US 11,670,269 B2
Keyboard instrument
So Sato, Tokyo (JP); Naoya Ishibashi, Tokyo (JP); Kouji Oshima, Tokyo (JP); and Naoto Imamura, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/392,524.
Application 17/392,524 is a continuation of application No. 16/593,801, filed on Oct. 4, 2019, granted, now 11,107,449.
Claims priority of application No. JP2018-196826 (JP), filed on Oct. 18, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0366451 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G10H 1/34 (2006.01); G10H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC G10H 1/346 (2013.01) [G10H 1/0008 (2013.01); G10H 2220/221 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic portable keyboard instrument, comprising:
a plurality of keys arranged in a first direction;
a plurality of hammers each having a force application point, a weight, and a fulcrum between the force application point and the weight;
a lower casing that includes a plurality of supporting members that support the respective fulcrums of the plurality of hammers so that each hammer rocks in vertical directions about the fulcrum when a corresponding key is pressed; and
a plurality of reinforcing members arranged in the first direction, each of the reinforcing members having a shape of rib that is erected upward from the lower casing and that is running in a length direction of the keys, which is perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein each of the plurality of supporting members sandwiches, from sides in the first direction, the corresponding hammer at the fulcrum so as to restrict movement of the hammer in the first direction, and
wherein each of the reinforcing members is disposed in a gap between adjacent hammers, and a portion of the reinforcing members that is adjacent to the weights of the adjacent hammers is lower than any other portions of the reinforcing member so that, if the adjacent hammers move in the first direction about the fulcrums, the weights of the adjacent hammers do not contact the reinforcing member.