Cartridge and electronic pen

Abstract

To realize dustproofness and waterproofness of a cartridge housed inside a pen body.SOLUTION: A cartridge is a cartridge for an electronic pen that is used while being housed in a pen body that is a casing of the electronic pen, and includes first and second inner electrodes disposed on an inner surface of a cartridge body that is the casing of the cartridge, a signal source for supplying a signal to the first inner electrode, and a signal detector for detecting a signal appearing in the second inner electrode. The first inner electrode is capacitively coupled with a first outer electrode disposed in the pen body, the second inner electrode is capacitively coupled with a second outer electrode disposed in the pen body, and a first signal regulator configured so as to be capable of adjusting the quantity of signal flowing between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode is provided between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge and an electronic pen, and more particularly to a cartridge and an electronic pen that are housed in a housing of the electronic pen. [Background technology]

[0002] One example of an electronic pen used to input information by indicating its own coordinate position to a position detection device is a type that is configured to have replaceable cartridges (refills), similar to commercially available ballpoint pens. Inside the cartridge, various circuits necessary to realize the functions of the electronic pen are arranged. Hereinafter, the housing of the electronic pen will be referred to as the "pen body," and the housing of the cartridge will be referred to as the "cartridge body." The cartridge body is configured to a size that can be stored inside the pen body. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of such an electronic pen. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 043214 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the cartridge of the electronic pen according to the background art is provided with terminals that penetrate the cartridge body to realize an electrical connection between the side switch located on the side of the pen body and the circuit located inside the cartridge. Therefore, the electronic pen according to the background art has a problem in that if foreign matter such as water or dust enters between the pen body and the cartridge body, the foreign matter also enters the inside of the cartridge through the gap that occurs between the terminals and the cartridge body.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge and an electronic pen that realize dustproof and waterproof properties for the cartridge housed inside the pen body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The cartridge according to the present invention is a cartridge for an electronic pen that is stored in a pen body, which is the housing of the electronic pen, and includes first and second inner electrodes arranged on the inner surface of the cartridge body, which is the housing of the cartridge, a signal source that supplies a signal to the first inner electrode, and a signal detector that detects a signal that appears on the second inner electrode, wherein the first inner electrode is capacitively coupled to a first outer electrode arranged in the pen body, and the second inner electrode is capacitively coupled to a second outer electrode arranged in the pen body, and a first signal regulator configured to adjust the amount of signal flowing between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode is provided between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode.

[0007] The electronic pen according to the present invention is an electronic pen comprising a pen body, which is the housing of the electronic pen, and a cartridge that is stored in the pen body for use, wherein the cartridge comprises first and second inner electrodes arranged on the inner surface of the cartridge body, which is the housing of the cartridge, a signal source that supplies a signal to the first inner electrode, and a signal detector that detects a signal that appears on the second inner electrode, and the electronic pen comprises a first outer electrode that is capacitively coupled to the first inner electrode, a second outer electrode that is capacitively coupled to the second inner electrode, and a first signal regulator having one end connected to the first outer electrode and the other end connected to the second outer electrode, and that adjusts the amount of signal flowing between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize dustproof and waterproof properties for the cartridge housed inside the pen body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1(a) to 1(c) are diagrams showing an electronic pen 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a circuit disposed inside the cartridge 3. [Figure 3] This figure is a diagram showing a part of the configuration of the electronic pen 1, with the functional blocks within the IC 38 added. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing a pulse signal P supplied to the inner electrode 32a by a signal source 40 and a current A detected by a signal detector 41. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram showing a part of the configuration of the electronic pen 1 according to the first modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention, with functional blocks within the IC 38 added. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram showing a part of the configuration of the electronic pen 1 according to a second modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention, with functional blocks within an IC 38 added. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a pulse signal P supplied to an inner electrode 32a by a signal source 40 and a current A detected by a signal detector 41 in a second modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram showing a part of the configuration of an electronic pen 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with functional blocks within an IC 38 added thereto. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] 1(a) to 1(c) are diagrams showing an electronic pen 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, the electronic pen 1 is configured to have, inside or on the surface of a pen body 2, which is a housing, a knock rod 10, a rotor 11, a cam body 12, a return spring stopper 13, a return spring 14, outer electrodes 20a, 20b, a switch 21, and a cartridge 3. The cartridge 3 is a rod-shaped member configured to be able to be stored inside the pen body 2, and is configured to have a cartridge body 30, a pen tip 31, and inner electrodes 32a, 32b.

[0012] The knock bar 10, rotor 11, cam body 12, return spring stopper 13, and return spring 14 are components that realize the knock function. Although these components have a three-dimensional structure, Figures 1(a) to 1(c) show them as schematic plan views for explaining their functions.

[0013] The knock rod 10 is a rod-shaped member with a chamfered tip (the end closest to the pen tip; the same applies hereinafter). The rear end (the end closest to the butt end; the same applies hereinafter) of the knock rod 10 protrudes from the rear end of the pen body 2. The rotor 11 is a rod-shaped member with multiple protrusions 11a at its rear end. The rotor 11 is configured to be rotatable around the pen shaft, and its tip is fixed to the rear end of the cartridge body 30. The multiple protrusions 11a are arranged at equal intervals around the pen shaft.

[0014] The cam body 12 is a cylindrical member having two types of grooves 12a and 12b of different depths formed alternately. The grooves 12a and 12b are also arranged at equal intervals around the pen shaft. The relatively shallow groove 12b has a tapered bottom. The cam body 12 is configured to prevent movement in the pen shaft direction and rotation around the pen shaft by a stopper (not shown). The knock bar 10 is inserted into the inside of the cam body 12 from the rear end side.

[0015] The return spring stopper 13 is a donut-shaped member fixed to the pen body 2. The return spring 14 is an elastic body arranged so that one end abuts against the rear end of the return spring stopper 13 and the other end abuts against the front end of the rotor 11. In this way, the return spring 14 serves to urge the rotor 11 toward the rear end of the pen. The cartridge body 30 is inserted inside the return spring stopper 13 and the return spring 14.

[0016] The knock bar 10 and rotor 11 are configured to be movable along the pen axis. However, the movement range of the knock bar 10 toward the rear end of the pen is restricted by the pen body 2, and the movement range of the rotor 11 toward the tip of the pen is restricted by the return spring 14. The rotor 11 is also configured to be rotatable around the pen axis.

[0017] 1(a) to 1(c) each show the states of the electronic pen 1 that occur when the user presses the knock bar 10. First, Fig. 1(a) shows the initial state, in which the protrusion 11a of the rotor 11 is fitted into the relatively deep groove 12a of the cam body 12 and is in contact with the peak at the tip of the knock bar 10.

[0018] When the user pushes the knock bar 10 toward the pen tip in the state shown in FIG. 1(a), the tip of the knock bar 10 moves toward the pen tip, and the rotor 11 is pushed by the tip of the moving knock bar 10 and moves toward the pen tip. FIG. 1(b) shows the state in which the knock bar 10 and rotor 11 have moved toward the pen tip in this manner. As shown in FIG. 1(b), when the protrusion 11a of the rotor 11 completely comes out of the groove 12a, the protrusion 11a, which is biased toward the rear end of the pen by the return spring 14, slides down the ridge of the knock bar 10, causing the rotor 11 to rotate around the pen shaft. When the user then stops pushing the knock bar 10, the biasing force of the return spring 14 causes the rotor 11 to move toward the rear end of the pen. However, as the rotor 11 rotates, the protrusion 11a of the rotor 11 falls into the groove 12b adjacent to the direction of rotation of the rotor 11, rather than into the original groove 12a. Because groove 12b is shallower than groove 12a, the movement of rotor 11 stops at a position closer to the pen tip than in Fig. 1(a). Fig. 1(c) shows the state in which rotor 11 has stopped in this way. After this, when the user again pushes knock bar 10 toward the pen tip, the same operation as above occurs, and this time protrusion 11a of rotor 11 falls into groove 12a, returning to the initial state in Fig. 1(a).

[0019] As described above, the rotor 11 is fixed to the rear end of the cartridge body 30. Therefore, as the rotor 11 moves in the pen axis direction, the cartridge body 30 also moves in the pen axis direction. The range of movement of the rotor 11 in the pen axis direction and the length of the cartridge body 30 in the pen axis direction are adjusted in advance so that the pen tip 31 is completely housed within the pen body 2 in the initial state shown in FIG. 1( a) and so that the pen tip 31 protrudes from the tip of the pen body 2 in the state shown in FIG. 1( c). When the pen tip 31 protrudes from the tip of the pen body 2, the user can write with the electronic pen 1. Therefore, by repeatedly depressing the knock bar 10, the user can switch between a state in which the electronic pen 1 can be used for writing and a state in which the pen tip 31 is completely housed within the pen body 2.

[0020] The electronic pen 1 is configured so that the cartridge 3 can be replaced. To this end, the knock rod 10, rotor 11, and cam body 12 are configured so that they can be removed from the pen body 2. When replacing the cartridge 3, the user first removes the knock rod 10, rotor 11, and cam body 12 from the pen body 2, and then removes the cartridge 3 from the rear end of the pen body 2. The user then inserts a new cartridge 3 from the rear end of the pen body 2, and then replaces the cartridge 3 by attaching the knock rod 10, rotor 11, and cam body 12 to the pen body 2.

[0021] The outer electrodes 20a and 20b, the switch 21, and the inner electrodes 32a and 32b are configured to provide a switch that can be turned on and off by the user on the side of the electronic pen 1. The outer electrodes 20a and 20b and the switch 21 are fixed to the pen body 2, and the inner electrodes 32a and 32b are fixed to the cartridge body 30.

[0022] The switch 21 is a single-pole, single-throw switch with one end connected to the outer electrode 20a and the other end connected to the outer electrode 20b. The switch 21 can be turned on and off from outside the pen body 2. This allows a user to switch the electrical continuity between the outer electrode 20a and the outer electrode 20b by turning the switch 21 on and off. As will be described in detail later, the switch 21, together with a capacitor formed by the inner electrode 32a and the outer electrode 20a, and a capacitor formed by the outer electrode 20b and the inner electrode 32b, forms a signal path for a signal output from a signal source 40 (described later). The switch 21 is a signal regulator that adjusts the amount of signal flowing through the signal path, in the sense that when it is on, the switch 21 allows the signal to pass through the signal path, and when it is off, the switch 21 does not allow the signal to pass through the signal path.

[0023] As described above, the cartridge 3 is configured to move in the pen axis direction as the user pushes in the knock bar 10. The outer electrodes 20a, 20b and the inner electrodes 32a, 32b are arranged such that, when the cartridge 3 is in the position (writing position) shown in FIG. 1(c), the outer electrode 20a and the inner electrode 32a face each other across the cartridge body 30, and the outer electrode 20b and the inner electrode 32b face each other across the cartridge body 30. The cartridge body 30 is made of a dielectric material, and the opposing outer electrode 20a and the inner electrode 32a are capacitively coupled with each other, with the cartridge body 30 acting as a dielectric between the electrodes. The same is true for the outer electrode 20b and the inner electrode 32b. This capacitive coupling allows the electronic pen 1 to transmit the on / off state of the switch 21 to a circuit within the cartridge 3 without the need for a terminal that penetrates the cartridge body 30. This point will be described in detail below with reference to a circuit diagram within the cartridge 3.

[0024] 2 is a diagram showing a circuit disposed inside the cartridge 3. The diagram also shows outer electrodes 20a, 20b and a switch 21. The diagram shows an example in which the electronic pen 1 communicates with a sensor controller in a position detection device by an electromagnetic induction method (EMR method), but the present invention can also be suitably applied to other types of electronic pens 1, such as an active electrostatic method.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge 3 includes the above-mentioned cartridge body 30, pen tip 31, and inner electrodes 32a and 32b, as well as a coil 33, a capacitor 34, a variable capacitor 35, a capacitor 36, a switch 37, and an IC 38.

[0026] The coil 33 and the capacitor 34 are connected in series to form an LC resonant circuit. The variable capacitor 35, the capacitor 36, and the IC 38 are connected in parallel to the capacitor 34. The switch 37 is a single-pole, single-throw switch and is connected in series with the capacitor 36. The variable capacitor 35 serves to change the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit. The capacitor 36 serves to change the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit when the switch 37 is on.

