Pedal Patents (Class 84/426)
  • Patent number: 9364379
    Abstract: The present invention provides a standing mobility and/or transfer device for handicapped users including an articulating foot platform system effective to move a foot platform between a rearwardly tilted user-receiving condition located close to the floor and an elevated, forwardly tilted condition for user transport at a standing-prone angle. Bilateral lift arms move in concert with the raising and lowering function of the foot platform to elevate the person to a standing-prone position from a seated position. In a raised position, the lift arms are located alongside a user to provide additional posture control. Optional motors associated with one or more wheels of the device may be controlled by the user with a joystick for self-propelled standing mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Standing Normal LLC
    Inventors: Gary Hammond, Dan Davis
  • Patent number: 8604326
    Abstract: A sustain foot pedal for sustaining a first keyboard and a second keyboard that may have first and second switches is provided. The pedal has an actuating member that may simultaneously activate both the first and second switch. A first keyboard receives a first sustain signal upon activation of the first switch and sustains a first note upon receipt of the first sustain signal. A second keyboard receives a second sustain signal upon activation of the second switch and sustains a second note upon receipt of the second sustain signal. The keyboards are independent from one another such that the first keyboard does not send a signal to the second keyboard to control the second keyboard, and such that the second keyboard does not send a signal to the first keyboard to control the first keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Inventor: Curtis Mitchell Ellis
  • Publication number: 20110030534
    Abstract: A sustain foot pedal for sustaining a first keyboard and a second keyboard that may have first and second switches is provided. The pedal has an actuating member that may simultaneously activate both the first and second switch. A first keyboard receives a first sustain signal upon activation of the first switch and sustains a first note upon receipt of the first sustain signal. A second keyboard receives a second sustain signal upon activation of the second switch and sustains a second note upon receipt of the second sustain signal. The keyboards are independent from one another such that the first keyboard does not send a signal to the second keyboard to control the second keyboard, and such that the second keyboard does not send a signal to the first keyboard to control the first keyboard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventor: Curtis Mitchell Ellis
  • Patent number: 7858862
    Abstract: A pedal device of a keyboard instrument which makes it possible to stably secure a required action of a pedal, facilitate assembly thereof, and reduce manufacturing costs. A pedal device for a keyboard instrument of the present invention comprises a chassis 8 having a support portion 30, and a pedal 7 vertically pivotally mounted on the chassis 8, for a downward stepped-on operation. The pedal 7 has a cover 15 formed of a synthetic resin, and pivotally supported on the support portion 30 of the chassis 8, and a pedal body 14 fixed to the cover 15 in a state in which a rear part of the pedal body is covered by the cover 15, and protruding forward from the chassis 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Shinji Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 7772475
    Abstract: A main body 10 having a keyboard operated with player's hands is supported on both sides thereof by stand portions 22, 24. To the lower end of the stand portions 22, 24, a fixed unit 52 is fixed. On the fixed unit 52, a moving unit 60 is mounted so that the moving unit 60 can move frontward and backward. On the moving unit 60, a pedal 62 operated with a player's foot is mounted. Separately from the keyboard operated with the hands, as a result, the player is allowed to adjust his desired front-back directional position of the pedal 62.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Takuya Nakata
  • Publication number: 20100089225
    Abstract: An electronic keyboard apparatus capable of changing, with a simple construction, a musical tone control characteristic for each pedal manipulation stroke section. A detection value representing a pedal depression depth is converted into an output value according to a table group, and a musical tone parameter is controlled based on the output value. The table group includes default and alternate tables exhibiting a hysteresis such that the output value converted from the same detection value becomes smaller in a reverse pedal stroke than in a forward pedal stoke. In the forward stroke, the default table is changed to the alternate table when the detection value passes a second threshold value provided on a deeper depression depth side than a first threshold value. In the reverse stroke, the alternate table is changed to the default table when the detection value passes the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi MARUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20080257131
    Abstract: A main body 10 having a keyboard operated with player's hands is supported on both sides thereof by stand portions 22, 24. To the lower end of the stand portions 22, 24, a fixed unit 52 is fixed. On the fixed unit 52, a moving unit 60 is mounted so that the moving unit 60 can move frontward and backward. On the moving unit 60, a pedal 62 operated with a player's foot is mounted. Separately from the keyboard operated with the hands, as a result, the player is allowed to adjust his desired front-back directional position of the pedal 62.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuya NAKATA
  • Patent number: 7435888
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for triggering electronic drums having a pedal assembly and a striking assembly spaced therefrom. The pedal assembly includes a base, a first hub body rotatably connected thereto, and an extension extending outwardly from and coupled to the first hub body. The striking assembly includes a base, a second hub body rotatably connected thereto, and a striking device connected to and extending outwardly from the second hub body. The distal end of the striking device is disposed between first and second triggering devices. The first and second hub bodies are coupled together via a connecting rod, which transfers a rotational force therebetween. The striking device contacts the first triggering device when the extension is depressed, and contacts the second triggering device when the extension is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: Mark David Steele
  • Patent number: 7375272
    Abstract: A pedal stand for a musical instrument includes a main frame, a support rack foldably mounted on the main frame, and a locking device mounted between the main frame and the support rack to detachably lock the support rack on the main frame. Thus, when the push button of the locking device is pushed downward, the support rack is unlocked from the locking device and is pivotable relative to the main frame to fold the pedal stand, so that the pedal stand is folded easily and quickly. In addition, the user only needs to push the push button to fold the pedal stand, so that the pedal stand is folded in an energy-saving manner, thereby facilitating the user folding the pedal stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventor: Wei-Pin Wang
  • Publication number: 20080041216
    Abstract: A pedal stand for a musical instrument includes a main frame, a support rack foldably mounted on the main frame, and a locking device mounted between the main frame and the support rack to detachably lock the support rack on the main frame. Thus, when the push button of the locking device is pushed downward, the support rack is unlocked from the locking device and is pivotable relative to the main frame to fold the pedal stand, so that the pedal stand is folded easily and quickly. In addition, the user only needs to push the push button to fold the pedal stand, so that the pedal stand is folded in an energy-saving manner, thereby facilitating the user folding the pedal stand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventor: Wei-Pin Wang
  • Patent number: 7074997
    Abstract: A foot pedal for electronic drums includes a lower tab or pedal or other extension for triggering by pressing down, and an upper tab or pedal or other extension for triggering by raising the foot. Also included is the joining of the upper and lower extensions (tab, pedal or other) into a pedal assembly that includes: a hinge or axle or other device which allows the pedal assembly to rotate in an arc; a striking device (stick, rod or other) that is attached to the pedal assembly and hits impact sensitive electronic drum triggering devices (pads, tubes or others); and an elastic device or spring which returns the pedal assembly to the neutral (at-rest) position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Inventor: Mark David Steele
  • Publication number: 20040060421
    Abstract: An enhanced bass drum pedal is provided with an eccentricity-adjustable cam system comprising a cam core mounted on a rotating shaft, a cam member rotatably connected to the cam core by a first pin, a positioning member rotatably connected to the cam member by a second pin, and a set screw. The positioning member is fastened onto the cam core by the set screw at a selected position of the positioning member to adjust the eccentricity of the cam system relative to the axis of rotation. As a result, a user can readily alter the impact force acted on a drum head and the restoring force applied to the foot board thereby tuning the bass drum pedal to suit the user's playing style and ability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Sang Jae Yun
  • Patent number: 6710237
    Abstract: A drum pedal for enhanced mating of a drummer's foot is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a foot pad is employed for attachment to a pedal of a drum having an upwardly extending protrusion that enables improved sensory perception to properly locate a drummer's foot and to enable learning and consistently applying a force to a sweet spot during drumming. The foot pad also includes shock absorption to reduce the negative effects of repeated impact to the user's foot during drumming. A variety of embodiments include traction treads, a plurality of protrusions or built up portions in different respective locations of the footpad, and an additional stiffening layer to effectively widen the foot pedal. A method of use includes locating the foot pad on a the foot pedal, and in particular locating a protrusion on the foot pedal to enable consistent drumming by improved sensory perception and positioning of a drummer's foot during drumming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Inventor: Steven P. Adams
