Electronic pen

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic pen, which is constructed by attaching an electronic pen cartridge to a writing instrument casing, and is equipped with a side switch that allows for proper and reliable operation. [Solution] The main body housing 11a of the electronic pen body 1 houses a rod-shaped core 12 and a circuit board 18 on which a side switch 18a configured as a push-button switch is mounted, with the pen tip of the core 12 protruding from the pen tip opening 11FH. A pressing member 11b is provided on the side switch 18a at the side opening 11SH of the main body housing 11a, and is prevented from protruding outward from the side of the main body housing by a locking portion 11ba. When the operator of the outer housing to which the electronic pen body 1 is attached is pressed, the side switch 18a of the circuit board 18 is operated via the pressing member 11b of the electronic pen body 1.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic pen that enables information input by indicating coordinates to various electronic devices equipped with a position detection sensor, such as a tablet PC (Personal Computer), a high-function mobile phone terminal, or a pen tablet.

Background Art

[0002] With the emergence of various electronic devices equipped with a position detection sensor, electronic pens have also become widely used. However, there has been a demand to use, instead of a dedicated electronic pen for an electronic device equipped with a position detection sensor, a refill equipped with an electronic pen function attached to the housing of a writing instrument such as a used ballpoint pen. Therefore, an electronic pen that uses a cartridge-type refill (electronic pen cartridge) equipped with an electronic pen function attached to the housing of an existing writing instrument has been considered.

[0003] Since an electronic pen is responsible for the function of inputting information to an electronic device, it is required to be able to be used in the same way as a so-called mouse, which is a pointing device of a PC (Personal Compute). A so-called mouse is provided with click buttons, and various functions can be executed on the PC in response to the pressing operation of the click buttons. Therefore, some electronic pens are provided with side switches corresponding to the click buttons of a so-called mouse on their sides.

[0004] However, in the case of an electronic pen cartridge, it is housed and used in the housing of a writing instrument. For this reason, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 described later, for example, two contacts are provided on the cartridge housing of the electronic pen cartridge, and by operating the operation part of the writing instrument housing to short-circuit these two contacts, it is conceivable to function as a switch. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to provide a push button switch on the electronic pen cartridge and operate it through an operation hole provided in the writing instrument housing.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 043214 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the case of the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is considered that the short circuit between contacts may become unstable depending on the positional relationship between the writing instrument housing and the electronic pen cartridge, and the way the operating part provided on the writing instrument housing is operated. Furthermore, when a push-button switch is provided on the electronic pen cartridge, several problems may arise, and it becomes necessary to address these. When a push-button switch is provided on the electronic pen cartridge, an opening for operating the button switch must also be provided on the cartridge housing, which can reduce the strength of the electronic pen cartridge. For this reason, when a large pressure such as writing pressure is applied to the electronic pen cartridge, it becomes necessary to appropriately absorb this pressure and prevent a large load from being placed on the electronic pen cartridge itself.

[0007] Furthermore, if a push-button switch is provided on the electronic pen cartridge, the switch and its operating part may protrude from the cartridge housing, which can be an obstruction when attaching it to the writing instrument housing. In addition, an operating hole for operating the button switch on the electronic pen cartridge must be provided on the writing instrument housing. In this case, it is conceivable that some users may experience discomfort, such as their fingers getting caught in the operating hole.

[0008] In view of the above, this invention relates to an electronic pen configured by mounting an electronic pen cartridge in a writing instrument housing, and aims to eliminate the above-mentioned problems and provide an electronic pen equipped with a side switch that can be operated appropriately and reliably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, An electronic pen is constructed by attaching a replaceable cartridge-type electronic pen body to an outer casing, The electronic pen body is, A circuit board equipped with a push-button switch, A main body housing capable of housing the aforementioned circuit board, A first fitting portion extending from the pen tip side to the rear end side, Equipped with, The aforementioned outer housing is An opening is provided on the pen tip side for attaching the electronic pen body, A second fitting portion extending from the pen tip side to the rear end side, Equipped with, When the electronic pen body is attached to the outer housing, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion engage with each other, and the electronic pen body is made movable along the second fitting portion in the axial direction of the pen. We provide an electronic pen characterized by the following features. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the electronic pen body in the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a circuit board mounted on the main body of the electronic pen according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electronic pen in which the electronic pen body of the embodiment is attached. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a buffer mechanism provided in an electronic pen according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the equivalent circuit of the electronic pen according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the components for positioning the outer casing and the main body of the electronic pen according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the electronic pen and electronic pen body according to this invention will be described with reference to the figures. Note that the position detection method for the electronic pen and position detection sensor can be, for example, an electromagnetic induction method or a capacitive method. The electromagnetic induction method (EMR (Electro Magnetic Resonance) method) includes a position detection device equipped with a sensor unit having multiple loop coils arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. A transmission period is provided in which power is sequentially supplied to the multiple loop coils of the sensor unit to generate a magnetic field, and a reception period is provided in which the power supply is stopped to receive an external magnetic field. The corresponding electronic pen is equipped with a resonant circuit consisting of a coil and a capacitor. In response to the magnetic field from the sensor unit, current flows through the coil, generating a signal, and this signal, along with pen pressure information, is transmitted to the position detection sensor. The position detection device receives this signal during the reception period and detects the position and pen pressure indicated by the electronic pen.

