The present disclosure relates to an input device and a sound signal generation device.
In an electronic keyboard instrument or the like, pressing of a key is detected, and a sound signal is generated based on the detected result. The detection of a key depression is realized by a contact type sensor or a non-contact type sensor. The non-contact type sensor includes, for example, a magnetic induction type sensor (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,478).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an input device is provided including a first operating element and a first sensor. The first sensor includes a first conductor, a first coil, and a first magnetic material forming an open magnetic circuit together with the first coil. A positional relationship between the first coil and the first magnetic material is fixed. A first distance between a first end portion of the first magnetic material and the first conductor varies according to the amount of operation on the first operating element. The first sensor outputs a first signal corresponding to the first distance.
The input device may further include a second operating element and a second sensor. The second operating element is adjacent to the first operating element in a first direction. The second sensor includes a second conductor, a second coil, and a second magnetic material forming an open magnetic circuit together with the second coil. The second magnetic material has a second portion extending in a second direction different from the first direction with respect to the second coil. A positional relationship between the second coil and the second magnetic material is fixed. The second magnetic material is separated from the first magnetic material. A second distance between a second end portion on a second portion side of the second magnetic material and the second conductor varies according to the amount of operation on the second operating element. The second sensor outputs a second signal corresponding to the second distance. The first magnetic material has a first portion extending in the second direction with respect to the first coil. The first end portion may be an end portion on a first portion side of the first magnetic material.
The first conductor may be interlocked with the first operating element.
The first conductor may include a third coil.
A part of the first magnetic material may pass through the internal space of the first coil.
The first coil may be formed on a substrate, and the first coil may be arranged between at least a part of the first magnetic material and the first conductor at any one position in a range of movement of the first operating element.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an input device is provided including a first operating element and a first sensor. The first sensor includes a first coil, a third coil, and a third magnetic material. The third coil is arranged between the first coil and the third magnetic material at any one position in a range of movement of the first operating element. A positional relationship between the third coil and the third magnetic material is fixed. The first distance between the first coil and the third coil varies according to the amount of operation on the first operating element. The first sensor outputs the first signal corresponding to the first distance.
The input device may further include a second operating element and a second sensor. The second operating element is adjacent to the first operating element in a first direction. The second sensor includes a second coil, a fourth coil, and a fourth magnetic material, the second coil and the fourth coil having a part in which winding directions are opposite to each other. The fourth coil is arranged between the second coil and the fourth magnetic material at any one position in a range of movement of the second operating element. A positional relationship between the fourth coil and the fourth magnetic material is fixed. The fourth magnetic material is separated from the third magnetic material. The first distance between the second coil and the fourth coil varies according to the amount of operation on the second operating element. The second sensor outputs a second signal corresponding to the second distance. The first coil may have a part in which the winding directions are opposite to each other.
In the first coil and the second coil, parts in which winding directions are opposite to each other may be aligned in the second direction different from the first direction.
The first operating element and the second operating element may have a longitudinal shape in the second direction.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a sound signal generation device is provided including the input device described above and a generation unit configured to generate a sound signal based on the first signal and the second signal.
Hereinafter, a keyboard apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are examples of embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention should not be construed as being limited to these embodiments. In addition, in the drawings referred to in the present embodiment, the same portions or portions having similar functions are denoted by the same symbols or similar symbols (A, B, etc. denoted after numerals), and a repetitive description thereof may be omitted. Dimensional ratios in the drawings may differ from actual ratios for convenience of description, or some of the configurations may be omitted from the drawings.
Since a sensor using a magnetic field can be used as a distance sensor, the pressing amount of a key can be measured continuously. On the other hand, since the magnetic field spreads in various directions around a coil, EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) countermeasures are required. In addition, when a structure in which a plurality of keys is arranged as in a keyboard instrument is used, sensors corresponding to the plurality of adjacent keys may interfere with each other, and the measurement accuracy may be lowered. Therefore, when a magnetic induction type sensor is used, it was necessary to control the magnetic field formed by the coil according to the purpose of use.
One object of the present disclosure is to control the magnetic field formed by the coil of the magnetic induction type sensor.
