← Back to Patent Explorer
US3671659A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Plural tone selector for an electronic musical instrument

Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1971-04-02
•
Granted: 1972-06-20
•
Expires: 1991-04-02
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A plural tone selector for an electronic musical instrument comprises first and second latching selectors each having a plurality of input terminals supplied with tone signals of different pitches, a plurality of control terminals corresponding to the input terminals and one common output terminal. A plurality of key switches are provided for causing one of the plural control terminals of the first and second latching selectors respectively to be impressed with control voltage to selectively derive from the common output terminals of the first and second latching selectors two tone signals supplied to the input terminals thereof corresponding to the control terminals upon the selective actuation of the key switches due to key depression. The derived tone signals are supplied to first and second sustain keyers, respectively, which are conducted by control voltage impressed by other key switches actuated upon key depression.

Inventors

  • 👤 Syoichi Suzuki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 19:23
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/18; G10H1/22

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 357 words
A plural tone selector for use in a key-type electronic musical instrument comprising: a plurality of tone generators: first and second latching selector means, each having a plurality of input terminals connected with said respective tone generators, each having a plurality of control terminals corresponding respectively to said input terminals and each having one common output terminal; first and second groups of cascade connected key switches, each key switch being adapted to be actuated by corresponding keys of said instruments, each key switch having a movable contact and normally open and normally closed fixed contacts, the normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said first and second groups being connected to the corresponding control terminals of said first and second latching selector means respectively, said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said first group being further coupled to the corresponding normally closed fixed contacts of said key switches of said second group, and said movable contact of the outermost key switch of said first group being connected to a control power source, the normally closed fixed contacts of said cascaded switches in each group being coupled to the movable contact of the next successive switch of each of said cascade of switches; first and second sustain keyers connected to said common output terminals of said first and second latching selector means respectively; and third and fourth groups of cascade connected key switches coupled to and controlling said first and second sustain keyers respectively, each key switch of said third and fourth groups having a movable contact and normally open and normally closed fixed contacts, and each being adapted to be actuated by corresponding keys of said instrument, said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said third and fourth groups being connected to said first and second sustain keyers respectively, said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said third group being connected to said corresponding normally closed fixed contacts of said key switches of said fourth group and said movable contact of the outermost key switch of said third group being connected to said control power source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 357 words
A plural tone selector for use in a key-type electronic musical instrument comprising: a plurality of tone generators: first and second latching selector means, each having a plurality of input terminals connected with said respective tone generators, each having a plurality of control terminals corresponding respectively to said input terminals and each having one common output terminal; first and second groups of cascade connected key switches, each key switch being adapted to be actuated by corresponding keys of said instruments, each key switch having a movable contact and normally open and normally closed fixed contacts, the normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said first and second groups being connected to the corresponding control terminals of said first and second latching selector means respectively, said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said first group being further coupled to the corresponding normally closed fixed contacts of said key switches of said second group, and said movable contact of the outermost key switch of said first group being connected to a control power source, the normally closed fixed contacts of said cascaded switches in each group being coupled to the movable contact of the next successive switch of each of said cascade of switches; first and second sustain keyers connected to said common output terminals of said first and second latching selector means respectively; and third and fourth groups of cascade connected key switches coupled to and controlling said first and second sustain keyers respectively, each key switch of said third and fourth groups having a movable contact and normally open and normally closed fixed contacts, and each being adapted to be actuated by corresponding keys of said instrument, said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said third and fourth groups being connected to said first and second sustain keyers respectively, said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said third group being connected to said corresponding normally closed fixed contacts of said key switches of said fourth group and said movable contact of the outermost key switch of said third group being connected to said control power source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 45 words
The plural tone selector according to claim 1 wherein the normally closed fixed contacts of each of said third and fourth groups of cascade connected key switches are coupled to the movable contact of the next successive switch of each of said cascade of switches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 123 words
The plural tone selector according to claim 1 wherein said first and second latching selector means respectively include a plurality of flip-flop circuits each comprising a first normally conductive transistor and a second normally nonconductive transistor each having an emitter, base and collector, said emitter of said first transistor being directly connected to a power source terminal, and said emitter of said second transistor being connected thereto through a common impedance element, said collector of said first transistor of the flip-flop circuit being connected through a resistor to said input terminal connected to one of said tone generators and also to said common output terminal through another resistor, and said base of said first transistor being connected to one of said control terminals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The plural tone selector according to claim 2 wherein said impedance element is a choke coil.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 89 words
The plural tone selector according to claim 1 wherein said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said first group are connected to said normally closed fixed contacts of said key switches of said second group through respective diodes disposed in the forward direction with respect to the polarity of said control power source, and said normally Open fixed contact of the outermost key switch of said first group is connected through another diode to said movable contact of the outermost key switch of said second group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 47 words
The plural tone selector according to claim 1 wherein said normally open fixed contacts of said key switches of said third group are connected to said first sustain keyer through respective diodes disposed in the forward direction with respect to the polarity of said control power source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 103 words
The plural tone selector according to claim 1 for use with a key-type instrument having pedal keys, wherein said key switches of said first, second, third and fourth groups are adapted to be actuated by said pedal keys of said instrument; said tone generators connected to said respective input terminals of said first and second latching selectors have higher pitches than the pedal compass of said instrument; and there is further provided a first frequency divider between said first latching selector means and said first sustain keyer, and a second frequency divider between said second latching selector means and said second sustain keyer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2905905A Cited
US2874286A Cited
US3178500A Cited
US3288904A Cited
US3407260A Cited
US3395242A Cited
US3422208A Cited
US3488515A Cited
US3560628A Cited
US3542935A Cited
US3538804A Cited
US3598892A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-06-20 1975-12-20 1976-06-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-06-20 1979-12-20 1980-06-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-06-20 1983-12-20 1984-06-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag