PASSIVE STYLUS FOR CAPACITIVE SENSORS

• US 20090262637A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Badaye, Massoud, Schediwy, Richard R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/126
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

A passive stylus for capacitive sensors comprises a tip and a shaft. The tip is configured to couple electrically with a capacitive sensing device and to couple physically and electrically with the stylus shaft. The tip comprises a contact surface, a support region, and a flexible region. The contact surface is configured to contact a device surface associated with the capacitive sensing device. The flexible region is disposed between the contact surface and the support region. The flexible region comprises a hardness gradient. The support region is configured to provide structural support to the flexible region.

Claims

1. A conductive stylus tip configured to couple electrically with a capacitive sensing device and to couple physically and electrically with a stylus shaft, said stylus shaft configured to be held by a user, said conductive stylus tip comprising:

a contact surface configured to contact a device surface associated with said capacitive sensing device;

a support region; and

a flexible region disposed between said contact surface and said support region, said flexible region comprising a hardness gradient,

wherein said support region is configured to provide structural support to said flexible region.

2. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said hardness gradient has an overall decreasing hardness in a direction from said support region to said contact surface.

3. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said flexible region comprises said contact surface.

4. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said contact surface, said flexible region, and said support region each comprises a physically separate component.

5. The stylus tip of claim 1, further comprising a contact component separate from said flexible region, wherein said contact component comprises said contact surface.

6. The stylus tip of claim 5, wherein said contact component comprises a conductive fabric.

7. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said contact surface comprises a surface of a conductive component.

8. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said flexible region comprises a conductive material.

9. The stylus tip of claim 8, wherein said contact surface comprises a surface of a non-conductive component.

10. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said flexible region comprises a first material and a second material, wherein said second material has a lower hardness than said first material.

11. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said flexible region comprises a gaseous material and a gas containing material.

12. The stylus tip of claim 1, wherein said flexible region comprises a plurality of layers, wherein at least two of said plurality of layers have differing hardness.

13. The stylus tip of claim 1, further comprising a coupling device configured to couple said contact surface physically with said flexible region.

14. A conductive stylus comprising:

a stylus tip configured to couple electrically with a capacitive sensing device, said stylus tip comprising

a contact surface configured to contact a device surface associated with said capacitive sensing device,

a conductive material configured to couple electrically with said capacitive sensing device,

a support region, and

a flexible region disposed between said contact surface and said support region, said flexible region comprising a hardness gradient,

wherein said support region is configured to provide structural support to said flexible region; and

a stylus shaft configured to couple physically with said stylus tip, to couple electrically with said conductive material, to provide electrical coupling between said stylus tip and a user, and to be held by a user.

15. The conductive stylus of claim 14, wherein said hardness gradient has an overall decreasing hardness in a direction from said support region to said contact surface.

16. The conductive stylus of claim 14, wherein said flexible region comprises a first material and a second material, wherein said second material has a lower hardness than said first material.

17. The conductive stylus of claim 14, wherein said flexible region comprises a plurality of layers, wherein at least two of said plurality of layers have differing hardness.

18. A writing device configured to enable electrical coupling between a capacitive sensing device and a user, said writing device comprising:

a pliable contact surface configured to provide reduced sliding friction when said writing device is used to write on a device surface associated with said capacitive sensing device;

a longitudinal support; and

a cushioning member disposed between said pliable contact surface and said longitudinal support, wherein said longitudinal support is configured to provide structural support to said cushioning member, and wherein said longitudinal support is configured to reduce lateral deformation of said cushioning member responsive to a force exerted on said surface of said capacitive sensing device with said writing device.

19. The writing device of claim 18, wherein said cushioning member comprises a hardness gradient.

20. The writing device of claim 19, wherein said hardness gradient has an overall decreasing hardness in a direction from said longitudinal support to said pliable contact surface.

21. The writing device of claim 18, further comprising a contact component separate from said cushioning member, wherein said contact component comprises said pliable contact surface.

22. The writing device of claim 21, wherein said contact component comprises a conductive fabric.

23. The writing device of claim 18, further comprising a shaft, wherein said writing device is configured to enable electrical coupling between said capacitive sensing device and said user by enabling electrical coupling between said pliable contact surface and said user via said shaft.

24. The writing device of claim 18, further comprising a shaft, wherein said writing device is configured to enable electrical coupling between said capacitive sensing device and said user by enabling electrical coupling between said cushioning member and said user via said shaft.

25. A method of manufacturing a writing device comprising:

producing a stylus tip configured to couple electrically with a capacitive sensing device, said stylus tip comprising

a contact surface configured to contact a device surface associated with said capacitive sensing device,

a conductive material configured to couple electrically with said capacitive sensing device,

a support region, and

a flexible region disposed between said contact surface and said support region, said flexible region comprising a hardness gradient,

wherein said support region is configured to provide structural support to said flexible region;

producing a stylus shaft configured to couple physically with said stylus tip, to couple electrically with said conductive material, to provide electrical coupling between said stylus tip and a user; and

coupling said stylus tip and said stylus shaft.