Position indicator

• US 10,101,228 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Horie, Toshihiko, Takiguchi, Hidetaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Jamel
• Application Number:
  US14/714,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20150247743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 32420717
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2046 by a movable ferromagnetic element, e.g. a core
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0073 using a semiconductive diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/14 due to longitudinal movement of electrodes

Abstract

A position indicator includes a capacitor having a capacitance that changes in correspondence to a force applied to one end part of a housing. The capacitor is configured by a pressure detecting chip that includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode with a predetermined distance defined therebetween to have capacitance Cv formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The capacitance Cv changes when the force applied to the one end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode to thereby change a relationship (e.g., the distance) between the two electrodes. A pressure transmitting member having predetermined elasticity is disposed on the first electrode such that the force applied to the one end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member.

Claims

1. A position indicator comprising:

a pen-shaped housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

an elongated core which partially extends from the distal end of the housing to serve as a nib of the position indicator and which is partially received inside the housing;

a circuit board in the pen-shaped housing;

a flexible circuit board placed at a distal end of the circuit board as a connecting extension of the circuit board;

a pressure sensor placed on the flexible circuit board and proximal to the elongated core along a central axis of the position indicator to receive a pressure exerted to the nib of the position indicator and transmitted through the elongated core, the pressure sensor including;

a first electrode which faces the elongated core along the central axis and a second electrode which faces the first electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode facing each other across a defined distance in between to form a capacitance that changes in response to displacement of the first electrode due to the pressure transmitted from the elongated core.

2. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the elongated core is not uniform along the central axis.

3. The position indicator according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of a distal portion of the elongated core serving as the nib is about 1 mm and the diameter of a different portion of the elongated core proximal to the distal portion is about 3 mm.

4. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a preference adjusting member structured to be capped over the nib of the position indicator.

5. The position indicator according to claim 4, wherein the preference adjusting member is replaceably capped over the nib of the position indicator.

6. The position indicator according to claim 5, further comprising:

two or more preference adjusting members that are replaceable and that differ from each other in one or more of diameters, shapes, modulus of elasticity and materials.

7. The position indicator according to claim 1, comprising a coil electrically coupled with the pressure sensor, wherein the coil is located between the nib and the pressure sensor along the central axis of the position indicator.

8. The position indicator according to claim 1, comprising a coil electrically coupled with the pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is located between the nib and the coil along the central axis of the position indicator.