In the first embodiment, a keyboard apparatus used as an electronic keyboard instrument will be described. According to this keyboard apparatus, the keypress operation can be detected by a magnetic induction type sensor. Hereinafter, the keyboard apparatus will be described in detail.
A plurality of keys 10 (a first operating element and a second operating element) is arranged side by side in one direction. Here, a scale direction in which the plurality of keys 10 is arranged is referred to as a left-right direction D1 (a first direction). A direction perpendicular to the left-right direction D1 is referred to as a front-back direction D2 (a second direction). When the keyboard apparatus 1 is viewed from above, longitudinal direction of the key 10 is the same as the front-back direction D2. A direction perpendicular to both the left-right direction D1 and the front-back direction D2 is referred to as a vertical direction D3 (a third direction, see
The key 10 can rotate with respect to the casing 50. A state in which the longitudinal direction of the key 10 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the front-back direction D2 is included in the rotation range of the key 10. The speaker 60, a keypress amount measuring unit 70, the sound source unit 80 and the operation unit 90 are arranged in the casing 50. When a user operates the key 10, a sound is generated from the speaker 60 by a sound generation function of the keyboard apparatus 1. The operation unit 90 is a device such as an operation button, a touch sensor and a slider, and receives an instruction for changing the type of the sound (tone) and volume of the sound to be generated, and outputs a signal corresponding to the input operation to the sound source unit 80. In addition, the keyboard apparatus 1 may include an interface for inputting and outputting signals to and from an external device. Examples of the interface include a terminal for outputting a sound signal to an external device, and a cable connecting a terminal for transmitting and receiving MIDI data, and the like.
The keypress amount measuring unit 70 includes a magnetic induction type sensor arranged for each of the plurality of keys 10. Each of the sensors corresponding to each key 10 detects a position (pressing amount) in a rotation range of the key 10. The keypress amount measuring unit 70 outputs key information specifying any of the plurality of keys 10 and pressing amount information corresponding to the pressing amount of the specified key 10 to the sound source unit 80. The pressing amount information may indicate a value of the pressing amount itself of the key 10, or it may be a value calculated from the pressing amount, such as a speed calculated from a change in the pressing amount, or may be information obtained by combining these. The combination of the keypress amount measuring unit 70 and the key 10 is an example of an input device. The detailed configuration of the keypress amount measuring unit 70 will be described later.
The sound source unit 80 (a generation section) is a signal processing circuit for generating a sound signal according to a performance operation to the key 10. Specifically, the sound source unit 80 generates a sound signal based on the information output from the keypress amount measuring unit 70, and outputs the generated sound signal to the speaker 60. The speaker 60 generates a sound corresponding to the sound signal by amplifying and outputting the sound signal output from the sound source unit 80.
Next, an internal structure of the keyboard apparatus 1 will be described. Here, an internal structure of the keyboard apparatus 1 will be described with reference to
A frame 20 is fixed to the casing 50 and supports the plurality of keys 10 arranged in the left-right direction D1. In this example, the frame 20 is formed of a resin material. The frame 20 includes a key guide portion 201, a key support portion 203, a rib portion 205 and a substrate holding portion 207.
The key guide portion 201 restricts the key 10 from moving in the left-right direction D1 by a member that slides with the key 10 below the front end portion of the key 10. The key support portion 203 supports an elastic portion 105 arranged at the rear end portion of the key 10. When the elastic portion 105 is deformed in the vertical direction, a free end side of the key 10 rotates with respect to the key support portion 203. In this case, since the key 10 is restricted from moving in the left-right direction D1 by the key guide portion 201, the key 10 rotates with respect to the left-right direction D1 as a rotation axis. The rib portion 205 is a plate-shaped member having a plane including the front-back direction D2 and the vertical direction D3 (surface having the normal line in left-right direction D1). A plurality of rib portions 205 is arranged side by side in the left-right direction D1. Each of the plurality of rib portions 205 is connected to the key guide portion 201, the key support portion 203, and the substrate holding portion 207.
A substrate holding portion 207 is a plate-shaped member for holding the active circuit substrate 700 and a magnetic material 780. In this example, the active circuit substrate 700 is arranged on the upper surface side (a key 10 side) of the substrate holding portion 207, and the magnetic material 780 is arranged on the lower surface side (the side opposite to the key 10) of the substrate holding portion 207. A passive circuit substrate 750 is arranged on the lower surface side of the key 10 (the substrate holding portion 207 side). The passive circuit substrate 750 is held on the lower surface side of the key 10 by a holder or the like.
The active circuit substrate 700 and the passive circuit substrate 750 are, as will be described later, elements constituting the magnetic induction type sensor, which are components included in the keypress amount measuring unit 70 with the magnetic material 780. The passive circuit substrate 750 and the magnetic material 780 are provided corresponding to each key 10. In this example, although the active circuit substrate 700 is provided corresponding to the plurality of keys 10, it may be provided corresponding to each key 10.
When the key 10 is depressed in the state shown in
The keypress amount measuring unit 70 (a first sensor and a second sensor) includes the active circuit substrate 700, the passive circuit substrate 750 and the magnetic material 780 as described above. The active circuit substrate 700 includes a coil (hereinafter referred to as an active coil) for forming a magnetic field by the supplied power. When the passive circuit substrate 750 including the coil (hereinafter, referred to as a passive coil) moves in the magnetic field, an active circuit 770 (see
An active circuit 770 includes an active coil 701, capacitors 706a, 706b, and resistors 707a, 707b. The active coil 701 (a first coil, a second coil) is formed on the substrate. The active coil 701 includes a wiring 701a formed on the upper surface side (the key 10 side) of the substrate and a wiring 701b provided on the lower surface side (the substrate holding portion 207 side) of the substrate, both ends of which are connected. In
When an AC signal is input to the signal input portion 703a via the multiplexer 709, the active coil 701 forms a magnetic field corresponding to the input signal, and the active coil 701 and a passive coil 751 are magnetically coupled to each other, thereby modulating a signal (a first signal and a second signal) output from the signal output portion 703b. The modulated signal is output to a signal processing circuit (not shown) via the multiplexer 709 and converted into pressing amount information. The signal processing circuit outputs key information and the pressing amount information of the key 10 corresponding to the signal obtained by the multiplexer 709.
As shown in
A length along the left-right direction D1 of the magnetic material 780 is desirably the same as or even smaller than a length along the left-right direction D1 of the active coil 701. In this example, the active coil 701 includes the overlapping part OA1 which overlaps with the magnetic material 780 and a part that expands in the left-right direction D1 with respect to the overlapping part OA1.
Since the active coil 701 and the magnetic material 780 have a positional relationship as shown in
When the passive coil 751 moves in the magnetic flux MF, an induced current corresponding to the density of the magnetic flux MF passing through the passive coil 751 at that position occurs in the passive coil 751, and an output signal from the active circuit substrate 700 obtained via the active coil 701 is changed. In other words, it can be said that the output signal changes according to the distance between the active coil 701 and the passive coil 751 or changes according to the distance between the end portion 780a of the magnetic material 780 and the passive coil 751. Also, in this example, a positional relationship is realized whereby the active coil 701 is arranged between the passive coil 751 and at least a part of the magnetic material 780, and the magnetic material 780 is not arranged between the active coil 701 and the passive coil 751. This positional relationship may be realized when the key 10 is present in at least any one range in a range of movement. The above explanation is the description of the structure of the keypress amount measuring unit 70.
As described above, according to the keyboard apparatus 1 in the first embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to measure the pressing amount of the key 10 using the magnetic induction type sensor in the keypress amount measuring unit 70. In this case, by arranging the magnetic material 780, it is possible to control the range of the magnetic field formed by the active coil 701 and reduce the interference between the sensors corresponding to the adjacent keys 10. Therefore, as compared with the case where the magnetic material 780 is not used, it is possible to realize the keyboard apparatus 1 in which the measurement accuracy of the keypress amount is improved.
In the second embodiment, an example is described in which a magnetic material corresponding to the passive circuit substrate 750 is further provided in the first embodiment.
