Pen tip and touch pen equipped with said pen tip

Abstract

To provide a pen tip and a touch pen with this pen tip which have excellent writing feeling and high durability, and capable of eliminating or suppressing with a very high probability a malfunction due to getting wet especially, when using as the pen tip for the touch pen.SOLUTION: A pen tip 1 consists of a long rod-shaped main body 2 of a pen tip and is configured so that the surface of the contacting part 2a of the main pen tip body 2 at least with objects (writing target, etc. such as a piece of paper and a touch panel) has water repellency. Therefore, the pen tip 1 has a high durability while the pen tip holds characteristics caused by the material making up the main pen tip body 2, and the influence due to water or moisture adhesion on the pen tip is avoided or suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pen tip and a touch pen equipped with the pen tip. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pen tip that has an excellent writing feel and high durability, and when used as a pen tip for a touch pen, does not malfunction due to getting wet with water or can suppress it with an extremely high probability, and a touch pen equipped with this pen tip. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in touch panels that consist of a display device that displays information such as images received from the outside on a liquid crystal display and an input device that operates equipment by touching areas displayed on the screen, predetermined information is input by pressing a predetermined position with an input means such as a finger or a pen.

[0003] In recent years, there has been a demand for such pens to have a writing feel (or writing sensation) that is similar to that of writing on paper, and research is being conducted into pen tips that provide an excellent writing feel.

[0004] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-079347 (Patent Document 1) proposes a pen tip that can be used on touch panels and the like, and that provides the same writing feel as a conventional pen.

[0005] This pen tip is made conductive by coating a pen tip body made of a fiber bundle with a conductive material.

[0006] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-185653 (Patent Document 2) proposes a tip for an electronic pen that can prevent repeated habitual actions such as biting, holding, or licking the electronic pen, and can effectively prevent malfunctions or breakdowns of the electronic pen due to the penetration of saliva.

[0007] The tip for the electronic pen is a rod-shaped tip for an electronic pen, When attached to the electronic pen, one end of the electronic pen protrudes from the opening at the tip of the electronic pen, Pores or voids are provided from the one end in an axial direction, At least the one end side is permeated with a bitter substance by capillary action.

[0008] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-102788 (Patent Document 3) proposes a pen tip for a touch panel that has appropriate sliding properties and writing resistance (feeling of grip) and is comfortable to use.

[0009] This touch panel pen tip has ribs that extend radially outward from the center in a cross-sectional view, and the shaft member is formed by covering the outer periphery of a core member made of elastomer with an outer cover made of a resin material. The outer skin of the tip of the shaft member is removed to expose the tip of the core member, thereby forming a touch portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-079347 A (Claims, Figures 1 to 4) [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-185653 A (Claims, Figures 2 and 3) [Patent Document 3] JP 2014-102788 A (Claims, Figures 1 to 3) DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Conventional pen tips that have been improved in terms of writing feel have voids or pores formed inside them that are interconnected, so if water gets on them accidentally or if moisture gets on them due to condensation caused by being placed in a certain environment such as a humid environment, water or moisture can easily penetrate into the inside through these voids or pores. Therefore, there has been a problem in that the pen tip swells considerably due to the penetration of water or moisture into the inside of the pen tip, and the dimensions of the pen tip increase. Furthermore, as the dimensions of the pen tip increase, the fit between the pen tip and the touch pen body into which it is fitted becomes tighter, making the movement of the pen tip poorer, or the overall length of the pen tip increases, increasing the length of the pen tip projection, which causes the touch pen to operate less smoothly. Furthermore, when used as a pen tip for a touch panel, there is a risk that problems such as malfunction of the electronic circuitry inside the touch pen body may occur if the pen gets wet or if moisture adheres to and penetrates into the inside of the pen. Therefore, the pen tips disclosed in the above Patent Documents 1 and 3 require further improvement in terms of preventing water or moisture from penetrating into the inside thereof.

[0012] The lead for an electronic pen disclosed in Patent Document 2 prevents the protruding part of the lead from being repeatedly bitten, held in the mouth, or licked, but it does not solve the problem of water or moisture penetrating into the inside, and further improvement in the writing feel is required.

[0013] In view of the current situation, this invention aims to provide a pen tip that has an excellent writing feel and high durability, and when used as a pen tip for a touch pen (touch panel), in particular, does not malfunction due to water getting wet and penetrating into the interior, or can suppress it with an extremely high probability, and in particular a pen tip for a touch pen, and a touch pen equipped with this pen tip. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] That is, the invention described in claim 1 of this invention is as follows: A pen tip consisting of a long rod-shaped pen tip main body, The pen tip main body is It is made of a fiber material and is configured to be porous with a plurality of gaps or cavities of a required size inside and a porosity of 20% to 80%; The void or cavity is It is formed to communicate with the outside space, the surface of at least the part of the pen tip main body that can come into contact with an object is made of a fluorine-based compound, a silicone-based compound, Carbon number 6 or more The material is made water-repellent by a water-repellent treatment using a water-repellent material selected from hydrophobic polymers containing carbon chains, paraffin compounds, aliphatic amide compounds, and alkylethylene urea compounds. This is a pen tip that features:

[0015] The invention described in claim 2 of this invention is: The pen tip according to claim 1, The contact angle of the surface with water is Angle must be 90° or more It is characterized by the following.

[0016] The invention described in claim 3 of this invention is: The pen tip according to claim 1, The pen tip main body is At least the portion that can come into contact with the object is composed of a fiber bundle made by bundling a plurality of fibers and an adhesive resin that binds the fiber bundle. It is characterized by the following.

[0017] The invention described in claim 4 of this invention is: Claim 3 In the pen tip described in The adhesive resin is The adhesive resin is selected from a polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound, a modified epoxy adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound, and an epoxy adhesive resin having an epoxy group as a reactive group. It is characterized by the following.

[0018] The invention described in claim 5 of this invention is: Claim 3 In the pen tip described in The fibers are Nylon fiber the law of nature, The adhesive resin is A polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound, and a modified epoxy adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound. To It is characterized by the following.

[0019] The invention described in claim 6 of this invention is: Claim 3 In the pen tip described in The fibers are It is a nylon fiber, The water-repellent material teeth, Silicone compounds , The adhesive resin is A polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent including an isocyanate compound. To It is characterized by the following.

[0020] The invention described in claim 7 of this invention is: The pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The pen tip main body is The deformation amount when a vertical load of 500gf is applied to the part that may come into contact with the object is 0.01 to 0.2mm It is characterized by the following.

[0021] The invention described in claim 8 of this invention is: The pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The pen tip main body is The elastic recovery rate when a vertical load is applied to the part that may come into contact with the object, crushing it by 0.5 mm, and then the load is removed is 50 to 100%. It is characterized by the following.

[0022] The invention described in claim 9 of this invention is: Claim 1 ~ 8 In the pen tip according to any one of The pen tip is The tip must be for a touch pen It is characterized by the following.

[0023] The invention described in claim 10 of this invention is: Claim 1~ 9 In the pen tip according to any one of The pen tip main body is It must be conductive. It is characterized by the following.

[0024] The invention described in claim 11 of this invention is: Claim 1~ 10 The pen tip is equipped with one of the following: It is a touch pen characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] The pen tip of this invention consists of a long, rod-shaped pen tip main body, and the pen tip main body is configured so that at least the part that can come into contact with the object (the object to be written on, drawn on, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "writing, etc.") such as paper or a touch panel), particularly the surface of the tip (tip portion), is water-repellent. Therefore, the pen tip has high durability while retaining the properties attributable to the material that constitutes the pen tip main body, and is not affected by or is only slightly affected by the adhesion of water or moisture. Furthermore, when the pen tip is used as a pen tip for a touch panel, malfunctions caused by water penetration into the inside of the pen tip due to wetting will not occur or will be suppressed with an extremely high probability.

[0026] In the pen tip, the pen tip main body can be configured so that one or more gaps or cavities of a desired size are formed therein. With this configuration, when a predetermined writing pressure is applied to the pen tip during writing, the gap or cavity deforms, and the pen tip acts like a cushion, providing a writing feel that combines moderate flexibility, elasticity, and slip resistance. This effect is particularly noticeable when the main body of the pen tip is made of a porous material.

[0027] Furthermore, in the pen tip, the pen tip main body, particularly at least the part that can come into contact with an object, can be composed of a fiber bundle made of a plurality of fibers bundled together and an adhesive resin that binds the fiber bundle. With this configuration, the pen tip provides an excellent writing feel when writing on an object such as paper or a touch panel. Furthermore, this pen tip is highly durable and does not break apart even when repeatedly bent and used over a long period of time, so it can simultaneously and fully exhibit both the characteristics of writing feel and durability over a long period of time.

[0028] In the pen tip, the fibers can be selected as nylon fibers, and the adhesive resin can be selected from a polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent including an isocyanate compound, a modified epoxy adhesive resin containing a curing agent including an isocyanate compound, and an epoxy adhesive resin having an epoxy group as a reactive group. With this configuration, the nylon fiber has a highly polar surface and adheres firmly to the adhesive resin, so it does not or is suppressed from coming apart even when repeatedly bent and used over a long period of time, resulting in high durability at the pen tip and a writing feel that combines flexibility, elasticity, and slip resistance over a long period of time. In particular, when an adhesive resin containing a compound having an isocyanate group is selected, this effect is remarkable because the isocyanate group firmly adheres to the polar surface of nylon.

[0029] Furthermore, in the pen tip, the pen tip main body can be configured so that its porosity is 20 to 80%. With this configuration, the pen tip has a writing feel that combines appropriate flexibility and elasticity with slip resistance.

[0030] Furthermore, the pen tip can be configured so that the portion of the pen tip main body that can come into contact with an object, particularly the tip, is deformed by 0.01 to 0.2 mm when a vertical load of 500 gf is applied. With this configuration, the pen tip is less likely to be crushed even when pressure is applied by the user, and therefore the pen tip is highly durable even when used for a long period of time.

[0031] In particular, in the pen tip, when the pen tip main body, at least in the part that can come into contact with the object, is composed of a fiber bundle made up of multiple fibers bundled together and an adhesive resin that binds the fiber bundle, the effect of preventing the adhesive (adhesive resin) from peeling off and the fibers from falling apart due to the user's writing pressure, etc. is achieved. When the pen tip is used as a pen tip for a touch panel (touch pen), it may be used by tapping the touch panel. Therefore, when the pen tip is mainly composed of the fiber bundle bound with an adhesive resin, the adhesive may come off due to the pressure of the user's writing, causing the fibers to come apart. However, with the above configuration, the pen tip and the pen tip main body that constitutes it are less likely to deform due to writing pressure, etc., so the adhesive is less likely to peel off, and as a result, the fibers that constitute the pen tip main body are less likely to come apart. This effect is particularly pronounced when nylon fibers having a highly polar surface are selected as the fibers and an adhesive resin containing a compound having an isocyanate group is selected as the adhesive resin.

