Keyboard device for electronic keyboard instrument

• US 8,766,075 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Ishida, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): HORN, ROBERT WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/712,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20130180390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 844/23.R, 844/33
• US Class Current: 84/423.R
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/346 Keys with an arrangement for simulating the feeling of a piano key, e.g. using counterweights, springs, cams

Abstract

A keyboard device for an electronic keyboard instrument, including several keys arranged side by side in a left-right direction, a hammer support disposed rearward of the keys, a plurality of hammers pivotally supported by the hammer support to be pivotally moved in accordance with key depression, and a key switch having a plurality of switch bodies provided in association with the respective hammers and a switch board mounted to the hammer support. The hammer support has a hammer supporting part for supporting the hammers and a switch mounting part to which the key switch is mounted, and is formed by an injection molded article of a predetermined kind of synthetic resin.

Claims

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

a plurality of keys each extending in a front-rear direction and configured to be swingable about a support located at or close to a center thereof in the front-rear direction, said plurality of keys being arranged side by side in a left-right direction;

a hammer support disposed rearward of said keys;

a plurality of hammers pivotally supported by said hammer support, each hammer being in abutment with a rear end of an associated one of said keys and configured to be pivotally moved in accordance with depression of said associated key;

a key switch including a plurality of switch bodies that are provided in association with said hammers, respectively, and a switch board that has said switch bodies attached thereto and is mounted to said hammer support, said key switch detecting key depression information on a key by having an associated one of said switch bodies pressed by an associated one of said hammers pivotally moved by depression of said key;

a plurality of fulcrum shaft portions that are arranged in a straight line along an axis extending horizontally in the left-right direction, and have said hammers engaged therewith, respectively;

a stopper portion that restricts pivotal movement of one of said hammers which is being pivotally moved by depression of said associated key, by having said hammer abutted thereon; and

a plurality of partition walls each formed in a manner to partition adjacent two of said fulcrum shaft portions and configured to reinforce said hammer support,

wherein said hammer support includes a hammer supporting part for supporting said hammers, and a switch mounting part to which said key switch is mounted, and said hammer support is formed by an injection molded article made of a synthetic resin.

2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin is fiber-reinforced plastic.

3. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein said hammer support comprises of a plurality of hammer supports, wherein each of said plurality of hammer supports corresponds to one octave at the maximum, and said plurality of hammer supports are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

4. The keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein said hammer support comprises of a plurality of hammer supports, wherein each of said plurality of hammer supports corresponds to one octave at the maximum, and said plurality of hammer supports are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

5. The keyboard device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of metal connecting members that extend in the left-right direction over an entire length of said hammer supports and arranged in a manner spaced from each other, for connecting said hammer supports; and

a grounded metal reinforcing member that connects said connecting members for reinforcing rigidity of said hammer supports.

6. The keyboard device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of metal connecting members that extend in the left-right direction over an entire length of said hammer supports and arranged in a manner spaced from each other, for connecting said hammer supports; and

a grounded metal reinforcing member that connects said connecting members for reinforcing rigidity of said hammer supports.

7. A keyboard device for an electronic keyboard instrument comprising:

a keyboard chassis made of a metal;

a keyframe center made of a synthetic resin which is mounted on said keyboard chassis in a manner extending in a left-right direction and having a plurality of balance pins erected in a manner arranged side by side in the left-right direction;

a plurality of keys, each extending in a front-rear direction and engaged with an associated one of said balance pins via a balance pin hole formed at or near a center of said each key in the front-rear direction, and being swingably supported on said keyframe center using the balance pin as a support, said keys being arranged side by side in the left-right direction;

a hammer support connected to a rear end of said keyboard chassis;

a plurality of hammers pivotally supported by said hammer support, each hammer being in abutment with a rear end of an associated one of said keys and configured to be pivotally moved in accordance with depression of said associated key;

a key switch including a plurality of switch bodies that are provided in association with said hammers, respectively, and a switch board that has said switch bodies attached thereto and is mounted to said hammer support, said key switch detecting key depression information on a key by having an associated one of said switch bodies pressed by an associated one of said hammers pivotally moved by depression of said key;

a plurality of fulcrum shaft portions that are arranged in a straight line along an axis extending horizontally in the left-right direction, and have said hammers engaged therewith, respectively;

a stopper portion that restricts pivotal movement of one of said hammers which is being pivotally moved by depression of said associated key, by having said hammer abutted thereon; and

a plurality of partition walls each formed in a manner to, partition adjacent two of said fulcrum shaft portions and configured to reinforce rigidity of said hammer support,

wherein said hammer support includes a hammer supporting part for supporting said hammers, and a switch mounting part to which said key switch is mounted, and said hammer support is formed by an injection molded article made of a synthetic resin.

8. The keyboard device according to claim 7, wherein said keyboard chassis has a rear rail provided on a rear end thereof in a manner extending in the left-right direction, and

wherein said hammer support is connected to said rear rail with a first screw screwed in along an axis extending in a vertical direction and a second screw screwed in along an axis extending in a front-rear direction.

9. The keyboard device according to claim 8, wherein said keyboard chassis has a plurality of ribs each extending in the front-rear direction and arranged in a manner spaced from each other in the left-right direction, and

wherein said rear rail is connected to each of the ribs with a third screw screwed in along an axis extending in the vertical direction and a fourth screw screwed in along an axis extending in the front-rear direction.

10. A keyboard device for an electronic keyboard instrument comprising:

a keybed;

a keyboard chassis having a front rail, a center rail, and a rear rail, each extending in a left-right direction and arranged in a manner spaced from each other in a front-rear direction, and a plurality of connecting members extending in the front-rear direction and arranged in a manner spaced from each other in the left-right direction, for connecting said front rail, said center rail, and said rear rail, wherein said front rail, said rear rail, and said center rail are connected to said connecting members with said front rail and said rear rail placed on said keybed and said center rail placed on said connecting members;

a keyframe center extending in a lengthwise direction of said center rail and mounted on said center rail in a state placed thereon, said keyframe center having a plurality of balance pins erected thereon in a manner arranged side by side in the lengthwise direction of the center rail; and

a plurality of keys each extending in a front-rear direction, each key being engaged with an associated one of said balance pins via a balance pin hole formed therethrough at a predetermined location in the front-rear direction and being swingably supported on said keyframe center using the balance pin as a support, said keys being arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

11. The keyboard device according to claim 10, wherein said center rail includes:

a keyframe center-mounting portion extending in the lengthwise direction of said center rail and having said keyframe center mounted thereon, and connected to said connecting members in a state placed thereon, and

a leg portion extending in the lengthwise direction of said center rail between adjacent ones of said connecting members, extending downward from said keyframe center-mounting portion, and being configured to be in abutment with said keybed to reinforce rigidity of said keyframe center-mounting portion.