Active stylus precision tip

• US 10,198,089 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bhandari, Priyanka, Marshall, Blake R., Tan, Li-Quan, Nasiri Mahalati, Reza, Zimmerman, Aidan N., Brooks, Ryan P., Armendariz, Kevin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stepp Jones, Shawna T
• Application Number:
  US14/848,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20170068344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• 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 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

An electrode for an input device can be designed to reduce wobble over a range of input device orientations. The electrode can include a spherical portion and a tapered portion. In some examples, the electrode can linearly taper away from the spherical portion. In other examples, the electrode can non-linearly taper away forming an elliptical flare. Additionally or alternatively, the electrode can include a spring-loaded member that can couple the electrode to other circuitry of the input device. Additionally or alternatively, the electrode can include a neck portion coupled to the tapered portion, and part of the neck portion can be shielded. The input device can include a first non-conductive material disposed on part of the spherical portion of the electrode and a second non-conductive material disposed between part of the electrode and the first non-conductive material.

Claims

1. A removable tip portion for an input device, the tip portion comprising:

an electrode including a spherical portion facing a tip of the removable tip portion and a tapered portion in which the electrode tapers away from the tip of the removable tip portion;

a first non-conductive material disposed on at least part of the spherical portion of the electrode; and

a connector to couple the removable tip portion to another portion of the input device.

2. The removable tip portion of claim 1, wherein the electrode linearly tapers away from the tip of the removable tip portion.

3. The removable tip portion of claim 1, wherein the electrode tapers away from the tip of the removable tip portion forming an elliptical flare.

4. The removable tip portion of claim 1, the electrode further comprising:

a spring-loaded contact member configured to couple the electrode to stimulation circuitry.

5. The removable tip portion of claim 1, the electrode further comprising:

a neck portion coupled to the tapered portion, wherein dimensions of a first surface of the neck portion coupled to the tapered portion are smaller than or equal to dimensions of a second surface of the tapered portion coupled to the neck portion.

6. The removable tip portion of claim 5, wherein part of the neck portion of the electrode is shielded.

7. The removable tip portion of claim 5, wherein air fills a first space between the neck portion and the first non-conductive material or fills a second space between the neck portion and a second non-conductive material.

8. The removable tip portion of claim 1, wherein first non-conductive material is disposed directly on a surface of the electrode.

9. The removable tip portion of claim 1, further comprising a second non-conductive material disposed between at least part of the electrode and the first non-conductive material.

10. The removable tip portion of claim 1, wherein an area of a cross section of the tapered portion is equal to or smaller than an area of a cross section of the spherical portion at an interface between the tapered portion and the spherical portion, wherein the cross section of the tapered portion is parallel to the cross section of the spherical portion.

11. The removable tip portion of claim 1, wherein the electrode tapers away from the tip of the removable tip portion in a plurality of steps, the plurality of steps approximating a linear taper.

12. An input device comprising:

a body including a shaft portion and a tip portion;

an electrode at a distal end of the input device and disposed in the tip portion, the electrode including a spherical portion facing the distal end of the input device and a tapered portion at which the conducting electrode tapers away from the distal end of the input device;

a first non-conductive material disposed on at least part of the spherical portion of the electrode; and

stimulation circuitry coupled to the electrode and configured to generate one or more stimulation signals.

13. The input device of claim 12, wherein the electrode linearly tapers away from the distal end of the input device.

14. The input device of claim 12, wherein the electrode tapers away from the distal end of the input device forming an elliptical flare.

15. The input device of claim 12, the electrode further comprising:

a spring-loaded contact member configured to couple the electrode to the stimulation circuitry.

16. The input device of claim 12, the electrode further comprising:

a neck portion coupled to the tapered portion, wherein dimensions of a first surface of the neck portion coupled to the tapered portion are smaller than or equal to dimensions of a second surface of the tapered portion coupled to the neck portion.

17. The input device of claim 16, wherein part of the neck portion of the electrode is shielded.

18. The input device of claim 16, wherein air fills a first space between the neck portion of the electrode and the first non-conductive material or fills a second space between the neck portion of the electrode and a second non-conductive material.

19. The input device of claim 12, wherein first non-conductive material is disposed directly on a surface of the electrode.

20. The input device of claim 12, further comprising a second non-conductive material disposed between at least part of the conducting electrode and the first non-conductive material.

21. The input device of claim 12, wherein the tip portion of the body of the input device is configured to be separated from the shaft portion of the body of the input device.

22. The input device of claim 12, wherein the electrode tapers away from the distal end of the input device in a plurality of steps, the plurality of steps approximating a linear taper.