Patents by Inventor Yoichirou Shimomuku

Yoichirou Shimomuku 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: 7652207
    Abstract: A key structure which is capable of giving a woody appearance to the key, and increasing the freedom of mounting at least one functional part formed as a separate part from the key structure, while maintaining excellent machinability. An upper plate has an increased width part corresponding to an end of a white key toward a player. In the key structure, a wood part is secured to the lower surface of at least the increased width part of the upper plate, and has an increased width part having substantially the same width as the increased width part of the upper plate. The key structure is mountable in a keyboard apparatus, for functioning as a white key pivotally moved by key-depressing operation. A recess is formed in a part of the wood part including the increased width part, which opens downward and has a width (W0) not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the width (B0) of the increased width part of the wood part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Kenichi Nishida, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Patent number: 7541532
    Abstract: A key structure which is capable of giving a woody appearance to the key, and increasing the freedom of mounting at least one functional part formed as a separate part from the key structure, while maintaining excellent machinability. An upper plate has an increased width part corresponding to an end of a white key toward a player. In the key structure, a wood part is secured to the lower surface of at least the increased width part of the upper plate, and has an increased width part having substantially the same width as the increased width part of the upper plate. The key structure is mountable in a keyboard apparatus, for functioning as a white key pivotally moved by key-depressing operation. A recess is formed in a part of the wood part including the increased width part, which opens downward and has a width (W0) not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the width (B0) of the increased width part of the wood part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Kenichi Nishida, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Publication number: 20080210079
    Abstract: A key structure which is capable of giving a woody appearance to the key, and increasing the freedom of mounting at least one functional part formed as a separate part from the key structure, while maintaining excellent machinability. An upper plate has an increased width part corresponding to an end of a white key toward a player. In the key structure, a wood part is secured to the lower surface of at least the increased width part of the upper plate, and has an increased width part having substantially the same width as the increased width part of the upper plate. The key structure is mountable in a keyboard apparatus, for functioning as a white key pivotally moved by key-depressing operation. A recess is formed in a part of the wood part including the increased width part, which opens downward and has a width (W0) not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the width (B0) of the increased width part of the wood part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Kenichi Nishida, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Patent number: 7268285
    Abstract: A key structure which has a key formed by a wood part so as to present a woody appearance and which makes it possible to prevent support members thereof that support the wood part from being damaged during machining of the wood part for width adjustment. The key structure functions as a key pivotally moved by key depression when it is mounted in a keyboard apparatus. A wood part includes a narrow part having opposite lateral sides. An elongated upper plate body has opposite lateral sides, and fixedly supports the wood part. Recessed parts are formed in the respective lateral sides of the upper plate body at least in a substantial entirety of a region of the upper plate body in a longitudinal direction of the key structure where the wood part does not exist. The recessed parts are recessed laterally inward of the respective lateral sides of the narrow part of the wood part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichirou Shimomuku, Kenichi Nishida, Ichiro Osuga
  • Patent number: 7265288
    Abstract: A key structure which is free from separation between a wood part thereof and a key base body to which the wood part is secured and has enhanced vertical rigidity in the vicinity of a clearance between the base end of the key base body and the wood part. In the key structure, the key base body has an extended part formed integrally with the base end and extended forward therefrom. The wood part is fixedly bonded to the upper surface of the extended part. A clearance is formed transversely of the key base body between the wood part and the base end. An upper plate body is fixedly bonded to both the upper surface of the wood part and the upper surface of the base end, and the rear part of the upper plate body extends in a manner spanning the base end and the wood part above the clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Nishida, Ichiro Osuga, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Patent number: 7176370
    Abstract: A key structure which is capable of giving a woody appearance to the key, and increasing the freedom of mounting at least one functional part formed as a separate part from the key structure, while maintaining excellent machinability. An upper plate has an increased width part corresponding to an end of a white key toward a player. In the key structure, a wood part is secured to the lower surface of at least the increased width part of the upper plate, and has an increased width part having substantially the same width as the increased width part of the upper plate. The key structure is mountable in a keyboard apparatus, for functioning as a white key pivotally moved by key-depressing operation. A recess is formed in a part of the wood part including the increased width part, which opens downward and has a width (W0) not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the width (B0) of the increased width part of the wood part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Kenichi Nishida, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Publication number: 20070022864
    Abstract: A key structure which is capable of giving a woody appearance to the key, and increasing the freedom of mounting at least one functional part formed as a separate part from the key structure, while maintaining excellent machinability. An upper plate has an increased width part corresponding to an end of a white key toward a player. In the key structure, a wood part is secured to the lower surface of at least the increased width part of the upper plate, and has an increased width part having substantially the same width as the increased width part of the upper plate. The key structure is mountable in a keyboard apparatus, for functioning as a white key pivotally moved by key-depressing operation. A recess is formed in a part of the wood part including the increased width part, which opens downward and has a width (W0) not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the width (B0) of the increased width part of the wood part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Kenichi Nishida, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Publication number: 20050145093
    Abstract: A key structure which is free from separation between a wood part thereof and a key base body to which the wood part is secured and has enhanced vertical rigidity in the vicinity of a clearance between the base end of the key base body and the wood part. In the key structure, the key base body has an extended part formed integrally with the base end and extended forward therefrom. The wood part is fixedly bonded to the upper surface of the extended part. A clearance is formed transversely of the key base body between the wood part and the base end. An upper plate body is fixedly bonded to both the upper surface of the wood part and the upper surface of the base end, and the rear part of the upper plate body extends in a manner spanning the base end and the wood part above the clearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Nishida, Ichiro Osuga, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Publication number: 20050056138
    Abstract: A key structure which is capable of giving a woody appearance to the key, and increasing the freedom of mounting at least one functional part formed as a separate part from the key structure, while maintaining excellent machinability. An upper plate has an increased width part corresponding to an end of a white key toward a player. In the key structure, a wood part is secured to the lower surface of at least the increased width part of the upper plate, and has an increased width part having substantially the same width as the increased width part of the upper plate. The key structure is mountable in a keyboard apparatus, for functioning as a white key pivotally moved by key-depressing operation. A recess is formed in a part of the wood part including the increased width part, which opens downward and has a width (W0) not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the width (B0) of the increased width part of the wood part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro Osuga, Kenichi Nishida, Yoichirou Shimomuku
  • Publication number: 20050056136
    Abstract: A key structure which has a key formed by a wood part so as to present a woody appearance and which makes it possible to prevent support members thereof that support the wood part from being damaged during machining of the wood part for width adjustment. The key structure functions as a key pivotally moved by key depression when it is mounted in a keyboard apparatus. A wood part includes a narrow part having opposite lateral sides. An elongated upper plate body has opposite lateral sides, and fixedly supports the wood part. Recessed parts are formed in the respective lateral sides of the upper plate body at least in a substantial entirety of a region of the upper plate body in a longitudinal direction of the key structure where the wood part does not exist. The recessed parts are recessed laterally inward of the respective lateral sides of the narrow part of the wood part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichirou Shimomuku, Kenichi Nishida, Ichiro Osuga