Position indicator

• US 9,063,025 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Horie, Toshihiko, Takiguchi, Hidetaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JAMEL E
• Application Number:
  US13/738,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 738/626.26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2046 by a movable ferromagnetic element, e.g. a core
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0073 using a semiconductive diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/14 due to longitudinal movement of electrodes

Abstract

A position indicator includes a capacitor having a capacitance that changes in correspondence to a force applied to one end part of a housing. The capacitor is configured by a pressure detecting chip that includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode with a predetermined distance defined therebetween to have capacitance Cv formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The capacitance Cv changes when the force applied to the one end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode to thereby change a relationship (e.g., the distance) between the two electrodes. A pressure transmitting member having predetermined elasticity is disposed on the first electrode such that the force applied to the one end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member.

Claims

1. A position indicator comprising:

a housing having a first end part and a second end part;

a capacitor having a capacitance that changes in correspondence to a force applied to the first end part of the housing, the capacitor being configured by a semiconductor element that includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode at a predetermined distance from the first electrode to have a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode defining a first surface perpendicular to an axis of the capacitor that extends along the predetermined distance between the first and second electrodes, wherein the capacitance changes in correspondence to a change in a relationship between the first and second electrodes caused by the force applied to the first end part of the housing and transmitted to the first electrode;

a pressure transmitting member that has predetermined elasticity and transmits the force to the first electrode of the semiconductor element, the pressure transmitting member being shaped to abut on only a portion of the first surface of the first electrode that is less than an entire area of the first surface; and

a pressing member defining an axial direction and configured to transmit the force applied to the first end part of the housing to the pressure transmitting member along the axial direction;

wherein, the pressure transmitting member shaped to abut on only a portion of the first surface receives the force applied to the first end part of the housing along the axial direction of the pressing member and transmits said force to the first surface of the first electrode of the semiconductor element along the axis of the capacitor.

2. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the relationship between the first and second electrodes that is changed by the force applied to the first end part of the housing and transmitted to the first electrode is the distance between the first and second electrodes.

3. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the relationship between the first and second electrodes that is changed by the force applied to the first end part of the housing and transmitted to the first electrode is a surface area of at least one of the first and second electrodes.

4. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a package that houses both the semiconductor element and the pressure transmitting member.

5. The position indicator according to claim 4, wherein:

the package includes a holder that holds the pressing member to transmit the force applied to the first end part of the housing to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

6. The position indicator according to claim 4, wherein:

the package includes a recess that receives the pressing member to transmit the force applied to the first end part of the housing to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

7. The position indicator according to claim 6, wherein:

a surface of the pressing member to be received in the recess has a non-flat surface shape.

8. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

a surface of the pressing member opposite to the surface received in the recess has a curved surface shape.

9. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a package member that houses the semiconductor element, and a package member that houses the pressure transmitting member, which are made monolithic to form one package.

10. The position indicator according to claim 9, wherein:

the package member that houses the semiconductor element and the package member that houses the pressure transmitting member are formed of the same material.

11. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the pressure transmitting member is composed of a silicone resin.

12. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inductance element that forms a resonant circuit together with the capacitor configured by the semiconductor element;

wherein a resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit changes in correspondence to the force applied to the first end part of the housing.

13. The position indicator according to claim 12, wherein:

the inductance element is configured by a coil wound around a rod-shaped member.

14. The position indicator according to claim 12, wherein:

the semiconductor element is disposed between the first end part of the housing and the inductance element in a longitudinal direction of the housing and the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

15. The position indicator according to claim 14, wherein:

the pressing member protrudes from the first end part of the housing and the force applied to the pressing member protruding from the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

16. The position indicator according to claim 12, wherein:

the inductance element configured by a coil wound around a rod-shaped member is disposed between the first end part of the housing and the semiconductor element in a longitudinal direction of the housing and the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

17. The position indicator according to claim 16, wherein:

the rod-shaped member includes a penetrating hole and the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity via the penetrating hole made in the rod-shaped member.

18. The position indicator according to claim 17, wherein:

the pressing member passes through the penetrating hole made in the rod-shaped member and protrudes from the first end part of the housing, and the force applied to the pressing member protruding from the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

19. The position indicator according to claim 16, wherein:

the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted via the rod-shaped member to the pressure transmitting member and to the first electrode of the semiconductor element.

