Fingerboard and neck for electronic musical instrument

Claim 2

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a plurality of pitch designating means for designating a pitch of a musical sound to be generated; a belt-like fingerboard member to which said plurality of pitch designating means are connected; a rigid fret member arranged on said fingerboard member and having a plurality of rigid frets extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of said fingerboard member so as to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of said fingerboard member; and a flexible sheet comprised of a slippery material and fitted on said rigid fret member between said plurality of rigid frets, and defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of said fingerboard member.

Claim 3

A fingerboard according to claim 1, wherein said rigid fret member comprised by a single metal plate.

Claim 4

A fingerboard according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of rigid frets comprises fret pieces formed independently of each other.

Claim 5

A neck for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a plurality of pitch designating means for designating a pitch of a musical sound to be generated; a belt-like fingerboard member to which said plurality of pitch designating means are connected; a rigid fret member arranged on said fingerboard member and having a plurality of rigid frets extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of said fingerboard member so as to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of said fingerboard member; a flexible sheet comprised of a slippery material and fitted on said rigid fret member between said plurality of rigid frets, and defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of said fingerboard member; and a support member for supporting said fingerboard member.

Claim 6

A neck for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a plurality of pitch designating means for designating a pitch of a musical sound to be generated; a belt-like fingerboard member to which said plurality of pitch designating means are connected; a rigid fret member arranged on said fingerboard member and having a plurality of rigid frets extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of said fingerboard member so as to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of said fingerboard member; a flexible sheet comprised of a slippery material and fitted on said rigid fret member between said plurality of rigid frets, and defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of said fingerboard member; and a support member for supporting said fingerboard member.

Claim 7

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a belt-like fingerboard member having an upper surface on which a plurality of fret-positioning projections are mounted, said fret positioning projections being spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the fingerboard member; a plurality of pitch designating means, arranged under the fingerboard member and corresponding in location to the fret-positioning projections, for designating a pitch of a musical sound to be generated; and a flexible sheet formed of a slippery material, said flexible sheet fitted on the upper surface of the fingerboard member and on upper portions of the fret-positioning projections; said flexible sheet defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of the fingerboard member.

Claim 8

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a belt-like fingerboard member having an upper surface on which a plurality of fret-positioning projections are mounted, said fret positioning projections being spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the fingerboard member; a plurality of pitch designating means, arranged under the fingerboard member and corresponding in location to the fret-positioning projections, for designating a pitch of a musical sound to be generated; and a flexible sheet formed of a slippery material, said flexible sheet fitted on the upper surface of the fingerboard member and on upper portions of the fret-positioning projections; said flexible sheet defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of the fingerboard member.

Claim 9

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a belt-like circuit board; a plurality of stationary contacts mounted on the belt-like circuit board, said stationary contacts being spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board; a belt-like flexible insulating member mounted on the belt-like circuit board and extending in the longitudinal direction of the circuit board; a plurality of movable contacts mounted to a lower surface portion of the belt-like flexible insulating member, with a predetermined space defined above the plurality of stationary contacts; and a slippery flexible sheet fitted on an upper surface of the flexible insulating member and having a plurality of frets which are located in correspondence to the plurality of movable contacts, said flexible sheet defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of the fingerboard.

Claim 10

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a belt-like circuit board; a plurality of stationary contacts mounted on the belt-like circuit board, said stationary contacts being spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board; a belt-like flexible insulating member mounted on the belt-like circuit board and extending in the longitudinal direction of the circuit board; a plurality of movable contacts mounted to a lower surface portion of the belt-like flexible insulating member, with a predetermined space defined above the plurality of stationary contacts; and a slippery flexible sheet fitted on an upper surface of the flexible insulating member and having a plurality of frets which are located in correspondence to the plurality of movable contacts, said flexible sheet defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of the fingerboard.

Claim 11

A fingerboard according to claim 6, further comprising a spacer member mounted between the belt-like flexible insulating member and the belt-like circuit board.

Claim 12

A fingerboard according to claim 7, wherein said belt-like flexible insulating member and said spacer member are integral with each other.

Claim 13

A fingerboard according to claim 7, wherein said belt-like flexible insulating member and said spacer member are formed independently of each other.

Claim 14

A fingerboard according to claim 6, wherein said frets are formed of slippery synthetic resin.

Claim 15

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a belt-like circuit board having an upper surface on which a plurality of stationary contacts are mounted, said stationary contacts being spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board; a flexible insulating member having a plurality of movable contacts which are mounted on the belt-like circuit board along the longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board, said movable contacts being located above the stationary contacts with a predetermined space therebetween; a belt-like fingerboard member having a plurality of fret-positioning projections formed thereon, said fret-positioning projections being spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board; and a slippery flexible sheet formed of a slippery material, said slippery flexible sheet fitted on an upper surface of the fingerboard member and on upper portions of the fret-positioning projections, said slippery flexible sheet defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of the fingerboard member.

Claim 16

A fingerboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a belt-like circuit board having an upper surface on which a plurality of stationary contacts are mounted, said stationary contacts being spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board; a flexible insulating member having a plurality of movable contacts which are mounted on the belt-like circuit board along the longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board, said movable contacts being located above the stationary contacts with a predetermined space therebetween; a belt-like fingerboard member having a plurality of fret-positioning projections formed thereon, said fret-positioning projections being spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like circuit board; and a slippery flexible sheet formed of a slippery material, said slippery flexible sheet fitted on an upper surface of the fingerboard member and on upper portions of the fret-positioning projections, said slippery flexible sheet defining a slippery fingering surface on an outer side of the fingerboard member.