Patents by Inventor Kenji Yoshisue

Kenji Yoshisue 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).

  • Patent number: 7678977
    Abstract: There is provided a repetition lever for a grand piano, which is excellent in shape retainability and dimensional stability and is light in weight and high in rigidity, thereby enabling required operations to be stably performed and improving the capability of repeated key striking. A repetition lever 4 for a grand piano, which performs the operation of pushing up a hammer 30 after the hammer has struck a string, is formed by a molded article of a thermoplastic resin containing long fibers for reinforcement, the molded article being molded by a long fiber process. The repetition lever 4 has reduced cross-sectional area portions 49, 50, and 54 for reducing weight thereof. The long fibers for reinforcement are carbon fibers, and the thermoplastic resin is an ABS resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Hirotaka Higasa, Tsutomu Kihara
  • Patent number: 7476788
    Abstract: A damper for an upright piano is provided for improving sound stopping capabilities and consequently improving sequential touching capabilities without adversely affecting a key touch feeling. The damper lever for an upright piano is pressed against a vibrating string to stop the vibration in response to a released key, in order to stop sound which has been generated from the vibrating string. The damper lever comprises a molding molded by a continuous fiber method and made of a thermoplastic resin containing long fibers for reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshisue
  • Patent number: 7459616
    Abstract: A shank flange for use in a piano for supporting a hammer which makes a pivotal movement in response to depression on a key. The shank flange comprises a molding made of thermoplastic resin containing long fibers for reinforcement. The molding is molded by a long-staple method. The long fibers are carbon fibers. The shank flange excels in homogeneity and dimension stability, and has a high rigidity which can assure a smooth and stable action of the hammer. Also, dust and the like can be prevented from sticking to the shank flange and its surroundings, thus maintaining a precise action of the hammer and an aesthetically good appearance around the shank flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshisue
  • Patent number: 7335829
    Abstract: A bat for an upright piano is provided for ensuring stable swinging movements of a hammer to generate a proper piano sound even if a hammer assembly has the centroid which is laterally asymmetric about a center pin. The bat for an upright piano is supported by the center pin having a circular cross section and arranged horizontally in a bat flange, in order to swing a hammer to cause the same to strike a string. The bat comprises a bat body integrally formed with the hammer, and having a linear pin holding groove in a back surface thereof, and a metal plate having a linear pin retaining groove in one side thereof, and attached to a back surface of the bat body such that the pin retaining groove extends in parallel with the pin holding groove, wherein the bat is pivotally supported by the center pin while the center pin is in engagement with the pin holding groove and the pin retaining groove, and the center pin is sandwiched between the bat body and the metal plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Kiyoshi Abe
  • Publication number: 20070068361
    Abstract: A bat for an upright piano is provided for ensuring stable swinging movements of a hammer to generate a proper piano sound even if a hammer assembly has the centroid which is laterally asymmetric about a center pin. The bat for an upright piano is supported by the center pin having a circular cross section and arranged horizontally in a bat flange, in order to swing a hammer to cause the same to strike a string. The bat comprises a bat body integrally formed with the hammer, and having a linear pin holding groove in a back surface thereof, and a metal plate having a linear pin retaining groove in one side thereof, and attached to a back surface of the bat body such that the pin retaining groove extends in parallel with the pin holding groove, wherein the bat is pivotally supported by the center pin while the center pin is in engagement with the pin holding groove and the pin retaining groove, and the center pin is sandwiched between the bat body and the metal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Kiyoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 7169990
    Abstract: A back check for a piano is provided for locking a returning hammer in a pivotal movement without fail and for saving the manufacturing cost. The back check is used for locking the hammer in a pivotal movement for returning after it has struck a string to prevent the hammer from rebounding. A back check, disposed at a location at which the hammer is locked, extends in a vertical direction, and has an adhering surface which rises in a central portion thereof in the vertical direction. An under felt is adhered on the adhering surface of the back check body. A sheet-like cushion material, which is adhered to the back check body to cover the under felt, is formed with a locking surface in a predetermined curved shape conformal to the adhering surface for locking the hammer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshisue
  • Publication number: 20070012156
    Abstract: There is provided a repetition lever for a grand piano, which is excellent in shape retainability and dimensional stability and is light in weight and high in rigidity, thereby enabling required operations to be stably performed and improving the capability of repeated key striking. A repetition lever 4 for a grand piano, which performs the operation of pushing up a hammer 30 after the hammer has struck a string, is formed by a molded article of a thermoplastic resin containing long fibers for reinforcement, the molded article being molded by a long fiber process. The repetition lever 4 has reduced cross-sectional area portions 49, 50, and 54 for reducing weight thereof. The long fibers for reinforcement are carbon fibers, and the thermoplastic resin is an ABS resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Hirotaka Higasa, Tsutomu Kihara
  • Publication number: 20070006709
    Abstract: A damper for an upright piano is provided for improving sound stopping capabilities and consequently improving sequential touching capabilities without adversely affecting a key touch feeling. The damper lever for an upright piano is pressed against a vibrating string to stop the vibration in response to a released key, in order to stop sound which has been generated from the vibrating string. The damper lever comprises a molding molded by a continuous fiber method and made of a thermoplastic resin containing long fibers for reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshisue
  • Patent number: 7141728
    Abstract: There is provided an action part for a piano, which has higher rigidity than that of an action part made only of a synthetic resin, while maintaining advantageous effects as provided by the use of the synthetic resin, thereby making it possible to obtain the sound volume with a smaller key depression energy, and enhance responsiveness of the action. The action part is pivotally moved along with depression of key to thereby transmit key depression energy generated by depression of the key, to a hammer. The action part is formed by a molded article of a thermoplastic resin that is molded by a long fiber process and contains long fibers for reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Kiyoshi Abe
  • Publication number: 20050045016
    Abstract: A shank flange for use in a piano for supporting a hammer which makes a pivotal movement in response to depression on a key. The shank flange comprises a molding made of thermosetting resin containing long fibers for reinforcement. The molding is molded by a long-staple method. The long fibers are carbon fibers. The shank flange excels in homogeneity and dimension stability, and has a high rigidity which can assure a smooth and stable action of the hammer. Also, dust and the like can be prevented from sticking to the shank flange and its surroundings, thus maintaining a precise action of the hammer and an aesthetically good appearance around the shank flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshisue
  • Publication number: 20050005758
    Abstract: A back check for a piano is provided for locking a returning hammer in a pivotal movement without fail and for saving the manufacturing cost. The back check is used for locking the hammer in a pivotal movement for returning after it has struck a string to prevent the hammer from rebounding. A back check, disposed at a location at which the hammer is locked, extends in a vertical direction, and has an adhering surface which rises in a central portion thereof in the vertical direction. An under felt is adhered on the adhering surface of the back check body. A sheet-like cushion material, which is adhered to the back check body to cover the under felt, is formed with a locking surface in a predetermined curved shape conformal to the adhering surface for locking the hammer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshisue
  • Publication number: 20040168562
    Abstract: There is provided an action part for a piano, which has higher rigidity than that of an action part made only of a synthetic resin, while maintaining advantageous effects as provided by the use of the synthetic resin, thereby making it possible to obtain the sound volume with a smaller key depression energy, and enhance responsiveness of the action. The action part is pivotally moved along with depression of key to thereby transmit key depression energy generated by depression of the key, to a hammer. The action part is formed by a molded article of a thermoplastic resin that is molded by a long fiber process and contains long fibers for reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Kiyoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 6740801
    Abstract: An action for a keyboard-based musical instrument is provided for preventing action parts made of a synthetic resin from being charged to eliminate stains due to dust and motes in the air attracted by static electricity. The action is composed of a plurality of action parts coupled to one another, including a hammer. The action actuates in response to depression on a key to swing the hammer which strikes a string. At least one of the plurality of action parts is made of a synthetic resin which has electrical conductivity at least on a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Yozo Koyama
  • Publication number: 20020189422
    Abstract: An action for a keyboard-based musical instrument is provided for preventing action parts made of a synthetic resin from being charged to eliminate stains due to dust and motes in the air attracted by static electricity. The action is composed of a plurality of action parts coupled to one another, including a hammer. The action actuates in response to depression on a key to swing the hammer which strikes a string. At least one of the plurality of action parts is made of a synthetic resin which has electrical conductivity at least on a surface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshisue, Yozo Koyama