GB2356484A

GB2356484A - Keyboard instrument with openable top door assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2356484A
Application number: GB9927068A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Sandifer
Original assignee: Kemble and Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kemble and Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-16
Filing date: 1999-11-16
Publication date: 2001-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2019-11-16
Also published as: KR20010098436A; KR100658482B1; GB9927068D0; GB2356484B; JP2001154659A

Abstract

A keyboard instrument, for example an upright piano, has a top door assembly (14) that may be opened to increase the loudness of the instrument. The top door assembly is linked to the fall assembly (8) and is arranged to open and close automatically as the fall assembly is opened and closed.

Description

2356484 KEYBOARD INSTRUNENT The present invention relates to a keyboard

instrument and in particular, but not exclusively, to an upright piano.

The top cover of an upright piano can generally be hinged open to increase the loudness of the piano. However, because people tend to place articles on top of the piano, opening the top can often be impractical.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a keyboard instrument that mitigates the aforementioned problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a keyboard instrument having a top door assembly that may be opened to increase the loudness ofthe instrument. The loudness of the instrument can thus be increased without having to open the top cover.

Advantageously, the top door assembly is linked to the fall assembly and is arranged to open and close automatically when the fall assembly is opened and closed.

The top door assembly may be linked to the fall assembly such that when the fall assembly is closed, the top door assembly is locked in a closed position, to prevent objects or a person's finger being inserted into the gap.

The top door assembly may be linked to the fall assembly via a back hollow assembly. Advantageously, the back hollow assembly includes a back hollow panel that is mounted for sliding movement and is connected to the fall assembly by means of a pivot mechanism for movement therewith. Preferably, the back hollow panel is connected to the top door assembly by means of a sliding link mechanism.

Advantageously, the top door assembly includes an opening top door that is mounted for pivoting movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis provided adjacent its upper edge. The opening top door may be mounted for pivoting movement between a closed position in which the opening top door is substantially vertical and an open position in which it is inclined rearwards from the closed position.

2 The opening top door may be arranged such that when it is in the open position a gap is provided beneath the lower edge of the opening top door, and when the opening top door is in the closed position the gap is substantially closed. Advantageously, the opening top door is arranged such that when it is in the open position, a gap is provided between the 5 lower edge of the opening top door and the back hollow assembly.

Advantageously, the top door assembly includes an upper top door that is normally fixed in position and a lower top door that comprises said opening top door. The lower top door may be connected at its upper edge to the lower edge of the upper top door by means of a hinge.

Advantageously, the keyboard instrurnent includes a -damping mechanism for damping opening and/or closing of the fall assembly.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a sectional side view of part of an upright piano, showing the fall assembly in a closed position; and Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the piano, showing the fall assembly in an opened position.

Figures I and 2 show, in cross-section, the upper part of an upright piano, which includes a keyboard 2, the action 4 and a case assembly 6, only the upper part of which is shown.

The lower part of the case assembly, the strings and the tuning keys, which are entirely conventional, are not shown. The keyboard 2 and the action 4 are also entirely conventional and will not be described in detail.

The case assembly 6 includes a fall assembly 8, which is hinged to the cheeks 10 at each end of the keyboard 2, a back hollow assembly 12 that is connected to the fall assembly, and a top door assembly 14 that is connected to the sides 16 of the case assembly and forms the upper front panel of the case assembly, which hides the action 4.

The case assembly also includes a bottom door assembly, a top cover, a base and a rear panel, all of which are conventional and are not shown in the drawings.

3 The fall assembly 8 provides an opening cover for the keyboard 2, that includes a top fall panel 18 and a front fall panel 20. The fall assembly 8 is attached by means of two elongate metal arms 22 to a pivot mechanism 23 mounted in the cheeks 10 of the piano at each end of the keyboard. The pivot mechanism 23 may optionally include a damping mechanism to prevent the fall from being slammed shut. The damping mechanism may, for example, be similar to that described in EP 0697541 Al, and the fall mechanism may be similar to that described in EP 0901117 A2, the contents of which are incorporated- by reference herein.

