Performance Pedal Optical Sensing for Firm Bottom Touch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pedal devices for performance, such as electronic drums, fail to provide a firm bottom-touching feeling and do not quickly reflect the player's performance intention due to the transmission of elastic force through sensor rubber and the inability of the sensor rubber to match the operating speed of the pedal.
Innovation Solution
A pedal device with a movable rod and a non-contact optical sensor that detects the rod's displacement, utilizing a stopper member with a weight to restrict movement and provide inertia, and a link member to convert rocking motion into linear movement, enhancing operational feeling and reflecting performance intention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor rubber is used to transmit pressing force to the sensor pattern, then the pedal device can detect the depressing operation, but the elastic force of the sensor rubber is transmitted to the player, preventing a firm bottom-touching feeling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based sensor rubber system with a non-contact optical detection system. The optical sensor detects the position of the rod without physical contact, eliminating the transmission of elastic force to the player's foot while maintaining accurate detection of the depressing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical field as an intermediary between the rod and the detection system. The optical sensor uses light to detect the position of the rod, creating a non-contact measurement path that avoids the harmful elastic force transmission while preserving detection functionality.
2Reliability
If sensor rubber is used for detection, then the pedal operation can be detected, but the restoring speed of the sensor rubber does not follow the operating speed of the pedal, preventing quick reflection of performance intention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mechanical sensor rubber system with an optical detection system. The optical sensor responds instantaneously to the position of the rod without the mechanical inertia and restoring time delays inherent in rubber materials, enabling the detection system to keep pace with the player's rapid pedal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical detection system operates continuously and instantaneously, providing real-time feedback on the rod's position throughout the pedal's motion cycle. This continuous non-contact measurement eliminates the periodic delays associated with the sensor rubber's compression and restoration cycles.
3Ease of operation
If a non-contact optical sensor is used to detect rod displacement, then operational feeling is improved and performance intention is reflected quickly, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from the mechanical pedal structure by using a separate, dedicated optical sensor system. This separation allows the detection mechanism to be optimized independently for speed and accuracy without compromising the mechanical simplicity and operational feel of the pedal itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sensor system serves multiple functions: it detects the rod's position, determines the pedal's depression state, and provides real-time feedback for performance intention recognition. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate detection components, offsetting the initial increase in complexity.
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 device improves operational feeling and quickly reflects the player's performance intention by providing a firm bottom-touching sensation and stable detection of the rod's displacement, allowing for adjustable stroke adjustment without altering the detection mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
the detecting device is composed of an optical sensor that emits light toward the member to be detected. The detecting device receives reflected light from the member to be detected.
Implementation Method 2
an optical sensor that emits light toward the member to be detected. The detecting device receives reflected light from the member to be detected.
Data Source
AI summary
A pedal device for performance (1) has a pedal (4) where a player can perform a depressing operation with his/her foot. A rod (6) is movable in an axial direction in accordance with the depressing operation of the pedal (4). A detecting mechanism detects an amount of movement of the rod (6) and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of movement. The detecting mechanism has an optical sensor (10) that is a non-contact sensor detecting an amount of displacement in the axial direction L of the rod (6) in a non-contact manner.