[0032] Furthermore, the pen tip can be configured so that the part of the pen tip main body that can come into contact with an object, particularly the tip, has an elastic recovery rate of 50 to 100% when a vertical load is applied to compress it by 0.5 mm and then the load is removed (the dimensions of the part return to approximately 0.25 to 0.5 mm). More preferably, the pen tip main body is configured so that the elastic recovery rate is 75 to 99% (the dimension of the part returns to its original dimension by 0.375 to 0.495 mm). With this configuration, the pen tip has both a soft and flexible writing feel and a moderate elastic feel.

[0033] When the pen tip is used as a pen tip (touch pen) for a touch panel, a strong writing pressure may be applied to the pen tip in order to draw thick lines. Therefore, when the pen tip is composed of a pen tip main body obtained by binding the fiber bundle with an adhesive resin, the adhesive (adhesive resin) may break or peel off from the fibers due to the user's strong writing pressure, causing the pen tip to become deformed and remain crushed, and further, when used repeatedly, the fibers that make up the pen tip main body may become loose. However, with the above configuration, the pen tip or the pen tip main body that constitutes it has excellent flexibility, and even if it is temporarily deformed by writing pressure, etc., the adhesive is unlikely to peel off from the fibers without causing breakage, etc., and not only does it combine a soft and flexible writing feel with a moderate elasticity, but it is also highly durable. This effect is remarkable when nylon fibers having a highly polar surface are selected as the fibers, and an adhesive resin containing a compound having an isocyanate group, more preferably a polyurethane-based adhesive resin, and particularly a soft polyurethane-based adhesive resin, is selected as the adhesive resin.

[0034] Furthermore, in the pen tip, the pen tip main body, particularly at least the portion thereof that can come into contact with an object, can be made of plastic or elastomer. With this configuration, the pen tip has excellent strength, durability, and abrasion resistance, and when plastic is selected as the constituent material, it has a relatively hard writing feel, and when elastomer is selected as the constituent material, it has a relatively soft and elastic writing feel.

[0035] The pen tip is particularly applicable to a pen tip for a touch panel (touch pen). In particular, when the pen tip main body is configured to be conductive, in the case of a capacitive touch panel, when the pen tip comes into contact with the screen of the touch panel, the conductivity will be such that it will sufficiently generate a change in electrical quantity associated with a change in capacitance, and in the case of an electromagnetic induction touch panel, it will emit electromagnetic energy or radio waves. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a pen tip according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the water permeability of the pen tip according to the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the water permeability of the pen tip according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Hereinafter, embodiments of the pen tip according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The pen tip of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and can be modified within the scope of the invention without departing from its spirit.

[0038] The pen tip 1 according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "pen tip 1") is composed of a long rod-shaped pen tip main body 2, as shown in FIG. The pen tip main body 2 is configured so that at least the surface of the part that may come into contact with an object such as paper or a touch panel has water repellency. With this configuration, the pen tip 1 has high durability while retaining the characteristics attributable to the material that constitutes the pen tip main body 2, and is not affected by or is suppressed from being affected by the adhesion of water or moisture. In particular, when the pen tip is used as the pen tip of a touch pen (a pen for a touch panel), malfunctions caused by water or moisture adhering to the pen, penetrating the inside, and reaching the electronic circuitry of the touch pen body are prevented or suppressed. Furthermore, it is now possible to use materials that have been avoided as materials for touch pen tips, such as materials that are highly absorbent due to the capillary rise phenomenon caused by being porous and / or having voids or cavities, and that undergo large dimensional changes due to water absorption (e.g., nylon fiber), so it is expected that the range of materials that can be selected will be wider.

[0039] In this invention, the term "porous" refers to a state that is neither dense nor hollow.

[0040] In FIG. 1, the pen tip main body 2 is configured so that the entire body, including the part that may come into contact with the object, is water-repellent. Therefore, since the pen tip main body 2 is configured to be water-repellent as a whole, even if water or moisture adheres to a part other than the tip of the pen tip, the effect is not present or is suppressed.

[0041] In the present invention, "having water repellency" means that the contact angle of the surface with water is 90° or more, preferably 95° or more. The contact angle can be measured by the sessile drop method.

[0042] In this invention, the material constituting the pen tip main body 2 may be water-repellent, or the material constituting the pen tip main body 2 may be used as a base material, and this base material may be treated with a water-repellent coating to make it water-repellent. In this case, by appropriately adjusting the combination of the various water-repellent treating agents used for the water-repellent treatment, or by appropriately adjusting the combination of the various materials constituting the nib main body 2 and the various water-repellent treating agents, it is possible to control the degree of water-repellent and oil-repellent performance, or to simultaneously exhibit water-repellent and oil-repellent properties.

[0043] If the material constituting the pen tip main body 2 is water-repellent, the step of subjecting the base material to a water-repellent treatment can be omitted, resulting in excellent productivity and cost performance. Furthermore, since there is no need to perform a water-repellent treatment (water-repellent processing) after forming the main body of the nib into a predetermined shape, there is no risk of damage to the shape, such as breaking, bending, or partially crushing, of thin or weak parts such as the shaft during the water-repellent processing.

