Pin

Abstract

The invention relates to a pen with a writing refill having a writing tip, a housing that at least partially accommodates the writing refill, and a socket for an electronic connection. According to the invention, the housing has two parts that are adjustable relative to each other, wherein in a first position of the two parts relative to each other the socket is concealed and in a second position of the two parts relative to each other the socket is accessible.

Description

The invention relates to a pen having a writing lead having a writing tip, a housing at least partially receiving the writing lead and a socket for an electrical connection.Pins of the above-mentioned type are known. In the case of the previously known pins, a rigid-flex circuit board is used to produce a flexible and thin connection between individual components of the pin, in particular between a sensor system and the evaluation electronics of the pin. However, rigid-flex boards are considerably more expensive to produce than rigid boards, for which reason a rigid board is preferred. However, it is thus no longer possible to accommodate electronic components both in front of and behind the battery, provided that it is desirable to make do with a single printed circuit board. In order not to shift the center of gravity of the pen too far to the rear, it is furthermore expedient to position the battery in front of the electronics in the shaft of the pen. However, this makes it difficult to impossible to install a sensor system that allows the pin to be switched on and off via the removal or fitting of a pin cap.Nevertheless, an intuitive way of switching on and off is sought. One possibility for this is to install a ballpoint pen mechanism. In order to be able to measure the pressure of the pen tip on the paper, the relevant force must be transmitted over the length of the pen as far as the electronics. For this purpose, the battery can be accommodated in a (cylindrical) trough which conducts the peak pressure from the writing lead around the battery to the sensor mounted behind the battery. The electronics themselves and all sensors are then located behind the battery and in particular in the trigger of the ballpoint pen mechanism.In this embodiment of the pen, the electronics are displaced relative to the shaft together with the battery and the writing lead when the pen is moved from its rest position into its working position, which makes it more difficult to integrate the bushing mentioned at the beginning into the pen for an electrical connection, for example for charging the battery. In order to be compatible with the connections customary for mobile telephones, a USB-C connection can be selected, for example, for charging. However, other types of connection, such as a coaxial plug or simple charging contacts, which are aligned with the contact element of the charging device, for example, via magnets, are also conceivable. In the following, without limiting generality, a socket is referred to if this charging connection is meant. However, this connection should be covered during operation in order to make deposition of dirt and / or penetration of spray water more difficult or even to prevent it.The invention is based on the object of further developing the pin of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that the bushing serving for the electrical connection is protected from deposits of dirt and / or from penetration of spray water.In other words, the object is to protect a charging socket such that there is no external difference from a conventional pin in the operating and resting state of the pin. Only when the desire to load the pin arises should the charging socket opening, which has been covered and protected up to then, be made accessible by the simplest possible action. In this case, the mouth of the bushing should preferably lie within the contour of the pin housing.According to the invention, the object set is achieved in the pin of the type mentioned at the beginning in that the housing has two parts which can be adjusted relative to one another, wherein in a first position of the two parts relative to one another the bushing is covered by a cover and in a second position of the two parts relative to one another the bushing is accessible. In the first position, a clip attached to the end of the pin is additionally intended to conceal the housing opening with which the charging socket can be made accessible.The solution according to the invention makes it possible to release the socket only when it is used for charging the battery or for other purposes, i.e. when a corresponding plug is to be inserted. This corresponds to the second position of the two parts of the housing. In all other cases, i.e. when the bushing is not used, the two mentioned parts of the housing can be moved into the first position, whereby the bushing is covered and thus protected from dirt deposition and / or splash water.According to the invention, it can be provided that one of the two parts has an opening for the bushing and the other part is coupled, in particular rotationally coupled, to the bushing and / or to a cover for the opening.This configuration is particularly