Interlocking integrated battery structure for an electronic stylus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291706-A1
Application number	US-201514675441-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosed technology provides for a device and method related to powering an electronic stylus with a removable, integrated battery that acts as a structural segment and external casing along the long axis of the stylus body. The integrated battery incorporates interlocking features, which removes the need for an external tube around a battery cell. As a result, the electronic stylus has one structural component performing multiple functions (e.g., providing power, functioning as the stylus casing), which achieves a more lightweight and compact electronic stylus. The placement of the battery along the long axis can vary to provide comfortable weight distribution for writing, which can involve an interlocking interface at one end of the battery or at both ends of the battery (e.g., to interlock with one or both ends of the electronic stylus).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic stylus comprising:
a head segment configured to house one or more communications circuits that communicate with a stylus-enabled input device; and a battery segment having an integrated external casing, the battery segment being removably attached and electrically coupled to the head segment to supply electric power to the one or more communications circuits of the head segment, the battery segment forming a structural segment along the long axis of the electronic stylus, wherein the external casing of the battery segment operates as a part of the exterior surface of the electronic stylus.

2 . The electronic stylus of claim 1 , wherein the battery segment includes positive and negative electrodes for electrically coupling to electrodes of the head segment of the electronic stylus.

3 . The electronic stylus of claim 1 , wherein the battery segment includes an interlocking structure configured to connect the battery segment to the head segment.

4 . The electronic stylus of claim 2 , wherein the interlocking structure is a screw structure.

5 . The electronic stylus of claim 2 , wherein the interlocking structure is a latch mechanism.

6 . The electronic stylus of claim 5 , wherein the latch mechanism is a spring-loaded latch mechanism.

7 . The electronic stylus of claim 1 , wherein the exterior casing of the battery segment includes at least one electronic current path conductor.

8 . The electronic stylus of claim 1 , wherein the battery segment has two ends and a non-uniform weight distribution, the battery segment including interlocking structures and electrodes at each of two ends allowing interlocking and electrical connection with the head segment in at least two orientations along the long axis of the electronic stylus.

9 . The electronic stylus of claim 1 , further comprising a battery cell in the battery segment with a positive electrode and a negative electrode on at least one end of the battery segment.

10 . A structural battery segment comprising:
a battery component; a casing forming an integrated external surface of the battery component, the casing and the battery component configured to form the structural battery segment along a long axis of an electronic stylus, the structural battery segment providing one or more interlocking structures configured to connect to one or more other segments of the electronic stylus and positive and negative electrodes from the battery component configured to supply electrical power to the one or more other segments of the electronic stylus.

11 . The structural battery segment of claim 10 , wherein the casing of the structural battery segment operates as a part of an exterior surface of the electronic stylus.

12 . The structural battery segment of claim 10 , wherein the battery component supplies power to stylus electronics via the electrodes and at least one electronic current path in the casing of the structural battery segment.

13 . The structural battery segment of claim 10 , further comprising:
a locking mechanism configured to attach the head segment to the structural battery segment and to attach the structural battery segment to the end segment.

14 . The structural battery segment of claim 13 , wherein at least one weight is located in the head segment and at least one other weight is located in the end segment.

15 . The structural battery segment of claim 13 , wherein the battery segment can be rotated 180° for use between the head segment and the end segment.

16 . The structural battery segment of claim 10 , wherein the battery component further comprises a battery cell with a positive electrode and a negative electrode on at least one end of the battery segment.

17 . The structural battery segment of claim 10 , further comprising at least one weight to balance the weight distribution of the electronic stylus.

18 . A method comprising:
supplying electrical power to one or more circuits in a head segment of an electronic stylus from a removable battery segment that is removably connected to the head segment as a structural segment along the long axis of the electronic stylus.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the removable battery segment includes an integrated external casing and the supplying operation comprises:
supplying an electrical connection between the removable battery segment and the one or more circuits of the electronic stylus via a conductive electrical path in the external casing of the removable battery segment.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
interlocking the removable battery segment to the head segment of the electronic stylus.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Trutna Tristan Thomas

Classifications

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M50/202

  Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery · CPC title

• H01M50/247

  specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers · CPC title

• G06F3/03545 Primary

  Pens or stylus · CPC title

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title