Abstract: A key support structure of a keyboard device includes a first member and a second member that supports the first member. The first member is pivotal about a first axis that extends in a first direction and movable with a degree of freedom of movement in a rolling direction, which is a direction of rotation around a second axis extending in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. the second member restricts a movement of the first member in the first direction, while pivotally supporting the first member about the first axis.

Abstract: A white key of a keyboard instrument includes: an upper wall elongated in a front and rear direction; and a pair of side walls extending downward respectively from right and left edges of the upper wall and each elongated in the front and rear direction. The upper wall and the pair of side walls define an inner space opening downward. The upper wall and the pair of side walls include: a narrow portion and a wide portion wider in a right and left direction. The white key has right and left portions with respect to a center line of the narrow portion. The right and left portions are different in construction to adjust a balance of load between the right and left portions with respect to the center line.

Abstract: In response to an operation of a key, a drive signal indicating a sound waveform corresponding to the key is supplied to an excitation unit provided on a soundboard. The soundboard is vibrated in response to a mechanical vibration generated by the excitation unit and generates an actively-vibrated-soundboard sound as well as an acoustic effect generated by propagation of the vibration of the soundboard to a string. The excitation unit has a voice coil excited by the drive signal. The length of the voice coil is equal to or smaller than a sum of a magnetic path width (mw) of a magnetic path space and a double of a maximum deflection amount (sw) of the vibration member connected to the soundboard. In this way, an effective drive force for exciting the soundboard can be obtained and an enhanced responsiveness in a high frequency band can be obtained.

Abstract: In a predetermined sound generation mode, a drive signal having a frequency characteristic corresponding to an operated key is supplied to an excitation unit provided on a soundboard. In response to a mechanical vibration generated by the excitation unit, the soundboard is vibrated so as to generate an acoustic vibration sound corresponding to the operated key. The excitation unit is supported by a supporting unit such that less or no load of the excitation unit except a vibration member vibrated in response to the drive signal is applied to the soundboard. Thus, only a load of the vibration member which is a very light portion of the excitation unit is applied to the soundboard, thereby vibration characteristics of the soundboard being hardly affected. When a sound damping mode is selected, a stopper is permitted to prevent a hammer from striking a sounding body.

Abstract: An attachable book holder is disclosed for a piano having a music rest, where the music rest has upper and lower outer surfaces. The attachable book holder comprises an elongate finger element and an attachment means which is connected to the elongate finger element at a connection point. The attachment means is attachable to at least one of the outer surfaces of the music rest at one or more contact regions. The elongate finger element is adjustable between a first orientation in which the finger element extends upwards from the connection point and a second orientation. The attachable book holder can be used on modern pianos which are supplied without book holders as part of the music rest, or alternatively the attachable book holder can be used to replace faulty or missing book holders on older pianos. In the former case there is no need to drill the casing of the book rest to attach the book holder to the music rest.

Abstract: A musical instrument is provided. When the lid is revolved in a direction to open the lid from a close state of the lid, the guided part is guided to an inner peripheral concave surface of the guiding channel and is engaged with the inner peripheral concave surface. The lid is supported by the bearing bar 30, and the lid is maintained being up. After the lid is revolved in a direction to further open the lid from the open state and the guided part is disengaged from the inner peripheral concave surface, the lid can be laid down by revolving in a direction for laying down the lid. Therefore, the lid can be changed to an open state or a close state by only revolving the lid.

Abstract: In a predetermined sound generation mode, a drive signal having a frequency characteristic corresponding to an operated key is supplied to an excitation unit provided on a soundboard. In response to a mechanical vibration generated by the excitation unit, the soundboard is vibrated so as to generate an acoustic vibration sound corresponding to the operated key. The excitation unit is supported by a supporting unit such that less or no load of the excitation unit except a vibration member vibrated in response to the drive signal is applied to the soundboard. Thus, only a load of the vibration member which is a very light portion of the excitation unit is applied to the soundboard, thereby vibration characteristics of the soundboard being hardly affected. When a sound damping mode is selected, a stopper is permitted to prevent a hammer from striking a sounding body.

Abstract: Keys of a piano are depressed against the total weight of associated action units and hammers so that balance weight pieces are embedded in the front portion of each key; since the wood bar of the key is expandable and shrinkable due to the conditions of the environment, the weight pieces are liable to come loose; the balance weight piece is formed with ridges and valleys repeated at least 7 times at fine pitches equal to or less than 2 millimeters, and the maximum diameter of the ridges is slightly longer than an inner diameter of a hole formed in the wood bar; while the balance weight piece is being pressed into the hole, the ridges make the inner surface portion elastically deformed; when the balance weight piece reaches the target position, the inner surface portion penetrates into the valleys so that the balance weight piece is lodged therein.

Abstract: Keys of a piano are depressed against the total weight of associated action units and hammers so that balance weight pieces are embedded in the front portion of each key; since the wood bar of the key is expandable and shrinkable due to the conditions of the environment, the weight pieces are liable to come loose; the balance weight piece is formed with ridges and valleys repeated at least 7 times at fine pitches equal to or less than 2 millimeters, and the maximum diameter of the ridges is slightly longer than an inner diameter of a hole formed in the wood bar; while the balance weight piece is being pressed into the hole, the ridges make the inner surface portion elastically deformed; when the balance weight piece reaches the target position, the inner surface portion penetrates into the valleys so that the balance weight piece is lodged therein.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus which allows even a visually-handicapped user to perceive the function or state related to an operating element in advance. When an operator makes a RF tag mounted in a predetermined portion of the human body operating an operating element approach the operating element and then a RFID reader reads an ID stored in the RF tag, the function of the operating element or the state corresponding to the operating element is notified to the operator through voice in accordance with the read ID.

Abstract: An electronic keyboard that includes a plurality of keys including a first key. The keyboard further includes a key support supporting the first key for movement between a rest position and a depressed position. The keyboard also includes a first key return spring configured to apply a return force to the first key to bias the first key toward the rest position. In the keyboard, the first key return spring is configured such that the return force has a substantially constant magnitude throughout the movement of the first key between the rest position and the depressed position.

Abstract: A keyboard device is designed for use in an electronic musical instrument. A plurality of keys including white keys and black keys are arranged on a keyboard frame. Supporting parts are mounted on the keyboard frame for supporting the keys pivotably downward and upward. The supporting parts include white key supporting parts to support the white keys and black key supporting parts to support the black keys. The supporting parts are positioned at the rear portions of the keys such that the black key supporting parts are arranged rearward relative to the white key supporting parts. The keyboard frame supports an anti-floating part which extends across the rear portions of the keys and positioned above the supporting parts of the keys so as to prevent the rear portion of the key from floating upward when the front portion of the key is pressed downward.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a device main frame portion, a display portion supported by the device main frame portion, a keyboard, and a casing on which the keyboard is disposed. The keyboard includes a plurality of operating keys, a placement base in which the plurality of operating keys are disposed, and a plurality of retaining portions disposed on at least portions of the placement base of the keyboard other than an outer circumferential portion. The keyboard is disposed on a casing. A plurality of connection retaining portions are provided on the casing, on which connection retaining portions the plurality of retaining portions of the placement base are retained, respectively.

Abstract: Virtual damper position data, simulatively representing a position of a damper member provided for suppressing vibration of a string in a physical tone generating mechanism of the acoustic piano, is generated on the basis of key-on data, key-off data, released key position data, damper pedal position data, sostenute pedal-on data and sostenute pedal-off data. Release characteristic of a tone signal to be generated is controlled on the basis of the virtual damper position data. When the sostenute pedal-on data or key-on data has been supplied, the virtual damper position data is set at a value corresponding to a maximum damper release position. Virtual damper position data is variably generated on the basis of at least one of the released key position data, damper pedal position data supplied after the supply of the sostenute pedal-off data or key-off data.

Abstract: An electronic keyboard musical instrument includes a body unit of the musical instrument and a stand attached to the body unit. The stand includes a pair of side boards disposed in a standing manner so as to interpose the body unit therebetween. The body unit includes a pair of lateral surfaces. Each of the pair of lateral surfaces faces one of the pair of side boards and includes a first engaging portion disposed thereon. Each of the pair of side boards includes a first engaged portion engaged by the first engaging portion and disposed on an inner lateral surface thereof, which faces one of the pair of lateral surfaces of the body unit. The first engaging portion and the first engaged portion are engaged with each other by at least one of the body unit and the stand being moved in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for improving the sound of acoustic musical instruments by suppressing energy storage effects resulting in undesired interferences and distorted sounds. This is done by specifically directing the sound energy (kinetic disposal) away from parts not directly required for generating sound before the sound energy can influence the desired, primary sound event of the musical instrument. In a second aspect, the lowest energy level for generating sound, and thus the optimal initial state of all instrument parts required for creating the primary sound event, is restored as quickly as possible by means of said kinetic disposal. The kinetic disposal is obtained by arranging at least one crystalline member (1) that has a sound velocity of more than 8000 m/s in the solid, on a part (5) located in the passive zone of the musical instrument.

