Patent US4892023A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4892023A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic keyboard percussion instrument
Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-01-25
•
Granted: 1990-01-09
•
Expires: 2009-01-25
Abstract
Abstract An electronic keyboard percussion instrument includes a hammer such as a mallet, a plurality of plates, striking detection devices, and a musical tone generating section. The plates respectively correspond to note names of musical tones to be produced and aligned parallel to each other. The striking detection devices are respectively mounted on lower surfaces of the plates to detect striking of the plate with the mallet and to generate a striking detection signal. The musical tone generating section generates a musical tone of the note name corresponding to the struck plate in response to the striking detection signal. The striking detecting section may include a pressure sensitive element in order to make the musical tone responsive to a force striking the plate.
Inventors
- 👤 Akihiko Takeuchi
- 👤 Masaaki Mizuguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:30
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H1/04; G10H1/053; G10H1/055; G10H1/0556; G10H1/32; G10H1/34; G10H1/344; G10H2210/00; G10H2210/155; G10H2210/195; G10H2210/221; G10H2210/395; G10H2210/471; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/155; G10H2220/265; G10H2220/275; G10H2220/295; G10H2230/00; G10H2230/045; G10H2230/065; G10H2230/071; G10H2230/155; G10H2230/171; G10H2230/175; G10H2230/195; G10H2230/205; G10H2230/221; G10H2230/241; G10H2230/251; G10H2230/255; G10H2230/351; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument of a type to be struck with a striking member by a player comprising: a plurality of pressure sensitive plates respectively corresponding to note names of musical tones to be produced and aligned parallel to each other; a plurality of striking detecting means, each of which detects when a corresponding pressure sensitive plate is struck with said striking member by the player and generates a first striking detection signal representing a note name of the struck pressure sensitive plate and further generates a second striking detection signal representing a musical tone element modifier characteristic of a manner in which the player has struck the struck pressure sensitive plate; a tone assignor for assigning said first and second striking detection signals to one of a plurality of tone channels; and musical tone generating means coupled to said plurality of tone channels for generating a musical tone corresponding to said note name and said musical tone element modifier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument of a type to be struck with a striking member by a player comprising: a plurality of pressure sensitive plates respectively corresponding to note names of musical tones to be produced and aligned parallel to each other; a plurality of striking detecting means, each of which detects when a corresponding pressure sensitive plate is struck with said striking member by the player and generates a first striking detection signal representing a note name of the struck pressure sensitive plate and further generates a second striking detection signal representing a musical tone element modifier characteristic of a manner in which the player has struck the struck pressure sensitive plate; a tone assignor for assigning said first and second striking detection signals to one of a plurality of tone channels; and musical tone generating means coupled to said plurality of tone channels for generating a musical tone corresponding to said note name and said musical tone element modifier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 1, wherein each of said striking detecting means comprises a switch which becomes closed when the corresponding pressure sensitive plate is struck and becomes open when said corresponding pressure sensitive plate is not struck.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 2, wherein said switch comprises one pair of opposite electrodes normally separated from each other by a predetermined space.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 2, wherein said switch comprises two pairs of opposite electrodes normally separated from each other by a predetermined distance, said two pairs being adapted to overlay.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 2, further comprising a spring for normally biasing to normally open said switch, said switch being tilted at the center of said corresponding pressure sensitive plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 1, wherein said striking detecting means comprises a pressure sensitive element and a pair of electrodes disposed against the upper and lower surfaces of said pressure sensitive element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 6, wherein said second striking detection signal represents a force striking said corresponding pressure sensitive plate with said striking member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 6, wherein one of said pair of electrodes is divided into at least two blocks.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 6, wherein an element of said musical tone is modified according to said second striking detection signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 6, wherein said pressure sensitive element comprises a piezoelectric element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 1, wherein a first plurality of pressure sensitive note plates correspond to note names of natural tones and a second plurality of pressure sensitive plates correspond to note names of chromatic tones.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 11, wherein said pressure sensitive plates corresponding to said note names of chromatic tones are partially inserted between predetermined adjacent ones of said pressure sensitive plates corresponding to the note names of natural tones.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 11, wherein said pressure sensitive plates corresponding to said note names of natural tones among said plurality of said pressure sensitive plates, are offset from said pressure sensitive plates corresponding to said note names of chromatic tones so as to allow simultaneous striking of adjacent pressure sensitive plates corresponding to said notes of the natural and chromatic tones.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 1, wherein a damper operation section is arranged in an aligned direction of said plates.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 1, further comprising tone color selecting means for selecting a tone color to be imparted to said musical tone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic keyboard percussion instrument according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of pressure sensitive plates and said striking detecting means are formed on a single substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3229021A
Cited
US3558310A
Cited
GB1224055A
Cited
US3542936A
Cited
US3684814A
Cited
US4257305A
Cited
DE2934182A1
Cited
DE3044384A1
Cited
US4301337A
Cited
US4416178A
Cited
US4444083A
Cited
DE3247742A1
Cited
JPS595912A
Cited
US4562764A
Cited
JPH05248770A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-08 | 1993-07-10 | 1994-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-08 | 1997-07-10 | 1998-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-08 | 2001-07-10 | 2002-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |