Patent Application
20050150367
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic keyboard instrument having an electronic circuit that generates heat when activated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an electronic keyboard instrument having a keyboard is used for musical performance. The electronic keyboard instrument has an electronic circuit that includes a power unit, a transformer, and various circuit boards. Such an electronic circuit of the electronic keyboard instrument is generally provided under or behind a keyboard in an instrument body. Accordingly, a portion of the instrument body located under or behind the keyboard assumes a large size, resulting in an increase in the overall size of the electronic keyboard instrument.
For size reduction, a certain electronic keyboard instrument (as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 5-52893) is configured as follows: a power unit and a transformer are provided on a bottom plate in the interior of a rear frame section which supports a rear portion of an instrument body; and a panel on which a computer board, and a drive circuit board for driving keys and pedals are mounted is provided above the power unit and the transformer in the interior of the rear frame section.
However, in the course of musical performance by the above-mentioned electronic keyboard instrument in which the electronic circuit including the power unit is provided in the interior of the rear frame section, the power unit and the transformer generate heat, and the heat ascends in the interior of the rear frame section. Accordingly, in the electronic keyboard instrument, the heat ascending in the interior of the rear frame section heats the panel located above the power unit and the transformer. The drive circuit board mounted on the panel including components susceptible to heat. The above-mentioned electronic keyboard instrument involves a problem that heat deteriorates those components susceptible to heat or shortens their life.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an electronic keyboard instrument whose size can be reduced by means of reducing the height and depth of its body and in which thermal deterioration or a like problem in an electronic circuit can be prevented.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electronic keyboard instrument comprising a frame body and an electronic circuit. The frame body comprises a keyboard attachment frame section and a rear frame section and has a space section formed therein. The keyboard attachment frame section has a keyboard. The rear frame section is connected to a rear portion of a lower surface of the keyboard attachment frame section and has a foot controller provided at a bottom portion thereof or provided therebelow via a connection section. The electronic circuit generates heat when activated. In the electronic keyboard instrument, the electronic circuit is provided in the interior of the rear frame section; and a ventilation hole communicating with the exterior of the rear frame section is provided at a lower portion of the rear frame section and provided at a portion of the frame body located above the electronic circuit.
In the thus-configured electronic keyboard instrument of the present invention, the electronic circuit is provided in the interior of the rear frame section, thereby preventing an increase in size with respect to a portion of the keyboard attachment frame section located below the keyboard and a portion of the keyboard attachment frame section located behind the keyboard. As a result, the overall size of the electronic keyboard instrument can be reduced. Also, since the ventilation hole is provided at upper and lower portions of the frame body, air enters through one ventilation hole and exits through the other ventilation hole, whereby air can flow through the frame body. In this case, preferably, air flows in such a manner that air enters the rear frame section through the lower ventilation hole and exits to the exterior of the rear frame section through the upper ventilation hole.
Such air flow efficiently carries heat generated from the electronic circuit to the exterior of the rear frame section through the upper ventilation hole. Thus, stagnation of heat in the interior of the rear frame section is prevented, thereby preventing heating, to high temperature, of various circuit boards and devices that constitute the electronic circuit. As a result, even when the electronic circuit includes components susceptible to heat, the electronic circuit operates properly.
In this case, the upper ventilation hole is provided above the electronic circuit, whereas the lower ventilation hole may be provided below or above the electronic circuit. The upper ventilation hole may be provided at the rear frame section or the keyboard attachment frame section, so long as the electronic circuit is located in or in the vicinity of the path of air flowing between the upper and lower ventilation holes, so that air flow carries heat generated from the electronic circuit to the exterior of the frame body.
The foot controller may be provided at a bottom portion of the rear frame section or at a lower end portion of a connection section attached to the lower surface of the rear frame section. In the case where the foot controller is provided at a bottom portion of the rear frame section, a projection opening from which the foot controller in the form of a pedal projects can be used as the lower ventilation hole. Furthermore, a power line inlet is generally provided at the rear surface of an electronic keyboard instrument. The ventilation hole according to the present invention may be provided in a peripheral region of the power line inlet.
