Keyboard device key

Abstract

To provide keys of a keyboard device in which an appearance is not damaged by a gap between a key body and a wooden board, occurrence of deformation of keys can be prevented even if the wooden board expands, and interference with adjacent keys does not occur and the appearance is not damaged even if excess adhesive protrudes when the key body and the wooden board are bonded.SOLUTION: Keys of a keyboard device includes: a resin key body 51; and one or a plurality of wooden boards 52 attached along at least a part of a side face of the key body 51. The key body 51 includes: an upper convex part 53 extending along an upper end of the side face, continuously formed with a top face and protruding toward a side of the key body 51; and a lower support protrusion 54 arranged near a center of the side face or near a lower end, protruding toward the side of the key body 51 and facing the upper convex part 53. The wooden board 52 is sandwiched between the upper convex part 53 and the lower support protrusion 54.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a key for a keyboard device applied to a keyboard instrument such as an electronic piano, and more particularly to a key for a keyboard device having a wooden board attached to the side. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in order to give a wooden feel to a key at low cost, a key for a keyboard device is known in which a wooden material is attached to the side of a resin key body. For example, the key structure of Patent Document 1 is composed of a resin key base body in which an upper part, a lower part, and a connecting part connecting them are integrally formed, and an intermediate member that is provided between the upper and lower parts of the key base body and is made of a material different from the key base body, and the intermediate member is made of a wooden material having the same or higher rigidity as the key base body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-271126 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the key structure of Patent Document 1, the recess, which is made up of the upper and lower parts and the connecting part of the key base body, is formed over almost the entire length of the key base body in the front-rear direction, and the wooden material is fitted into this recess with almost no gaps, so that if the wooden material expands due to the influence of moisture, etc., the key may warp, twist, or other deformation. In addition, when the wooden material is attached to the recess using adhesive, the gap between the recess and the wooden material is small and there is no space for excess adhesive to escape, so that part of the adhesive may protrude outside the recess through this gap and become fixed, which may spoil the aesthetic appearance or, in some cases, cause interference with adjacent keys and interfere with playing.

[0005] Furthermore, if a wooden piece that is smaller than the dimensions of the recess is used in an attempt to avoid these problems, a gap will be created between the recess and the wooden piece, which will deteriorate the aesthetic appearance.

[0006] To provide a key for a keyboard device that does not spoil the aesthetic look due to a gap between the key body and the wooden board, that can prevent deformation of the key even if the wooden board expands, and that does not interfere with adjacent keys or spoil the aesthetic look even if excess adhesive overflows when bonding the key body and the wooden board. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a key for a keyboard device, comprising: a resin key body having at least an upper surface and a side surface and extending a predetermined length in the front-rear direction; and one or more wooden boards attached along at least a part of the side surface of the key body, wherein the key body comprises an upper convex portion extending along the upper end of the side surface and formed continuously with the upper surface, protruding toward the side of the key body, and a lower support protrusion disposed near the center or near the lower end of the side surface, protruding toward the side of the key body and facing the upper convex portion, and wherein the wooden board is clamped by the upper convex portion and the lower support protrusion.

[0008] With this configuration, the wooden board is supported by being sandwiched from above and below by the upper convex portion formed along the upper end of the side of the key body and the lower support protrusion formed near the center or near the lower end. Therefore, no gaps are created between the key body and the wooden board near the upper end of the side of the key, which is easily visible when an adjacent key is pressed, and the aesthetic appearance is not marred.

[0009] In addition, on the upper side of the wooden board, the entire upper end of the wooden board is in contact with the upper convex portion formed along the upper end of the side of the key body and is supported with almost no gap, whereas on the lower side of the wooden board, only a part of the lower end of the wooden board is supported by the lower support protrusion. Therefore, even if the wooden board expands due to the influence of moisture, etc., there is sufficient space below the wooden board, so there is no risk of stress concentrating on the key body and causing deformation of the key body. In addition, when the wooden board expands, the lower support protrusion bites into the wooden board and presses the wood board against the upper convex portion, so that it is also possible to prevent a gap from occurring between the upper convex portion and the wooden board.

[0010] Furthermore, even when the key body and the wooden board are attached with adhesive, the excess adhesive can flow out into the space below the wooden board. The adhesive that overflows below the wooden board does not interfere with adjacent keys, and the lower part of the wooden board is not exposed to the outside even when an adjacent key is pressed, so the aesthetic appearance is prevented from being marred by the overflowing adhesive.

[0011] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the key for the keyboard device described in claim 1, the key body further comprises a front convex portion extending along the front end of the side surface and protruding toward the side of the key body, and a rear support protrusion arranged near the center or rear end of the side surface, protruding toward the side of the key body and facing the front convex portion, and the wood board is clamped by the front convex portion and the rear support protrusion.

[0012] According to this configuration, the wooden board is supported by being sandwiched between the upper convex portion and the lower support protrusion, and also between the front convex portion formed along the front end of the side surface of the key body and the rear support protrusion formed near the center or near the rear end, so that no gap is generated between the key body and the wooden board even near the front end of the side surface of the key which is easily visible when an adjacent key is pressed, and this further prevents the aesthetic appearance from being impaired. Also, when the wooden board expands, the rear support protrusion presses the wooden board against the front convex portion while biting into the wooden board, so that the generation of a gap between the front convex portion and the wooden board can be prevented.

