piano with drop action

Abstract

To provide a piano with a drop action that can ensure good action operation, reduce length of keys, and compact depth of the piano.SOLUTION: A piano 1 with a drop action comprises: a first key 2A that extends in the front-back direction, is rotatably supported at the rear end, and is operated by the player; a second key 2B that is located below the first key 2A, rotatably supported in the center, and is in contact with the first key 2A at the front end; an action 3 that is located behind and below the first key 2A and the second key 2B, and has a wippen 21 for driving a hammer 4 by upward rotation to strike a string; and a connecting material (wire 13) that is connected to the rear end of the second key 2B and the wippen 21, and lifts and causes the wippen 21 to rotate upward, in accordance with the rear end of the second key 2B rotating upward corresponding to pressing the first key 2A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a piano having a drop action which is an action arranged below a keyboard.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a piano having a drop action, for example, the one disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. As shown in FIG. 3, this piano 101 includes keys 102 (white keys and black keys) that extend in the front-rear direction and are rotatably supported by a balance pin 102a at the central portion, and an action 103 that is arranged behind the keys 102 and drives a hammer 104 when a key is pressed. The configuration of the action 103 is basically the same as that of an upright piano action, and the main components include a wippen 105 that is rotatable about its rear end portion, a jack 106 attached to the wippen 105, and a rotatable butt 107 that integrally has the hammer 104 and against which the jack 106 abuts from below.

[0003] The lower end portion of an extension lever 108 is rotatably connected to the front end portion of the wippen 105. The extension lever 108 extends in the vertical direction and is connected at its upper end portion to a capstan screw 111 screwed onto the upper surface of the rear end portion of the key 102 via an extension plate 109 and a fixture 110. In the above configuration, when a key 102 is pressed, it rotates about the balance pin 102a, and the rear end portion thereof moves upward, thereby lifting the front end portion of the wippen 105 via the extension lever 108. Along with this, the wippen 105 rotates upward, the jack 106 pushes up the butt 107, and the hammer 104 is rotated rearward, whereby the string S is struck by the hammer 104.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] In the conventional piano described above, the rear end of the key 102 and the wippen 105 of the action 103 are directly connected by an extension lever 108. When the key 102 is pressed, the extension lever 108 moves together with the rear end, causing the wippen 105 to rotate upward. Therefore, to ensure a rotational stroke of the wippen 105 that is approximately the same as the pressing stroke of the key 102, it becomes necessary to set the length from the balance pin 102a, which is the pivot point of the key 102, to the rear end of the key 102 to be approximately the same as the length to the front end. As a result, the overall length of the key 102 increases, and consequently, the depth (length in the front-to-back direction) of the piano 101 increases.

[0006] Furthermore, if the extension lever 108 is made of a rigid material such as metal (e.g., stainless steel or iron), its overall weight is large, which tends to result in excessive static load on the key 102, and the movement of the extension lever 108 becomes sluggish, negatively affecting the responsiveness of the string strikes and the ability to play rapid repetitions. For this reason, there is a limit to the length of the extension lever 108, making it difficult to position the action 103 extremely low relative to the key 102. In fact, in conventional pianos 101, as shown in Figure 3, the action 103 is only slightly lower than the key 102, and the hammer 104 protrudes slightly above the key 102. For this reason, it is not possible to lower the height of the lid (not shown) that covers the key 102 and hammer 104, and consequently the height of the piano 101, or flattening the lid is hindered.

[0007] This invention was made to solve these problems and aims to provide a piano with a drop action that ensures smooth operation of the action, reduces the length of the keys, and consequently makes the depth of the piano more compact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve this objective, the invention according to claim 1 is a piano having a drop action, comprising: a first key extending in the front-to-back direction, rotatably supported at its rear end, and operated by a performer; a second key positioned below the first key, rotatably supported in its center, with the first key contacting its front end; an action having a wippen positioned behind and below the first and second keys, which drives a hammer to strike the strings by rotating upward; and a connecting member connected to the rear end of the second key and the wippen, which lifts and rotates the wippen upward as the rear end of the second key rotates upward in response to the first key being pressed. The connecting member is a flexible wire stretched between the rear end of the second key and the wippen, and is screwed into the upper surface of the rear end of the second key. It further includes an adjustment screw having a shaft around which the wire is wound, and the degree of tension of the wire is adjusted by turning the adjustment screw and changing the amount of wire wound onto the shaft. It is characterized by the following.

[0009] The piano according to the present invention comprises a first key operated by the performer, a second key positioned below it, an action positioned behind and below the first and second keys, and a connecting member connected to the rear end of the second key and the wippen of the action. As the rear end of the second key rotates upward in response to the first key being pressed, the connecting member lifts and rotates the wippen upward, thereby driving the hammer and causing the string to be struck by the hammer.