[0027] When coil 33 enters an alternating magnetic field emitted from a sensor arranged on the touch surface of a position detection device (not shown), an electromotive force is generated across both ends of coil 33. This electromotive force charges capacitor 34, and charge accumulates in capacitor 34. IC 38 is configured to operate using this electromotive force as its operating power. When the alternating magnetic field emitted from the sensor of the position detection device stops, an alternating magnetic field is emitted from coil 33 due to the charge accumulated in capacitor 34. A sensor controller in the position detection device detects this alternating magnetic field and thereby detects the position of electronic pen 1 on the touch surface.

[0028] Here, variable capacitor 35 is configured so that its capacitance changes depending on the pressure (writing pressure) applied to pen tip 31. Furthermore, switch 37 plays a role in switching between a state in which capacitor 36 is connected to an LC resonant circuit formed by coil 33 and capacitor 34 and a state in which it is not connected, depending on the on / off state of switch 21 (this point will be described in detail later). Therefore, the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit changes depending on the writing pressure and the on / off state of switch 21. A sensor controller in the position detection device is configured to acquire the writing pressure and the on / off state of switch 21 by detecting changes in the frequency of the detected alternating magnetic field.

[0029] IC38 is an integrated circuit for realizing various functions of electronic pen 1. The functions realized by IC38 include a function for detecting the on / off state of switch 21 and controlling switch 37 in accordance with the result. Below, details of this function will be explained with reference to a functional block diagram of IC38.

[0030] 3 is a diagram showing a portion of the configuration of the electronic pen 1, to which functional blocks within IC 38 have been added. As shown in the figure, IC 38 is functionally configured to include a signal source 40, a signal detector 41, and a signal processing unit 42.

[0031] The signal source 40 is an oscillator configured to generate a signal including an AC component and is configured to supply the generated signal to the inner electrode 32a. The specific content of the signal including the AC component is not limited, but the following description will continue assuming that it is a rectangular pulse signal. The signal detector 41 is a detector configured to detect a signal appearing at the inner electrode 32b. The specific type of the signal detector 41 is also not limited, but the following description will continue assuming that it is an ammeter configured to detect current.

[0032] Signal processing unit 42 is a processor that executes programs stored in a memory (not shown) to realize various functions of electronic pen 1. Signal processing unit 42 according to this embodiment plays a role of causing signal source 40 to generate a signal containing an AC component, obtaining the detection result of the resulting signal from signal detector 41, and controlling the on / off of switch 37 in accordance with the result.

[0033] 4 is a diagram showing a pulse signal P supplied to the inner electrode 32a by the signal source 40 and a current A detected by the signal detector 41. Fig. 4(a) shows the case where the switch 21 is on, and Fig. 4(b) shows the case where the switch 21 is off.

[0034] In the example of Fig. 4, times t1 and t2 correspond to the rising and falling edges of the pulse signal P, respectively. When the switch 21 is on, a signal path is formed through the capacitor formed by the inner electrode 32a and the outer electrode 20a, the switch 21, and the capacitor formed by the outer electrode 20b and the inner electrode 32b, and therefore, a current flows in response to the rising and falling edges of the pulse signal P for a short time until the charging or discharging of the two capacitors is completed, as shown in Fig. 4(a). On the other hand, when the switch 21 is off, the signal path is not formed, and therefore, no current flows in response to the rising and falling edges of the pulse signal P, as shown in Fig. 4(b).

[0035] After generating a pulse signal in signal source 40, signal processing unit 42 detects the on / off state of switch 21 based on whether or not current A as shown in Fig. 4(a) is detected by signal detector 41, and controls the on / off of switch 37 according to the result. In a specific example, if current A as shown in Fig. 4(a) is detected, signal processing unit 42 detects that switch 21 is on and controls switch 37 to be on in response, and if current A as shown in Fig. 4(a) is not detected, signal processing unit 42 detects that switch 21 is off and controls switch 37 to be off in response. In this way, the on / off state of switch 21 can be reflected in the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit, and thereby transmitted to the sensor controller.

[0036] As described above, with the electronic pen 1 according to this embodiment, the capacitive coupling between the inner electrodes 32a, 32b and the outer electrodes 20a, 20b can be used to transmit the on / off state of the switch 21 to the signal processing unit 42 in the cartridge 3. The signal processing unit 42 can then reflect the transmitted on / off state of the switch 21 in the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit. Therefore, a side switch can be realized without providing a terminal that penetrates the cartridge body 30, and the electronic pen 1 according to this embodiment makes it possible to achieve dustproof and waterproof properties for the cartridge 3 housed inside the pen body 2.

[0037] 5 is a diagram showing a part of the configuration of the electronic pen 1 according to a first modified example of the present embodiment, to which functional blocks within IC 38 have been added. As can be seen by comparing this figure with FIG. 3, the electronic pen 1 according to this modified example differs from the electronic pen 1 according to the present embodiment in that a comparator is used as the signal detector 41 instead of an ammeter.

[0038] The signal detector 41, which is a comparator, has a non-inverting input terminal, an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal, and is a circuit that outputs "0" from the output terminal when the potential difference between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal is less than a predetermined value, and outputs "1" from the output terminal when the potential difference between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. As shown in Figure 5, the non-inverting input terminal of the signal detector 41 is connected to the inner electrode 32b, the inverting input terminal is connected to the signal source 40, and the output terminal is connected to the signal processing unit 42.

[0039] When the switch 21 is off, the above-described signal path is not formed, and the voltage at the non-inverting input terminal of the signal detector 41 remains low even when the signal source 40 outputs a pulse signal. As a result, the output of the signal detector 41 is 1 while the signal source 40 is outputting a pulse signal, and is 0 otherwise. On the other hand, when the switch 21 is on, the above-described signal path is formed, and the voltage at the non-inverting input terminal of the signal detector 41 temporarily increases in the positive direction at the rising edge of the pulse signal, then gradually decreases, and temporarily increases in the negative direction at the falling edge of the pulse signal, then gradually decreases. As a result, the output of the signal detector 41 becomes 1 slightly after the rising edge of the pulse signal and returns to 0 slightly after the falling edge of the pulse signal. The signal processing unit 42 of this modified example detects the on / off state of the switch 21 by detecting such a difference in the output of the signal detector 41 depending on the state of the switch 21. The processing after detecting the on / off state of the switch 21 (i.e., control of the switch 37) is the same as in this embodiment.

[0040] As described above, the electronic pen 1 according to this modification can also transmit the on / off state of the switch 21 to the signal processing unit 42 in the cartridge 3 by utilizing the capacitive coupling between the inner electrodes 32a, 32b and the outer electrodes 20a, 20b. The signal processing unit 42 can then reflect the transmitted on / off state of the switch 21 in the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit. Therefore, a side switch can be realized without providing a terminal that penetrates the cartridge body 30, and the electronic pen 1 according to this modification can therefore achieve dustproof and waterproof properties for the cartridge 3 housed inside the pen body 2.

[0041] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which an ammeter is used as the signal detector 41, and in the present modified example, an example has been described in which a comparator is used as the signal detector 41, but any device other than an ammeter or a comparator can be used as the signal detector 41 as long as it can detect that the signal supplied from the signal source 40 to the inner electrode 32a has reached the inner electrode 32b. For example, a voltmeter, an oscilloscope, or the like can be used as the signal detector 41.

[0042] 6 is a diagram showing a portion of the configuration of electronic pen 1 according to a second modified example of this embodiment, to which functional blocks within IC 38 have been added. As can be seen by comparing this figure with Figure 3, electronic pen 1 according to this modified example differs from electronic pen 1 according to this embodiment in that it uses variable resistor 22 instead of switch 21, and in that it uses variable capacitor 39 instead of the series circuit of capacitor 36 and switch 37.

[0043] The variable resistor 22 is an electronic component configured so that its resistance value can be changed in multiple stages by user operation. In this modified example, the variable resistor 22, rather than the switch 21, constitutes the side switch of the electronic pen 1. In this case, the side switch is a volume switch configured so that its state can be switched in multiple stages. Like the switch 21, the variable resistor 22, together with a capacitor formed by the inner electrode 32a and the outer electrode 20a and a capacitor formed by the outer electrode 20b and the inner electrode 32b, constitutes a signal path for a signal output from the signal source 40, and functions as a signal regulator that adjusts the amount of signal flowing in the signal path by its resistance value.

