Pressure sensitive stylus pen

• US 5,565,632 A
• Filed: 05/26/1995
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Yasuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIEGEL, RONALD L
• Application Number:
  US08/452,345
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 73/862.041, 73/862.541, 73/862.69, 73/865.7, 364/709.11, 178/18
• US Class Current: 73/862.69
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

A stylus which has a pressure sensitive arrangement for reliably sensing a depressing force although the stylus being slantingly disposed, by using inductance change generated from an interval displacement between a moveable magnetic body and a fixed magnetic body, which has a coil wounded around thereof and is disposed at a predetermined distance from said moveable magnetic body. The arrangement has a pen tip member having a contact portion for receiving the pen pressure; an elastic material member disposed between the moveable and fixed magnetic bodies; a first supporting device disposed to hold the position of the fixed magnetic body against a depressing pressure; and a second supporting device for supporting the depressing member in a condition established when the rear end plane of the moveable magnetic body and the front end plane of the fixed magnetic body are placed with each other in a parellel position by receiving the depressing pressure.

Claims

1. A pressure sensitive stylus for sensing a depressing force by using a change in inductance generated by an interval displacement due to the depressing force between a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout, the stylus comprising:

a depressing member having a contact portion for receiving the depressing force and a rear end portion located substantially opposite to said contact portion, at least said rear end portion of said depressing member forming a first magnetic body,

a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout which is disposed so that its front end plane is located a predetermined distance from the rear end plane of said depressing member,

an elastic material member disposed between said rear end plane of said depressing member and said front end plane of said second magnetic body,

first supporting means for holding the position of said second magnetic body against the depressing force which is transferred through said depressing member and said elastic member, and

second supporting means for holding the position of said depressing member when the rear end plane of said depressing member and the front end plane of said second magnetic body are placed by the depressing force in a position other than parallel.

2. The pressure sensitive stylus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a support adjustment structure for adjusting the position of said second supporting means, said second supporting means being allowed to move forward and backward with said depressing member being held in contact state, so that the rear end plane of said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body and the front end plane of said second magnetic body are held parallel to each other, and determines the initial gap between these two end planes when the stylus is free from its depressing force.

3. The pressure sensitive stylus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said depressing member comprises a tapered member including said contact portion, and a flat plate formed by said first magnetic body.

4. A pressure sensitive stylus for sensing the depressing force by using a change in the inductance generated by an interval displacement between a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout in a stylus that comprises a cylindrical pen casing and an electrical resonant circuit, said stylus comprising:

a depressing member having a contact portion for receiving pressure applied to said stylus and a rear end portion located substantially opposite said contact portion, said rear end portion forming a first magnetic body,

a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout which is disposed so that its front end plane is located a predetermined distance from a rear end plane of said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body,

an elastic material member disposed between said rear end portion formed by said first magnetic body and the front end plane of said second magnetic body,

first supporting means for holding the position of said second magnetic body against the pressure applied to said stylus from said depressing member and said elastic member, and

second supporting means for supporting said depressing member in a condition established when said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body and the end plane of said second magnetic body are placed by the pressure in a position other than parallel.

5. The pressure sensitive stylus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a support adjustment arrangement for adjusting the position of said second supporting means, said second supporting means movable forward and backward with said depressing member when held in a contact state, so that the rear en plane of said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body and said front end of said second magnetic body are held parallel to each other, and determines the initial gap between these two end planes when the stylus is free from its depressing force.

6. The pressure sensitive stylus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said depressing member comprises a tapered member including said contacting portion and a plate formed by said first magnetic body.

7. A stylus comprising a cylindrical pen casing and an electrical resonant circuit, and having a pressure sensitive structure for sensing the depressing force by using a change in the inductance generated by an interval displacement between a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout, wherein said stylus comprises:

a depressing member having a contact portion for receiving the pressure applied to said stylus and a rear end portion located on the substantially opposite side of said contact portion, said rear end portion forming a first magnetic body,

a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout which is disposed so that its front end plane is located a predetermined distance from a rear end plane of said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body,

an elastic material member disposed between said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body and the front end plane of said second magnetic body,

first supporting means disposed for holding the position of said second magnetic body against the pressure which is transferred from said depressing member and said elastic member, and

second supporting means for supporting said depressing member in a condition established when the rear end plane of said rear end portion forming said first magnetic body and the front end plane of said second magnetic body are placed in a position other than parallel by receiving the pen pressure.

8. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second supporting means comprises a peripheral portion of an opening of said casing, at least part of said peripheral portion comprising said second supporting means by contacting said depressing member.

9. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a support adjustment structure for adjusting the position of said second supporting means, said second supporting means movable forward and backward with said depressing member when held in a contact state, so that the rear end plane of said rear end portion forming said first magnetic and said front end of said second magnetic body are held parallel to each other, and determines the initial gap between these two end planes when the stylus is free from its depressing force.

10. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said depressing member comprises a lock mechanism for fixing said support adjustment structure to hold a distance between said two magnetic bodies, which is defined by said supporting structure.

11. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said depressing member comprises a tapered member including said contact portion and a plate formed by said first magnetic body.

12. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said elastic material member comprises a diaphragm fabricated from a film of a convex shape.

13. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said elastic material member comprises a rubber sheet.

14. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said depressing member comprises a tapered member including said contact portion and a plate forming said first magnetic body,

said second supporting means comprises a suspending rod for coupling the rear plane of said depressing member and said front portion of said second magnetic body, and

said suspending rod is threaded through a penetrating hole provided in said first magnetic body and said elastic material member, and assembled by loading a predetermined tension thereon such that the rear end plane of said rear portion of said first magnetic body and said front end portion of said second magnetic body are held in parallel to each other, and determines the initial gap between these two end planes when the stylus is free from its depressing force.

15. The stylus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said suspending cord is formed integrally with said depressing member.

16. The stylus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said suspending cord is fabricated from thread.

17. The stylus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said depressing member comprises a tapered member including said contact portion and a plate forming said first magnetic body,

said second supporting means comprises a suspending rod for coupling the rear plane of said depressing member and said front portion of said second magnetic body, and

said suspending rod is threaded through a penetrating hole provided in said first magnetic body and said elastic material member, and is assembled by loading a predetermined tension thereon such that the rear end plane of said rear portion of said first magnetic body and said front end portion of said second magnetic body are held parallel to each other, and determines the initial gap between these two end planes when the stylus is free from its depressing force.

18. The stylus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said suspending rod is formed integrally with said depressing member.

19. The stylus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said suspending rod has a stopper mechanism, and said second magnetic body has a ring shaped flat plate covering a cavity drilled in the front end of said second magnetic body, and said suspending rod is coupled to said second magnetic body in a condition in which said stopper mechanism is threaded through said ring of said flat plate provided in said second magnetic body.

20. The stylus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said elastic material member is formed of ferrite rubber into which a magnetic material is dispersed.

21. A stylus comprising a cylindrical pen casing and an electrical resonant circuit, and having a pressure sensitive structure for sensing the depressing force by using a change in the inductance generated by an interval displacement between a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout, wherein said stylus comprises:

a pen tip member having a contact portion for receiving the pressure applied to said stylus and a rear end plane located on the substantially opposite side of said contact portion,

a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout which is disposed so that its front end plane is located a predetermined distance from a rear end plane of said pen tip member,

an elastic material member into which magnetic material is dispersed to form a first magnetic body, said elastic material member disposed between said rear end plane of said pen tip member and said front end plane of said second magnetic body,

first supporting means for holding the position of said second magnetic body against the pressure that is transferred from said pen tip member and said elastic member, and

second supporting means for supporting said pen tip member in a condition established when said rear end plane of said pen tip member and said front end plane of said second magnetic body are placed in a position other than parallel by receiving the pen pressure.

22. The stylus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said elastic material member into which said magnetic material is dispersed comprises ferrite rubber.

23. A stylus comprising a cylindrical pen casing and an electrical resonant circuit, and having a pressure sensitive structure for sensing the depressing force by using a change in the inductance generated by an interval displacement between a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout, wherein said stylus comprises:

a pen tip member having a contact portion for receiving the pressure applied to said stylus and a rear end plane located substantially opposite to said contact member,

a second magnetic body having a coil wound thereabout which is disposed so that its front end plane is located a predetermined distance from a rear end plane of said pen tip member,

a plurality of magnetic discs, each of which is connected by an elastic adhesive to form a first magnetic body, disposed between said rear end plane of said pen tip member and said front end plane of said second magnetic body,

first supporting means for holding the position of said second magnetic body against the pressure that is transferred from said pen tip member and said plurality of said magnetic discs, and

second supporting means for supporting said pen tip member in a condition established when said rear plane of said pen tip member and said front end plane of said second magnetic body are placed in a position other than parallel by receiving the pressure.

24. A stylus comprising a cylindrical pen casing and an electrical resonant circuit, and having a pressure sensitive structure for sensing the depressing force by using a change in the inductance of a coil wound around a magnetic body, wherein said stylus comprises:

a pen tip member having a contact portion for receiving pressure applied to said stylus and a rear end plane located substantially opposite to said contact member,

a plurality of magnetic cylinders having a coil wound thereabout, said cylinders disposed to contact the rear end plane of said pen tip member, and connected by elastic adhesive to each other,

first supporting means for holding the position of the cylinder disposed at the rear end of said cylinders against the pen pressure transferred from said pen tip member and said plurality of said magnetic cylinders, and

second supporting means for supporting said pen tip member in a condition established when said rear plane of said pen tip member and said end planes of said cylinders are placed in a position other than parallel by receiving the pressure.