[0012] In the capacitive method, the position detection device is equipped with a sensor unit that has multiple linear conductors (line electrodes) arranged in both the X-axis and Y-axis directions. This sensor unit detects the indicated position in response to changes in capacitance (charge) generated in the linear conductors when a finger or electrostatic pen is brought close to it. Electrostatic pens can be conductive pen-type position indicators, or so-called active electrostatic pens (AES (Active Electrostatic) method) that are battery-powered and transmit signals. In the active electrostatic coupling method using an active electrostatic pen, the electronic pen transmits a signal from an oscillator circuit mounted on the electronic pen, including pressure information, which is received by the position detection device to detect the indicated position and pressure.

[0013] The electronic pen and the main body of the electronic pen of the present invention are applicable to both electromagnetic induction type electronic pens and active electrostatic coupling type electronic pens (active electrostatic pens). That is, the electronic pen and the main body of the electronic pen of the present invention are applicable to various electronic pens and the main body of the electronic pen provided with a so-called side switch. In the embodiments described below, for the sake of simplicity, the case of using the electromagnetic induction type electronic pen and the main body of the electronic pen will be described as an example.

[0014] Also, the electronic pen of the embodiment described below has, for example, substantially the same outer dimensions as commercially available pencils and ballpoint pens, and a cartridge-type electronic pen main body is attached to an outer casing having a cylindrical cavity inside. The term "cartridge type" means a part of a device that can be freely replaced. Therefore, the cartridge-type electronic pen main body has, for example, the same outer shape as a refill of a ballpoint pen and corresponds to a refill that realizes the electronic pen function. Below, first, the cartridge-type electronic pen main body will be described, and then the electronic pen including the outer casing to which the electronic pen cartridge is attached will be described.

[0015] [Configuration Example of Electronic Pen Main Body 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the electronic pen main body 1 of the embodiment. Also, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the circuit board 18 mounted on the electronic pen main body 1. FIG. 1(A) shows the appearance of the electronic pen main body 1. The electronic pen main body 1 has a cylindrical main body housing 11a. The main body housing 11a has a tapered shape in which the tip on the pen tip side gradually becomes thinner toward the tip. A pen tip opening 11FH is provided at the tip of the main body housing 11a on the pen tip side, and as shown in FIG. 1(A), the pen tip portion of the core 12 attached inside the main body housing 11a protrudes from the pen tip opening 11FH.

[0016] On the side surface of the main body housing 11a, a side opening 11SH is provided at a position corresponding to a side switch (push button switch) provided on the circuit board mounted on the main body housing 11a, and a side switch knob 11b as a pressing member is provided here. The side switch knob 11b is a movable part that acts on the side switch described later and functions as a cover part that closes the side opening 11SH. Therefore, the side switch knob 11b also has a function of closing (compensating for) the vulnerable part of the main body housing 11a caused by the existence of the side opening 11SH so that the strength of the main body housing 11a does not become weak. Also, at the rear end of the main body housing 11a, a rear end opening 11BH for mounting components such as the circuit board described later is provided. This rear end opening 11BH is closed by a rear cap 11c, and constitutes the electronic pen main body 1 equipped with an electronic pen function.

[0017] In addition, as shown in Fig. 1(A), the electronic pen main body 1 of this embodiment has a diameter of, for example, 3.8 mm and a total length in the longitudinal direction of, for example, 65.65 mm. Thus, the electronic pen main body 1 is configured to have approximately the same size as a general refill of a ballpoint pen. Also, the length from the pen tip of the core body 12 to the center of the side switch knob 11b is, for example, 31.54 mm. Thereby, in the electronic pen configured by mounting the electronic pen main body 1, it becomes possible to provide a so-called side switch at a position that can be easily operated by, for example, the index finger of the hand of the user holding it.

[0018] Fig. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view when the electronic pen main body 1 in the state shown in Fig. 1(A) is cut in half in the longitudinal direction and the front side part is removed. As shown in Fig. 1(B), on the pen tip side inside the main body housing 11a, a ferrite core and coil part 13 sandwiched between a front core cap 14a and a rear core cap 14b is provided. The ferrite core and coil part 13 is configured by winding a conductive wire around a part of a cylindrical ferrite core having a through hole except for both end parts to dispose a coil.

[0019] A circuit board holder 17 is provided behind the rear core cap 14b. The circuit board holder 17 has a tip cylindrical portion 17a on the pen tip side, and a plate-like portion 17c is formed by extending toward the rear end from the rear end surface of a bottom surface portion 17b which has the thickness of the tip cylindrical portion 17a. A rear end bottom surface portion 17d is formed at the rear end of the plate-like portion 17c, and a fitting projection 17e is provided in the center of the rear end surface of this rear end bottom surface portion 17d. The bottom surface portion 17b and the rear end bottom surface portion 17d are formed as circular flat plates with a diameter slightly shorter than the inner diameter of the main body housing 11a.

[0020] The front core cap 14a is a cylindrical body with a tapered shape that narrows towards the pen tip, and its tip and sides are positioned in contact with the inner wall surface of the main body housing 11a. The ferrite core and the tip of the ferrite core of the coil section 13 are fitted into the front core cap 14a from the rear end. The rear core cap 14b is a cylindrical body with two cylindrical sections of different diameters connected together. The side of the longer diameter cylindrical section of the rear core cap 14b is in contact with the inner wall surface of the main body housing 11a, and the shorter diameter cylindrical section is fitted into the tip cylindrical section 17a of the circuit board holder 17 from the pen tip side opening. The ferrite core and the rear end of the ferrite core of the coil section 13 are fitted into the rear core cap 14b from the pen tip side.

[0021] A cap-shaped plunger member 15 is provided downstream of the rear core cap 14b. As will be described later, the rear end of the core body 12 is attached to this plunger member 15, so as to hold the core body 12 inside the main body housing 11. A pressure detection unit 16 is provided on the rear end side of the plunger member 15, sandwiched between the plunger member 15 and the bottom surface 17b of the tip cylindrical part 17a of the substrate holder 17. The pressure detection unit 16 is configured as a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) sensor. The pressure detection unit 16 detects the pressure applied to the core body 12, for example as a change in capacitance, by being pressed by the core body 12 and the plunger member 15. Furthermore, a coil spring 15a is provided around a portion of the outer side surface (outer wall surface) of the pusher member 15. When the pressure applied to the lead body 12 is released, the restorative force of the coil spring 15a pushes the lead body 12 back to its original position.

[0022] In Figure 1(B), a circuit board 18 is placed and fixed on the upper surface of the substrate holder 17. As shown in the side view of the circuit board 18 in Figure 2(A), various circuit components such as a side switch 18a, a control IC (Integrated Circuit) 18b, and a capacitor 18c are mounted on the circuit board 18 as its main components, forming a circuit section. As mentioned above, the side switch 18a is configured as a push-button switch. As shown in both Figure 1(B) and Figure 2, an electrode 18d connected to the pressure detection unit 16 is provided on the pen tip side of the circuit board 18, and this electrode 18d and the circuit section formed on the circuit board 18 are electrically connected by a conductive part 18e.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2(A) and (B), the circuit board 18 is provided with a fixing hole 18f that penetrates the circuit board 18 in the thickness direction, near the side switch 18a and on the pen tip side. As shown in Figure 1(B), when the circuit board 18 is placed in a fixed position on the board holder 17, a fixing projection 17f provided on the board holder 17 fits into this fixing hole 18f. This fixes the position of the circuit board 18 on the board holder 17. As shown in Figure 2(B), the total length of the circuit board 18 excluding the electrodes 18d and conductive part 18e is 34.25 mm, and its width is 2.6 mm.

[0024] When a circuit board 18 with such a configuration is set in a fixed position in the board holder 17, as shown in Figure 1(B), a side opening 11SH is provided on the side of the main body housing 11a where it is mounted, facing the side switch 18a. In this embodiment, a side switch knob 11b is provided on the side switch 18a with respect to this side opening 11SH, so as to be pushed up by the side switch 18a. The side switch knob 11b has locking portions 11ba at both ends in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) on the side of the side switch 18a. These locking portions 11ba constitute claw portions that protrude in the longitudinal direction. These locking portions 11ba engage with the inner wall surface of the main body housing 11a, preventing the side switch knob 11b from coming off the main body housing 11a.

[0025] In other words, the side switch knob 11b is sandwiched between the side switch 18a provided on the circuit board 18 and the inner wall surface of the main body housing 11a, and is fixed to the portion of the side opening 11SH. Furthermore, the outer side surface of the side switch knob 11b is designed not to protrude from the side surface of the main body housing 11a. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1(A) and (B), the outer side surface of the side switch knob 11b (the surface operated by the user) and the side surface of the main body housing 11a are located on the same plane.

[0026] A ring-shaped cushioning member 19 is provided opposite the rear end surface of the rear bottom surface portion 17d of the substrate holder 17. As described above, the rear cap 11c is fitted into the rear end opening 11BH of the main body housing 11a. The rear cap 11c has a cup shape with a cylindrical recess in which the diameter of the portion fitted into the rear end opening 11BH is slightly longer than the inner diameter of the main body housing 11a, and the diameter of the bottom surface of the rear cap 11c is the same as the outer diameter of the main body housing 11a.

[0027] As a result, the rear cap 11c is fitted into the rear end opening 11BH of the main body housing 11a, and the fitting projection 17e of the circuit board holder 17 fits into the recess of the rear cap 11c, so that it is attached to the main body housing 11a in a way that prevents it from easily coming off. In this case, the diameter of the fitting projection 17e of the circuit board holder 17 is made to be slightly longer than the diameter of the recess of the rear cap 11c. In addition, the end face of the rear cap 11c on the pen tip side presses the rear end bottom surface 17d of the circuit board holder 17 toward the pen tip via the cushioning member 19.

[0028] As a result, as shown in Figure 1(B), the front core cap 14a, ferrite core and coil section 13, rear core cap 14b, plunger member 15, pressure detection section 16, circuit board holder 17, and circuit board 18 are enclosed within the main body housing 11a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(B), the lead body 12 is inserted through the pen tip opening 11FH of the main body housing 11a, passes through the front core cap 14a, ferrite core and rear core cap 14b, and is fitted into the recess of the plunger member 15.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1(B), the core body 12 consists of a pen tip portion 12a and a shaft portion 12b. The diameter of the shaft portion 12b is slightly longer than the inner diameter of the cup portion of the plunger member 15. This allows the core body 12 to be attached to the inside of the main body housing 11a via the plunger member 15, with the pen tip portion 12a of the core body 12 protruding from the main body housing 11a, as shown in Figures 1(A) and (B). Furthermore, the core body 12 can be removed from inside the main body housing 11a by pulling it out from the plunger member 15. In other words, the core body 12 is detachable from the main body housing 11a. The electronic pen main body 1 is constructed in this manner.

[0030] [Overall configuration of Electronic Pen 3] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electronic pen 3, which is formed by attaching the electronic pen body 1. Figure 3(A) shows the external appearance of the electronic pen 3. The electronic pen 3 has a cylindrical outer casing 31. The outer casing 31 has a tapered shape, with the tip gradually narrowing towards the end. A tip opening 31FH is provided at the tip end of the outer casing 31 on the tip side, and the electronic pen body 1, as explained using Figure 1, can be inserted and removed through this tip opening 31FH. When the electronic pen body 1 is attached to the outer casing 31, as shown in Figure 3(A), the tapered portion of the body casing 11a of the electronic pen body 1 protrudes, and the core body 12 of the electronic pen body 1 also protrudes, making it usable as an electronic pen.

[0031] Furthermore, on the side of the outer casing 31 of the electronic pen 3, an elongated opening 31SH for an operator is provided in the axial direction, corresponding to the position of the side switch knob 11b provided on the side of the attached electronic pen body 1, and an operator 32 is attached here. By pressing the operator 32, the side switch 18a, which is configured as a push-button switch and is provided on the circuit board 18 of the electronic pen body 1, can be pressed via the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen body 1. As shown in Figure 3(A), the electronic pen 3 has a total length of 150 mm from the tip to the rear end of the lead body 12 and a diameter of 7 mm. This is about 20 mm shorter in total length than a JIS standard pencil, but is almost the same size as a JIS standard pencil, and is similar in size to a common commercially available mechanical pencil or ballpoint pen.

[0032] Figure 3(B) is a cross-sectional view of the electronic pen 3 in the state shown in Figure 3(A), where the outer casing 31 and the control element 32 have been cut in half lengthwise and the front portion removed. Therefore, the electronic pen body 1 and the shock absorber 2 mounted inside the outer casing 31 are shown in their external appearance as they are mounted inside the outer casing 31, rather than in cross-section. As shown in Figure 3(B), the electronic pen body 1 and the shock absorber 2 are mounted in series lengthwise in the hollow portion inside the outer casing 31. The electronic pen body 1 has the configuration described using Figures 1 and 2 and is the part that realizes the electronic pen function. The shock absorber 2 absorbs and mitigates the load applied in the axial direction from the pen tip portion of the electronic pen body 1. Details of the shock absorber 2 will be described later.

[0033] In the case of the electronic pen 3 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(B), a retaining wall 31HW is provided at the rear end in the axial direction within the operator opening 31SH provided in the outer housing 31, with a thickness that is thinner in a direction intersecting the axial direction. A retaining hole 31RH is also provided in the retaining wall 31HW. Therefore, the pen tip side of the retaining wall 31HW becomes a large through-hole in the operator opening 31SH. The upper surface of the operator 32 is formed in a shape similar to the operator opening 31SH, as shown in Figure 3(A), and is formed to be slightly smaller than the operator opening 31SH. As shown in Figure 3(A), the operator 32 is attached to the outer housing 31 so as to cover the entire operator opening 31SH, including the portion of the retaining wall 31HW.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3(B) in cross-section, the operator 32 has a mounting projection 32b and a pressing portion 32c on the plate-shaped body 32a. As shown in Figure 3(B), the combined thickness of the plate-shaped body 32a and the mounting projection 32b of the operator 32 is the same as the thickness of the outer housing 31. The thickness of the mounting projection 32b alone is the same as the thickness of the retaining wall 31HW. Therefore, the thickness of the portion of the plate-shaped body 32a where the mounting projection 32b is not provided is thinner than the thickness of the outer housing 31, and this thickness is approximately the same as the depth from the side surface of the outer housing 31 to the top surface of the retaining wall 31HW, as shown in Figure 3(B).

[0035] As shown in Figure 3(B), the operator 32 is attached to the operator opening 31SH by fitting the mounting projection 32b on its rear end into the retaining hole 31RH of the retaining wall 31HW. The mounting projection 32b of the operator 32 is the same shape as the retaining hole 31RH, but slightly larger. As a result, by pushing the mounting projection 32b into the retaining hole 31RH, the mounting projection 32b fits tightly into the retaining hole 31RH, and the operator 32 can be firmly fixed to the operator opening 31SH of the outer housing 31. As mentioned above, the thickness of the mounting projection 32b alone (the height of the mounting projection 32b) is the same as the thickness of the retaining wall 31HW, so the mounting projection 32b does not protrude from the inner wall surface of the outer housing 31.

[0036] On the other hand, the pressing portion 32c of the operator 32 has a portion that protrudes downward from the plate-shaped body 32a (the side facing the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen body 1) and a portion that protrudes upward from the plate-shaped body 32a (the side operated by the user). The thickness of the downward protruding portion of the pressing portion 32c is the same as the thickness of the retaining wall 31HW, so that it does not protrude from the inner wall surface of the outer housing 31. Therefore, when the operator 32 is simply attached to the outer housing 31, the downward protruding portion of the pressing portion 32c of the operator 32 and the aforementioned mounting projection 32b do not protrude from the inner wall surface of the outer housing 31. Consequently, when attaching the electronic pen body 1 to the outer housing 31, the downward protruding portion of the pressing portion 32c and the mounting projection 32b do not get in the way.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3(B), the portion of the pressing part 32c that protrudes above it slightly from the side of the outer casing 31. This eliminates the need for the user of the electronic pen 3 to visually confirm the position of the control element 32 each time. The user can grasp the position of the pressing part 32c of the control element 32 by touching the protruding portion on the outside of the pressing part 32c with their finger, and thus operate the control element 32 appropriately.

