Abstract: An electronic keyboard instrument having a keyboard provided with a plurality of keys, a first and a second switches provided corresponding to each key of the keyboard and being sequentially turned on at a time interval corresponding to a key depression speed of the keyboard, a counting unit for counting a count value corresponding to the time interval during which the first and the second switches are sequentially turned on, a correcting unit for correcting the count value or a value corresponding to the count value based on a variation of the time interval, and a velocity conversion unit for converting the corrected value into a velocity, is provided.

Abstract: To provide a protective layer thermal transfer film which can form a protective layer that is superior in water-based ink fixing property, solvent-resistant property and, in particular, water-resistant property and also has a superior peeling property. A protective layer thermal transfer film, comprising: at least a release layer, and a protective layer, formed on one surface of a substrate film; the release layer being formed from at least a silicone-modified resin and silicone oil; and a printed article with the protective layer transferred onto an image on the printed article.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet having a good transferring property, that is, a thermal transfer sheet which has high transfer sensitivity and good adhesion between a base material and a dye layer, and has high transfer sensitivity, and can be used for high speed printing and attain printed substance having a high density and sharpness, a protective layer transfer sheet which has a good transferring property and produces extremely low static electricity in transferring, and a printed substance which is superior in an antistatic property, plasticizer resistance and transparency.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus for a keyboard-based musical instrument for avoiding a touch of a shutter to a back check, thereby appropriately setting a sound generation timing and maintaining a satisfactory touch feeling. The sound control apparatus comprises a shutter integrated with a hammer adapted to swing associated with a swinging motion of a key, extending along a plane including a path along which said hammer swings, and formed with a cutout in an edge on an opposite side to a direction in which said hammer swings. An optical sensor has a light emitter disposed on one side of the swinging path of said shutter for emitting light, and a light receiver disposed on the other side of the swinging path for receiving the light from said light emitter, and generates a detection signal in accordance with a light receiving state of said light receiver.

Abstract: To provide a protective layer thermal transfer film which can form a protective layer that is superior in the water based ink fixing property, solvent-resistant property and, in particular, water-resistant property and also has a superior peeling property. The present invention relates to: a protective layer thermal transfer film, comprising: a thermally transferable protective layer on or over at least one part of one surface of a substrate film, wherein the protective layer is formed on or over the substrate by laminating at least a peeling layer serving as an outermost surface layer after transfer; and the peeling layer containing at least polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a printed article with the protective layer transferred onto an image on the printed article.

Abstract: A curl correcting device for correcting a curl of a sheet at a curved belt-nip portion includes an endless belt extending between a driving roller and a driven roller, and a pressing roller configured to press a belt surface of the endless belt. A stepping motor is controlled in accordance with a pressing amount of the pressing roller to the belt surface of the endless belt to adjust a speed of the endless belt, thereby preventing the speed from being decreased.

Abstract: An electronic keyboard instrument having a keyboard provided with a plurality of keys, a first and a second switches provided corresponding to each key of the keyboard and being sequentially turned on at a time interval corresponding to a key depression speed of the keyboard, a counting unit for counting a count value corresponding to the time interval during which the first and the second switches are sequentially turned on, a correcting unit for correcting the count value or a value corresponding to the count value based on a variation of the time interval, and a velocity conversion unit for converting the corrected value into a velocity, is provided.

Abstract: A speed detecting apparatus for a keyboard musical instrument is provided for accurately detecting the speed of bivotal movements of a hammer and a key even if a shutter implies errors in its attachment, without affected by such errors. The speed detecting apparatus for a keyboard musical instrument comprises a pivotable key, a hammer pivotably supported by a fulcrum and configured to pivotally move in association with a pivotal movement of the key, a shutter integrally attached to the hammer, a plurality of detectors, each having a light emitter and a light receiver for receiving light emitted from the light emitter, arranged on one and the other sides of the pivotal movement path of the shutter, and a CPU for detecting a pivot speed of the hammer in response to timings at which the shutter opens and closes the light paths of the light of the plurality of detectors when the hammer pivotally moves.