[0044] When a water-repellent material is selected as the material for constituting the pen tip main body 2, materials that can be used or added as the water-repellent material include, for example, fluorine-based compounds, silicone-based compounds, hydrophobic polymers containing long carbon chains (preferably hydrophobic polymers containing carbon chains with 6 or more carbon atoms), paraffin-based compounds, aliphatic amide-based compounds, alkylethylene urea compounds, fats and oils, and various oils. These materials can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0045] In the present invention, the fluorine-based compound is not particularly limited as long as it is a polymer having fluorine atoms in the molecule. Examples of the fluorine-based compound include polytetrafluoroethylene, polyhexafluoropropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyfluoroalkyl methacrylate, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, and hexafluoroethylene-propylene copolymer. Polymer materials obtained by chemically modifying these compounds may also be used.

[0046] In the present invention, the silicone compound is not particularly limited as long as it is a compound (particularly a polymer compound) having a main skeleton formed by siloxane bonds in the molecule. Examples of the silicone compounds include polysiloxanes, such as dimethylpolysiloxane, and modified products thereof, as well as silanes and organic silicon compounds. These compounds may be in the form of a dispersion such as a liquid or emulsion.

[0047] The water-repellent material may be a combination of the fluorine-based compound and the silicone-based compound, a fluorine-modified silane such as perfluoroalkylsilane, or a polymer in which a fluorine-based molecule or a siloxane skeleton is copolymerized with a polyol resin.

[0048] When the material constituting the pen tip main body 2 is used as a base material and is subjected to a water-repellent treatment to make the base material water-repellent, the material constituting the pen tip main body 2 may be a material that does not have water-repellent properties. Therefore, in this case, there are no particular restrictions on the material that can be used to form the pen tip main body 2, and various materials such as resin materials, and fiber materials such as polyester fiber, acrylic fiber, and nylon fiber can be selected appropriately depending on the application.

[0049] Examples of the resin material include plastics and elastomers. For example, the pen tip main body 2 can be manufactured by molding the resin material using a known molding method such as injection molding or extrusion molding.

[0050] Examples of the plastic include polyacetal, polyester resin, nylon, polyolefin resin, fluorine resin, polyimide resin such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyetherimide, polyamideimide, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and polyethersulfone (PES). When plastic is selected as the material, the pen tip has a relatively hard writing feel and is excellent in strength, durability, abrasion resistance, and the like.

[0051] As the elastomer, for example, polyester elastomer, nylon elastomer, urethane elastomer, etc. may be selected. When elastomer is selected as the material, the pen tip has a writing feel that combines flexibility, elasticity, and slip resistance due to the material.

[0052] As the fiber material, for example, thermoplastic resin fibers such as polyester fibers, acrylic fibers, and nylon fibers are selected. When a fiber material is selected as the material, an excellent writing feel is obtained when writing on an object such as paper or a touch panel, and the material has high durability.

[0053] The material may be a bundle of desired fibers (fiber bundle) aligned in the longitudinal direction and bonded with an adhesive resin. In this case, the fibers can be selected from the same fiber material as above, and nylon fibers are preferably selected. Nylon fibers have a highly polar surface and therefore bond strongly to adhesive resins. Therefore, even when the pen is repeatedly bent and used over a long period of time, it does not break apart or is suppressed from breaking apart, so that high durability is obtained at the pen tip, and a writing feel that combines flexibility, elasticity, and slip resistance is realized over a long period of time. Furthermore, even pen tips that are small and require precision in shape can be easily manufactured.

[0054] The adhesive resin may be selected from polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, urea-formalin resin, phenol resin, unsaturated polyester resin, and the like. Preferably, the resin is selected from a polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound, a modified epoxy adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound (for example, a modified epoxy adhesive resin obtained by introducing a reactive group such as a hydroxyl group into an epoxy resin, which is the main component of an epoxy adhesive, and then subjecting the resulting resin to a curing reaction using an isocyanate compound as a curing agent), and an epoxy resin having an epoxy group as a reactive group. These adhesive resins can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0055] When nylon fibers are selected as the fibers, the adhesive resin is more preferably an adhesive resin containing a compound having an isocyanate group, and even more preferably a polyurethane-based adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound. Nylon fibers have amide groups in their molecular structure, and therefore bond strongly to the isocyanate groups of the isocyanate compound. Therefore, the pen tip has higher durability, and a writing feel that combines flexibility, elasticity, and slip resistance is realized for a longer period of time.

[0056] Furthermore, when a polyurethane adhesive resin is selected as the adhesive resin, the hardness of the polyurethane resin contained as the main agent can be appropriately adjusted to manufacture a pen tip main body suited to the application. For example, a soft polyurethane adhesive resin can be used as the polyurethane adhesive resin. Nylon fibers have a moderate flexibility, and when used in combination with an adhesive resin containing a soft polyurethane resin as the main component, a soft and flexible writing feel is achieved mainly at the pen tip, and a moderate degree of slip resistance is obtained since the stick-slip phenomenon is likely to occur when writing. Therefore, the pen tip mainly composed of the pen tip obtained in this way can give the user a relatively heavy feeling when using it, and can provide a writing feel similar to that of writing on paper, even on a smooth touch panel. On the other hand, if a hard and durable pen tip is desired, an adhesive resin containing a hard polyurethane resin as a main component may be selected as the polyurethane adhesive resin.