[0013] The invention according to claim 3 is a key for the keyboard device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the key body includes a plurality of lower support protrusions.

[0014] According to this configuration, multiple lower support protrusions are formed near the center or near the lower end of the side of the key body, which can more stably support the lower end of the wooden board, and therefore it is possible to more effectively prevent a gap from occurring between the key body and the wooden board near the upper end of the side of the key. Also, even if the wooden board expands, the multiple formed lower support protrusions can more stably press the wooden board against the upper convex portion while biting into the wooden board, so it is possible to more effectively prevent deformation of the wooden board and more effectively prevent a gap from occurring between the upper convex portion and the wooden board.

[0015] The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the key of the keyboard device described in claim 1 or 2, the upper convex portion is inclined toward the lower end of the side so that the surface opposite the lower support protrusion protrudes downward as it approaches the tip, and the lower support protrusion is inclined toward the upper end of the side so that the surface opposite the upper convex portion protrudes upward as it approaches the tip.

[0016] According to this configuration, the surface of the upper convex portion facing the lower support protrusion is inclined toward the lower end so that it protrudes downward as it approaches the tip side (the side farther from the side of the key body), and the surface of the lower support protrusion is inclined toward the upper end so that it protrudes upward as it approaches the tip side (the side farther from the side of the key body). As a result, when the wooden board expands, it is guided by these inclined surfaces and expands so as to slip into the base end side (the side closer to the side of the key body) of the upper convex portion or the lower support protrusion, so that the key body and the wooden board are in closer contact with each other, making it less likely for gaps to occur, and preventing deterioration of the aesthetic appearance due to deformation of the wooden board.

[0017] The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the key of the keyboard device described in claim 2, the front convex portion is inclined toward the rear end side of the side so that the surface opposite the rear support protrusion protrudes rearward as it approaches the tip side, and the rear support protrusion is inclined toward the front end side of the side so that the surface opposite the front convex portion protrudes forward as it approaches the tip side.

[0018] According to this configuration, the surface of the front convex portion facing the rear support protrusion is inclined toward the rear end side so that it protrudes more rearward as it approaches the tip side (the side farther from the side surface of the key body), and the surface of the rear support protrusion is inclined toward the front end side so that it protrudes more forward as it approaches the tip side (the side farther from the side surface of the key body). As a result, when the wooden board expands, it is guided by these inclined surfaces and expands so as to slip into the base end side of the front convex portion or the rear support protrusion (the side closer to the side surface of the key body), so that the key body and the wooden board are in closer contact with each other, making it less likely for a gap to occur, and preventing deterioration of the aesthetic appearance due to deformation of the wooden board.

[0019] The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that, in the key of the keyboard device described in claim 1, the key body is configured for use with a white key, and has a wide section that extends a predetermined length in the front-to-rear direction and is adjacent only to the white key, and a narrow section that extends a predetermined length in the front-to-rear direction and is adjacent to the black key, and a groove section for accommodating the front end of a wooden board is formed in the corner configured at the boundary between the wide section and the narrow section.

[0020] With this configuration, the key body has a wide portion adjacent only to the white keys and a narrow portion adjacent to the black keys, and the front end of the wood board is accommodated in the groove at the corner formed at the boundary between the wide and narrow portions, improving the adhesion between the key body and the wood board at the boundary between the wide and narrow portions and preventing the occurrence of gaps between the key body and the wood board.

[0021] The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that in the key of the keyboard device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the wood board is made of soft wood with a specific gravity of 0.5 or less.

[0022] With this configuration, since the wood board is a soft wood with a specific gravity of 0.5 or less, when the wood board expands, the lower support protrusion or the rear support protrusion can easily bite into the wood board. This allows the wood board to be more stably pressed against the upper convex portion, making it possible to more effectively prevent deformation of the wood board and more effectively prevent gaps from occurring between the upper convex portion and the wood board. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion (for one octave) of a keyboard device of an electronic piano to which the present invention is applied, where (a) shows the external appearance of the keyboard device, and (b) shows a state in which keys other than the white and black keys on the left end are omitted. [Diagram 2] 1(b) is a perspective view showing a state in which the white keys and the black keys, together with their respective key support mechanisms, have been removed from the keyboard chassis in the keyboard device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2A is a plan view of the keyboard device shown in FIG. 1B, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a white key and a key support mechanism, in which FIG. 1A shows the white key and the key support mechanism connected together, and FIG. 1B shows the white key and the key support mechanism disassembled. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a black key and a key support mechanism, in which FIG. 1A shows the black key and the key support mechanism connected together, and FIG. 1B shows the black key and the key support mechanism disassembled. [Figure 6] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the operation of a white key in a keyboard device, where FIG. 5A shows a key-released state and FIG. 5B shows a key-depressed state. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the operation of a black key in a keyboard device, where FIG. 1A shows a key-released state and FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a key body of a white key and a wooden board attached to its side. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are side views showing the key body and wooden board of a white key, in which FIG. 1A shows the state where the wooden board is attached and FIG. [Figure 10] 9(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 9(a), and (b) is a view showing a modified example thereof. [Figure 11] FIG. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1(a) shows only one octave of the keyboard device 1 of an electronic piano to which the present invention is applied. In the following explanation, the basic structure and operation of the keyboard device 1 will be explained first, and then the main parts of the present invention will be explained.