Also, a length along the left-right direction D1 of the magnetic material 790 is desirably the same as or even smaller than a length along the left-right direction D1 of the passive coil 751. In this example, the passive coil 751 includes the overlapping part OA2 with the magnetic material 790 and a part that expands in the left-right direction D1 with respect to the overlapping part OA2.
As described above, by providing the magnetic material 790 also in the passive coil 751 side, the magnetic flux MF is easily formed so that the magnetic material 790 is used as a magnetic path when the passive coil 751 approaches the active coil 701. As a result, the magnetic flux MF passing through the passive coil 751 is increased more than in the case where the magnetic material 790 is not used, and it is possible to realize the magnetic coupling more efficiently between the passive coil 751 and the active coil 701. Therefore, as compared with the case of the first embodiment, even if the passive coil 751 is positioned right above the active coil 701, it is possible to effectively utilize the magnetic flux MF. It is also possible to reduce the leakage of the magnetic flux MF upward of the key 10. In addition, by adjusting the size and the weight of the magnetic material 790, it can also be used to adjust the physical touch feeling towards the key 10.
In the third embodiment, instead of the magnetic material 780 of the first embodiment, an example is described in which a magnetic material 780A having a shape different from that of the magnetic material 780 is used.
The magnetic material 780A in the third embodiment includes a flat plate portion 780Ar, protrusion parts 780Ata, 780Atb, and a central portion 780Ac. The flat plate portion 780Ar has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is arranged in an active circuit substrate 700A. The protrusion parts 780Ata and 780Atb are parts protruding upwards (the key 10 side) at both end portions of the flat plate portion 780Ar and have a rectangular parallelepiped shape. End portions 780Aa, 780Ab of the magnetic material 780A corresponds to the upper side of the protrusion parts 780Ata, 780Atb. The central portion 780Ac is a portion protruding upwards (the key 10 side) in the central portion of the flat plate portion 780Ar and has a cylindrical shape.
An active coil 701A is wound around the central portion 780Ac. In other words, a part of the magnetic material 780A (the central portion 780Ac) passes through the internal space of the active coil 701A. The active coil 701A is formed by a conductor different from the wiring formed on the active circuit substrate 700A and is connected to a multiplexer 709 (see
In the fourth embodiment, instead of the magnetic material 780A of the third embodiment, an example is described in which a magnetic material 780B having a form different from that of the magnetic material 780A is used. The fourth embodiment is the same as the third embodiment in that a part of the magnetic material is arranged in the internal space of the active coil. In addition, unlike the third embodiment, this example is a configuration that can be realized even if a part of the magnetic material is arranged between the active coil 701 and the passive coil 751.
The passive circuit substrate 750 in the fourth embodiment is arranged so as to protrude downwards from the key 10. That is, the passive circuit substrate 750 is supported by the key 10 by being partially embedded in the key 10. In this example, the passive circuit substrate 750 is arranged so as to protrude perpendicularly to the surface of the key 10, and in addition, the central axis of the passive coil 751 is arranged so as to face the longitudinal direction of the key 10.
The magnetic material 780B in the fourth embodiment includes a flat plate portion 780Br, pillar portions 780Bpa, 780Bpb, and an upper plate portion 780Bua, 780Bub. The flat plate portion 780Br has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is arranged in an active circuit substrate 700B. The pillar portions 780Bpa and 780Bpb are portions protruding upwards (the key 10 side) at both end portions of the flat plate portion 780Br and have a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The upper plate portion 780Bua is a portion extending from the upper end of the pillar portion 780Bpa and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The upper plate portion 780Bub is a portion extending from the upper end of the pillar portion 780Bpb and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.
An end portion 780Ba of the magnetic material 780B is an end portion of the upper plate portion 780Bua opposite to the pillar portion 780Bpa. An end portion 780Bb of the magnetic material 780B is an end portion of the upper plate portion 780Bub opposite to the pillar portion 780Bpb. The end portion 780Ba and the end portion 780Bb are opposed to each other to form a predetermined space therebetween.
