The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 17, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 19, 2007
Kenichi Hirota, Hamamatsu, JP;
Tetsuya Hirano, Hamamatsu, JP;
Kenichi Hirota, Hamamatsu, JP;
Tetsuya Hirano, Hamamatsu, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho, Shizuoka-ken, JP;
Abstract
A sound control apparatus for a keyboard-based musical instrument for avoiding a touch of a shutter to a back check, thereby appropriately setting a sound generation timing and maintaining a satisfactory touch feeling. The sound control apparatus comprises a shutter integrated with a hammer adapted to swing associated with a swinging motion of a key, extending along a plane including a path along which said hammer swings, and formed with a cutout in an edge on an opposite side to a direction in which said hammer swings. An optical sensor has a light emitter disposed on one side of the swinging path of said shutter for emitting light, and a light receiver disposed on the other side of the swinging path for receiving the light from said light emitter, and generates a detection signal in accordance with a light receiving state of said light receiver. A CPU sets a sound generation timing at which music sound should be generated based on the detection signal of said optical sensor responsive to opening and closing of a light path of the light from said light emitter of said optical sensor by said shutter, when said hammer swings.