Patent Application
20160363311
None.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
This invention has not, as of the time of filing, been the subject of any federally sponsored research or development.
This invention was used in a piano concert open to the public on Feb. 14, 2014.
This invention relates to a new apparatus for illuminating the keys of a piano or electronic keyboard, with the option of also illuminating music or other paperwork set upon a music rack attached to the piano or keyboard frame, by utilizing dimmer switches controllable by the user.
Pianos and keyboards are frequently used in live performances, which involve darkened rooms, concert halls, or stadiums, and require the player to struggle to see the keys as they are playing. Presently a musician wishing to perform a piece of music in a darkened space is either forced to commit the piece of music to memory or must rely on lights that perform poorly, as sight reading sheet music is likely out of the question in such dimly lit conditions. The performer also has to struggle to see the position of his or her hands if the player removes them from the keys at some point during the performance.
This invention would provide a performer with the light needed to not only see the keys of the piano or keyboard, but would also allow the audience to focus on the hands of the performer by turning the apparatus to its highest light setting. An additional embodiment of this invention would allow a user to illuminate sheet music or other papers placed on a music rack attached to the piano or keyboard frame, making sight reading of music possible even in dimly lit conditions.
Disclosed herein is an apparatus which comprises a housing containing lamps held in the under-facing of the housing, which sits above the keys of a piano or electronic keyboard, with a dimmer/battery-pack assembly controlling the level of light emitted by the housing, and an optional music rack light with an adjustable goose-neck design with a separate dimmer/battery-pack controllable by the user to illuminate papers or sheet music placed on the music rack.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Before the present method is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular compositions, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the examples included therein and to the Figures and its previous and following description.
Disclosed herein is a lighting apparatus for the keys on a piano or keyboard, which includes a housing containing lamps that sit above the keys of a piano or keyboard, a dimmer/battery-pack assembly that can be located at either end of the piano or keyboard, and a power connector for the lights located in the dimmer assembly. The apparatus can optionally comprise a music rack light which can be manually controlled by the user independently from the piano keyboard light to illuminate sheet music or other paperwork needed for a performance.