According to another configurational feature of the electronic keyboard instrument of the present invention, the electronic circuit is formed on a predetermined plane, and is disposed vertically in such a manner that the plane extends along an inner wall surface of the rear frame section.
The above feature allows a reduction in the depth of the rear frame section, thereby allowing a reduction in the size of the electronic keyboard instrument. In the case where the lower ventilation hole is provided below the electronic circuit, air that enters the rear frame section through the lower ventilation hole ascends along the surface of the electronic circuit, so that heat generated from the electronic circuit can be efficiently released from the upper ventilation hole to the exterior of the rear frame section. In this case, the predetermined plane may be a flat plate or an imaginary plane. In the case where the predetermined plane is an imaginary plane, devices that constitute the electronic circuit are two-dimensionally arranged on the inner wall surface of the rear frame section.
Various other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
An embodiment of the present invention will next be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show an electronic keyboard instrument M according to the present invention. The electronic keyboard instrument M includes a keyboard attachment frame section 10; a rear frame section 20, which supports a rear central portion of the keyboard attachment frame section 10; and leg sections 35a and 35b, which support corresponding front opposite side portions of the keyboard attachment frame section 10. A portal panel 36 is attached to the rear surface of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 in such a manner as to surround opposite side portions and a top portion of the rear frame section 20 at a substantially central position with respect to the depth direction.
As shown in
The cover section 14 includes a rear cover 14a and a front cover 14b. In the closed state of the cover section 14, an upper edge portion of the front end surface of the ceiling section 13 and an upper edge portion of the rear end surface of the rear cover 14a are connected by means of a hinge 15a; and an upper edge portion of the front end surface of the rear cover 14a and an upper edge portion of the rear end surface of the front cover 14b are connected by means of a hinge 15b. From the state of
A music stand 16a is hinged to the center of a rear edge portion of the lower surface of the rear cover 14a in a foldable condition. A support portion 16b is provided at the center of a front end portion of the lower surface of the front cover 14b in order to support the cover section 14 in a standing condition when the cover section 14 is opened and folded. FIGS. 4 to 6 shows the electronic keyboard instrument M, from which the ceiling section 13, the cover section 14, and the panel 36 are removed, in a state in which the interior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 and the interior of the rear frame section 20 are exposed.
As shown in
As shown in
The rear frame section 20 assumes a box-like form having a long length in the width direction and in the height direction and is joined to a rear central portion of the lower surface of the keyboard attachment frame section 10, thereby supporting a rear portion of the keyboard attachment frame section 10. The rear frame section 20 includes a rear body section 20a located at the center thereof and speaker boxes 30a and 30b located on opposite sides of the rear body section 20a. The rear body section 20a assumes a box-like form resembling a rectangular parallelepiped. A front wall portion 21a of the rear body section 20a is formed of a curved plate whose central portion with respect to the width direction is curved frontward. Pedals 22a, 22b, and 22c, which serve as foot controllers of the present invention, are provided at a bottom portion of the rear body section 20a in such a manner as to be equally spaced in the horizontal direction.
Hole portions 23a, 23b, and 23c are formed in a bottom region of the front wall portion 21a of the rear body section 20a. The pedals 22a, 22b, and 22c are provided in such a manner that their front portions project frontward from the corresponding hole portions 23a, 23b, and 23c in a vertically movable condition. Hole portions 24a, 24b, and 24c are also formed in a bottom region of the rear wall portion 21b of the rear body section 20a at positions corresponding to rear end portions of the pedals 22a, 22b, and 22c. Accordingly, the interior of a bottom portion of the rear body section 20a can be ventilated through the hole portions 23a, 23b, 23c, 24a, 24b, and 24c. Pedal sensors and a drive circuit board (not shown) are provided in the vicinity of the pedals 22a, 22b, and 22c at a bottom portion of the rear body section 20a.
A power line inlet 25 in the form of a recess is formed at the rear wall portion 21b of the rear body section 20a at a position located above the hole portions 24a, 24b, and 24c. A plurality of small holes serving as ventilation holes 26 are formed in an upper front wall portion 25a of the power line inlet 25. A connection device 25b for receiving power from an external source is attached to a bottom portion of the power line inlet 25. Various devices, such as a power transformer 27, a circuit board 28, and an amplifier 29, that generate heat when activated are mounted on the inner surface of the rear wall portion 21b of the rear body section 20a. The devices, such as the power transformer 27, constitute the electronic circuit according to the present invention.
