Musical instrument pedal units and electronic keyboard devices

Abstract

To bring operational feeling of a pedal of an acoustic piano closer to operational feeling of a pedal of a pedal unit.SOLUTION: A musical instrument pedal unit includes: a case; a first foot lever which is rotatably arranged relative to the case and extends in a first direction perpendicular to a rotation axis; a spring which is arranged in a compressed state between the case and the first fool lever and expands and contracts as the first foot lever rotates; a first support member for supporting a first end of the spring; and a second support member for supporting a second end of the spring. When the first foot lever moves in a direction in which the spring contracts from a state in which the spring extends the most in a rotational range of the first foot lever, a first angle becomes smaller.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pedal unit. Background Art

[0002] A pedal unit used in an electronic musical instrument detects a depressed state (end position) where the pedal is pressed down and a non-depressed state (rest position) where the pedal is not pressed down, and transmits the detection result to a sound source device, thereby controlling an audio signal generated in the sound source device. Various techniques have been applied to such pedal units to achieve the operational feel of pedals of acoustic pianos. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique that provides hysteresis to the reaction force against depression of the pedal. According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, frictional force is generated when the pedal rotates. The frictional force is applied in a direction opposite to the movement of the pedal, while the elastic force that urges the pedal to return to the rest position is applied in a constant direction. This realizes a hysteresis characteristic of the reaction force. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-205495 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The hysteresis characteristics of the reaction force generated in the pedals of an acoustic piano are complex, making their realization quite difficult. The aforementioned technologies achieve hysteresis characteristics by either maintaining a constant frictional force regardless of the pedal's position, or by gradually changing the magnitude of the frictional force. However, simply controlling the frictional force gradually is insufficient to achieve a feel equivalent to that of an acoustic piano pedal. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a pedal unit that can closely approximate the feel of an acoustic piano pedal.

[0005] One of the objectives of this invention is to make the feel of operating the pedal unit's pedals closer to the feel of operating the pedals of an acoustic piano. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one embodiment, the pedal unit includes a first foot lever, an axis that serves as the pivot point of the first foot lever, and a bearing paired with the axis. The axis or the bearing includes a first member positioned on at least a portion of the surfaces that contact each other, and a second member formed of a different material from the first member and supporting the first member from the opposite side of the surface. When the first foot lever is viewed perpendicular to the axis, the surface is contained within the inner region of the width of the first foot lever. The first member and the second member are fixed with respect to the direction in which the axis and the bearing slide.

[0007] When a force is applied to the first foot lever to rotate it, the force between the shaft and the bearing may increase.

[0008] A second foot lever may be further included. The first distance from the pivot center of the first foot lever to the position where the shaft and the bearing make contact may be different from the second distance from the pivot center of the second foot lever to the position where the shaft and the bearing make contact.

[0009] A third foot lever may be further included. When the first foot lever is viewed from the side that descends when the first foot lever is rotated, the first foot lever, the second foot lever, and the third foot lever may be arranged in order from right to left. The third distance from the pivot point of the third foot lever to the position where the shaft and the bearing make contact may be greater than either the first distance or the second distance.

[0010] The shaft and the bearing may be in contact in at least the first and second regions. The first region may be positioned separately from the second region. There may be a portion between the first and second regions where the shaft and the bearing are separated.

[0011] A first position is defined between the first region and the second region, and is separated from both the first region and the second region; a second position is defined between the first position and the first region; and a third position is defined between the first position and the second region. In this case, the first separation distance from the shaft to the bearing at the first position may be shorter than the second separation distance from the shaft to the bearing at the second position and the third separation distance from the shaft to the bearing at the third position.

[0012] When the first foot lever is viewed perpendicular to the shaft, the shaft may have a portion that interlocks with the first foot lever in the outer region of the width of the first foot lever. The bearing may include a third member that slides with the shaft in the outer region when the first foot lever rotates.

[0013] Furthermore, the pedal unit in one embodiment includes a first foot lever, an axis that serves as the pivot point of the first foot lever, and a bearing paired with the axis. When the first foot lever is viewed perpendicular to the axis, the axis has a portion that interlocks in an outer region of the width of the first foot lever. The bearing includes a third member that slides with the axis in the outer region when the first foot lever rotates.

[0014] Furthermore, the pedal unit in one embodiment includes a first foot lever, an axis that serves as the pivot point of the first foot lever, and a bearing paired with the axis. The first distance from the pivot point to the position where the axis and the bearing make contact is 4 mm or more.

[0015] The bearing may include a first bearing and a second bearing. The shaft may be sandwiched between the first bearing and the second bearing while the first bearing and the second bearing are subjected to a force moving toward each other.

[0016] The shaft may be in contact with the first bearing in at least a first region and a second region. The first region may be positioned away from the second region. There may be a portion between the first region and the second region in which the shaft and the first bearing are separated. The shaft may be in contact with the second bearing in at least a third region and a fourth region. The third region may be positioned away from the fourth region. There may be a portion between the third region and the fourth region in which the shaft and the second bearing are separated.

[0017] Furthermore, the pedal unit in one embodiment includes a case, a first foot lever rotatably positioned relative to the case and extending in a first direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, a spring positioned in a compressed state between the case and the first foot lever and expanding and contracting with the rotation of the first foot lever, a first support member supporting the first end of the spring, and a second support member supporting the second end of the spring. A first cross section including the radial direction of the spring at the position supported by the first support member is defined. A first center position corresponding to the center of the spring in the first cross section is defined. A first axial direction perpendicular to the first cross section and directed inward from the first center position towards the spring is defined. A second cross section including the radial direction of the spring at the position supported by the second support member is defined. A second center position corresponding to the center of the spring in the second cross section is defined. A center line connecting the first center position and the second center position is defined. The angle between the first axial direction and the center line is defined as a first angle. When the first foot lever moves in the direction of compressing the spring from the state in which the spring is most extended within the rotational range of the first foot lever, the first angle decreases.

[0018] The first angle may decrease as the first foot lever moves in the direction that compresses the spring over the entire range of rotation of the first foot lever.

[0019] The first angle may be 0 degrees at any position within the rotational range of the first foot lever. The first angle may be 10 degrees or less when the spring is most compressed within the rotational range of the first foot lever.

[0020] The angle between the line connecting the pivot axis and the first center position and the first axis direction may be less than 90 degrees.

[0021] A second axial direction perpendicular to said second cross-section and directed from said second center position toward the inside of said spring is defined. An angle formed by said second axial direction and said center line is defined as a second angle. In a state where said spring is stretched the most within the rotation range of said first foot lever, said first angle may be larger than said second angle.

[0022] Said second angle may be 0 degrees at any position within the rotation range of said first foot lever. In a state where said spring is compressed the most within the rotation range of said first foot lever, said second angle may be 10 degrees or less.

[0023] Said first angle may be 0 degrees at a first position within the rotation range of said first foot lever. Said second angle may be 0 degrees at a second position different from said first position within the rotation range of said first foot lever.

[0024] Both said first angle and said second angle may be larger than 0 degrees throughout the entire rotation range of said first foot lever.

[0025] An angle formed by a line connecting said rotation shaft and said second center position and said second axial direction may be less than 90 degrees.

[0026] Also, in one embodiment, the pedal unit comprises: a case; a first foot lever that is rotatably disposed relative to the case and extends in a first direction perpendicular to a rotation axis; a spring that is disposed in a compressed state between the case and the first foot lever, and expands and contracts as the first foot lever rotates; a first support member that supports a first end portion of the spring; and a second support member that supports a second end portion of the spring. The spring includes a first winding end located on the first end portion side, and a second winding end located on the second end portion side. A side surface of the first winding end is in contact with a side surface of a first portion of the windings constituting the spring. A side surface of the second winding end is in contact with a side surface of a second portion of the windings. The first support member has a portion that contacts the winding at any position between the first winding end and the first portion from an inner circumferential side or an outer circumferential side of the spring, and is spaced apart from the winding of the first portion. The second support member has a portion that contacts the winding at any position between the second winding end and the second portion from an inner circumferential side or an outer circumferential side of the spring, and is spaced apart from the winding of the second portion.

[0027] Also, in one embodiment, the pedal unit comprises: a case; a first foot lever that is rotatably disposed relative to the case and extends in a first direction perpendicular to a rotation axis; a spring that is disposed in a compressed state between the case and the first foot lever, and expands and contracts as the first foot lever rotates; a first support member that supports a first end portion of the spring; and a second support member that supports a second end portion of the spring. The spring includes a first winding end located on the first end portion side, and a second winding end located on the second end portion side. A side surface of the first winding end is in contact with a side surface of a first portion of the windings constituting the spring. A side surface of the second winding end is in contact with a side surface of a second portion of the windings. The first support member has a portion that contacts the first portion from an inner side or an outer side of the spring in at least a part of a rotation range of the first foot lever. The second support member has a portion that contacts the second portion from an inner side or an outer side of the spring in at least a part of a rotation range of the first foot lever.

[0028] Furthermore, an electronic keyboard device in one embodiment includes the pedal unit described above, a keyboard section having a plurality of keys, and a sound source section that generates sound signals in response to operations on the keys and operations on the first foot lever in the pedal unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] According to the present invention, the feel of operating the pedal unit can be made closer to the feel of operating the pedal of an acoustic piano. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This figure shows the external appearance of an electronic keyboard device in one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic keyboard device in one embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the positional relationship between the foot lever and the axis. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the pedal unit when the foot lever is rotated to just before the half-pedal position. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the pedal unit when the foot lever has been rotated to its end position. [Figure 7] This figure shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the third embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the fifth embodiment. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the relationship between the shaft and the bearing in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the relationship between the shaft and the bearing in the seventh embodiment. [Figure 13]This figure shows the relationship between the shaft and the bearing in the eighth embodiment. [Figure 14] This figure shows the configuration of the contact portion in the ninth embodiment. [Figure 15] This figure shows the cross-sectional configuration of the contact portion in the ninth embodiment. [Figure 16] This figure shows the shaft and bearing in the tenth embodiment. [Figure 17] This figure shows the cross-sectional configuration of the shaft and bearing in the tenth embodiment. [Figure 18] This figure shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the 11th embodiment. [Figure 19] This figure shows the movement of the pedal unit when inserting the shaft in the 11th embodiment. [Figure 20] This figure shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in the 12th embodiment. [Figure 21] This figure shows the shape (end position) of the spring in the 12th embodiment. [Figure 22] This figure shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in the 13th embodiment. [Figure 23] This figure shows the shape (end position) of the spring in the 13th embodiment. [Figure 24] This figure shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 25] This figure shows the shape (end position) of the spring in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 26] This figure shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in Comparative Example 2. [Figure 27] This figure shows the shape (end position) of the spring in Comparative Example 2. [Figure 28] This figure shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 14th embodiment. [Figure 29] This figure shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in Comparative Example 3. [Figure 30] This figure shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 15th embodiment. [Figure 31]This figure shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in Comparative Example 4. [Figure 32] This figure shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 16th embodiment. [Figure 33] This figure shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 17th embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown below are examples, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the drawings referenced in this embodiment, the same parts or parts having similar functions are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals (simply a number followed by A, B, etc.), and repeated descriptions may be omitted. In order to clarify the explanation, the drawings may be schematic in which dimensional ratios differ from actual ratios, or some parts of the configuration may be omitted from the drawings.

