Handy musical instrument responsive to grip action

• US 7,230,178 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Nishitani, Yoshiki, Ishida, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/458,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 84615-620, 84653-658, 84678-690
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0556 using piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/46 Volume control
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/525 Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound

Abstract

In a music system, an input unit is manipulated for inputting a signal representative of a performance operation amount rendered by a performer, and an output unit is provided for outputting a music sound in response to the signal fed from the input unit. The input unit has a grip part that is grasped by the performer and shaped to receive a dynamic pressure caused from grasping by the performer for inputting the performance operation amount. A conversion part is provided in the input unit for converting the dynamic pressure applied by the performer into a force acting in a specified direction. A detection part is positioned to align a sensitivity thereof with the specified direction for sensing the force generated by the conversion part and outputting the signal indicative of the performance operation amount in response to the sensed force.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a performance operation amount rendered by a performer, comprising:

a grip part that is grasped by the performer and shaped to receive a dynamic pressure caused from grasping by the performer for inputting the performance operation amount;

a conversion part that is provided for converting the dynamic pressure applied to the grip part in various directions by the performer into a force acting in a specified direction; and

a detection part that is positioned to align a sensitivity thereof with the specified direction for sensing the force generated by the conversion part and outputting a signal indicative of the performance operation amount in response to the sensed force,

wherein the grip part has a sleeve shape grasped by the performer to receive the dynamic pressure in radially inward directions of the sleeve shape, and the conversion part has a rod shape, an end portion of which is fitted into the sleeve shape of the grip part, the end portion of the rod shape is cut into a pair of split sections spaced from each other in the specified direction, the split sections being deformable for converting the dynamic pressure applied in the radially inward directions from the grip part into the force acting in the specified direction.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip part, the conversion part and the detection part are assembled into a set, the apparatus further comprising a body that is shaped so as to mount therein a plurality of the sets.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the body is shaped into a rod so that a pair of the sets is mounted in a pair of end portions of the rod.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the body is shaped into a cross so that a quartet of the sets is mounted in four end portions of the cross.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing part for sealing the detection part.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a restoring part operative when the grip part is released from grasping of the performer for creating a restoration force effective to restore the conversion part into a rest state thereof.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitting part that transmits the signal in a wireless mode.

8. An apparatus for detecting a performance operation amount rendered by a performer, comprising:

a grip part that is grasped by the performer and shaped to receive a dynamic pressure caused from grasping by the performer for inputting the performance operation amount;

a conversion part that is provided for converting the dynamic pressure applied to the grip part in various directions by the performer into a force acting in a specified direction; and

a detection part that is positioned to align a sensitivity thereof with the specified direction for sensing the force generated by the conversion part and outputting a signal indicative of the performance operation amount in response to the sensed force,

wherein the grip part comprises a tube filled with a fluid and grasped by the performer to receive the dynamic pressure, and the conversion part comprises a rigid cylinder which annularly envelops a piston to define an expandable volume fluidly coupled to the grip part, the piston being movable within the cylinder in the specified direction for converting the dynamic pressure transmitted to the piston through the fluid into the force acting in the specified direction.

9. A music system comprising an input unit for inputting a signal representative of a performance operation amount rendered by a performer, and an output unit for outputting a music sound in response to the signal fed from the input unit, wherein the input unit comprises:

a grip part that is grasped by the performer and shaped to receive a dynamic pressure caused from grasping by the performer for inputting the performance operation amount;

a conversion part that is provided for converting the dynamic pressure applied to the grip part in various directions by the performer into a force acting in a specified direction; and

a detection part that is positioned to align a sensitivity thereof with the specified direction for sensing the force generated by the conversion part and outputting the signal indicative of the performance operation amount in response to the sensed force,

wherein the grip part has a sleeve shape grasped by the performer to receive the dynamic pressure in radially inward directions of the sleeve shape, and the conversion part has a rod shape, an end portion of which is fitted into the sleeve shape of the grip part, the end portion of the rod shape is cut into a pair of split sections spaced from each other in the specified direction, the split sections being deformable for converting the dynamic pressure applied in the radially inward directions from the grip part into the force acting in the specified direction.

10. The music system according to claim 9, wherein the input unit includes a wireless transmitter part for transmitting the signal in a wireless mode, and the output unit includes a wireless receiver part for receiving the signal in a wireless mode.

11. The music system according to claim 9, wherein the output unit comprises a generator for generating the music sound composed of a plurality of music parts, and a controller for allotting at least one music part to the input unit while controlling the generator to automatically generate the music sound of the remaining music parts other than the one music part allotted to the input unit such that the performer can manually perform the one music part by operating the input unit along with automatic performance of the remaining music parts by the controller.

12. A music system comprising an input unit for inputting a signal representative of a performance operation amount rendered by a performer, and an output unit for outputting a music sound in response to the signal fed from the input unit, wherein the input unit comprises:

a grip part that is grasped by the performer and shaped to receive a dynamic pressure caused from grasping by the performer for inputting the performance operation amount;

a conversion part that is provided for converting the dynamic pressure applied to the grip part in various directions by the performer into a force acting in a specified direction; and

a detection part that is positioned to align a sensitivity thereof with the specified direction for sensing the force generated by the conversion part and outputting a signal indicative of the performance operation amount in response to the sensed force,

wherein the grip part comprises a tube filled with a fluid and grasped by the performer to receive the dynamic pressure, and the conversion part comprises a rigid cylinder which annularly envelops a piston to define an expandable volume fluidly coupled to the grip part, the piston being movable within the cylinder in the specified direction for converting the dynamic pressure transmitted to the piston through the fluid into the force acting in the specified direction.