Upright piano damper mechanism, and stay member used in the damper mechanism.

Abstract

This invention provides an example of a damper mechanism that improves the adjustment process for upright pianos. [Solution] The damper mechanism of the present disclosure comprises a stay member having an open portion. The stay member of the present disclosure has a substantially S-shape in side view and comprises a first portion extending substantially vertically upward from the upper part of the damper lever, a second portion extending substantially horizontally toward the front of the upright piano from the first portion, and a third portion extending substantially vertically upward from the second portion.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a damper mechanism for an upright piano, and a stay member used in the damper mechanism.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Upright pianos are equipped with damper mechanisms that dampen the strings, and in particular, such upright pianos having a sustaining mechanism as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 are known. The sustaining mechanism is a mechanism for maintaining a sounding state for a long time by keeping the damper in the damper mechanism separated from the strings.

[0003] When the sustaining pedal is depressed after a key is pressed, the sustaining rod rotates, and the return of the damper is restricted by a locking protrusion provided on the sustaining rod, whereby the state where the damper is separated from the strings is maintained even if the finger is released from the keyboard. Note that the damper mechanism may be understood as being included as a part of the sustaining mechanism.

[0004] The damper mechanism (sustaining mechanism) described in Patent Document 1 includes a damper for damping the strings, a damper wire that supports the damper, and a damper lever that holds the damper wire and rotates in response to a key pressing operation. The damper lever is provided with a claw portion configured to engage with the locking protrusion (claw in Patent Document 1) of the sustaining rod when the function of the sustaining mechanism is exerted, so as to restrict the rotation of the damper lever (rotation in the returning direction).

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0005]

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0006] In upright pianos, the damper position is adjusted to properly dampen string vibrations. This adjustment is done by grasping and moving the base of the damper wire that supports the damper. This work is typically performed with the damper mechanism (sustaining mechanism) installed in the upright piano.

[0007] However, due to the mechanism of an upright piano, the damper wire is positioned at the rear. In particular, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the claw portion provided on the damper lever covers the damper wire, making access to the damper wire difficult or impossible. Therefore, it is difficult to access and grasp the damper wire with tools or the like. For this reason, in some cases, it was even necessary to perform steps such as partial disassembly.

[0008] Furthermore, in conventional upright pianos with a sustaining mechanism, the stay member is located below the damper lever, and adjustment work is performed by adjusting the position of this stay member. However, due to the structure of upright pianos, it was necessary to remove the keyboard and adjust the position of the stay member in order to perform the adjustment work.

[0009] This disclosure provides a damper mechanism that makes it easier to adjust the position of the damper, and an example of a stay member used in the damper mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] One aspect of this disclosure is a damper mechanism for an upright piano, comprising a damper head, a damper wire, and a damper lever, and more particularly characterized by comprising a stay member. The damper head is a member configured to move away from the string when a key is struck and to dampen the vibration of the returning string when the key is released. The damper wire is a member that supports the damper head. The damper lever is a member that holds the damper wire and is configured to rotate in a direction away from the string when a key is struck and in a direction returning when the key is released.

[0011] The stay member is connected to the damper lever and extends so as to be engageable with a sustaining rod that restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction after a key is struck. It is also configured to open a predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever so that it can be accessed from the outside.

[0012] In such a damper member, firstly, the stay member is configured to engage with the sustaining rod of the sustaining mechanism, making it possible to implement the sustaining mechanism. Secondly, the position of the stay member can be adjusted without removing the keyboard during the adjustment of the sustaining mechanism. Thirdly, the stay member is configured to open a predetermined area of ​​the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever, making it accessible from the outside. This allows access to the damper wire, which can then be directly grasped and adjusted with a tool. Therefore, the damper position can be easily adjusted, rather than being difficult as in conventional designs.

[0013] The "predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever" refers to the region near the holding portion of the damper wire that is held by the damper lever, and is the base portion of the damper wire. According to this disclosure, since the base portion of the damper wire is easily accessible, the position of the damper can be easily adjusted by moving the base portion of the damper wire.

[0014] The stay member of this disclosure may have a substantially S-shape in side view and include a first portion extending substantially vertically upward from the top of the damper lever, a second portion extending substantially horizontally toward the front of the upright piano from the first portion, and a third portion extending substantially vertically upward from the second portion. With this configuration, the damper wire can be avoided and extended by the continuity of the first, second, and third parts, and this configuration makes it possible to "configure the damper wire so that a predetermined region adjacent to the damper lever is open and accessible from the outside."

