Importance

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Abstract

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 of the key with a variable resistive force, a latching apparatus to latch the spring apparatus in connection to the base, and an unlatching apparatus to unlatch the spring apparatus from connection to the base with a predetermined amount of resistive force. The latching apparatus may be a magnetic apparatus disposed between the base and the spring apparatus having one of a magnetic element and a magnetically attracted element fixedly connected to the base and the other fixedly connected to the key. The unlatching apparatus may be a hook apparatus having a hook element and a catch element such that the hook element is able to be engaged with the catch element and one of the hook and the catch elements is fixedly connected to one of the magnetic and magnetically attracted elements which is attached to the spring apparatus and another of the hook and the catch elements is fixedly connected to the key. The catch element is spaced apart a predetermined distance from the hook element when the key is not depressed such that the catch element engages the hook element when the key is depressed a predetermined portion of an allowable amount of travel of the key. A weight may be attached to the key so as to resist depression of the key.

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First Claim