Winged stand for stylus strain gauge

Abstract

An active stylus includes a stylus tip assembly and an elongated housing that encloses a portion of the stylus tip assembly. A winged bracket mounted within the elongated housing and secured to a distal end of the stylus tip assembly is configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly. A strain gauge disposed along the winged bracket is configured to measure strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the tip assembly.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] An active stylus may include a pressure sensor that can be used to measure the pressure applied to the stylus tip. For example, the pressure sensor may measure the changing force between the stylus tip and an external surface, such as a touch-sensitive display surface.

[0002] Overview

[0003] This disclosure is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, a selection of concepts also described in the detailed description. This disclosure is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to the implementation of solutions to any or all the shortcomings mentioned in any part of this disclosure.

[0004] An active stylus includes: a stylus tip assembly and an elongated housing enclosing a portion of the stylus tip assembly. A winged bracket, mounted within the elongated housing and fixed to a distal tip of the stylus tip assembly, is configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly. A strain gauge disposed along the winged bracket is configured to measure strain along the winged bracket caused by the pressure applied to the tip assembly. Brief description of the attached diagram

[0006] Figure 1 An example active stylus is illustrated, showing how it interacts with a separate display device.

[0007] Figure 2A and 2B Selected components of an example active stylus are shown.

[0008] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2A and 2B Another view of the selected component of the example active stylus.

[0009] Figure 4 It shows Figure 2A and 2B An exploded view of selected components of an example active stylus.

[0010] Figure 5A and 5B An example winged bracket including a strain gauge is shown.

[0011] Figure 6 It shows Figure 2A and 2B Example cross-sectional view of an active stylus.

[0012] Detailed description

[0013] Typically, an active stylus may need to include an integrated pressure sensor that can be used to measure external pressure applied to the stylus (e.g., at the stylus tip). As an example, this pressure can be caused by contact between the stylus tip and an external surface (such as a display surface). Figure 1 A non-limiting example scenario is illustrated schematically, including an example active stylus 100 used with a separate display device 102. The display device 102 includes a touch-sensitive display 104, and the tip of the active stylus 100 contacts the surface of the touch-sensitive display.

[0014] In some examples, the active stylus and / or display device may exhibit different behaviors depending on whether the stylus is touching or hovering over the display. Additionally or alternatively, the active stylus and / or display device may exhibit different behaviors depending on the amount of force with which the active stylus contacts the display surface. For example, the line thickness drawn in response to stylus input may increase with the detected pressure at the stylus tip. The stylus tip pressure can be measured by a pressure sensor integrated within the active stylus. However, it will be understood that the pressure sensor integrated within the active stylus can be used for any suitable purpose and is not necessarily limited to interactions between the active stylus and a separate display device.

[0015] Physical space constraints within the housing of an active stylus can make it difficult to include a pressure sensor without interfering with other components of the stylus. Therefore, this disclosure relates to a design for an active stylus that advantageously achieves pressure sensing while saving physical space within the stylus's housing. Specifically, the active stylus can incorporate a winged bracket within its elongated housing. The winged bracket is attached to a stylus tip assembly and configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly. The active stylus further includes a strain gauge disposed along the winged bracket, configured to measure strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the stylus tip. In this way, pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly can cause bending at the winged bracket, which can be measured as strain by the strain gauge, thereby enabling the measurement of pressure applied to the stylus tip.

[0016] Figure 2A A more detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of the active stylus 100 is shown, wherein the stylus is sectioned along the XY plane, which is orthogonal to the Z-axis extending into the page. This will be understood... Figure 2A and 2B as well as Figure 3-6The specific configurations shown are non-limiting examples. An active stylus as described herein can have any suitable size, shape, dimension, and arrangement of its components. In other examples, an active stylus may omit one or more of the components described herein, and / or include one or more additional or alternative components for the components described herein.

[0017] exist Figure 2A In the example, the active stylus 100 includes a stylus tip assembly 200. The stylus tip assembly includes a stylus tip 202 and a tip retainer assembly 204. The tip retainer assembly encloses a portion of the stylus tip 202. The active stylus 100 also includes an elongated housing 206 that encloses a portion of the stylus tip assembly. Specifically, the elongated housing encloses the tip retainer assembly 204, and a portion of the stylus tip 202 extends through a window 208 to the outside of the elongated housing.