An active coil 701B is wound around the pillar portion 780Bpb. In other words, a part of the magnetic material 780B (the pillar portion 780Bpb) passes through the internal space of the active coil 701B. The active coil 701B is formed by a conductor different from the wiring formed on the active circuit substrate 700B and is connected to the multiplexer 709 (see
As shown in
In the fifth embodiment, an example is described in which the magnetic material 780A in the third embodiment is tilted by 90 degrees and the side surfaces of the magnetic material 780A are arranged to be parallel to the surface of the substrate.
The passive circuit substrate 750 in the fifth embodiment is arranged to protrude downwards from the key 10. That is, the passive circuit substrate 750 is supported by the key 10 by being partially embedded in the key 10. In this example, the passive circuit substrate 750 is arranged so as to protrude perpendicular to the surface of the key 10, and in addition, the central axis of the passive coil 751 is arranged so as to face the scale direction (the left-right direction D1).
As shown in
In the sixth embodiment, an example is described in which the passive circuit substrate 750 is arranged in a member interlocking with the key 10.
The loaded part 30 includes the key connecting portion 301, a bearing 303, and a weight portion 305. The bearing 303 is provided corresponding to a shaft portion provided on a frame 20. The key connecting portion 301 is arranged on the opposite side of the weight portion 305 with respect to the bearing 303. The sliding part 307 provided at one end of the key connecting portion 301 slides against a load connecting part 103 provided below the key 10D. The loaded part 30 has a center of gravity present closer to the weight portion 305 than the bearing 303. Therefore, by placing the weight portion 305 on a lower stopper 351 when the key 10D is not depressed, the loaded part 30 holds the key 10 at the rest position (corresponding to when a key is released). When the key 10D is depressed, the weight portion 305 moves upward by rotating the loading portion 30 about the bearing 303, further movement is restricted by colliding with an upper stopper 353. The lower stopper 351 and the upper stopper 353 are supported by the frame 20.
In this example, the passive circuit substrate 750 is arranged not in the key 10D but in the loaded part 30 interlocking with the key 10D. Specifically, the passive circuit substrate 750 is arranged on the lower surface of the key connecting portion 301 of the loaded part 30. Therefore, a substrate holding portion 207D, on which the active circuit substrate 700 is arranged, is arranged below the key connecting portion 301. When the key 10 is depressed in the state shown in
Also, with respect to the angle between the passive circuit substrate 750 and the active circuit substrate 700, the difference between when a key is released and when a key is depressed is larger than the difference in the first embodiment in which the passive circuit substrate 750 is mounted to the key 10. Even if the change in this angle is large, since the amount of magnetic flux passing through the passive coil 751 is changed, there is no problem even in the case of the positional relationship between the passive coil 751 and the active coil 701 as shown in the sixth embodiment.
In the seventh embodiment, an active circuit substrate 700E is described in which the configuration of the active coil 701 is changed without using the magnetic material 780.
In this way, it is also possible to prevent the magnetic fields formed by the adjacent active coils 701E from interfering with each other. Therefore, in this case, the configuration corresponding to the magnetic material 780 may be omitted. In this example, it is desirable to adopt a configuration using the magnetic material 790 as in the second embodiment for the passive circuit substrate 750.
While an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, an embodiment of the present invention may be modified into various forms as follows. Also, the embodiments described above and the modifications described below can be applied in combination with each other. Further, it is possible to add, delete, or replace another configuration with respect to a part of the configuration of each embodiment. In the following description, although an example of modifying the first embodiment will be described, other embodiments may also be applied as a modified example.
(1) Although the passive coil 751 is provided in the passive circuit substrate 750, a metal plate may be provided instead of the passive coil 751. Even with this configuration, modulation of the output signal of the active circuit 770 can be realized by the eddy current generated in the metal plate as in the passive coil 751. That is, in the passive circuit substrate 750, instead of the coil, a conductor such as a metal plate or the like capable of absorbing energy through a magnetic field may be arranged.
(2) In the first embodiment, the active coil 701 is arranged on the frame 20 side, and the passive coil 751 is arranged on the key 10 side. Since the passive coil 751 does not require a power supply or the like, although it is easy to design a structure where it is provided on the structure having a movable portion, it is also possible to be arranged in the reverse relationship. That is, the active coil 701 may be arranged on the key 10 side and the passive coil 751 may be arranged on the frame 20 side. In this case, the configuration for performing power supply or the like in the substrate holder 170 may be arranged.
(3) Although the magnetic material 780 extends in the front-back direction D2, as long as it extends in a direction different from the left-right direction D1, it may extend in a direction inclined to at least one of the vertical direction and the left-right direction with respect to the front-back direction D2.
(4) Although the distance between the active coil 701 (or the end portion 780a of the magnetic material 780) and the passive coil 751 is closer when a key is depressed than when a key is released, it may be closer when a key is released. This configuration may be realized via a member interlocking with the key 10, and the active circuit substrate 700 may be arranged on the upper surface side of the key 10.
(5) Although one set of the active circuit 770 and the passive circuit substrate 750 has been provided for each key 10, a plurality of sets may be provided for each key 10. For example, the amount of movement of a plurality of member may be measured by a sensor for measuring the pressing amount of the key 10 as in the first embodiment and a sensor for measuring the amount of movement of the member interlocking with the key 10 as in the sixth embodiment. Also, the key 10 may be provided with a plurality of sensors. In this case, a range where the pressing amount can be measured may be different in each sensor.
(6) The coil shape of the active coil 701 may take various forms other than the various forms described above. Also, the active coil 701 may be implemented using a plurality of coils. The same configuration is applied to the passive coil 751. Various forms can be applied to the active coil 701 and the passive coil 751 as long as they have configurations that form a magnetic field in the active coil 701 and cause anti-resonance in the active circuit 770 via the magnetic field in the passive coil 751.
(7) Although an example in which the keypress amount measuring unit 70 is provided to an electronic keyboard instrument has been described, the keypress amount measuring unit 70 may be provided to a key of an acoustic piano. Also, the keypress amount measuring unit 70 is provided, in addition to the key of the acoustic piano, to a movable portion such as a pedal, and the moving amount of that portion may be measured.
(8) Although the keypress amount measuring unit 70 is provided in an electronic keyboard instrument to measure the pressing amount of the key 10, it may be provided in an electronic keyboard instrument to measure the moving amount of the movable portion other than the key 10 (for example, a pedal device). In addition, the configuration corresponding to the keypress amount measuring unit 70 is not limited to a keyboard instrument, and can be applied to other types of instruments such as a wind instrument and a guitar-shaped stringed instrument. As a result, it is possible to detect an operation on a key of a wind instrument, and an operation on a tremolo arm of an electronic stringed instrument, and the like. These types of instruments are included in the concept of a performance operation apparatus.
Also, although the performance operation apparatus includes an instrument having a sound source unit 80 and outputting a sound signal (the keyboard apparatus 1), and an instrument having a sound generation mechanism for generating a sound, the performance operation apparatus may include an apparatus that does not output a sound signal (e.g., MIDI controller) and an apparatus that does not generate sound itself (e.g., a pedaling mechanism). In this case, the key and the pedal are specified as operating elements for the performance operation. As described above, the performance operation apparatus includes an apparatus that controls the generation of sound and the generation mode of the sound to be changed and outputs a sound signal according to the operation of the operating element by the player (operator) with the head or foot.
Further, the keypress amount measuring unit 70 may be provided in an input device having operating elements such as a button, a slider, or the like for inputting an instruction from the user. In this case, the active circuit substrate 700 and the passive circuit substrate 750 may be used to measure the amount of operation on the operating element. Such an input device may be provided in a sound signal generation device that generates a sound signal by an operation to an operating element or it may be provided in a device that does not generate a sound signal. That is, it can be said that the key 10 is an example of an operating element for inputting an instruction of a user, the combination of the key 10 and the keypress amount measuring unit 70 is an example of an input device, and the keyboard apparatus 1 is an example of a sound signal generation device.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to control a magnetic field formed by a coil of a magnetic induction type sensor.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2019-210009 | Nov 2019 | JP | national |
This application is a Continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2020/041338, filed on Nov. 5, 2020, which claims the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-210009, filed on Nov. 20, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2020/041338 | Nov 2020 | US |
Child | 17743616 | US |