Pen

Abstract

The invention relates to a pen with a refill having a working end and an acceleration sensor. According to the invention, a pusher is provided at the end of the pen, opposite the working end of the refill, wherein the acceleration sensor is located in the pusher.

Description

[0001] PEN

[0002] The invention relates to a pen having a refill with a working end and an inertial sensor.

[0003] Pens of the above-mentioned type are known. These are electronic pens with, in most cases, wireless data transmission. Pens are generally designed to write on paper. Known pens have the sensor system, located near the working end of the refill, while the radio unit for data transmission is located at the end of the pen, opposite the working end, since at that position, the radio signal is not disturbed by the hand of the individual writing with the pen. Several parallel electrical connections are required to connect the sensors and the radio unit, which, in the case of the known pens, are implemented on a rigid-flex circuit board. This is because such circuit boards are easy to install, additional sensors such as a force sensor for measuring the writing pressure are positioned flexibly and this component is not bulky, which means that the diameter of the pen does not increase significantly. Rigid- flex circuit boards consist of a polyimide film, coated with circuit board tracks, and are reinforced with conventional circuit board material, made of glass fibre and epoxy resin in the regions where electronic components are soldered on.

[0004] Rigid-flex circuit boards are expensive. In addition, their price increases with the length of the circuit board. For a pen with an overall length of 150 mm, for example, the flexible region of the circuit board can be up to 70% of its length. For assembling such a long circuit board, it is advantageous to divide the pen shaft into two half-shells, which makes it impossible to replace the refill by unscrewing the shaft. Instead, a sleeve that closes the pen shaft at the working end of the refill with a cone must be pushed and locked onto the assembled shaft halves. This leads to a higher number of parts as well as higher material and manufacturing costs.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the invention is based on the object of further developing the pen of the type initially mentioned, in such a way that the material and manufacturing costs are reduced.

[0006] According to the invention, the mentioned object is achieved by a pusher, located at the end of the pen, opposite the working end of the refill, wherein the acceleration sensor is located in the pusher.

[0007] Since the acceleration sensor has been moved to the end of the pusher, opposite the working end of the refill, the circuit board can be significantly shortened and made entirely of rigid circuit board, which significantly reduces manufacturing costs. At the same time, the pen shaft can be constructed from two parts screwed together (grip zone and central shaft), which reduces the number of parts and assembly effort.

[0008] Surprisingly, it was discovered that the quality of the acceleration data increases as a result of this shift during processing, especially using machine learning methods, which initially contradicts intuition because, at first glance, data recorded near the end of the refill’s working life should describe the writing movement better. It is, however, a fact that during typical writing movements the rear end of the pen, i.e. the end, furthest from the working end of the refill, experiences greater deflections than the working end, which increases the ratio of the useful signal of the acceleration sensor to the gravitational acceleration, which is always present and thus becomes more favourable. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pen has a rotation rate sensor, located in the pusher. Such a rotation rate sensor can be used together with the acceleration sensor to (more precisely) detect the writing movement.

[0009] According to the invention, it may also be provided that the acceleration sensor and the rotation rate sensor are combined to form a combined acceleration and rotation rate sensor, thus referred to as an inertial sensor. The acceleration and rotation rate data, provided by such an inertial sensor, is referred to as inertial data.

[0010] According to the invention, it is further preferred that the pusher is coupled to the refill and can be switched back and forth between two positions, namely a first position in which the refill is in an operating position and a second position in which the refill is in a non-operating position, wherein the pen has an energy storage and an electronic circuit; the electronic circuit is designed to supply the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor with energy from the energy storage in response to a displacement of the pusher into the first position.

[0011] In other words, according to this embodiment of the invention, the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor are switched on by means of the pusher, and this happens whenever the refill is moved into the operating position.

[0012] The energy storage device can be a battery or an accumulator.

[0013] It is further preferably provided that the electronic circuit is designed to respond to the expiration of a predetermined period of time by switching off the power supply of the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor, unless an output signal of the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor has changed within the predetermined period of time.

[0014] In this embodiment, the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor are switched off when the pen is not used for a predetermined period of time. The period of time is, for example, 6 to 14 minutes, preferably 8 to 12 minutes. In this way, energy can be saved if the individual using the pen does not press the pusher after finishing writing to retract the refill, even though he or she has finished writing. The electronic circuit can be designed to reset a timer for the predetermined period of time each time an output signal of the inertial sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor changes.

[0015] This is a particularly simple way of implementing energy saving mode.

[0016] An even greater saving of energy is achieved if, in addition to the sensor system, the power supply for the processor unit and the radio unit, both of which are further components of the electronics, are also switched off when the signal from the inertial sensor system does not change significantly over a predetermined period of time.

[0017] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the pen has a monostable multivibrator for the above-mentioned purposes. This allows a voltage signal to be applied for a predetermined period of time to a circuit of the electronics which serves to activate these electronics. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the multivibrator switches this voltage signal off again, even if the handle is still in the operating position. This prevents the electronics from being reactivated if the processor or the inertial sensor system itself switches off the power supply in order to save energy.

[0018] The electronic circuit is preferably located in the pusher. It is located close to the acceleration sensor and possibly the rotation rate sensor, which shortens distances and saves space.

[0019] A circuit board can be provided which, in addition to the electronic circuit, carries the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor.

[0020] This circuit board can be a rigid circuit board, which, according to the above- mentioned designs, can be assembled easily and cost-effectively.

[0021] In addition to the above-mentioned sensors, the force with which the writer presses the tip onto the paper can be detected. This force is here also called writing pressure, even if it is a force and not a pressure (i.e. force per area). In order to enable a force sensor that is far from the writing tip, this force must be transferred to the rear area of the pen. In order to do this, the battery, which should be as close to the writing tip as possible to ensure a favourable centre of gravity, can be stored in a longitudinally movable tray, which also has the advantage that this tray allows the installation of batteries with considerable dimensional tolerances. By holding the battery in the elastic tray, it can be securely fixed relative to this tray and the writing force is transferred from the longitudinally movable refill via the tray to the electronics in the rear end of the pen.

[0022] There are various ways of applying the writing pressure to the force sensor:

[0023] 1. By attaching the force sensor perpendicular to the pen axis. As the circuit board itself must be installed parallel to the pen axis, the force sensor can be connected to the main circuit board via a flexible cable or by attaching an auxiliary circuit board perpendicular to the main circuit board, which is electrically connected to the main circuit board at 4 points via solder bridges, a plug connection or a cable. For example, the product HSFPAR003A from the Japanese company ALPS Denki Kabushiki Kaisha could be used as a force sensor.

[0024] 2. By actuating the force sensor, mounted on the main circuit board (also, for example, the product HSFPAR003A from the Japanese company ALPS Denki) via a lever mechanism, located between the battery tray and the circuit board. This lever mechanism can be mounted in different ways:

[0025] 2.1. By inserting or clipping into a corresponding holder on the end bulkhead of the battery tray. This holder can be something as simple as a hole into which a pin of the lever mechanism is inserted in a form-fitting manner, or at least a pair of jaws that hold an axle of the lever mechanism.

[0026] 2.2.One-piece design with the battery tray, wherein the connection between the tray and the lever mechanism is designed as a flexible bridge or as a foil hinge.

[0027] 2.3. By inserting a suitably shaped lever, which is held in the correct position by steps and / or ramps on the end bulkhead of the battery tray. No assembly step beyond inserting the components into the pen sleeve in the correct sequence and orientation is required when assembling the pen.

[0028] 3. By designing the force sensor as a capacitive sensor, for example, with a sensor surface printed on foil and a supply line attached to it, also on foil. The connection between the supply line and the circuit board can be made, for example, by using a plug / socket combination such as the products 5035520622 and 5035480622 from the US company Molex, LLC.