[0018] The casing has an elongated shape because it is longer along an axis (e.g., the X-axis) compared to a second orthogonal axis (e.g., the Y-axis). The stylus's length along a third orthogonal axis (e.g., the Z-axis extending into the page) can be similarly less than its length along the X-axis. (See below for reference.) Figure 6 Describe different cross sections of the active stylus 100 taken along the YZ plane.

[0019] The elongated shell can be made of any suitable material, including combinations of various materials. As a non-limiting example, the elongated shell can be made partially or entirely of suitable plastics, rubber, metals, glass, ceramics, and / or plant fibers (e.g., wood).

[0020] about Figure 2B The relationship between the tip 202 and the tip retainer assembly 204 is shown in more detail. Figure 2B A portion of the active stylus 100 is shown again, with the elongated housing 206 removed and the stylus tip assembly 200 no longer shown in cross-section. The stylus tip 202 includes a tapered portion and a shaft, a portion of which is enclosed by the tip retainer assembly 204. Figure 2A As shown, the tapered portion of the stylus tip is the part that extends to the outside of the elongated housing, while the stylus tip shaft and tip holder 204 are essentially enclosed by the elongated housing 206.

[0021] In some examples, the stylus tip and tip holder assembly can be configured such that the stylus tip can be removed from the tip holder assembly without damage. In other words, the stylus tip can be pulled away from other components of the active stylus while the tip holder assembly remains enclosed by the elongated housing. As a non-limiting example, this can be used to replace a damaged stylus tip or to replace the stylus tip with a different tip of a different shape (e.g., a tip with a different tip profile suitable for different types of tasks).

[0022] Both the stylus tip and the tip holder assembly can be made of any suitable material or combination of materials. As a non-limiting example, the stylus tip and / or tip holder assembly can be made of suitable plastic or metal. As will be described in more detail below, in some cases, the stylus tip may include one or more electrodes, for example, which can be driven by an electrostatic signal detectable at a separate display device. Therefore, in some cases, the stylus tip may include one or more electrodes covered by a suitable external coating material (e.g., plastic).

[0023] It should be understood that in other examples, the stylus tip may have other suitable shapes and spatial relationships with respect to the tip holder assembly and the elongated housing. For example, in other examples, a relatively larger or smaller portion of the stylus tip may be enclosed by the elongated housing. Furthermore, the active stylus described herein has a pointed, tapered tip. However, in other examples, the stylus tip may have other suitable shapes, such as a flat shape, a pointed shape, a wedge shape, or a rounded shape.

[0024] This disclosure focuses primarily on the portion of the active stylus 100 near the stylus tip assembly 200, which may be referred to as the “tip” of the active stylus. However, it should be understood that the active stylus may have two distinct ends, including a “secondary end” opposite the tip. The secondary end may have any suitable shape, appearance, and / or function, and may be similar to or different from the tip.

[0025] like Figure 2A and 2B As shown, the active stylus 100 also includes a winged bracket 210 mounted within an elongated housing and secured to the distal end of the stylus tip assembly. In this example, the winged bracket includes two support wings 212A and 212B, each support wing attached to a support shell 214 disposed within the elongated housing 206. The two support wings are positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 216 of the elongated housing (e.g., ...). Figure 2B As shown (e.g., parallel to) Figure 2A and 2BThe X-axis (marked in the middle) extends in the opposite direction. Using two support wings extending in the opposite direction to the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the elongated shell can help facilitate controlled or even bending of the winged support in a space-efficient manner, although other suitable arrangements of support wings can also be used.

[0026] In some examples, the support shell 214 may be a separate structure from the elongated shell 206 and attached to the elongated shell in any suitable manner (e.g., via riveting, welding, and / or suitable adhesives). However, in other examples, the support shell may be an integral component of the elongated shell. In other words, the elongated shell and the support shell may be a single continuous sheet of material.

