Stylus tip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612671-B1
Application number	US-201414523335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2014
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A removable stylus tip for use with an active stylus. The tip is capable of exchanging electrical communications with the touchscreen of a computing device. The tip includes a conductive core to transmit signals between the stylus body and a cone-shaped end of the stylus core. The cone-shaped end is covered with a coating to protect the tip and the touchscreen device. The coating is a composite material configured to allow electrical signals to pass through the material as well as to provide mechanical protection to components of the tip and touchscreen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stylus comprising:
a barrel;
a removable tip coupled to the barrel, the removable tip comprising:
a stainless steel core comprising a cone portion and a shaft portion, wherein:
the shaft portion is configured to be inserted into the barrel, the cone portion is configured to protrude outward from the barrel when the shaft is inserted into the barrel, and
a cone height between a nose of the cone portion and a base of the cone portion is about 1.3 times larger than a cone width at the base of the cone portion;
a coating material surrounding an exterior of at least the cone portion, wherein:
the coating material comprises about 10% by weight of aramid fibers, about 15% by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene, and about 75% by weight of thermoplastic elastomer, and
a first thickness of the coating material around the base of the cone portion is thinner than a second thickness of the coating material proximate to the nose of the cone portion; and
a processor communicatively connected to the cone portion through the shaft portion, the processor configured to output an electrical signal from the cone portion.

2. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein the coating material comprises an indentation around the stainless steel core, wherein the indentation is:
located proximate to the cone portion,
configured to be outside the barrel when the shaft portion is inserted into the barrel, and
configured to receive a fingernail during removal of the removable tip from the barrel.

3. A stylus tip of a stylus comprising:
a core comprising a cone portion and a shaft portion, wherein:
the shaft portion is configured to be inserted into a stylus barrel,
the cone portion is configured to protrude outward from the stylus barrel when the shaft is inserted into the stylus barrel, and
the cone portion is configured to be electrically connected to a processor of the stylus barrel; and
a coating material surrounding an exterior of at least the cone portion, the coating material having a thickness between about 0.3 millimeters and 0.6 millimeters.

4. The stylus tip of claim 3 , wherein the cone portion comprises:
a cone height between a nose of the cone portion and a base of the cone portion between about 2.25-2.75 millimeters; and
a cone width at the base between about 1.75-2.0 millimeters.

5. The stylus tip of claim 3 , wherein the coating material comprises an indentation located proximate to the cone portion.

6. The stylus tip of claim 3 , wherein the core comprises a conductive material comprising stainless steel.

7. The stylus tip of claim 3 , wherein the coating material comprises aramid fibers, polytetrafluoroethylene, and thermoplastic elastomer.

8. The stylus tip of claim 7 , wherein the coating material comprises between about 1-20% by weight of the aramid fibers, between about 5-25% by weight of the polytetrafluoroethylene, and between about 30-85% weight of the thermoplastic elastomer.

9. The stylus tip of claim 8 , wherein the coating material comprises about 10% by weight of the aramid fibers, about 15% by weight of the polytetrafluoroethylene, and about 75% by weight of the thermoplastic elastomer.

10. The stylus tip of claim 3 , wherein the coating material forms an indentation, and wherein:
the indentation is configured to be outside the stylus barrel when the shaft portion is inserted into the stylus barrel; and
the stylus tip is removable from the stylus barrel by inserting a fingernail in the indentation.

11. The stylus tip of claim 3 , wherein the coating material comprises:
a first thickness around a base of the cone portion between about 0.3-0.5 millimeters; and
a second thickness of proximate to a nose of the cone portion between about 0.4-0.6 millimeters.

12. A stylus tip of a stylus, comprising:
a core comprising a cone portion and a shaft portion, wherein:
the shaft portion is configured to be inserted into a stylus barrel, the cone portion is configured to protrude outward from the stylus when the shaft is inserted into the stylus, and
the cone portion is configured to be electrically connected to a processor of the stylus; and
a coating material surrounding an exterior of at least the cone portion, wherein a first thickness of the coating material around a base of the cone portion is thinner than a second thickness of the coating material proximate to a nose of the cone portion, the coating material comprising about 10% by weight of aramid fibers, about 15% by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene, and about 75% by weight of thermoplastic elastomer.

13. The stylus tip of claim 12 , wherein:
a cone height between the nose and the base is between about 2.25-2.75 millimeters; and
a cone width at the base is between about 1.75-2.0 millimeters.

14. The stylus tip of claim 12 , wherein a cone height between the nose and the base is about 1.3 times larger than a cone width at the base.

15. The stylus tip of claim 12 , wherein the coating material comprising aramid fibers, polytetrafluoroethylene, and thermoplastic elastomer.

16. The stylus tip of claim 15 , wherein the coating material comprises between about 5-30% by weight of the aramid fibers, between about 10-30% by weight of the polytetrafluoroethylene, and between about 30-85% weight of the thermoplastic elastomer.

17. The stylus tip of claim 12 , wherein the coating material has a thickness between about 0.3 millimeters and 0.6 millimeters.

18. The stylus tip of claim 17 , wherein:
the first thickness is between about 0.3-0.5 millimeters; and
the second thickness is between about 0.4-0.6 millimeters.

19. The stylus tip of claim 12 , wherein the coating material comprises an indentation located proximate to the cone portion.

20. The stylus tip of claim 12 , wherein the core comprises a conductive material comprising at least one of stainless steel, copper, silver, or aluminium.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Blaszczak Piotr Pawel
• Vanderet Timothy Michael
• Yun Ann Yuhui
• Leang Kam Sheng
• Sundara-Rajan Kishore
• Morales Miguel Angel

Classifications

• G06F3/03545 Primary

  Pens or stylus · CPC title

• G06F3/039 Primary

  Accessories therefor, e.g. mouse pads · CPC title

• G06F3/0393

  Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads · CPC title