[0057] When the fiber bundle is adhered and fixed using an adhesive resin, it is preferable that the fibers are oriented in the axial direction of the main body of the pen tip.

[0058] The nib main body made of the fiber material or fiber can be formed to a predetermined length depending on the application. Furthermore, before the water-repellent treatment is applied, the main body of the pen tip, for example, the tip side thereof, may be subjected to a desired processing treatment such as cutting or punching in advance to form a predetermined shape.

[0059] Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to any known or future developed pen tip or applicator body as long as it can be used as the pen tip main body. For example, when the touch panel pen tip disclosed in JP 2014-102788 A is used as the main pen tip, a highly durable pen tip can be obtained while retaining the properties of this touch panel pen tip, such as excellent sliding properties, a good balance with elasticity, good stiffness and stickiness, and the ability to input with moderate writing pressure.

[0060] The pen tip main body can be configured to have electrical conductivity. For example, conductivity can be imparted to the pen tip by blending an appropriate amount of conductive material into the material that constitutes the pen tip main body, or by applying a conductive material to the pen tip main body. With this configuration, in the case of a capacitive touch panel, when the pen tip comes into contact with the screen of the touch panel, the conductivity of the pen tip will be such that a change in electrical quantity is generated in association with a change in capacitance, and in the case of an electromagnetic induction touch panel, the pen tip will emit electromagnetic energy or radio waves.

[0061] Examples of the conductive material include conductive carbon black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, metals or metal oxides, conductive ceramics, and conductive organic materials (e.g., polythiophene-based conductive polymers, polyacetylene-based conductive polymers, polyaniline-based conductive polymers, polypyrrole-based conductive polymers, and carbon fibers). Furthermore, a suitable metal powder, resin powder, or inorganic powder plated with a metal having a low resistivity may also be used.

[0062] The water-repellent treatment (or water-repellent finish) can be carried out by a known method. For example, a water-repellent agent containing a water-repellent substance can be coated, applied, immersed, or introduced onto the surface of the substrate (object to be treated) by a known coating method (e.g., spin coating, dip coating, vapor deposition, CVD, etc.) or an application method such as dip coating, spray coating, or foam coating, and then dried as necessary. In this case, the water-repellent substance or agent may be dispersed in an organic solvent or water and diluted to a predetermined concentration (for example, in the range of 0.1 to 99%) depending on its form, viscosity, water-repellent performance after application, and the like. In addition to the method of coating the surface of the substrate (object to be treated) with a water-repellent substance or water-repellent agent, a method of adding a water-repellent substance to the material constituting the substrate can also be used.

[0063] In addition, when the pen tip main body is constructed by bonding and fixing a fiber bundle with an adhesive resin, the fiber bundle or the fiber material that constitutes it may be subjected to a water-repellent treatment, a water-repellent substance may be added to the adhesive resin, or both may be performed.

[0064] The water-repellent substance used in the water-repellent treatment can be selected from the same materials as those having water repellency.

[0065] The amount of the water-repellent substance or agent used or added when carrying out the water-repellent treatment may be appropriately selected depending on the intended use of the pen tip, and there are no particular limitations. When a water-repellent substance is added to the material that constitutes the main body (base material) of the pen tip, the amount added is preferably in the range of about 0.1 to 50%. If the amount added is less than 0.1%, the water-repellent effect tends to be difficult to achieve, and if it exceeds 50%, the strength of the material that makes up the main body of the nib tends to weaken, and there is a risk that the water-repellent substance will leach out of the material that makes up the main body of the nib. When a chemically modified fluorine-based compound or silicone-based compound is polymerized as the water-repellent substance, the amount of addition may exceed 50%.

[0066] In FIG. 1, the pen tip main body 2 has one or more gaps or cavities of a required size inside. With this configuration, when a certain amount of writing pressure is applied during writing, the gap or cavity deforms and acts like a cushion, making it possible to configure the pen tip 1 to have a writing feel that combines appropriate flexibility, elasticity, and slip resistance. This effect is particularly noticeable when the pen tip main body 2 is made of a porous material. The gap or cavity is preferably formed so as to communicate with the external space, and more preferably formed on the tip side so as to communicate with the external space.

[0067] Furthermore, when the pen tip main body 2 is configured to be particularly porous, it is preferably configured so that its porosity or void ratio is in the range of approximately 20% to 80%. If the porosity is less than 20%, the material tends to be hard and lose its elasticity, and if it exceeds 80%, the material tends to be too weak. This effect is particularly pronounced when the pen tip main body 2 has a porous structure, such as when it is made of a fiber material or fiber bundles bonded or glued together with an adhesive resin. In addition, when the pen tip main body 2 is constructed using a method such as injection molding or extrusion molding so as to have one or more voids (holes) or cavities of a required size inside it, the porosity or void ratio of the part that may come into contact with the object, particularly the tip part, may be configured to be approximately 5 to 80%.

[0068] The pen tip main body 2 is preferably configured so that the deformation amount when a vertical load of 500 gf is applied to at least the tip thereof is about 0.01 to 0.2 mm. The deformation amount is more preferably about 0.01 to 0.08 mm, and even more preferably about 0.01 to 0.06 mm. With this configuration, the pen tip is less likely to be crushed even when pressure is applied by the user, and therefore the pen tip is highly durable even when used for a long period of time.

[0069] Furthermore, the pen tip main body 2 can be configured so that at least the part that can come into contact with an object, particularly the tip, when a vertical load is applied, crushing it by 0.5 mm, and then the load is removed, the elastic recovery rate is preferably 50 to 100% (the dimension of the part returns to about 0.25 to 0.5 mm), more preferably 58 to 99% (the dimension of the part returns to about 0.29 to 0.495 mm), and even more preferably 75 to 99% (the dimension of the part returns to about 0.375 to 0.495 mm). With this configuration, the pen tip has both a soft and flexible writing feel and a moderate elasticity.

[0070] In addition, when the pen tip main body 2 is made of a fiber material or a fiber bundle bound or adhered with an adhesive resin, and nylon fiber is selected as the fiber and an adhesive resin containing a compound having an isocyanate group as a curing agent is selected as the adhesive resin, the hardness of the adhesive resin can be appropriately adjusted. In this case, the pen tip main body 2 can be configured so that at least the part that can come into contact with an object, particularly the tip, will deform by 0.01 to 0.2 mm when a vertical load of 500 gf is applied, and the elastic recovery rate when the vertical load is applied, crushing it by 0.5 mm, and then the load is removed is 50 to 100% (the dimension of the part will return to 0.25 to 0.5 mm).

[0071] A pen tip having such a configuration is intended to come into contact with an object such as paper or a touch panel, and can be used as the pen tip of a pen for writing, drawing, etc., particularly a touch pen (a pen for a touch panel).

[0072] The nib can be attached to a pen and used by combining its rear end with a shaft made of plastic or metal, or by using its rear end as a shaft made of plastic or metal when the surface of the tip of the nib main body that makes up the nib is configured to be water-repellent. Furthermore, if it is desired to impart conductivity to the pen tip, the shaft portion can be made of metal or conductive plastic. [Example]

[0073] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0074] Example 1 The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0075] <Manufacturing method> (1) Nylon fibers with a fiber thickness of 1 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ3 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical nylon fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ3 mm. (3) The nylon fiber bundle obtained in (2) is impregnated with a soft urethane resin solution, dried by heating, and fixed with adhesive to obtain a fiber bundle with an outer diameter of φ3 mm and an internal porosity of 71%. A rod-shaped pen tip substrate was obtained. (4) The pen tip base obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was processed into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part. (5) The nib substrate obtained in (4) was immersed in a liquid in which a 2% silicone compound was dispersed, and then dried and fixed by heating to obtain the desired nib.

[0076] <Results> The contact angle of water on the surface of the obtained pen tip was 120°. Furthermore, when a touch pen equipped with this pen tip was used on a touch panel, a soft and elastic writing feel was obtained, and even if the tip of the pen tip was deformed, problems such as the fibers becoming loose did not occur. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention has an excellent writing feel and is highly durable.

[0077] <Example 2> The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0078] <Manufacturing method> (1) Nylon fibers with a fiber thickness of 1 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ3 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical nylon fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ3 mm. (3) The nylon fiber bundle obtained in (2) was impregnated with a soft urethane resin solution containing 20% ​​silicone compound, dried by heating, and glued to obtain a rod-shaped pen tip base with an outer diameter of φ3 mm and an internal porosity of 71%. (4) The pen tip base obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was processed into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part, thereby obtaining the desired pen tip.

[0079] <Results> The contact angle of water on the surface of the obtained pen tip was 116°. Furthermore, when a touch pen equipped with this pen tip was used on a touch panel, a soft and elastic writing feel was obtained, and even if the tip of the pen tip was deformed, problems such as the fibers becoming loose did not occur. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention has an excellent writing feel and is highly durable.

[0080] <Comparative Example 1> A pen tip was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the water-repellent treatment (step (5) above) was not carried out.

[0081] <Results> The contact angle of water on the surface of the obtained nib was 72°, and the nib was found to be hydrophilic. Furthermore, when a touch pen equipped with this pen tip was used on a touch panel, a soft and elastic writing feel was obtained, and even when the tip of the pen tip was deformed, problems such as the fibers becoming loose did not occur.

[0082] [Test Example 1] Evaluation of water permeability The pen tips obtained in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 were evaluated for water permeability (ease of water penetration) by measuring the dimensional change (amount of dimensional change) over time when the pen tips were wetted with water and left to stand, based on the measurement method described below. The difference from the initial dimension (the dimension before wetting) was taken as the amount of dimensional change, and this measurement was carried out for both the outer diameter and the total length (axial length) of the pen tip. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 2 and 3.

[0083] <Measurement method> After measuring the outer diameter and overall length of each pen tip, water was poured onto the pen tip and it was left to stand for 5 minutes. Thereafter, the water adhering to the surface of the pen tip was wiped off, the outer diameter and total length of the pen tip were measured, and the amount of dimensional change was calculated. After further standing, the outer diameter and overall length of the pen tip were measured after 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 180 seconds, and 600 seconds, and the amount of dimensional change was calculated.

[0084] [Table 1]

[0085] [Table 2]

[0086] <Results> As can be seen from Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 2 and 3, the nibs obtained in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 all used nylon fibers that are highly water-absorbent, and therefore immediately after getting wet with water, they swelled, increasing both their outer diameter and overall length. The pen tips obtained in Examples 1 and 2 swell and change in size immediately after getting wet, but if the water on the surface is wiped off, the water does not penetrate to the inside, and the pen tips return to their original size in about 2 to 8 minutes as the water dries. In contrast, in the pen tip obtained in Comparative Example 1, water penetrated into the inside, and even after 10 minutes or more, the dimensions remained larger than before it was wetted with water. From the above, it is clear that even if water adheres to the pen tip of this invention, the water will not penetrate into the inside, and therefore when used as the pen tip of a touch pen, malfunctions caused by water reaching the electronic circuits inside the touch pen body will not occur or will be suppressed. Furthermore, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention will eventually return to its original dimensions even if it swells due to the adhesion of water, thereby reducing the effects of dimensional changes.

