Keyboard device for keyboard instrument

• US 9,082,372 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Suzuki, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HORN, ROBERT WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US14/480,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys

Abstract

A keyboard device for a keyboard instrument capable of having each key easily mounted on a keyboard chassis while ensuring stable pivotal motion of the key, without damaging the key. A keyboard chassis holds keys in arrangement in a left-right direction. A key support part has a lower support portion for supporting a pivot shaft of a key from below, and left and right upper support portions erected with a predetermined spacing in the direction, for supporting a key rear end portion located upward of the shaft from above. When mounting the key to the key support part, the upper support portions have its spacing expanded by the key rear end, thereby being elastically deformed to pass the key rear end, and thereafter, elastically return to their original state to hold the key rear end in a retained state by cooperating with the lower support portion.

Claims

1. A keyboard device for a keyboard instrument, comprising:

a plurality of keys each extending in a front-rear direction and having a pivot shaft extending from a rear end of said key in a left-right direction; and

a keyboard chassis having a plurality of key support parts for supporting said keys, respectively, such that each of said keys can pivotally move about an associated one of said pivot shafts, and configured to hold said keys in a state arranged in the left-right direction,

wherein each of said key support parts includes;

a lower support portion for supporting said pivot shaft of an associated one of said keys from below, and

a pair of left and right upper support portions erected with a predetermined spacing therebetween in the left-right direction, and configured to support a portion of said rear end of said key located upward of said pivot shaft from above, and

wherein when mounting said key to said key support part, spacing between said pair of upper support portions is expanded by said rear end of said key, whereby said pair of upper support portions are elastically deformed to thereby allow said rear end of said key to pass therebetween, and after said rear end of said key has passed, said pair of upper support portions elastically return to an original state thereof and cooperate with said lower support portion to hold said rear end of said key in a retained state.

2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each of said pair of upper support portions has a support surface formed to be concavely curved along a concentric circle about said pivot shaft of an associated one of said keys, and

said rear end of said key has a sliding surface formed to be convexly curved along a concentric circle about said pivot shaft and be brought into sliding contact with the support surface.