[0025] FIG. 1(b) shows the keyboard device 1 of FIG. 1(a) with all keys 2 omitted except for the white key 2a and black key 2b on the left end, and FIG. 2 shows the white key 2a and black key 2b removed from the keyboard chassis 4 together with the key support mechanism 6.

[0026] This keyboard device 1 is equipped with a keyboard chassis 4, a number of keys 2 consisting of white keys 2a and black keys 2b arranged in a row in the left-right direction, a key support mechanism 6 which is rotatably attached to the keyboard chassis 4 for each key 2 and supports the corresponding key 2 from below, and a key switch 3 for detecting key depression information of each key 2.

[0027] The keyboard chassis 4 has a chassis main body 4a made of a resin molded product of a predetermined shape, for example, by injection molding a predetermined resin material (e.g., ABS resin). As shown in Fig. 3, the front part 11, middle part 12, and rear part 13 of this chassis main body 4a are all formed to extend in the left-right direction (left-right direction in Fig. 3(a)) as a whole, and are integrally molded with a plurality of ribs 14 spaced apart in the left-right direction and each extending in the front-rear direction. In the following description, the front part 11, middle part 12, and rear part 13 of the chassis main body 4a of the keyboard chassis 4 will be referred to as the "chassis front part 11," the "chassis middle part 12," and the "chassis rear part 13," respectively.

[0028] The chassis front part 11 mainly guides the white key 2a when the key is pressed and regulates the upper and lower limit positions of the front end of the white key 2a. A plurality of white key guides 11a are arranged in a left-right direction and stand on the chassis front part 11. Each white key 2a is inserted from below to prevent the white key 2a from swaying sideways. The chassis front part 11 also has engagement holes 11b, 11b that penetrate the white key guide 11a in the vertical direction on both the left and right sides, and two upper limit position regulation parts 21, 21 of the white key 2a, which will be described later, penetrate and engage with the engagement holes 11b, 11b, respectively. Furthermore, the chassis front part 11 has a stopper attachment part 11c at its front end, which protrudes forward and extends left-right over the entire chassis body 4a. A key upper limit stopper 16a and a key lower limit stopper 16b for the white key are attached to the lower and upper surfaces of the stopper attachment part 11c, respectively, so as to extend left-right. In addition, a stopper mounting portion 11d for the black keys is provided at a specified position behind the white key guide 11a on the front part 11 of the chassis. The stopper mounting portion 11d extends in the left-right direction across the entire chassis body 4a, and an upper key stopper 17 for the black keys is attached to the stopper mounting portion 11d so as to extend in the left-right direction.

[0029] The chassis intermediate section 12 mainly guides the black key 2b when the key is pressed, and also supports a first arm 31 and a second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6a, 6b for the white and black keys so that they can swing. The chassis intermediate section 12 has a flat section 12a extending in the left-right direction and a plurality of black key guides 12b standing on the flat section 12a and spaced apart appropriately in the left-right direction. Each black key guide 12b is inserted from below for each black key 2b, preventing the black key 2b from swinging sideways. A first arm support section 18 is provided at the front of the chassis intermediate section 12 to support the first arm 31 of the key support mechanism 6. The first arm support section 18 has a plurality of first support shafts 18a extending in the left-right direction between adjacent ribs 14, and the first arm 31 is supported by the first support shafts 18a so that it can swing. Furthermore, a second arm support section 19 that supports a second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6 is provided at the rear of the chassis intermediate section 12. The second arm support section 19 has a plurality of second support shafts 19a that are provided between adjacent ribs 14, 14 so as to extend in the left-right direction. The plurality of second support shafts 19a are arranged on the same axis extending in the left-right direction at a position rearward and higher than the first support shaft 18a, and the second arm 32 is supported by these second support shafts 19a so as to be able to swing freely. A first arm lower limit stopper 10b that extends in the left-right direction over the entire chassis main body 4a is provided at a predetermined position of a middle rail 8 (described later) provided on the lower side of the chassis intermediate section 12.

[0030] The key switch 3 is attached to the lower part of the keyboard chassis 4, between the chassis front part 11 and the chassis middle part 12. The key switch 3 is composed of a horizontally long printed circuit board 3a extending in the left-right direction, and a plurality of switch bodies 3b made of rubber switches attached to the printed circuit board 3a for each key 2 and pressed by a first arm 31 when the key is pressed.