[0087] Example 3 The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0088] <Manufacturing method> (1) Nylon fibers with a fiber thickness of 2 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ2 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical nylon fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ2 mm. (3) The nylon fiber bundle obtained in (2) was impregnated with a soft urethane resin solution, dried by heating, and glued to obtain a rod-shaped pen tip base with an outer diameter of φ2 mm and an internal porosity of 71%. (4) The pen tip body obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was ground into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part. (5) The nib substrate obtained in (4) was immersed in a liquid in which a 2% silicone compound was dispersed, and then dried and fixed by heating to obtain the desired nib.

[0089] <Results> When a touch pen equipped with the obtained pen tip was used on a touch panel, a soft and elastic writing feel was obtained. Furthermore, even when pressure was applied to the pen tip and the tip was deformed, the tip returned to its original shape when the pressure was released, and no problems such as the fibers becoming loose occurred. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention has an excellent writing feel, high resilience and durability.

[0090] Example 4 The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0091] <Manufacturing method> (1) Nylon fibers with a fiber thickness of 2 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ2 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical nylon fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ2 mm. (3) The nylon fiber bundle obtained in (2) was impregnated with a soft urethane resin solution, dried by heating, and glued to obtain a rod-shaped pen tip base with an outer diameter of φ2 mm and an internal porosity of 49%. (4) The pen tip body obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was ground into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part. (5) The nib substrate obtained in (4) was immersed in a liquid in which a 2% silicone compound was dispersed, and then dried and fixed by heating to obtain the desired nib.

[0092] <Results> When a touch pen equipped with the obtained pen tip was used on a touch panel, a soft and elastic writing feel was obtained. Furthermore, even when pressure was applied to the pen tip and the tip was deformed, the tip returned to its original shape when the pressure was released, and no problems such as the fibers becoming loose occurred. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention has an excellent writing feel, high resilience and durability.

[0093] <Example 5> The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0094] <Manufacturing method> (1) Nylon fibers with a fiber thickness of 2 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ2 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical nylon fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ2 mm. (3) The nylon fiber bundle obtained in (2) was impregnated with a hard urethane resin solution, dried by heating, and glued to obtain a rod-shaped pen tip base with an outer diameter of φ2 mm and an internal porosity of 43%. (4) The pen tip body obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was ground into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part. (5) The nib substrate obtained in (4) was immersed in a liquid in which a 2% silicone compound was dispersed, and then dried and fixed by heating to obtain the desired nib.

[0095] <Results> When a touch pen equipped with the obtained pen tip was used on a touch panel, a durable writing feel was obtained with a hard pen. Furthermore, even when pressure was applied to the pen tip, the tip was not easily deformed, and problems such as the fibers becoming loose did not occur. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention has an excellent writing feel and is highly durable.

[0096] Example 6 The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0097] <Manufacturing method> (1) Polyester fibers with a fiber thickness of 3 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ2 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical polyester fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ2 mm. (3) The polyester fiber bundle obtained in (2) was impregnated in a hard urethane resin solution, dried by heating, and glued to obtain a rod-shaped pen tip base with an outer diameter of φ2 mm and an internal porosity of 44%. (4) The pen tip body obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was ground into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part. (5) The nib substrate obtained in (4) was immersed in a liquid in which a 2% silicone compound was dispersed, and then dried and fixed by heating to obtain the desired nib.

[0098] <Results> When a touch pen equipped with the obtained pen tip was used on a touch panel, a durable writing feel was obtained with a hard pen. Furthermore, even when pressure was applied to the pen tip, the tip was not easily deformed, and problems such as the fibers becoming loose did not occur. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of the present invention has an excellent writing feel and is highly durable.

[0099] Example 7 The pen tip was manufactured by the following manufacturing method.

[0100] <Manufacturing method> (1) Polyester fibers with a fiber thickness of 3 decitex were aligned longitudinally to form a fiber bundle. (2) The fiber bundle obtained in (1) was filled into a die having circular holes of φ2 mm, and compressed under heat to obtain a cylindrical polyester fiber bundle having an outer diameter of φ2 mm. (3) The polyester fiber bundle obtained in (2) was impregnated in a hard urethane resin solution, dried by heating, and glued to obtain a rod-shaped pen tip base with an outer diameter of φ2 mm and an internal porosity of 68%. (4) The pen tip body obtained in (3) was cut to a predetermined length, and the tip was ground into an approximately semicircular shape using a grinder to form the writing part. (5) The nib substrate obtained in (4) was immersed in a liquid in which a 2% silicone compound was dispersed, and then dried and fixed by heating to obtain the desired nib.

[0101] <Results> When a touch pen equipped with the obtained pen tip was used on a touch panel, a soft but not elastic writing feel was obtained. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip of this invention provides an excellent writing feel.

