JP3074793B2 - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard device such as an electronic piano.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electronic keyboard instrument such as an electronic piano, in order to obtain a key touch feeling similar to that of an acoustic piano, a hammer arm having a predetermined weight is vertically moved below a key. The key has been developed so as to be rotatable in the direction, and the hammer arm is rotated and displaced against its own weight in accordance with the key depressing operation of the key, thereby applying a predetermined action load to the key. ing. In such an electronic keyboard instrument, since the action load of the key is constant from the low range to the high range (however, the white key and the black key are different), the key pressing force decreases from the low range to the high range. The key touch feeling of an acoustic piano cannot be obtained. Therefore, in order to obtain such a key touch feeling, conventionally, various structures have been proposed. For example, in the electronic keyboard musical instrument disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-60254, a key pressing force is reduced between a low frequency range and a high frequency range between a keyboard chassis provided with keys and each key. The structure is provided with a return spring to perform the operation. In the electronic keyboard musical instrument disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1-103885, a weight having a variable mass distribution is provided on a key or a hammer arm or both to change a key touch feeling according to a pitch or a sound range. Is adopted.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned electronic keyboard musical instrument, the spring constant of the return spring is set for each key or the key range so that the key pressing force becomes lighter from the lower range to the higher range. Since it must be changed for each block, there are many types of return springs, and there is a problem that not only the parts management becomes complicated but also the assembling work becomes troublesome. Also, in the latter electronic keyboard instrument, a cutout is provided on the weight that changes the key touch feeling depending on the pitch or range, and the cutout is cut off to change the mass of the weight or add the required weight to the weight. Since the mass of the entire weight must be changed, not only the structure of the weight is complicated, but also the work of changing the mass distribution of the weight is required, and there is a problem that the assembling work becomes complicated. An object of the present invention is to use a return spring having a different spring constant or a separate component such as a weight having a variable mass, without complicating the assembling work, and depressing a key in a direction from a low range to a high range. To provide a keyboard device that can reduce the weight of the keyboard.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a key which is arranged in a musical order and is rotated and displaced in accordance with a key-depressing operation. And a hammer arm provided with a hammer arm. The center of rotation of the key is linearly arranged along the key arrangement direction, and the rotation of the hammer arm with respect to the arrangement of the center of rotation of the key. It is characterized in that the central portion is arranged in an inclined state gradually approaching from the low frequency range side to the high frequency range side.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electronic keyboard instrument will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In this electronic keyboard instrument, as shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard chassis 2 made of sheet metal is provided on an upper surface side of an instrument body case 1 made of synthetic resin via a chassis support plate 3 made of sheet metal, screws 4 and the like. Have been. On the upper surface side of the keyboard chassis 2, a plurality of keys (white keys and black keys, but only the white keys will be described) 5 made of synthetic resin are arranged in parallel in musical order as shown in FIG. The rear end of the key 5 is attached via a shaft 7 to a key support member 6 made of a synthetic resin provided on the rear end of the upper surface of the keyboard chassis 2 so as to be vertically rotatable. The key 5 is urged upward by the action of a hammer arm 21, which will be described later. Usually, the key 5 has a substantially L-shaped stopper piece 9 vertically suspended from the front lower end of one of the side plates 8. It is positioned at a predetermined initial position (upper limit position) by coming into contact with a belt-like stopper member 11 made of felt or the like provided on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 2 through a stupid hole 10 formed in the chassis 2. On the upper surface of the keyboard chassis 2 below the stopper piece 9, a belt-shaped stopper member 12 made of felt or the like for regulating the lower limit position of the key 5 is provided. A guide member 13 is provided at the front end of the keyboard chassis 2 to prevent the key 5 from moving left and right.

A hammer arm 21 is arranged below the center of the lower surface of the key 5. The hammer arm 21 includes a central portion 22a, one arm portion 22b, and the other arm portion 22.
c, the arm main body 22 made of a synthetic resin. In the arm main body 22, the other arm portion 22c is positioned below the key 5, and the one arm portion 22b is positioned above the keyboard chassis 2 through a stupid hole 23 formed in the keyboard chassis 2. In this state, the central portion 22a is attached to a synthetic resin hammer support member 25 attached to the keyboard chassis 2 via a shaft 26 so as to be vertically rotatable. A weight 27 is attached to the other arm 22c.
Is buried. The tip of one arm 22b has a flat T-shape, and a pressed member 28 made of a lubricating material is provided on the upper surface thereof. The hammer arm 21 is urged in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 by the weight of the weight 27, but normally, the hammer arm 21 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the both side plates 8 of the key 5 by pressing the upper surface of the pressed member 28 to the predetermined position. It is positioned at the initial position. A belt-like stopper member 29 made of rubber or the like is provided on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 2 facing the upper surface of the tip of the other arm portion 22c.

The other arm portion 22 of the hammer arm 21
a switch pressing portion 3 having a substantially cross-shaped planar shape on the upper surface of the base end portion
1 is provided. A rubber switch 32 is disposed above the switch pressing portion 31. Rubber switch 32
Is provided on the lower surface of the circuit board 34 attached to the upper surface of the keyboard chassis 2 with screws 33,
And protrudes below the keyboard chassis 2 through a stupid hole 35 formed in the keyboard chassis 2. The rubber switch 32 includes first and second switch units 36 and 37. When the key 5 is pressed, the first and second switch units 36 and 37 correspond to the key pressing speed of the key 5. Switching is performed sequentially with a time difference.

