling like when playing the acoustic piano. Furthermore, in this process, the contact point pressing part 21 of the wippen member 20 presses the electric contact point 50, so that a sound corresponding thereto is generated. The trigger part 42 of the jack 40 is placed right above the release member 60, but the trigger part 42 is not yet pressed by the release member 60.

[56] As shown in FIG. 3, when the key 10 is further pressed downwards to the lowermost position (for example, when the key is pressed to a depth of 10 mm), the trigger part 42 of the jack 40 is pressed by the release member 60, and the jack 40 is rotated. Then, the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 is released from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40. At this moment, the load of the weight part 32 of the hammer 30, which been transmitted to the key 10, is removed from the key 10. At this time, the player can feel both the release of the first actuating part 31 from the second actuating part 41 and the removal of the load as an after-touch feeling.

[57] As such, when the player feels the after-touch feeling, as shown in Fig. 4, the hammer 30 is rotated downwards by its own weight after it is rotated to the upper cushion member 34 of the frame 2 by inertia. At this time, because the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 is in the state of have been released from the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40, the first actuating part 31 slides along the inclined surface 45 of the jack 40. Thus, a shock, with which the weight part 32 strikes the cushion member 34, is partially prevented from being transmitted to the player through the key 10. Therefore, the shock transmitted from the hammer 30 to the player can be minimized.

[58] Thereafter, when the player releases the key 10, the wippen member 20 and the key

10 are rotated upwards and returned to the original positions thereof by the operation of the elastic member (23: wippen spring) of the wippen member 20. Furthermore, the jack 40 is rotated and returned by the operation of the elastic member (44: jack spring) to its original position, at which the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40 can press the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 again. The hammer 30 is also rotated by the weight of the weight part 32 and returned to its original position, at which the weight part 32 is disposed at the lowermost position and the first actuating part 31 is disposed at the uppermost position. As a result, the keyboard structure enters the state of Fig. 1.

[59] In Figs. 1 through 4, although the example, in which the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40 has a stepped portion on one surface thereof and the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 is locked to the stepped portion so as to realize a structure such that a pressible state therebetween can be made, has been illustrated, this may be realized by various other structures, for example, as shown in Figs. 5A through 5C, showing another embodiment of the keyboard structure of the present invention, this can be realized by a structure such that the lower end of a second actuating part 41 is placed on a corresponding end of a first actuating part 31 to press it downwards.

[60] In the embodiment of Fig. 5, when the second actuating part 41, which extends in the vertical direction, presses the first actuating part 31, which extends in the horizontal direction, a weight part 32 of a hammer 30 is moved upwards. Thereafter, when a trigger part 42 of a jack 40 is pressed by a release member 60 and the jack 40 is thus rotated, the first actuating part 31 is released from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part 41. Then, the load of the weight part 32, which has been transmitted to the key 10, is removed therefrom, thus providing an after-touch feeling to the player. In this way, the operation of this embodiment is substantially equal to that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 through 4.

[61] The first actuating part 31 of Fig. 5 may be coated with a substance such as leather or rubber to provide appropriate frictional force thereto.

[62] Meanwhile, when the player releases the key 10 so that the key 10, the wippen member 20, the hammer 30 and the jack 40 are returned from the state of Fig. 4 or 5C to the state of Fig. 1 or 5A, if the rotation of the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 to its original position is faster than the rotation of the second actuating part 41 of the jack 40 to its original position, the return of the second actuating part 41 to the state of Fig. 1 or 5 A, in which it can press the first actuating part 31, is somewhat delayed.

[63] To prevent this problem, as shown in Figs. 6 through 9, a keyboard structure 1 according to a further embodiment of the present invention may further includes a delay member 70, which delays the upward rotation of a first actuating part 31 such that, when the player releases the key 10, and the key 10, a wippen member 20, a hammer 30 and a jack 40 are thus returned to the original positions thereof, the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 is not faster than the rotation of a second actuating part 41 of the jack 40 to its original position.

[64] In this embodiment, the delay member 70 comprises an elastic bar 71, the first end

72 of which is in contact with the upper surface of the first actuating part 31 of the hammer 30 to apply appropriate resistance to the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31, and the second end 73 of which is fastened to, for example, the wippen member 20. The elastic bar 71 applies elastic resistant force to the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31, thus delaying the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31.

[65] Here, because the elastic resistant force of the delay member 70 is set such that it is less than the upward force of the first actuating part 31, which is moved upwards by the weight of the weight part 32, the rotation of the hammer 30 to it original position is only delayed momentarily, that is, the hammer 30 overcomes the elastic resistant force of the delay member 70 and returns to its original position.

[66] When manufacturing the delay member 70 using the elastic bar 71, as shown in Fig.

6, the elastic bar 71 is bent at a predetermined curvature to provide appropriate elastic resistant force to the delay member 70. Furthermore, the first end 72 of the elastic bar 71 is bent upwards to prevent the first end 72 of the elastic bar 71 from being undesirably caught by the first actuating part 31.

[67] Moreover, as shown in Fig. 7, the first end 72 of the elastic bar 71, which is disposed in the rotation path of the second actuating part 41, has a bifurcate structure, like a fork shape, thus preventing the first end 72 of the elastic bar 71 from interfering with the rotation of the jack 40.

[68] Below, the operation of the delay member of the keyboard structure of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 6 through 9.

[69] As shown in Fig. 6, in the initial state in which no force is applied to the key 10, the first actuating part 31, which has been disposed at the uppermost position, is biased downwards by the first end 72 of the delay member 70. However, because the elastic resistant force of the delay member 70 is less than the upward force of the first actuating part 31 , which is biased upwards by the weight of the weight part 32, the hammer 30 maintains its original state, in which the weight part 32 is disposed at the lowermost position.

[70] As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, when the key 10 is pushed downwards and a touch feeling and an after-touch feeling are formed by the weight part 32, the first end 72 of the delay member 70 maintains the state of having been in contact with the first actuating part 31 due to the elastic force of the delay member 70, and moves downwards along with the downward movement of the first actuating part 31.

[71] As shown in Fig. 9, at the moment at which the downward rotation of the weight part 32 begins after it is moved to the uppermost position (in other words, at the moment at which the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31 begins after it is moved to the lowermost position) the elastic force of the delay member 70 momentarily resists the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31 , thus preventing the rotation of the jack 40 towards its original position from being impeded by the first actuating part 31.

[72] As such, thanks to the delay member 70, when the first actuating part 31 is rotated upwards by the weight of the weight part 32, the elastic resistant force of the delay member 70 momentarily delays the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31. During the time for which the upward rotation of the first actuating part 31 is momentarily delayed, the jack 40 is rotated to its original position. Therefore, the second actuating part 41 can be smoothly returned to the position at which it is able to press the first actuating part 31.

[73] In Figs. 6 through 9, although an elastic bar, unlike the embodiments of Figs. 1 and

5 using the coil springs, has been illustrated as being used as the elastic member 23 to provide restoring force for rotating the wippen member 20 to its original position, the function of the elastic member 23 of this embodiment, which provides elastic force for rotating the wippen member 20, is the same as that of the embodiment of Fig. 1. Industrial Applicability

[74] As described above, the present invention relates to an electric keyboard instrument.

Using only a simple structure, in which a wippen member 20 and a jack 40 are interposed between a key 10 and a hammer 30, the present invention can make up for the weak points of the conventional keyboard structure in the electric key board instrument. That is, the present invention can provide an after-touch feeling, which is an essential factor in an acoustic piano, to a player to almost the same extent as the after-touch feeling of an acoustic piano, and can minimize the impact transmitted from the hammer to the finger of the player through the key to an extent similar to that of the acoustic piano.

Claims

[1] A keyboard structure in an electronic keyboard instrument, comprising: a key (10) provided in a frame (2) so as to be rotatable; a wippen member (20) provided in the frame (2) so as to be rotatable, such that, when the key (10) is pressed, the wippen member is pressed and rotated by the key (10), and, when the key (10) is released, the wippen member is elastically rotated to a position at which the key (10) is returned to an original position thereof; a hammer (30) provided in the frame (2) so as to be rotatable, the hammer (30) having a first actuating part (31) on a first end thereof and a weight part (32) on a second end thereof, based on a rotating shaft (33); a jack (40) provided on the wippen member (20) so as to be rotatable, with a second actuating part (41) provided in the jack (40) such that, when the key (10) is pressed, the second actuating part (41) presses the first actuating part (31) of the hammer (30) and thus rotates the weight part (32) upwards, and, when the first actuating part (31) is released from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part (41), the second actuating part (41) is elastically returned to an original position, at which the second actuating part is able to press the first actuating part (31); an electric contact point (50) to be closed when the key (10) is pressed to a predetermined position; and a release member (60) to release the first actuating part (31) from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part (41), when the key (10) is pressed to a predetermined position.

[2] The keyboard structure in the electronic keyboard instrument according to claim

1, wherein the electric contact point (50) is provided on a path along which the wippen member (20) is rotated, so that the electric contact point (50) is pressed by a contact point pressing part (21) provided on the wippen member (20), and is closed.

[3] The keyboard structure in the electronic keyboard instrument according to claim

1, wherein the jack (40) comprises a trigger part (42) angled to the second actuating part (41) at a predetermined angle, so that, when the key (10) is pressed to a predetermined position, the release member (60) presses the trigger part (42) to rotate the jack (40), thus releasing the first actuating part (31) from the state of being pressed by the second actuating part (41).

[4] The keyboard structure in the electronic keyboard instrument according to claim

1, further comprising: a delay member (70) to momentarily delay upward rotation of the first actuating part (31) of the hammer (30) such that the upward rotation of the first actuating part (31) to an original position thereof is not faster than a rotation of the second actuating part (41) of the jack (40) to the original position thereof.

[5] The keyboard structure in the electronic keyboard instrument according to claim

4, wherein the delay member (70) comprises an elastic bar (71), a first end (72) of which is in contact with an upper surface of the first actuating part (31) of the hammer (30), and a second end (73) of which is fastened to the wippen member (20), the elastic bar (71) applying elastic resistant force to the first actuating part (31) to momentarily delay the upward rotation of the first actuating part (31).