[0010] In this case, given the support positions of the first and second keys and their connection to each other as described above—that is, the first key is rotatably supported at its rear end, and the second key is rotatably supported at its center, with the first key contacting its front end—it is possible to obtain a rotational stroke at the rear end of the second key that is equivalent to the stroke of the first key when it is pressed. As a result, the amount of rotation of the wippen driven by the connecting member is secured, and the hammer is sufficiently driven, thereby ensuring good operation of the action. Furthermore, because the second key is positioned below the first key, the overall length of the keyboard mechanism in the front-to-back direction can be shortened compared to the conventional case where the keys extend equally on both the front and rear sides of the pivot point, thereby making the depth of the piano more compact.

[0012] Also,A flexible wire is used as the connecting material, stretched between the rear end of the second key and the wippen. This reduces the weight of the connecting material compared to conventional extension levers, thereby reducing the static load on the first key. In addition, the wire moves more smoothly, and its ability to flex and return after striking the string improves the responsiveness of the string and the ability to play rapid repetitions.

[0014] moreover, By operating and turning the adjustment screw, which is screwed into the upper rear end of the second key, from above, the amount of wire wound onto the shaft of the adjustment screw can be changed, and the degree of tension of the wire can be adjusted, thereby easily adjusting the static load of the first key, the responsiveness of the string strike, and the ability to play rapid strokes.

[0015] Claim 2 The invention relating to this claim is 1 In a piano having the drop action described above, the action is characterized in that it is positioned below the first and second keys such that the hammers are positioned below the first key.

[0016] With this configuration, the action and the hammers above it are positioned below the first key, which allows for a lower height of the lid covering the first key and hammers, and consequently, the overall height of the piano. Furthermore, the flattening of the lid improves the aesthetic appeal of the piano. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a partially cutaway side view showing the keys, action, and hammers of a piano to which the present invention is applied in the unlocked position. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a side view showing the piano in the state when the strings are struck. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing the keys, action, and hammers of a conventional piano. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the piano 1 to which the present invention is applied includes a keyboard 2, an action 3 as a drop action, and hammers 4, etc. In the following description, the front side of the piano 1 as seen from the performer's side will be referred to as the "front" and the back side as the "rear".

[0019] The keyboard 2 has a number of first keys 2A (white keys and black keys, only one of each shown) arranged in the left-right direction of the piano 1, and a number of second keys 2B (only one shown) located below the first keys 2A and arranged in the left-right direction. Each first key 2A extends in the front-back direction (left-right direction in Figure 1), and at its rear end is rotatably supported by a balance pin 6a erected on the reed 6 on the shelf board 5, and at its front end is guided by a front pin 7. An actuator pin 8 is integrally provided on the front of the lower surface of the first key 2A, extending downward through the shelf board 5.

[0020] The second key 2B is positioned between the shelf 5 and the bottom plate 9 below it. A support plate 10 is attached between the shelf 5 and the bottom plate 9, and the second key 2B is rotatably supported on the support plate 10 via a pivot point 10a at a position approximately 1 / 3 of its total length from its front end. The actuator pin 8 provided on the corresponding first key 2A abuts against the front end of the second key 2B from above, and the rear end of the second key 2B rests on a lower limit stopper 11 provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate 9 when the first key 2A is released. An adjustment screw 12 is screwed into the upper rear end of the second key 2B, and a guide hole 2c that penetrates vertically is formed immediately behind it, and the upper end of the wire 13, which will be described later, is wrapped around the shaft of the adjustment screw 12 and passed through the guide hole 2c.

[0021] Action 3 is disposed behind and below the first key 2A and the second key 2B, and has a wiper 21 provided for each first key 2A. The wiper 21 is rotatably supported at its rear end via a wiper flange 21a on a center rail 22 extending in the left-right direction. At the front end of the wiper 21, a mounting screw 23 having a ring portion 23a is screwed in, and the lower end of the wire rod 13 is engaged with and attached to this ring portion 23a.

[0022] The wire rod 13 is composed of a material having appropriate flexibility and strength, for example, using high-strength nylon as a core material and coating its surface with fibers, carbon, etc., and is stretched between the adjustment screw 12 of the second key 2B and the mounting screw 23 of the wiper 21. The degree of tension is adjusted by turning the adjustment screw 12 and changing the amount of winding of the wire rod 13 around its shaft portion.

[0023] The configuration other than the wiper 21 of the action 3 is basically the same as that of the action of an upright piano, and will be briefly described below. The action 3 has a jack 24, a bat 25, a damper lever 26, etc., and these are provided for each first key 2A.

[0024] The jack 24 is formed in an L shape from a base portion extending forward and a hammer-raising portion extending upward from the rear end portion of the base portion, and is rotatably attached to the center of the wiper 21 at the corner of both.

[0025] The bat 25 is rotatably supported on the center rail 22 via a bat flange 25a, and in the key-released state of the first key 2A, the hammer-raising portion of the jack 24 abuts from below. On the upper surface of the bat 25, a hammer shank 4a of the hammer 4 stands upright, and a hammer head 4b is provided at the upper end thereof. The hammer head 4b faces the string S stretched rearward in the key-released state of the first key 2A.

