Input pen

Abstract

To provide an input pen which can generate change in electrostatic capacity sufficient for response of a touch panel without reducing visibility of a screen of the touch panel.SOLUTION: An input pen 10 according to the present invention is an input pen for use with an input device for detecting, by electric amount change associated with change of electrostatic capacitance, a coordinate position of an operation part in an operation region to input the coordinate position of the operation part. The input pen 10 has shaft part 1, and a contact part 21 fitted to the shaft part 1 directly or through a connection member 22 and coming in contact with the operation region of the input device. The contact part 21 has a mesh structure where multiple openings 212 are substantially uniformly formed through a conductive material 211, and is formed such that the operation region of the input device can be viewed from the shaft part 1 side through the contact part 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an input pen used in an input device that detects a position by a change in electric quantity accompanying a change in electrostatic capacitance when an operation area is touched with the tip of the input pen. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, capacitive touch panels that can be operated with a finger or an input pen have been used as displays for portable information terminals such as smartphones and tablet computers. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, such a capacitive touch panel is configured by arranging an indium tin oxide (ITO) film layer on the front side of a transparent insulating film, in which a plurality of electrode pads for detecting coordinates in the X direction are connected in the Y direction to form a plurality of rows, and an ITO film layer on the back side, in which a plurality of electrode pads for detecting coordinates in the Y direction are connected in the X direction to form a plurality of columns, and when viewed in a plan view, the electrodes for detecting coordinates in the X direction and the electrodes for detecting coordinates in the Y direction are arranged in a lattice pattern.

[0003] In such a capacitance-type touch panel, each electrode pad must have a sufficient area to generate a change in capacitance that allows the contact position of a finger or input pen to be detected. When an input pen is brought into contact with such a touch panel through a cover glass or the like, the capacitance of the electrode pad at the contact position among the electrode pads connected in the X direction changes to a predetermined value or more, thereby detecting the coordinate position in the Y direction, and the capacitance of the electrode pad at the contact position among the electrode pads connected in the Y direction changes to a predetermined value or more, thereby detecting the coordinate position in the X direction.

[0004] As described above, a capacitive touch panel cannot detect the position of a touched part unless a change in capacitance of a predetermined amount or more occurs at the contact point by an input pen or the like. For this reason, a conventional input pen used for input operations on a capacitive touch panel has a conductive contact part that can make contact with a contact area larger than the area of ​​an electrode pad. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses an input pen that is made of conductive rubber and has a tip at the front that is configured so that the contact area with the screen is larger than a circle with a diameter of 3 mm and smaller than a circle with a diameter of 8 mm. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-310551 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4142776 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The contact part of the conventional input pen as described above is, for example, hemispherical or calligraphy-brush shaped with a diameter of approximately 5 mm or more in order to achieve good conductivity and a contact area larger than a certain size, and there was a problem that the presence of this contact part reduced visibility of the touch panel screen.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide an input pen that can cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the touch panel to respond, without sacrificing the visibility of the touch panel screen. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an input pen for use with an input device which detects the coordinate position of an operation part in an operation area by a change in electrical quantity accompanying a change in capacitance, and inputs the coordinate position of the operation part, the input pen comprising a shaft portion and a contact portion which is attached to the shaft portion directly or via a connecting member and which contacts the operation area of ​​the input device, the contact portion having a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings are formed in a conductive material in a substantially uniform manner, and which is configured so that the operation area of ​​the input device can be viewed from the shaft portion side through the contact portion (Invention 1).

[0009] According to this invention (Invention 1), even if the contact portion is configured to have a size and shape that can cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the input device to react when it is brought into contact with the operation area of ​​the input device, the contact portion has a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings are formed substantially uniformly in a conductive material, and the operation area of ​​the input device is configured to be visible from the shaft side through the contact portion, so that the presence of the contact portion does not reduce the visibility of the screen of the touch panel (input device). Therefore, with such an input pen, it is possible to cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the touch panel to react without sacrificing the visibility of the screen of the touch panel.

