Musical instrument

• US 7,642,437 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Terada, Norishige
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORN, ROBERT WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US11/678,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20070204743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 843/71, 844/04, 844/10, 843/76.R, 84177-179
• US Class Current: 84/179
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/02 Cases
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/09 with keyboards

Abstract

A musical instrument having a displacement member that is operable to vary sounds, thereby offering a wide variety of musical performances. A box-shaped sound generation unit accommodated in the inside of a musical instrument body generates a sound in response to any one of performance operators being operated. At least part of a displacement member provided for displacement relative to the musical instrument body is always disposed within the inside of the musical instrument body. When an operating section is operated to cause the displacement member to be displaced as a sound is generated from the sound generation unit, the sound varies according to the displacement of the displacement member.

Claims

1. A keyboard-type musical instrument comprising:

a keyboard-type musical instrument body having an inside;

a plurality of performance operators provided in said musical instrument body;

a box-shaped sound generation unit, accommodated in the inside of said musical instrument body, for generating a sound in response to any one of said plurality of performance operators being operated;

a rear fallboard displaceable relative to said musical instrument body, at least part of said rear fallboard being always disposed within the inside of said musical instrument body;

a front fallboard that covers said plurality of performance operators and causes said rear fallboard to be displaced, said front fallboard being coupled to said rear fallboard such that the rear fallboard is displaced in unison with said front fallboard when the front fallboard is operated, wherein operating said front fallboard causes said rear fallboard to be displaced thus forming an opening between said rear fallboard and said performance operators through which a sound generated from said sound generation unit is emitted to an outside of said musical instrument and causes the size of the opening to be changed as the front fallboard is operated from a closed state to a full open state.

2. The musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said musical instrument body is provided with a plurality of percussion units that correspond to respective ones of said plurality of performance operators and are each driven in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of performance operators being operated,

said sound generation unit is comprised of a plurality of sounding members provided so as to correspond to respective ones of said plurality of percussion units and a resonance box for causing a musical tone produced from any one of said plurality of sounding members to resonate therein, said resonance box having an opening side,

each of said plurality of sounding members vibrates and sounds a musical tone of a specific tone pitch when struck by a corresponding one of said percussion units in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of performance operators being operated, and

said resonance box is arranged to have the opening side thereof disposed close to said sounding members.

3. A keyboard-type musical instrument comprising:

a keyboard-type musical instrument body having an inside;

a plurality of performance operators provided in said musical instrument body;

a box-shaped sound generation unit, accommodated in the inside of said musical instrument body, for generating a sound in response to any one of said plurality of performance operators being operated;

a rear fallboard displaceable relative to said musical instrument body, at least part of said rear fallboard being always disposed within the inside of said musical instrument body;

at least one opening formed between said rear fallboard and said performance operators through which a sound generated from said sound generation unit is emitted to outside; and

a front fallboard connected to said rear fallboard such that the rear fallboard is displaced in unison with said front fallboard when said front fallboard is operated, and wherein displacement of said rear fallboard varies the size of said opening through which a sound generated from said sound generation unit is emitted to an outside of said musical instrument and causes, as a sound is generated from said sound generation unit, a variation in the quality and volume of the sound.

4. The musical instrument according to claim 3, wherein said musical instrument body is provided with a plurality of percussion units that correspond to respective ones of said plurality of performance operators and are each driven in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of performance operators being operated,

said sound generation unit is comprised of a plurality of sounding members provided so as to correspond to respective ones of said plurality of percussion units and a resonance box for causing a musical tone produced from any one of said plurality of sounding members to resonate therein, said resonance box having an opening side,

each of said plurality of sounding members vibrates and sounds a musical tone of a specific tone pitch when struck by a corresponding one of said percussion units in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of performance operators being operated, and

said resonance box is arranged to have the opening side thereof disposed close to said sounding members.