Musical keyboard

• US 4,474,100 A
• Filed: 06/15/1982
• Issued: 10/02/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kondo, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Donald A.
• Application Number:
  US06/388,642
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 84/433-436
• US Class Current: 84/434
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/344 Structural association with individual keys electrically operated wind-actuated organs G10B3/22

Abstract

A musical keyboard includes a key bed having fulcrums formed therein, a row of keys each having a supported portion located at the rear end thereof for pivotal contact with the corresponding fulcrum for vertical swinging between a rest position and an operative position, and a resilient device for urging the keys upwards to said rest position. The resilient device has a leaf spring positioned below the keys and secured to the key bed to extend substantially horizontally towards the fulcrums, the free end of said leaf spring engaging the lower surface of each key to urge the key upwards.

Claims

1. In a musical keyboard of the type which includes a frame means having fulcrums formed therein, a row of elongated keys each having a supported portion located at a rear end thereof for pivotal contact with a corresponding fulcrum of said frame means for vertical swinging between a rest position and an operative position and resilient means for urging the keys upwards to said rest position, the improvement wherein the resilient means comprises a leaf spring positioned below the keys and secured to the frame means to have a free end extend substantially horizontally towards the fulcrums, the free end of said leaf spring engages a lower surface of each said key to urge the key upwards, and wherein said supported portion extends downwardly from said rear end of the key, and said leaf spring engages at the free end the lower surface of the supported portion.

2. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the key comprises further a key lock projecting downwards from said lower surface of said supported portion, whereby the free end of said leaf spring abuts against said key lock to prevent a longitudinal movement of the elongated key.

3. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein said supported portion is provided with a lateral groove engaging said fulcrum for pivotal contact therewith.

4. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 3, wherein the frame means is provided with an opening for passing said supported portion therethrough, a rearside periphery of said opening forming said fulcrum, and wherein a fixed end of said leaf spring is fastened to the lower surface of the key bed.

5. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 4, wherein the key further comprises a generally L-shaped stopper extending downwardly from the key and having a horizontal leg, said horizontal leg normally engaging the frame means for holding the key in said rest position with the aid of said leaf spring.

6. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 5, further comprising an elongated key switch holder fastened to the lower surface of the frame means and having key guide means for guiding an up-down movement of said stoppers, and said horizontal leg having an actuator for actuating a key switch mounted on said key switch holder when the key is depressed.

7. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 6, wherein said key switch holder is provided with an elongated spring holding member integrally formed therewith and extending longitudinally of said key switch holder, said spring holding member fastening the fixed end of said leaf spring to the frame means in a sandwich manner.

8. In a musical keyboard of the type which includes a frame having fulcrums formed therein, a row of elongated keys each having a supported portion located at a rear end thereof for pivotal contact with a corresponding fulcrum of said frame means for vertical swinging between a rest position and an operative position and resilient means for urging the keys upwards to said rest position, the improvement wherein the resilient means comprises a leaf spring positioned below the keys and secured to the frame means to have a free end extend substantially horizontally towards the fulcrums, the free end of said leaf spring engaging a lower surface of each said key to urge the key upwards, and wherein said leaf spring is of a comb shape having teeth the number of which corresponds to the number of the keys, the free ends of said teeth engaging the respective keys.

9. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 8, wherein the key comprises further a key lock projecting downwards from said lower surface of said supported portion, whereby the free end of said leaf spring abuts against said key lock to prevent a longitudinal movement of the elongated key.

10. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 8, wherein said supported portion is provided with a lateral groove engaging said fulcrum for pivotal contact therewith.

11. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 10, wherein the frame means is provided with an opening for passing said supported portion therethrough, a rearside periphery of said opening forming said fulcrum, and wherein a fixed end of said leaf spring is fastened to the lower surface of the key bed.

12. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 11, wherein the key further comprises a generally L-shaped stopper extending downwardly from the key and having a horizontal leg, said horizontal leg normally engaging the frame means for holding the key in said rest position with the aid of said leaf spring.

13. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 12, further comprising an elongated key switch holder fastened to the lower surface of the frame means and having key guide means for guiding an up-down movement of said stoppers, and said horizontal leg having an actuator for actuating a key switch mounted on said key switch holder when the key is depressed.

14. The musical keyboard as recited in claim 13, wherein said key switch holder is provided with an elongated spring holding member integrally formed therewith and extending longitudinally of said key switch holder, said spring holding member fastening the fixed end of said leaf spring to the frame means in a sandwich manner.