By the way, in this electronic keyboard musical instrument, the key 5 is turned such that the key pressing force of the key 5 becomes gradually lighter from the lower range (left side in FIG. 2) toward the higher range (right side in FIG. 2). The moving center, the turning center of the hammer arm 21, and the rubber switch 32 are provided in the following relationship. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the shaft 7, which is the center of rotation of the key 5, is disposed on a straight line S parallel to the direction in which the keys 5 are arranged at the rear end of the keyboard chassis 2. The shaft 26, which is the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21,
The lower part of the key 5 is arranged along the inclined line T such that the distance from the shaft 7 which is the center of rotation of the key 5 becomes gradually shorter from the lower range toward the higher range.
For this reason, the distance between the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21 and the center of rotation of the key 5 becomes longer on the low-tone side, and the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21 and the center of rotation of the key 5 on the high-tone side. As described later, the key depression force of the key 5 is heavier on the low tone range side than on the high tone range side, and lighter on the high tone range side than on the low tone range side, as described later. Also, the rubber switch 32
Since the switch pressing portion 31 of the hammer arm 21 is displaced from the low frequency range toward the high frequency range, the switch pressing portion 31 is arranged along the inclined line Y parallel to the rotation center of the hammer arm 21. I have. A plurality of rubber switches 32 (for example, one octave) are provided on one rubber sheet 40, and the rubber sheet 40 is provided for each of a plurality of blocks (every octave) from the low frequency range to the high frequency range. Have been.

Next, the operation of the electronic keyboard instrument will be described. When the key 5 is pressed against the weight of the weight 27 of the hammer arm 21, the key 5 is moved about the shaft 7 as shown in FIG.
, The lower surface of the both side plates 8 of the key 5 presses the upper surface of the pressed member 28 of the hammer arm 21. Then, the hammer arm 21 is displaced counterclockwise in FIG. 1 around the shaft 26 against the weight of the weight 27. At this time, the hammer arm 21 is
In the initial stage of the pivotal displacement in the counterclockwise direction, the resistance of the hammer arm 21 urged in the clockwise direction by the weight of the weight 27 in FIG. Since the lower surface of both side plates 8 acts as an action load, a large action load is applied to the key 5, and the player feels that the key 5 is heavy. The key 5 is further displaced downward, and prior to this descending displacement, at an intermediate stage in which the hammer arm 21 is rotated by inertia, the pressed member 2 of the hammer arm 21 is moved.
Since the upper surface of the key 8 is separated from the lower surface of both side plates 8 of the key 5, the resistance of the hammer arm 21 does not act on the key 5, and a drop in load (feeling of coming off) is generated, and On the other hand, it gives the feeling that the key 5 has become lighter. Further, in the final stage in which the key 5 is displaced downward, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Is regulated, the action load suddenly rises, giving the player a feeling that the key 5 is suddenly heavier.

As described above, in this electronic keyboard instrument, in addition to the above-described key touch feeling, the key pressing force of the key 5 becomes lighter from the lower range to the higher range. That is, the weight 27 of the hammer arm 21 has the same weight from the low-frequency range side to the high-frequency range side, but the weight 27 is the center of rotation of the key 5 and the weight of the shaft 2 is the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21.
Since the distance to 6 is gradually shortened from the low range to the high range, the key pressing force of the high range key 5 becomes smaller than the key pressing force of the low range key 5. Therefore, in this electronic keyboard instrument, it is possible to give the player a feeling that the key pressing force gradually becomes lighter from the lower range to the higher range, further approximating the key touch feeling of an acoustic piano. A key touch feeling can be obtained.

Further, in this electronic keyboard instrument, the shaft 26, which is the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21, gradually approaches the shaft 7, which is the center of rotation of the key 5, from the low-frequency range to the high-frequency range. It is only necessary to arrange along such an inclined line T, so that it is not necessary to use separate components such as a return spring having a different spring constant or a variable weight as in the conventional case, so that the number of components does not increase, Good assembly workability.

In the above-described embodiment, the rubber switch 32 is provided for each block along the inclined line Y parallel to the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The lower part corresponding to the pressing part 31 may be arranged along a straight line X parallel to the center of rotation of the key 5 as shown in FIG. In this case, the switch pressing portion 31 of the hammer arm 21 may be formed large in anticipation of the displacement of the center of rotation of the hammer arm 21.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the center of rotation of the key is linearly arranged along the key arrangement direction, and the hammer is arranged with respect to the arrangement of the center of rotation of the key. Since the center of rotation of the arm is inclined so as to gradually approach from the low frequency range to the high frequency range, it is not necessary to use separate components such as return springs with different spring constants and variable weights. The key pressing force can be gradually reduced from the low frequency range to the high frequency range without complicating the assembly work, and a key touch feeling very similar to that of an acoustic piano can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a main part of an electronic keyboard instrument.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electronic keyboard instrument showing an arrangement relationship between a key rotation center, a hammer arm rotation center, and a rubber switch.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a keyboard device showing a modification of the arrangement relationship of rubber switches.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Key 7 Axis which is the center of rotation of key 21 Hammer arm 26 Axis which is the center of rotation of hammer arm

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G10B 3/12 G10C 3/12 G10H 1/34

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key which is arranged in a musical order and is rotated and displaced by a key-pressing operation, and a hammer arm which is turned and displaced by a key-depressing operation of the keys to apply an action load to the key. In the keyboard device provided with the key, the rotation center of the key is linearly arranged along the arrangement direction of the keys, and the rotation center of the hammer arm is lower than the rotation center of the keys. A keyboard device characterized in that the keyboard device is arranged in an inclined state gradually approaching from a treble side to a treble side.