The fall assembly 8 is shown in the closed position in Figure I and in the open position in Figure 2, the pivot arms 22 having been rotated about the pivot mechanism through an angle 10 of approximately 130% The back hollow assembly 12 includes a panel 24 that extends across the width of the keyboard 2. The front edge 26 of the panel 24 is connected by means of a strap hinge 28 to the rear edge of the top fall panel 18. Towards the rear edge 30 the panel 24, two pins 32 are provided on the underside ofthe paneL one at each end, which engage sloping guide slots 34 provided on the inner faces of the cheeks 10.

When the fa assembly 8 is closed as shown in Figure 1, the panel 24, which is supported at its front edge 26 by the hinge 28 and at its rear edge by the pins 32, lies substantially horizontal and level with the top fall panel 18. When the fall assembly 8 is opened to the position shown in Figure 2, the pins 32 at the rear edge 30 the panel 24 slide rearwards in the inclined guide slots 34, while the front edge 26 ofthe panel 24 moves with the rear edge of the top fall panel 18 in an arc around the pivot mechanism 23 to the position shown in Figure 2, where it lies below and to the rear of its starting position, the panel 24 then being inclined slightly forwards.

The top door assembly 14 includes an upper top door 36 that in use is normally fixed in position to the sides 16 of the case assembly 6, and a lower top door 38 that is connected at its upper edge 40 by means of a strap hinge 42 to the lower edge of the upper top door 36. The lower top door 38 can pivot rearwards about the hinge 42 into the body of the piano case assembly 6. The upper top door 36 can if necessary be removed in a conventional manner, for example to allow the piano to be tuned.

4 The lower top door 38 is connected at its lower edge 44 to the rear edge 30 of the back hollow panel 24 by means of a plurality of linkage mechanisms 46, which are provided at each end of the lower top door and, if required, at intermediate intervals. The linkage mechanism 46 is very simple and consists, for example, of a slotted plate 48 that extends downwards from the lower edge 44 of the lower top door 38 and engages a large headed bolt 50, that extends rearwards from the rear edge 30 of the back hollow panel 24. The shaft of the bolt 50 is received in the slot of the slotted plate 48 to ensure that when the fall assembly 8 is closed as shown in Figure 1, the lower top door 38 is locked in the closed (vertical) position, with virtually no gap between the lower edge 44 of the lower top door and the rear edge 30 of the back hollow panel 24.

When the fall assembly 8 is opened as shown in Figure 2, the rear edge 30 of the back hollow panel 24 engages the slotted plate 48 as it moves rearwards, thereby pushing the lower top door 38 backwards to the inclined position. This leaves a small gap 52 between the lower edge 44 of the lower top door 38 and the rear edge 30 of the back hollow panel 24, which allows sound to escape from the casing of the piano, thereby increasing its loudness. As the fall is opened, the bolt 50 slides in the slot of the slotted plate 48 without becoming disengaged therefrom.

In use, the lower top door 3 8 opens and closes automatically as the fall assembly 8 is opened and closed. In the open position, there is a small gap 52 between the lower edge 44 of the lower top door 38 and the rear edge 30 of the back hollow panel 24, whereas when the fall, assembly 8 is closed, the gap 52 is closed.

Various modifications of the mechanism described above are of course possible: for example, an additional damping mechanism may be positioned to engage the lower surface ofthe back ho How panel 24 as the fall assembly 8 is opened, thereby preventing the fall from being slammed open. The linkage mechanism 46 may also take various other forms. The top door assembly may comprise a single door that opens as a whole instead of a fixed upper top door and an opening lower top door.

Claims

1. A keyboard instrument having a top door assembly that may be opened to increase the loudness of the instrument.

2. A keyboard instrument according to claim 1, in which the top door assembly is 5 linked to the fall assembly and is arranged to open and close automatically when the fall assembly is opened and closed.

