Keyboard device for electronic keyboard instrument

• US 8,110,732 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Shimoda, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): LOCKETT, KIMBERLY R
• Application Number:
  US12/838,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20110017049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 844/24, 844/25, 84427-438
• US Class Current: 84/423.R
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys

Abstract

A keyboard device for an electronic keyboard instrument, ensuring stable pivotal motion of each key and improved in each of assembly and disassembly. Each key extends in a front-rear direction and has a pivot shaft extending at a rear end in a left-right direction. A keyboard chassis has a mounting portion and key-separating support portions each for supporting the pivot shaft. A pivot shaft bearing member has a pivot shaft support portion cooperating with each key-separating support portion to form a bearing for the pivot shaft, supporting each key pivotally movable, and is removably mounted to the mounting portion. During assembly, with each key engaged with the key-separating support portion via the pivot shaft and held on the keyboard chassis, the mounting portion remains exposed, enabling the bearing member to be mounted from above or rear.

Claims

1. A keyboard device for an electronic keyboard instrument, comprising:

a plurality of keys each extending in a front-rear direction and each having a pivot shaft extending at a rear end thereof in a left-right direction;

a keyboard chassis that includes a mounting portion, and a plurality of first support portions, each first support portion provided on a key-by-key basis to support a respective pivot shaft and to hold said keys in a state arranged side by side in the left-right direction; and

a pivot shaft bearing member that includes a second support portion, which cooperates with each first support portion to form a bearing for supporting said pivot shaft to support each key in a manner pivotally movable about an axis of said pivot shaft and is removably mounted to said mounting portion,

wherein during assembly of the keyboard device, in a state where each key is engaged with an associated one of said first support portions via said pivot shaft and is held on said keyboard chassis, said mounting portion remains exposed to outside before said pivot shaft bearing member is mounted thereto such that said pivot shaft bearing member can be mounted from above or rear.

2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein said pivot shaft is formed such that ends thereof protrude from respective left and right side walls of said key, and

wherein each first support portion comprises:

two side wall portions left and right erected on a mounting surface in a manner opposed to each other in the left-right direction with a predetermined spacing therebetween, and

left and right first arcuate surfaces protruding from said two side wall portions, respectively, in a manner opposed to each other, for sliding contact with respective outer peripheral surfaces of said ends of said pivot shaft, and

wherein said second support portion has a second arcuate surface opposed to said first arcuate surfaces for sliding contact with an outer peripheral surface of said pivot shaft, and is disposed between the mounting surface and said pivot shaft and placed on the mounting surface.

3. The keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein each side wall portion is disposed such that a clearance is formed between said each side wall portion and an end face of said pivot shaft opposed thereto, and each first arcuate surface is disposed such that a clearance is formed between a protruding end face thereof and a side wall of said key opposed thereto.

4. The keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein one of said mounting portion and said pivot shaft bearing member is provided with a positioning portion to be brought into contact with the other of said mounting portion and said pivot shaft bearing member when said pivot shaft bearing member is mounted to said mounting portion, to thereby dispose the second arcuate surface concentrically with the first arcuate surfaces.

5. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein said pivot shaft bearing member has a plurality of said second support portions.

6. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein said keyboard chassis further comprises two lateral swing-suppressing portions formed in association with each key in a manner spaced from each other in the front-rear direction to suppress lateral swing of said key during key depression.