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US 6,448,481 B2Granted
Pedal mechanisms assembled into unit and keyboard musical instrument equipped with the same
AssigneeYamaha Corporation
InventorsKazuo Maehara, Yoshikatsu Tateishi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A damper pedal mechanism, a sostenuto/muffler pedal mechanism and a damper pedal mechanism are incorporated in an acoustic piano for artistic expression, and are independently actuated by a pianist, wherein component parts are assembled into the pedal mechanisms on a base plate, and, thereafter, the pedal mechanism unit is installed in a piano housing so that a factory worker feels the assembling work comfortable.
Claims17
A pedal system incorporated in a keyboard musical instrument, comprising:
- a base plate having a major surface and to be attached to a first plate forming part of a housing of said keyboard musical instrument in such a manner that said base plate and said first plate are layered with one another;
- plural foot pedals swingably supported by said base plate;
- and
- plural link works provided on said major surface, movably supported by said base plate and connected to said plural foot pedals, respectively.
1 more element
The keyboard musical instrument comprising:
- a keyboard having plural keys respectively assigned notes of a scale, and selectively moved;
- plural sets of strings respectively associated with said plural keys, and independently vibrating for generating tones at said notes;
- plural vibration generating mechanisms respectively connected to said plural keys for generating vibrations in the strings of said plural sets when said plural keys are selectively moved;
- a housing accommodating said plural sets of strings and said plural vibration generating mechanisms, supporting said keyboard in such a manner as to expose said keyboard to said player, and having a first plate;
- and
- plural pedal mechanisms linked with said plural vibration generating mechanisms, selectively actuated for changing attributes of said tones, and including a base plate and component parts assembled into a unit attached to said first plate of said housing in such a manner that said base plate and said first plate are layered with one another.
3 more elements
An acoustic piano comprising
- a piano housing having a first plate partially defining an inner space,
- a keyboard having plural keys and supported by said piano housing in such manner as to permit a player to finger thereon,
- plural action mechanisms accommodated in said inner space and respectively linked with said plural keys for independently transferring forces exerted on the associated keys therethrough,
- plural hammer assemblies accommodated in said inner space and respectively linked with said plural action mechanisms so as to be driven for free rotation when said forces are transferred thereto,
- plural set of strings accommodated in said inner space and respectively struck by said hammer assemblies so as to vibrate for generating tones,
- plural dampers accommodated in said inner space and respectively actuated by said plural keys so as to be spaced from said plural sets of strings, and
- a pedal mechanism including
- a base plate attached to said fist plate in such manner that said base plate and said first plate are layered with one another,
- a soft pedal mechanism having a soft pedal swingably supported by said base plate and a link work movably supported by said base plate and connected between said soft pedal and a movable member associated with either plural hammer assemblies or plural dampers for lessening said tones, and
- a damper pedal mechanism having a damper pedal swingably supported by said base plate and another link work movably supported by said base plate and connected between another movable member associated with said plural dampers for prolonging said tones.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.