[0015] The stay member of this disclosure may have a hole in the second portion through which the damper wire passes. This allows the damper wire to be configured so as not to hinder its function of supporting the damper by extending substantially straight. Furthermore, by positioning the damper wire on the inside of the L-shaped configuration composed of the first and second portions, it is possible to avoid the damper wire while "opening a predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever so that it can be accessed from the outside."

[0016] In this disclosure, the upright piano may be equipped with a sustaining mechanism that rotates the sustaining rod around its central axis when the sustaining pedal is pressed after a key is struck, and restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction by a locking projection provided on the sustaining rod to prevent vibration of the strings, and the stay member may have a claw portion at the tip of the third portion that catches on the locking projection when the sustaining pedal is pressed after a key is struck.

[0017] According to this, it is possible to implement the sustaining mechanism as described above, while also making it easy to adjust the position of the damper in the damper mechanism. In another aspect of the present disclosure, a stay member for use in a damper mechanism of an upright piano is disclosed. The features of the stay member are as described above. The above-described effects can also be obtained by the stay member alone. Therefore, the stay member alone is also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing the external appearance of an upright piano. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the upright piano as viewed from the back side. [Figure 3] It is a drawing showing the damper mechanism and the sustaining mechanism of the upright piano. [Figure 4] It is a drawing showing the damper mechanism and the sustaining mechanism of the upright piano. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory view of a damper mechanism. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory view of a damper mechanism. [Figure 7] It is a drawing showing a damper lever and a stay member. [Figure 8] It is a drawing showing a damper lever and a stay member. [Figure 9] It is a drawing showing a stay member. [Figure 10] It is a drawing showing a stay member. [Figure 11] It is a drawing showing a stay member provided with a tangent. [Figure 12] It is a drawing showing a stay member provided with a tangent having felt. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present disclosure is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments at all, and it goes without saying that various forms can be adopted as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0020] [1. Embodiments] [1-1. Overall Structure] As shown in Figure 1, the upright piano 1 of this embodiment (hereinafter also simply referred to as piano 1) comprises a left thumbboard 2, a right thumbboard 3, an upper front panel 4, a lower front panel 5, a back panel 6, a lid panel 7, a keyboard cover 8, and pedals 9. In the following explanation, when viewing Piano 1 from the performer's perspective, the front side (see Figure 1) will be referred to as "front," the back side as "back," the top side as "up," the bottom side as "down," the left side as "left," and the right side as "right." Left front panel 2 is a panel located on the left side of piano 1. Right front panel 3 is a panel located on the right side of piano 1. Upper front panel 4 is a panel located on the upper front side of piano 1. Lower front panel 5 is a panel located on the lower front side of piano 1. Back panel 6 is a panel located on the rear side (in other words, the back) of piano 1. The upper front panel 4 and the lower front panel 5 are provided to be removable (openable). The roof panel 7 is a board positioned on top of the left main panel 2, the right main panel 3, the upper front panel 4, and the back panel 6. The roof panel 7 is provided to be openable and closable via hinges (not shown), although these are not illustrated.

[0021] Figure 2 is a perspective view of piano 1 seen from the rear (back side), and in particular, shows the back panel 6 as transparent. Figure 2 shows the damper lever 11. Although the damper lever 11 is only shown in a specific position, piano 1 has the number of damper levers 11 typically used in upright pianos, and there are no particular restrictions on the number. Furthermore, each of the damper levers 11 in this disclosure has a similar configuration and function. Figure 2 also shows the sustaining rod 50. The sustaining rod 50 will be described later.

[0022] [1-2. Damper mechanism] The damper mechanism will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The damper mechanism comprises a damper head 10, a damper lever 11, a damper lever cross 14, a damper wire 16, and a stay member 20. During normal playing, when the user strikes a key, the damper lever 11 rotates around the support axis 14a of the damper lever cross 14. As the damper lever 11 rotates, the damper head 10, which is connected to the damper lever 11 via the damper wire 16, also rotates. In this case, the damper head 10 rotates away from the string 60.

[0023] When the user releases the key they struck, the damper lever 11 rotates in the opposite direction to when the key was struck, returning to its normal position. At this time, the damper head 10 returns to the string 60 and makes contact with the string 60, dampening its vibration. As a result, the sound stops abruptly. Here, piano 1 has a sustaining mechanism, which controls the return of the damper head 10 to the string 60 to make the sound last longer. The sustaining mechanism will be described below.

[0024] [1-3. Sustaining Mechanism] Refer to Figures 3 and 4 for a further explanation of the sustaining mechanism. The sustaining mechanism includes a sustaining rod 50. A tab lip 51 is formed on the sustaining rod 50. The tab lip 51 corresponds to an example of a locking projection of this disclosure. During normal playing, when the player releases a key, the damper head 10 returns to its original position, and because the damper head 10 suppresses the vibration of the string 60, the sound does not last long and stops.

[0025] When the user strikes a key, the damper lever 11 rotates and the damper head 10 separates from the string 60. At this time, if the user presses a sustaining pedal (not shown), the sustaining rod 50 rotates around its central axis (in Figure 3, the sustaining rod 50 is not rotating, but in Figure 4, the sustaining rod 50 is rotating), and the stay member 20 of the damper mechanism catches on the tab lip 51 of the sustaining rod 50. More specifically, a tangent 30 provided at the tip of the stay member 20 catches on the tab lip 51. The tangent 30 corresponds to an example of a claw portion in this disclosure.

[0026] As a result, even after the user releases the key, as long as the sustaining pedal is pressed down, the tangent 30 remains engaged with the tablip 51, preventing the damper lever 11 from rotating (the damper lever 11 does not return), and therefore the damper head 10 also remains detached from the string 60. This prevents the string 60 from vibrating, allowing the sound to last longer.

[0027] [1-4. Damper Lever] The damper lever 11 will be further described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The damper lever 11 is supported by the damper lever cross 14 so as to be rotatable around the support shaft 14a. A stay member 20 is attached to the damper lever 11.

[0028] Here, the stay member 20 may be understood as a separate part independent of the damper lever 11, or the damper lever 11 and the stay member 20 may be understood as an integrated part (in other words, the damper lever 11 including the stay member 20).

[0029] [1-5. Stay members] The stay member 20 will be further described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The stay member 20 has a first portion 21, a second portion 22, and a third portion 23. The stay member 20 also has a side wall 24A, a side wall 24B, a screw hole portion 25 for the damper lever, a screw hole portion 26 for the tangent, a hole portion 27 through which the damper wire 16 passes, and an open portion 29.

[0030] The stay member 20 of this disclosure has a substantially S-shape in side view, and when attached to the piano 1 (attached to the damper lever 11), the first portion 21 extends substantially vertically upward from the damper lever 11, the second portion 22 extends substantially horizontally from the first portion 21 toward the front of the piano 1, and the third portion 23 extends substantially vertically upward from the second portion 22. The hole 27 is formed in the second portion 22.

[0031] The stay member 20 has a substantially S-shape in side view, which allows access from the outside to a predetermined region of the damper wire 16 adjacent to the damper lever 11. More specifically, referring to Figures 3 and 4, an opening 29 is formed, and the predetermined region of the damper wire 16 adjacent to the damper lever 11 can be accessed from the opening 29. This predetermined region of the damper wire 16 is the base portion of the damper wire 16.

[0032] The first portion 21 of the stay member 20 has a screw hole 25 for the damper lever so that the stay member 20 can be attached to the damper lever 11. The stay member 20 is fixed to the damper lever 11 via the screw hole 25 for the damper lever.

[0033] The third portion 23 of the stay member 20 has a tangent screw hole portion 26 so that the tangent 30 can be attached to the third portion 23. When the tangent 30 is assembled to the stay member 20, the tangent screw hole portion 26 and the hole portion 31 of the tangent 30 are continuous. The stay member 20 and the tangent 30 are then integrally connected via a wing nut (not shown).

[0034] The stay member 20 has a side wall 24A and a side wall 24B, and the side walls 24A and 24B are of different lengths. When installing, the upper surface of the side wall 24B is aligned with the upper surface of the damper lever 11 to serve as the mounting reference.

[0035] After the stay member 20 is installed, it is possible to access the damper wire 16 by inserting a tool through the opening 28 at the top of the side wall 24B and perform adjustment work on the damper wire 16. The side wall 24A has the function of ensuring the overall strength of the stay member 20. Therefore, the longer the side wall 24A, the greater the effect of improving the overall strength of the stay member 20.