[0038] In the electronic pen 3 described using Figures 3(A) and (B), let's assume that the pressing part 32c of the operator 32 is pressed. In this case, as mentioned above, the side switch 18a of the circuit board mounted on the electronic pen body 1 can be pressed through the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen body 1. When the pressing operation on the pressing part 32c of the operator 32 is stopped, the operator 32 returns to its original position (as shown in Figure 3(B)) due to the restorative force of the operator 32. At the same time, the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen body 1 is also pushed back by the restorative force of the side switch 18a and returns to its original position. That is, it returns to the position where the side switch 18a is not pressed (the position it takes when not being pressed).

[0039] [Configuration of the shock absorber mechanism] As shown in Figure 3(B), a buffer mechanism 2 is positioned inside the outer casing 31 at the rear end of the electronic pen body 1. As mentioned above, the buffer mechanism 2 absorbs and mitigates the load applied to the pen tip portion of the electronic pen body 1 in the axial direction. For example, the user of the electronic pen 3 may be pushed by a nearby person, causing a sudden and strong pressure to be applied to the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1 unintentionally. Also, the electronic pen 3 may fall from a desk onto the floor or other surface, tip first, causing a strong impact to be applied to the electronic pen body 1 from the core 12 side. In such cases, the buffer mechanism 2 slides the electronic pen body 1 in the direction of the rear end of the axis, absorbing the strong external force applied to the electronic pen body 1 and protecting it. Of course, if the electronic pen 3 is in use, the buffer mechanism 2 can also reduce the pressure applied to the operating surface of the electronic device through the core 12 of the electronic pen 3, thereby protecting the operating surface of the electronic device as well.

[0040] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the buffer mechanism 2 provided in the electronic pen 3, and is a cross-sectional view of the buffer mechanism 2 when it is cut in half along its longitudinal direction and the front portion is removed. The buffer mechanism 2 consists of a cylinder portion 21, a piston portion 22, and a coil spring 23. The cylinder portion 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape by having a hole portion 21a with an end opening at the end opposite to the pen tip (right side in Figure 4). At a position shifted by a predetermined amount toward the pen tip side (left side in Figure 4) from the rear end face of the cylinder portion 21, window portions 21w1 and 21w2 are provided on the upper and lower sides of Figure 4, penetrating to the hole portion 21a. The window portions 21w1 and 21w2 are intended to not obstruct the movement of the projections 22b1 and 22b2 of the piston portion 22, which will be described later. The rear end of the window portions 21w1 and 21w2 is a cylindrical locking portion 21b.

[0041] The piston portion 22 is a cylindrical member and consists of four parts from the pen tip side (left side in Figure 4): a fitting portion 22a, projections 22b1 and 22b2, a spring retaining portion 22c, and a rear end overhang portion 22d. The fitting portion 22a and the spring retaining portion 22c have a diameter slightly shorter than the diameter of the hole portion 21a of the cylinder portion 21. Between the fitting portion 22a and the spring retaining portion 22c, projections 22b1 and 22b2 are provided at positions corresponding to the windows 21w1 and 21w2 of the cylinder portion 21, which move within the windows 21w1 and 21w2. The projections 22b1 and 22b2 engage with the pen tip side end face of the locking portion 21b on the rear end side of the cylinder portion 21. In addition, a rear end overhang portion 22d is provided on the rear end side of the spring retaining portion 22c. The diameter of the cylinder portion 21 and the diameter of the rear end protrusion 22d of the piston portion 22 are the same.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4, the fitting portion 22a of the piston portion 22 fits into the hole portion 21a of the cylindrically formed cylinder portion 21. In this case, the projections 22b1 and 22b2 of the piston portion 22 are positioned within the windows 21w1 and 21w2 of the cylinder portion 21, respectively. The spring holding portion 22c is the portion around which a coil spring 23 is provided, as shown in Figure 4. The coil spring 23 is held by being sandwiched between the rear end surface of the locking portion 21b of the cylinder portion 21 and the front end surface of the rear end overhang portion 22d of the piston portion 22. The coil spring 23 acts to separate the cylinder portion 21 and the piston portion 22. However, the projections 22b1 and 22b2 of the piston portion 22 engage with the locking portion 21b of the cylinder portion 21, maintaining the initial state shown in Figure 4.

[0043] The cushioning mechanism 2 formed in this manner is fixed to the rear end of the outer housing 31, as shown in Figure 3(B). In this embodiment, adhesive is applied to the inner rear end portion of the outer housing 31, and it is bonded and fixed to the inner wall surface of the rear end of the outer housing 31. In this embodiment, the coil spring 23 begins to compress (bend) when a load of 450 gf (grams-force) or more is applied. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3(B), when a load of less than 450 gf is applied in the axial direction to the core body 12 of the electronic pen body 1 located in the preceding section, the coil spring 23 does not compress, and the position of the electronic pen body 1 is maintained and does not change.

[0044] However, if a load of 450gf or more is applied to the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1 in the axial direction, the coil spring 23 compresses, causing the cylinder part 21 shown in Figure 4 to move towards the rear end, reducing the gap indicated by the arrow. As a result, the electronic pen body 1 also slides towards the rear end inside the outer housing 31, absorbing the load on the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1. When the load on the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1 is released, the cylinder part 21 is pushed back towards the pen tip by the restorative force of the coil spring 23, and the electronic pen body 1 returns to its original position accordingly. The buffer mechanism 2 with this configuration acts to reduce excessive pressure received through the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1.

[0045] [Equivalent circuit of electronic pen 3] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the equivalent circuit of the electronic pen 3. In this embodiment, the electronic pen function of the electronic pen 3 is realized by the electronic pen body 1. That is, the electronic pen 3 in this embodiment has a configuration in which a coil (inductor), a capacitor Cf, a variable capacitance capacitor Cv, a frequency changing capacitor C1, and a side switch 18a are connected in parallel. The coil is a ferrite core and the coil section 13. Capacitor Cf is, for example, a capacitor 18c provided on the circuit board 18. The variable capacitance capacitor Cv corresponds to the pressure detection unit 16. Capacitor C1 is mounted on the circuit board 18, although it is not shown.

[0046] The push-button switch is a push-button type side switch 18a provided on the circuit board 18. As mentioned above, this side switch 18a can be pressed via a side switch knob 11b provided on the main body housing 11a, through an operator 32 provided on the outer housing 31. When the side switch 18a is not pressed, the ferrite core and the coil of the coil section 13 and the capacitor Cf form a resonant circuit, which receives a signal from the electromagnetic induction type position detection sensor, forms a transmission signal, and transmits this to the position detection sensor to indicate the position.

[0047] Furthermore, by including a variable capacitance capacitor Cv, which is the pressure detection unit 16, information indicating pen pressure can be included in the transmission signal sent from the electronic pen 3, for example, as a change in the phase of the transmission signal. In addition, the frequency of the transmission signal can be changed by switching the connection / disconnection of capacitor C1 by turning the side switch 18a on or off. This allows the on / off state of the side switch 18a to be notified to the electromagnetic induction type position detection sensor. The electronic pen body 1 mounted on the electronic pen 3 realizes these basic functions of an electronic pen.

[0048] [Positioning when attaching the electronic pen body 1 to the outer casing 31] As described above, the side switch 18a of the electronic pen body 1 mounted on the outer housing 31 is operated via the side switch knob 11b by pressing the operator 32 provided on the outer housing 31. For this reason, when the electronic pen body 1 is mounted on the outer housing 31, the position of the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen body 1 and the position of the operator 32 of the outer housing 31 must correspond precisely. Therefore, in the electronic pen 3 of this embodiment, a configuration is provided for positioning the outer housing 31 and the electronic pen body 1.

[0049] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the components for positioning the outer casing 31 of the electronic pen 3 and the electronic pen body 1. Specifically, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic pen 3 when it is cut in a direction intersecting the axis at the position where the pressing portion 32c of the operator 32 is provided. For the sake of simplicity, descriptions of items other than the side switch knob 11b housed in the main body casing 11a of the electronic pen body 1 have been omitted.

[0050] As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the outer housing 31 has a groove 33 on its inner wall surface at a position rotated 180 degrees around the outer circumference of the outer housing 31 from the center of the pressing portion 32c, extending from the end on the pen tip side to the front end surface of the cushioning mechanism portion 2. The main body housing 11a has a projection 11d on its outer wall surface (side surface) at a position rotated 180 degrees around the outer circumference of the main body housing 11a from the center of the side switch knob 11b. The projection 11d on the outer wall surface of the main body housing 11a fits into the groove 33 on the inner wall of the outer housing 31, allowing the electronic pen body 1 to be mounted inside the outer housing 31 while maintaining the positional relationship between the outer housing 31 and the main body housing 11a shown in Figure 6.

[0051] In this case, the projections (protrusions) 11d provided on the outer wall surface of the main body housing 11a may be provided only on the rear end portion of the main body housing 11a, or multiple projections 11d may be provided intermittently between the rear end portion of the main body housing 11a and the position just before it becomes tapered towards the pen tip. Alternatively, the projections 11d provided on the outer wall surface of the main body housing 11a may be provided linearly (continuously) from the rear end portion of the main body housing 11a to the position just before it becomes tapered towards the pen tip.

[0052] Conversely, on the outer housing 31, a projection (protrusion) is provided on the inner wall surface at a position 180 degrees around the outer circumference of the outer housing 31 from the center of the pressing portion 32c. This projection may be provided only on the front end portion of the outer housing 31, or it may be provided intermittently between the front end of the outer housing 31 and the front end of the cushioning mechanism 2. Of course, the projection may also be provided linearly (continuously) between the front end of the outer housing 31 and the front end of the cushioning mechanism 2. On the other hand, on the main body housing 11a, a groove is provided on the outer wall surface (side surface) at a position 180 degrees around the outer circumference of the main body housing 11a from the center of the side switch knob 11b. This groove is provided linearly (continuously) from the rear end portion of the main body housing 11a to the position just before it becomes tapered towards the pen tip.

