Piano Support Assembly Simplification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complex assembly of acoustic piano components, particularly the support assembly, results in high manufacturing costs and prolonged production times due to the large number of components involved, making it challenging to reduce costs without compromising the touch feeling during key operation.
Innovation Solution
A simplified support assembly for acoustic pianos is designed, incorporating a projecting portion from the jack that rotates with the bent portion, an elastic body such as a torsion coil spring providing rotational force, and a resin structure, which reduces the number of components while maintaining the touch feeling by using a hook and spring contact mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the support assembly uses a traditional structure with many components, then the touch feeling is maintained, but the manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing period is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components into an integrated support assembly structure. The support assembly includes a support, jack, and repetition lever that are configured to work together as a unified mechanism, reducing the number of discrete parts while maintaining the escapement mechanism's touch feeling characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly is designed to perform multiple functions within a single integrated structure. It simultaneously provides support for the key mechanism, implements the escapement function for let-off, and enables repetition lever operation, thereby reducing the need for separate specialized components.
2Ease of manufacture
If the number of components is decreased to reduce manufacturing cost, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but the touch feeling changes greatly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies specific parameters of the support assembly components, such as the configuration of the jack, the positioning of the repetition lever, and the design of the escapement mechanism, to achieve cost reduction while preserving the critical touch feeling parameters that define piano key response.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a simplified version of the traditional support assembly that replicates the essential functional characteristics and touch feeling properties of the complex traditional design, using fewer components but maintaining the core mechanical behavior that players depend on.
3Productivity
If the support assembly structure is simplified, then manufacturing time is reduced, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is segmented into distinct functional modules that can be manufactured separately and assembled efficiently. The support, jack, and repetition lever are designed as separable components with standardized interfaces, allowing for modular assembly that reduces overall manufacturing time while controlling assembly 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
This solution reduces manufacturing costs by simplifying the support assembly structure while minimizing changes to the touch feeling during key operation, achieving a cost-effective and efficient assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic body connected to the projecting portion, the elastic body providing a rotational force to the jack so that the projecting portion moves to the support side
Implementation Method 2
The elastic body may be a torsion coil spring, the torsion coil spring may include a first arm and a second arm
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A support assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a support (210) rotatably disposed with respect to a frame (290, 920), a jack (250) rotatably connected with respect to the support (210) on a side opposite to a rotation center of the support (210), and a support heel (212) disposed on a lower surface side of the support (210) to make contact with a member (120) connected to a key (110), wherein the support (210) is configured of a first main body portion (2101), a bent portion (2102), a second main body portion (2103), and a jack support portion (2105) from the rotation center side of the support toward a rotation center side of the jack (250), and the second main body portion (2103) is disposed on a side closer to the key (110) than the first main body portion by the bent portion which couples the first main body portion (2101) and the second main body portion (2103).