[0027] Although the active stylus 100 includes a winged bracket with two support wings extending in opposite directions (e.g., 180 degrees apart), it will be understood that other suitable active styluses may include winged brackets with other suitable numbers and / or configurations of support wings. For example, another suitable winged bracket may include three support wings extending in directions 120 degrees apart. As another example, another suitable winged bracket may include two support wings that do not extend in opposite directions (e.g., are separated by an angle of less than 180 degrees) and / or do not extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing. In the embodiment where the support wings are 180 degrees apart, the support wings may pivot at their ends, thereby reducing or eliminating unwanted lateral loads at the front bearing.

[0028] The winged bracket is attached to the distal tip of the stylus tip assembly via bracket clip 215A. The winged bracket may include a second bracket clip 215B, which is positioned on the opposite side of the tip retainer assembly relative to the Z-axis extending into the page. Attaching the stylus tip assembly to the winged bracket using a bracket clip such as clip 215A can facilitate easier assembly of the active stylus. It should be understood that in other examples, the distal tip of the stylus tip assembly may be secured to the winged bracket in other suitable ways, such as additional or alternatively using other suitable clips or fasteners, soldering, brazing, and / or suitable adhesives.

[0029] Each winged bracket, supporting wing, and supporting shell can be constructed from any suitable material or combination of materials. As a non-limiting example, suitable metals or plastics can be used.

[0030] The wing of the winged bracket can be attached to the support housing in any suitable manner. In one example, the support housing may define a notch or recess, which is sized and shaped to accommodate the tip of the wing, thereby holding the winged bracket in place relative to the support housing and the elongated housing. However, in other examples, as a non-limiting example, the wing may be attached to the support housing and / or directly to the elongated housing using suitable clips, fasteners, brazing, welding, or adhesives. In embodiments where the tip pivots freely within the notch, unwanted reaction moments and strains can be reduced or eliminated.

[0031] The winged support 210 can be configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly. For example, as discussed above, pressure can be applied to the tip of the active stylus when the stylus is used to provide touch input to a separate touch-sensitive display. When the vector of the pressure applied to the stylus tip has a component extending toward the winged support 210 (e.g., a vector component substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 216 of the elongated housing), the pressure can propagate through the stylus tip assembly 200 and cause a certain amount of bending or deformation of the winged support 210. For example, the applied pressure may cause the two support wings 212A and 212B of the winged support to bend. As will be described in more detail below, this bending may induce strain at the winged support, which can be measured by a strain sensor.

[0032] As discussed above, in some cases, an active stylus may include one or more electrodes disposed within the stylus tip. Components within the active stylus may be configured to drive one or more tip electrodes with electrostatic signals, for example, to facilitate touch detection via and / or electrostatic communication with a separate touch-sensitive display device. For this purpose, a tip holder assembly may include one or more electrical contacts operatively coupled to one or more electrodes disposed within the stylus tip.

[0033] exist Figure 2A In one example, the tip holder assembly 204 includes three electrical contacts 218A-C. These include a first electrical contact 218A, which is operatively coupled to a tip electrode 220 disposed within the stylus tip. A second electrical contact 218A is operatively coupled to a tilt electrode 222 disposed within the stylus tip. In one example, the electrostatic signal provided to the tip and tilt electrode can be detected by a separate touch-sensitive display device and can be used by the touch-sensitive display to infer the position of the stylus tip relative to the display surface, and the angular orientation (or tilt) of the active stylus relative to the display. A third electrical contact 218C can provide an electrical ground 224 for the tip and tilt electrodes.

[0034] However, it should be understood that Figure 2A and2B The specific arrangement of electrodes and electrical contacts shown is a non-limiting example. Generally, the active stylus described herein can include any number and arrangement of electrodes disposed within or near the tip of the stylus. An active stylus may further include any suitable circuitry for operating any integrated electrodes, for example, providing electrostatic signals to the electrodes, and / or receiving and interpreting signals detected by the electrodes (e.g., signals originating from display electrodes of a separate display device).

[0035] Figure 3 Another view shows the selection of combinations of the active stylus 100. Figure 3 In the diagram, the tip holder assembly 204 is shown separate from the stylus tip 202, the elongated housing 206, and the support housing 214. Together with the tip holder assembly 204, Figure 3 The winged bracket 210, support wings 212A and 212B, and bracket clamp 215A are shown.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, the distal tip of the winged bracket 210 is fixed to the flexible printed circuit (FPC) 300. The FPC 300 can be coupled with... Figure 2A The electrical contacts 218A-C shown are communication coupled and can therefore be configured to control the operation of electrodes disposed within the tip of the active stylus. The FPC 300 may include or be coupled to any suitable computer logic and / or storage components and can be configured to control the operation of any or all electrical components disposed within the active stylus.

[0037] FPC 300 can be made of any suitable material. In some cases, the FPC substrate can be polyimide or polyester film, with suitable conductive traces printed on the substrate as a non-limiting example.

[0038] The distal tip of the winged bracket 210 is secured to the FPC 300 at attachment surface 302. The distal tip of the winged bracket can be secured to the attachment surface of the FPC in any suitable manner. As will be described in more detail below, in some cases, the winged bracket may include one or more pads at which the winged bracket is attached to the FPC. However, in other examples, other suitable attachment methods may be used.

[0039] FPC 300 further includes a buckling portion 304 near the attachment surface, and the FPC is substantially along the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing (e.g., substantially parallel to). Figure 3The X-axis (marked in the center) extends away from the buckle. In some cases, the buckle 304 of the FPC 300 can provide a spring force that biases the stylus tip assembly (including the tip retainer assembly 204) towards the proximal end of the elongated housing tip. In other words, the buckle 304 of the FPC 300 can provide a force that effectively pushes the winged support and stylus tip assembly toward the stylus tip. However, as Figure 2A and 2B As shown, the movement of the stylus tip assembly and the winged bracket may be restricted by the two support wings attached to the support housing 214.

[0040] To counteract the biasing force provided by the bending 304 of the FPC 300, the active stylus 100 may further include a counter-spring 306 disposed between the stylus tip assembly and the winged support. The counter-spring can be configured to bias the stylus tip assembly away from the proximal end of the elongated housing. For example, as... Figure 2A and 2B As shown, the anti-spring 306 may include two curved arms attached to the support housing 214. In this way, the anti-spring will resist movement of the stylus tip assembly and winged support toward the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing, thereby counteracting the biasing force provided by the buckling portion 304 of the FPC 300.

[0041] The buckling portion 304 and the anti-spring 306 of the FPC 300 can cooperate in some cases to control limited movement of the stylus tip assembly along the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing, for example, toward and away from the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing. As described above, this can cause the winged support 210 to bend when pressure is applied to the stylus tip. Furthermore, this can be used to suppress sudden impacts or shocks, such as when the active stylus is accidentally dropped, to prevent such impacts or shocks from damaging the internal structure of the active stylus. The stiffness of the buckling portion 304 and / or the anti-spring 306 can be selectively adjusted in some cases to achieve a desired level of resistance to movement of the stylus tip assembly and the winged support along the longitudinal axis.

[0042] The anti-spring 306 can be made of any suitable material. As a non-limiting example, the anti-spring 306 can be made of a suitable metal and / or plastic. Furthermore, the anti-spring 306 can be attached to the support housing 214 and / or the elongated housing 206 in any suitable manner. In some cases, the support housing 214 may include a notch or recess, which is sized and shaped to accommodate the tip of the curved arm of the anti-spring. Additionally or alternatively, the anti-spring can be attached using suitable clips, fasteners, welding, brazing, and / or suitable adhesives.

[0043] Figure 4An exploded view of the selection components of the active stylus 100 is shown, including the stylus tip 202, the tip retainer assembly 204, the winged bracket 210 (including support wings 212A / B and bracket clip 215A), the FPC 300, and the anti-spring 306. Figure 4 In the example, the clamping spring 400 has been removed from the tip holder assembly 204. In some cases, the clamping spring 400 may be used to prevent the stylus tip 202 from being removed from the tip holder assembly 204 (e.g., to prevent accidental removal of the stylus tip while still allowing intentional removal). The clamping spring 400 may additionally or alternatively be used to improve contact between electrodes disposed within the stylus tip and electrical contacts disposed along the tip holder assembly.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, the active stylus 100 includes a support post 402 attached to the distal end of the tip of the stylus tip assembly. As will be described in more detail below, the support post 402 may extend remotely from the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing and through a recess defined by a winged support. The support post may be configured to control and restrain movement of the stylus tip assembly to provide enhanced robustness against damage caused by sudden impacts or shocks (e.g., due to an accidental drop of the active stylus).

[0045] It is worth noting that, in Figure 4 In this design, the distal tip of the tip retainer assembly has a circular surface 404. Using a circular surface on the distal tip of the tip retainer can improve the performance of the strain gauge compared to other surface geometries, such as planar or pointed surfaces. The circular surface 404 can advantageously provide a cushioning effect to reduce or eliminate restraint or unwanted lateral loads on the enclosure at the tip bearing. Furthermore, the circular surface at the distal tip of the stylus tip assembly allows the stylus tip assembly to be positioned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 406 (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing). Figure 4 Limited movement is allowed along the Y-axis (marked in the middle). This type of movement can help absorb the force caused by sudden impacts or collisions to the active stylus, such as when it is accidentally dropped.

[0046] Figure 5A and 5B A detailed view of the winged bracket 210, isolated from other components of the active stylus 100, is shown. Figure 5A and 5B What is visible are the two support wings 212A and 212B of the winged bracket 210 and the two bracket clamps 215A and 215B.

[0047] In addition, such as Figure 5AAs shown, the winged bracket 210 includes a strain gauge 500 disposed along the winged bracket, configured to measure the strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly. Specifically, as described above, pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly having a vector component parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing can cause bending of the winged bracket 210, ultimately resulting in strain along the two support wings 212A and 212B. This strain can be measured by the strain gauge 500 and can be used as a basis for estimating the amount of pressure applied to the stylus tip.

[0048] The strain gauge 500 can be implemented using any suitable strain sensing technology. In one example, the strain gauge may include two or more different strain sensing elements. Figure 5A In one example, strain gauge 500 includes four strain sensing elements 502A, 502B, 502C, and 502D, positioned on the distal side of the tip of a winged support along two support wings 212A and 212B. In one example, each strain sensing element may comprise a pattern of metal foil adhered to the winged support using a suitable adhesive, such as cyanoacrylate. Each metal foil pattern may exhibit a change in resistance depending on whether the pattern is stretched or compressed—for example, due to strain applied to the support wings. To increase this change in resistance, in some cases, each metal foil pattern may take the form of conductive traces with a zigzag pattern arranged as multiple parallel lines. In some cases, when the strain sensing elements are connected together, the change in resistance at each strain sensing element can be determined, thus forming a Wheatstone bridge.

[0049] However, it should be understood that the use of the metal foil pattern described above is a non-limiting example. In other cases, other suitable strain sensing techniques may be used.

[0050] In some cases, each strain-sensing element of a strain gauge can have substantially the same size and shape. However, in other examples, at least one of the strain-sensing elements can have a different shape than the other elements of the strain-sensing instrument. This is Figure 5A In this configuration, strain sensing elements 502A and 502B have a basic rectangular shape, while strain sensing elements 502C and 502D have a basic trapezoidal shape, unlike elements 502A and 502B. This facilitates the assembly of four different strain sensing elements along a winged support wing within a limited space.

[0051] Furthermore, when the strain sensing element includes a metal foil pattern as described above, the parallel lines forming the zigzag pattern for one strain sensing element do not need to have the same orientation as the parallel lines for another strain sensing element. For example, in Figure 5A In this context, strain sensing elements 502A and 502B may include, for example: Figure 5A The parallel lines marked in the diagram are routed substantially parallel to the Z-axis, while strain sensing elements 502C and 502D can use parallel lines routed substantially perpendicular to the Z-axis (e.g., substantially parallel to the Y-axis).

[0052] In some cases, the width of the two support wings can gradually taper from the center of the wing support towards the tips of the two support wings. This can help to distribute the strain applied to the two support wings more evenly along the length of each wing, where the strain can be measured more accurately by the strain sensing element of a strain gauge.

[0053] In this example, strain gauge 500 is positioned along the distal side of the tip of the winged bracket. Therefore, the strain gauge is positioned between the winged bracket and the FPC 300, and in some cases can be directly mounted to the FPC. The strain gauge can be mounted to the FPC in any suitable manner. As a non-limiting example, the strain gauge can be mounted to the FPC 300 via one or more pads. This is in Figure 5A As shown, because the strain gauge 500 includes four different pads 504A-504D, the strain gauge can be fixed to the FPC 300 at these pads.

[0054] It should be understood that other shapes, numbers, and distributions of pads may be used in other examples. Furthermore, in addition to one or more pads, or as an alternative to one or more pads, the strain gauge may be attached to the FPC using a suitable attachment method. As a non-limiting example, the strain gauge may be attached to the FPC using a suitable adhesive.

[0055] When attaching a strain gauge to an FPC using solder pads, the pads may weaken or be damaged due to bending of the winged bracket caused by pressure applied by the stylus tip assembly. Accordingly, in some examples, the winged bracket may include a reinforcing plate disposed proximal to the tip of the winged bracket, opposite the one or more solder pads, and located between two support wings of the winged bracket. This in Figure 5B As shown, the winged bracket 210 includes a reinforcing plate 506 disposed opposite to the pads 504A-D and between the support wings 212A and 212B. The reinforcing plate 506 can be used to allow the support wings 212A and 212B to bend due to forces applied to the stylus tip, while reducing the amount of such forces applied to the pads. This can improve the robustness and lifespan of the connection between the strain gauge and the FPC.

[0056] In some cases, the reinforcing plate may be detached from the winged bracket and attached to it via appropriate attachment methods, such as welding and / or suitable adhesives. In other cases, the winged bracket may be molded or cast to include the reinforcing plate—for example, the winged bracket and the reinforcing plate may be a single piece of material.

[0057] The winged bracket 210 also defines a recess 508 located between pads 504A-D, such as Figure 5A and 5B As shown. The groove 508 can be adjusted in size and shape to accept the active stylus 100 during assembly. Figure 4 The insertion of the support post 402 is shown. As discussed above, the support post can be configured to control and constrain the movement of the stylus tip assembly relative to the winged support and elongated housing of the active stylus. This can help provide enhanced robustness against sudden impacts or shocks caused, for example, by the accidental drop of the active stylus.

[0058] exist Figure 5A In the winged bracket 210, the tips of the two support wings 212A and 212B include circular surfaces 510A and 510B. As discussed above, the winged bracket can be attached to the support housing 214 by inserting the tips of the support wings into slots or recesses in the support housing. Thus, the circular surfaces of the support wings can contact the support housing.

[0059] This is about Figure 6 A more detailed example, Figure 6 Another cross-sectional view of the active stylus 100 is shown, this time taken parallel to the YZ plane. In this view, the elongated housing 206 has a substantially elliptical cross-section. However, it will be understood that this is a non-limiting example. In other implementations, the elongated housing may have a circular profile, a square profile, a rectangular profile, or any other regular polygonal or irregular shape.

[0060] Figure 6 The support wings 212A and 212B of the winged bracket 210, which are inserted into the slot defined in the support housing 214, are shown again. Figure 6 Also shown are the support pile 402 inserted through the groove 508 as discussed above, and the strain sensing element 502C of the strain gauge 500. As shown, the circular surfaces 510A and 510B of the support wings 212A and 212B contact the support housing 214. In some cases, the circular surfaces of the support wings allow the winged support to be positioned around the axis 600 of the two support wings (e.g., parallel to...). Figure 6 The Y-axis (marked in the middle) can be rotated to a limited extent. Allowing such rotation can help absorb the force caused by sudden impacts or shocks to the active stylus, such as the force caused by accidental drops.

[0061] exist Figure 6In the example, the axis 600 of the support wing is parallel to the major axis of the elliptical cross-section of the elongated shell 206. It should be understood that this need not be the case in other examples. For example, the axis of the support wing may be parallel to the minor axis of the elliptical cross-section, or have another suitable angular relationship with respect to the YZ plane, especially in the case of elongated shells with different profile shapes.

