Patent ID: 8859877

Claim:
A damper drive device for a musical instrument, the damper drive comprising: a plurality of dampers each configured to be displaceable to damp vibration of a corresponding sounding member of the musical instrument; a plurality of damper levers each configured to be pivotable to displace a corresponding one of the dampers; an elongated member configured to be displaceable to collectively pivot the plurality of damper levers; an actuator disposed beside the elongated member for displacing the elongated member; and a connection member mounted to the elongated member, wherein the elongated member is displaced in response to driving of the actuator so that the dampers are displaced away from contact with the sounding members, wherein motion of the actuator is transmitted to the elongated member to apply driving force to a longitudinal edge portion of the elongated member so that the elongated member pivots about a longitudinal axis thereof, and wherein the connection member is mounted to the elongated member and projects generally laterally from the longitudinal edge portion of the elongated member to transmit motion of the actuator to the elongated member, the driving force being applied to the longitudinal edge portion of the elongated member by the actuator driving the connection member.