[0102] [Test Example 2] Evaluation of tip strength and elastic recovery rate For the pen tips obtained in Examples 3 to 7 above, the tip strength and elastic recovery rate of the pen tips were evaluated by measuring the amount of deformation when a load was applied to the tip of the pen tip and the amount by which the dimensions of the pen tip return to their original state (recovery amount) after the load was removed, based on the measurement method described below. Furthermore, the pen tips obtained in Examples 3 to 7 above were visually inspected to see whether they would break apart during normal use, and the degree of breakage was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. These results are shown in Table 3.

[0103] <Measurement method> Each pen tip was held upright, and a flat probe was placed on the tip of the pen tip from above. The probe was lowered at a speed of 10 mm / min, and the deformation (mm) was measured when a vertical load of 500 gf was applied. Next, the probe was further lowered in this state to apply a vertical load, crushing the tip of the pen tip by 0.5 mm. Thereafter, the load was removed by raising the measuring probe at a rate of 10 mm / min, and the repulsive force (gf) acting on the measuring probe when the pen tip dimensions returned to their original state was measured. Since the point at which the repulsive force reaches 0 gf is the point at which the pen tip and the measuring probe separate, the distance at which the repulsive force reaches 0 gf from the 0.5 mm crushed state was measured, and the amount by which the pen tip dimensions return to their original state (recovery amount) (mm) after the load was removed was determined. The elastic recovery rate was calculated from these measured values ​​(recovery amount) using the following formula (1) for evaluation. Elastic recovery rate (%) = recovery amount (mm) / 0.5 (mm) × 100 (1)

[0104] <Evaluation criteria> 〇: No loosening occurs during normal use ×: Breaking occurs during normal use

[0105] [Table 3]

[0106] <Results> As can be seen from Table 3, the pen nibs obtained in Examples 3 to 5 all had a high elastic recovery rate. Having a high elastic recovery rate means that the adhesive resin that binds or adheres the fiber material is unlikely to peel off from the fiber (fiber material). Therefore, it can be seen that the pen tips obtained in Examples 3 to 5 are able to prevent the tip of the pen tip from becoming loose even when used over a long period of time. Furthermore, the pen tips obtained in Examples 5 and 6 both had small amounts of deformation. Therefore, it can be seen that the pen tips obtained in Examples 5 and 6 are highly durable and do not easily break apart even when used for a long period of time, since deformation of the pen tip during use is suppressed. From the above, it is clear that the pen tip according to the present invention has high durability despite the use of a fiber material. [Industrial Applicability]

[0107] The pen tip of this invention comprises a long, rod-shaped pen tip main body, and at least the surface of the pen tip main body that can come into contact with an object such as paper or a touch panel has water-repellent properties. Therefore, this pen tip has high durability while retaining the properties attributable to the material that constitutes the main body of the pen tip, and is not affected or is only minimally affected by the adhesion of water or moisture.When used as the pen tip of a touch pen (a pen for a touch panel), malfunctions caused by water or moisture adhering to the pen, penetrating inside, and reaching the electronic circuits of the touch pen body are not or are only minimally affected. Therefore, this pen tip can be used as the pen tip for pens intended for writing and drawing, or for touch pens (pens for touch panels), and also as the pen tip for drawing toys and painting toys that allow drawing without passing ink through them, making it suitable for a wide range of uses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1 nib 2. Pen tip main body 2a Part that can come into contact with the object (tip) 2b Shaft part

Claims

1. A pen tip mainly composed of a long rod-shaped pen tip, The pen tip main body is The porous material is made of a fiber material and has a plurality of voids or cavities of a required size therein and a porosity of 20% to 80%; The void or cavity is It is formed to communicate with the outside space, At least the surface of the part of the pen tip main body that can come into contact with an object is configured to have water repellency by a water repellency treatment using a water repellent material selected from a fluorine-based compound, a silicone-based compound, a hydrophobic polymer containing a carbon chain having six or more carbon atoms, a paraffin-based compound, an aliphatic amide-based compound, and an alkylethylene urea compound. A pen tip characterized by:

2. The contact angle of the surface with water is Angle must be 90° or more The pen tip according to claim 1 ,

3. The pen tip main body is At least the portion that can come into contact with the object is composed of a fiber bundle made by bundling a plurality of fibers and an adhesive resin that binds the fiber bundle. The pen tip according to claim 1 ,

4. The adhesive resin is The adhesive resin is selected from a polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound, a modified epoxy adhesive resin containing a curing agent containing an isocyanate compound, and an epoxy adhesive resin having an epoxy group as a reactive group. The pen tip according to claim 3, characterized in that

5. The fiber is It is a nylon fiber, The adhesive resin is The adhesive resin is selected from a polyurethane adhesive resin containing a curing agent including an isocyanate compound, and a modified epoxy adhesive resin containing a curing agent including an isocyanate compound. The pen tip according to claim 3, characterized in that

6. The fiber is It is a nylon fiber, The water-repellent material is selected from silicone-based compounds, The adhesive resin is The resin is selected from polyurethane adhesive resins containing a curing agent including an isocyanate compound. The pen tip according to claim 3, characterized in that

7. The pen tip main body is The deformation amount when a vertical load of 500 gf is applied to the part that may come into contact with the object is 0.01 to 0.2 mm. The pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

8. The pen tip main body is The elastic recovery rate when a vertical load is applied to the part that may come into contact with the object, crushing it by 0.5 mm, and then the load is removed is 50 to 100%. The pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that

9. The pen tip is The tip must be for a touch pen The pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

10. The pen tip main body is Must be conductive The pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that

11. Equipped with a pen tip according to any one of claims 1 to 10 A touch pen characterized by:

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