US3797357A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic musical instrument mechanical construction
Assignee: GIBSON PIANO VENTURES Inc A DELAWARE Corp
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Filing: 1972-09-20
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Granted: 1974-03-19
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Expires: 1992-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A mechanical construction for an electronic musical instrument, such as an organ, comprises a one-piece plastic key bed for mounting the keys, the stop tablet assemblies, and printed circuit boards. The keys are made up of a series of one-piece plastic key groups, the keys in each group being hingedly connected to a mounting strip. The keys of each group are alternates, namely non-successive steps in the chromatic scale. However, when the key groups are assembled they provide an octave group, and in such assembly the mounting strips are stacked and supported on the key bed such that all of the keys flex or hinge approximately about the same hinge axis. The stop tablet construction comprises a one-piece plastic housing and a number of one-piece plastic stop tablets rockably mounted in the housing and retained therein by keepers on the stop tablets. Protuberances are provided on the housing that cooperate with each stop tablet for retaining each stop tablet in either its ''''off'''' or its ''''on'''' position.
Inventors
- 👤 H Thomas
- 👤 R Olszowka
- 👤 R Mcnerney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:53
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/32; G10H1/34; G10H1/344; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/155; G10H2220/265; G10H2220/275; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
In an electronic musical instrument, a one-piece molded plastic key bed, said key having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion having a panel with openings therein, means for supporting circuit boards over said panel and facing said openings such that the openings provide access spaces for conductors interconnecting the circuit boards, said second portion having first means for supporting a series of keys and second means for supporting stop tablet assemblies, said second means comprising a panel portion offset from said first means and having an opening through which a stop tablet assembly projects.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
In an electronic musical instrument, a one-piece molded plastic key bed, said key having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion having a panel with openings therein, means for supporting circuit boards over said panel and facing said openings such that the openings provide access spaces for conductors interconnecting the circuit boards, said second portion having first means for supporting a series of keys and second means for supporting stop tablet assemblies, said second means comprising a panel portion offset from said first means and having an opening through which a stop tablet assembly projects.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
In an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, said first means including an upstanding flange for cantilever mounting of said keys.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
In an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which said key bed has adjacent channel-shaped portions in the second portion, said channel shaped portions having a common wall and opening oppositely.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
In an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which the stop tablet assembly comprises a plurality of stop tablets, a common one-piece housing for said stop tablets, said housing having arcuate surfaces for pivotally supporting each stop tablet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
In an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which said second portion includes a castellated part for projection into said keys.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
In an electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 including a plurality of keys and a mounting strip from which the keys project, the mounting strip and the keys being a one-piece molded structure and with there being a zone of flexure between each key and the mounting strip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a musical instrument, a keyboard comprising a plurality of three one-piece plastic structures each having a group of keys representing predetermined musical tones, each structure including a mounting strip and each key of a structure being joined to the mounting strip thereof for hinge connection therewith such that the keys of a structure hinge about a substantially common hinge axis, said mounting strips being juxtaposed in stacked relationship and such that successive keys represent a predetermined musical sequence, each hinge connection being at a zone of flexure that is a reduced thickness portion of the plastic formed by a notch therein, the keys of said three structures having means defining a common horizontal plane, two of said mounting strips being on opposite sides of said common plane and a third of said mounting strips being intermediate said two mounting strips to position the respective zones of flexure of all of the keys in substantial horizontal alignment and thereby locate the hinge axes of all of the keys in substantial coincidence.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a musical instrument, a keyboard comprising a plurality of three one-piece plastic structures each having a group of keys representing predetermined musical tones, each structure including a mounting strip and each key of a structure being joined to the mounting strip thereof for hinge connection therewith such that the keys of a structure hinge about a substantially common hinge axis, said mounting strips being juxtaposed in stacked relationship and such that successive keys represent a predetermined musical sequence, each hinge connection being at a zone of flexure that is a reduced thickness portion of the plastic formed by a notch therein, the keys of said three structures having means defining a common horizontal plane, two of said mounting strips being on opposite sides of said common plane and a third of said mounting strips being intermediate said two mounting strips to position the respective zones of flexure of all of the keys in substantial horizontal alignment and thereby locate the hinge axes of all of the keys in substantial coincidence.