Key detection structure for wind instrument
AssigneeYamaha Corporation
InventorKoichiro Shibata
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Wind instrument includes a tubular body having a plurality of tone holes, and a plurality of keys capable of opening and closing the tone holes. Via a retaining member, detector units are provided within the tubular body in corresponding relation to the keys, and each of the detector units is generally opposed to the back surface of the corresponding key. Each of the detector units detects a relative distance to the back surface and outputs an electrical signal, on the basis of which an opening/closing state of the key can be detected. The retaining member, accommodated in the tubular body, positions and retains each of the detector units in such a manner that the keys and tubular body and the individual detector units are kept in non-contacting relation to each other.
Claims5
A key detection structure for detecting opening/closing states or positions of keys in a wind instrument including a tubular body having a plurality of tone holes formed therein and a plurality of the keys pivotably mounted on the tubular body to open/close the tone holes, said key detection structure comprising:
- a plurality of detector units provided within the tubular body in corresponding relation to the plurality of the keys, each of the detector units being generally opposed to a back surface of the corresponding key to detect a relative distance to the back surface and output an electrical signal corresponding to the relative distance;
- and
- a retaining member accommodated in the tubular body and positioning and retaining each of said detector units in such a manner that that the keys and tubular body and individual ones of said detector units are kept in non-contacting relation to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.