POSITION INDICATOR AND COORDINATE INPUT DEVICE
First Claim
1. A position indicator comprising:
- an external case;
a core having an indicating unit projecting outside of the case, the core being movably supported by the case, and the core having a central axis extending along a lengthwise direction thereof;
a guiding unit including an inclined plane provided on one of the case and the core and an engaging unit provided on the other one of the case and the core, the engaging unit slidably engaged with the inclined plane such that the guiding unit guides movement of the core when external force is applied to the indicating unit of the core in a lateral direction with respect to the central axis of the core; and
a pressure detector operably associated with the core, the pressure detector detecting pressure applied to the indicating unit based on movement of the core with respect to the case via the guiding unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A position indicator is provided. The position indicator includes an external case, and a core having an indicating unit projecting outside of the case. The core is movably supported by the case. The core has a central axis extending along a lengthwise direction thereof. A guiding unit includes an inclined plane provided on one of the case and the core. An engaging unit is provided on the other one of the case and the core. The engaging unit is slidably engaged with the inclined plane such that the guiding unit guides movement of the core when external force is applied to the indicating unit of the core in a lateral direction with respect to the central axis of the core. A pressure detector is operably associated with the core for detecting pressure applied to the indicating unit based on the movement of the core with respect to the case via the guiding unit.
79 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A position indicator comprising:
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an external case; a core having an indicating unit projecting outside of the case, the core being movably supported by the case, and the core having a central axis extending along a lengthwise direction thereof; a guiding unit including an inclined plane provided on one of the case and the core and an engaging unit provided on the other one of the case and the core, the engaging unit slidably engaged with the inclined plane such that the guiding unit guides movement of the core when external force is applied to the indicating unit of the core in a lateral direction with respect to the central axis of the core; and a pressure detector operably associated with the core, the pressure detector detecting pressure applied to the indicating unit based on movement of the core with respect to the case via the guiding unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A coordinate input device, comprising:
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a position detector having an input plane; and a position indicator for indicating a position on the input plane and for detecting a force with which the position indicator presses against a surface, the position indicator including an external casing, a core having an indicating unit projecting outside of the casing and being movably supported by the casing, the core having a central axis extending along a lengthwise direction thereof, a guiding unit including an inclined plane provided on one of the casing and the core, and an engaging unit provided on the other one of the casing and the core, the engaging unit slidably engaged with the inclined plane such that the guiding unit guides movement of the core when external force is applied to the indicating unit of the core in a lateral direction with respect to the central axis of the core, and a pressure detector operably associated with the core, the pressure detector detecting pressure applied to the indicating unit based on the movement of the core with respect to the case via the guiding unit. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A position indicator usable with a coordinate input device, the indicator comprising:
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a housing having an inner surface defining an elongated cavity with at least one opening, said housing having a first central axis extending along said elongated cavity in a lengthwise direction; a core movably disposed in the elongated cavity, said core having a first end positioned adjacent said at least one opening, a second end opposite said first end, and a second central axis extending along a lengthwise direction thereof; an indicating unit extending from said first end of said core via said at least one opening in said housing; a guiding unit disposed between said inner surface of said housing and said core, said guiding unit guiding movement of said core by translating a force applied to said indicating unit in a lateral direction with respect to the first central axis into axial movement along the second central axis of said core; a pressure sensor disposed in said elongated cavity, said pressure sensor being engaged by said second end of said core and for detecting pressure applied to said indicating unit based on the axial movement of the core. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A coordinate input device, comprising:
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a position detector including; an input plane, and a position detecting unit having a plurality of sensing elements arranged in proximity with said input plane; and a position indicator for indicating a position on said input plane, said position indicator including; a housing, a pressure detector disposed in said housing, a core movably disposed in said housing, said core having an indicating unit disposed at a first end thereof and a pressing unit disposed at a second end thereof, said pressing unit for engaging said pressure detector so that said pressure detector detects the amount of pressure on said indicating unit; a guiding unit for guiding diagonal movement of said core in said housing when lateral force is applied to said indicating unit, and said guiding unit maintains a central axis of the core substantially parallel to a central axis of the housing when the lateral force is applied to the indicating unit; and a coil wound about said core, said coil being operable by said pressure detector for transmitting information to said position detector, said transmission information including information about the amount of pressure on said indicating unit, information about a position of said position indicator with respect to said input plane, and information about an angle of inclination of said position indicator with respect to said input plane.
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21. A method of indicating a position on a coordinate input device, the method comprising:
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providing a position indicator having a housing, a core movably disposed within the housing, an indicating unit extending from the core outside the housing, and a pressure detector for detecting pressure applied to the indicating unit based on relative movement of the core with respect to the housing, the core having a central axis, and a guiding unit having an inclined plane disposed on one of the housing and the core and an engaging unit disposed on the other one of the housing and the core, the inclined plane being inclined with respect to the central axis of the core; applying an external force to the indicating unit in a lateral direction with respect to the central axis of the core, the external force displacing the core relative to the housing; guiding the displacement of the core diagonally based on the interaction between the inclined plane and the engaging unit of the guiding unit in response to the external force so that the core engages the position detector; and detecting pressure on the indicating unit based on the relative displacement between the core and the housing the position detector.
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Specification