Abstract: A piano (1) having a dense sound-enhancing component (2), said piano (1) having a case (6), a frame (3) located within the case (6), strings (5) located within the frame (3), keys (9) in connection with hammers (11), two bridges (13) each of stone having a top face (27), a bottom face (28), a first side (29) and a second side (30), bridge pins (16) extending from the top face (27) at an angle, the strings (5) extending across the bridges (13) adjacent to the bridge pins (16), a soundboard (4) and an amount of epoxy (18) located between the bridges (13) and soundboard (4). The dense sound-enhancing component (2) is a stone material, preferably granite, and enhances the sound of the piano (1) by holding and sustaining pitch longer, providing a longer and stronger signal, providing a higher volume or decibel level and having a decreased decibel fall-off as compared to conventional pianos utilizing wood bridge(s).

Abstract: A keyboard support comprises a platform for supporting a keyboard, a bracket placed on a predetermined position for locking and stabling the platform by a lock module, a joint module connected with an end of the bracket to be used for adjusting the up/down angle of the bracket, a sleeve having a closed end connected to the joint nodule, a crooked shaft having a end slipped over a opened end of the sleeve to be used for adjusting the waving angle of the platform by rotating the sleeve, and a base used for fastening another end of the crooked shaft to an object, wherein the crooked shaft can be rotated for adjusting the position thereof, thus, the adaptability of the support can be improved for various free-angle and positions adjustment according to the coordination of the joint module, the sleeve, the crooked shaft, and the base.

Abstract: A keyboard (25) has keys (10) mounted to pivot about a vertical axis as well as about a horizontal axis. Movement of the keys (10) about tile vertical axis is detected to adjust the sounds provided by the musical instrument resulting from striking the keys (10). Wells may be provided with a substance that is selectively solid and fluid. An electronic string instrument emulator has an electromagnetic string and a bow with ferromagnetic material. A method for performing musical instruments includes adjusting the temperament of the instrument during performance based on the music being played. A keyboard instrument may be caused to sound using suitably arrayed electromagnets.

Abstract: A system relating to improving the usefulness of one or more electronic pianos by providing a multifunctional outer housing. Such outer housing is assembled substantially from modular components, preferably adapted for rapid set-up and breakdown. The housings are designed to generally resemble traditional acoustic pianos. The system incorporates a number of hardware components including an onboard computer device adapted to query and display information contained within a music-related database. A method of commercial distribution is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus comprising small-scale piano replicas having autographed piano keys integral to the collectable and method therefore. Additionally, a method of creating collectable piano replicas comprising actual piano keys that are signed or autographed by an artist, or artists, the autographed piano keys being integral to the piano replica thereby producing a musical collectable.

Abstract: A key structure includes a top plate which is formed by laminating a half-transparent resin surface layer member on a resin bottom side member using two-color injection molding, and the top plate is secured on a wooden key base. A plurality of concave grooves and protrusions, and a plurality of protrusion and troughs are respectively formed together in straight lines in the long direction of the key structure on a rear face of the surface layer member and a top face of the rear side member. Outside light is reflected from the top ends of the protrusion and the troughs, whereby a faint and natural vertically-striped pattern, which corresponds to a concave-convex part formed by the concave grooves and the protrusions, is perceived as resembling an edge grain of ivory.

Abstract: A system relating to improving the usefulness of one or more electronic pianos by providing a multifunctional outer housing. Such outer housing is assembled substantially from modular components, preferably adapted for rapid set-up and breakdown. The housings are designed to generally resemble traditional acoustic pianos. The system incorporates a number of hardware components including an onboard computer device adapted to query and display information contained within a music-related database. A method of commercial distribution is also disclosed.

Abstract: A jack used in an action mechanism of a piano has substantially an L-shape, composed of a big jack portion and a small jack portion. The thickness of the small jack portion is made smaller than that of the big jack portion in a direction of key arrangement in a state of the jack being fitted in the piano. By reducing the weight of the small jack portion as above, the time required for the jack to return to a position capable of pushing up a part of a striking member can be shortened. Accordingly, more frequent repetitive striking is allowed within a predetermined period.

