Pen-shaped position indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016188019-A1
Application number	US-201615013853-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 6, 2012
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pen-shaped position indicator includes: i) a cylindrical housing; ii) a core received in the cylindrical housing and having a pointer tip extend from a distal end of the cylindrical housing; iii) a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive element and a capacitor and received in the cylindrical housing, wherein an inductance of the inductive element changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core; iv) a connection member received in the cylindrical housing between the inductive element and the capacitor, wherein the connection member includes a distal surface facing the inductive element and a proximal surface facing the capacitor, and the connection member includes a terminal member having a distal end and a proximal end; and v) a first conductor disposed on a distal surface of the capacitor facing the proximal surface of the connection member, wherein the first conductor electrically connects the capacitor, via the at least one terminal of the connection member, to the inductive element.

First claim

1 . A pen-shaped position pointer, comprising:
a cylindrical housing; a core having a distal end, which serves as a pointer tip, and a proximal end, wherein the core is received in the cylindrical housing such that the pointer tip extends from a distal end of the cylindrical housing; a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive element and a capacitor and received in the cylindrical housing, wherein the inductive element is disposed between the core and the capacitor along an axis of the cylindrical housing, an inductance of the inductive element changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core, and a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core; a connection member received in the cylindrical housing between the inductive element and the capacitor to electrically connect the inductive element and the capacitor, wherein the connection member includes a distal surface facing the inductive element and a proximal surface facing the capacitor, and the connection member includes at least one terminal member having a distal end and a proximal end; and a first conductor disposed on a distal surface of the capacitor facing the proximal surface of the connection member, wherein the first conductor electrically connects the capacitor, via the at least one terminal of the connection member, to the inductive element; wherein the inductive element is electrically connected to the distal end of the at least one terminal member, and the proximal end of the at least one terminal member is disposed on the proximal surface of the connection member at a position facing the first conductor disposed on the distal surface of the capacitor; and the capacitor is electrically connected to the inductive element when the capacitor is received in the cylindrical housing and is pressed against the connection member along the axis of the cylindrical housing.

2 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the at least one terminal member and the first conductor disposed on the distal surface of the capacitor include a first projection and a first recess, or a first recess and a first projection, respectively, which are mateable to electrically connect the proximal end of the at least one terminal to the first conductor.

3 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 2 , wherein a radially internal surface of the first recess and a radially external surface of the first projection include a second projection and a second recess, or a second recess and a second projection, respectively, which are mateable to engage the radially internal surface of the first recess with the radially external surface of the first projection.

4 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , further comprising a position limiter that defines relative circumferential positions between the connection member and the capacitor.

5 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the inductive element and the connection member are formed into a single module.

6 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the inductive element comprises a coil wound around a first ferrite core.

7 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 6 , wherein
a second ferrite core is disposed between the core and the coil, which is wound around the first ferrite core, in the cylindrical housing; and the inductance of the coil changes according to a changing distance between the first ferrite core, around which the coil is wound, and the second ferrite core in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core.

8 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein
a second conductor is disposed on a proximal surface of the capacitor.

9 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 8 , wherein
an operative switch is connected to the second conductor disposed on the proximal surface of the capacitor.

10 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor disposed on the distal surface of the capacitor and the proximal end of the at least one terminal member are mateable.

11 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor has a ring shape.

12 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the core has a rod shape, and is replaceable via the distal end of the cylindrical housing from which the pointer tip extends.

13 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein
the core integrally extends from the inductive element toward and beyond the distal end of the cylindrical housing.

14 . A pen-shaped position pointer, comprising:
a cylindrical housing; a core having a distal end, which serves as a pointer tip, and a proximal end, wherein the core is received in the cylindrical housing such that the pointer tip extends from a distal end of the cylindrical housing; a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive element, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor and received in the cylindrical housing; a connection member received in the cylindrical housing, wherein the core, the connection member, and the second capacitor are disposed in the recited order along an axis of the cylindrical housing, the connection member includes a distal surface and a proximal surface, the connection member includes at least one terminal having a distal end and a proximal end, the inductive element and the first capacitor are disposed between the core and the connection member, the connection member is configured to electrically connect the inductive element and the first capacitor to the second capacitor, at least the inductive element, the first capacitor and the connection member are formed into a single module, a capacitance of the first capacitor changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core, and a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core; and a conductor disposed on a distal surface of the second capacitor facing the proximal surface of the connection member; wherein the inductive element and the first capacitor are electrically connected to the distal end of the at least one terminal member, and the proximal end of the at least one terminal member is disposed on the proximal surface of the connection member at a position facing the conductor disposed on the distal surface of the second capacitor; and the second capacitor is electrically connected to the inductive element and the first capacitor when the second capacitor is received in the cylindrical housing and is pressed against the connection member along the axis of the cylindrical housing.

15 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 14 , wherein the first capacitor is a semiconductor device including a first electrode and a second electrode, and the capacitance of the first capacitor changes according to a changing distance between the first electrode and the second electrode in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core.

16 . The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 14 , wherein the first capacitor includes a first electrode, a dielectric material, and a second electrode that are disposed in the recited order along the axis of the cylindrical housing, and the capacitance of the first capacitor changes according to at least one of a first changing contact area between the first electrode and the dielectric material and a second changing contact area between the dielectric material and the second electrode, in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core.

Assignees

• Wacom Co Ltd

Inventors

• Obata Masayuki

Classifications

• H01G5/04

  using variation of effective area of electrode · CPC title

• H03H7/0115

  comprising only inductors and capacitors (H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01G5/12

  due to rotation of part-cylindrical, conical, or spherical electrodes · CPC title

• G06F2203/0381

  Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer · CPC title

• G06F3/03545 Primary

  Pens or stylus · CPC title