[0010] In the above invention (Invention 1), it is preferable that the opening ratio of the contact portion is 50% or more (Invention 2).

[0011] According to this invention (Invention 2), if the opening ratio of the contact part is 50% or more, the degree to which the operation area of ​​the input device can be seen through the openings formed in the contact part increases, so that the decrease in visibility of the screen of the touch panel can be further suppressed. Note that, in the present invention, the opening ratio of the contact part refers to the calculated ratio of the total area of ​​the multiple openings formed in the contact part to the total surface area of ​​the contact part.

[0012] In the above inventions (Inventions 1 and 2), the contact portion may be formed by arranging linear conductive material in a mesh pattern (Invention 3), or the contact portion may be formed by drilling a plurality of through holes in a sheet-like conductive material (Invention 4).

[0013] In the above inventions (Inventions 1-4), it is preferable that the contact portion has a convex curved shape with the center portion curved in a convex shape (Invention 5).

[0014] In the above inventions (Inventions 1-5), it is preferable that the contact portion is configured to be elastically deformable (Invention 6).

[0015] In the above inventions (Inventions 1-6), a reinforcing member that is transparent and elastic may be disposed in close contact with the outer surface or the inner surface of the contact portion (Invention 7).

[0016] In the above inventions (Inventions 1-7), the connecting member may be composed of a plurality of rod-shaped portions (Invention 8).

[0017] In the above invention (Invention 8), it is preferable that at least one of the plurality of rod-shaped portions has electrical conductivity (Invention 9). Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, even if the contact portion is configured to have a size and shape that can cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the input device to react when it is brought into contact with the operation area of ​​the input device, the contact portion has a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings are formed substantially uniformly in a conductive material, and the operation area of ​​the input device is configured to be visible from the shaft side through the contact portion, so that the presence of the contact portion does not reduce the visibility of the touch panel screen. Therefore, it is possible to provide an input pen that can cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the touch panel to react without sacrificing the visibility of the touch panel screen. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall structure of an input pen according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the pen tip of an input pen. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a first modified example of the pen tip structure of the input pen. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a second modified example of the pen tip structure of the input pen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall structure of an input pen 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the pen tip 2 of the input pen 10 according to the same embodiment. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and the embodiments are merely examples described to explain the technical features of the present invention. Furthermore, the shapes and dimensions shown in each drawing are shown merely to facilitate understanding of the contents of the present invention, and do not accurately reflect the actual shapes and dimensions.

[0021] In this specification, the "tip side" refers to the direction along the axial direction of the shaft portion 1 constituting the input pen 10, and the direction to the side to which the pen tip 2 is attached. The "rear end side" refers to the direction along the axial direction of the shaft portion 1 constituting the input pen 10, and the direction opposite to the tip side. Furthermore, the "tip" refers to the end on the tip side of any member or part, and the "rear end" refers to the end on the rear end side of any member or part. Furthermore, the "tip part" refers to a part of any member or part that includes the tip and extends from the tip toward the rear end side to the middle of the member, etc., and the "rear end part" refers to a part of any member or part that includes the rear end and extends from the rear end toward the tip side to the middle of the member, etc., inclusive. In FIG. 1, the left side of the figure is the "tip side", and the right side of the figure is the "rear end side". In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the upper side of the figure is the "tip side", and the lower side of the figure is the "rear end side".

[0022] The input pen 10 is an input device that detects the coordinate position of an operation part in an operation area by a change in electric charge caused by a change in electrostatic capacitance, and inputs the coordinate position of the operation part, that is, is used in an input device generally called a touch panel. As shown in FIG. 1, the input pen 10 has a long shaft portion 1 and a pen tip 2 attached to the shaft portion 1.

[0023] The shaft portion 1 is a cylindrical member made of conductive metal, and is the portion that is gripped by an operator who holds the input pen 10 to input data to the input device. The shaft portion 1 in this embodiment is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a clip 11 is attached to the rear end portion.

