Music – Instruments – Stringed
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-27
2001-09-11
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Stringed
C084S189000, C084S47000P
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288313
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an acoustic keyboard musical instrument and, more particularly, to an acoustic piano having a rear top board and/or a visual display unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
A typical example of the acoustic grand piano is shown in FIG.
1
. Though not shown in
FIG. 1
, hammer action mechanisms, hammers, sets of strings and damper mechanisms are accommodated in a housing
1
. A side board
2
, a key bed
3
, an upper beam
5
and a wooden frame (not shown) form in combination the housing
1
, and a sound board
6
horizontally extends over the wooden frame. The housing
1
has an upper opening over the sound board
6
. Legs
7
downwardly project from leg blocks
8
, which are attached to the housing
1
. Thus, the legs
7
support the housing
1
and the other component parts accommodated therein. A keyboard
9
is mounted on the key bed
3
, and is exposed to a space between the upper beam
5
and a player. The sets of strings are stretched over the sound board
6
, and the hammer action mechanisms are linked with the keyboard
9
so as to drive the hammers for rotation under the sets of strings.
When a pianist depresses one of the keys of the keyboard
9
, the associated hammer action mechanism is actuated, and the associated hammer is driven for rotation. The hammer strikes the set of strings, and the set of strings vibrate for generating a piano sound. The sound board
6
resonates with the vibrations, and the piano sound is radiated through the upper opening.
A rear top board
10
is hinged along one side to the side board
2
, and swings on the hinges. A front top board
11
is hinged along the rear end to the front end of the rear top board
10
, and swings on the hinges. When the pianist lifts the front end of the front top board
11
, the front top board
11
turns around the hinge, and the pianist turns out the front top board
11
onto the upper surface of the rear top board
10
as shown. Then, the front portions of the strings are seen through the front portion of the upper opening. If the pianist lifts the other side of the rear top board
10
, the rear top board
10
turns around the hinges, and the sets of strings are completely seen through the upper opening.
A lid prop assembly
12
is hinged to the other side of the side board
2
. The rear top board
10
is brought into contact with the leading end of the lid prop assembly
12
, and the lid prop assembly
12
keeps the rear top board
12
inclined. When a pianist wants to play a tune on the keyboard
9
, he opens the upper opening so as to radiate the piano sounds from the sound board
6
through the upper opening to the outside.
When the pianist leaves from the grand piano, he lowers the rear top board
10
onto the side board
2
to close the rear portion of the upper opening, and turns the front top board
11
to close the front portion of the upper opening. The upper opening is perfectly covered with the front top board
11
and the rear top board
10
. The front top board
11
and the rear top board
10
prevents the hammer action mechanisms, the hammers, the damper mechanisms and the sets of strings from dust and unexpected damage. If the pianist plays a tune on the keyboard
9
without lifting the front/rear top boards
11
/
10
, the front top board
11
and the rear top board
10
impede the radiation of piano sounds, and reduce the loudness of the piano sounds.
A music rack assembly
13
is provided over the front portion of the upper opening, and has a desk board
13
a
. Though not shown in
FIG. 1
, a ridge is fixed to a lower end of the desk board
13
a
. When the desk board
13
a
stands up, a player places a music score on the desk board
13
a
, and the ridge prevents the music score from sliding down. The desk board
13
a
falls, and allows the front top board
11
to lie thereon.
Pianists want to give expression to their feelings through the sounds. A pianist may emphasize a lower register, and another pianist may want to emphasize higher register. Accordingly, the pianist strongly depresses the keys assigned to the lower register or the higher register so as to give the expression to their feelings. The prior art acoustic piano faithfully responds to the fingers on the keyboard
9
, and does not offer any support to the pianist.
The music rack assembly
13
only keeps a music score or another document lying thereon. Notes and letters are written in the music score and the documents, and the messages are unchanged. If a player wants a certain piece of information, he searches the music score and/or the document for the piece of information. A beginner may want to check a manual for the grand piano for his practice. However, it is impossible to place both music score and the manual on the music rack assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a grand piano, which permits a player to selectively emphasize registers.
It is also an important object of the present invention to provide a musical instrument, which a player easily establishes in a desired mode of operation.
To accomplish the first object, the present invention proposes to make a top board serve as an equalizer.
To accomplish the second object, the present invention proposes to prompt a player to establish the musical instrument in the desired operation mode through a visual display unit physically independent of a music rack assembly.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an acoustic keyboard musical instrument comprising a housing having an upper opening, plural music strings stretched inside of the housing and assigned notes of a scale, respectively, a keyboard exposed to a player and having plural keys assigned the notes of the scale, respectively, plural vibration generating mechanisms respectively linked with the keys and selectively actuated by the associated keys manipulated by the player for producing acoustic sounds through vibrations of the associated music strings and a split top board having plural sub-boards respectively assigned parts of the upper opening and independently changed between open positions where associated parts of the plural music strings are open to the ambience and closed positions where the associated parts are covered therewith.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard musical instrument comprising a housing defining an inner space, a key board supported by the housing and including plural keys respectively assigned notes of a scale and selectively depressed by a player, a sound generating system accommodated in the housing and generating sounds having the notes identical with the notes assigned to the depressed keys, a desk board supported by the housing, and keeping a document standing there against for providing a piece of information to the player, and an image producing system including a video display independent of the desk board and the housing, supported by the housing and responsive to an image-carrying signal for producing visual images on a screen thereof and a controller responsive to instructions of the player for generating the image-carrying signal.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an acoustic keyboard musical instrument comprising a housing having an upper opening, plural music strings stretched inside of the housing and assigned notes of a scale, respectively, a keyboard exposed to a player and having plural keys assigned the notes of the scale, respectively, plural vibration generating mechanisms respectively linked with the keys and selectively actuated by the associated keys manipulated by the player for producing acoustic sounds through vibrations of the associated music strings, a split top board having plural sub-boards respectively assigned parts of the upper opening and independently changed between open positions where associated parts of the plural music strings are open to the ambience and closed positions where the associated parts
Matsumura Atsushi
Sato Shigeaki
Donels Jeffrey
Morrison & Foerster
Yamaha Corporation
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