Keyboard Protrusion Sliding Surface for Piano Clicking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic keyboard devices fail to accurately replicate the unique clicking sense of an acoustic piano, as the resistance variation is hard to recognize due to gradual increases and decreases, leading to incompatibility with the acoustic piano's sensation.
Innovation Solution
A keyboard device design featuring a hammer with a protrusion that slides on a sliding surface with inclined portions, including a first incline, a bump, and a second incline, which reduces resistance before the bump, increases it during contact, and decreases it after crossing, enhancing the recognition of resistance variations for a more authentic acoustic piano feel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protrusion is made to slide on a flat surface or curved surface that gradually departs from the base portion, then the resistance is reduced and gradual increase is suppressed, but the variation in resistance sense becomes hard to recognize
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface is segmented into three distinct portions: a first incline portion, a bump portion, and a second incline portion. This segmentation creates discrete resistance variation zones that are easily distinguishable, solving the problem of hard-to-recognize resistance changes while maintaining smooth operation throughout the key press cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the sliding surface are given different local qualities: the first incline portion provides gradual resistance increase, the bump portion creates a sharp resistance peak, and the second incline portion provides gradual resistance decrease. This local differentiation makes resistance variations easily recognizable while maintaining overall operational smoothness.
2Device complexity
If the protrusion slides on a flat surface, then the structure is simple, but the resistance variation is gradual and hard to recognize
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface is divided into three simple geometric segments (first incline, bump, second incline) that can be easily manufactured while creating distinct resistance sensations. This segmentation achieves both structural simplicity and operational clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding surface geometry parameters are changed across different portions: the first incline has a gentle slope, the bump has a sharp height, and the second incline has a gentle slope. These parameter changes create recognizable resistance variations without complicating the overall structure.
3Ease of operation
If the bump portion is made to raise up from the sliding surface, then the resistance sense variation is enhanced, but the manufacturing precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bump portion is designed with specific local qualities (height, width, position) that create a distinct resistance peak. By concentrating the resistance variation function in this localized feature, the design achieves strong clicking sense perception while the bump can be manufactured using standard precision techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The bump portion parameters (height h, width w, position from start) are optimized to create the desired resistance sensation. By carefully selecting these parameters, the design achieves enhanced clicking sense while maintaining manufacturability with conventional precision levels.
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
The design effectively presents a unique clicking sense similar to an acoustic piano without incompatibility, by clearly distinguishing resistance changes before and after the bump portion, thus closely mimicking the key touching sensation of an acoustic piano.
Implementation Method 1
a protrusion projected at a specific position on the hammer or the key slides on a sliding surface
Data Source
AI summary
A keyboard device capable of reconstructing a unique clicking sense of an acoustic piano is provided. A first incline portion (a plane or curved surface) of a sliding surface is inclined towards a direction gradually departing from a base portion of a protrusion along a displacement direction of the protrusion in a key-pressing operation for reducing a resistance exerted on the protrusion and suppressing a gradual increase of a sense of resistance. Moreover, a bump portion located at where the protrusion reaches after sliding through the first incline portion is used to increase the resistance exerted on the protrusion for increasing the sense of resistance. When the protrusion crosses over the bump portion, the sense of resistance is reduced. Accordingly, variation in the sense of resistance before and after the bump portion is increased, and the unique clicking sense of the acoustic piano is reproduced.