3. A keyboard instrument according to claim I or claim 2, in which the top door assembly is linked to the fall assembly such that when the fall assembly is closed, the top door assembly is locked in a closed position.

4. A keyboard instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the top door assembly is linked to the fall assembly via a back hollow assembly.

5. A keyboard instrument according to claim 4, in which the back hollow assembly includes a back hollow panel that is mounted for sliding movement and is connected to the fall assembly by means of a pivot mechanism for movement therewith.

6. A keyboard instrument according to claim 5, in which the back hollow panel is connected to the top door assembly by means of a sliding link mechanism.

7. A keyboard instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the top door assembly includes an opening top door that is mounted for pivoting movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis provided adjacent its upper edge.

8. A keyboard instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the top door assembly includes an upper top door that is normally fixed in position and a lower top door that comprises said opening top door.

9. A keyboard instrument according to claim 8, in which the lower top door is 5 connected at its upper edge to the lower edge of the upper top door by means of a hinge.

10. A keyboard instrument according to any one of preceding claims, including a damping mechanism for damping opening and/or closing of the fall assembly.

11. A keyboard instrument substantially as described herein with reference to and as 10 shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. A keyboard instrument according to claim 7, in which the opening top door is mounted for pivoting movement between a closed position in which the opening top door is substantially vertical, and an open position in which it is inclined rearwards from the closed position.

9. A keyboard instrument according to claim 8, in which the opening top door is arranged such that when it is in the open position a gap is provided beneath the 6 lower edge of the opening top door, and when the opening top door is in the closed position the gap is substantially closed.

10. A keyboard instrument according to claim 9 when dependent on any one of claims 4 to 6 in which, when the opening top door is in the open position, a gap is provided 5 between the lower edge of the opening top door and the back hollow assembly.

11. A keyboard instrument according to any one of claims 7 to 10, in which the top door assembly includes an upper top door that is normally fixed in position and a lower top door that comprises said opening top door.

12. A keyboard instrument according to claim 11, in which the lower top door is 10 connected at its upper edge to the lower edge of the upper top door by means of a hinge. 13. A keyboard instrument according to any one of preceding claims, including a damping mechanism for damping opening and/or closing of the fall assembly. 14. A keyboard instrument substantially as described herein with reference to and as 15 shown in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows -7 CLAIMS 1. A keyboard instrument having a fall assembly and a top door assembly including an opening top door that may be opened to increase the loudness of the instrumnt, said opening top door being mounted for pivoting movement about a substantially 5 horizontal pivot axis provided adjacent its upper edge between a closed position in which the opening top door is substantially vertical, and an open position in which it is inclined rearwards from the closed position, said opening top door being linked to the fall assembly so as to open and close automatically when the fiLU assembly is opened and closed.

2. A keyboard instrument according to claim 1, in which the opening top door is linked to the fall assembly such that when the fall assembly is closed, the opening top door is locked in a closed position.

3. A keyboard instrument according to claim I or claim 2, in which the opening top door is linked to the fall assembly via a back hollow assembly.

4. A keyboard instrument according to claim 3, in which the back hollow assembly includes a back hollow panel that is mounted for sliding movement and is connected to the fall assembly by means of a pivot mechanism for movement therewith.

5. A keyboard instrument according to claim 4, in which the back hollow panel is connected to the opening top door by means of a sliding link mechanism.

6. A keyboard instrument according to any one of the pmceding claims, in which the opening top door is arranged such that when it is in the open position a gap is provided beneath the lower edge ofthe opening top door, and when the opening top door is in the closed position the gap is substantially closed.

7. A keyboard instrument according to claim 6 when dependent on any one of claim 3 to 5 in which, when the opening top door is in the open position, a gap is provided between the lower edge of the opening top door and the back hollow assembly.