[0036] Furthermore, when the stay member 20 is viewed from the front, an opening 29 is formed between the side wall 24A and the side wall 24B, allowing access to the damper wire 16 through this opening 29. In other words, the opening 29 is formed by the continuous shape (bent shape) of the first part 21 and the second part 22.

[0037] The stay member 20 of this disclosure is attached to the upper part of the damper lever 11, extends substantially vertically upward from the damper lever 11, then bends approximately 90 degrees to extend horizontally toward the front of the piano 1, and then bends again approximately 90 degrees to extend substantially vertically upward.

[0038] Conventionally, when adjusting the sustaining mechanism (when adjusting the damper head 10), it was necessary to remove the key at the point to be adjusted, insert a hand (or tool) through the gap, and adjust the position of the stay member provided at the bottom of the damper lever. After that, the key was reinstalled, and the sustaining mechanism was confirmed to be working by striking the key. With the stay member 20 of this disclosure, since the stay member 20 is provided at the top of the damper lever 11, it is possible to access the stay member 20 from the open part 29 and / or opening 28 without removing the key. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the key, and the stay member 20 can be adjusted while the key is still attached, making such adjustment work easier and more efficient.

[0039] [1-6. Tangent] Refer to Figure 11 for further explanation of the tangent 30. The tangent 30 has a hole 31.

[0040] In the piano 1 of this disclosure, a tangent 30 is attached to a third portion 23 corresponding to the tip of the stay member 20, and the tangent 30 catches on the tab lip 51 of the sustaining rod 50, thereby holding the damper lever 11 in a rotated position away from the string 60, and thus maintaining the state in which the damper head 10 is away from the string 60.

[0041] The tangent 30 is fixed by a tangent screw hole 26 formed in the third portion 23 of the stay member 20. The tangent 30 is mounted adjacent to the stay member 20.

[0042] [1-7. Felt] Referring to Figure 12, a felt 40 may be provided on the tangent 30. By providing the felt 40, the impact when the tangent 30 comes into contact with the tab lip 51 of the sustaining rod 50 can be mitigated. This reduces wear on the tangent 30. During maintenance, the felt 40 can be cleaned or replaced, improving maintainability.

[0043] Felt 40 can be understood as a separate component independent of tangent 30, or tangent 30 and felt 40 can be understood as an integrated component (in other words, tangent 30 including felt 40).

[0044] [1-8. Other Effects] Since the stay member 20 of this disclosure is attached to the top of the damper lever, it is possible to implement the sustaining mechanism even in small upright pianos where space is limited.

[0045] [1-9. Situations in which the effect is demonstrated] By using the stay member 20 of this disclosure, an opening 29 is provided, allowing the damper wire 16 to be adjusted while the keyboard is still attached, thus enabling adjustment without any obstruction to the adjustment process. Therefore, the adjustment work can be performed without the process of removing the keyboard, performing the adjustment work, and then reattaching the keyboard. Furthermore, compared to conventional upright pianos with a sustaining mechanism, the sustaining mechanism can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the stay member 20 without removing the keyboard. This not only reduces the workload on the worker performing the adjustment work but also shortens the total time required for the adjustment work.

[0046] By using the stay member 20 of this disclosure, adjustment work can be easily performed through the opening 28 and / or open portion 29. [1-10. Other Embodiments] The stay member 20 in this disclosure is made of metal, but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be made of resin, wood, or the like.

[0047] The stay member 20 of this disclosure is composed of a first part 21, a second part 22, and a third part 23, each of which is configured to have an angle of approximately 90 degrees, but the angle is not limited to 90 degrees. For example, it may be between 45 and 270 degrees. The angle of the angle may be configured so that it can be properly installed inside a piano.

[0048] The stay member 20 of this disclosure is attached to the damper lever 11, but is not limited thereto. For example, depending on the shape of the damper lever 11 and its position relative to the piano body 1, it may be attached to a part other than the damper lever 11.

[0049] [Technical concepts disclosed in this specification] [Item 1] The damper mechanism of an upright piano, A damper head is configured to separate from the string when the key is struck and to dampen the vibration of the returning string when the key is released, A damper wire supporting the damper head, A damper lever that holds the damper wire, rotates the damper head away from the string when the key is struck, and rotates back when the key is released, A stay member connected to the damper lever, which extends so as to be engageable with a sustaining rod that restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction after a key is pressed, and is configured to open a predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever so as to be accessible from the outside, A damper mechanism equipped with this feature.

