Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Harimoto

Hiroshi Harimoto has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230386442
    Abstract: A detection system for a keyboard instrument includes a movable member that is displaceable in response to a user playing operation of the keyboard instrument. The detection system includes: (i) a detectable portion of a magnetic or conductive body that is disposed on the movable member; (ii) a detection board including: a detection coil disposed facing the detectable portion; and a detection circuit configured to generate a detection signal depending on a distance between the detection coil and the detectable portion; (iii) a control board, which is discrete from the detection board, including a control integrated circuit configured to generate, based on the detection signal, displacement data indicating a position of the movable member; and (iv) a wiring portion including a wiring configured to transmit the detection signal from the detection board to the control board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Shunsuke MIYOSHI, Yuji TAKAHASHI, Naoki NISHIMURA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10482861
    Abstract: In a key switch (10), an inner dome (Din) starts to deform once a distal end portion (21) of the inner dome (Din) comes into contact with a base surface (93a) after an outer dome (Dout) starts to deform. A thick portion (25) extending straight and having a uniform wall thickness in a click generating portion (CL) has the thickness less than or equal to the minimum thickness of a thick portion (23) of an after stroke portion (AF). The degree of inclination of the thick portion (25) with respect to a center line (C0) (direction of pressing) is larger than that of the thick portion (23) with respect to the center line (C0) (?c>?a). Before the after stroke portion (AF) undergoes large deformation, the click generating portion (CL) undergoes buckling to cause a sudden decrease in a reaction force and generate a click feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Harimoto, Ichiro Osuga
  • Patent number: 10395625
    Abstract: A support assembly includes a support rotatable with respect to a frame, a repetition lever rotatable with respect to the support, and a first extension portion disposed to the repetition lever on a jack side with respect to the center of rotation of the repetition lever, the first extension portion being in contact with a stopper from below the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nariyasu Yaguchi, Akito Ohba, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Patent number: 10311836
    Abstract: A support assembly includes a support rotatable along a first surface with respect to a support rail, a repetition lever rotatable on the support, and a jack rotatable on the support and disposed to at least partially overlaps the repetition lever. The repetition lever includes a first contact portion which makes contact with a regulating portion which regulates rotation, the jack includes a second contact portion which makes contact with the regulating portion which regulates rotation, and the repetition lever and the jack are provided so that the first contact portion and the second contact portion overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akito Ohba, Hiroshi Harimoto, Shunsuke Ichiki, Ichiro Osuga
  • Patent number: 10304422
    Abstract: A support assembly in one embodiment of the present invention includes a support rotatable along a first surface with respect to a frame; a repetition lever rotatable with respect to the support; and an extension portion coupled to the repetition lever, the extension portion being slidable contact with a first guide portion, the first guide portion moving along the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nariyasu Yaguchi, Akito Ohba, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Publication number: 20180204554
    Abstract: In a key switch (10), an inner dome (Din) starts to deform once a distal end portion (21) of the inner dome (Din) comes into contact with a base surface (93a) after an outer dome (Dout) starts to deform. A thick portion (25) extending straight and having a uniform wall thickness in a click generating portion (CL) has the thickness less than or equal to the minimum thickness of a thick portion (23) of an after stroke portion (AF). The degree of inclination of the thick portion (25) with respect to a center line (C0) (direction of pressing) is larger than that of the thick portion (23) with respect to the center line (C0) (?c>?a). Before the after stroke portion (AF) undergoes large deformation, the click generating portion (CL) undergoes buckling to cause a sudden decrease in a reaction force and generate a click feeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroshi HARIMOTO, Ichiro OSUGA
  • Patent number: 9905205
    Abstract: A support assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a support rotatably disposed with respect to a frame, a jack rotatably connected with respect to the support on a side opposite to a rotation center of the support, and a support heel disposed on a lower surface side of the support to make contact with a member connected to a key, wherein the support is configured of a first main body portion, a bent portion, a second main body portion, and a jack support portion from the rotation center side of the support toward a rotation center side of the jack, and the second main body portion is disposed on a side closer to the key than the first main body portion by the bent portion which couples the first main body portion and the second main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Ohba, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Publication number: 20180012572
    Abstract: A support assembly in one embodiment of the present invention includes a support rotatable along a first surface with respect to a frame; a repetition lever rotatable with respect to the support; and an extension portion coupled to the repetition lever, the extension portion being slidable contact with a first guide portion, the first guide portion moving along the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Nariyasu YAGUCHI, Akito OHBA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180012574
    Abstract: A support assembly includes a support rotatable with respect to a frame, a repetition lever rotatable with respect to the support, and a first extension portion disposed to the repetition lever on a jack side with respect to the center of rotation of the repetition lever, the first extension portion being in contact with a stopper from below the stopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Nariyasu YAGUCHI, Akito OHBA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180012573
    Abstract: A support assembly includes a support rotatable along a first surface with respect to a support rail, a repetition lever rotatable on the support, and a jack rotatable on the support and disposed to at least partially overlaps the repetition lever. The repetition lever includes a first contact portion which makes contact with a regulating portion which regulates rotation, the jack includes a second contact portion which makes contact with the regulating portion which regulates rotation, and the repetition lever and the jack are provided so that the first contact portion and the second contact portion overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Akito OHBA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO, Shunsuke ICHIKI, Ichiro OSUGA
  • Patent number: 9767779