The speaker boxes 30a and 30b are bilaterally symmetrical boxes each having the form of a rectangular parallelepiped and are disposed on opposite sides of the rear body section 20a. Speakers 31a and 31b are disposed in the speaker boxes 30a and 30b, respectively, in order to generate musical sound and sound effects in accordance with operations of keys and controllers. The bottom portion 10d of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 serves as an upper surface portion of each of the speaker boxes 30a and 30b. The ventilation holes 19d formed in the bottom portion 10d are adapted to regulate the sound of the speakers 31a and 31b. In order to facilitate the passage of sound, a perforated plate is used to form a front surface portion of each of the speaker boxes 30a and 30b.
Angle pieces serving as metal fixtures 32a and 32b are attached to lower end portions of the outer side surfaces of the speaker boxes 30a and 30b, respectively. Support projections 33a, 33b, and 33c are provided in opposite widthwise end regions and a central region, respectively, on a rear end portion of the bottom surface of the rear body section 20a. The support projections 33a, 33b, and 33c support the rear body section 20a such that the bottom surface of the rear body section 20a does not come into direct contact with the floor.
The leg sections 35a and 35b are fixed to opposite widthwise end regions of a front portion of the keyboard attachment frame section 10, thereby supporting the front portion of the keyboard attachment frame section 10. An inner region and a rear region of an upper portion of the leg section 35a and 35b are joined to the bottom surface of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 via reinforcement members 36a and 36b, respectively. As a result, the leg sections 35a and 35b are more firmly fixed to the keyboard attachment frame section 10. Support projections 37a and 37b are also provided on the corresponding bottom surfaces of the leg sections 35a and 35b. The support projections 33a, 33b, 33c, 37a, and 37b support the body of the electronic keyboard instrument M while a predetermined gap is maintained between the floor and the body of the electronic keyboard instrument M. In the electronic keyboard instrument M, the electronic circuit and various devices are connected by means of wiring lines (not shown).
When the thus-configured electronic keyboard instrument M is to be played, first, a performer connects a power supply to the connection device 25b, and connects the connection cord 18 to an apparatus required for performance; e.g., to a controller, thereby enabling playing of the electronic keyboard instrument M. Next, the performer opens the cover section 14, thereby exposing the keyboard section 11 and the operation panel section 12. Then, the performer turns on the power and operates the keys of the keyboard section 11, controllers of the operation panel section 12, and the pedals 22a, 22b, and 22c. As a result, the electronic keyboard instrument M generates musical sound and sound effects from the speakers 31a and 31b in accordance with the functions of the keys of the keyboard section 11, the controllers of the operation panel section 12, and the pedals 22a, 22b, and 22c.
In this case, air enters the interior of the rear body section 20a through the hole portions 23a, 23b, 23c, 24a, 24b, and 24c and the ventilation holes 26 and flows through the space in the rear body section 20a where the power transformer 27 and the like are provided. Subsequently, air enters the keyboard attachment frame section 10 through the opening 10e formed in an upper portion of the rear body section 20a and then flows out to the exterior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 through the ventilation holes 19a formed in the rear surface of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 or through the ventilation holes 19b formed in the side surfaces of the keyboard attachment frame section 10. Accordingly, heat generated from the electronic circuit, which includes the power transformer 27 and the amplifier 29, is carried by air flow and efficiently released to the exterior of the electronic keyboard instrument M.
As a result, there can be prevented such a problem that the component devices of the electronic circuit provided in the interior of the rear body section 20a are heated to thereby be deteriorated or malfunction. Also, since no heat is stagnant in the interior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10, devices provided in the interior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 are free from deterioration and malfunction which could otherwise be caused by heat. Thus, the respective sections of the electronic keyboard instrument M operate properly, so that musical sound and sound effects are properly generated from the speakers 31a and 31b.
