Keyboard Apparatus Rearward Black Key Hinge Radius
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional keyboard apparatuses have a shorter radius of turning motion for black keys, leading to reduced operability due to increased key touch weight, making them inferior to white keys in performance.
Innovation Solution
The keyboard apparatus is designed with an additional hinge part between the base end and the main body of white keys and a laterally forked, wider hinge structure for black keys, allowing the black key hinge to be positioned rearward of the white key hinge, maximizing the radius of turning motion and accommodating deviations, thus enhancing operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the hinge part of black keys is arranged at the same longitudinal location as white keys, then the keyboard structure is simplified and compact, but the radius of turning motion of black keys is reduced, increasing key touch weight and decreasing operability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the black key hinge part rearward relative to the white key hinge part, creating an asymmetric hinge arrangement. This asymmetric positioning increases the radius of turning motion for black keys, reducing key touch weight and improving operability while maintaining structural compactness through optimized spatial distribution.
2Shape
If the free end of black keys is located rearward of white keys, then the keyboard layout accommodates standard piano configuration, but the distance between the operated portion and base end part is shortened, reducing key depression stroke and increasing touch weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction by shifting the hinge part position in the longitudinal dimension rather than relying solely on lateral positioning. By moving the black key hinge rearward along the longitudinal axis, the patent creates additional turning radius without altering the lateral key layout configuration, thereby maintaining standard piano appearance while improving operational characteristics.
3Ease of operation
If the hinge part is positioned to maximize radius of turning motion, then key depression stroke and operability are improved, but the keyboard structure becomes more complex and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the hinge part positioning for black keys versus white keys. Specifically, black key hinges are positioned rearward while white key hinges maintain their traditional position. This localized differentiation optimizes the radius of turning motion for black keys without unnecessarily complicating the overall keyboard structure, as each key type receives positioning tailored to its operational requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A keyboard apparatus in which the radius of turning motion of a mainly operated portion of each black key in a key depressing/releasing direction is maximized so as to enhance the operability of the black key for performance. The keyboard apparatus has a key frame formed with fixing parts. In the key frame, there are arranged a plurality of key units each having a plurality of white keys and a plurality of black keys integrally connected to a common base end part held by the fixing parts of the key frame. Each of the white keys and the black keys comprises a base end part, a key main body, and a hinge part connecting the key main body to the base end part such that the key main body is swingable about the base end part in the key depressing/releasing direction, and the hinge part of each of the black keys is located rearward of the hinge part of each of the white keys.