[0031] The chassis rear part 13 mainly guides the key 2 in the up-down direction while preventing lateral vibration at the rear end of the key 2, and regulates the upper limit position of the rear end of the first arm 31. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3(a), the chassis rear part 13 has a plurality of partition walls 13a spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction to separate adjacent keys 2, 2. Also, as shown in Fig. 3(b), a first arm upper limit stopper 10a extending in the left-right direction over the entire chassis main body 4a is provided at a predetermined position on the upper part of the chassis rear part 13. This first arm upper limit stopper 10a and the first arm lower limit stopper 10b provided on the chassis intermediate part 12 are intended to regulate the upper limit position of the first arm 31, which functions as a hammer for applying touch weight to the key 2, when the first arm 31 rotates upward and the lower limit position when the first arm 31 rotates downward, respectively. Furthermore, a metal cover plate 15 is attached to the upper part of the chassis rear part 13 so as to extend in the left-right direction across the entire chassis body 4a and to cover the rear end of the key 2.

[0032] 2 and 3(a), the chassis body 4a of the keyboard chassis 4 configured as above is provided with a plurality of first openings 5a that open upward and forward, and a plurality of second openings 5b that open upward. The first arm 31 of the key support mechanism 6 engages with the first spindle 18a from the outside through each of the first openings 5a, and the second arm 32 engages with the second spindle 19a from the outside through each of the second openings 5b.

[0033] In the keyboard chassis 4, multiple chassis bodies 4a are connected to each other in a line up in the left-right direction, and are screwed in a state in which they are placed on metal front rails 7, middle rails 8, and rear rails 9 that all extend in the left-right direction and are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other in the front-rear direction. The keyboard chassis 4 is then fixed onto a shelf board (not shown) of the electronic piano via the front rails 7 and rear rails 9.

[0034] Next, the key 2 and the key support mechanism 6 will be described. FIG. 4(a) shows an enlarged view of the white key 2a and its key support mechanism 6a, and FIG. 4(b) shows them exploded. As shown in the figure, the white key 2a is formed by injection molding a specific resin material (e.g., AS resin) to extend a specific length in the front-rear direction and to be hollow and open downward. The front end of the white key 2a is provided with a pair of left and right upper limit position restricting parts 21, 21 that extend downward from the left and right side walls and are formed so that their lower ends are bent forward. As described above, these upper limit position restricting parts 21, 21 are engaged with the left and right engagement holes 11b, 11b of the chassis front part 11 while penetrating therethrough.

[0035] Additionally, a front-key connecting portion 22 that is connected to a first arm 31 of the key support mechanism 6a is provided at a predetermined position behind the upper limit position regulation portion 21 on the front of the white key 2a. This front-key connecting portion 22 has a connecting recess 22a that is U-shaped and has an elongated hole-like side that opens forward. A key-side noise suppression member 20 is attached to this connecting recess 22a so as to cover its entire inner circumferential surface, and serves to suppress noise generated when a connecting shaft 35b (described later) of the first arm 31 slides within the connecting recess 22a.

[0036] Furthermore, a key rear connector 23 is provided at the rear of the white key 2a, which is connected to the second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6a. The key rear connector 23 has a plate-shaped connector body 23a that hangs down from the center of the white key 2a in the left-right direction and has a predetermined thickness in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right engagement protrusions 23b, 23b that protrude coaxially from the left and right side surfaces of the connector body 23a. A tool insertion hole 24 is formed at the rear of the white key 2a, which penetrates in the up-down direction and is used to insert a specific tool from above when releasing the connection between the white key 2a and the second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6a during maintenance of the keyboard device 1, for example.

[0037] On the other hand, the key support mechanism 6a includes a first arm 31 and a second arm 32 which engage with each other and are connected to the front-key connecting portion 22 and the rear-key connecting portion 23 of the white key 2a, respectively.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4(b), the first arm 31 is composed of an arm body 33 and two weights 34, 34 attached to the arm body 33. The arm body 33 is made of a resin molded product of a predetermined shape by injection molding a predetermined resin material (e.g., polyacetal). The arm body 33 extends a predetermined length in the front-rear direction, and a first arm front connector 35 is provided at its front end to connect to the front-key connector 22 of the white key 2a. The first arm front connector 35 has a box section 35a formed in a box shape that opens upward and forward, and a connector shaft 35b that is provided to extend in the left-right direction while connecting the front upper ends of the left and right side walls of the box section 35a. The connector shaft 35b is connected to the connector recess 22a of the front-key connector 22 of the white key 2a so as to be rotatable and slidable in the front-rear direction.

[0039] The arm body 33 also has a U-shaped bearing 36 with a downwardly open side at a predetermined position immediately behind the first arm front connecting portion 35, and this bearing 36 rotatably engages with the first support shaft 18a of the keyboard chassis 4. Furthermore, the arm body 33 has a first arm rear connecting portion 37 that connects to the second arm 32 at a predetermined position behind the bearing 36. Specifically, the first arm rear connecting portion 37 has a connecting shaft 37a that extends in the left-right direction and has both ends that protrude outward from the left and right side surfaces of the arm body 33. Both ends of this connecting shaft 37a engage with connecting recesses 45b, 45b of a second arm front connecting portion 45 of the second arm 32, which will be described later.

[0040] Two elongated plate-like weights 34, 34 are attached to weight attachment part 38, which is the rear part of arm body 33, sandwiching weight attachment part 38 from both sides. Each weight 34 is made of a material (e.g., a metal such as iron) having a higher specific gravity than arm body 33, and is formed into a predetermined shape by pressing a metal plate, for example.