[0032] <First Embodiment> [1.Electronic keyboard device] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of an electronic keyboard device in one embodiment. The electronic keyboard device 1 includes a pedal unit 10, a keyboard body 91, a support plate 93 that supports the keyboard body 91 at a predetermined height, and a support column 95 for suspending and supporting the pedal unit 10 from the keyboard body 91. The pedal unit 10 may be separated from the keyboard body 91. In this case, the structure may be such that the pedal unit 10 and the support column 95 are separated, or the structure may be such that the support column 95 and the keyboard body 91 are separated.

[0033] The keyboard body 91 includes an operating section 83, a display section 85, and a keyboard section 88 consisting of multiple keys. The pedal unit 10 includes a case 190 and at least one foot lever 100 protruding from the case 190. In this example, the pedal unit 10 includes three foot levers 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 (first, second, and third foot levers). Functionally, foot lever 100-1 corresponds to the damper pedal, foot lever 100-2 to the sostenuto pedal, and foot lever 100-3 to the shift pedal. In the following description, the three foot levers 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 are referred to as foot lever 100 unless they are described separately. Foot lever 100 can also be called a pedal arm.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the forward direction F, depth direction D, upward direction U, downward direction B, left direction L, and right direction R are defined relative to the user (performer) playing the electronic keyboard device 1. In other words, the forward direction F and depth direction D are aligned with the longitudinal direction of the keys. The longitudinal direction of the keys is sometimes called the front-to-back direction. The left direction L and right direction R are aligned with the direction of the arrangement of the keys. The direction of the arrangement of the keys is sometimes called the left-to-right direction. The right direction R corresponds to the higher note side of the keys. The plane that includes the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction is sometimes called the horizontal plane. The upward direction U and downward direction B are aligned with the vertical direction. The vertical direction is sometimes called the up-and-down direction. Height is treated as being relative to the horizontal plane. For example, when the first configuration is said to be in a higher position than the second configuration, this includes not only when the first configuration is in the area of ​​the second configuration in the upward direction U (the area directly above the second configuration), but also when it is in an area shifted from that area in the left-to-right or front-to-back direction. The same definition is followed in the following explanation of the figures.

[0035] In one embodiment of the pedal unit 10, by employing a different internal structure from conventional structures, the feel of operating the pedal can be made closer to that of operating the pedal of an acoustic piano. The following describes each component of the electronic keyboard device 1, and in particular, the pedal unit 10 will be described in detail.

[0036] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic keyboard device in one embodiment. The electronic keyboard device 1 includes a pedal unit 10, a control unit 81, a storage unit 82, an operation unit 83, a sound source unit 84, a display unit 85, a speaker 86, a keyboard unit 88, and a key press detection unit 89.

[0037] The key press detection unit 89 detects a key press operation on one of the keys included in the keyboard unit 88 and outputs a key signal KV to the control unit 81 according to the detection result. The key signal KV includes information corresponding to the key being operated and the amount of operation of that key. The pedal unit 10 detects a foot lever 100 being pressed and outputs a pedal signal PV to the control unit 81 according to the detection result. The pedal signal PV includes information corresponding to the pedal being operated and the amount of operation of that pedal.

[0038] The operation unit 83 includes operating devices such as knobs, sliders, touch sensors, and buttons, and receives instructions from the user to the electronic keyboard device 1. The operation unit 83 outputs an operation signal CS to the control unit 81 in accordance with the user's instructions received.

[0039] The memory unit 82 is a storage device such as a non-volatile memory, and includes an area for storing a control program executed by the control unit 81. The control program may be provided by an external device. When the control program is executed by the control unit 81, various functions are realized in the electronic keyboard device 1.

[0040] The control unit 81 is an example of a computer that includes an arithmetic processing circuit such as a CPU and a memory device such as RAM and ROM. The control unit 81 executes a control program stored in the memory unit 82 using the CPU and realizes various functions in the electronic keyboard device 1 according to the instructions written in the control program. For example, the control unit 81 generates a sound source control signal Ct based on a key signal KV, a pedal signal PV, and an operation signal CS.

[0041] The sound source unit 84 includes a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The sound source unit 84 generates sound signals based on the sound source control signal Ct supplied from the control unit 81. In other words, the sound source unit 84 generates sound signals in response to the operation of the keys on the keyboard unit 88 and the operation of the foot lever 100 on the pedal unit 10. The sound source unit 84 may supply the generated sound signals to the speaker 86. The speaker 86 generates sound corresponding to the sound signals by amplifying and outputting the sound signals supplied from the sound source unit 84. The display unit 85 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display and displays various screens under the control of the control unit 81. A touch panel may be configured by combining the display unit 85 with a touch sensor.

[0042] [2. Pedal Unit Configuration] Next, we will explain the configuration of the pedal unit 10. In the following explanation, we will focus on one foot lever 100.

[0043] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the first embodiment. Figure 3 shows the foot lever 100 in the unpressed state, i.e., the foot lever 100 in the rest position. The pedal unit 10 includes the foot lever 100 and a case 190 that houses a portion of the foot lever 100. In this example, the pedal unit 10 includes an auxiliary device 195 on the underside of the bottom 190b to help fix the position of the case 190 relative to the floor.

[0044] Case 190 is formed of, for example, FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic), but may be formed of other resins such as PBT resin, ABS resin, POM resin, PPS resin, PEEK resin, etc., or may be formed of metal. Case 190 includes a bottom portion 190b, a top portion 190u, and side portions. The side portions are walls connecting the bottom portion 190b and the top portion 190u. The top portion 190u and the bottom portion 190b are configured to be separable and are fixed to each other via the side portions by screws or the like. In this example, the side portions and the top portion 190u are formed integrally, but the side portions and the bottom portion 190b may be formed integrally. In Figure 3, the front portion 190f and the rear portion 190r of the side portion are shown. The portions of the side portion located in the left direction L and the right direction R are not shown. There is an opening between the front portion 190f and the bottom portion 190b. The foot lever 100 is positioned such that a portion of it is inside the case 190 and the remaining portion is outside the case 190. The foot lever 100 is rotatably positioned relative to the case 190 by a shaft 115 and a bearing 120, which are described below. The pivot point C is located inside the case 190. The opening is of a size that does not obstruct the rotational range of the foot lever 100.

[0045] The foot lever 100 is made of metal and has an elongated length in the front-to-back direction. In the following description, the region of the foot lever 100 in the depth direction D with respect to the pivot center C is referred to as the first region 100r, and the region in the front direction F with respect to the pivot center C and outside the case 190 is referred to as the second region 100f. The surface of the foot lever 100 in the upward direction U is referred to as the upper surface 100s1, and the surface in the downward direction B is referred to as the lower surface 100s2. The upper surface 100s1 and the lower surface 100s2 do not include the portion of the foot lever 100 that is bent downward in the downward direction B at the tip of the second region 100f.

[0046] In this example, when the foot lever 100 is in the rest position, the upper surface 100s1 includes the horizontal plane. The upper surface 100s1 does not have to include the horizontal plane if the second region 100f is tilted to be higher or lower relative to the first region 100r. For example, the upper surface 100s1 may include a substantially horizontal plane. In this example, a substantially horizontal plane is a concept that includes an inclination of up to 5 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane. If the upper surface 100s1 does not include the horizontal plane when the foot lever 100 is in the rest position, the upper surface 100s1 may include the horizontal plane in the rotation range, or the upper surface 100s1 may not include the horizontal plane at any position in the rotation range.

[0047] The area located approximately in the center of the longitudinal direction of the foot lever 100 (hereinafter referred to as the central area 100c) has a shaft support portion 111 connected to its lower surface 100s2. A shaft 115 is connected to the tip of the shaft support portion 111. In other words, the shaft support portion 111 connects the shaft 115 to the foot lever 100 and supports the shaft 115 relative to the foot lever 100.

[0048] The shaft 115 forms a pivot axis extending along the left-right direction and has an arc shape at the edge of the cross-section perpendicular to the pivot axis. This arc shape corresponds to a part of a circle centered at the pivot center C. The shaft 115 is made of a different resin than the case 190. The shaft 115 is made of, for example, POM resin, but may be made of other resins such as PBT resin, ABS resin, nylon resin, PTFE resin, UHPE resin, PEEK resin, etc. The bearing 120 paired with the shaft 115 includes a contact portion 125 (first member) and a bearing support portion 192. The contact portion 125 is on which the shaft 115 is placed and contacts the portion of the shaft 115 corresponding to the arc shape. The surface on which the contact portion 125 and the shaft 115 contact is called the contact surface. Therefore, when the foot lever 100 rotates, the shaft 115 and the contact portion 125 slide against each other. The bearing support portion 192 supports the contact portion 125 from the side opposite to the contact surface. In this example, the bearing support portion 192 (second member) corresponds to a part of the case 190, but it may be formed from a different member from the case 190. Therefore, the contact portion 125 is sandwiched between the shaft 115 and the bearing support portion 192. The bearing support portion 192 can also be called the surface that supports the contact portion 125 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the support surface). In this case, the contact surface and the support surface face each other in at least a part.

[0049] In this example, the contact surface and the support surface are similar in that they differ only in their distance from the pivot center C, but they do not necessarily have to be. The contact surface has a shape in which the distance from the pivot center C is equal at all positions. This distance may be referred to as the radius of curvature DD in the following description, and it corresponds to the radius of the shaft 115. The radius of curvature DD can be set as appropriate, but it is preferably 3.5 mm or more, and more preferably 4.0 mm or more. On the other hand, the support surface may have a shape in which the distance from the pivot center C differs depending on the position, as long as the contact portion 125 is supported by the bearing support portion 192. The positional relationship between the bearing support portion 192 and the contact portion 125 is fixed, but it is sufficient that it is fixed at least in the direction in which they slide against each other. That is, when the shaft 115 rotates relative to the bearing 120, the contact portion 125 should be fixed so that it does not rotate relative to the bearing support portion 192.