Abstract: A keyboard instrument is provided which inhibits generation of unintended, audible noise. A partition (body part) is arranged between adjacent hammers corresponding to keys. In the keyboard instrument provided with the partition, even if the keyboard instrument is rotated vertically and a hammer falls, the partition prevents the hammer from freely falling and striking adjacent hammers. Also, the hammer is restricted from generating unintended sounds for reasons unrelated to falling. Accordingly, generation of an unintended audible sound of the hammers can be reliably restrained in the present keyboard instrument.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument such as a grand piano has a front top board and a rear top board with which an upper opening of a piano case is closed, and the rear top board is confronted with the front top board at the closing position; an automatic board spacer is provided between the front top board and the piano case, and automatically increases the gap after the rear top board leaves the closing position and decreases the gap at the arrival of the rear top board at the closing position, thereby preventing the user's fingers from pinch between the front and rear top boards.

Abstract: Casing of an electronic keyboard musical instrument includes two discrete parts: a main casing section; and a rear casing section. The main casing section includes a bottom plate having a keyboard section placed thereon, a keyslip portion extending upward from the bottom plate in front of the keyboard section, and left and right side plates extending upward from the bottom plate at left and right sides of the keyboard section. The rear casing section includes a roof plate forming a rear upper surface of the casing, and a back plate extending downward from a rear edge of the roof plate. The rear casing section is detachably attached to the main casing section by means of a slidingly-attaching structure for slidingly attaching the rear casing section to the left and right side plates of the main casing section.

Abstract: Casing of an electronic keyboard musical instrument includes two discrete parts: a main casing section; and a rear casing section. The main casing section includes a bottom plate having a keyboard section placed thereon, a keyslip portion extending upward from the bottom plate in front of the keyboard section, and left and right side plates extending upward from the bottom plate at left and right sides of the keyboard section. The rear casing section includes a roof plate forming a rear upper surface of the casing, and a back plate extending downward from a rear edge of the roof plate. The rear casing section is detachably attached to the main casing section by means of a slidingly-attaching structure for slidingly attaching the rear casing section to the left and right side plates of the main casing section.

Abstract: A versatile, high performance grand piano includes a keyboard having 92 keys thereon as opposed to the conventional 88 keys found on most pianos. Furthermore, each key hammer strikes four dedicated strings as opposed to the three shared strings found on conventional pianos. The string construction eliminates the need for string sets to be shared with adjacent keys so that tuning or breakage of a string only affects a single key as opposed to adjacent keys.

Abstract: A keyboard instrument is provided which inhibits generation of unintended, audible noise. A partition (body part) is arranged between adjacent hammers corresponding to keys. In the keyboard instrument provided with the partition, even if the keyboard instrument is rotated vertically and a hammer falls, the partition prevents the hammer from freely falling and striking adjacent hammers. Also, the hammer is restricted from generating unintended sounds for reasons unrelated to falling. Accordingly, generation of an unintended audible sound of the hammers can be reliably restrained in the present keyboard instrument.

Abstract: A muter configured to be placed beneath the soundboard of a piano (in the case of a grand piano) in order to attenuate the downward transmission of sound. The muter employs blocks of acoustic foam, shaped to frictionally engage the structural elements of the piano in order to retain the muter within the piano. The muter is easily installed and removed. A version configured for use with an upright piano is also disclosed.

Abstract: A speaker edge is made of a thermosetting composition consisting of a polyurethane prepolymer and an inactivated solid polyamine as a latent hardener. A gas is dispersed in the thermosetting composition, prior to feed into a mold, so that it can foam and solidify to give the speaker edge. In a method of making the speaker edge, the composition will be injected into a female mold segment heated below the critical thermosetting temperature, foaming the composition. Then placed in the female segment is a male segment heated above the critical temperature, causing the ingredients to react with each other to solidify in the mold.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument such as a piano has legs for supporting a piano case on a floor, a pair of glued laminated woody members like an L-letter, a pair of decorative plates and a caster are assembled into the leg, and the pair of glued laminated woody members is directly bolted to the piano case so that the legs are hardly broken even when large bending moment is exerted on the legs during relocation of the piano.