[0029] An electronic circuit for the pen can be built into the pen pusher. The pusher has several advantages. First, there is no need for a pen cap to prevent ink from escaping when the pen is not in use. Due to their small size, these pen caps often get lost, which is a constant annoyance when the pen is used frequently. A second advantage of designing the pen with a switching mechanism for the refill is an action by the writer when operating the pen, which has already been learned and can also be used to switch the electronics on and off. This makes it possible to operate the electronics in a power-saving manner also while writing and at the same time to switch them on and off using an action with which every user of the pen is already familiar, such that he or she does not forget to switch the electronics on and off. A further advantage is that, if the pen is designed with a switching mechanism for the refill, it must already be mounted in the pen body such that it can be moved longitudinally. This means that actuation of a force sensor by the refill is trivially easy to implement if the force sensor can be installed in the pen, as described above.

[0030] The pusher can be made of one or more parts. It includes all components that are mechanically firmly coupled to the pusher end that protrudes from the pen end and that completely or partially enclose the circuit board. For easier assembly, it can be helpful to make the pusher in several parts, for example, by building it up from two halves, between which the circuit board is placed and which are closed off at the back by a pusher end that is attached. However, it is also an option to design the pusher in one piece, in which case it is open at the front end such that the circuit board can be inserted there. However, the disadvantage of the one-piece pusher when using a conventional switching mechanism is that the switching ring or switching star, which is required to lock the switching mechanism in its two positions, can only be held on one side. Alternatively, a rotary mechanism, a clip that can be retracted by pushing, which also switches the mechanism, or a link mechanism, as known from DE000001267570B, can be provided.

[0031] Conversion of the Acceleration Signals

[0032] To determine the acceleration of the pen tip (working end of the refill), the signals from an acceleration sensor, installed in the rear area of the pen, can be converted as follows if the rotation rates are also available. The following also applies to the case of the inertial sensor. If x^y^Zt the accelerations in the three orthogonal axes of a Cartesian coordinate system with the zero point at position 1 on the longitudinal axis of the pen and the X-axis of this coordinate system coincides with the longitudinal axis of the pen, x0,yffz0the accelerations in the three orthogonal axes of a Cartesian coordinate system with the zero point at the position of the writing ball and x,y, zt e rotational speeds in the three orthogonal axes of a Cartesian coordinate system, where a location-dependent index can be dispensed with for the rotational speeds, since this is a free vector, and if elastic deformations of the pen during the writing movement can be excluded, then the conversion can be carried out according to the following formula: y0, t=i = yi, t=i - AxZt=2~tzt=0, z0, t=i = z1: t=1+ Ax-yt=2~tyt=0, wherein Ax is the distance of point 1 from the writing ball and the indices t=0, t=1 and t=2 denote three consecutive points in time, each separated by the time interval At / 2. As the inertial sensors measure in a clocked manner, three consecutive measuring points should be selected for the time points t=0, t=1 and t=2. While the y- and z-acceleration must be modified with the change in the rotation rate times the distance Ax, the x-acceleration must be modified with the centrifugal force such that all values apply at the same time and timedependent indices can be dispensed with.

[0033] More complex equations that include measured values from more than just 3 points in time can also be used to attenuate unusually high or low signals from the rotation rate sensor due to sensor noise. The usual approaches for this should be familiar to the expert and do not need to be explained individually here.

[0034] The above-mentioned conversions can be applied analogously for lateral distances of the sensor axes from the longitudinal axis of the pen. In this case, care should be taken to ensure that the orientation of the inertial and rotation rate sensors is as parallel as possible to the longitudinal axis of the pen, otherwise the values must first be rotated in a coordinate system parallel to the longitudinal axis. The position of the inertial and rotation rate sensors in the pen is irrelevant. Both discrete components for each sensor and combination components that combine acceleration and rotation rate sensors in one housing can be used.

[0035] The units for acceleration are m / s2, for rotation rate rad / s and for distance m.

[0036] A pen according to the invention can consist of nine components:

[0037] 1 . a shaft, i.e. a tube for holding the internal components, which can optionally carry a clip (front housing part) and can optionally consist of two parts screwed together (gripping piece and central shaft), 2. a rear end that closes the shaft to the rear, can be rotated against the shaft and optionally carries a clip (rear housing part),

[0038] 3. a refill, i.e. a component for producing a line on a writing substrate, preferably paper, which is arranged longitudinally displaceable in the front area of the shaft and in an operating position protrudes with its tip from the shaft, while in its non-operating position it lies entirely within the shaft,

[0039] 4. an elastic element that applies a preload to the refill in the direction of the rear end of the shaft, preferably a compression spring,

[0040] 5. a tray, located behind the refill in the shaft for holding the energy storage, which is longitudinally displaceable in the shaft and is in contact with the rear end of the refill at its front end in order to transmit the force acting on the tip of the refill to subsequent components,

[0041] 6. a longitudinally displaceable pusher arranged in the rear area of the shaft, which also accommodates the electronics (see position 8) and protrudes with its rear end from the rear end of the shaft in order to trigger the change between the working and non-operating position actuated by the user,

[0042] 7. a switching mechanism which accomplishes the alternating locking of the switching element in the working and non-operating position, for example, a switching star, which is arranged rotationally movable on the circumference of a pusher and at the same time runs in grooves on the inner surface of the shaft or the rear end,

[0043] 8. an electronic circuit (electronics), which is predominantly installed within the pusher and consists of at least one acceleration sensor and optionally a rotation rate sensor (possibly preferably combined to form an inertial sensor) and a force sensor, wherein the optional force sensor is in contact with the rear end of the battery tray in the writing position, such that the force flow during writing runs from the tip of the refill via the battery tray, the force sensor, the pusher and the switching star optionally via the rear end into the shaft, or directly into the shaft, and from there into the user's hand,

[0044] 9. and an energy storage, which is preferably arranged in the battery tray and is in electrically conductive contact with the electronics, at least in the operating position.

[0045] Depending on the design of the energy storage, it can be designed to be replaceable or rechargeable. In the latter case, the electronics can also have at least one charging socket for the electrically conductive connection of at least one external voltage source for charging the energy storage installed in the pen.

[0046] Switching On and Off In the preferred solution, the electronics are permanently connected to the battery. The power supply is switched on and off by an IC, which can be switched from the nonoperating to the operating position via its own input by applying a positive voltage to this input for a minimum time (typically 0.8 seconds). During operation, this input is pulled to the ground potential by a resistor connected to the ground line. The power supply can be activated and switched on by a switching element activated by pressing the push-button, for example, in the form of a push-button, directly or indirectly, for example, via a monostable multivibrator, switching the battery voltage to the input.

[0047] However, a direct switching would have the disadvantage that one forgets that the pen is switched on, which would lead to the complete discharge of the energy storage over a longer period of time. This would be particularly disadvantageous for lithium-ion batteries, as total discharge destroys them. It is therefore desirable to switch off the IC for the power supply via software. Modern versions of such ICs allow this by connecting them to the processor of the electronics via a communication line.

[0048] To ensure that a pen that remains switched on can be switched off by a command from the processor (this command can be triggered, for example, by monitoring a change in the signal from at least one inertial sensor), it is necessary that the input for switching on the power supply is only supplied with voltage for the duration of the switch-on process. Once the power supply is switched on, the voltage value at the input for switching on is ignored until the IC for the power supply is switched back to the non-operating position. This shortterm voltage signal, which is held long enough to trigger the switch-on process but is then switched off again, can be generated, for example, by a monostable multivibrator, which in turn is controlled by a switching element activated by pressing the pusher.

[0049] The sequence when switching on is thus in this preferred solution:

[0050] 1 . The switching mechanism is actuated by the pusher, allowing the switching element to pass the voltage from the battery.

[0051] 2. The monostable multivibrator (e.g. the Nexperia 74LVC1 G123GN component) is activated, whereby a positive voltage is switched at an output for a predetermined time. At the end of this time, that output returns to ground potential, regardless of the voltage value at the input of the multivibrator.

[0052] 3. The positive voltage of the multivibrator is switched to the input for switching on the IC for the voltage supply, as a result of which it switches from the non-operating state to the operating position and maintains this until it is switched off by a signal from the processor. Of course, the pen electronics can also be switched off by pressing the pusher. In order to do this, the voltage behind the switching element activated by pressing the pusher is evaluated by the pen’s processor unit and the voltage supply is switched off when the switch is in the Off position.

[0053] In the preferred solution according to the invention, the electronics are limited to the space behind the energy storage and the battery tray, i.e. they are installed in the pusher, whereby parts of the electronics can protrude from the contour of the pusher housing. For example, a force sensor at the front can be in direct contact with the rear end of the battery tray. Similarly, a switching element can protrude from the pusher housing, which reports the respective position of the pusher to the processor unit of the electronics through contact with a suitably shaped contour on the inner surface of the shaft. In the case of a rechargeable battery, the required charging socket will also protrude at least partially through an opening in the pusher housing. For example, in the case of a non-rechargeable battery, the processor unit can sense the position of the pusher via elastic electrical contacts, which only close the circuit with the voltage source in the writing position.

[0054] Alternative Embodiments

[0055] Alternative 1

[0056] Instead of a directly actuated pusher, this can be moved indirectly by turning the two shaft parts in relation to each other, in that it is guided in the front shaft part in a linearly displaceable but rotationally coupled manner, and in the rear shaft part its rotary movement is converted into a linear displacement of the pusher by means of a ramp or a link. In this case, the pusher does not have to protrude from the back of the pen, and instead of the thread, the two shaft parts are connected to each other by a locking mechanism, which connects both in a form-fitting manner but allows limited rotation in relation to each other.

[0057] Alternative 2

[0058] If the pen does not contain a rechargeable voltage source, its design can be kept noticeably simpler, which meets the objective of a particularly low-cost design. However, the energy storage must then be replaced regularly during operation, which leads to higher operating costs. In this case, the battery tray contains a zinc-carbon element or an alkaline cell of a suitable size. In this embodiment, no charging socket is provided, and instead of the IC for the power supply, which also controls the charging of a rechargeable voltage source, a simple step-up or step-down converter can be installed, which increases or decreases the voltage of the non-rechargeable voltage source to the desired operating voltage of the electronics depending on the voltage of the voltage source.

[0059] A further simplification is possible if the switching on and off of the electronics is not controlled by a switching element that is controlled by the actuation of the switching mechanism, but by spring contacts that come into galvanic contact with contact surfaces on the corresponding opposite side in the operating position and, in the non-operating position, are lifted off from these contact surfaces by the further movement of the pusher relative to the travel distance of the battery tray, thus causing a complete separation of the voltage source from the electronics. The springs can be attached to the battery tray as well as to the pusher containing the electronics. Figure 12 shows such a design, with the contact springs attached to the pusher side and the contact surfaces attached to the side of the battery tray. An additional return spring ensures that the contact springs are safely lifted off in the non-operating position.

[0060] In order to facilitate the replacement of the voltage source and the writing refill, this embodiment has an extended tray (Figure 13) which simultaneously accommodates both the voltage source and the refill in separate compartments.

[0061] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail using preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown:

[0062] Fig. 1 a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0063] Fig. 2 and 3 the same view as Fig. 1 , but of other embodiments,

[0064] Fig. 4 the same view as Fig. 3, but with retracted refill,

[0065] Fig. 5 schematic of a lever mechanism,

[0066] Fig. 6 an embodiment of a tray for the pen according to

[0067] Fig. 3 and 4,

[0068] Fig. 7 the same view as Fig. 4, but of an embodiment with two-part pusher, Fig. 8a and 8b individual parts of the pusher from Fig. 2 or 7, partially cut,

[0069] Fig. 9 the same view as Fig. 7, but with the refill extended,

[0070] Fig. 10 an exemplary embodiment of a part of the pusher,

[0071] Fig. 11 the same view as Figures 4 and 7, but of a further embodiment,

[0072] Fig. 12 the same view as Figures 1 to 3 and 9, but of a further embodiment and in two different rotational positions, and

[0073] Fig. 13 a schematic view of another embodiment of a tray.

[0074] The drawings show the following details of the pen:

[0075] A gripping piece 1 , a shaft tube 2, a rear end piece 3, a writing refill 4, a tray 5 for a battery 50, which encloses it in a form-fitting manner, a front pusher housing 6, a rear pusher housing 7, a circuit board 8, a switching star 9, a passage opening 1 1 for a writing tip 41 of the refill 4, a switching spring 12, a thread 21 , a locking mechanism 23 of the end piece 3, a clip 31 , a refill tube 42 of the refill 4, a refill filling (ink 43 and follow-up refill 45), an optional plug 44, a front tray bulkhead 51 , a rear tray bulkhead 52, a shield 53 (if part of the tray) or 32 (if part of the shaft end) for closing a charging socket opening 24, webs 54, a recess 55, a lever 56, a lens 57, an edge 58, a seat 61 for the circuit board of the force sensor 81 , a cutout 62 for a charging socket 82, a locking bead 63 for the rear pusher housing 7, a receptacle 64, a toothed profile 71 for the switching star transport, a locking groove 72 in the rear pusher housing 7, a force sensor 81 , a charging socket 82, which in the example shown is a USB- C charging socket, a button 83 serving as a switching element, a combined inertial sensor 84, an acceleration sensor 84a, a rotation rate sensor 84b, a processor 85, an antenna 86, an outer toothed ring 91 for locking, an inner toothed ring 92 for switching star transport and a sensing lever 831.

[0076] Figures 12 and 13 show the following details:

[0077] A front stop 101 for the refill, a front compartment 102 of the tray 5 for the refill, a rear compartment 103 for the voltage source, a rear passage opening 104 for a contact surface, a further passage opening 105 for the positive pole of the voltage source, bars 106 as a stop for the switching spring 12, a resilient metal contact 121 for the negative pole of the voltage source, a rear contact surface 122, a contact spring 130 and a return spring 131 for the safe lifting of the pusher and its electronics. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , a lever 56 is provided which transmits the force acting on the writing tip 41 during use to the force sensor 81. The lever 56 is plugged into the rear tray bulkhead 52. The pusher consists of the front pusher housing 6 and the rear pusher housing 7. The force sensor 81 , the combined inertial sensor 84, a processor 85 and an antenna 86 are located inside the pusher. The processor 85 is the electronic circuit that, for example, switches the sensors 81 and 84 on and off. A further component is a monostable multivibrator (without reference sign).

[0078] The exemplary embodiment according to Figure 2 differs from that according to Figure 1 in that the lever 56 is moulded onto the rear tray bulkhead 52.

[0079] In the exemplary embodiment according to Figures 3 to 5, the lever 56 is placed against the rear tray bulkhead 52 and is held in position there, cf. the above possibility of attachment under point 2.3. For this purpose, the lever 56 has a lens 57 for contact with the force sensor 81 and an edge 58 about which the lever 56 can pivot. Figure 5 shows the lever 56 in three views for clarification.

[0080] Figure 6 shows the tray 5 of the pen according to Figures 3 and 4. It has webs 54 for orienting the lever 56 and a recess 55 on which the edge 58 of the lever 56 is supported.

