Portable keyboard musical instrument

• US 7,396,987 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles A. Tentindo
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Tentindo
• Inventors: Tentindo, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Horn; Robert W
• Application Number:
  US11/278,726
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 844/20, 843/76.K, 844/23.R, 844/25, 844/29, 847/18, 847/19, D17/1, D17/2
• US Class Current: 84/423.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments

Abstract

A versatile portable keyboard musical instrument has a number of separable portions including a first keyboard portion detachable from a second supporting base portion for use alone, or the second supporting base portion may be removed from a support stand and the first portion to enable the musical instrument to be easily transported and played by a musician in any desired manner or position, such as vertically, horizontally, at an angle, or while standing, sitting down or moving across a stage or floor. The keyboard musical instrument includes cavities for insertion of a wireless MIDI device, various finger control devices, an electrical power source or adapters to be connected to a power source, to enable the instrument to be used without cables. Each of the different portions is sized and shaped with open areas or spaces for artistic appearance, to lessen the weight thereof and to serve as carrying handles.

Claims

1. A portable keyboard musical instrument, comprising;

a two-piece body comprising a first keyboard section and a second separable supporting section;

the first keyboard section and the second separable supporting section each having a first end, a second end, side edges, a planar front surface and a planar rear surface;

the first keyboard section having a keyboard on the planar front surface extending along a first side edge, an open area forming a handle on an opposed second side edge, a handle at the first end and a holding portion at the second end; and

the second separable supporting section having an engaging portion at the first end and a reduced size second end whereby the reduced size second end may be inserted in a support and the engaging portion may be mated with the holding portion of the first keyboard section for supporting the portable keyboard musical instrument in a vertical position.

2. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the holding portion at the second end of the first keyboard section and the engaging portion at the first end of the second separable supporting section comprise a cavity and an opening and cooperating securing elements for releasably holding the first keyboard section and the second separable supporting section together.

3. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 1, further including a support stand having at least one aperture for removably holding the reduced size second end of the second separable supporting section in a vertical position relative to a supporting surface on which the support stand is held.

4. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 3 wherein the second separable supporting section has at least one leg with the reduced size second end at a lower portion thereof and the least one aperture has an internal securing element for removably holding the reduced size second end in the at least one aperture.

5. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 4, further including an operating member movably mounted in the support base to lock or unlock the reduced size second end of the at least one leg member in the at least one aperture formed in the support stand.

6. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 5 wherein the holding portion at the second end of the first keyboard section comprises an opening formed in the second end and the engaging portion at the first end of the second separable supporting section comprises a fin and the cooperating securing elements comprise metal plates and magnets.

7. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 1 wherein and a holding portion at the second end and the engaging portion at the first end comprise a registration fin held on the second end and an opening formed in the first end.

8. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 7, further including a support stand for removably holding the second separable supporting section in a vertical position relative to a supporting surface on which the support stand is held;

the second separable supporting section having at least one leg;

the at least one leg having the reduced size second end thereon;

the reduced size second end being substantially cylindrical;

the substantially cylindrical reduced size second end being removably held in at least one aperture formed in the support stand.

9. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 8, further including a movable holding element held in the at least one aperture to removably secure the substantially cylindrical reduced size second end of the at least one leg member and an operating member movably held in the support stand and connected to the movable holding element to lock and unlock the holding element on the substantially cylindrical reduced size second end.

10. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 1, further including a plurality of finger controls held on the planar front surface of the first keyboard section and positioned so as to be easily accessible by a left hand of a musician when holding the first keyboard portion.

11. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 1, further including a plurality of finger controls held on the planar front surface and planar rear surface of the first keyboard section;

and wherein the planar rear surface has a plurality of cavities for holding electronic components.

12. A portable keyboard musical instrument, comprising;

a two-piece body having a first keyboard section and a second separable supporting section;

each of the first keyboard section and the second separable supporting section having a first end, a second end, side edges, a planar front surface and a planar rear surface;

the first keyboard section having a keyboard held on the planar front surface extending along a first side edge, a handle formed on an opposed second side edge, a handle formed at the first end and a mating portion formed at the second end;

the second separable supporting section having a complementary mating portion at the first end and a reduced size second end; and

a plurality of finger controls formed on the planar front surface of the first keyboard section and positioned so as to be easily accessible by a left hand of a musician when holding the first keyboard section.

13. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 12, further including a support stand having an aperture formed therein for removably supporting the reduced size second end of the second separable supporting section in a vertical position relative to a supporting surface on which the support stand is held;

a leg formed on the second separable supporting section;

the leg having the reduced size second end thereon; and

wherein the reduced size second end is substantially cylindrical.

14. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 13 wherein the mating portion on the first keyboard section and the complementary mating portion on the second separable supporting section comprise a fin held on the first end of the second separable supporting section and an opening formed in the second end of the first keyboard section.

15. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 14, further including a plurality of openings formed in the first keyboard section, the second separable supporting section and the support stand, which plurality of openings lessen the weight, add to the visual appearance and may be used as carrying handles.

16. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 14 wherein the first keyboard section has a plurality of electronic controls held in the front planar surface and the rear planar surface to enable a musician to play a variety of sounds with the first keyboard section.

17. A portable keyboard musical instrument, comprising;

a two-piece body having a first keyboard section with a planar front surface having a keyboard on a first side edge, an opening forming a handle on an opposed second side edge, a planar rear surface, a first end formed in the shape of a handle and a second end having an opening formed therein for mating with a further section of the two-piece body;

the two-piece body having a second separable supporting section with a planar front surface, a planar rear surface, a first end having a fin formed thereon for mating with the first keyboard section and a substantially cylindrical reduced size second end;

a plurality of finger controls formed on the planar front surface and the planar rear surface of the first keyboard section and positioned so as to be easily accessible by a left hand of a musician when holding the first keyboard portion; and

a support stand having an aperture formed therein for removably holding the substantially cylindrical reduced size second end of the second separable supporting section in a vertical position relative to a supporting surface on which the support stand is held.

18. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 17, further including a plurality of openings formed in the first keyboard section, the second separable supporting section and the support stand, which plurality of openings lessen the weight, add to the visual appearance and may be used as carrying handles.

19. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 17, further including a plurality of cavities formed in the planar rear surface of the first keyboard section, which cavities may be used for holding various electronic components.

20. The portable keyboard musical instrument of claim 17, further including a movable holding element held in the aperture in the support stand to removably secure the substantially cylindrical reduced size second end;

and an operating member movably held in the support stand for controlling movement of the movable holding element.