[0044] The variable capacitor 39 is an electronic component configured so that its capacitance value can be changed in multiple steps under the control of the signal processing unit 42. The number of steps of the variable capacitor 39 is preferably equal to or greater than the number of steps of the variable resistor 22. The signal processing unit 42 is configured to store in advance the steps (capacitance value steps) of the variable capacitor 39 corresponding to each step (resistance value step) of the variable resistor 22.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows the pulse signal P supplied to the inner electrode 32a by the signal source 40 and the current A detected by the signal detector 41 in this modification. FIG. 7(a) shows a case where the resistance value of the variable resistor 22 is smaller than that in FIG. 7(b), and FIG. 7(b) shows a case where the resistance value of the variable resistor 22 is smaller than that in FIG. 7(c). As can be seen from these figures, the maximum value of the current A detected by the signal detector 41 increases as the resistance value of the variable resistor 22 decreases. Therefore, the signal processing unit 42 in this embodiment acquires the maximum value of the current A detected by the signal detector 41 and determines the current step of the variable capacitor 39 based on the acquired value. Then, the step of the variable capacitor 39 stored in association with the determined current step of the variable capacitor 39 is acquired, and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor 39 is controlled so that it becomes the capacitance value indicated by the acquired step. This allows the resistance value of the variable resistor 22 to be reflected in the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit and thereby transmitted to the sensor controller.

[0046] As described above, with the electronic pen 1 according to this modification, the resistance value of the variable resistor 22 can be transmitted to the signal processing unit 42 in the cartridge 3 by utilizing the capacitive coupling between the inner electrodes 32a, 32b and the outer electrodes 20a, 20b. The signal processing unit 42 can then reflect the transmitted resistance value of the variable resistor 22 in the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit. Therefore, a side switch that is a volume switch can be realized without providing a terminal that penetrates the cartridge body 30. Therefore, with the electronic pen 1 according to this modification, even when a volume switch is used as the side switch, it is possible to achieve dustproofness and waterproofness for the cartridge 3 housed inside the pen body 2.

[0047] 8 is a diagram showing a portion of the configuration of the electronic pen 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, with the addition of functional blocks within IC 38. As can be seen by comparing this figure with FIG. 5, the electronic pen 1 according to this embodiment differs from the electronic pen 1 according to the first modified example of the first embodiment in that it further includes outer electrode 20c, switch 23, inner electrode 32c, capacitor 50, switch 51, and switch 43. In other respects, it is the same as the electronic pen 1 according to the first modified example of the first embodiment, and therefore the following description will focus on the differences from the electronic pen 1 according to the first modified example of the first embodiment.

[0048] The outer electrode 20c, like the outer electrodes 20a and 20b, is an electrode fixed to the pen body 2. The switch 23 is a single-pole, single-throw switch having one end connected to the outer electrode 20a and the other end connected to the outer electrode 20c. Like the switch 21, the switch 23 is configured to be able to be turned on and off from outside the pen body 2, and in this embodiment, each of the switches 21 and 23 constitutes a side switch of the electronic pen 1. The inner electrode 32c, like the inner electrodes 32a and 32b, is an electrode fixed to the cartridge body 30.

[0049] 1(c), the outer electrode 20c and the inner electrode 32c are arranged so that they face each other across the cartridge body 30. The outer electrode 20c and the inner electrode 32c, which face each other, are capacitively coupled with each other, with the cartridge body 30 acting as a dielectric between the electrodes.

[0050] Like capacitor 36, capacitor 50 is connected in parallel to capacitor 34 shown in Fig. 2. Switch 51 is a single-pole, single-throw switch, and is connected in series with capacitor 50. When switch 51 is on, capacitor 50 serves to change the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit formed by coil 33 and capacitor 34 shown in Fig. 2. It is preferable that capacitors 36 and 50 have different capacitance values.

[0051] The switch 43 is a single-pole, double-throw switch mounted in the IC 38, and has a selection terminal connected to the inner electrode 32b, a selection terminal connected to the inner electrode 32c, and a common terminal connected to the non-inverting input terminal of the signal detector 41, which is a comparator. The on / off state of the switch 43 is controlled by the signal processor 42.

[0052] The signal processor 42 according to this embodiment causes the signal source 40 to generate a signal containing an AC component, obtains the detection result of the resulting signal from the signal detector 41, and controls the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit based on the detection result, in a time-division manner for each of the switches 21 and 23. Specifically, the signal processor 42 first switches the switch 43 to the inner electrode 32b side, causes the signal source 40 to output a pulse signal P in this state, and obtains the current A detected by the signal detector 41. The signal processor 42 then detects the on / off state of the switch 21 based on the obtained current A and controls the on / off state of the switch 37 based on the result. The signal processor 42 then switches the switch 43 to the inner electrode 32c side, causes the signal source 40 to output a pulse signal P in this state, and obtains the current A detected by the signal detector 41. The signal processor 42 then detects the on / off state of the switch 23 based on the obtained current A and controls the on / off state of the switch 51 based on the result. The signal processor 42 executes the above-described time-division processing by repeatedly executing the above-described processing.

[0053] As described above, with electronic pen 1 according to this embodiment, the capacitive coupling between inner electrodes 32a-32c and outer electrodes 20a-20c can be used to transmit the on / off states of switches 21, 23 to signal processing unit 42 in cartridge 3. Then, signal processing unit 42 can reflect the transmitted on / off states of switches 21, 23 in the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit. Therefore, multiple side switches can be realized without providing terminals that penetrate cartridge body 30. Therefore, with electronic pen 1 according to this modification, even when multiple side switches are used, it is possible to achieve dustproof and waterproof properties for cartridge 3 housed inside pen body 2.

[0054] In this embodiment, a comparator is used as the signal detector 41. However, as described in the first embodiment, the signal detector 41 may be any device other than a comparator as long as it can detect that a signal supplied to the inner electrode 32a has reached the inner electrodes 32b and 32c. Examples of such devices include an ammeter, a voltmeter, and an oscilloscope.

[0055] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1 Electronic pen 2 Pen body 3 cartridges 10 Knock stick 11 Rotor 11a protrusion 12 Cam body 12a,12b groove 13 Return spring stopper 14 Return spring 20a~20c outer electrode 21, 23, 37, 43, 51 Switches 22 Variable resistor 30 Cartridge Body 31 Pen Tip 32a~32c Inner electrode 33 Coil 34, 36, 50 capacitors 35,39 Variable Capacitor 38 IC 40 signal source 41 Signal Detector 42 Signal Processing Section

Claims

1. A cartridge for an electronic pen that is housed in a pen body, which is a housing of the electronic pen, First and second inner electrodes are disposed on the inner surface of a cartridge body, which is a housing of the cartridge; a signal source that supplies a signal to the first inner electrode; a signal detector for detecting a signal appearing at the second inner electrode; Including, the first inner electrode is capacitively coupled to a first outer electrode disposed within the pen body; the second inner electrode is capacitively coupled to a second outer electrode disposed within the pen body; a first signal conditioner configured to be able to adjust the amount of a signal flowing between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode is provided between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode; cartridge.

2. the signal source emits a signal including an AC component; The cartridge of claim 1 .

3. The cartridge body is configured to include a dielectric. The cartridge of claim 1 .

4. the first signal conditioner is a switch disposed between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode; The cartridge of claim 1 .

5. the first signal conditioner is a variable resistor provided between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode; The cartridge of claim 1 .

6. The first signal conditioner is configured to be operable from outside the pen body. The cartridge of claim 1 .

7. a third inner electrode disposed on an inner surface of the cartridge body; the third inner electrode is capacitively coupled to a third outer electrode disposed within the pen body; a second signal adjuster configured to adjust the amount of a signal flowing between the first outer electrode and the third outer electrode is provided between the first outer electrode and the third outer electrode; the signal detector further detects a signal appearing at the third inner electrode. The cartridge of claim 1 .

8. A pen body, which is the housing of the electronic pen; a cartridge that is housed in the pen body and used, The cartridge comprises: First and second inner electrodes are disposed on the inner surface of a cartridge body, which is a housing of the cartridge; a signal source that supplies a signal to the first inner electrode; a signal detector that detects a signal appearing at the second inner electrode; The electronic pen is a first outer electrode capacitively coupled to the first inner electrode; a second outer electrode capacitively coupled to the second inner electrode; a first signal conditioner having one end connected to the first outer electrode and the other end connected to the second outer electrode, the first signal conditioner adjusting the amount of a signal flowing between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode; Electronic pen.

9. the first and second outer electrodes and the first and second inner electrodes are arranged such that, when the cartridge is in a writing position due to a knock function of the electronic pen, the first outer electrode and the second inner electrode face each other across the cartridge body, and the second outer electrode and the second inner electrode face each other across the cartridge body; The electronic pen according to claim 8 .

Images