  • Publication number: 20040025667
    Abstract: A bass drum foot pedal assembly for triggering rapid multiple drum beats in an electronic drum or percussion synthesizer having a frame with an upper striking surface with an electronic drum trigger wired to the electronic drum and a lower striking surface with an electronic drum trigger wired to the drum, a spring-biased foot pedal having a contact on the upper surface of the pedal toe and a contact on the lower surface of the pedal toe positioned between the upper and lower striking surfaces. The drummer can trigger a drumbeat upon depression of the pedal by causing the lower contact to actuate a trigger and by releasing the the pedal to the upper contact to actuate a trigger, thereby triggering multiple rapid drumbeats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Ronald K. Hampton
  • Patent number: 6538185
    Abstract: A pedal board assembly for receiving a plurality of musical sound effect generators generally comprises a box-like receptacle with a removable lid. The receptacle contains a top tier of flat, fixed pitch panels including a power supply and an audio circuit interface. A middle tier is of a fixed, tilted pitch and a lower tier is of selectively flat or tilted pitch mode, the tilted pitch mode matching the pitch of the middle tier so that large sound effect generators may be placed across to span both the middle tier and the lower tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: MKS Professional Stage Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael K. Stratton
  • Patent number: 6528713
    Abstract: A grand piano includes a pedal mechanism constituted by a lyre block attached to the lower surface of a piano case, pedal posts hung from the lyre block, a lyre box engaged with the pedal posts, pedals rotatably supported by the lyre box and pedal rods connected between the pedals and damper mechanism/keyboard accommodated in the piano case, wherein the lyre box is movable along the pedal posts, and a coupler is provided between the lyre box and the pedal posts so as to maintain the pedals at a position suitable for a pianist, whereby the pianist can adjust the pedals to the suitable position before fingering on the keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Maehara
  • Patent number: 6448481
    Abstract: A damper pedal mechanism, a sostenuto/muffler pedal mechanism and a damper pedal mechanism are incorporated in an acoustic piano for artistic expression, and are independently actuated by a pianist, wherein component parts are assembled into the pedal mechanisms on a base plate, and, thereafter, the pedal mechanism unit is installed in a piano housing so that a factory worker feels the assembling work comfortable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Maehara, Yoshikatsu Tateishi
  • Publication number: 20020112594
    Abstract: A grand piano includes a pedal mechanism constituted by a lyre block attached to the lower surface of a piano case, pedal posts hung from the lyre block, a lyre box engaged with the pedal posts, pedals rotatably supported by the lyre box and pedal rods connected between the pedals and damper mechanism/keyboard accommodated in the piano case, wherein the lyre box is movable along the pedal posts, and a coupler is provided between the lyre box and the pedal posts so as to maintain the pedals at a position suitable for a pianist, whereby the pianist can adjust the pedals to the suitable position before fingering on the keyboard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventor: Kazuo Maehara
  • Publication number: 20010037718
    Abstract: A damper pedal mechanism, a sostenuto/muffler pedal mechanism and a damper pedal mechanism are incorporated in an acoustic piano for artistic expression, and are independently actuated by a pianist, wherein component parts are assembled into the pedal mechanisms on a base plate, and, thereafter, the pedal mechanism unit is installed in a piano housing so that a factory worker feels the assembling work comfortable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Kazuo Maehara, Yoshikatsu Tateishi
  • Patent number: 5936172
    Abstract: A mechanism including a sustaining bar (112) directly engaging a row of damper supports (104); and a harmonic bar directly engaging a row of escapements (13) each of which is combined with one of the damper supports. Both bars (111, 112) are actuated by a common pedal (1) to which they are connected by a linkage system (18, 20, 5) linking the movement of the harmonic bar (111) to that of the sustaining bar (112) so that when the pedal is depressed beyond a so-called "harmonic" position in which the pedal is half-depressed, the sustaining function is applied to all the notes whose keys are depressed, and once the pedal has been fully depressed and is therefore in a so-called "forte" position, then very slightly released, all the escapements are in engagement with the harmonic bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignees: Denis M.X. de la Rochefordiere, Eric Drulang