[0041] The second arm 32 is made of a resin molded product of a predetermined shape by injection molding the same resin material as the arm body 33 of the first arm 31. The second arm 32 is shorter than the first arm 31 and extends a predetermined length in the front-rear direction. The second arm 32 has a bearing portion 41 near the center in the longitudinal direction, the bearing portion 41 having a C-shaped side shape that opens forward, and the bearing portion 41 rotatably engages with the second support shaft 19a of the keyboard chassis 4.

[0042] A second arm rear connecting part 42 that is connected to the key rear connecting part 23 of the white key 2a is provided at the rear of the second arm 32. The second arm rear connecting part 42 is bifurcated and has two left and right connecting arms 43, 43 that extend parallel to each other for a predetermined length along the length of the second arm 32. A connecting hole 43a that penetrates in the left-right direction is formed at the rear end of each connecting arm 43. Between their rear ends, the connecting arms 43, 43 hold the connecting body part 23a of the key rear connecting part 23 of the white key 2a from both the left and right sides, and each connecting hole 43a rotatably fits into the corresponding engaging protrusion 23b of the key rear connecting part 23.

[0043] Furthermore, a second arm front connecting part 45 is provided at the front of the second arm 32, which is connected to the first arm rear connecting part 37 of the first arm 31. This second arm front connecting part 45 has a pair of left and right connecting pieces 45a, 45a spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction by a predetermined distance, and each connecting piece 45a has a U-shaped connecting recess 45b whose side shape is an elongated hole and which opens forward. The left and right connecting pieces 45a, 45a of the second arm front connecting part 45 are rotatably and slidably engaged with both ends of the connecting shaft 37a of the first arm 31, respectively, via the connecting recesses 45b, 45b.

[0044] FIG. 5(a) shows the black key 2b and its key support mechanism 6b in an enlarged manner, and FIG. 5(b) shows them in an exploded manner. The black key 2b is formed by injection molding the same resin material as the white key 2a, and is shorter than the white key 2a, extends a predetermined length in the front-rear direction, and is hollow and open downward. The front lower end of the black key 2b is provided with a front-side connecting part 26 formed in a manner similar to the front-side connecting part 22 of the white key 2a. The front-side connecting part 26 has a connecting recess 26a formed in a U-shape with a long hole-like side shape and an open frontward. The front-side connecting part 26 has an extension part 26b at the lower front end of the connecting recess 26a, which extends a predetermined length forward from the front surface of the main body of the black key 2b, and the extension part 26b functions as an upper limit position regulating part for the black key 2b. In the following description, the same components of the black key 2b and the key support mechanism 6b as those of the white key 2a and the key support mechanism 6a described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0045] The key support mechanism 6b supporting the black key 2b is constructed in a manner similar to the key support mechanism 6a for white keys described above. Specifically, the arm body 33 of the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6b are constructed to be identical in shape and size to the arm body 33 and the second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6a for white keys. The two weights 34, 34 on the left and right of the key support mechanism 6b for black keys have a different rear shape from the weight 34 of the key support mechanism 6a for white keys.

[0046] Next, a description will be given of the operation of the key 2 and the key support mechanism 6 in the keyboard device 1 configured as above. Figure 6 shows the operation of the white key 2a and its key support mechanism 6a, and Figure 7 shows the operation of the black key 2b and its key support mechanism 6b.

[0047] In the key-released state shown in Fig. 6(a), when the player presses down the front end of the white key 2a with his / her finger, the front-key connector 22 of the white key 2a moves downward, causing the first arm 31 to rotate counterclockwise around the first support shaft 18a. As the first arm 31 rotates, the second-arm front connector 45, which engages with the connector shaft 37a of the first arm 31 via the connector recess 45b, moves upward. As a result, the second arm 32 rotates clockwise around the second support shaft 19a. As the second arm 32 rotates, the rear-key connector 23 connected via the second-arm rear connector 42 at its rear end is pulled down, causing the rear end of the white key 2a to move downward.

[0048] During the above-mentioned rotation of the first arm 31, as the box portion 35a of the first arm front connecting portion 35 moves downward, the bottom wall of the box portion 35a presses from above the switch body 3b of the key switch 3 corresponding to the pressed key 2. As a result, the electronic piano detects key press information of the pressed key 2, and a sound is generated from a speaker (not shown) based on the detected key press information.

[0049] As described above, when the white key 2a is pressed down, the weight 34 of the first arm 31 tilts upward toward the rear as the first arm 31 rotates counterclockwise, and the rear end abuts against the first arm upper limit stopper 10a from below, as shown in Fig. 6(b). This prevents the first arm 31 from rotating any further. Then, when the front end of the white key 2a is pressed down to the lowest position, the front end of the white key 2a abuts against the key lower limit stopper 16b, preventing the white key 2a from being pressed down any further.