[0026] Furthermore, the damper lever 26 extends vertically and is rotatably supported at its center by the center rail 22 via a damper flange 26a, with a damper 26b provided at its upper end. When the first key 2A is released, the damper 26b presses against the string S, and a spoon 27, erected at the rear end of the wippen 21, faces the lower end of the damper lever 26 from the front.

[0027] Next, the operation of the piano 1 with the above configuration will be explained. When the first key 2A is pressed by the performer from the released position shown in Figure 1, the first key 2A rotates downward (clockwise in Figure 1) around the balance pin 6a at its rear end, and pushes down the front end of the second key 2B via the actuator pin 8. As a result, the second key 2B rotates clockwise around the pivot point 10a, similar to the first key 1A, and its rear end moves upward, lifting the wippen 21 via the wire 13. Consequently, the wippen 21 rotates upward, and the jack 24 provided on the wippen 21 pushes up the butt 25, causing the hammer 4, which is integrated with the butt 25, to rotate backward and strike the string S (state shown in Figure 2).

[0028] Furthermore, as the wippen 21 rotates, the spoon 27, which is integrated with it, moves backward and presses against the lower end of the damper lever 26. This causes the damper lever 26 to rotate clockwise, and the damper 26b moves away from the string S, thereby ensuring that sound is produced by the vibration of the string S.

[0029] As described above, according to this embodiment, a rotational stroke at the rear end of the second key 2B equivalent to the pressing stroke of the first key 2A can be obtained. As a result, the amount of rotation of the wippen 21 driven by the wire 13 can be secured, and the hammer 4 can be sufficiently driven, thereby ensuring good operation of the action 3. Furthermore, because the second key 2B is positioned below the first key 2A, the length of the entire keyboard device in the front-to-back direction can be shortened compared to the conventional case where the keys extend equally on both the front and back sides of the pivot point, thereby making the depth of the piano 1 more compact.

[0030] Furthermore, a flexible wire 13 is stretched between the rear end of the second key 2B and the wippen 21 as a connecting material. As a result, the connecting material is lighter compared to the case of a conventional extension lever, which reduces the static load on the first key 2A. In addition, the movement of the wire 13 becomes lighter, and the wire 13 bends and returns to its original shape more easily after striking the string, which improves the responsiveness of the string strike and the ability to play rapid repetitions.

[0031] Furthermore, by operating and turning the adjustment screw 12, which is screwed into the upper rear end of the second key 2B, from above, the amount of wire 13 wound around the shaft of the adjustment screw 12 can be changed, and the degree of tension of the wire 13 can be adjusted, thereby easily adjusting the static load of the first key 2A, the responsiveness of striking the strings, and the ability to play rapid notes.

[0032] Furthermore, since action 3 and the hammer 4 above it are positioned lower than the first key 2A, the height of the lid covering the first key 2A and hammer 4, and consequently the height of the piano, can be reduced, and the design of the piano 1 can be improved by making the lid flat.

[0033] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and can be implemented in various forms. For example, in the embodiment, a flexible wire 13 is used as a connecting member to connect the rear end of the second key 2B and the wippen 21, but as in the conventional case, a rigid material such as metal can also be used, which is within the scope of the present invention.

[0034] Furthermore, although it has been explained that the wire 13 uses, for example, high-strength nylon as the core material and coated with fiber or carbon on the surface, other materials may be used as long as they have appropriate flexibility and strength. In addition, in this embodiment, the actuator pin 8 for transmitting the movement of the first key 2A to the second key 2B is provided on the first key 2A side, but it may also be provided on the second key 2B side and configured to protrude upward. Furthermore, within the scope of the spirit of this invention, the details of the configuration can be appropriately changed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0035] 1. Piano 2A 1st key 2B 2nd key 3 Actions 4 Hammers 6a Balance pin (pivot point for the first key) 10a Pivot point (Pivot point for the second key) 12 Adjustment screws 13 Wire rod (connecting material) 21 Wippen

Claims

1. A first key extends in the front-to-back direction, is rotatably supported at its rear end, and is operated by the performer. A second key is positioned below the first key, is rotatably supported in its central portion, and its front end abuts against the first key, An action having a wippen positioned behind and below the first and second keys, which drives the hammer by upward rotation to strike the string, The device comprises a connecting member that is connected to the rear end of the second key and the wippen, and which lifts and rotates the wippen upward as the rear end of the second key rotates upward in response to the first key being pressed, The connecting member is a flexible wire stretched between the rear end of the second key and the wippen. The second key is further equipped with an adjustment screw that is screwed into the upper rear end surface and has a shaft around which the wire is wound, A piano having a drop action, characterized in that the degree of tension of the wire is adjusted by turning the adjustment screw to change the amount of the wire wound onto the shaft.

2. The piano having a drop action according to claim 1, characterized in that the action is positioned below the first key and the second key such that the hammer is positioned below the first key.

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