As described above, in the electronic keyboard instrument M according to the present embodiment, the component devices, such as the power transformer 27, the circuit board 28, and the amplifier 29, of the electronic circuit are provided along the inner surface of the rear wall portion 21b of the rear body section 20a. Accordingly, the number of devices provided in the interior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 reduces, so that the size of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 can be reduced. Also, the dimension of the rear body section 20a in the depth direction can be reduced. Thus, the overall size of the electronic keyboard instrument M can be reduced. Furthermore, since the front wall portion 21a of the rear body section 20a is formed such that its central portion with respect to the width direction is curved frontward, sufficient space is available for accommodation of the component devices of the electronic circuit and for establishment of an air flow path. Thus, there can be prevented the stagnation of heat in a space among devices which would otherwise be arranged in a packed condition in a narrow space, and difficulty in air flow.
The hole portions 23a, 23b, 23c, 24a, 24b, and 24c and the ventilation holes 26 are provided at a lower portion of the rear body section 20a; and the ventilation holes 19a and 19b are provided at the keyboard attachment frame section 10 located above the rear body section 20a. Accordingly, air enters the rear body section 20a though various hole portions formed at a lower portion of the rear body section 20a and exits to the exterior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 through various ventilation holes formed at the keyboard attachment frame section 10. Thus, a plurality of air flow paths are formed in the interior of the rear body section 20a and in the interior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10. Therefore, without use of a fan or the like, heat generated in the interior of the rear body section 20a, together with air flows, is naturally released to the exterior of the electronic keyboard instrument M.
Furthermore, the hole portions 23a, 23b, and 23c are provided at the front wall portion 21a of the rear body section 20a; and the ventilation holes 26 and the ventilation holes 19a and 19b are formed at recesses, such as the power line inlet 25 and the recess 10a. Accordingly, even when the electronic keyboard instrument M is placed in such a manner that its rear wall surface is located in the vicinity of a wall surface, the flow of air is reliably generated in the interior of the rear body section 20a, so that heat generated from the electronic circuit is carried by air flow and efficiently released to the exterior of the electronic keyboard instrument M through upper ventilation holes. Accordingly, regardless of where the electronic keyboard instrument M is placed, the stagnation of heat in the interior of the rear body section 20a is prevented; thus, even when devices provided in the electronic keyboard instrument M include components susceptible to heat, the devices operate properly.
According to a modification of the above-described embodiment, additional ventilation holes (not shown) may be formed in partition wall sections between the rear body section 20a and the speaker boxes 30a and 30b. Air in the interior of the rear body section 20a partially enters the speaker boxes 30a and 30b through the ventilation holes formed in the partition wall sections and then enters the keyboard attachment frame section 10 through the ventilation holes 19d. Then, air exits to the exterior of the keyboard attachment frame section 10 through the ventilation holes 19a and 19b. Accordingly, the heat release effect is enhanced; and the ventilation holes 19d function not only to regulate sound quality but also to improve the performance of ventilation.
The electronic keyboard instrument M according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may be embodied in various other forms as appropriate. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the ventilation holes 19a and 19b, through which heat carried by air is released to the exterior of the electronic keyboard instrument M, are provided at the keyboard attachment frame section 10. However, the ventilation holes 19a and 19b may be provided at an upper portion of the rear body section 20a. The lower ventilation holes consisting of the hole portions 23a, 23b, 23c, 24a, 24b, and 24c and the ventilation holes 26 are provided preferably below the electronic circuit, but may be provided at a level equivalent to or slightly higher than the level of the electronic circuit. Even when the lower ventilation holes are provided at a level higher than the level of the electronic circuit, since heat ascends, heat is carried by air flow, if any, and released to the exterior.
In the above-described embodiment, a lower end portion of the rear body section 20a extends to the vicinity of the floor. However, the lower end portion of the rear body section may be raised more such that the pedals are provided below the lower end portion via a connection section. In this case, the lower ventilation holes are provided at a bottom portion of the rear body section. Additionally, the electronic keyboard instrument according to the present invention may be modified in configuration, such as the shape of component sections and portions, without departing from the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-006410 | Jan 2004 | JP | national |