[0050] The white key 2a depressed as described above moves so as to rotate around an imaginary fulcrum P located behind its rear end. The position of this imaginary fulcrum P is set, for example, so that the distance from the front end of the white key 2a is approximately twice the length of the white key 2a itself. As a result, when the front end of the white key 2a is depressed to the lowest position, the front end of the white key 2a is located a predetermined key stroke (e.g., 10 mm) lower, and the rear end is located approximately half the key stroke (e.g., 5 mm) lower, compared to when the key is released as shown in Fig. 6(a).

[0051] On the other hand, when the pressed white key 2a is released, the weight of the weight 34 causes the first arm 31 of the key support mechanism 6a to rotate in the opposite direction to that described above, and the second arm 32 also rotates in the opposite direction to that described above. As a result, the white key 2a rotates upward around the imaginary fulcrum P. Then, a predetermined portion of the first arm 31 behind the first spindle 18a abuts against the first arm lower limit stopper 10b from above, and both upper limit position restriction parts 21, 21 of the white key 2a abut against the key upper limit stopper 16a from below, preventing further rotation of the white key 2a and returning it to its original released state.

[0052] The operation of the black key 2b when pressed is similar to that of the white key 2a and the key support mechanism 6a described above. That is, when the front end of the black key 2b is pressed down in the key-released state shown in FIG. 7(a), the first arm 31 rotates counterclockwise around the first pivot 18a, and the second arm 32 rotates clockwise around the second pivot 19a, so that the black key 2b rotates around the virtual pivot Q at the rear. The position of the virtual pivot Q is set so that the distance from the front end of the black key 2b is approximately twice the length of the black key 2 itself, for example, as with the virtual pivot P of the white key 2a described above. Therefore, when the front end of the black key 2b is pressed down to the lowest position, the front end of the black key 2b is located lower by a predetermined key stroke, and the rear end is located lower by approximately half the distance of the key stroke, compared to the key-released state shown in FIG. 7(a).

[0053] On the other hand, when the pressed black key 2b is released, the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 of the key support mechanism 6b rotate in the opposite direction, and the black key 2b rotates upward around the virtual fulcrum Q. Then, the extension 26b of the front-key connecting part 26 of the black key 2b abuts against the upper key stopper 17 from below, preventing further rotation of the black key 2b and returning it to its original released state.

[0054] Next, the main part of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8 to Fig. 11. The main part of the present invention is a mounting structure for a wooden board on the side of a key of a keyboard device. In this embodiment, an example in which the mounting structure for a wooden board is applied to a white key will be described, but a similar mounting structure may also be applied to a black key.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows the key body of a white key and a wooden board attached to its side. As described above, the key body 51 of the white key 2a is formed by injection molding a predetermined resin material (for example, AS resin). In this embodiment, the white key 2a is, for example, an A key (a key for the note A). The key body 51 of the white key 2a is composed of a wide part 51a adjacent to another white key 2a and a narrow part 51b adjacent to a black key 2b, and a wooden board 52 is attached to the left and right sides of each of the wide part 51a and the narrow part 51b. As the wooden board 52, in addition to wood, wood-grained decorative board, plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF), and other wooden materials can be used. In this embodiment, soft wood with a specific gravity of 0.5 or less is used as the wooden board 52. Examples of such wood include spruce and predetermined South Sea wood. The thickness of the wooden board 52 can be selected from a variety of thicknesses depending on the design. In this embodiment, the thickness is set to approximately 2 mm in consideration of a balance between the strength of the wooden board 52, the ease of attachment to the key body 51, cost, etc.

[0056] FIG. 9(a) is a side view of the white key 2a with the wooden board 52 attached, and FIG. 9(b) shows the key body 51 with the wooden board 52 removed. An upper convex portion 53 that protrudes toward the side of the key body 51 is formed at the upper end of the side of the key body 51. In this embodiment, the upper convex portion 53 is provided on each of the wide portion 51a and the narrow portion 51b. The upper convex portion 53 is formed continuously with the upper surface of the key body 51 and extends along the upper end of the key body 51. The upper convex portion 53 regulates the position of the upper end of the wooden board 52 attached to the key body 51. In other words, the upper end of the wooden board 52 is attached so as to abut against the upper convex portion 53 with almost no gap.

[0057] A plurality of lower support protrusions 54 that protrude toward the sides of the key body 51 and face the upper convex portion 53 are formed near the center of the side surface of the wide portion 51a of the key body 51 and near the lower end portion of the narrow portion 51b. The lower support protrusions 54 regulate the position of the lower end portion of the wooden board 52 attached to the key body 51. In other words, the lower end portion of the wooden board 52 is partially supported by the lower support protrusions 54. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the wooden board 52 is attached to the key body 51 by being supported so as to be sandwiched between the upper convex portion 53 and the lower support protrusions 54 in the vertical direction.

[0058] Further, a front convex portion 55 that protrudes toward the side of the key body 51 is formed at the front end of the key body 51. The front convex portion 55 is formed continuously with the front surface of the key body 51 and extends along the front end of the key body 51. The front convex portion 55 regulates the position of the front end of the wooden board 52 attached to the key body 51. In other words, the front end of the wooden board 52 is attached so as to abut against the front convex portion 55 with almost no gap.