    Inventor: Denis M. X. de La Rochefordiere
  • Patent number: 5192822
    Abstract: A foot pedal initial height adjustment for the foot pedal of a high hat stand. The foot pedal operates an operating rod which moves the movable cymbal down to contact the stationary cymbal. A spring biases the movable cymbal, its operating rod and the pedal upwardly. A connecting element in the form of a lever or wheel is connected on the one hand with the pedal and at a spaced away location is connected on the other hand with a pedal height adjusting member. The connecting element is also connected to the stationary body of the stand. The pedal height adjusting member is adjustable in length, e.g., by being comprised of two toothed rack holding arms whose relative overlapping lengths is adjustable. The adjustment of the length of the pedal height adjusting member determines the initial position and orientation of the connecting element which sets the initial height of the pedal, before the movable cymbal is moved toward the stationary cymbal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Hoshino Gakki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Hoshino
  • Patent number: 4945802
    Abstract: A pneumatic foot pedal assembly for percussion instruments such as bass drums and hi-hat stands. The assembly permits adjustable mounting of a drum beater bar, foot pedal and drive chain while providing automatic return of the pedal to a neutral position by means of gas compressed upon depression of the pedal. Gas pressure within the pneumatic return mechanism is also adjustable. There is further optionally provided a substantially identical pneumatic unit for damping the return movement of both the drum pedal and hi-hat stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventor: David S. Ruprecht
  • Patent number: 4658696
    Abstract: A pedal keyboard operated musical instrument includes a keyboard housing formed as a shallow, upwardly opening coffer. A spacer bar extends laterally in the housing, with a plurality of spring bars arrayed in parallel fashion and secured atop the spacer bar in generally orthogonal relationship thereto. The spacer bar bisects the longitudinal extent of the spring bars, which are unsupported at their opposed ends. A first and second plurality of pedal keys are secured to the spring bars, in alternating fashion, with each key of one plurality disposed between a pair of the keys of the other plurality. In addition, each key of one plurality is secured to one end of each spring bar, with a key of the other plurality secured to the other end of the respective spring bar. The keys of the one plurality are provided with blocks extending upwardly therefrom to extend above the nominal height of the second plurality, the blocks being adjustable in the longitudinal distance from the medial spacer bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Inventor: Patrick J. Clancy
  • Patent number: 4278004
    Abstract: Each key of the pedalboard is supported and guided for pivotal movement in a vertical plane by a steel strip secured to the underside of each key adjacent the midportion thereof. The rear end of each key is operatively connected to a transversely extending rear frame for horizontal reciprocating movement perpendicular to the rear frame and the forward end of each key is disposed between transversely extending upper and lower and front frame members for limited vertical movement therebetween. The forward end of each steel strip is secured to the lower front frame member to normally bias the forward end of each key into engagement with the upper front frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1981
    Inventor: Paul A. Klann
  • Patent number: 4235146
    Abstract: A base drum pedal assembly is disclosed and includes a foot pedal for operating a beater head, the foot pedal including a foot plate which is slidably mounted on a support coupled to the beater head and which is biased towards a rest position. In use, the player depresses the foot pedal and can, at the same time, slide the foot plate forward against its biasing. At the end of a stroke, the pedal returns upwardly and the foot plate is returned to its rest position by said biasing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1980
    Inventor: James R. Purdy
  • Patent number: 3962945
    Abstract: A musical instrument including an electronic organ provided with sound generators of an upper manual, a lower manual, a bass and a rhythm section. The sound generators are connected electrically to control switches in a console, these control switches being actuated by spaced horizontal, arcuately disposed, rows of main, switch actuating, pedals selectively operable by a person's left foot. The main pedals are disposed also in vertical rows corresponding to a basic note of a chord while the horizontal rows correspond to the key of each basic chord. A diode logic, in cooperation with the sound generators and control switches, dictates a prescribed chord of the lower manual sound generator to be sounded when a main pedal is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1976
    Assignee: Wade E. Creager
    Inventors: Wade E. Creager, Albert P. Sheppard