[0062] In one example, an active stylus includes: a stylus tip assembly; an elongated housing enclosing a portion of the stylus tip assembly; a winged bracket mounted within the elongated housing and fixed to a distal tip of the stylus tip assembly, the winged bracket being configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly; and a strain gauge disposed along the winged bracket, the strain gauge being configured to measure strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly. In this example or any other example, the winged bracket includes two support wings extending in opposite directions, the two support wings extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing. In this example or any other example, the two support wings are fixed to a support shell disposed within the elongated housing. In this example or any other example, the two support wings have circular surfaces that contact the support shell, the circular surfaces allowing the winged bracket to rotate about the axes of the two support wings. In this example or any other example, the distal tip of the stylus tip assembly has a circular surface that allows the stylus tip assembly to move in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing. In this example or any other example, the active stylus further includes a support post attached to the distal tip of the stylus tip assembly, the support post extending proximally to the tip of the elongated housing and passing through a groove defined by the winged bracket. In this example or any other example, the distal tip of the winged bracket is secured to a flexible printed circuit (FPC). In this example or any other example, the distal tip of the winged bracket is secured to an attachment surface of the FPC, the FPC including a buckling portion adjacent to the attachment surface, and the FPC extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing away from the buckling portion. In this example or any other example, the buckling portion of the FPC biases the stylus tip assembly toward the proximally to the tip of the elongated housing. In this example or any other example, the active stylus further includes a counter-spring disposed between the stylus tip assembly and the winged bracket, the counter-spring being configured to bias the stylus tip assembly away from the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing. In this example or any other example, the strain gauge is disposed between the FPC and the winged bracket. In this example or any other example, the distal side of the tip of the winged bracket is secured to the FPC via one or more solder pads. In this example or any other example, the winged bracket includes a reinforcing plate disposed on the proximal side of the tip of the winged bracket and opposite the one or more solder pads, the reinforcing plate being located between two support wings of the winged bracket. In this example or any other example, the strain gauge includes two or more strain sensing elements, at least one of which has a different shape than the other strain sensing elements.In this example or any other example, the stylus tip assembly includes a stylus tip and a tip holder having one or more electrical contacts operatively coupled to one or more electrodes disposed within the stylus tip. In this example or any other example, the one or more electrical contacts include a first electrical contact operatively coupled to a tip electrode disposed within the stylus tip, a second electrical contact operatively coupled to a tilt electrode disposed within the stylus tip, and a third electrical contact providing electrical grounding for the tip electrode and the tilt electrode.

[0063] In one example, an active stylus includes: a stylus tip; a tip retainer assembly enclosing a portion of the stylus tip; an elongated housing defining a window through which the stylus tip extends outside the elongated housing; a winged bracket mounted within the elongated housing and attached to the distal end of the tip of the tip retainer assembly, the winged bracket being configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip; and a strain gauge disposed along the winged bracket, the strain gauge being configured to measure strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the stylus tip. In this example or any other example, the distal end of the tip of the winged bracket is secured to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) including a buckling portion that biases the tip retainer assembly toward the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing. In this example or any other example, the active stylus further includes a counterspring disposed between the tip retainer assembly and the winged support, the counterspring being configured to bias the tip retainer assembly away from the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing.

[0064] In one example, an active stylus includes: a stylus tip; a tip retainer assembly enclosing a portion of the stylus tip; an elongated housing defining a window through which the stylus tip extends to the outside of the elongated housing; a winged support mounted within the elongated housing and attached to the distal end of the tip of the tip retainer assembly, the winged support including two support wings extending in opposite directions and attached to a support shell within the elongated housing, the two support wings being configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip; and a strain gauge disposed along the two support wings, the strain gauge being configured to measure strain along the two support wings caused by pressure applied to the stylus tip. It should be understood that the configurations and / or methods described herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments or examples should not be considered limiting, as many variations are possible. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Therefore, the various actions explained and / or described may be performed in the explained and / or described order, in another order, in parallel, or omitted. Similarly, the order of the processes described above may be changed.

[0065] The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various processes, systems and configurations disclosed herein, as well as other features, functions, actions and / or attributes, and any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. An active stylus, comprising: Stylus tip assembly; An elongated housing that encloses a portion of the stylus tip assembly; A winged bracket is mounted within the elongated housing and fixed to the distal tip of the stylus tip assembly, the winged bracket being configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly; A strain gauge is disposed along the winged bracket, the strain gauge being configured to measure the strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the stylus tip assembly; as well as A support post is attached to the distal end of the tip of the stylus tip assembly, the support post extending proximal to the tip of the elongated housing and passing through a groove defined by the winged support.