[0059] Further, near the rear end of the side surface of the wide portion 51a and near the rear end of the side surface of the narrow portion 51b, rear support protrusions 56 are formed which protrude toward the side of the key body 51 and face the front convex portion 55. The rear support protrusions 56 regulate the position of the rear end of the wooden board 52 attached to the key body 51. In other words, the rear end of the wooden board 52 is partially supported by the rear support protrusions 56. The wooden board 52 is supported so as to be sandwiched between the front convex portion 55 and the rear support protrusions 56 in the front-rear direction as well.

[0060] The mounting structure, such as the upper convex portion 53, lower support protrusion 54, front convex portion 55, and rear support protrusion 56 configured as described above, supports the wooden board 52 by sandwiching it in the vertical and front-to-rear directions, so that the wooden board 52 can be stably mounted to the key body 51. It is also possible to prevent gaps from occurring between the key body 51 and the wooden board 52 at the upper and front ends of the key, which are easily visible when adjacent keys are pressed, and to create a beautiful appearance on the side of the key.

[0061] Furthermore, since the wooden board 52 is made of soft wood with a specific gravity of 0.5 or less, when the wooden board 52 expands due to the influence of moisture or the like, the lower support protrusions 54 and the rear support protrusions 56 can easily bite into the wooden board 52. This creates a force that presses the wooden board 52 against the upper convex portion 53 and the front convex portion 55. Therefore, even when the wooden board 52 expands, it is possible to prevent a gap from being generated between the wooden board 52 and the upper convex portion 53 or the front convex portion 55.

[0062] Furthermore, the entire upper end of the wooden board 52 abuts against the upper convex portion 53 and is supported without any gaps, whereas the lower end is only partially supported by the lower support protrusion 54. As a result, when the wooden board 52 expands, a sufficient space is secured below the wooden board 52 as a physical escape route for the expanded wooden board 52, so that it is possible to prevent stress from concentrating on the key body 51 due to the expansion of the wooden board 52 and causing deformation of the key body 51, such as warping or twisting.

[0063] Furthermore, in order to attach the wooden board 52 to the key body 51 more firmly, it is also possible to glue the wooden board 52 and the key body 51 together with an adhesive. When using an adhesive, if excess adhesive protrudes from the gap between the upper end side or the front end side of the wooden board 52 and the key body 51 and adheres thereto, problems may arise such as interference with adjacent keys or spoiling the aesthetic appearance. However, in this embodiment, the excess adhesive can flow out into the space below the wooden board 52, so there is no risk of interference with adjacent keys. In addition, the lower part of the wooden board 52 is not exposed to the outside even when an adjacent key is pressed, so the aesthetic appearance is not spoiled by the adhesive protruding below the wooden board 52.

[0064] In this embodiment, one wooden board 52 is supported by multiple lower support protrusions 54, which more stably supports the lower end of the wooden board 52, more effectively preventing a gap from occurring between the key body 51 and the wooden board 52 near the upper end, and even if the wooden board 52 expands, the multiple lower support protrusions 54 bite into the lower end of the wooden board 52 and more stably press the wooden board 52 toward the upper convex portion 53, more effectively preventing a gap from occurring between the upper convex portion 53 and the wooden board 52. On the other hand, as a simpler configuration, the lower end of one wooden board 52 may be supported by one lower support protrusion 54, and in this case as well, it is possible to prevent a gap from occurring between the upper convex portion 53 and the wooden board 52.

[0065] 10(b) shows modified examples of the upper convex portion 53 and the lower support protrusion 54. As shown in the figure, the upper convex portion 53A is different from the above-mentioned upper convex portion 53 only in that the surface facing the lower support protrusion 54A is an inclined surface S1 that is inclined toward the lower end side of the side of the key body 51 so as to protrude downward toward the tip side (the side farther from the side of the key body 51). Similarly, the lower support protrusion 54A is different from the above-mentioned lower support protrusion 54 only in that the surface facing the upper convex portion 53A is an inclined surface S2 that is inclined toward the upper end side of the side of the key body 51 so as to protrude upward toward the tip side (the side farther from the side of the key body 51). In this way, since the upper convex portion 53A and the lower support protrusion 54A have the inclined surfaces S1 and S2, when the wooden board 52 expands, the portion of the wooden board 52 in contact with the upper convex portion 53A or the lower support protrusion 54A is guided by the inclined surfaces S1 and S2 and expands to slip into the base end side (the side closer to the side of the key body 51) of the upper convex portion 53A or the lower support protrusion 54A. As a result, even if the wooden board 52 expands, the key body 51 and the wooden board 52 are more closely attached to each other, making it less likely for a gap to occur, and the upper end of the wooden board 52 is less likely to come off the key body 51, preventing deterioration of the aesthetic appearance due to deformation of the wooden board 52.