[0053] As a result, a projection provided on the inner wall of the outer casing fits into a groove provided on the outer wall of the main body casing 11a, allowing the electronic pen body 1 to be mounted inside the outer casing 31 while maintaining the positional relationship between the outer casing 31 and the main body casing 11a, as shown in Figure 6. Thus, a groove is formed at least at one location on the inner wall surface of the outer casing 31, extending from the front end surface along the axis, and a protrusion is provided at least at the rear end portion of the outer wall surface of the main body casing 11a, which fits into the groove of the outer casing 31. Alternatively, a protrusion is formed at least at one location on the inner wall surface of the outer casing 31, extending from the rear end surface along the axis, which fits into the protrusion of the outer casing 31.

[0054] This allows for proper positioning of the outer casing 31 and the electronic pen body 1 by fitting the two together. Therefore, when the electronic pen body 1 is attached to the outer casing 31, the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen body 1 and the control element 32 attached to the outer casing 31 can be reliably positioned in correspondence.

[0055] Here, we have described the case where one corresponding groove and projection (protrusion) are provided, but this is not the only option. It is also possible to provide multiple corresponding grooves and projections (protrusions). For example, it is possible to provide grooves and projections on the inner wall of the outer casing 31 and the outer wall of the main casing 11a, at positions opposite each other with the central axis of the electronic pen 3 in between. In this case, it is possible to provide a groove on the inner wall of the outer casing 31 and a protrusion on the outer wall of the main casing 11a at one location, and a protrusion on the inner wall of the outer casing 31 and a groove on the outer wall of the main casing 11a at the other locations.

[0056] [Effects of the embodiment] In the electronic pen 3 of the above-described embodiment, the electronic pen 3 can be realized simply by attaching the electronic pen body 1 and the buffer mechanism 2 to the outer housing 31. The electronic pen body 1 is the same size as a ballpoint pen refill, but has a side switch 18a on a circuit board mounted inside the body housing 11a. A side opening 11SH is provided for pressing the side switch 18a, but this side opening 11SH is covered by a pressable side switch knob 11b. Therefore, the part of the body housing 11a that is weakened by the provision of the side opening 11SH can be reinforced. Moreover, the upper part of the side switch knob 11b does not protrude from the side of the body housing 11a, so it does not get in the way when attaching or detaching the electronic pen body 1 to the outer housing.

[0057] Furthermore, the outer casing 31 is provided with an operating element 32 at a position corresponding to the side switch knob 11b provided on the main body casing 11a of the attached electronic pen body 1. By pressing this operating element 32, the side switch 18a on the circuit board 18 can be properly operated via the side switch knob 11b provided on the main body casing 11a of the electronic pen body 1. Moreover, since the operating element 32 provided on the outer casing 31 does not protrude from the inner wall surface of the outer casing, it does not get in the way when attaching the electronic pen body 1 or the buffer mechanism 2.

[0058] Furthermore, the outer housing 31 is configured such that a buffer mechanism 2 is attached to its rear end, and the electronic pen body 1 is attached to its front. This configuration allows the buffer mechanism 2 to absorb excessive pressure on the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1, thereby protecting the electronic pen body 1. In this case, when the electronic pen 3 is in use on the operating surface of the position detection sensor, the core 12 of the electronic pen body 1 will not place excessive load on the operating surface, thus protecting the operating surface as well. In addition, by providing grooves and protrusions or protrusions and grooves at corresponding positions on the outer housing 31 and the main body housing 11a, the electronic pen body 1 can always be attached to the outer housing 31 in the correct position. That is, the position of the side switch knob on the main body housing 11a and the operator 32 on the outer housing 31 will not be misaligned.

[0059] [Differentiation] In the embodiments described above, the outer housing 31 and the main housing 11a were described as both being cylindrical, but this is not the only option. For example, the side surface of the outer housing 31 could be hexagonal, like a pencil, with a cylindrical hole on the inside. Alternatively, the inner hole of the outer housing 31 could be formed as a prismatic shape with a polygonal cross-section, and the shape of the main housing 11a could be matched accordingly. In this case, it would not be necessary to form a mechanism (protrusions and grooves) for alignment during mounting.

[0060] The shapes of the outer casing 31 and the main body casing 11a are not limited to these, and various shapes are possible. In this case, the important thing is that the positions of the side switch knob 11b of the electronic pen main body 1 and the operator 32 of the outer casing 31 can be properly aligned.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figures 1(A) and (B), the outer surface of the side switch knob 11b (the surface operated by the user) and the side surface of the main body housing 11a were made to be on the same plane. However, this is not the only limitation. At a minimum, the outer surface of the side switch knob 11b (the surface operated by the user) should not protrude outward from the side surface of the main body housing 11a. This is to prevent it from getting in the way when mounting it to the outer housing 31.

[0062] Furthermore, the mounting projection 32b of the operator 32 and the portion of the pressing part 32c that protrudes downward should not be made to protrude inward from the inner wall surface of the outer housing. Therefore, when the operator 32 is attached to the outer housing 31, the mounting projection 32b of the operator 32 and the portion of the pressing part 32c that protrudes downward may be made to be slightly recessed from the inner wall surface of the outer housing. Even in this case, it is sufficient that the operator 32 can be firmly attached to the outer housing 31, and that when the pressing part 32c is pressed, the side switch 18a can be properly pressed via the side switch knob 11b.

