Writing device, display device, and communication system

Abstract

To achieve a writing device that can suppress a writing sound.SOLUTION: A pen-type input device 1 has: a movable part 10 that has a contact member 11, is provided movably in an advance / retreat direction, and retreats upon contact of the contact member 11 with an electronic blackboard 50; a movable part holding body 13 that holds the movable part 10; and an elastic part 20 that is provided on the opposite side of the contact member 11 of the movable part 10 in the advance / retreat direction. The elastic part 20 has a first elastic body 14 and a second elastic body 15, and is elastically deformed by the retreat of the movable part 10 and reduced in thickness in the advance / retreat direction. The first elastic body 14 and the second elastic body 15 are provided adjacent to each other in this order with respect to the movable part 10. The first elastic body 14 is an elastic body having a lower hardness than the second elastic body 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a writing device, a display device, and a communication system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, display devices have become available that include electronic whiteboards that allow writing using a writing device (hereinafter referred to as a pen-type input device). With such electronic whiteboards, when the contact portion of the pen-type input device is brought into contact with the display surface of the electronic whiteboard, the electronic whiteboard detects the contact position on the display surface and fills in that position, thereby enabling writing on the display surface using the pen-type input device.

[0003] For example, the pen-type input device in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 6127548) includes a movable pen tip section that can be moved back and forth in the axial direction, a movable segment that is pressed by the retraction of the movable pen tip section, a switch that is pressed by the movable segment, and a spring member that returns the movable segment to the OFF position. When an operator brings the movable pen tip section into contact with the display section, the movable pen tip section retracts and presses the movable segment, turning on the switch. This causes a wireless signal to be transmitted to the main body of the electronic whiteboard, and writing is performed at the position on the display section where the movable pen tip section is pressed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Such pen-type input devices have a problem in that they generate a loud writing sound (contact sound) when the contact portion contacts the display portion. To address this problem, providing a soft cushioning material when the contact portion contacts the display portion can reduce the writing sound. However, using a soft cushioning material requires a large thickness to reduce the writing sound, which increases the stroke of the contact portion in the forward and backward directions, thereby deteriorating the writing performance of the pen-type input device. Conversely, using a hard cushioning material improves writing performance but fails to sufficiently reduce the contact sound. Another method for reducing the writing sound is to cover the tip of the pen-type input device with a soft cushioning material, but this method has the problem of changing the feel of writing due to the change in the material of the tip.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to realize a pen-type input device that can suppress writing sounds. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a writing device having a movable part that has an abutting portion and is movable in a forward / backward direction, and that retreats when the abutting portion abuts an abutted portion, a holding portion that holds the movable part, and an elastic part that is provided on the opposite side of the movable part from the abutting portion in the forward / backward direction, wherein the elastic part includes a first elastic body and a second elastic body, and elastically deforms as the movable part retreats, thereby reducing its thickness in the forward / backward direction, and the first elastic body and the second elastic body are provided adjacent to each other in that order relative to the movable part, and the first elastic body is an elastic body that has a lower hardness than the second elastic body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the present invention, writing sounds can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a display device equipped with a pen-type input device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the display device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the pen tip side of the pen-type input device. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a switch is pressed in the pen-type input device of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a pen-type input device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a pen-type input device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a pen-type input device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an educational system to which a pen-type input device is applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be appropriately simplified or omitted.

[0010] [Pen-type input device of the first embodiment] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a display device equipped with a pen-type input device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the display device.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the display device 100 includes a pen-type input device 1 as a writing device and an electronic whiteboard 50. By contacting the tip of the pen-type input device with the display surface 50a of the electronic whiteboard 50, the electronic whiteboard 50 recognizes the contact position on the display surface 50a and fills in the contact position. This allows the operator to create a desired image on the display surface 50a using the pen-type input device 1. The display surface 50a of the electronic whiteboard 50 can also share the image with a remote location via the Internet. The display surface 50a of the present embodiment is made of glass. The display device of the present invention is provided with a contact portion against which the pen-type input device contacts. One aspect of this contact portion is a display unit that displays an image on the portion where the pen-type input device contacts. The electronic whiteboard 50 of the present embodiment is a specific example of this display unit.

[0012] 2, when the pen-type input device 1 is brought into contact with the display surface 50a, the switch 16 serving as a depression portion is depressed, causing the transmitter 19 to transmit a wireless signal to the controller 51 of the electronic whiteboard 50.

[0013] The interactive whiteboard 50 includes a control unit 51 and a detection unit 52. The detection unit 52 includes an infrared transmitter 53 and multiple light-receiving sensors 54. The infrared transmitter 53 scans infrared rays in a grid pattern, for example, from one side to the other in the vertical direction at each horizontal position in FIG. 1 , and from one side to the other in the horizontal direction at each vertical position. The light-receiving sensors 54 are arranged, for example, along the display surface 50a and receive the infrared rays transmitted by the infrared transmitter 53. However, the detection unit 52 does not necessarily have to be configured to scan infrared rays (infrared detection type), and can be configured in any other way that can detect the position of the pen-type input device 1, such as a pressure-sensitive type, a capacitance type, or an electromagnetic induction type. The direction of infrared radiation transmission and the arrangement of the light-receiving sensors 54 are not limited to those described above, and any appropriate direction and arrangement can be selected that can detect the contact position of the pen-type input device 1 with respect to the display surface 50a.

[0014] When the tip of the pen-type input device 1 comes into contact with any position on the display surface 50a, the transmission of infrared rays is blocked at that position. As a result, infrared rays do not reach the multiple light-receiving sensors 54, and the light-receiving sensors 54 change from a detection state to a non-detection state. The control unit 51 is notified of the detection results of the light-receiving sensors 54. The control unit 51 also receives a signal transmitted from the transmission unit 19 of the pen-type input device 1. As a result, the control unit 51 detects which position on the display surface 50a the tip of the pen-type input device 1 has come into contact with, and writes (displays) an image at that position on the display surface 50a.

[0015] Next, a more detailed configuration of the pen-type input device 1 will be described with reference to the cross-sectional view of FIG.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the pen-type input device 1 includes a pen tip unit 2 and a pen tip holder 3. The pen tip unit 2 includes a movable unit 10, a movable unit holder 13 as a holder, an elastic unit 20, a switch 16, and the like. The elastic unit 20 includes a first cushioning material 14 as a first elastic body and a second cushioning material 15 as a second elastic body. The movable unit 10 includes a contact member 11 as a contact unit and a contact member holder 12. The movable unit holder 13 and the pen tip holder 3 may be integrally structured to hold the movable unit 10. The movable unit 10 may also include a contact member 11 and a contact member holder 12 as an integral structure. In other words, the movable unit 10 may be configured such that the movable unit 10 moves when the pen-type input device 1 abuts against the display surface 50a. The elastic unit 20 is provided adjacent to the movable unit 10 on the opposite side of the movable unit 10 from the contact member 11 side in the vertical direction of FIG. 3. Particularly the tip portion (the lower portion in FIG. 3) of the contact member 11 is the contact portion that comes into contact with the contacted portion.

[0017] The movable part holder 13 holds the movable part 10 so that it can advance and retreat in the direction of the double-headed arrow A in Fig. 3. In the direction of the double-headed arrow A, the tip side of the pen-type input device 1, which is the lower side in Fig. 3, is the advancing direction of the movable part 10. The opposite direction, the upward direction in Fig. 3, is the retreating direction of the movable part 10. Hereinafter, the direction of the double-headed arrow A in Fig. 3 will be simply referred to as the advancing and retreating direction, the downward direction as simply the advancing direction, the downward side as the advancing side, the upward direction in Fig. 3 as simply the retreating direction, and the upward side as the retreating side.

[0018] In order to prevent scratches and wear on the display surface 50a (see FIG. 1), the contact member 11 at the tip of the movable part 10 is made of a material that is softer than the display surface 50a. The contact member 11 is made of, for example, resin, and the contact member holder 12 is made of a metal material such as aluminum. However, the movable part 10 can also be made entirely of the same material. The contact member 11 is the tip of the pen-type input device 1 in the direction of travel.

[0019] The first buffer material 14 and the second buffer material 15 are provided on the retreat side of the movable part 10. More specifically, the second buffer material 15 is provided on the retreat side of the first buffer material 14, and the first buffer material 14 is provided in contact with the retreat side end of the movable part 10. The first buffer material 14 and the second buffer material 15 are provided adjacent to each other. The first buffer material 14 is formed of a material with a lower hardness than the second buffer material 15. For example, the first buffer material 14 is formed of sponge, and the second buffer material 15 is formed of rubber. The first buffer material 14 is provided with a smaller thickness in the advance / retract direction than the second buffer material 15. For example, the first buffer material 14 has a thickness of about 0.5 to 1.0 mm and a sponge hardness of 10 to 20, and the second buffer material 15 has a thickness of 1.5 to 2.5 mm, preferably about 2.0 mm, and a rubber hardness of 50 to 60. When the first buffer material 14 is made of rubber, the rubber hardness can be set to 5 to 15, preferably around 10.

[0020] Regarding the hardness, the hardness of rubber may be measured using a durometer according to, for example, JIS K 6253 (2012). The hardness of sponge may be measured using a durometer according to, for example, JIS K 7312 (1996). The hardness of other materials can also be measured using the appropriate JIS method. Alternatively, cushioning materials of the same thickness can be placed on a horizontal surface and the same pressure (for example, the same pressure applied to the cushioning material on the movable part when an operator writes) applied perpendicularly to the horizontal surface, and the amount of displacement (amount of crushing) in the thickness direction can be measured. The side with the larger amount of displacement can be defined as the cushioning material with the lower hardness.

[0021] The first buffer material 14 and the second buffer material 15 are elastic. When pressed by the movable part 10, the first buffer material 14 and the second buffer material 15 are elastically deformed, and their thickness in the forward and backward directions decreases. In particular, the first buffer material 14 has a lower hardness than the second buffer material 15, so it is crushed preferentially. Then, once the first buffer material 14 is sufficiently crushed, the second buffer material deforms next.

[0022] A specific calculation example of the deformation of the second buffer material 15 when the above hardness is used is shown below. When the buffer material is cylindrical with a diameter d (mm) and a height h (mm), the pressure-receiving area AL [mm 2 ] can be expressed by the following formula (1): The pressure-receiving area is the total area that receives the load, and in the case of a cylindrical shape, it is the area of ​​a circle. AL=π×(d / 2) 2 ···(1) If the load applied when writing is W [N], the deflection δ [mm], and the apparent Young's modulus Eap [Mpa], the static spring constant Ks of rubber can be expressed by the following formula (2). Ks = W / δ = Eap × AL / h (2) Therefore, from the formula (2), the deflection amount δ can be expressed by the following formula (3). δ = W × h / (Eap × AL) (3) If the static shear modulus is G [Mpa] and the shape modulus is S, the apparent Young's modulus Eap can be expressed by the following formula (4) since it is a cylindrical shape. Eap=G×(3+4.94×S 2 )···(4) Additionally, the shape factor S of rubber can be calculated by dividing the pressure-receiving area by the free area. The free area is the total area of ​​the part that can deform when subjected to a load. In the case of a cylindrical shape, it is the area of ​​its side surface. Therefore, using formula (1), the shape factor S can be expressed by the following formula (5). S=(π×(d / 2) 2 ) / πdh=d / 4h···(5) From the above formulas (1), (3), (4), and (5), the deflection amount δ can be expressed by the following formula (6). δ=W×h / (G×(3+4.94×(d / 4h) 2 )×π×(d / 2) 2 )···(6) Here, assuming a diameter d (mm) of 5 mm, a height h (mm) of 2 mm, a maximum load W (N) of 5 N applied to the movable part 10 during writing, and a static shear modulus G (MPa) of approximately 1 for the second buffer material 15 with a rubber hardness of 50 to 60, the deflection δ can be calculated as approximately 0.103 (mm) from equation (6). Therefore, the displacement of the second buffer material 15 with the above hardness is approximately 0.1 mm. Given the above hardness relationship, the thickness of the first buffer material 14 is approximately half to one-fifth of that of the second buffer material 15, resulting in a displacement of approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. Therefore, the displacement of the movable part 10 is approximately 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, which reduces the impact on writing performance and reduces writing noise.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, when the contact member 11 contacts the display surface 50a, the infrared rays B scanning over the display surface 50a are blocked. At this time, the contact member 11 is pressed backward by the writing force of the operator, and the backward end of the contact member holder 12 presses the first cushioning material 14. As a result, the first cushioning material 14 and the second cushioning material 15 are crushed, and the switch 16 is pressed and turned ON. As a result, a wireless signal is transmitted from the transmitter 19 of the pen-type input device 1 to the controller 51 of the electronic whiteboard 50 (see FIG. 2). After writing, the contact of the contact member 11 with the display surface 50a is released, and the first cushioning material 14 and the second cushioning material 15 elastically return to the state shown in FIG. 3.

[0024] In this embodiment, when the contact member 11 contacts the display surface 50a, i.e., when the operator writes on the electronic whiteboard, the movable part 10 moves backward due to an instantaneous collision, first crushing the first buffer material 14, which has a low hardness. Then, the second buffer material 15, which has a high hardness, is crushed, and the switch 16 is pressed. This configuration allows the pen-type input device 1 to achieve both good writing performance and reduced writing noise. That is, when the first buffer material 14, which has a low hardness, is initially crushed, the amount of crushing in the thickness direction of the first buffer material 14 in response to the pressing force, i.e., the amount of retraction of the movable part 10, is large, thereby reducing the contact noise caused by the contact member 11 contacting the display surface 50a. Furthermore, after the first buffer material 14 is crushed, the second buffer material 15, which has a high hardness, is crushed, but the amount of crushing in response to the pressing force is small. That is, the amount of retraction stroke of the movable part 10 can be prevented from becoming too large, thereby achieving good writing performance. In particular, the writing performance is further improved by making the thickness of the first buffer material 14, which has a lower hardness, thinner in the forward / backward direction than the thickness of the second buffer material 15, which has a higher hardness. Also, unlike the case where the contact noise is suppressed by covering the contact member 11 that contacts the display surface 50a with a buffer material, there is no change in the materials of the display surface 50a and the contact member 11. Therefore, good writing performance can be achieved without adversely affecting the writing comfort with the pen-type input device 1.

[0025] Unlike the present embodiment, in the case of a pen-type input device provided with only hard cushioning material, the retraction amount of the movable part is small relative to the pressure applied to the pen-type input device by the operator, resulting in a louder writing sound. If the writing sound of the pen-type input device is loud, for example, when the contents of the display unit are shared in a web conference, the writing sound may be picked up by the microphone, causing a problem of interrupting the conversation during the conference.

[0026] Conversely, in the case of a pen-type input device equipped only with soft cushioning material, if the cushioning material is thin, it will quickly collapse, causing the movable part 10 to collide forcefully with the switch 16 through the cushioning material. This makes it impossible to solve the problem of louder writing noise. In other words, to suppress the writing noise, it is necessary to provide a thicker soft cushioning material. However, in this case, the amount of collapse of the cushioning material increases, and the amount of retraction of the movable part also increases. If the amount of retraction of the movable part becomes too large, the time lag between when the operator contacts the pen tip with the display part and when the switch is pressed increases, resulting in a problem of poor writing performance of the pen-type input device.

[0027] In contrast, in this embodiment, by providing two buffer materials with different hardnesses, it is possible to achieve both good writing performance and suppressed writing noise. Furthermore, if another member with a harder hardness than the second buffer material 15 is provided between these buffer materials, the first buffer material 14 that abuts the movable part 10 is thin, and even with the first buffer material 14 in between, the contact between the movable part 10 and the other member increases the writing noise compared to when no other member is provided between them. However, in this embodiment, by providing these buffer materials adjacent to each other, it is possible to suppress writing noise. However, it is also possible to provide another member, such as a sheet material, between the buffer materials that has a lower hardness than the second buffer material 15 and has almost no effect on writing noise. Even in this case, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0028] Unlike the present embodiment, it is also possible to configure the movable part to be movable in the forward and backward directions using a spring. However, in this case, the amount of retraction of the movable part increases, which deteriorates writing performance. By configuring the movable part to be retracted by elastically deforming the buffer material as in the present embodiment, the amount of retraction of the movable part is reduced, thereby achieving good writing performance of the pen-type input device.

[0029] In addition, in this embodiment, by providing the first buffer material 14, which has a lower hardness, on the forward / backward side (contact member 11 side) of the second buffer material 15, it is possible to configure the first buffer material 14 to be crushed preferentially when the movable part 10 contacts it, thereby more effectively suppressing writing noise.

[0030] In particular, in this embodiment, the thickness of the first buffer material 14, which has low hardness, in the advancing / retracting direction is set smaller than the thickness of the second buffer material 15 in the advancing / retracting direction. This makes it possible to reduce the stroke amount of the movable part 10 in the advancing / retracting direction, thereby improving the writing performance of the pen-type input device. Note that the thickness here refers to the thickness when the movable part 10 is not retracted, that is, when the buffer materials are not crushed.

[0031] Next, a modified example of the pen-type input device will be described.

[0032] [Second embodiment] Although the above description illustrates a pen-type input device having only two cushioning materials, it may have three or more. For example, in the pen-type input device 1 shown in FIG. 5, the elastic portion 20 includes a third cushioning material 17 as another elastic body in addition to the first cushioning material 14 and the second cushioning material 15. The third cushioning material 17 is provided between the first cushioning material 14 and the second cushioning material 15, and its hardness is higher than that of the first cushioning material 14 but lower than that of the second cushioning material 15. In other words, the cushioning materials are arranged in order of increasing hardness toward the retraction direction. The cushioning materials are provided adjacent to each other. Note that, in this embodiment, only one third cushioning material 17, which is an example of another elastic body, is provided. However, it is also possible to provide multiple other elastic bodies between the first elastic body and the second elastic body, and the hardness of each elastic body increases in order toward the retraction direction.

[0033] By providing more types of cushioning materials as in this embodiment, it is possible to achieve both good writing performance and suppressed writing noise. In other words, as described above, using hard cushioning materials can improve writing performance by reducing the stroke of the movable part 10 in the forward / backward direction, but this results in increased writing noise. Conversely, using soft cushioning materials can suppress writing noise, but this results in increased stroke of the movable part 10 in the forward / backward direction, which results in poor writing performance. Therefore, by providing more types of cushioning materials, it is possible to more finely adjust the balance between writing performance and suppressed writing noise. For example, even in cases where increasing the thickness of the first cushioning material 14 instead of the third cushioning material 17 shown in FIG. 5 would result in poor writing performance, or increasing the thickness of the second cushioning material 15 instead of the third cushioning material 17 would result in problems with writing noise, providing the third cushioning material 17 can achieve both good writing performance and suppressed writing noise.

[0034] [Third embodiment] In the above description, a pen-type input device having a depression portion has been exemplified, but the pen-type input device of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pen-type input device 1 shown in Fig. 6 does not have a switch 16 as a depression portion, unlike the pen-type input device 1 shown in Fig. 3. Unlike the above-described embodiment, in a display device having the pen-type input device 1 of this embodiment, no signal is transmitted from the pen-type input device 1 to the electronic whiteboard, and the control unit of the electronic whiteboard writes on the display surface simply because the pen-type input device 1 physically blocks the infrared rays scanning over the display unit.

[0035] Similarly, in the pen-type input device 1 of this embodiment, providing only hard buffer materials increases writing noise, while providing only soft buffer materials increases the amount of stroke of the movable unit 10 in the forward and backward directions, deteriorating writing performance. In this embodiment, because no switch pressing action occurs, even if the amount of stroke of the movable unit increases, the difference between the timing at which the contact member contacts the display surface and the timing at which an image is written on the display surface does not increase. However, if the amount of depression of the movable unit increases during writing, the amount of movement of the pen-type input device during writing increases accordingly, deteriorating writing performance. Therefore, by providing first buffer materials 14 and second buffer materials 15 with different hardnesses, it is possible to achieve both good writing performance and reduced writing noise.