[0050] [Item 2] The damper mechanism described in item 1, The stay member has a substantially S-shape in side view and includes a first portion extending substantially vertically upward from the upper part of the damper lever, a second portion extending substantially horizontally toward the front of the upright piano from the first portion, and a third portion extending substantially vertically upward from the second portion. Damper mechanism.

[0051] [Item 3] A damper mechanism as described in item 1 or item 2, The stay member has a hole in the second portion through which the damper wire passes, thus forming a damper mechanism.

[0052] [Item 4] The damper mechanism described in items 1 to 3, The upright piano is equipped with a sustaining mechanism that, when the sustaining pedal is pressed after a key is struck, rotates the sustaining rod around its central axis, and restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction by a locking projection provided on the sustaining rod, thereby preventing vibration of the strings. The stay member has a claw portion at the tip of the third portion that catches on the sustaining pedal when the sustaining pedal is pressed after a keystroke. Damper mechanism.

[0053] [Item 5] A stay member used in the damper mechanism of an upright piano, The damper mechanism is, A damper head is configured to separate from the string when the key is struck and to dampen the vibration of the returning string when the key is released, A damper wire supporting the damper head, A damper lever that holds the damper wire, rotates the damper head away from the string when the key is struck, and rotates back when the key is released, The stay member and, The aforementioned stay member is The damper wire is connected to the damper lever and extends in a manner that allows it to engage with a sustaining rod that restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction after a key is pressed, and is configured to open a predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever so that it can be accessed from the outside. Stay member. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0054] 1…Upright piano, 2…Left key plate, 3…Right key plate, 4…Upper front panel, 5…Lower front panel, 6…Back panel, 7…Lid panel, 8…Keyboard cover, 9…Pedal, 10…Damper head, 11…Damper lever, 14…Damper lever cross, 14a…Support shaft, 16…Damper wire, 20…Stay member, 21…First part, 22…Second part, 23…Third part, 24A…Side wall A, 24B…Side wall B, 25…Screw hole for damper lever, 26…Screw hole for tangent, 27…Hole for damper wire, 28…Opening, 29…Open section, 30…Tangent, 31…Hole, 40…Felt, 50…Sustaining rod, 51…Tab grip, 60…String

Claims

1. The damper mechanism of an upright piano, A damper head is configured to separate from the string when the key is struck and to dampen the vibration of the returning string when the key is released, A damper wire supporting the damper head, A damper lever that holds the damper wire, rotates the damper head away from the string when the key is struck, and rotates back when the key is released, A stay member connected to the damper lever, which extends so as to be engageable with a sustaining rod that restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction after a key is pressed, and is configured to open a predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever so as to be accessible from the outside, A damper mechanism equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The stay member has a substantially S-shape in side view and includes a first portion extending substantially vertically upward from the upper part of the damper lever, a second portion extending substantially horizontally toward the front of the upright piano from the first portion, and a third portion extending substantially vertically upward from the second portion. Damper mechanism.

3. The stay member has a hole in the second portion through which the damper wire passes, thus forming a damper mechanism.

4. The upright piano is equipped with a sustaining mechanism that, when the sustaining pedal is pressed after a key is struck, rotates the sustaining rod around its central axis, and restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction by a locking projection provided on the sustaining rod, thereby preventing vibration of the strings. The stay member has a claw portion at the tip of the third portion that catches on the locking projection when the sustaining pedal is pressed after a key is struck. Damper mechanism.

5. A stay member used in the damper mechanism of an upright piano, The damper mechanism is, A damper head is configured to separate from the string when the key is struck and to dampen the vibration of the returning string when the key is released, A damper wire supporting the damper head, A damper lever that holds the damper wire, rotates the damper head away from the string when the key is struck, and rotates back when the key is released, The stay member and, The aforementioned stay member is The damper wire is connected to the damper lever and extends in a manner that allows it to engage with a sustaining rod that restricts the rotation of the damper lever in the return direction after a key is pressed, and is configured to open a predetermined region of the damper wire adjacent to the damper lever so that it can be accessed from the outside. Stay member.

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