[0063] Furthermore, the main body housing 11a, the circuit board holder 17, the rear cap 11c, the core body 12, the outer housing 31, the cylinder part 21, the piston part 22, etc., can be formed from POM (Polyoxymethylene or Polyacetal) resin or ABS (Acrylonitrile, Butadiene, Styrene) resin, etc. Also, the cushioning member 19, which is positioned at the rear end of the bottom surface 17d of the circuit board holder 17 of the electronic pen body 1, is formed from elastomer. These materials are just examples, and various materials can be used as long as they can be formed in a similar manner and maintain similar strength.

[0064] Furthermore, the circuit board 18 is formed as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). However, it is not limited to this, and rigid circuit boards formed using an inflexible insulating substrate or rigid-flexible circuit boards formed by combining a hard material and a thin, flexible material can also be used.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, the example was given where the circuit board 18 is provided with one side switch (push button switch) 18a, but it is not limited to this. For example, two side switches are provided on the circuit board 8, one in the front and one in the rear in the longitudinal direction, and side switch knobs that operate separately are provided corresponding to these two side switches. In response to this, a seesaw-type operator is provided on the outer housing 31, for example, so that each of the front and rear side switches can be operated individually.

[0066] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment explained the case where a side switch is provided for an electromagnetic induction type electronic pen, it is not limited to this. For example, for an active capacitive type electronic pen, a three-layer structure can be formed in which a side switch knob is provided on the main body housing to correspond to the side switch, and an operating element is provided on the outer housing to correspond to this. In this way, an active capacitive type electronic pen can be realized in which the side switch built into the electronic pen body can be operated from the outer housing side. In addition, even in the case of an active capacitive type electronic pen, the electronic pen body can be protected by providing a buffer mechanism downstream of the electronic pen body. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0067] 1...Electronic pen body, 11a...Body housing, 11b...Side switch knob, 11ba...Locking part (claw part), 11c...Rear cap, 11d...Protrusion, 11FH...Pen tip opening, 11SH...Side opening, 11BH...Rear end opening, 12...Core body, 12a...Pen tip part, 12b...Shaft part, 13...Ferrite core and coil part, 14a...Front core cap, 14b...Rear core cap, 15...Pusher member, 15a...Coil spring, 16...Pressure detection part, 17...Circuit board holder, 17a...Cylindrical tip part, 17b...Bottom part, 17c...Plate part, 17d...Rear end bottom part, 17e...Matching projection, 17f...Fixing projection, 18...Rotation Circuit board, 18a...side switch, 18b...control IC, 18c...capacitor, 18d...electrode, 18e...conductive part, 18f...fixing hole, 19...cushion member, 2...cushion mechanism part, 21...cylinder part, 21a...hole part, 21w1, 21w2...window part, 21b...locking part, 22...piston part, 22a...fitting part, 22b1, 22b2...projection part, 22c...spring retaining part, 22d...rear end overhang part, 23...coil spring, 3...electronic pen, 31...outer housing, 31FH...tip opening, 31SH...opening for operator, 31RH...retaining hole, 31HW...retaining wall, 32...operator, 32a...plate-shaped body, 32b...mounting projection, 32c...pressing part

Claims

1. An electronic pen is constructed by attaching a replaceable cartridge-type electronic pen body to an outer casing, The electronic pen body is, A circuit board equipped with a push-button switch, A main body housing capable of housing the aforementioned circuit board, A first fitting portion extending from the pen tip side to the rear end side, Equipped with, The aforementioned outer housing is An opening is provided on the pen tip side for attaching the electronic pen body, A second fitting portion extending from the pen tip side to the rear end side, Equipped with, When the electronic pen body is attached to the outer housing, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion engage with each other, and the electronic pen body is made movable along the second fitting portion in the axial direction of the pen. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

2. The electronic pen according to claim 1, In the electronic pen body, The side of the main body housing on which the circuit board is arranged and the side on which the first fitting portion is provided are different sides. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

3. The electronic pen according to claim 1, The pressing portion and the first fitting portion of the electronic pen body are located on different sides. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

4. The electronic pen according to claim 1, The second fitting portion is provided on the inner side of the housing surface opposite to the opening on the side of the outer housing. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

5. The electronic pen according to claim 1, The electronic pen body is oscillated in the front-to-back direction by a shock absorber. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

6. The electronic pen according to claim 1, The first fitting portion is a projection, and the second fitting portion is a groove. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

7. The electronic pen according to claim 1, The first fitting portion is a groove, and the second fitting portion is a projection. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

8. The electronic pen according to claim 1, A side opening is provided at a position on the side of the main body housing of the electronic pen body corresponding to the push-button switch on the circuit board. The electronic pen body is provided with a pressing member which is a member provided in the side opening of the body housing and which acts in accordance with the push button switch and has a locking portion that prevents it from protruding outward from the side of the body housing. The aforementioned outer housing is When the electronic pen body is mounted in a fixed position, an operating opening is provided on the side of the electronic pen body at a position corresponding to the pressing member, The opening for the operator is provided such that the surface facing the pressing member does not protrude inward from the inner wall surface of the outer housing, and the operator operates the push button switch via the pressing member of the electronic pen body. An electronic pen characterized by having the following features.

9. The electronic pen according to claim 8, The locking portion of the pressing member of the electronic pen body is a claw portion provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

10. The electronic pen according to claim 8, The pressing member of the electronic pen body is positioned such that its outer surface lies flush with the side surface of the body housing. The operating element of the outer housing is configured such that the inner surface facing the pressing member is flush with the inner wall surface of the outer housing. An electronic pen characterized by the following features.

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