[0024] The pen tip 2 comprises a contact portion 21 that comes into contact with the operation area of ​​the input device, a connecting member 22 that mediates the attachment of the contact portion 21 to the shaft portion 1, and a reinforcing member 23 that is arranged in close contact with the outer surface of the contact portion 21.

[0025] The contact portion 21 has a mesh structure in which multiple openings 212 are formed approximately uniformly in a conductive material 211, and is configured so that when an operator holds the shaft portion 1 and inputs to the input device using the input pen 10, the operation area of ​​the input device can be viewed from the shaft portion 1 side through the contact portion 21.

[0026] In this embodiment, the contact portion 21 is formed by arranging linear conductive material 211 in a mesh shape. Specifically, the conductive material 211 is a metal wire having a diameter of, for example, 0.01 mm to 1.0 mm, such as silver, copper, gold, or aluminum, and by weaving such conductive material 211, the contact portion 21 having a hemispherical (dome-shaped) mesh structure in which triangular openings 212 are arranged approximately uniformly is formed.

[0027] A structure formed into a hemispherical shape by combining geometric shapes such as triangles, such as the contact portion 21, is generally called a geodesic dome, and a plurality of variations in the overall shape can be created by changing the size of the triangle (the length of each side). In such a contact portion 21, it is of course not necessary that the shapes and sizes of the triangular openings 212 are all the same, and the openings 212 can also be pentagonal or hexagonal. That is, the geometric openings 212 may all be formed of triangles, or may be formed by combining pentagons and hexagons. Also, the openings 212 may be partially filled with the conductive material 211.

[0028] The contact portion 21 desirably has a convex curved shape with its center curved convexly so that the conductive material 211 comes into contact with at least two electrode pads when the contact portion 21 is brought into contact with the operation area of ​​the input device. The above-mentioned semispherical (dome-shaped) contact portion 21 is an example of the contact portion 21 having a convex curved shape with its center curved convexly. In addition, the contact portion 21 is desirably configured to be elastically deformable to the extent that it bends when the pen tip 2 of the input pen 10 is pressed against the input device.

[0029] The connecting member 22 has a structure in which four cylindrical rod-shaped parts 221a, 221b, 221c, and 221d are bridged between a top plate part 222 and a bottom plate part 223. The top plate part 222 is an annular plate-shaped part with a circular hole penetrating through the center, and the contact part 21 is attached to the peripheral part on the tip side. The bottom plate part 223 is a disk-shaped part, and the rear end side is fixed to the shaft part 1. The top plate part 222 and the bottom plate part 223 are both made of a conductive material such as metal, and at least one of the four rod-shaped parts 221a, 221b, 221c, and 221d is made of a conductive material such as metal, so that the connecting member 22 is a member having conductivity. In this way, the top plate portion 222 and the bottom plate portion 223 are connected by rod-shaped portions 221a, 221b, 221c, and 221d, and a circular hole is further provided in the center of the top plate portion 222, so that the operation area of ​​the input device can be viewed from the shaft portion 1 side through the connecting member 22.

[0030] The number of rod-shaped parts constituting the connecting member 22 is not limited to four, but three or more are preferable in order to stably support the contact portion 21, and the number and thickness are preferably such that visibility is not hindered. The length, diameter, shape, etc. of the rod-shaped parts are not particularly limited, and any size and shape may be used as long as the structure ensures sufficient strength of the pen tip 2 when the input pen 10 is used. In addition, the strength of the connecting member 22 itself may be increased while ensuring visibility by covering the side peripheral surface with a cylindrical transparent resin cover or the like.