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a musical instrument according to claim 7 including a key bed, and means securing said mounting strips to said key bed, said last-named means including bosses on said key bed that receive fasteners projecting through said mounting strips.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a musical instrument according to claim 7, the notches in one structure opening downwardly and the notches in the two other structures opening upwardly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
In a musical instrument according to claim 7 in which the keyboard comprising said structures provides keys representing a chromatic scale, one of said structures having keys representing the five sharps and flats, a second of said structures having keys representing four alternate natural keys, and a third of said structures having keys representing three alternate natural keys and with the natural keys providing recesses for receiving the keys representing the sharps and flats.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
93 words
A stop tablet construction for an electronic organ comprising a housing having means defining cavities receiving side-by-side stop tablets, means for individually pivotally supporting said stop tablets in said housing for movement between two positions, said pivotal supporting means including arcuate surface in said cavities that engage edge portions of said stop tablets, first cooperating means on said stop tablets and said housing for retaining said stop tablets individually in said housing, and second cooperating means on said housing and stop tablets for individually retaining each stop tablet in one of said positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
93 words
A stop tablet construction for an electronic organ comprising a housing having means defining cavities receiving side-by-side stop tablets, means for individually pivotally supporting said stop tablets in said housing for movement between two positions, said pivotal supporting means including arcuate surface in said cavities that engage edge portions of said stop tablets, first cooperating means on said stop tablets and said housing for retaining said stop tablets individually in said housing, and second cooperating means on said housing and stop tablets for individually retaining each stop tablet in one of said positions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A stop tablet construction according to claim 11 having opposed slots on opposite sides of each cavity for receiving contact wires that are adapted to span the cavities respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
A stop tablet construction according to claim 11 in which said first cooperating means comprises keeper means on each stop tablet that underlie wall portions of the housing that separate said cavities, each stop tablet having resilient depending fingers that carry said keeper means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
A stop tablet construction according to claim 11 in which said housing has wall portions that separate said cavities, said wall portions have lateral protuberances, each stop tablet has resilient fingers with means for engaging said protuberances and said resilient fingers riding over said protuberances as a stop tablet is moved from one of said positions to the other position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
A stop tablet construction for an electronic organ comprising a one-piece plastic housing having a cavity with opposed walls, a one-piece stop tablet rockably mounted is said cavity and having opposed sides adjacent to said opposed walls respectively, said sides including resilient elements, and cooperating means on said walls and elements for retaining said stop tablet in said housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
A stop tablet construction for an electronic organ comprising a one-piece plastic housing having a cavity with opposed walls, a one-piece stop tablet rockably mounted is said cavity and having opposed sides adjacent to said opposed walls respectively, said sides including resilient elements, and cooperating means on said walls and elements for retaining said stop tablet in said housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A stop tablet according to claim 15 further including cooperating means on said walls and said fingers for retaining said stop tablet in either of two positions of rotation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
72 words
A stop tablet construction for an electronic organ comprising a one-piece plastic housing having means providing side-by-side cavities, a one-piece plastic stop tablet in each cavity, means for rockably mounting each stop tablet in its associated cavity for individual movement about a pivot axis, said rockably mounting means for each stop tablet comprising an arcuate bearing surface centered on the pivot axis, and means for retaining said stop tablets in said housing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
72 words
A stop tablet construction for an electronic organ comprising a one-piece plastic housing having means providing side-by-side cavities, a one-piece plastic stop tablet in each cavity, means for rockably mounting each stop tablet in its associated cavity for individual movement about a pivot axis, said rockably mounting means for each stop tablet comprising an arcuate bearing surface centered on the pivot axis, and means for retaining said stop tablets in said housing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A stop tablet according to claim 17 in which said housing has slots intersecting the bearing surfaces respectively for receiving a Contact wire.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |