KEYBOARD DEVICE AND KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT

• US 20180268787A1
• Filed: 03/13/2018
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: TANIGUCHI, Hirokazu
• Granted Patent: US 10,418,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/04 Frames; Bridges; Bars
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/18 Hammers

Abstract

A keyboard device is provided whose entire device body can be compactified even if a hammer member length in its front and rear direction is increased and a keyboard instrument including the keyboard device. The keyboard device includes a plurality of keys, a transmission member which is rotated in response to a key depression operation performed on a key among the plurality of keys, and a hammer member which is rotated in response to rotation of the transmission member and applies an action load to the key, in which the hammer member includes a hammer arm and a hammer head provided on a front side of the hammer arm, and the hammer arm is rotated around a hammer rotation center located on a rear side of the hammer arm in response to the key depression operation performed on the key.

Claims

1. A keyboard device comprising

a plurality of keys;

a transmission member which is rotated in response to a key depression operation performed on a key among the plurality of keys; and

a hammer member which is rotated in response to rotation of the transmission member and applies an action load to the key,

wherein the hammer member includes a hammer arm and a hammer head provided on a front side of the hammer arm, and

wherein the hammer arm is rotated around a hammer rotation center located on a rear side of the hammer arm in response to the key depression operation performed on the key.

2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission member includes a transmission body section and a rotation holding section, and

wherein the transmission body section is rotated around a transmission rotation center located on a front side of the transmission body section in response to the key depression operation performed on the key.

3. The keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission rotation center is located ahead of the hammer rotation center in a direction perpendicular to an array direction of the keys.

4. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein a hammer rail which holds the hammer member is arranged behind the hammer rotation center.

5. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the hammer head is arranged in a middle area in a direction perpendicular to an array direction of the keys and positioned above a key support shaft which supports the key.

6. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the hammer rotation center of the hammer member is located closer to a rear side of the key than a contact section where the transmission member comes in contact with the key, and

wherein an interlock section which causes the transmission member and the hammer member to be interlocked with each other is arranged between the hammer rotation center of the hammer member and the contact section in the key in a front and rear direction of the key

7. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein a transmission rail which holds the transmission member is supported on a key support shaft which rotatably supports the key.

8. The keyboard device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an upper-limit stopper which is positioned ahead of and above the hammer rotation center and with which the hammer arm comes in contact in response to the key depression operation performed on the key.

9. The keyboard device according to claim 1, further comprising

a lower-limit stopper which is positioned ahead of and below the hammer rotation center and with which the hammer arm comes in contact in response to the key depression operation performed on the key.

10. A keyboard instrument comprising:

the keyboard device according to claim 1; and

a sound emitting section which emits a musical sound in response to the key depression operation performed on the key of the keyboard device.