[0036] The above-mentioned configuration can also be used appropriately in the pen-type input device 1 of this embodiment. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the first buffer material 14 having low hardness can be provided on the tip side of the pen-type input device 1, or the thickness of the first buffer material 14 having low hardness in the forward / backward direction can be set smaller than the thickness of the second buffer material 15, or three or more buffer materials can be provided as shown in Fig. 5. This can provide the same effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0037] [Fourth embodiment] In another embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to a pen-type input device that detects position using a capacitance method. For example, the pen-type input device 1 shown in Fig. 7 differs from the pen-type input devices 1 shown in Figs. 3 and 6 in that it has an electric field generator 23 at the tip of the movable part 10 and also has a battery 21, a control unit 22, etc. inside. A tablet PC (Personal Computer) that uses this pen-type input device 1 has a touch panel that detects position using a capacitance method compatible with the pen-type input device 1.

[0038] Similarly, in the pen-type input device 1 of this embodiment, if only hard buffer materials are used, the writing noise increases, while if only soft buffer materials are used, the stroke amount of the moving part in the forward and backward directions increases, deteriorating writing performance. Therefore, by providing the first buffer materials 14 and the second buffer materials 15 with different hardness, it is possible to achieve both good writing performance and suppressed writing noise.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, a so-called active capacitance type pen-type input device is shown, in which writing is performed using an electric field generated by the electric field generating unit 23, but the present invention can also be applied to a passive capacitance type pen-type input device.

[0040] [Educational system using pen-type input devices] A case where the pen-type input device 1 of the above embodiment is applied to an education system, which is an example of a communication system, will be described with reference to FIG.

[0041] FIG. 8 shows the system configuration of an education system 1000. The education system 1000 includes multiple display devices 100A, 100B, and 100C (100C-1 to 100C-n: n is a natural number) and an education system server 200. The display device 100A includes a display tablet 50A as a display unit and a pen-type input device 1a. The display device 100B includes a teacher tablet 50B as a display unit and a pen-type input device 1b. Each display device 100C includes a student tablet 50C as a terminal or display unit and a pen-type input device 1a. These tablets 50A, 50B, and 50C and the education system server 200 are connected via a network 300.

[0042] The education system server 200 stores class identification information, information about students in the class (such as names and IDs), the class timetable and teacher for each class, textbook data for each subject, and lesson progress information for each class and subject (such as how many pages of the textbook have been studied up to the last class, whether or not there is homework and what that is, etc.).The server determines the subject from the timetable based on the class identification information, day of the week, and time period, and provides information related to the class for that subject.

[0043] The teacher tablet 50B is a tablet used by the teacher teaching a class, and is used to call up necessary information (data such as the textbook for the subject being taught, practice questions, and model answers) from the education system server 200, turn the pages of the displayed textbook, specify the student who will answer a question, etc. In addition, the teacher can write on the teacher tablet 50B using the pen-type input device 1b.

[0044] The student tablet 50C is a tablet used by a student, and can display textbook data downloaded from the education system server 200, or display content written by the teacher on the display tablet 50A or the teacher tablet 50B. Students can also use the pen-type input device 1c to write answers to questions on the student tablet 50C and upload them to the education system server 200.

[0045] The display tablet 50A can be written on using the pen-type input device 1a. The display tablet 50A has the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and by installing an educational system app in the control unit 51 and starting the app, the functions required for the educational system are realized. The display tablet 50A can also display what the teacher has written on the teacher tablet 50B, or can display what the teacher has written on a specific student tablet 50C by operating the display tablet 50A or the teacher tablet 50B.

[0046] The teacher tablet 50B and the student tablet 50C are ordinary tablet PCs equipped with a CPU, memory, wireless interface, display, etc. The CPU activates the educational system application installed in the memory to realize the functions required for the educational system described above. The tablet 50B and the student tablet 50C are also connected to the educational system server 200 via the network 300 via the wireless interface, enabling communication between them.

[0047] The teacher tablet 50B and the student tablet 50C use a capacitance method to detect the position of the pen-type input device, while the display tablet 50A uses an infrared detection method to detect the position of the pen-type input device.

[0048] Display tablet 50A detects the positions of pen-type input devices 1a, 1b, and 1c-1 to 1c-n using an infrared system, while tablets 50B and 50C use a capacitance system, so pen-type input devices 1a, 1b, and 1c-1 to 1c-n are pen-type input devices that use the system corresponding to their respective position detection systems. However, this is not limiting, and by adopting the configuration of the present invention with any pen-type input device, smooth communication due to good writing performance and reduced noise during writing can both be achieved, providing a comfortable teaching environment.

[0049] In this embodiment, the student tablet 50C has a display configuration of the present invention that allows writing using the pen-type input device 1c, and also serves as a terminal configuration of the present invention that displays the writing on the display tablet 50A or the teacher tablet 50B. However, the student tablet 50C may simply be a terminal that displays the writing on the display tablet 50A or the teacher tablet 50B. However, by providing the student tablet 50C with a display configuration that allows writing using the pen-type input device 1c, like the display tablet 50A, mutual communication between the teacher and students can be more smoothly implemented. In this case, since writing is performed using multiple pen-type input devices, it is preferable to apply the pen-type input device of the above embodiment to reduce noise. Furthermore, although the display configuration of the present invention is adopted for the display tablet 50A, it may also be a display that simply displays the writing on the teacher tablet 50B or the student tablet 50C.

[0050] In the present embodiment, an educational system used in an educational setting is shown as an example of a communication system to which the pen-type input device of the present invention is applied, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pen-type input device of the present invention may be applied to a conference management system as a communication system. This allows for smooth communication due to good writing performance and reduced noise when writing, thereby providing a comfortable conference environment.

[0051] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0052] The display device of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the position of the display portion where the writing device contacts is filled in. Conversely, the display device may be equipped with a writing device configured to erase the display at the position where it contacts (to make the color the same as the background of the display surface), or a writing device that can do both. In this way, erasing the display (to make the color the same as the background of the display surface) is also included in the "writing" of the present invention.

[0053] The aspects of the present invention are as follows, for example. <1> a movable portion having an abutting portion and movable in a forward / backward direction, the movable portion retreating when the abutting portion abuts on the abutted portion; a holding portion that holds the movable portion; a resilient portion provided on the opposite side of the movable portion from the contact portion in the advancing / retracting direction, the elastic portion includes a first elastic body and a second elastic body, and is elastically deformed by the retraction of the movable portion, so that the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is reduced; the first elastic body and the second elastic body are provided adjacent to each other in this order with respect to the movable portion, A writing device characterized in that the first elastic body is an elastic body having a lower hardness than the second elastic body. <2> The first elastic body has a smaller thickness in the advancing / retracting direction than the second elastic body. <1> 10. The writing device as described above. <3> The first elastic body is a sponge, the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and the sponge hardness is 10 to 20. The second elastic body is a rubber, the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is 1.5 to 2.5 mm, and the rubber hardness is 50 to 60. <2> 10. The writing device as described above. <4> The first elastic body is made of rubber, has a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction of 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and a rubber hardness of 5 to 15, and the second elastic body is made of rubber, has a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction of 1.5 to 2.5 mm, and a rubber hardness of 50 to 60. <2> 10. The writing device as described above. <5> a movable portion having an abutting portion and movable in a forward / backward direction, the movable portion retreating when the abutting portion abuts on the abutted portion; a holding portion that holds the movable portion; a resilient portion provided on the opposite side of the movable portion from the contact portion in the advancing / retracting direction, the elastic portion includes a first elastic body, a second elastic body, and one or more other elastic bodies, and is elastically deformed by the retreat of the movable portion to reduce a thickness in the advancing / retreating direction; A writing device characterized in that the first elastic body, one or more other elastic bodies, and the second elastic body are arranged adjacent to each other in the movable part in this order, with their hardness increasing in this order. <6> The first elastic body has a smaller thickness in the advancing / retracting direction than the second elastic body. <5> 10. The writing device as described above. <7> The first elastic body is a sponge, the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and the sponge hardness is 10 to 20. The second elastic body is a rubber, the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is 1.5 to 2.5 mm, and the rubber hardness is 50 to 60. <6> 10. The writing device as described above. <8> The first elastic body is made of rubber, has a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction of 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and a rubber hardness of 5 to 15, and the second elastic body is made of rubber, has a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction of 1.5 to 2.5 mm, and a rubber hardness of 50 to 60. <6> 10. The writing device as described above. <9> a depression portion that is depressed by the movable portion moving in the retreat direction of the advance / retract direction, A signal is output when the pressing portion is pressed. <1> from <8> The writing device according to any one of the preceding claims. <10> <1> from <9> Any one of the writing devices described above; a display unit as the abutted portion, The display unit detects the contact position of the contact portion relative to the display unit and displays a predetermined display. <11> <1> from <9> One or more display devices having the writing device according to any one of the preceding claims and a display unit as the contacted portion; a plurality of terminals that perform predetermined displays; a server; the display device, the plurality of terminals, and the server are communicably connected; the display device detects a contact position of the contact portion with respect to the display portion and displays a predetermined display; The terminal is a communication system in which the handwriting content is displayed on the display unit of the display device by the handwriting device. <12> The terminal displays the writing content of the writing device on the terminal. <11> 1. The communication system described. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Pen-type input device (writing device) 10 Moving parts 11 Contact member (contact portion) 13 Movable part holder (holding part) 14 First cushioning material (first elastic body) 15 Second cushioning material (second elastic body) 16 Switch (push part) 17 Third cushioning material (other elastic material) 20 Elastic part 50 Electronic whiteboard (display part or contact part) 50a Display surface 50A Display tablet (display unit) 50B Teacher's tablet (display) 50C Student tablet (terminal or display) 100 display device 200 Educational System Server (Server) 1000 Educational System (Communication System) A: Direction of movement of the moving part (direction of movement of the contact part) [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0055] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6127548

