Keyboard Hammer Weight Segmentation and Chassis Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hammer devices for keyboard instruments, such as electronic pianos, face challenges in manufacturing efficiency and cost due to the need for multiple types of weights with complex shapes, leading to increased production costs and potential noise issues from deformation and rubbing against the chassis.
Innovation Solution
A hammer device design featuring a common weight and an adjustable weight, both extending in the front-rear direction, with identical mounted portions and formed from identical metal plates, allowing for efficient manufacturing and reduced noise through opposed protrusions that prevent weight contact with the chassis, eliminating the need for guide tapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If multiple types of weights with complex shapes are used to adjust hammer weight for different pitch ranges, then the touch weight can be adjusted, but the manufacturing efficiency decreases and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The weight adjustment mechanism is segmented into a common weight (base weight) and an adjustable weight (additional weight). The common weight is identical for all hammers and provides the base weight, while the adjustable weight can be selectively added or removed to fine-tune the hammer weight for different pitch ranges. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of the common weight using a single mold while still achieving the required weight variation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of changing the shape of weights for different pitch ranges, the invention changes the weight parameter by selectively adding or removing the adjustable weight. The adjustable weight has a standard shape that can be attached to or removed from the common weight, allowing weight parameter adjustment without requiring multiple complex weight shapes. This reduces the number of molds needed and simplifies the manufacturing process.
2Weight of moving object
If multiple types of weights with complex shapes are used to adjust hammer weight for different pitch ranges, then the touch weight can be adjusted, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable weight is designed with a universal mounted portion that can be attached to the common weight of any hammer. This standardized interface allows the same adjustable weight component to be used across all pitch ranges, eliminating the need for multiple specialized weight shapes. The universality of the adjustable weight design reduces the number of unique components that need to be manufactured, thereby lowering production costs.
3Strength
If the chassis is made of synthetic resin with vertical ribs to ensure strength, then the structural strength is improved, but noise is generated when hammers rub against the ribs during pivotal motion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the noise-generating element (the weight) from the system by removing or reducing the contact between the weight and the chassis ribs. By designing the hammer and weight configuration to minimize contact with the synthetic resin ribs during pivotal motion, the harmful noise is eliminated while the chassis maintains its structural strength through the vertical ribs.
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
This design enhances manufacturing efficiency and yield while reducing costs and noise by using a single mold for common weights and adjusting the weight length for each hammer, ensuring smooth pivotal motion without the need for guide tapes.
Implementation Method 1
each of the hammers is pivotally moved in a manner interlocked with depression of the associated key to thereby impart touch weight to the key
Implementation Method 2
a hammer device for a keyboard instrument... configured to impart touch weight by a hammer pivotally moved in a manner interlocked with key depression
Data Source
AI summary
A hammer device for a keyboard instrument, enabling improvement of efficiency and yield, in manufacturing weights to be attached to each hammer body while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost. Each hammer includes a hammer body having a weight mounting portion, a common weight attached to one of left and right side surfaces of the weight mounting portion, and an adjustment weight having a length set according to a touch weight required by the associated key and attached to the other of the left and right side surfaces of the weight mounting portion. A chassis has a plurality of partition parts, and on the left and right surfaces of the hammer body, there are formed left and right opposed protrusions, respectively, each of which protrudes outward of the weight and is opposed to a partition part associated therewith via a predetermined clearance.