Bi-Directional Foot Pedal With Center Detent for Hands-Free MIDI Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling electric guitar sound effects with MIDI instruments require users to use one hand for playing keys and another for controlling pitch or modulation, making it inconvenient, and foot controllers often lack a comfortable resting position for the user's foot.

Innovation Solution

A foot pedal system with a center detent and spring mechanism, a sensing mechanism, and a foot rest bar that allows users to control MIDI signals bi-directionally by pivoting the pedal, generating a second MIDI signal based on its position, and returning to a default position with spring force, enabling hands-free control of pitch and other parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a pitch wheel or mod wheel is used to create electric guitar sounds, then sound effects are achieved, but one hand must be used to play keys and another to control the wheel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound effects controlVSAvoidhand coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The foot controller combines foot rest functionality with pitch control functionality into a single integrated device. The foot can simultaneously rest on the flat rear portion while the toes control the pedal, merging resting and controlling functions that were previously separated between hands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The foot acts as an intermediary controller between the musician and the synthesizer, allowing pitch and modulation control without requiring hand involvement. This intermediary device (foot pedal) mediates the control function, freeing both hands for keyboard playing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables convenient, hands-free control of MIDI signals, allowing users to create electric guitar sound effects without the need to manually adjust pitch or modulation, improving user experience by providing a comfortable resting position for the foot.

Implementation Method 1

a spring mechanism for returning the pedal to a default position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12029938B2Bi-directional foot pedal for controlling movement, measurements, and information

Publication Date: 2024.07.09 PHILLIPS ALEXANDER SMEDES

AI summary

A system and method for controlling various types of messages, including a MIDI signal of a MIDI instrument, bi-directionally with a center detent and a resting plate for a user's foot is disclosed. A foot pedal system has a base, a pedal, a sensing mechanism, a foot rest bar, a MIDI pedal controller, a MIDI-In port for receiving the first MIDI signal from the MIDI instrument, and a MIDI-Out port for outputting the second MIDI signal. The pedal has a center detent and a spring mechanism for returning the pedal to a default position.