20. The position indicator according to claim 19, wherein:

the rod-shaped member and the pressing member are monolithically formed.

21. The position indicator according to claim 20, further comprising:

a protruding member that protrudes from the first end part of the housing;

wherein the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the rod-shaped member by the protruding member.

22. The position indicator according to claim 21, wherein:

the protruding member and the rod-shaped member are monolithically formed.

23. The position indicator according to any of claim 16, wherein:

the rod-shaped member is composed of a magnetic material.

37. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the housing includes, on an inner wall surface thereof, a plurality of semiconductor elements each having a capacitance that changes in correspondence to an applied force, and a force component generated by the force applied to the first end part of the housing in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the housing is applied to at least one of the plurality of semiconductor elements.

38. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the pressure transmitting member is shaped to abut on only a portion of the first surface, to thereby transmit the force applied to the first end part of the housing to the first surface of the first electrode of the semiconductor element regardless of whether the axial direction of the pressing member along which the force is transmitted coincides with, or is different from, the axis of the capacitor.

24. A position indicator comprising:

a housing having a first end part and a second end part;

a capacitor having a capacitance that changes in correspondence to a force applied to the first end part of the housing, the capacitor being configured by a semiconductor element that includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode at a predetermined distance from the first electrode to have a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the capacitance changes in correspondence to a change in a relationship between the first and second electrodes caused by the force applied to the first end part of the housing and transmitted to the first electrode;

a pressure transmitting member that has predetermined elasticity and transmits the force to the first electrode of the semiconductor element;

a pressing member that transmits the force applied to the first end part of the housing to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity;

a resonant circuit including an inductance element; and

a control circuit that generates a control signal based on a capacitance change in the semiconductor element caused in correspondence to the force applied to the first end part of the housing, and that controls the resonant circuit;

wherein the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity by the pressing member and is applied to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member.

25. The position indicator according to claim 24, wherein:

the resonant circuit includes a switch circuit controlled by the control signal generated by the control circuit.

26. The position indicator according to claim 24, wherein:

the inductance element configured by a coil wound around a rod-shaped member is disposed between the first end part of the housing and the semiconductor element in a longitudinal direction of the housing and the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

27. The position indicator according to claim 26, wherein:

the rod-shaped member includes a penetrating hole and the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity via the penetrating hole made in the rod-shaped member.

28. The position indicator according to claim 27, wherein:

the pressing member passes through the penetrating hole made in the rod-shaped member and protrudes from the first end part of the housing, and the force applied to the pressing member protruding from the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

29. The position indicator according to claim 26, wherein:

the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted via the rod-shaped member to the pressure transmitting member and to the first electrode of the semiconductor element.

30. The position indicator according to claim 29, wherein:

the rod-shaped member and the pressing member are monolithically formed.

31. The position indicator according to claim 30, further comprising:

a protruding member that protrudes from the first end part of the housing;

wherein the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the rod-shaped member by the protruding member.

32. The position indicator according to claim 31, wherein:

the protruding member and the rod-shaped member are monolithically formed.

33. The position indicator according to any of claim 26, wherein:

the rod-shaped member is composed of a magnetic material.

34. A position indicator comprising:

a housing having a first end part and a second end part;

a capacitor having a capacitance that changes in correspondence to a force applied to the first end part of the housing, the capacitor being configured by a semiconductor element that includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode at a predetermined distance from the first electrode to have a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the capacitance changes in correspondence to a change in a relationship between the first and second electrodes caused by the force applied to the first end part of the housing and transmitted to the first electrode;

a pressure transmitting member that has predetermined elasticity and transmits the force to the first electrode of the semiconductor element;

a pressing member that transmits the force applied to the first end part of the housing to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity;

a control circuit that generates a control signal based on a capacitance change in the semiconductor element caused in correspondence to the force applied to the first end part of the housing; and

a package that houses both the control circuit and the semiconductor element;

wherein the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity by the pressing member and is applied to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member.

35. The position indicator according to claim 34, wherein:

the housing includes a printed wiring board and the semiconductor element is disposed on the printed wiring board relative to the first end part of the housing in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and

the force applied to the first end part of the housing is transmitted to the first electrode of the semiconductor element via the pressure transmitting member having the predetermined elasticity.

36. The position indicator according to claim 35, wherein:

the semiconductor element is disposed on an end surface of the printed wiring board.