2. The active stylus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The winged support includes two support wings extending in opposite directions, the two support wings extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing.

3. The active stylus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The two support wings are fixed to a support shell disposed within the elongated outer shell.

4. The active stylus as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The two support wings have circular surfaces that contact the support shell, and these circular surfaces allow the winged support to rotate about the axes of the two support wings.

5. The active stylus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The distal end of the stylus tip assembly has a circular surface that allows the stylus tip assembly to move in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing.

6. The active stylus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The distal tip of the winged bracket is fixed to a flexible printed circuit (FPC), wherein the distal tip of the winged bracket is the side of the winged bracket away from the stylus tip assembly.

7. The active stylus as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The distal end of the tip of the winged bracket is secured to the attachment surface of the FPC, the FPC including a buckling portion adjacent to the attachment surface, and the FPC extending substantially away from the buckling portion along the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing.

8. The active stylus as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The buckled portion of the FPC biases the stylus tip assembly toward the proximal end of the elongated housing.

9. The active stylus as described in claim 8, characterized in that, It further includes a counter-spring disposed between the stylus tip assembly and the winged support, the counter-spring being configured to bias the stylus tip assembly away from the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing.

10. The active stylus as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The strain gauge is positioned between the FPC and the winged support.

11. The active stylus as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The distal end of the tip of the winged bracket is secured to the FPC via one or more solder pads.

12. The active stylus as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The winged bracket includes a reinforcing plate disposed on the proximal side of the tip of the winged bracket and opposite to the one or more solder pads, the reinforcing plate being located between two support wings of the winged bracket.

13. The active stylus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The strain gauge includes two or more strain sensing elements, at least one of which has a different shape from the other strain sensing elements.

14. The active stylus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The stylus tip assembly includes a stylus tip and a tip holder, the tip holder having one or more electrical contacts operatively coupled to one or more electrodes disposed within the stylus tip.

15. The active stylus as described in claim 14, characterized in that, The one or more electrical contacts include a first electrical contact operatively coupled to a tip electrode disposed within the stylus tip, a second electrical contact operatively coupled to a tilt electrode disposed within the stylus tip, and a third electrical contact providing electrical grounding for the tip electrode and the tilt electrode.

16. An active stylus, comprising: stylus tip; A tip retainer assembly that encloses a portion of the stylus tip; An elongated housing that defines a window through which the stylus tip extends outside the elongated housing; A winged bracket is mounted within the elongated housing and attached to the distal end of the tip of the tip retainer assembly, the winged bracket being configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the tip of the stylus; A strain gauge is disposed along the winged bracket, the strain gauge being configured to measure the strain along the winged bracket caused by pressure applied to the tip of the stylus; as well as A support post is attached to the distal end of the tip of the tip retainer assembly, the support post extending proximal to the tip of the elongated housing and passing through a groove defined by the winged support.

17. The active stylus as described in claim 16, characterized in that, The distal tip of the winged bracket is fixed to a flexible printed circuit (FPC), wherein the distal tip of the winged bracket is the side of the winged bracket away from the stylus tip, and the FPC includes a flexure that biases the tip retainer assembly toward the proximal tip of the elongated housing.

18. The active stylus as described in claim 17, characterized in that, It further includes a counter-spring disposed between the tip retainer assembly and the winged support, the counter-spring being configured to bias the tip retainer assembly away from the proximal end of the tip of the elongated housing.

19. An active stylus, comprising: stylus tip; A tip retainer assembly that encloses a portion of the stylus tip; An elongated housing that defines a window through which the stylus tip extends outside the elongated housing; A winged bracket is mounted within the elongated housing and attached to the distal tip of the tip retainer assembly. The winged bracket includes two support wings that extend in opposite directions and are attached to a support shell within the elongated housing. The two support wings are configured to bend in response to pressure applied to the stylus tip. as well as A strain gauge is disposed along the two support wings, the strain gauge being configured to measure the strain along the two support wings caused by pressure applied to the tip of the stylus; as well as A support post is attached to the distal end of the tip of the tip retainer assembly, the support post extending proximal to the tip of the elongated housing and passing through a groove defined by the winged support.

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