    Abstract: A switch is constituted by a movable conductive portion and a pair of fixed conductive portions. The fixed conductive portions are arranged on a substrate, and are each constituted by at least one strip member. A first main conductive pattern and a second main conductive pattern are arranged on the substrate in correspondence with the fixed conductive portions. The movable conductive portion electrically shorts the pair of fixed conductive portions upon coming into contact with both of them. The strip members that constitute the fixed conductive portions each have a first end portion and a second end portion in the extending direction, and the end portions are electrically connected to the corresponding main conductive patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Michiko Yoshimura, Ichiro Osuga, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Patent number: 9659549
    Abstract: A support assembly of a keyboard apparatus activated in accordance with pressing of a key to rotate a hammer provided at one end of a hammer shank, the support assembly includes a support rotatably disposed with respect to a frame, a jack having one side rotatably connected to the support and another side including a contact surface which makes contact with a hammer shank roller provided to the hammer shank, and a rib provided to the other side of the jack and projecting to a hammer shank roller side of the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Ohba, Ichiro Osuga, Shunsuke Ichiki, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Patent number: 9613608
    Abstract: A keyboard unit includes: a key; a plurality of members which include the key, and each of which has an engaged section for forming an engaged state, the engaged state changed by turning of the key, at least a portion of the engaged section formed of a conductor; a detector which is configured to detect information on the engaged state of the plurality of members by detecting a conduction state between the at least portions of the engaged sections which are in contact with each other; and a determiner which is configured to determine a musical sound parameter based on a detection result of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Publication number: 20170092250
    Abstract: A switch is constituted by a movable conductive portion and a pair of fixed conductive portions. The fixed conductive portions are arranged on a substrate, and are each constituted by at least one strip member. A first main conductive pattern and a second main conductive pattern are arranged on the substrate in correspondence with the fixed conductive portions. The movable conductive portion electrically shorts the pair of fixed conductive portions upon coming into contact with both of them. The strip members that constitute the fixed conductive portions each have a first end portion and a second end portion in the extending direction, and the end portions are electrically connected to the corresponding main conductive patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Michiko YOSHIMURA, Ichiro OSUGA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170025100
    Abstract: A support assembly of a keyboard apparatus activated in accordance with pressing of a key to rotate a hammer provided at one end of a hammer shank, the support assembly includes a support rotatably disposed with respect to a frame, a jack having one side rotatably connected to the support and another side including a contact surface which makes contact with a hammer shank roller provided to the hammer shank, and a rib provided to the other side of the jack and projecting to a hammer shank roller side of the contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Akito OHBA, Ichiro OSUGA, Shunsuke ICHIKI, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9489006
    Abstract: A reaction force generator includes: a base member mounted on a supporter supporting an operating member pivotably; a dome member protruding from the base member; and a top member provided on a protruding-side end of the dome member to be pressed by the operating member toward the base member. The dome member is deformed to produce a reaction force when the top member is pressed by the operating member. A basal-end-side plane and a distal-end-side plane intersect each other at a position located on one of opposite sides of the dome member which is nearer to a pivot fulcrum of the operating member. The basal-end-side plane includes a line of intersection between the base member and the dome member adjacent to each other. The distal-end-side plane includes a line of intersection between the dome member and the top member adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Harimoto, Ichiro Osuga
  • Publication number: 20160284326
    Abstract: A support assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a support rotatably disposed with respect to a frame, a jack rotatably connected with respect to the support on a side opposite to a rotation center of the support, and a support heel disposed on a lower surface side of the support to make contact with a member connected to a key, wherein the support is configured of a first main body portion, a bent portion, a second main body portion, and a jack support portion from the rotation center side of the support toward a rotation center side of the jack, and the second main body portion is disposed on a side closer to the key than the first main body portion by the bent portion which couples the first main body portion and the second main body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Akito OHBA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9424825
    Abstract: A keyboard apparatus has a plurality of white keys and black keys each of which pivot. The keyboard apparatus also has a plurality of reaction force generation members 21w and 21b provided for the white keys and the black keys, respectively. The reaction force generation members 21w and 21b have dome portions 21w1 and 21b1, respectively, which are thin and shaped like a dome so as to be elastically deformed by depression, and base portions 21w3 and 21b3, respectively, which are thick and are formed integrally with the dome portions 21w1 and 21b1 to support the dome portions 21w1 and 21b1, the base portions 21w3 and 21b3 jutting outward from respective lower end surfaces of the dome portions 21w1 and 21b1. The vertical position of the lower end of the dome portion 21w1 is displaced from the vertical position of the lower end of the dome portion 21b1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Hiroshi Harimoto
  • Publication number: 20160225360
    Abstract: A keyboard unit includes: a key; a plurality of members which include the key, and each of which has an engaged section for forming an engaged state, the engaged state changed by turning of the key, at least a portion of the engaged section formed of a conductor; a detector which is configured to detect information on the engaged state of the plurality of members by detecting a conduction state between the at least portions of the engaged sections which are in contact with each other; and a determiner which is configured to determine a musical sound parameter based on a detection result of the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Ichiro OSUGA, Hiroshi HARIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9269336
    Abstract: A key (11) is supported by key supporting portions (32) so that the key (11) can pivot. A reaction force generation member (22) is shaped like a dome to be elastically deformed by a key-depression of the key (11). At the time of the elastic deformation, the reaction force generation member (22) increases a reaction force from the beginning with an increasing amount of elastic deformation. After the reaction force reaches its peak, the reaction force generation member (22) buckles to reduce the reaction force. A normal line of a plane (P1) including a pivot axis (C) of the key (11) and a depression point of a depression portion (11a) is designed to be roughly parallel to an axis line (Y1) of the reaction force generation member (22) at the point in time when the reaction force of the reaction force generation member (22) reaches its peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Hiroshi Harimoto