Input unit

• US 5,543,587 A
• Filed: 09/23/1992
• Issued: 08/06/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissha Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nissha Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Miura, Masakazu, Ikura, Kenichlro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US07/948,593
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 345/179
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An input unit includes a transparent touch panel wherein a fixed electrode supporting body having a fixed electrode formed on one surface thereof and a film having a movable electrode formed on one surface thereof are arranged so that the respective electrodes face each other and are spaced apart. The input also includes an input pen having an end thereof formed of polyolefin resin.

Claims

1. An input unit comprising:

a transparent touch panel wherein a fixed electrode supporting body having a fixed electrode formed on a first surface thereof and a film having a movable electrode formed on a first surface thereof are arranged so that said movable electrode and said fixed electrode face each other and are spaced apart from one another by spacers; and

an input pen having an input end thereof formed of polyolefin resin for making it difficult to cause damage of said transparent touch panel and abrasion of said input end of said input pen.

2. The input unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the transparent touch panel operates so that a resistance of the transparent touch panel between the movable and fixed electrodes varies according to a location where the end of the input pen touches a surface of the transparent touch panel.

3. The input unit as defined in claim 1, wherein a hard coating layer is formed on a second surface of the film.

4. The input unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said input pen constitutes a means for varying a resistance between said movable electrode and said fixed electrode of said transparent touch panel when said input pen is contacted against a surface of said transparent touch panel and the location at which said input pen contacts said surface of said transparent touch panel is varied.

5. The input unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the polyolefin resin forming the end of the input pen comprises polyethylene or polypropylene.

6. The input unit as defined in claim 3, wherein said hard coating layer is formed of siloxane resin or acryl epoxy resin.

7. An input unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said input pen is formed entirely of pololefin resin.