[0081] Figure 8 shows various views (partially sectioned) of the lever handle for the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 7, according to which the rear lever handle housing 7 is designed as a pusher cap. The circuit board 8 is housed in the front pusher housing 6, which is designed as a pusher tube. The switching mechanism is a type known, therefore it isn’t explained in detail. Figure 9 shows the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 7 once again, but in this case with the refill extended (operating position).

[0082] Figure 10 shows an alternative design of the pusher tube 6. It has a cut-out 62 for the charging socket 82, a locking bead 63 for the pusher cap 7, a receptacle 64 for the circuit board of the force sensor 81 and a seat 61 for the circuit board of the force sensor 81 , which is orthogonal to the circuit board 8, cf. Figures 7 and 9.

[0083] Whereas in the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1 1 , the charging socket opening 24 is closed by a shield 32 moulded onto the rear end 3, according to Figure 6, the relevant shield 53 is attached to the tray 5. The shield 32 attached to the rear end 3 according to Figure 1 1 can be designed as a tube which has the cut-out 62 in the area of the charging socket 82, through which the charging socket 82 can protrude outwards. At the same time, the cut-out makes it possible to rotationally couple the pusher to the rear end 3, which in the case of a shield attached to the battery tray 5 is only possible by means of grooves and springs between the pusher cap 7 and the rear end 3 or an elliptical pusher cap.

[0084] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 12, the resilient metal contact 121 for the negative pole of the battery 50 and a contact spring 130 as well as a rear contact surface 122, with which the operating voltage can be applied to the circuit board 8 and thus to the individual components mounted thereon when the refill 4 is in the operating position, can be recognized in particular. In the non-operating position, the battery 50 is disconnected.

[0085] Figure 13 shows an exemplary embodiment of the battery tray 5 for a non-recharge- able voltage source (battery).

[0086] The features of the invention disclosed in the description, the claims and the drawings can be essential both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . Pen having a refill (4) with a working end (41 ) and an acceleration sensor (84, 84a), characterized by a pusher (6, 7), located at the end of the pen, opposite the working end (41 ) of the refill, wherein the acceleration sensor (84, 84a) is located in the pusher.

2. Pen according to claim 1 , characterized by a rotation rate sensor (84, 84b), located in the pusher (6, 7).

3. Pen according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the acceleration sensor (84a) and the rotation rate sensor (84b) are combined to form a combined inertial sensor (84).

4. Pen according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pusher (6, 7) is coupled to the refill (4) and can be switched back and forth between two positions, namely a first position in which the refill is in an operating position, and a second position in which the refill is in a non-operating position, wherein the pen has an energy storage (5) and an electronic circuit (85), and the electronic circuit is designed to supply the acceleration sensor (84a) and / or the angular rate sensor (84b) and / or the inertial sensor (84) with energy from the energy storage in response to a displacement of the pusher into the first position.

5. Pen according to claim 4, characterized in that the electronic circuit (85) is designed to respond to the expiry of a predetermined period of time by switching off the power supply of the acceleration sensor (84a) and / or the rotation rate sensor (84b) and / or the inertial sensor (84), unless an output signal of the acceleration sensor and / or the rotation rate sensor and / or the inertial sensor (84) has changed within the predetermined period of time.

6. Pen according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the electronic circuit (85) is designed to reset a timer for the predetermined period of time in each case when an output signal of the acceleration sensor (84a) and / or the rotation rate sensor (84b) and / or the inertial sensor (84) changes.

7. Pen according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the electronic circuit (85) is located in the pusher (6, 7).

8. Pen according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized by a circuit board (8) which, in addition to the electronic circuit (85), carries the acceleration sensor (84a) and / or the rotation rate sensor (84b) and / or the inertial sensor (84).

9. Pen according to claim 8, characterized in that the circuit board (8) is a rigid circuit board.

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