Patent ID: 6972361

Claim:
A woodwind instrument for generating tones, comprising: a tube formed with plural tone holes for changing the pitch of said tones; and a key mechanism provided on the tube, and including a linkage secured to said tube and plural keys connected to said linkage for selectively close or open said tone holes, each of said plural keys including a pad cup having an inner surface defining a recess and connected to said linkage, a pad received in said recess and brought into contact with a part of said tube defining associated one of said tone holes, a retainer having an inner surface held in area contact with said pad and an outer surface held in point contact with said inner surface of said pad cup so as to permit said retainer to incline to any direction, a fastener connected to said retainer for keeping said pad held in area contact with said inner surface of said retainer and a coupler provided between said retainer and said pad cup for keeping said retainer in an appropriate attitude in said pad cup.