Touch pen with illuminating unit for computerized apparatus

• US 20030095114A1
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chuang, Wei-Pin
• Granted Patent: US 6,771,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

A touch pen includes a pen barrel having opposite first and second barrel portions. An illuminating unit is received in the first barrel portion, and includes a switch connected to a light source and a power source and operable so as to establish electrical connection between the light source and the power source for enabling the light source to generate a light output which radiates out of the pen barrel via an open end of the first barrel portion. A transparent pen cap has a mounting end portion sleeved removably on the first barrel portion, and a touch tip opposite to the mounting end portion and adapted for touching a touch control panel of a computerized apparatus.

Claims

1. A touch pen for a computerized apparatus with a touch control panel, said touch pen comprising:

a pen barrel having first and second barrel portions opposite to each other along an axis of said pen barrel, said first barrel portion being formed with an open end;

an illuminating unit received in said first barrel portion, and including a light source, a power source, and a switch connected to said light source and said power source and operable so as to establish electrical connection between said light source and said power source for enabling said light source to generate a light output which radiates out of said pen barrel via said open end of said first barrel portion; and

a transparent pen cap having a mounting end portion sleeved removably on said first barrel portion, and a touch tip opposite to said mounting end portion and adapted for touching the touch control panel of the computerized apparatus.

2. The touch pen as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said light source is a lamp having a first lamp terminal and a second lamp terminal surrounded by an inner wall surface of said first barrel portion;

said power source being a battery cell having a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal opposite to said first battery terminal along the axis of said pen barrel, said first battery terminal being connected electrically to said first lamp terminal;

said switch including a resilient conductive contact member having a first contact end connected electrically to said second battery terminal, and a second contact end disposed to extend between said inner wall surface of said first barrel portion and said second lamp terminal and normally spaced apart from said second lamp terminal;

said switch further including an operating button mounted movably on said first barrel portion and disposed to extend into said first barrel portion adjacent to said second contact end, said operating button being movable to an ON position for urging said second contact end to contact said second lamp terminal so as to establish a closed electrical circuit between said lamp and said battery cell.

3. The touch pen as claimed in claim 2, wherein said operating button is moved radially and inwardly to the ON position relative to said first barrel portion by said pen cap when said pen cap is sleeved on said first barrel portion.

4. The touch pen as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a transparent barrel cap formed with a convex lens surface and mounted removably on said first barrel portion to close said open end.

5. The touch pen as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent barrel cap formed with a convex lens surface and mounted on said first barrel portion to close said open end.

6. The touch pen as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a writing instrument that includes a writing cap mounted on said second barrel portion, and a writing tip confined within said writing cap, said mounting end portion of said pen cap being capable of being sleeved removably on said second barrel portion so as to conceal said writing instrument.