Claims

1. a movable portion having an abutting portion and movable in a forward / backward direction, the movable portion retreating when the abutting portion abuts on the abutted portion; a holding portion that holds the movable portion; a resilient portion provided on the opposite side of the movable portion from the contact portion in the advancing / retracting direction, the elastic portion includes a first elastic body and a second elastic body, and is elastically deformed by the retraction of the movable portion, so that a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is reduced; the first elastic body and the second elastic body are provided adjacent to each other in this order with respect to the movable portion, A writing device, characterized in that the first elastic body is an elastic body having a lower hardness than the second elastic body.

2. 2. The writing device according to claim 1, wherein the first elastic body is thinner in the advancing / retracting direction than the second elastic body.

3. A writing device as described in claim 2, wherein the first elastic body is a sponge, the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and the sponge hardness is 10 to 20, and the second elastic body is rubber, the thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is 1.5 to 2.5 mm, and the rubber hardness is 50 to 60.

4. A writing device as described in claim 2, wherein the first elastic body is rubber, has a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction of 0.5 to 1.0 mm and a rubber hardness of 5 to 15, and the second elastic body is rubber, has a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction of 1.5 to 2.5 mm and a rubber hardness of 50 to 60.

5. a movable portion having an abutting portion and movable in a forward / backward direction, the movable portion retreating when the abutting portion abuts on the abutted portion; a holding portion that holds the movable portion; a resilient portion provided on the opposite side of the movable portion from the contact portion in the advancing / retracting direction, the elastic portion includes a first elastic body, a second elastic body, and one or more other elastic bodies, and is elastically deformed by the retraction of the movable portion, so that a thickness in the advancing / retracting direction is reduced; A writing device characterized in that the first elastic body, one or more other elastic bodies, and the second elastic body are arranged adjacent to each other in the order of hardness relative to the movable part, and the hardness increases in this order.

6. a depression portion that is depressed by the movable portion moving in the retreat direction of the advance / retract direction, 2. The writing device according to claim 1, wherein a signal is output when the depression portion is depressed.

7. A writing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6; a display unit as the abutted portion, The display unit detects the contact position of the contact portion relative to the display unit and displays a predetermined display.

8. 7. A writing device according to claim 1, wherein the writing device has one or more display devices each having a display unit as the contacted portion; a plurality of terminals that perform predetermined displays; a server; the display device, the plurality of terminals, and the server are communicably connected; the display device detects a contact position of the contact portion with respect to the display portion and displays a predetermined display; The terminal is a communication system in which the handwriting content is displayed on the display unit of the display device by the handwriting device.

9. 9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the terminal displays the contents of the writing on the terminal of the writing device.

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