Light guiding apparatus for optical pen

• US 20060202975A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aiptek International Incorporated (Aiptek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aiptek International Incorporated (Aiptek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chiang, Shui Chuan
• Application Number:
  US11/115,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202975A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

A light guiding apparatus for optical pen comprising a light source, an optical sensor and a light guide is disclosed. The light source emits light towards an outlying surface where the optical sensor captures a reflected imaging light that travels in a direction defined with a captured light. The light guide is made of light conducting material and consists of a light-inlet, an extension member, and a light-outlet. The light-inlet is disposed near the light source. The extension member extends a predetermined distance from the light-inlet essentially along a direction parallel and opposite to the captured light. The light-outlet is situated at an end of extension member farther away from the light-inlet. The light emitted by the light source is first guided by the light guide and then illuminates on the outlying surface at an inclined angle ranged between 21˜50 degrees to enhance the contrast and recognizability of reflected imaging light.

Claims

1. A light guiding apparatus of optical pen, said optical pen comprising a light source and an optical sensor, the light source emitting light to shine on a predetermined location of an outlying surface, and the optical sensor capturing a reflected imaging light from said predetermined location;

the light guiding apparatus comprising;

a light guide made of light conducting material and consisting of a light-inlet and a light-outlet, the light-inlet being adjacent to the light source, the light-outlet being adjacent to the predetermined location, the light rays emitted from light source entering the light guide through the light-inlet and exiting from the light-outlet.

2. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 1, wherein a light-outlet direction for light rays emitted from the light-outlet is defined, and the angle intersecting said direction and the outlying surface ranges between 21 and 50 degrees.

3. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 1, wherein a light-outlet direction for light rays emitted from the light-outlet is defined, and the angle intersecting said direction and the outlying surface ranges between 25 and 40 degrees.

4. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 1, wherein the light conducting material of light guide has a predetermined refraction coefficient so that light entering the light guide at a predefined angle through the light-inlet would undergo total internal reflection inside the light guide at least once before it is guided by the light guide to exit from light-outlet.

5. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 4, wherein the light guide has a solid, long and narrow cone-column construction and is further disposed with a reflective plane of predefined angle at the side of light guide opposing the light-outlet;

the reflective plane of predefined angle causes light rays inside light guide to undergo total reflection, change direction towards the light-outlet, and exit therefrom out of light guide.

6. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 5, wherein the light-inlet has a convex structure to converge light rays from light source such that the light from light source that enters the light guide through light-inlet would essentially travel parallel along the extension direction of light guide.

7. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 5, wherein the area of a cross section of light guide tapers gradually from the light-inlet towards the light-outlet.

8. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 4, wherein the light-inlet of light guide is designed with a widened and enlarged structure to facilitate the entering of rays from light source into light guide, and the middle section of light guide is further arranged with a light guiding bridge structure to let part of the rays in light guide shine on another area of extension member farther away from the light source.

9. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 4, wherein the optical pen further includes a shaft in long and narrow rod shape extending a predetermined length along the axial direction, and the light guide is situated at one end of the shaft to constitute a tip construction co-axial with the shaft;

moreover, the light guide has a hollow, annular column construction disposed with a through-hole along the extension of captured light direction for the reflected imaging light to pass through.

10. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 1, wherein the optical pen further comprises:

a control unit connected to the light source and the optical sensor to receive electrical signal from optical sensor and process the signal to generate a corresponding first control signal;

a button connected to the control unit, where the control unit can produce a corresponding second control signal when the button is pressed;

an elastic member linked to the light guide, which provides a recoil force that allows the light guide to produce compressive micro-displacement;

a pressure sensor connected to the elastic member for detecting the pressure change of elastic member and generating a corresponding third control signal; and

a lens disposed anterior to optical sensor, which causes reflected imaging light to form images on the optical sensor.

11. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 1, wherein the portion of light guide farther away from the light source is disposed with an excised part to give the shape of light guide similar to the nib construction of regular fountain pen.

12. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 1, wherein the exterior of light guide is further disposed with a wear-resistant cap to protect the end of light guide and said wear-resistant cap is configured with an opening at a position corresponding to the light-outlet of light guide.

13. A light guiding apparatus of optical pen, said optical pen comprising a light source and an optical sensor, the light source emitting light to shine on a predetermined location of an outlying surface, and the optical sensor capturing a reflected imaging light from said predetermined location, and the reflected imaging light traveling in a direction defined with a captured light;

the light guiding apparatus comprising;

a light guide made of light conducting material and consisting of a light-inlet and a light-outlet, the light-inlet being adjacent to the light source, the light-outlet being adjacent to the predetermined location, the light rays emitted from light source entering the light guide through the light-inlet and exiting from the light-outlet;

wherein the angle intersecting the light rays emitted from the light-outlet and the outlying surface ranges between 21 and 50 degrees.

14. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 13, wherein the angle intersecting the light rays emitted from the light-outlet and the outlying surface ranges between 25 and 40 degrees.

15. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 13, wherein the light conducting material of light guide has a predetermined refraction coefficient so that light entering the light guide at a predefined angle through the light-inlet would undergo total internal reflection inside the light guide at least once before it is guided by the light guide to exit from light-outlet;

wherein, the light guide has a solid, long and narrow cone-column construction and is further disposed with a reflective plane of predefined angle at the side of light guide opposing the light-outlet;

the reflective plane of predefined angle causes light rays inside light guide to undergo total reflection, change direction towards the light-outlet, and exit therefrom out of light guide.

16. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 15, wherein the light-inlet has a convex structure to converge light rays from light source such that the light from light source that enters the light guide through light-inlet would essentially travel parallel along the extension direction of light guide;

wherein the area of a cross section of light guide tapers gradually from the light-inlet towards the light-outlet;

wherein the exterior of light guide is further disposed with a wear-resistant cap to protect the end of light guide and said wear-resistant cap is configured with an opening at a position corresponding to the light-outlet of light guide.

17. A light guiding apparatus of optical pen, said optical pen comprising a light source and an optical sensor, the light source emiting light, from which the optical sensor capturing a reflected imaging light, and the reflected imaging light traveling in a direction defined with a captured light;

the light guiding apparatus comprising;

a light guide made of light conducting material and consisting of a light-inlet, a reflective plane and a light-outlet, the light-inlet being adjacent to the light source, the reflective plane and the light-outlet being situated at one end of light guide farther away from the light-inlet and opposite each other, the light rays emitted from light source entering the light guide through the light-inlet and exiting from the light-outlet after reflection by the reflected plane;

wherein the reflective plane is arranged at such an angle that after the light emitted from light source enters the light guide through the light-inlet, it shines on the reflective plane at a relatively smaller angle, and is thereby totally reflected by the reflective plane and shoots at the light-outlet at a relatively larger angle, such that the light exits the light guide from the light-outlet.

18. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 17, wherein a light-outlet direction for light rays emitted from the light-outlet is defined, and the angle intersecting the light rays emitted from the light-outlet and the outlying surface ranges between 21 and 50 degrees.

19. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 17, wherein the light conducting material of light guide has a predetermined refraction coefficient so that light entering the light guide at a predefined angle through the light-inlet would undergo total internal reflection inside the light guide at least once before it is guided by the light guide to exit from light-outlet;

wherein, the light guide has a solid, long and narrow cone-column construction and is further disposed with a reflective plane of predefined angle at the side of light guide opposing the light-outlet;

the reflective plane of predefined angle causes light rays inside light guide to undergo total reflection, change direction towards the light-outlet, and exit therefrom out of light guide.

20. The light guiding apparatus of optical pen according to claim 19, wherein the light-inlet has a convex structure to converge light rays from light source such that the light from light source that enters the light guide through light-inlet would essentially travel parallel along the extension direction of light guide;

wherein the area of a cross section of light guide tapers gradually from the light-inlet towards the light-outlet;

wherein the exterior of light guide is further disposed with a wear-resistant cap to protect the end of light guide and said wear-resistant cap is configured with an opening at a position corresponding to the light-outlet of light guide.