Quotables
"That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"
President Rutherford B. Hayes ; Said in 1876, after Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone to him at the White House
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7423867 | Portable electronic key A portable electronic key easily findable even if dropped into water. The portable electronic key includes an upper cover and a lower cover, a hermetically sealed space is formed, in which electrical equipment such as a board, a battery, and an antenna are arranged.... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7408108 | Multiple-paramenter instrument keyboard combining key-surface touch and key-displacement sensor arrays An invention extending functionality and applications of traditional music keyboards. Individual musical keyboard keys may have individual key displacement sensors measuring key travel. Individual keys may further include surface sensors measuring two additional par... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7345235 | Keyboard musical instrument having keys equipped with balancers biting into keys and method for securing balancers to keys Keys of an acoustic piano require balancers for cancellation of a part of self weight of the action units/hammers; however, the balancers are liable to be dropped off due to the aged deterioration of the wooden bars; in order to keep the balancers stable in the keys... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7288035 | Flag apparatus with electronic sound generating device for use in sports and games The present invention is a flag or tail apparatus that incorporates an electronic sound generating device. In some embodiments of this invention, the flag or tail may be removably appended to a belt. Upon decoupling of the flag or tail in the normal course of play, ... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7253349 | Engineers piano with bisymmetrical manuals and accompanying musical notation system A 2 manual musical keyboard with the pitch progression on one of the manuals reversed. The keys on these manuals are segregated into 2 groups of 2 different heights in the same way as a standard musical keyboard. The key configurations on these manuals have 12 semi-... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7247788 | Integrated computer and music keyboard module An integrated computer and music keyboard module includes a key assembled base, on a first side of which a plurality of music keys are parallelly arranged. The key assembled base is provided on at least one lateral end with a connecting member for turnably connectin... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7214897 | Illuminated keyboard with illuminated patterns displayed on top surface of keyboard An illuminated keyboard with illuminated figures being formed on the top surface of the keyboard including: a top cover, a bottom cover, a plurality of keys and an electroluminescent board. The top cover accommodates the keys and is combined with the bottom cover. T... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7208668 | Keyboard device for keyboard instrument A keyboard instrument which is capable of ensuring sufficient strength of neighboring portions of chassis and preventing generation of noise, while restricting lateral motion of hammers. Keys are pivotally supported by chassis arranged side by side in a left-right d... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7141729 | Hammer keyboard system and chassis A hammer with simplified structure and reduced costs that maintains its capability as a mass body to impart a touch weight. The hammer is configured such that it is possible to fix the two mass plates to the metal base plate by means of a single rivet. Therefore, th... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7129404 | Keyboard musical instrument having keys regulated with stable key balance pieces and process for fabricating keys A key is an indispensable component parts of an acoustic or electronic keyboard musical instrument, and key balancers are embedded in the key for varying the moment exerted on the key; the key balancers are fastened to the key by means of an anchor so that the key b... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7105738 | Functional performance of keyboard musical instruments A musical keyboard having associated therewith a alphanumeric keyboard having a plurality of alphanumeric keys, the musical keyboard having a musical keys each being for producing a musical sound, and music function keys for producing musical effects, At least one o... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7067730 | Keyboard musical instrument having keys regulated with stable key balance pieces A key is an indispensable component parts of an acoustic or electronic keyboard musical instrument, and key balancers are embedded in the key for varying the moment exerted on the key; the key balancers are fastened to the key by means of an anchor so that the key b... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7060883 | Compact keyboard apparatus with accurate detection of key pressing speed A keyboard apparatus is provided with a key unit that has a plurality of keys supported for pivotal motion. Also provided is a detection section for detecting a key speed when any of the keys are pivoted. The key unit and detection section are supported by a housing... | 06/13/2006 |
| 6849796 | Operation detection switch, musical instrument and parameter determination program An operation detection switch capable of reproducing the manner of performance in which the speed of depressing an operating portion changes in the middle of a key action and of achieving a reduced manufacturing cost. The operation detection switch includes a switch... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6822155 | Key to switch for electronic musical instrument A key top switch for an electronic musical instrument which can be manufactured at a low cost is provided for preventing noise due to bouncing between an operation panel and a key top, and permitting accurate and easy positioning of the key top at a predetermined po... | 11/23/2004 |
| 6815603 | Unbreakable and economical optical sensor array and keyboard musical instrument using the same An optical sensor array includes plural sensor heads arranged on a supporting plate at intervals for monitoring moving objects such as black/white keys of a composite keyboard musical instrument; the sensor head has resiliently deformable arms on both side portions ... | 11/09/2004 |
| 6765142 | Electronic keyboard musical instrument There is provided an electronic keyboard musical instrument that gives the performance feeling closer to that given by an acoustic piano and enables techniques of expression closer to those used when playing the acoustic piano. Touch information is generated based o... | 07/20/2004 |
| 6420640 | Method and apparatus for glove-based chording The invention is a method and apparatus for chording. One embodiment of an apparatus comprises a user-wearable support element, in the form of a glove having finger and thumb portions. An output generating element in the form of a switch is provided corre... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6380469 | Keyboard musical instrument equipped with key actuators accurately controlling key motion A keyboard musical instrument is equipped with solenoid-operated key actuators for guiding a player in fingering on the keyboard, and the solenoid-operated key actuators stop the keys at terminative positions on the way to the end positions, wherein key s... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6262355 | Method and apparatus for glove-based chording The invention is a method and apparatus for chording. One embodiment of an apparatus comprises a user-wearable support element, in the form of a glove having finger and thumb portions. An output generating element in the form of a switch is provided corre... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6191351 | Composite part for electronic musical instrument A composite part for an electronic musical instrument which allows the center of a drill to be immediately and reliably positioned on a rivet during disassembly, thereby making it possible to significantly improve the efficiency of disassembling works and... | 02/20/2001 |
| 5986202 | Electronic keyboard instrument A silent electronic keyboard instrument for operation in conjunction with a synthesizer for transmitting sound only electronically to a headphone terminal, and exhibiting keyboard operation substantially duplicative of acoustic piano keyboard operation.... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5977466 | Keyboard musical instrument equipped with small simple economical key touch generator An electronic keyboard musical instrument includes a plurality of keys turnable between a rest position and an end position, an electronic sound generating system responsive to the motion of the key so as to generate an electronic sound and a key touch ge... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5922983 | Keyboard musical instrument having key touch controller An electronic keyboard musical instrument stores first key touch data codes representative of a first reaction component and grouped into first data groups by a key velocity, second key touch data codes representative of a second reaction component and gr... | 07/13/1999 |
| 5773738 | Piano toy having automatic playing keys A piano set having automatic playing keys comprises a bracket having a plurality of fixing columns and mounting sockets. A gear set, linkage set of a gear set driven by a motor and connecting shaft of the keyboard are rotationally mounted thereon. The bra... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5763799 | Simulated escapement apparatus for electronic keyboard An electronic keyboard key apparatus to simulate the feel of escapement includes a longitudinally extending key preferably pivotally mounted on a supporting base, a spring apparatus flexibly disposed between the base and the key for resisting depression o... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5616880 | Keyboard musical instrument equipped with hammer shank stopper where hammer assembly rebounds without deflection of shank An acoustic upright piano, an electronic sound system and a hammer stopper form in combination a keyboard musical instrument for generating acoustic sounds in an acoustic sound mode and electronic sounds in an electronic sound mode, and the hammer stopper... | 04/01/1997 |
| 5612502 | Keyboard musical instrument estimating hammer impact and timing for tone-generation from one of hammer motion and key motion A keyboard musical instrument includes an acoustic piano for generating acoustic sounds, an electronic system for generating electronic sounds and a silent system for selecting one of the acoustic sounds and the electronic sounds, and the electronic syste... | 03/18/1997 |
| 5610356 | Keyboard musical instrument having hammer stopper exactly position at blocking position A keyboard musical instrument selectively enters into an acoustic sound mode for generating acoustic piano tones and an electronic sound mode for generating electronic sounds instead of the acoustic piano tones, and a stopper is changed between a free pos... | 03/11/1997 |
| 5583310 | Keyboard musical instrument selectively introducing time delay into hammer detecting signal between acoustic sound mode and electronic sound mode A hammer sensor of a keyboard musical instrument monitors a hammer action from a home position to a rebounding point on a stopper or strings, and a controller determines a hammer velocity and a time at an intermediate point on a trajectory of the hammer i... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5578782 | Musical tone control device for electronic keyboard instrument An musical tone control device, employed by an electronic keyboard instrument, comprises a keyboard frame, a stopper member and a sensor. The keyboard frame is located beneath an arrangement of keys in the keyboard and is provided to support the keys in a... | 11/26/1996 |
| 5483861 | Keyboard instrument equipped with durable hammer stopper for selectively producing acoustic sounds and synthesized sounds In order to allow a player to perform a music without an acoustic sound, a stopper blocks hammer shanks before impacts of hammer heads to strings, and recesses substantially conformal to the hammer shanks are formed in cushion members of the stopper for i... | 01/16/1996 |
| 5463184 | Keyboard instrument having a catcher stopper for silent operation on keyboard An acoustic piano, an electronic sound producing system and a controlling system form a keyboard instrument for selectively producing acoustic sounds and electronically synthesized sounds, and the controlling system has a catcher stopper for restricting r... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5386083 | Keyboard instrument having hammer stopper outwardly extending from hammer shank and method of remodeling piano into the keyboard instrument A hammer stopper is moved into and outof an orbit of an extension of a hammer shank depending upon an operation mode, and the extension rebounds on the hammer stopper in an electronic sound producing mode between an escape of a jack from a butt and a stri... | 01/31/1995 |
| 5079985 | Keyboard apparatus for electronic keyboard musical instrument A keyboard apparatus for an electronic keyboard musical instrument comprising a wooden key which is swingably supported by a fulcrum on a metallic keyboard chassis and which is returned from its depressed position by returning means, a precisely construct... | 01/14/1992 |
| 4932304 | Control device for the manual playing of electronic musical instruments A manually played control device mounted on the playing board of an electronic keyboard instrument, to be played by one hand of a player while the other hand plays the main keys. The main keys produce usual control signals whereas the control device produ... | 06/12/1990 |
| 4838139 | Musical keyboard A musical keyboard having keys which carry metal spoilers that alter the resonance characteristics of tank circuits associated with the keys as the keys move toward and away from the inductance coils of the tank circuits. The tank circuits are connected s... | 06/13/1989 |
| 4790230 | Low profile keyboard device and system for recording and scoring music A portable modular music recording device which simply and unobtrusively attaches to a keyboard instrument for purposes of recording live musical performances; and an efficient music microcomputing system in which the captured musical data is digitized an... | 12/13/1988 |
| 4733590 | Keyboard switch apparatus for electronic musical instrument A keyboard switch apparatus for an electronic musical instrument has first, second and third layers, and first and second switches. The second layer has elasticity and is separated from the first layer. The third layer has elasticity and is inserted betwe... | 03/29/1988 |
| 4649784 | Method and apparatus for sensing activity for a keyboard and the like Apparatus and method for the monitoring of the manipulation of the keys of an instrument comprises monitoring apparatus which takes the form of a pressure sensing device, associated with each key, that can be fabricated in a configuration compatible with ... | 03/17/1987 |