[0050] The contact portion 125 is made of a different resin than the shaft 115 and the bearing support portion 192 (case 190). The contact portion 125 is made of, for example, PBT resin, but may be made of other resins such as POM resin, ABS resin, nylon resin, PTFE resin, UHPE resin, PEEK resin, etc. The relationship between the resin material of the contact portion 125 and the resin material of the shaft 115 is determined so that a desired frictional force is obtained between the contact portion 125 and the shaft 115 and wear is minimized.

[0051] Figure 4 shows the positional relationship between the foot lever and the shaft. Figure 4 corresponds to the view of the foot lever 100 in a direction perpendicular to the pivot center C (rotation axis) (downward in this case, B). According to this figure, the width WP of the part of the foot lever 100 located directly above the rotation axis is wider than the width WX of the area (contact surface) where the shaft 115 and the contact part 125 are in contact. These widths are the lengths in the left-right direction (length along the rotation axis). By positioning the shaft 115 inside the foot lever 100 in this way, the shaft 115 is not visible when the foot lever 100 is viewed from the top surface 100s1 side. In this example, the pivot center C is located inside the case 190.

[0052] In this example, as shown in Figure 4, at least a portion of the contact surface overlaps with the second region 100f (the region shown by the mesh). Such an overlapping region is not required. The pivot center C may be located outside the case 190, but it is preferable that it be located inside the case 190.

[0053] Returning to Figure 3, let's continue the explanation. Inside the case 190, the elastic member 155, the reaction force adding member 165, the stroke sensor 171, the contact sensor 173, the lower stopper 181, and the upper stopper 183 are arranged.

[0054] In this example, the elastic member 155 is a metal spring, but it does not have to be made of metal, nor does it have to be in the shape of a spring. In other words, the elastic member 155 can be any member that generates an elastic force through elastic deformation. The elastic member 155 is positioned in the upper space US of the case 190, which is located higher than the first region 100r. The upper end of the elastic member 155 is supported by a support member 153 fixed to the ceiling portion 190u. The lower end of the elastic member 155 is supported by a support member 151 fixed to the upper surface 100s1 of the first region 100r. The axial direction of the spring forming the elastic member 155 preferably coincides with the rotation direction (circumferential direction) of the portion in contact with the first region 100r at any position within the rotation range of the foot lever 100 (for example, the end position, the rest position, or the position where the reaction force adding member 165 and the foot lever 100 come into contact (see Figure 5)).

[0055] The elastic member 155 is supported by support members 151 and 153 in a compressed state compared to its natural length, and applies a force to the first region 100r to hold the foot lever 100 in the rest position. The force applied to the first region 100r includes a downward component B. The elastic member 155, by its elastic force, presses the first region 100r against the lower stopper 181 and also presses the shaft 115 against the contact portion 125. The second region 100f, which is operated by the user, is a region relatively close to the pivot center C. Due to the lever ratio, a large reaction force can be applied to the second region 100f even if the elastic force of the elastic member 155 is reduced. Therefore, the strength of the case 190 required to support the elastic member 155 does not need to be reduced, and the degree of freedom in the material and shape of the case 190 is improved.

[0056] The lower stopper 181 is positioned at the bottom 190b and contacts the lower surface 100s2 of the first region 100r of the foot lever 100. The lower stopper 181 contacts the portion of the first region 100r that is located in the depth direction D beyond the elastic member 155 (in this example, the end of the foot lever 100 on the first region 100r side). In other words, the portion of the foot lever 100 to which force is applied by the elastic member 155 is located between the shaft 115 and the lower stopper 181. In this state, the rest position of the foot lever 100 is defined. The further the lower stopper 181 is from the pivot center C, the higher the positioning accuracy can be. Due to this positional relationship, the elastic member 155 applies force to the first region 100r, thereby stably supporting the foot lever 100 in the pedal unit 10.

[0057] The upper stopper 183 is positioned on the ceiling portion 190u and contacts the upper surface 100s1 of the first region 100r of the foot lever 100. In this example, the upper stopper 183 contacts the end of the foot lever 100 on the first region 100r side. In this state, the end position of the foot lever 100 is defined (corresponding to Figure 6). The further the position of the upper stopper 183 is from the pivot center C, the higher the positioning accuracy can be. In this way, the foot lever 100 can rotate between the rest position and the end position (i.e., within the rotation range).

[0058] The stroke sensor 171 is located in the ceiling portion 190u and is a sensor for detecting the behavior of the foot lever 100 (e.g., rotational movement). In this example, the stroke sensor 171 includes an optical sensor for measuring the position of the first region 100r (displacement from a reference position). The optical sensor in the stroke sensor 171 is a passive element that changes its electrical signal as the position of the object to be detected changes. In this example, the optical sensor, which is a passive element, is located above the first region 100r U, but it may be positioned offset to the left or right of the first region 100r. That is, the optical sensor may be located at a position higher than the first region 100r rather than directly above it. In other words, the optical sensor may be located in the upper space US. The stroke sensor 171 may be a sensor that detects the position of the foot lever 100 in a first region 100r within the rotation range, where the position of the foot lever 100 corresponds to the rest position and the end position, or it may be a sensor that detects the position of the first region 100r in a predetermined range near the position where the first region 100r contacts the reaction force adding member 165. The amount of rotation of the foot lever 100 (the amount the foot lever 100 is pressed) can be calculated from the detection result of the stroke sensor 171. Information corresponding to the calculated amount of rotation is included in the pedal signal PV described above.

[0059] The contact sensor 173 is positioned in the ceiling portion 190u and detects contact at a predetermined detection position. In this example, the reaction force adding member 165 is a dome-shaped member formed of an elastic material such as rubber, forming a space inside. The reaction force adding member 165 includes a protrusion 161 that protrudes toward the internal space. The reaction force adding member 165 is positioned in the upper space US to cover the detection position of the contact sensor 173 from below. The reaction force adding member 165 deforms when subjected to force from below. When this deformation causes the protrusion 161 to contact the detection position of the contact sensor 173, the contact sensor 173 outputs a predetermined detection signal. This detection signal is also included in the pedal signal PV. The reaction force adding member 165 may have a spring shape similar to the elastic material 155, and any configuration that allows for elastic deformation is acceptable. Detection by the contact sensor 173 may occur during the process of the reaction force adding member 165 undergoing elastic deformation.

[0060] [3. Operation of the pedal unit] Next, the movement of the foot lever 100 from the rest position to the end position will be described. When the foot lever 100 is pressed down and rotated, the second region 100f, which is the pressed-down portion, descends, and the first region 100r rises. At this time, the elastic member 155 is gradually compressed, increasing its elastic force, and as a result, the force (reaction force) required to lower the second region 100f increases. At this time, frictional force is generated as the shaft 115 and the contact portion 125 slide against each other. This frictional force and elastic force are perceived by the user as the reaction force when the foot lever 100 is pressed down.

[0061] As the user increases the force with which they press the foot lever 100 to counteract the increasing reaction force, the elastic member 155 acts as a fulcrum, increasing the force (normal force) applied from the shaft 115 to the contact portion 125. As a result, the frictional force between the shaft 115 and the contact portion 125 also increases, further increasing the reaction force.

[0062] Figure 5 shows the pedal unit when the foot lever is rotated to just before the half-pedal position. When the foot lever 100 is pressed further and rotated, the first region 100r comes into contact with the reaction force adding member 165, as shown in Figure 5, while it is moving from the rest position to the end position. At this time, it is preferable that the upper surface 100s1 of the first region 100r and the reaction force adding member 165 come into contact over a surface.

[0063] As the second region 100f descends further from this state, the reaction force adding member 165 begins to deform due to the first region 100r. As a result, the degree of increase in reaction force increases due to the elastic force of the reaction force adding member 165 in addition to the elastic force of the elastic member 155. By perceiving this change in reaction force, the user can perceive that they are approaching the half-pedal state by pressing the foot lever 100 further. As the second region 100f descends further, the contact sensor 173 detects that the protrusion 161 has come into contact with the detection position. For example, a pedal signal PV including the detection signal obtained in response to this detection is transmitted to the control unit 81, and the sound source unit 84 can be controlled to give the sound signal the effect of half-pedaling.

[0064] Figure 6 shows the pedal unit when the foot lever has been rotated to the end position. As the second region 100f descends further from the half-pedal state, the deformation of the reaction force adding member 165 increases further, and the protruding portion 161 also begins to deform. As shown in Figure 6, the foot lever 100 reaches the end position when the first region 100r comes into contact with the upper stopper 183.

[0065] As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the central region 100c of the foot lever 100 is near the pivot center C, so even when the foot lever 100 rotates, the size of the separation portion SP between the central region 100c and the front portion 190f does not change much. Therefore, the separation portion SP can be made smaller, which prevents fingers from getting caught and makes the internal structure of the case 190 less visible from the outside. It is more effective to make the thickness (length in the front-to-back direction) of the front portion 190f thinner than the distance (radius of curvature DD) from the pivot center C to the contact surface.

[0066] As shown in Figure 3, at the rest position, the upper surface 100s1 of the foot lever 100 (at least the upper tip portion 100fe in the forward direction F on the upper surface 100s1) is located higher than the horizontal plane containing the pivot center C (hereinafter referred to as the axial horizontal plane CF). On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6, at the end position, at least a portion of the upper surface 100s1 of the foot lever 100 is located lower than the axial horizontal plane CF. In this example, the upper tip portion 100fe of the upper surface 100s1 of the second region 100f is located lower than the axial horizontal plane CF.

[0067] In one embodiment, the distance from the pivot center C to the upper tip portion 100fe of the foot lever 100 is shortened. The shorter this distance, the greater the amount of forward and backward movement of the upper tip portion 100fe when the foot lever 100 is pressed down. By setting the positional relationship between the upper tip portion 100fe and the axial horizontal plane CF as described above, the amount of forward and backward movement of the upper tip portion 100fe due to the rotation of the foot lever 100 can be reduced. The positional relationship between the upper tip portion 100fe and the axial horizontal plane CF is not limited to this example. For example, the upper tip portion 100fe may be located lower than the axial horizontal plane CF at the rest position, or higher than the axial horizontal plane CF at the end position.

[0068] The pedal unit 10 used in the electronic keyboard device 1 has a first region 100r and a second region 100f arranged on either side of a pivot center C, and the rotation of the foot lever 100 is achieved by a seesaw-type rotation. In this way, the upper space US on the upper surface 100s1 side of the first region 100r can be increased, while the lower space LS on the lower surface 100s2 side of the first region 100r can be reduced. The pedal unit 10 is positioned close to the mounting surface of the electronic keyboard device 1. Therefore, by minimizing the area below the foot lever 100 (lower space LS), the degree of design freedom is increased.

[0069] When the user operates the foot lever 100 to its end position, as described above, the elastic member 155 acts as a fulcrum, increasing the force (normal force) applied from the shaft 115 to the contact portion 125. As a result, the frictional force between the shaft 115 and the contact portion 125 also increases, further increasing the reaction force. At this time, the sum of the elastic force from the elastic member 155 and the frictional force is perceived by the user as a reaction force. The greater the amount the foot lever 100 is pressed, the greater the frictional force. Therefore, the greater the amount the foot lever 100 is pressed, the greater the reaction force perceived by the user.

[0070] On the other hand, when the user operates the foot lever 100 to return it to the rest position, a frictional force is generated in the opposite direction to the elastic force. Therefore, when returning the foot lever 100 to the rest position, the reaction force perceived by the user is smaller compared to when pressing it down to the end position. As mentioned above, the frictional force is greater the closer the foot lever 100 is to the end position. Therefore, when switching between pressing it down to the end position and returning it to the rest position, the hysteresis characteristics have the characteristic that the reaction force changes more significantly due to the change in the direction of the frictional force as the switch is made at a position where the influence of the frictional force is greater (a position closer to the end position). For example, when returning the foot lever 100 to the rest position after pressing it down from the rest position, the decrease in reaction force is greater when the position is beyond the half-pedal state than when it is before reaching the half-pedal state. In this way, according to the pedal unit 10 in one embodiment, the frictional force changes depending on the rotation position of the foot lever 100, making it possible to achieve an operating feel similar to that of an acoustic piano pedal.

[0071] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the shaft 115 is fixed to the foot lever 100, and the bearing 120 is fixed to the case 190. The relationship between the shaft and the bearing may be reversed. In the second embodiment, an example of a case where the relationship between the shaft and the bearing is reversed compared to the first embodiment will be described.

[0072] Figure 7 shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the pedal unit 10A has a bearing 120A fixed to the foot lever 100A and a shaft 115A fixed to the case 190A. The shaft 115A is supported by a shaft support portion 191A that protrudes upward from the bottom portion 190bA. The bearing 120A includes a contact portion 125A and a bearing support portion 112A that supports the contact portion 125A from the opposite side of the contact surface. The bearing support portion 112A is connected to the central region 100cA. The parts of the pedal unit 10A in the second embodiment that are common with the pedal unit 10 in the first embodiment will not be described.

[0073] <Third Embodiment> The pedal unit 10 in the first embodiment includes a foot lever 100 in which the pivot center C is located between a first region 100r and a second region 100f. In other words, the foot lever 100 has a relationship in which the pivot center C is sandwiched between the part to which force is applied by the elastic member 155 (first region 100r) and the part operated by the user (second region 100f). This configuration is similar to that of a grand piano pedal. The configuration of the foot lever 100 may also be similar to that of an upright piano pedal. In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the part operated by the user and the part to which force is applied by the elastic member are arranged in a direction F in front of the pivot center C, as a configuration similar to that of an upright piano pedal.

[0074] Figure 8 shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the pedal unit 10B has a configuration in which the pivot center C is located near the end of the foot lever 100B in the depth direction D (closer to the rear portion 190rB) than the elastic member 155B. The pivot center C is formed on the upper surface 100s1 side of the foot lever 100B by a shaft 115B and a bearing 120B. The shaft 115B is supported on the upper surface 100s1 side of the foot lever 100B by a shaft support portion 111B. The bearing portion 120B includes a contact portion 125B and a bearing support portion 192B. The bearing support portion 192B is located on the ceiling portion 190uB.

[0075] The elastic member 155B is located in the lower space LS. The support member 151B is connected to the lower surface 100s2 of the foot lever 100B and supports the upper end of the elastic member 155B. The support member 153B is connected to the bottom 190bB and supports the lower end of the elastic member 155B. The elastic member 155B is supported by the support members 151B and 153B in a state of compression beyond its natural length and applies a force to the foot lever 100B to hold it in the rest position. The force applied to the foot lever 100B includes an upward component U.

[0076] The lower stopper 181B is located at the bottom 190bB and contacts the lower surface 100s2 of the foot lever 100B, thereby defining the end position of the foot lever 100B. The upper stopper 183B is located at the front 190fB and contacts the upper surface 100s1 of the foot lever 100B, thereby defining the rest position of the foot lever 100B.

[0077] The reaction force adding member 165B is located in the lower space LS. In this example, the reaction force adding member 165B is located between the lower stopper 181B and the elastic member 155B. There is no configuration corresponding to the contact sensor 173, but one may be present.

[0078] Even in this configuration, the more the foot lever 100B is pressed, the more the elastic member 155B is compressed, and the force (normal force) applied from the shaft 115B to the bearing 120B increases. Therefore, the hysteresis characteristics of the reaction force in the pedal unit 10B show a similar trend to the hysteresis characteristics of the reaction force in the first embodiment.

[0079] <Fourth Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the elastic member 155 is located in the upper space US. The location where the elastic member 155, which applies a force in the downward direction B, is located is not limited to the upper space US. In the fourth embodiment, an example in which the elastic member 155 is located in the lower space LS will be described.

[0080] Figure 9 shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the fourth embodiment. The pedal unit 10C in the fourth embodiment includes an elastic member 155C located in the lower space LS. A support member 151C is connected to the lower surface 100s2 of the first region 100r and supports the upper end of the elastic member 155C, fixing it so that the upper end of the elastic member 155C does not come off in the downward direction B. A support member 153C is connected to the bottom 190bC and supports the lower end of the elastic member 155C, fixing it so that the lower end of the elastic member 155C does not come off in the upward direction U.

[0081] The elastic member 155C is supported by support members 151C and 153C in a state stretched beyond its natural length, and applies a force to the first region 100r to hold the foot lever 100 in the rest position. The force applied to the first region 100r includes a component in the downward direction B. That is, the direction of the force acting on the first region 100r is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0082] In this example, the stroke sensor 171C is also placed in the lower space LS to measure the displacement of the lower surface 100s2 of the first region 100r. The stroke sensor 171C may also be placed in the upper space US. The case 190C has a structure that allows the elastic member 155C and the stroke sensor 171C to be placed in the lower space LS. Regarding the pedal unit 10C in the fourth embodiment, the description of the part that is common with the pedal unit 10 in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0083] <Fifth Embodiment> In the pedal unit 10 of the first embodiment, there may be a configuration that applies another force to the foot lever 100. In the fifth embodiment, an example will be described in which a configuration is in which a force is applied to the foot lever 100 in the vicinity of the pivot center C.

[0084] Figure 10 shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the fifth embodiment. The pedal unit 10D in the fifth embodiment includes a force assisting member 141D. In this example, the force assisting member 141D is an elastic member such as a metal spring, and includes an upper end supported by the front portion 190fD and a lower end supported by the central region 100c, and is positioned between the front portion 190fD and the central region 100c.

[0085] The force assisting member 141D applies force to the foot lever 100 so as to press the shaft 115 against the contact portion 125. In this example, the force applied by the force assisting member 141D to the foot lever 100 (in this example, in the axial direction of the spring) has at least a component along the radial direction with respect to the pivot center C. It is more preferable that the pivot center C is located at the position where the spring shaft is extended when the foot lever 100 is at any position within the rotation range. Any position within the rotation range here refers to, for example, the position where the foot lever 100 is at the center between the rest position and the end position.

[0086] Unlike the elastic member 155, the majority of the force exerted by the force assisting member 141D on the foot lever 100 is not a force that rotates the foot lever 100, but rather a force that presses the shaft 115 against the contact portion 125. Therefore, the force exerted by the force assisting member 141D hardly changes the force (normal force) exerted from the shaft 115 to the bearing 120 (contact portion 125) depending on the rotational position of the foot lever 100. This differs from the effect that the elastic member 155 has on this normal force. In this way, by combining the normal force that changes with the rotational position of the foot lever 100 (force caused by the elastic member 155) and the normal force that does not change with the rotational position (force caused by the force assisting member 141D), various reaction forces and hysteresis characteristics can be created. Regarding the pedal unit 10D in the fifth embodiment, the part that is common with the pedal unit 10 in the first embodiment will not be explained.

[0087] <Sixth Embodiment> Instead of the contact portion 125 being provided on the part of the bearing 120 that contacts the shaft 115, it may be provided on a part of the shaft 115 that contacts the bearing. In the sixth embodiment, an example in which the contact portion is located on a part of the shaft will be described.

[0088] Figure 11 shows the relationship between the shaft and the bearing in the sixth embodiment. In the sixth embodiment, the shaft 115E includes a contact portion 125E and a shaft support portion 112E. The contact portion 125E contacts the bearing 120E formed on the bottom portion 190bE. The contact portion 125E is not limited to covering the entire surface of the shaft support portion 112E as shown in Figure 11, but is only required to be positioned in a portion that contacts the bearing 120E. Similar to the first embodiment, the contact portion 125E may be supported by the shaft support portion 112E from the opposite side of the contact surface. The contact portion 125E is formed of a different resin from the shaft support portion 112E and the bearing 120E (bottom portion 190bE). In the same manner as in the first embodiment, the relationship between the resin material of the contact portion 125E and the resin material of the bearing 120E (bottom portion 190bE) is determined so that a desired frictional force is obtained between the contact portion 125E and the bearing 120E, and wear is reduced. The shaft support portion 112E is connected to the lower surface 100s2 of the central region 100c and supports the contact portion 125E.

[0089] The structure of the shaft 115E in the sixth embodiment and the structure of the bearing 120 in the first embodiment may be combined. That is, a configuration corresponding to a contact portion may be arranged on both the shaft and the bearing. In this case, it is preferable that the contact portion of the shaft (corresponding to contact portion 120E) and the contact portion of the bearing (corresponding to contact portion 120) are made of different resin materials.

[0090] <Seventh Embodiment> The shaft 115 may be configured to contact a portion of the contact portion 125. In the seventh embodiment, an example is described in which, when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the pivot axis, the shaft has a rectangular shape with two vertex angles, and contacts the contact portion 125 at the two vertex angle portions.

[0091] Figure 12 shows the relationship between the shaft and the bearing in the seventh embodiment. In the seventh embodiment, the shaft 115F is supported by a shaft support portion 111F connected to the lower surface 100s2 of the central region 100c. The shaft 115F has a portion having two vertex angles in a cross section perpendicular to the pivot axis. The two vertex angle portions are in contact with the contact portion 125. The foot lever 100 can rotate because the distance from the pivot center C (corresponding to the radius of curvature DD) is the same at both of the two contacting portions. The two vertex angle portions of the shaft 115F may have curved surfaces, and may form part of a circular arc with a radius of curvature DD centered on the pivot center C, or a circular arc with a radius smaller than the radius of curvature DD.

[0092] In this way, by rotating the foot lever 100 with the shaft 115F in contact with a part of the bearing 120, the normal force can be stabilized compared to the relationship between the shaft 115 and the bearing 120 in the first embodiment, and furthermore, the direction of the rotation axis can be stabilized, suppressing the movement of the upper tip portion 100fe of the foot lever 100 in the left-right direction.

[0093] <Eighth Embodiment> In the configuration in which the shaft 115 contacts a part of the contact portion 125, the bearing may have a shape other than an arc shape when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the pivot axis, contrary to the seventh embodiment. In the eighth embodiment, an example will be described in which the shape of the bearing in the shaft 115E of the sixth embodiment differs from that of the sixth embodiment.

[0094] Figure 13 shows the relationship between the shaft and the bearing in the eighth embodiment. The bearing 120G is formed at the bottom 190bG and includes a bottom surface 120G-1, a front inclined surface 120G-2, and a rear inclined surface 120G-3. The bottom surface 120G-1 forms a horizontal surface. The front inclined surface 120G-2 is a plane that is inclined in the direction F towards the front of the bottom surface 120G-1. The rear inclined surface 120G-3 is a plane that is inclined in the depth direction D of the bottom surface 120G-1. The front inclined surface 120G-2 contacts the contact portion 125E in region SA1. The rear inclined surface 120G-3 contacts the contact portion 125E in region SA2. Regions SA1 and SA2 are separated. Regions SA1 and SA2 may be worn down along the surface shape (arc shape) of the contact portion 125E. In this case, the front slope 120G-2 and the rear slope 120G-3 have depressions formed in a part of the plane that conform to the surface shape of the contact portion 125E.

[0095] In this example, the distance between the base surface 120G-1 and the contact portion 125E is determined as follows. Within the base surface 120G-1, a first position is defined between region SA1 and region SA2, a second position is defined between the first position and region SA1, and a third position is defined between the first position and region SA2. That is, the second position, the first position, and the third position are arranged in this order toward the depth direction D. In this example, the first position is the part directly below the pivot center C. As shown in Figure 13, the distance between the first position of the base surface 120G-1 and the contact portion 125E is called the first separation distance DS1. The distance between the second position of the base surface 120G-1 and the contact portion 125E is called the second separation distance DS2. The distance between the third position of the base surface 120G-1 and the contact portion 125E is called the third separation distance DS3.

[0096] According to this definition, the first separation distance DS1 is shorter than the second separation distance DS2 and the third separation distance DS3. In this relationship, when the shaft 115E moves downward B due to the reduction of regions SA1 and SA2, the lower end of the contact portion 125E contacts the bottom surface 120G-1, thereby suppressing further downward movement B. If the shaft 115E continues to move downward B, depending on the situation, the shaft 115E may become stuck against the bearing 120G, and the frictional force generated between the shaft 115E and the bearing 120G when the foot lever 100 rotates may become very large. By suppressing the downward movement B of the shaft 115E, it is possible to prevent the shaft 115E from becoming stuck against the bearing 120G.

[0097] The relationship that the first separation distance DS1 is shorter than the second separation distance DS2 and the third separation distance DS3 is not limited to the case where the base surface 120G-1 is a horizontal plane. For example, a surface protruding upward U may be formed in the portion corresponding to the first position of the base surface 120G-1.

[0098] <Ninth Embodiment> The contact portion 125 may have a configuration in which two or more different materials are exposed on the contact surface. In the ninth embodiment, an example will be described in which different materials are exposed on the contact surface of the central portion and both end portions in the left-right direction.

[0099] Figure 14 shows the configuration of the contact portion in the ninth embodiment. Figure 15 shows the configuration of the cross-section of the contact portion in the ninth embodiment. Figure 14, like Figure 4, shows the positional relationship between the shaft 115 and the bearing 120H when the foot lever 100 is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the pivot center C (rotation axis) (downward direction B in this case). Figure 15 shows a cross-section of the shaft 115 and the bearing 120H when cut along a plane that includes the rotation axis and is aligned in the vertical direction.

[0100] In this example, the contact portion 125H of the bearing 120H includes a reinforcing portion 125H-1 and a high-friction portion 125H-2. The reinforcing portion 125H-1 contacts the shaft 115 in the first contact region CA1 and the third contact region CA3. The high-friction portion 125H-2 contacts the shaft 115 in the second contact region CA2. The first contact region CA1 and the third contact region CA3 are arranged on either side of the second contact region CA2. In this example, the second contact region is located in the center in the left-right direction. The first contact region CA1 and the third contact region CA3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the second contact region CA2.

[0101] As shown in Figure 15, the high-friction portion 125H-2 is positioned to be exposed on the contact surface side (shaft 115 side) of the contact portion 125H and is supported by the reinforcing portion 125H-1 on the bearing support portion 192 side. The high-friction portion 125H-2 may also be exposed on the bearing support portion 192 side and come into contact with the bearing support portion 192. The reinforcing portion 125H-1 may be formed integrally with the case 190.

[0102] In this example, the coefficient of friction between the high-friction section 125H-2 and the shaft 115 is greater than the coefficient of friction between the reinforcing section 125H-1 and the shaft 115. By selecting the material for the high-friction section 125H-2 and setting the size of the second contact area CA2, the frictional force when the foot lever 100 rotates can be appropriately set.

[0103] In this case, if the coefficient of friction is high, the rigidity of the high-friction portion 125H-2 may be lower than that of the reinforcing portion 125H-1 depending on the material selection for the reinforcing portion 125H-1 and the high-friction portion 125H-2. Even in this case, the reinforcing portion 125H-1 supports the shaft 115 at both ends of the contact portion 125H (first contact area CA1 and third contact area CA3), so that even if the rigidity in the central portion (second contact area CA2) is low, the bearing 120H (contact portion 125H) and the shaft 115 can maintain a stable contact state.

[0104] <Tenth Embodiment> The shaft 115 and bearing 120 that generate frictional force due to the rotation of the foot lever 100 are located in the region B below the foot lever 100 (hereinafter referred to as the inner region). A portion that generates friction due to the rotation of the foot lever 100 may also be formed in the region outside that region (hereinafter referred to as the outer region). In the tenth embodiment, an example will be described in which the shaft in the inner region extends to the outer region, and frictional force can be generated in the outer region by having a configuration equivalent to a shaft and bearing therein.

[0105] Figure 16 shows the shaft and bearing in the tenth embodiment. Figure 17 shows the cross-sectional configuration of the shaft and bearing in the tenth embodiment. Figure 16, like Figure 4, shows the positional relationship between the shaft 115J and the bearing 120J when the foot lever 100 is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the pivot center C (rotation axis) (downward direction B in this case). Figure 17 shows the cross-section when the shaft 115J and the bearing 120J are cut in a plane that includes the rotation axis and is aligned in the vertical direction.

[0106] The shaft 115J includes an inner shaft portion 115J-1, an outer shaft portion 115J-2, and a connecting portion 115J-3. The inner shaft portion 115J-1 is located in the inner region. The outer shaft portion 115J-2 is located in the outer region. The connecting portion 115J-3 connects the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the outer shaft portion 115J-2. The connecting portion 115J-3 is located offset from the pivot center C, but it moves in conjunction with the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the outer shaft portion 115J-2.

[0107] The bearing 120J includes a contact portion 125J and a bearing support portion 192J. The contact portion 125J includes an inner contact portion 125J-1 and an outer contact portion 125J-2 (third member). The bearing support portion 192J includes an inner bearing support portion 192J-1 and an outer bearing support portion 194J-2. The inner contact portion 125J-1 contacts the inner shaft portion 115J-1 in its inner region and is supported by the inner bearing support portion 192J-1. The outer contact portion 125J-2 contacts the outer shaft portion 115J-2 in its outer region and is supported by the outer bearing support portion 192J-2. The inner bearing support portion 192J-1 and the outer bearing support portion 192J-2 are formed at the bottom portion 190bJ.

[0108] The arcs forming the contact surfaces between the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the inner contact portion 125J-1, and the arcs forming the contact surfaces between the outer inner shaft portion 115J-2 and the outer contact portion 125J-2, both share the same center (rotation center C). In other words, when each contact surface is viewed along the rotation axis, the two arcs corresponding to each contact surface are both parts of concentric circles with rotation center C as the common center.

[0109] When the foot lever 100 rotates, the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the inner contact portion 125J-1 slide against each other, and the outer shaft portion 115J-2 and the outer contact portion 125J-2 slide against each other. In other words, the inner shaft portion 115J-1, the outer shaft portion 115J-2, and the connecting portion 115J-3 rotate in conjunction. This generates frictional force at the contact surfaces of both. As shown in Figure 17, the distance from the rotation center C (rotation axis) to the contact surface where the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the inner contact portion 125J-1 make contact is called the radius of curvature DDa. The distance from the rotation center C (rotation axis) to the contact surface where the outer shaft portion 115J-2 and the outer contact portion 125J-2 make contact is called the radius of curvature DDb. The area in contact between the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the inner contact portion 125J-1, and the area in contact between the outer shaft portion 115J-2 and the outer contact portion 125J-2, can be set as appropriate.

[0110] In this example, the radius of curvature DDb is greater than the radius of curvature DDa, but is not limited to this. That is, the radii of curvature DDa and the radius of curvature DDb may be the same, or the radius of curvature DDb may be smaller than the radius of curvature DDa. The inner contact portion 125J-1 and the outer contact portion 125J-2 may be formed from the same material, or from different materials so as to have different coefficients of friction with respect to the shaft 115J. Similarly, for the shaft 115J, the inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the outer shaft portion 115J-2 may be formed from the same material, or from different materials. In this example, the outer shaft portion 115J-2 and the outer contact portion 125J-2 located in the outer region were positioned to the right (R) relative to the inner region, but they may also be positioned to the left (L), or in both directions.

[0111] Since the foot lever 100 is not present in the outer region, there is a high degree of freedom in the arrangement of the outer shaft portion 115J-2 and the outer contact portion 125J-2. Therefore, for example, the outer contact portion 125J-2 may be formed so as to surround the outer shaft portion 115J-2. The inner shaft portion 115J-1 and the outer shaft portion 115J-2 may be formed to be detachable. In this case, the connecting portion 115J-3 is configured to transmit at least the rotational force applied to the inner shaft portion 115J-1 to the outer shaft portion 115J-2. At this time, the bearing support portion 192J-2 that supports the outer contact portion 125J-2 may be formed to be detachable from the bottom portion 190bJ (case). In this way, a mechanism that generates frictional force in the outer region can also be attached to the foot lever 100 of the first embodiment.

[0112] <Embodiment 11> The shaft 115 is not limited to being connected to the foot lever 100 or the case 190. In the eleventh embodiment, a pedal unit 10K having a detachable shaft 115K is described.

[0113] Figure 18 shows the configuration of the pedal unit in the 11th embodiment. The pedal unit 10K in the 11th embodiment includes a first bearing 120K-1 fixed to the foot lever 100 and a second bearing 120K-2 fixed to the case 190. The first bearing 120K-1 includes a bearing support portion 112K and a contact portion 125K-1. The first bearing 120K-1 has a configuration corresponding to the bearing 120A in the second embodiment. The second bearing 120K-2 includes a bearing support portion 192K and a contact portion 125K-2. The second bearing 120K-2 has a configuration corresponding to the bearing 120 in the first embodiment.

[0114] The shaft 115K is sandwiched between the first bearing 120K-1 and the second bearing 120K-2. The first bearing 120K-1 and the second bearing 120K-2 are subjected to a force by the elastic member 155 that brings them closer together. As a result, the shaft 115K is rotatably held within the inner surface formed by the connecting portions 125K-1 and 125K-2.

[0115] The shaft 115K contacts at least two spaced-apart regions in the first bearing 120K-1 (connecting portion 125K-1) and is spaced away from the region between the two regions. The shaft 115K further contacts at least two spaced-apart regions in the second bearing 120K-2 (connecting portion 125K-2) and is spaced away from the region between the two regions. Therefore, the shape of the shaft 115K may be circular when viewed in the left-right direction, but is not limited to being circular, as shown in Figure 18. That is, it is sufficient that it has a structure that contacts two regions in each of the first bearing 120K-1 and the second bearing 120K-2 as described above.

[0116] When the foot lever 100 is pressed, the shaft 115K and the contact portion 125K-1 slide against each other, causing the foot lever 100 to rotate. At this time, since it is sufficient for the shaft 115K and the contact portion 125K-1 to slide relative to each other, the shaft 115K may or may not rotate. Therefore, the shaft 115K may or may not be fixed to the case 190. If the shaft 115K is fixed to the case 190, for example, the positional relationship between the shaft 115K and the case 190 may be fixed with respect to at least one or both of the rotational direction and the left-right direction. Even in this case, the shaft 115K is configured to be detachable from the case 190. Therefore, the pedal unit 10K can be manufactured by inserting the shaft 115K last, or the shaft 115K can be removed and replaced.

[0117] Figure 19 shows the movement of the pedal unit when inserting the shaft in the 11th embodiment. When manufacturing the pedal unit 10K by finally inserting the shaft 115K, for example, as shown in Figure 19, the gap formed between the first bearing 120K-1 and the second bearing 120K-2 is expanded by lifting the second region 100f of the foot lever 100 upward U so as to compress the elastic member 155. In this state, the shaft 115K is inserted into the gap and the foot lever 100 is returned to its original position, thereby realizing the configuration of Figure 18.

[0118] <Embodiments 12 and 13> When the elastic member 155 is a coil spring (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a spring), particularly a closed-end type coil spring, depending on the positional relationship between the support members 151, 153 and the elastic member 155, mechanical noise may be generated when the spring expands or contracts. A closed-end type coil spring has a structure in which the end of the spring winding is in contact with an adjacent winding. When the spring expands or contracts, the positional relationship between the end of the winding and the adjacent winding may shift significantly depending on how the force is received, potentially generating noise. Even if it is not a closed-end type, if a structure is created in which the end of the spring winding is in contact with an adjacent winding during the process of the spring contracting, noise may similarly be generated. The 12th and 13th embodiments will describe a configuration that reduces such noise.

[0119] Figure 20 shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in the twelfth embodiment. Figure 21 shows the shape of the spring (end position) in the twelfth embodiment. In the following description, we will focus on and explain the parts corresponding to the elastic member 155 and the support members 151 and 153.

[0120] The elastic member 155L is a coil-shaped spring with a winding connecting the first end 155La and the second end 155Lb. In Figures 20 and 21, the winding is shown in a cross-section that passes through the central axis of the spring and includes the front-rear and up-down directions. That is, the winding is connected in the order of the first end 155La, winding cross-sections 155L1, 155L2, ... 155L10, and the second end 155Lb. In this example, the elastic member 155L is a closed-end type coil spring. Therefore, the side surface of the first end 155La is in contact with the side surface of the winding cross-section 155L2 adjacent to the first end 155La. The side surface of the second end 155Lb is in contact with the side surface of the winding cross-section 155L9 adjacent to the second end 155Lb.

[0121] Support member 151L includes a base portion 151L1 and a projection portion 151L2. Support member 153L includes a base portion 153L1 and a projection portion 153L2. Base portions 151L1 and 153L1 are arranged to restrict the elongation of the elastic member 155L. Projection portion 151L2 protrudes from base portion 151L1 so as to be located in the space inside the spring. Projection portion 153L2 protrudes from base portion 153L1 so as to be located in the space inside the spring. Projections 151L2 and 153L2 restrict the lateral displacement of the spring by contacting the winding from the space inside the spring.

[0122] The first cross section SSa is defined as a plane that passes through the center of the first end 155La and the center of the winding cross section 155L1, and includes the radial direction of the spring. The first center position CCa is defined as the center in the first cross section SSa. The first axial direction SAa is defined as a direction perpendicular to the first cross section SSa and directed inward from the first center position CCa into the spring. The second cross section SSb is defined as a plane that passes through the center of the second end 155Lb and the center of the winding cross section 155L10, and includes the radial direction of the spring. The second center position CCb is defined as the center in the second cross section SSb. The second axial direction SAb is defined as a direction perpendicular to the second cross section SSb and directed inward from the second center position CCb into the spring.

[0123] The center line CL is defined as the line connecting the first center position CCa and the second center position CCb. The center line CL can also be called the central axis of the spring. The first angle DAa is defined as the angle between the center line CL and the first axis direction SAa. The second angle DAb is defined as the angle between the center line CL and the second axis direction SAb. The third angle RAa is defined as the angle between the line RLa, which connects the rotation axis (rotation center C) and the first center position CCa, and the first axis direction SAa. The fourth angle RAb is defined as the angle between the line RLb, which connects the rotation axis (rotation center C) and the second center position CCb, and the second axis direction SAb. The third angle RAa and the fourth angle RAb have constant values ​​regardless of the rotation of the foot lever 100. Line CA is the angle bisector of the angle formed by lines RLa and RLb. Figures 20 and 21 are shown with line CA as the reference. The explanations and definitions of the components in Figures 20 and 21 described above are the same for the figures described below, and explanations of components with similar reference numerals may be omitted.

[0124] The shape of the elastic member 155L changes within the rotational range of the foot lever 100, for example, between Figure 20 and Figure 21. This is because, when the foot lever 100 rotates, the positional relationship and inclination of the support members 151L and 153L change with respect to the rotation center C. As a result, situations arise where the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb are not 0 degrees. This situation indicates that the force acting on the spring includes not only the extension and contraction component of the spring but also the radial component of the spring. The radial component of the spring force is greater in the parts closer to the support members 151L and 153L.

[0125] Therefore, when the spring compresses, strong forces are generated in the radial direction of the spring in adjacent windings that are close to or in contact with each other, which can cause a sudden shift in their relative positions and generate noise. For example, the side surface of the first end 155La is in contact with the side surface of the winding section 155L2 adjacent to the first end 155La. The winding portion of winding section 155L2 is subjected to force in the direction of the arrows shown in Figures 20 and 21. If this force becomes too large, the winding portion of winding section 155L2 may detach in the direction of the force. When this detachment occurs, mechanical noise is generated.

[0126] As described above, the force Fa acting on the winding portion of winding cross section 155L2 increases as the first axial direction SAa deviates from the center line CL, that is, as the first angle DAa increases. The force Fb acting on the winding portion of winding cross section 155L9 increases as the second axial direction SAb deviates from the center line CL, that is, as the second angle DAb increases.

[0127] Therefore, the inventors have confirmed that it is preferable to satisfy the following conditions in order to suppress the occurrence of such detachment. This condition is that, in at least a portion of the rotational range of the foot lever 100, when the foot lever 100 moves in the direction in which the spring is compressed, at least one of the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb becomes smaller. The "at least a portion of the rotational range" includes the state in which the spring is most extended within the rotational range. In other words, when the foot lever 100 moves from the state in which the spring is most extended within the rotational range of the foot lever 100 in the direction in which the spring is compressed, at least one of the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb becomes smaller.

[0128] In this way, when the spring compresses, at least one of the forces Fa and Fb can be reduced.

[0129] In the range of motion of the foot lever 100, when the spring is most extended (in this example, when the foot lever 100 is in the rest position), it is preferable that the larger of the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb satisfies the above condition.

[0130] The above conditions may be met throughout the entire range of motion of the foot lever 100. In this case, at least one of the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb may be greater than 0 degrees. If the above conditions are met in part of the range of motion of the foot lever 100, the spring will compress so that at least one of the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb becomes 0 degrees at any position within the range of motion of the foot lever 100. In this case, as the spring compresses further, the magnitude of the first angle DAa or the second angle DAb that has become 0 degrees will increase again. At this time, it is preferable that the angle is 10 degrees or less even when the foot lever 100 is in the end position.

[0131] Furthermore, it is preferable that at least one of the third angle RAa and the fourth angle RAb is less than 90 degrees.

[0132] The following shows some examples of cases that satisfy the above conditions in the 12th and 13th embodiments, and comparative examples 1 and 2 show examples that do not satisfy the above conditions. Examples that satisfy the above conditions include cases that do not satisfy at least some of the conditions that are preferable to satisfy.

[0133] In the example of support members 151L, 153L and elastic member 155L shown in Figures 20 and 21, when the foot lever 100 moves from the rest position to the end position, the following situation occurs: The first angle DAa decreases in part of the rotation range of the foot lever 100, and eventually increases, but is less than 10 degrees. The second angle DAb decreases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. When the foot lever 100 is in the rest position, the second angle DAb is greater than the first angle DAa. The third angle RAa is 90 degrees or more. The fourth angle RAb is less than 90 degrees.

[0134] The positional relationship between support member 151L and support member 153L may be reversed with respect to line CA. For example, the changes in the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb may be reversed. This positional relationship can be similarly applied in the example described below.

[0135] Figure 22 shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in the 13th embodiment. Figure 23 shows the shape of the spring (end position) in the 13th embodiment. In the example of the support members 151M, 153M and elastic member 155M shown in Figures 22 and 23, when the foot lever 100 moves from the rest position to the end position, the following situation occurs: The first angle DAa decreases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. The second angle DAb increases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. When the foot lever 100 is in the rest position, the first angle DAa is greater than the second angle DAb. The third angle RAa is 90 degrees or more. The fourth angle RAb is less than 90 degrees.

[0136] Figure 24 shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in Comparative Example 1. Figure 25 shows the shape of the spring (end position) in Comparative Example 1. In the example of support members 151Z, 153Z and elastic member 155Z shown in Figures 24 and 25, when the foot lever 100 moves from the rest position to the end position, the following situation occurs: The first angle DAa increases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. The second angle DAb increases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. When the foot lever 100 is in the rest position, the second angle DAb is greater than the first angle DAa. The third angle RAa is less than 90 degrees. The fourth angle RAb is less than 90 degrees.

[0137] Figure 26 shows the shape of the spring (rest position) in Comparative Example 2. Figure 27 shows the shape of the spring (end position) in Comparative Example 2. In the example of support members 151Y, 153Y and elastic member 155Y shown in Figures 26 and 27, when the foot lever 100 moves from the rest position to the end position, the following situation occurs: The first angle DAa increases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. The second angle DAb increases throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100. When the foot lever 100 is in the rest position, the second angle DAb is greater than the first angle DAa. The third angle RAa is less than 90 degrees. The fourth angle RAb is 90 degrees or more.

[0138] In Comparative Examples 1 and 2, as the foot lever 100 moves from the rest position to the end position, the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb increase, and therefore the forces Fa and Fb also increase. As a result, the likelihood of mechanical noise generation increases. On the other hand, in the 12th and 13th embodiments, as the foot lever 100 moves from the rest position to the end position, at least one of the first angle DAa and the second angle DAb decreases, thus suppressing the generation of mechanical noise.

[0139] <14th Embodiment> The mechanical noise described in the 12th and 13th embodiments can be improved using a different configuration, which will be described as the 14th embodiment. The improved configuration described below may be applied to configurations that satisfy the conditions described in the 12th and 13th embodiments, or to configurations that do not satisfy those conditions.

[0140] Figure 28 shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 14th embodiment. In Figure 28, the positional relationships of each component are schematically shown, differing from the actual positional relationships, in order to make the explanation easier to understand.

[0141] The elastic member 155N is a coil-shaped spring with a winding connecting the first end 155Na and the second end 155Nb. In Figure 28, the winding is shown in a cross-section that passes through the central axis of the spring and includes the front-rear and up-down directions. That is, the winding is connected in the order of the first end 155Na, winding cross-sections 155N1, 155N2, ... 155N8, and the second end 155Nb. The elastic member 155N is a closed-end type spring. Therefore, the side surface of the first end 155Na is in contact with the side surface of the winding cross-section 155N2 adjacent to the first end 155Na. The side surface of the second end 155Nb is in contact with the side surface of the winding cross-section 155N7 adjacent to the second end 155Nb.

[0142] Support member 151N includes a base portion 151N1 and a projection portion 151N2. Support member 153N includes a base portion 153N1 and a projection portion 153N2. Base portions 151N1 and 153N1 are arranged to restrict the elongation of the elastic member 155N. Projection portion 151N2 protrudes from base portion 151N1 so as to be located in the space inside the spring. Projection portion 153N2 protrudes from base portion 153N1 so as to be located in the space inside the spring. Projections 151N2 and 153N2 restrict the lateral displacement of the spring by contacting the winding from the space inside the spring.

[0143] As shown in Figure 28, in this example, the protrusion 151N2 contacts the side surface of the winding cross section 155N1 from the inner circumference side of the spring. On the other hand, the protrusion 151N2 does not contact either the side surface of the first end 155Na or the side surface of the winding cross section 155N2. The side surface of the winding cross section 155N2 also does not contact the base portion 151N1, and therefore it can also be said that it does not contact the support member 151N.

[0144] In this example, the protrusion 153N2 contacts the side surface of the winding cross section 155N8 from the inner circumference side of the spring. On the other hand, the protrusion 153N2 does not contact either the side surface of the second end portion 155Nb or the side surface of the winding cross section 155N7. The side surface of the winding cross section 155N7 also does not contact the base portion 153N1, so it can also be said that it does not contact the support member 153N.

[0145] This configuration arises from the positional relationship between support member 151N and support member 153N. In the example shown in Figure 28, support member 151N is located to the left of support member 153N in the figure. As a result, in the elastic member 155N, the side surface of the winding cross section 155N1 receives a force pushing to the left from support member 151N, and the side surface of the winding cross section 155N8 receives a force pushing to the right from support member 153N.

[0146] At this time, the winding section 155N2 is subjected to a pulling force Fa to the right and attempts to move to the right. Meanwhile, the side surface of the winding section 155N1 is supported by the support member 151N. Therefore, the winding section 155N2 moves to the right, using the distance from the winding section 155N1 to the winding section 155N2 (half a turn) as a reference. Similarly, the winding section 155N7 is subjected to a pulling force Fb to the left and moves to the left, using the distance from the winding section 155N8 to the winding section 155N7 (half a turn) as a reference.

[0147] Figure 29 shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in Comparative Example 3. In Comparative Example 3, the elastic member 155X is rotated by half a turn relative to the elastic member 155N. As a result, the projection 151X2 contacts the side surface of the first end 155Xa from the inner circumference side of the spring. The projection 153X2 contacts the side surface of the second end 155Xb from the inner circumference side of the spring. On the other hand, the projection 151X2 does not contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155X1, and the projection 153X2 does not contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155X8.

[0148] Therefore, the winding section 155X2 is subjected to a force Fa pulling it to the right, and moves to the right with respect to the distance from the first end 155Xa to the winding section 155X2 (one turn). Similarly, the winding section 155X7 is subjected to a force Fb pulling it to the left, and moves to the left with respect to the distance from the second end 155Xb to the winding section 155X7 (one turn).

[0149] Since the amount of movement of winding sections 155X2 and 155X7 is based on one turn, it is greater than the amount of movement of winding sections 155N2 and 155N7, which are based on half a turn. In other words, as shown in the 14th embodiment, by contacting the protrusion 151N2 at any position between the first end 155Na and the winding section 155N2 (in this example, winding section 155N1), the amount of movement of winding section 155N2 in response to a predetermined force can be reduced. As a result, according to the 14th embodiment, the generation of mechanical noise can be suppressed more effectively than in Comparative Example 3.

[0150] <15th Embodiment> In the 14th embodiment, the protrusions 151N2 and 153N2 are both positioned on the inside of the spring, but they may also be positioned on the outside if it is possible to suppress lateral displacement of the spring. In the 15th embodiment, an example in which the protrusions are positioned on the outside of the spring will be described.

[0151] Figure 30 shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 15th embodiment. The elastic member 155P is the same as the elastic member 155N. The support member 151P includes a base portion 151P1 and a projection portion 151P2. The support member 153P includes a base portion 153P1 and a projection portion 153P2. The base portions 151P1 and 153P1 are arranged to restrict the stretching of the elastic member 155P. The projection portion 151P2 protrudes from the base portion 151P1 so as to surround the outside of the spring. The projection portion 153P2 protrudes from the base portion 153P1 so as to surround the outside of the spring. The projection portions 151P2 and 153P2 restrict the lateral displacement of the spring by contacting the winding from the outside of the spring.

[0152] As shown in Figure 30, in this example, the projection 151P2 contacts the side surface of the winding cross section 155P1 from the outer circumference side of the spring. On the other hand, the projection 151P2 does not contact either the side surface of the first end 155Pa or the side surface of the winding cross section 155P2. That is, the projection 151P2 does not need to support the spring from the first end 155Pa side of the winding (the left side in Figure 30). Therefore, the projection 151P2 does not have to be shaped to surround the outside of the spring, but may be shaped to be positioned at least to contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155P1 as described above. The side surface of the winding cross section 155P2 does not contact the base portion 151P1, and therefore it can also be said that it does not contact the support member 151P.

[0153] In this example, the protrusion 153P2 contacts the side surface of the winding cross section 155P8 from the outer circumference side of the spring. On the other hand, the protrusion 153P2 does not contact either the side surface of the second end 155Pb or the side surface of the winding cross section 155P7. That is, the protrusion 153P2 does not need to support the spring from the first end 155Pb side of the winding (the right side in Figure 30). Therefore, the protrusion 153P2 does not have to be shaped to surround the outside of the spring, but may be shaped to be positioned at least to contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155P8 as described above. As for the side surface of the winding cross section 155P7, it does not contact the base portion 153P1, and therefore it can also be said that it does not contact the support member 153P.

[0154] This configuration arises from the positional relationship between support member 151P and support member 153P. In the example shown in Figure 30, support member 151P is located to the left of support member 153P in the figure. As a result, in the elastic member 155P, the side surface of the winding cross section 155P1 receives a force pushing to the left from support member 151P, and the side surface of the winding cross section 155P8 receives a force pushing to the right from support member 153P.

[0155] At this time, the winding section 155P2 is subjected to a pulling force Fa to the right and attempts to move to the right. Meanwhile, the side surface of the winding section 155P1 is supported by the support member 151P. Therefore, the winding section 155P2 moves to the right, based on the distance from the winding section 155P1 to the winding section 155P2 (half a turn). Similarly, the winding section 155P7 is subjected to a pulling force Fb to the left and moves to the left, based on the distance from the winding section 155P8 to the winding section 155P7 (half a turn).

[0156] Figure 31 shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in Comparative Example 4. In Comparative Example 4, the elastic member 155W is rotated by half a turn relative to the elastic member 155P. As a result, the protrusion 151W2 contacts the side surface of the first end 155Wa from the outer circumference side of the spring. The protrusion 153W2 contacts the side surface of the second end 155Wb from the outer circumference side of the spring. On the other hand, the protrusion 151W2 does not contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155W1, and the protrusion 153W2 does not contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155W8.

[0157] Therefore, the winding section 155W2 shifts to the right, relative to the distance (one turn) from the first end 155Wa to the winding section 155W2. Similarly, the winding section 155W7 shifts to the left, relative to the distance (one turn) from the second end 155Wb to the winding section 155W7.

[0158] Since the amount of movement of winding sections 155W2 and 155W7 is based on one turn, it is larger than the amount of movement of winding sections 155P2 and 155P7, which are based on half a turn. In other words, as shown in the 15th embodiment, by contacting the protrusion 151P2 at any position between the first end 155Pa and the winding section 155P2 (in this example, winding section 155P1), the amount of movement of winding section 155P2 in response to a predetermined force can be reduced. As a result, according to the 15th embodiment, the generation of mechanical noise can be suppressed more effectively than in Comparative Example 4.

[0159] <Embodiment 16> In Comparative Example 3 described above, the generation of mechanical noise can also be suppressed by increasing the height of the protrusions. In the 16th embodiment, an example in which the heights of the protrusions 151X2 and 153X2 in Comparative Example 3 described above are increased will be explained. The height of the protrusions may also be increased in the 12th to 15th embodiments and in Comparative Example 4 described below.

[0160] Figure 32 shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 16th embodiment. The elastic member 155Q, base portion 151Q1, and 153Q1 in the 16th embodiment have the same configuration as in Comparative Example 3. The projection 151Q2 contacts the side surface of the first end portion 155Qa from the inner circumference side of the spring. The projection 151Q2 further protrudes from the base portion 151Q1 to a height that allows it to contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155Q2. In this example, the projection 151Q2 contacts the side surface of the winding cross section 155Q2 throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100, but it is not necessary for it to contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155Q2 in part of the rotation range.

[0161] The projection 153Q2 contacts the side surface of the second end 155Qb from the inner circumference side of the spring. In this example, the projection 153Q2 further protrudes from the base 153Q1 to a height that allows it to contact the side surface of the winding section 155Q7. In this example, the projection 153Q2 contacts the side surface of the winding section 155Q7 throughout the entire range of rotation of the foot lever 100, but does not need to contact the side surface of the winding section 155Q7 in part of the range of rotation.

[0162] In this configuration, even if the winding section 155Q2 is subjected to a force Fa pulling it to the right, its movement is prevented by the protrusion 151Q2. Similarly, even if the winding section 155Q7 is subjected to a force Fb pulling it to the left, its movement is prevented by the protrusion 153Q2. Therefore, according to the 16th embodiment, the generation of mechanical noise can be suppressed.

[0163] <Embodiment 17> In Comparative Example 4 described above, the generation of mechanical noise can also be suppressed by increasing the height of the protrusions. In the 17th embodiment, an example in which the heights of the protrusions 151W2 and 153W2 in Comparative Example 4 described above are increased will be explained.

[0164] Figure 33 shows the positional relationship between the spring and the support member in the 17th embodiment. The elastic member 155R, base portion 151R1, and 153R1 in the 17th embodiment have the same configuration as in Comparative Example 4. The projection 151R2 contacts the side surface of the first end portion 155Ra from the inner circumference side of the spring. The projection 151R2 further protrudes from the base portion 151R1 to a height that allows it to contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155R2. In this example, the projection 151R2 contacts the side surface of the winding cross section 155R2 throughout the entire rotation range of the foot lever 100, but it does not need to contact the side surface of the winding cross section 155R2 in part of the rotation range.

[0165] The projection 153R2 contacts the side surface of the second end 155Rb from the inner circumference side of the spring. In this example, the projection 153R2 further protrudes from the base 153R1 to a height that allows it to contact the side surface of the winding section 155R7. In this example, the projection 153R2 contacts the side surface of the winding section 155R7 throughout the entire range of rotation of the foot lever 100, but does not need to contact the side surface of the winding section 155R7 in part of the range of rotation.

[0166] In this configuration, even if the winding section 155R2 is subjected to a force Fa pulling it to the right, its movement is prevented by the protrusion 151R2. Similarly, even if the winding section 155R7 is subjected to a force Fb pulling it to the left, its movement is prevented by the protrusion 153R2. Therefore, according to the 17th embodiment, the generation of mechanical noise can be suppressed.

[0167] In the 12th to 17th embodiments described above, the positional relationship between the support members 151 and 153 and the elastic member 155 was explained. The configuration in each embodiment corresponding to the support member 151 is not limited to being fixed to the foot lever 100, and the configuration in each embodiment corresponding to the support member 153 is not limited to being fixed to the case 190; the reverse relationship is also possible. That is, the configuration in each embodiment corresponding to the support member 151 may be fixed to the case 190, and the configuration in each embodiment corresponding to the support member 153 may be fixed to the foot lever 100.

[0168] <Variation> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various other modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Some of the configurations of the embodiments may be added, deleted, or replaced with other configurations. The following description will be an example of a modification of the first embodiment, but it can also be applied as an example of a modification of other embodiments. The embodiments described above and the modifications described below can be combined and applied to each other, as long as they do not cause contradictions.

[0169] (1) The contact sensor 173 may not be provided. In this case, the protrusion 161 on the reaction force adding member 165 may not be present. Furthermore, the reaction force adding member 165 may not be provided either.

[0170] (2) At least one of the lower stopper 181 and the upper stopper 183 may be positioned in front of the pivot center C, in direction F. In this case, the upper stopper 183 is positioned downward B from the foot lever 100, and the lower stopper 181 is positioned upward U from the foot lever 100.

[0171] (3) The stroke sensor 171 may be a volume-type sensor or other sensor instead of an optical sensor. The stroke sensor 171 is not limited to being located in the upper space US, but may also be located in the lower space LS, or may be located in the left-right direction of the foot lever 100. The stroke sensor 171 is not limited to detecting the position of the first region 100r, but may also detect the position of the second region 100f, or detect the amount of rotation of the shaft 115.

[0172] (4) At least two of the foot levers 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 may have different shapes in at least one of the following respects: (a) Radius of axis 115 (radius of curvature DD) (b) Magnitude of the force exerted by the elastic member 155 on the first region 100r (c) Magnitude of reaction force due to reaction force addition member 165 (d) Presence or absence of reaction force additional member 165

[0173] Let's explain an example for case (a). The radii of curvature DD at foot levers 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 are defined as the first distance DD1, the second distance DD2, and the third distance DD3, respectively. The first distance DD1 may be different from at least one of the second distance DD2 and the third distance DD3. To emphasize the magnitude of the reaction force of the shift pedal, the third distance DD3 may be greater than either the first distance DD1 or the second distance DD2. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0174] 1: Electronic keyboard device; 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10K: Pedal unit; 91: Keyboard body; 93: Support plate; 95: Support post; 81: Control unit; 82: Memory unit; 83: Operation unit; 84: Sound source unit; 85: Display unit; 86: Spike; 88: Keyboard unit; 89: Key press output unit; 93: Support plate; 95: Support post; 100, 100A, 100B: Fit reverb; 100c, 100cA: Central area; 100r: First area; 100f: Second area; 100s1: Top; 100s2: Bottom; 100fe: Top tip section; 111, 111B, 111F: Switch support unit; 112A 112K: Shaft support part; 112E: Shaft support part; 115, 115A, 115B, 115E, 115F, 115J, 115K: Shaft; 115J-1: Inner shaft part; 115J-2: Outer shaft part; 115J-3: Connecting part; 120, 120A, 120B, 120E, 120G, 120H, 120J: Shaft support; 120G-1: Bottom surface; 120G-2: Front inclined surface; 120G-3: Rear inclined surface; 120K-1: First shaft support; 120K-2: Second shaft support; 125, 125A, 125E, 125H, 125J, 125K-1, 125K-2: Contact part; 125H-1: Reinforcing part; 125H-2: High... Friction part, 125J-1: inner contact part, 125J-2: outer contact part, 141D: force auxiliary part, 151, 151B, 151C, 151L, 151M, 151N, 151P, 151Q, 151R, 151W, 151X, 151Y, 151Z: support part, 151L1, 151M1, 151N1, 151P1, 151Q1, 151R1, 151W1, 151X1, 151Y1, 151Z1: platform part, 151L2, 151M2, 151N2, 151P2, 151Q2, 151R2, 151W2, 151X2, 151Y2, 151Z2: protrusion, 153, 153B, 153C, 153L, 153M, 153N, 153P, 153Q, 153R, 153W, 153X, 153Y, 153Z: Supporting parts, 1 53L1,153M1,153N1,153P1,153Q1,153R1,153W1,153X1,153Y1,153Z1: Soil platform 153L2, 153M2, 153N2, 153P2, 153Q2, 153R2, 153W2, 153X2, 153Y2, 153Z2: Protrusions; 155, 155B, 155C, 155L, 155M, 155N, 155P, 155Q, 155R, 155W, 155X, 155Y.155Z: Elastic member, 155La, 155Ma, 155Na, 155Pa, 155Qa, 155Ra, 155Wa, 155Xa, 155Ya, 155Za: First end, 161: Protrusion, 165, 165B: Reaction force additional member, 171, 171C: Stroke sensor, 173: Contact sensor, 181, 181B: Lower stopper, 183, 183B: Upper stopper, 190, 190A, 190 B, 190C, 190D: Case, 190b, 190bA, 190bB, 190bC, 190bE, 190bG: Bottom, 190u, 190uB: Ceiling, 190f, 190fB, 190fD :Front, 190r, 190rB: Rear, 191A: Shaft support, 192,192B, 192J: Bearing support, 192J-1: Inner bearing support, 192J-2: Outer bearing support, 195: Auxiliary tool,

Claims

1. The case and, A first foot lever is rotatably positioned relative to the case and extends in a first direction perpendicular to the pivot axis, A spring is positioned in a compressed state between the case and the first foot lever, and expands and contracts as the first foot lever rotates, A first support member that supports the first end of the spring, A second support member that supports the second end of the spring, Equipped with, The spring includes a first winding end located on the first end side and a second winding end located on the second end side. The side surface of the first winding end is in contact with the side surface of the first portion of the winding that constitutes the spring. The side surface of the end of the second winding is in contact with the side surface of the second portion of the winding. The first support member has a portion that contacts the winding at any position between the first winding end and the first portion from the inner or outer circumference side of the spring, and is separated from the winding of the first portion. The second support member has a portion that contacts the winding at any position between the second winding end and the second portion from the inner or outer circumference side of the spring, and is separated from the winding of the second portion. A pedal unit for musical instruments.

2. A case and A first foot lever is rotatably positioned relative to the case and extends in a first direction perpendicular to the pivot axis, A spring is positioned in a compressed state between the case and the first foot lever, and expands and contracts as the first foot lever rotates, A first support member that supports the first end of the spring, A second support member that supports the second end of the spring, Equipped with, The spring includes a first winding end located on the first end side and a second winding end located on the second end side. The side surface of the first winding end is in contact with the side surface of the first portion of the winding that constitutes the spring. The side surface of the end of the second winding is in contact with the side surface of the second portion of the winding. The first support member has a portion that contacts the first portion from the inside or outside of the spring in at least a portion of the rotation range of the first foot lever, The second support member has a portion that contacts the second portion from the inside or outside of the spring in at least a portion of the rotation range of the first foot lever. A pedal unit for musical instruments.

3. A musical instrument pedal unit according to claim 1 or 2, A keyboard section having multiple keys, A sound source unit that generates sound signals in response to the operation of the key and the operation of the first foot lever on the pedal unit, An electronic keyboard device including an electronic keyboard.

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