Abstract: To provide a protective layer thermal transfer film which can form a protective layer that is superior in water-based ink fixing property, solvent-resistant property and, in particular, water-resistant property and also has a superior peeling property. A protective layer thermal transfer film, comprising: at least a release layer, and a protective layer, formed on one surface of a substrate film; the release layer being formed from at least a silicone-modified resin and silicone oil; and a printed article with the protective layer transferred onto an image on the printed article.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet having a good transferring property, that is, a thermal transfer sheet which has high transfer sensitivity and good adhesion between a base material and a dye layer, and has high transfer sensitivity, and can be used for high speed printing and attain printed substance having a high density and sharpness, a protective layer transfer sheet which has a good transferring property and produces extremely low static electricity in transferring, and a printed substance which is superior in an antistatic property, plasticizer resistance and transparency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal transfer sheet that can meet demands for increased printing speed in thermal transfer, higher density of thermally transferred images, and higher quality. The thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate and an adhesive layer and a dye layer provided in that order on one side of the substrate, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a polyvinylpyrrolidone resin and a composition for suppressing hygroscopic properties of the polyvinylpyrrolidone resin.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer according to the invention includes at least one printing unit for thermal transfer printing with a print head via a ribbon having a dye layer; a first bending member for bending the ribbon after thermal transfer, the first bending member having at least one curved surface that is aligned perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward one or the other surface of the ribbon; a second bending member disposed at a distance from the first bending member, the second bending member having at least one acute apex that is aligned perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward the one or the other surface of the ribbon, the apex causing a bend line to be formed in the used ribbon conveyed from the first bending member; a folder for folding the ribbon conveyed from the second bending member along the bend line; and a heater for fusing opposing dye layers of the folded ribbon together.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus for a keyboard-based musical instrument for avoiding a touch of a shutter to a back check, thereby appropriately setting a sound generation timing and maintaining a satisfactory touch feeling. The sound control apparatus comprises a shutter integrated with a hammer adapted to swing associated with a swinging motion of a key, extending along a plane including a path along which said hammer swings, and formed with a cutout in an edge on an opposite side to a direction in which said hammer swings. An optical sensor has a light emitter disposed on one side of the swinging path of said shutter for emitting light, and a light receiver disposed on the other side of the swinging path for receiving the light from said light emitter, and generates a detection signal in accordance with a light receiving state of said light receiver.

Abstract: To provide a protective layer thermal transfer film which can form a protective layer that is superior in the water based ink fixing property, solvent-resistant property and, in particular, water-resistant property and also has a superior peeling property. The present invention relates to: a protective layer thermal transfer film, comprising: a thermally transferable protective layer on or over at least one part of one surface of a substrate film, wherein the protective layer is formed on or over the substrate by laminating at least a peeling layer serving as an outermost surface layer after transfer; and the peeling layer containing at least polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a printed article with the protective layer transferred onto an image on the printed article.

Abstract: There are provided a protective layer transfer sheet, which, upon transfer on an image formed by thermal transfer recording, provides a protective layer that can impart stampability and writability with a pen using an aqueous ink, a fountain pen or the like and, at the same time, is excellent in water resistance, solvent resistance and the like, and a print using the same.

Abstract: There are provided a protective layer transfer sheet that is excellent in transferability of a thermally transferable protective layer from a substrate sheet and can yield a protective layer having excellent durability such as abrasion resistance and scratch resistance, weathering resistance, chemical resistance, solvent resistance, stampability and writability with an aqueous ink, and a thermally transferred image recorded object using the same.

Abstract: A speed detecting apparatus for a keyboard musical instrument is provided for accurately detecting the speed of bivotal movements of a hammer and a key even if a shutter implies errors in its attachment, without affected by such errors. The speed detecting apparatus for a keyboard musical instrument comprises a pivotable key, a hammer pivotably supported by a fulcrum and configured to pivotally move in association with a pivotal movement of the key, a shutter integrally attached to the hammer, a plurality of detectors, each having a light emitter and a light receiver for receiving light emitted from the light emitter, arranged on one and the other sides of the pivotal movement path of the shutter, and a CPU for detecting a pivot speed of the hammer in response to timings at which the shutter opens and closes the light paths of the light of the plurality of detectors when the hammer pivotally moves.

Abstract: There is provided a protective layer thermal transfer sheet which can impart an excellent matte tone to an image, produced by a sublimation dye thermal transfer method, without the need to additionally provide any special step and without deteriorating high definition and high sharpness of images inherent in sublimation dye transferred images. There are also provided a protective layer thermal transfer sheet for controlling the gloss of an image, and a matted print produced using the protective layer thermal transfer sheet. The protective layer thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate sheet and, stacked on at least a part of one side of the substrate sheet in the following order, a release layer, a protective layer and optionally an adhesive layer. The release layer contains a filler and has a roughened surface.

Abstract: There are provided a protective layer transfer sheet that is excellent in transferability of a thermally transferable protective layer from a substrate sheet and can yield a protective layer having excellent durability such as abrasion resistance and scratch resistance, weathering resistance, chemical resistance, solvent resistance, stampability and writability with an aqueous ink, and a thermally transferred image recorded object using the same.

Abstract: The present invention is first directed to a thermal transfer sheet which is not high in cost for obtaining a substrate, does not involve a problem of blocking or the like at the time of winding after coating of a backside layer onto the substrate, can eliminate the need to provide a release layer on the protective layer region, and further can enhance glossiness of a print with a protective layer. The thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate, a dye layer of at least one color and a thermally transferable protective layer provided in a face serial manner on one side of the substrate, a protective layer provided on a part of one side of the substrate, an easy-adhesion layer provided on the whole surface of the protective layer and the substrate, the dye layer being provided on the easy-adhesion layer in its region where the protective layer is not located on the underside of the easy-adhesion layer.