simple to implement.According to the invention, it is preferably provided that the two parts of the housing are a shaft tube and an end piece. In this case, the pin only needs to be held fast on the shaft tube, for example. By adjusting the end piece with respect to the shaft tube, the bushing can then be released or concealed.The shaft tube can be designed as desired in one or more parts. A two-part embodiment, for example, with a screw connection or locking of the two parts, makes it possible to open the shaft tube in a front region in which the writing lead is accommodated, in order to be able to change a used writing lead. Such a two-part embodiment is sufficiently known and does not need to be explained in more detail here.According to the invention, the two positions differ from one another further preferably in the rotational position of the two parts of the housing with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis of the pin. Although it would be conceivable to conceal the charging opening by a longitudinal displacement between inner and outer components, this would require a longer adjustment by switching the ballpoint pen mechanism than the pure switching between the working position and the rest position. A USB-C socket is 9 mm wide, so that this measure represents the minimum of sufficient displacement. Switching of the ballpoint pen, on the other hand, requires 7 mm or less. Therefore, a rotation of the components relative to one another is the more attractive solution, especially since a pin housing is generally round in rotation.For adjusting the housing from the first into the second position (and vice versa), it is sufficient in this embodiment of the pin to rotate the two housing parts, for example the shaft tube and the end piece, relative to one another.According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that at least one of the two parts has an outer contour differing from the circular shape in cross section.This simplifies, for example, a rotation of the two parts relative to one another.The deviation of the outer contour from the circular shape can thereby be attributed to a clip.According to the invention, a clip on the pin particularly preferably serves for covering the charging opening. Additionally or alternatively, however, a shield can also be provided. This shield can be integrated into the rear housing part which also carries the clip, whereby the clip at the same time serves as a projection on the otherwise rotationally rounded or polygonal contour of the rear housing part, with which the application of a torque for the user can be considerably facilitated.If a clip is provided, it is preferably rotationally coupled to one of the two parts of the housing, while the charging opening is rotationally coupled to the other part.In this embodiment, the clip and the loading opening are therefore adjusted relative to one another, so that the clip covers the loading opening in the first position and releases it in the second position.In an analogous manner, it can be provided that the shield is rotatably coupled to one of the two parts of the housing and the charging opening is rotatably coupled to the other part. This shield can be positioned, for example, directly within the charging opening, whereby the remaining gaps when closing the charging opening turn out to be very small, which makes the penetration of foreign bodies or water drops considerably more difficult than if only one clip covers the charging opening. In order to fulfil its function, a clip requires a certain distance from the remaining pin body, whereby the remaining gaps when covering the bushing offer significantly less protection against the penetration of foreign bodies or water drops.In this embodiment, a rotation of the two parts of the housing relative to one another has the result that the shield covers the charging opening in the first position and releases the charging opening in the second position. At the same time, the clip in the first position optically covers the charging opening and releases it in the second position, as a result of which the specification of the greatest possible similarity to a conventional pin can be fulfilled.According to the invention, the tray already mentioned above may be provided to receive a battery of the pen. This tray may include the shield when the tray is rotationally coupled to the rear housing portion. Alternatively, the shield can also be used on the rear housing part if the charging opening is located in the front housing part and the shield dips into the latter.In both cases, the shield is preferably located on the same radius as the mouth of the bushing, so that the shield does not have to slide over the bushing opening and seat it quite deeply in the housing. If the outer surface of the shield is at the same radius as the mouth of the bushing, the diameter of the pin can be smaller and the bushing can be mounted closer to the pin housing surface.Finally, an end piece comprising a clip can be provided, which end piece comprises the shield.In the standard "Universal Serial Bus Type-C cable and Connector Specification", August 2, 2019, Figures 3-3 and 3-11, the minimum length of the plug-in portion is indicated at 6.51 mm. The maximum insertion depth of a standard socket, on the other hand, is indicated by 6.2 mm, for example, in FIGS. 3-1. This means that the thickness of the housing, which can be located above the socket mouth, may be only 0.3 mm thick. However, sockets with insertion depths of typically 5.0 to 5.5 mm are customary on the market, so that, although enough wall thickness remains for a housing, not for a housing and a shield, to allow the plug to be completely inserted into the socket.The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing. Figure shows FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the pin according to the invention with the mine extended (working position), wherein the sinker is shown rotated 90° with respect to the clip. FIG. 2 shows the same view as FIG. 1, but rotated through 90° about the longitudinal axis, FIG. 3 a shows a perspective view of a tray for a battery of the pen, FIG. 3 bshows a top view of a tray for a battery of the pen, FIG. 4 schematically shows components of a trigger of the pin, wherein, however, for reasons of clarity, the upper half of the front trigger housing and an overload protection spring are omitted, FIG. 5 shows a view of the pusher before assembly from behind, wherein the rear pusher housing is rotated through 90° with respect to FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 shows two sections through the pin in the region of the pusher, wherein pusher and sinker are shown on the left in the working position and on the right in the loading position.The following details are evident in the figures:a handle 1, a shaft tube 2, an end piece 3, a writing lead 4, a trough 5 for a battery 50 which encloses the latter by at least 180°, a front trigger housing 6, a rear trigger housing 7, a printed circuit board 8, a switching ring 9, a passage opening 11 for a writing tip 41 of the writing lead 4, a switching spring 12, a thread 21, a lead tube 42 of the writing lead 4, a lead filling 43 (ink and follower), an optional plug 44, a front trough chip 51, a rear trough chip 52, a shield 53 for closing a charging opening 24, a cutout 61 for a sensing finger 831, a cutout 62 for a bushing 82, a latching bead 63 for the rear trigger housing 7, a toothed profile 71 for switching ring transport, a latching groove 72 in the rear trigger housing 7, a switching ramp 22, a latch 23 of the end piece 3, a force sensor 81, a socket 82, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is a USB-C charging socket, a pushbutton switch 83, a combined acceleration and rotation rate sensor 84, a processor 85, a clip 31, an antenna 86, an outer toothed ring 91 for the latch, an inner toothed ring 92 for the switching ring transport and a pushbutton finger 831.In the exemplary embodiment shown, the tray 5 performs three functions: 1. transmission of the writing pressure from the writing lead 4 to the force sensor 81, 2. closure of the charging opening 24 from the inside and 3. tolerance compensation for different battery lengths.Since the lead has a diameter different from the trough, there are webs in the front region of the grip piece 1 which centre the lead in the middle of the grip piece. In FIG. 2, the section through the grip piece passes through these webs, which explains the apparently higher wall thickness of the grip piece 1 in FIG. 2 compared to the illustration in FIG. 1.Transmission of force to force sensor 81The force with which the writing tip 41 is pressed onto a writing substrate is transmitted in the radial direction from the through opening 11 in the grip piece 1 to the grip piece, while the axial force component is transmitted from the writing tip 41 via the lead tube 42 of the writing lead 4 to the plug 44 and from there by means of the front bulkhead 51 to the trough 5. The rear rib 52 of the tray 5 is in frictional contact with the force sensor 81, this contact being ensured by the switching spring 12 which presses the writing lead 4 and the tray 5 in contact therewith rearwardly against the force sensor 81.Within the front pusher housing 6, the circuit board 8 is arranged so as to be selectively longitudinally displaceable and is pushed forward and against the rear trough frame 52 by a spring, not shown, for overload protection. The prestress of the spring mentioned is selected in such a way that it does not deform until the load on the force sensor 81 exceeds its maximum measurement range. In this case, the plate 8 can yield to the rear and the trough frame 52 presses against the front end of the trigger housing 6, which in turn transfers this force via the switching ring 9 to the end piece 3 and via the catch 23 to the shaft tube 2 and from there via the thread 21 to the handle piece 1.Such overload protection is recommended but is not essential to the operation of the invention.Switching on and offThe pin shown in the drawing has an adjusting mechanism which is customary in ballpoint pens. It is switched on by a longitudinally displaceable pusher located at its rear end, a switching ring 9 running in grooves (not shown) in the end piece 3 and engaging in either a rear or a front position. Beveled teeth on the ring gear 91 direct the shift ring 9 into the next slot and the inner ring gear with beveled teeth causes the shift ring 9 to rotate each time it is actuated to alternately approach the slots for engagement and then the slots for disengagement. Since such switching mechanisms are sufficiently known, they will not be discussed in detail here.The electronics provided in the illustrated exemplary embodiment include the circuit board 8, on which the pushbutton 83 is installed, the pushbutton finger 831 of which runs against a ramp 22 located in the shaft tube 2 when the pushbutton 6+7+8 is advanced and is pressed in by the movement of the pushbutton, which activates the electrical circuit. Programming written into the permanent memory of processor 85 then starts the processor and the remaining components of the electronics.In order for the push button 83 to be engageable with the ramp 22, the front trigger housing 6 has the cutout 61 through which the ramp 22 protrudes into the interior of the housing 6 and can actuate the push button 831. The cutout 62 allows the bushing 82 to protrude outwards.AssemblyFirst, the battery 50 is placed in the opening of the tray 5, wherein the two flanks of the tray edge must be pressed apart elastically in order to expand the opening of the tray 5 sufficiently for the battery to fit in. Due to the partial wrap around of the battery 50 by the trough 5, the battery is held in the trough 5 in a positive-locking manner. The C-shaped cross-section of the tray allows the battery to be held slightly eccentric in the tray, which helps to make the diameter of the pin as small as possible.Then, the wires of the battery, not shown in the figures, are soldered to the circuit board, the circuit board is mounted in the trigger housing, and the combination of the tray, battery, trigger, switch ring and circuit board is inserted into the shaft 2 from behind. The engagement of the end piece 3 will fire the shaft 2 rearwardly.The front trigger housing 6 itself is injection molded in a cavity into two half shells connected by a film hinge, whereby it is possible to provide webs, cut-outs, snap-in closures and recesses on the inside for fixing the bushing 82 and the overload spring, which is not shown. Alternatively, it is possible to construct the housing from two separate halves, which, however, increases the manufacturing effort and requires more effort during assembly in order to align the two housing halves with one another. Here too, a relevant illustration of these details is omitted, since they are generally known and familiar.The trigger is completed by the rear trigger housing 7, which is locked to the front trigger housing 6 by means of the locking bead 63 and the locking groove 72, after the switching ring 9 has been pushed onto the closed front trigger housing 6. This switching ring 9 is positioned positively but rotatably, whereby the pusher, consisting of the front housing part 6, the rear pusher housing 7 and the circuit board 8, and switching ring 9 form a unit which is then mounted between the two when the end piece 3 is mounted on the rear end of the shaft tube 2. In this case, the circular latching 23 is used, which fixes the end piece 3 on the shaft tube 2, but still permits a (limited) rotation of the two with respect to one another.The rear pusher housing 7 of the pusher optionally has an elliptical cross-section and exits rearwardly through a complementary shaped opening on the end piece 3. Alternatively, it can be rotationally coupled by grooves in the end piece, but guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner. As a result, it rotates with the end piece 3 when the end piece 3 is rotated relative to the shaft tube 2. The bushing 82 protrudes from the pusher and engages in a gap between the shield 53 for closing the opening 24 and a second extension 54 on the trough 5.Other solutions for the rotationally secure coupling of the trigger and the end piece are likewise possible and can alternatively be used without the need to describe the possible alternatives here.In the final step, the cartridge 4 and the switching spring 12 are inserted into the grip piece 1 from behind and then the latter is screwed to the shaft 2. The pin is thus completely mounted.Access to Jack 82In normal operation, the loading opening 24 in the shaft tube 2 is covered by the clip 31. In addition, the charging opening 24 is closed from the inside by the shield 53 on the tray 5. If the end piece 3 is rotated relative to the shaft tube 2, the clip 31 releases access to the loading opening 24. At the same time, the shield 53 is displaced, whereby the loading opening 24 becomes accessible. At the same time, since the end piece 3, the trigger and the tub 5 are rotationally coupled to each other, the mouth of the socket 82 is pushed into the charging opening 24 and is exposed for insertion of a plug. This can be, for example, the plug of a charging cable.Since the socket assumes a position different from that in the switched-on state in the switched-off state, charging is possible either only in the switched-on or in the switched-off state. When displacing the trigger and thus also the electronics during the switching process, the positions of the socket mouth and the charging opening in the shaft, which has the shape of a rounded rectangle, are in agreement only in one switching state, unless the charging opening extends over a length which corresponds to the sum of the socket width and switching travel.The fact that the connection between battery and electronics is interrupted in the switched-off state can be avoided by a suitable design of the electronics, wherein a suitably selected charge controller can be supplied via the power supply of the USB connector. The battery and charge controller are permanently connected to one another and the electronics are switched on via the button 83. The electronics are switched off by appropriate programming of the processor, which can control switching off independently not only via the signal of the button 83 but also, for example, with signals of the installed inertial sensor remaining the same over a preset period of time.In order that the sensing finger 831 remains in the switched-on state even when the end piece 3 is rotated, the switching ramp 22 must cover the rotational range between the closed and accessible loading opening 24. This is not necessarily a web, but preferably a surface which has to protrude into the region of the pusher. The cutout 61 in the front pusher housing 6 is dimensioned in such a way that it limits the rotational movement of the pusher housing relative to the shaft tube 2 to the amount required for the shifting.Alternative EmbodimentsIn order to allow the electronics to be switched off even when the button 83 is switched on, the electronics can be activated via a monostable flip-flop. When the button is switched from off to on, this generates a voltage signal of a time period which can be preset by capacitors and resistors. After the expiration of this time interval, the output of the flip-flop changes back to the ground potential, whereby the electronics no longer receive an activation signal and would switch on again after the deactivation on the basis of a voltage signal at the output of the flip-flop, even if the button 83 is still activated. Charging of the battery is also possible without activation of the electronics, however, since, when a suitable charging regulator is selected, the latter can be supplied via the power supply of the USB connection and controls the charging process by means of a state machine without further involvement of other components of the electronics.A further alternative embodiment concerns the above-described position of the shield, which can also be part of the rear shaft.Another alternative embodiment utilizes two separate parts for the front pusher housing. The plane of separation of these two parts, which in the preferred embodiment coincides with the plane of the circuit board, can also form an angle of up to 90° with respect to the latter.The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, the claims and the drawing can be essential for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments both individually and in any combinations.

Claims

Pen having a writing lead (4) having a writing tip (41), a housing at least partially receiving the writing lead and a socket (82) for an electronic connection, characterized in that the housing has two parts which can be adjusted relative to one another, wherein the socket (82) is concealed in a first position of the two parts with respect to one another and the socket (82) is accessible in a second position of the two parts with respect to one another.Pin according to claim 1, characterised in that one of the two parts has an opening (24) for the bushing (82) and the other part is coupled, in particular rotatably coupled, to the bushing (82) and / or to a cover (31, 53) for the opening (24).A pin according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two parts of the housing are a shaft tube (2) and an end piece (3).Pin according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two positions differ from one another in the rotational position of the two parts with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis of the pin.Pin according to claim 4, characterised in that at least one of the two parts has an outer contour differing from the circular shape in cross-section.Pin according to claim 5, characterised in that the deviation of the outer contour from the circular shape is due to a clip (31).The pin according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a clip (31) and / or a shield (53) is / are used for covering the bushing (82).A pen according to claim 7, characterized in that the clip (31) is rotationally coupled to one of the two parts of the housing and the bushing (82) is rotationally coupled to the other part.A pen according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the shield (53) is rotationally coupled to one of the two parts of the housing and the bushing (82) is rotationally coupled to the other part.Pencil according to one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized bya tray (5) which accommodates a battery (50) and has the shield (53).A pencil according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterised bya terminal piece (3) having a clip (31) and having the shield (53).

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