[0066] Similarly, although not shown, the front convex portion 55 and the rear support protrusion 56 can be configured such that the surface of the front convex portion 55 facing the rear support protrusion 56 has an inclined surface inclined toward the rear end side so as to protrude rearward toward the tip side (the side farther from the side surface of the key body 51), and the rear support protrusion 56 has an inclined surface inclined toward the front end side so as to protrude forward toward the tip side (the side farther from the side surface of the key body 51). In this way, by providing the inclined surfaces on each of the front convex portion 55 and the rear support protrusion 56, when the wooden board 52 expands, the part of the wooden board 52 that contacts the front convex portion 55 or the rear support protrusion 56 is guided by the inclined surface to expand so as to slip into the base end side of the front convex portion 55 or the rear support protrusion 56 (the side closer to the side surface of the key body 51). This makes it possible to bring the key body 51 and the wooden board 52 into closer contact with each other and further reduces the likelihood of a gap occurring, and also makes it difficult for the front end of the wooden board 52 to come off the key body 51, thereby more effectively preventing deterioration of the aesthetic appearance due to deformation of the wooden board 52.

[0067] Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 9(a). As shown in Fig. 11, a corner 57 formed at the boundary between the wide portion 51a and the narrow portion 51b of the key body 51 is provided with a groove 58 for accommodating the front end of the wooden board 52. The groove 58 is formed as a recess in the rear end surface of the wide portion 51a at the corner 57, and its vertical length and horizontal width are set to values ​​slightly larger than the vertical length and horizontal width of the front end of the wooden board 52 attached to the narrow portion 51b, so that the front end of the wooden board 52 can be easily inserted into the groove 58 when the wooden board 52 is attached. With this configuration, when the wooden board 52 is attached to the key body 51, the front end of the wooden board 52 attached to the narrow portion 51b is accommodated in the groove portion 58, thereby improving the adhesion between the key body 51 and the wooden board 52 at the boundary between the wide portion 51a and the narrow portion 51b. In addition, when viewed from the side, no gap is formed between the front end of the wooden board 52 and the key body 51, improving the aesthetic appearance.

[0068] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms. For example, in the embodiment, the wooden board is sandwiched vertically by the upper convex portion and the lower support protrusion, and is sandwiched front-rear by the front convex portion and the rear support protrusion, but it is also possible to support the wooden board only by the upper convex portion and the lower support protrusion without providing the front convex portion and the rear support protrusion.

[0069] Although the above description has been given of a configuration in which the upper convex portion and the lower support protrusion each have an inclined surface, and a configuration in which the front convex portion and the rear support protrusion each have an inclined surface, it is also possible to have a configuration in which only either the upper convex portion or the lower support protrusion, or only either the front convex portion or the rear support protrusion, have an inclined surface. In this case as well, the key body and the wooden board are brought into closer contact with each other, making it difficult for gaps to form, and preventing deterioration of the appearance due to deformation of the wooden board.

[0070] In the embodiment, a wooden board having a relatively large area is attached to the side of the wide and narrow parts of the key body, but it is also possible to reduce costs by attaching wooden boards only to the parts that are visible when the adjacent keys are pressed. In addition, the detailed configuration can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Keyboard device 2 keys 2a white key 2b black key 51 Key body 51a Wide section 51b Narrow part 52 Wood board 53 Upper convex part 53A Modification of the upper convex part 54 Lower support protrusion 54A Modification of the lower support protrusion 55 Front convex part 56 Rear support projection 57 Corner 58 Groove S1: Slope of the upper convex part S2: Sloping surface of modified lower support protrusion

Claims

1. A resin key body having at least a top surface and a side surface and extending a predetermined length in the front-rear direction; and one or more wooden boards attached along at least a portion of the side surface of the key body, The key body is An upper convex portion that extends along an upper end of the side surface and is formed continuously with the upper surface and protrudes toward a side of the key body; a lower support protrusion disposed near the center or the lower end of the side surface, protruding toward the side of the key body and facing the upper convex portion; A key for a keyboard device, wherein the wood board is clamped between the upper convex portion and the lower support protrusion.

2. The key body is A front convex portion extending along a front end of the side surface and protruding toward a side of the key body; a rear support protrusion disposed near the center or rear end of the side surface, protruding toward the side of the key body and facing the front convex portion; 2. The key of the keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the wood board is sandwiched between the front convex portion and the rear support protrusion.

3. 3. The key for a keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the key body includes a plurality of the lower support protrusions.

4. the upper convex portion is inclined toward the lower end side of the side surface so that a surface facing the lower support protrusion protrudes downward toward a tip side, 3. A key for a keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the lower support protrusion facing the upper convex portion is inclined toward the upper end side of the side surface so as to protrude upward as it approaches the tip side.

5. the front convex portion is inclined toward the rear end side of the side surface so that a surface facing the rear support protrusion protrudes rearward toward a tip side, 3. A key for a keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein the surface of the rear support protrusion facing the front convex portion is inclined toward the front end side of the side surface so as to protrude forward as it approaches the tip side.

6. The key body is configured for use with a white key, and has a wide portion extending a predetermined length in the front-rear direction and adjacent only to the white key, and a narrow portion extending a predetermined length in the front-rear direction and adjacent to the black key, 2. The key of the keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein a groove for receiving a front end of the wooden board is formed at a corner portion formed at the boundary between the wide portion and the narrow portion.

7. 7. The key of a keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the wooden board is made of soft wood having a specific gravity of 0.5 or less.

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