Abstract: A sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of a piano is divided into a two-segment structure made up of the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the upstream side A and the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the downstream side B, and the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the downstream side is placed in a layered state onto the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the upstream side, with a plural number of weight-supporting elements of a point-support type or a line-support type allocated in between in rows at certain uniform intervals on the support frame 19 installed in the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the upstream side A.

Abstract: A key is an indispensable component parts of an acoustic or electronic keyboard musical instrument, and key balancers are embedded in the key for varying the moment exerted on the key; the key balancers are fastened to the key by means of an anchor so that the key balancers are neither chattered in nor dropped out from the key.

Abstract: In an apparatus for opening an closing a top board of a grand piano, the top board is hingedly supported along one side thereof on an outer rim of the grand piano. The apparatus has a gear-type of jack made up of a jack main body fixed to a wooden fame of the grand piano, and a rod which is movable in a longitudinal direction through the jack main body and which supports the top board in a manner to open and close said top board.

Abstract: A sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of a piano is divided into a two-segment structure made up of the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the upstream side A and the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the downstream side B, and the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the downstream side is placed in a layered state onto the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the upstream side, with a plural number of weight-supporting elements of a point-support type or a line-support type allocated in between in rows at certain uniform intervals on the support frame 19 installed in the sonic-vibration-generating mechanism of the upstream side A.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument such as a piano has legs for supporting a piano case on a floor, a pair of glued laminated woody members like an L-letter, a pair of decorative plates and a caster are assembled into the leg, and the pair of glued laminated woody members is directly bolted to the piano case so that the legs are hardly broken even when large bending moment is exerted on the legs during relocation of the piano.

Abstract: A panel assembly for an electronic keyboard musical instrument is disposed over a substantially entire width in a direction in which keys are arranged. The panel assembly serves to cover electronic circuits or the like contained therein. The panel assembly is made up of two members of a front panel and a rear panel which are divided in the direction in which the keys are arranged. A rear end portion of the front panel is placed on top of a front end portion of the rear panel, and the front panel and the rear panel are connected together by self tapping screws to be screwed from a lower side into the lower surface of the rear end portion of the front panel.

Abstract: There is provided a method of assembling an upright piano. The upright piano is divided into a plurality kinds of units. The plurality of kinds of units are each separately assembled, and these plurality of kinds of units thus assembled are joined to each other, to thereby assemble the upright piano.

Abstract: Pianos in which the desired downbearing force of the strings upon the bridges and soundboard is predetermined and accurately simulated upon the soundboard bridges so that adjustments can be made to the bridge-string plate relationship so that the previously simulated force will be exerted upon the soundboard and bridges when the piano is fully strung and at pitch.

Abstract: A portable electric keyboard musical instrument is disclosed which includes (1) a two-part folding supporting structure, (2) a plurality of vibratile reeds with each having an end fixedly attached to the supporting structure, (3) a plurality of actions for selectively causing respective reeds to vibrate and pickup devices used in spaced relation to the reeds for generating an electrical frequency from the vibrations of the reeds. The keyboard is contained in a hand transportable case which is foldable and serves as a support and protective assembly for the keyboard.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument that can be played in a manner similar to a piano or organ and yet sounds like a guitar. It includes a plurality of string sets extending between and across a pair of string bridges that are mounted on and extend transversely of the instrument body, each string set constituting an octave and being disposed laterally adjacent on the body. Each string set includes a single string that is reversely looped and mounted so that each side of the string can be individually tensioned to provide a different pitch. A plurality of manually operated slide bars are provided, each slide bar extending across and slidably engaging the strings of one string set to achieve selectively the key for the associated string set. Finger-actuating elements are operatively connected to a plurality of string strikers mounted for selectively strinking the strings, the finger-actuating elements selectively moving the string strikers into engagement with the strings.

Abstract: A grand piano having a lower lid attached thereto by hinges, and a lid designed for attachment to the bottom of a grand piano. The lid completely covers the bottom of the piano case when latched in a closed position. In its closed position, the lower lid protects the soundboard from damage (such as during transportation of the piano) and mutes the piano's sound. The lower lid of the invention is designed so that, when released from its closed position and pivoted downward into an open position, it will reflect sound from the soundboard outward from the front of the piano. Preferably, the angular orientation of the lower lid in its open position is chosen to reinforce and focus the projection of sound within a desired frequency range (for example, midrange sounds) to a desired target region. Such optimal angular orientation can be determined experimentally.