[0031] The reinforcing member 23 is a transparent and elastic member, and is formed, for example, from a synthetic rubber material such as silicone rubber, urethane rubber, or ethylene propylene rubber, or an elastomer material such as a styrene-based elastomer or an acrylic-based elastomer, into a hemispherical (dome-shaped) shape. In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 23 is disposed in close contact with the outer surface of the contact portion 21, but is not limited thereto, and may be disposed in close contact with the inner surface of the contact portion 21, or if the contact portion 21 itself can maintain its shape without the reinforcing member 23, the pen tip 2 may not include the reinforcing member 23.

[0032] According to the input pen 10 described above, even if the contact portion 21 is configured to have a size and shape that can cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the input device to react when it is brought into contact with the operation area of ​​the input device, the contact portion 21 has a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings 212 are formed substantially uniformly in the conductive material 211, and the operation area of ​​the input device is configured to be visible through the contact portion 21 from the shaft portion 1 side, so that the presence of the contact portion 21 does not reduce the visibility of the touch panel screen. Therefore, with such an input pen 10, it is possible to cause a change in capacitance sufficient for the touch panel to react without sacrificing the visibility of the touch panel screen.

[0033] Furthermore, if the aperture ratio of the contact portion 21, i.e., the ratio of the total aperture area to the surface area of ​​the contact portion 21, is 50% or more, the degree to which the operation area of ​​the input device can be seen through the apertures 212 formed in the contact portion 21 increases, so that the decrease in visibility of the screen of the touch panel can be further suppressed. Note that the aperture ratio of the contact portion 21 refers to a calculated ratio of the total area of ​​the multiple apertures 212 formed in the contact portion 21 to the entire surface area of ​​the contact portion 21. If the aperture ratio of the contact portion 21 calculated in this manner is 50% or more, when the operation area of ​​the input device is viewed from the shaft portion 1 side, the operation area of ​​the input device can be sufficiently seen through the apertures 212 even if the view is partially blocked by the conductive material 211 of the contact portion 21.

[0034] <First Modification> 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a first modified example of the pen tip structure of the input pen 1. Pen tip 2A of this modified example has a structure different from that of the pen tip 2 described above in that contact portion 21A is formed by perforating a plurality of through holes 212A in sheet-like conductive material 211A.

[0035] The pen tip 2A does not have a connecting member 22 or a reinforcing member 23 as described above, and the contact portion 21A is directly attached to the shaft portion 1, but is not limited to this and may have a connecting member 22 and / or a reinforcing member 23 similar to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0036] The contact portion 21A has a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings 212A are formed approximately uniformly in a conductive material 211A, and similar to the above-described embodiment, the operation area of ​​the input device is configured to be visible from the shaft portion 1 side through the contact portion 21A.

[0037] Contact portion 21A of this modification is formed by perforating a plurality of through holes 212A in sheet-like conductive material 211A. Specifically, for example, silicone rubber is used as conductive material 211, and molded into a hemispherical (dome-shaped) shape with a thickness of 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm, and such conductive material 211A is subjected to a hole-making process to form hemispherical (dome-shaped) contact portion 21A having a mesh structure in which circular openings 212A are arranged approximately uniformly.

[0038] Even with the input pen 10 having such contact portion 21A, a configuration can be realized in which the operation area of ​​the input device can be seen through the contact portion 21A from the shaft portion 1 side, so that the presence of the contact portion 21A does not reduce the visibility of the touch panel screen. Therefore, with the input pen 10 having such contact portion 21A, it is possible to generate a change in capacitance sufficient for the touch panel to react, without sacrificing the visibility of the touch panel screen, as in the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0039] Also, as in the above embodiment, if the aperture ratio of the contact portion 21A, that is, the ratio of the total aperture area to the surface area of ​​the contact portion 21A, is 50% or more, the degree to which the operation area of ​​the input device can be viewed through the aperture 212A formed in the contact portion 21A increases. Note that the aperture ratio of the contact portion 21A refers to a calculated ratio of the total area of ​​the multiple apertures 212A formed in the contact portion 21A to the entire surface area of ​​the contact portion 21A. If the aperture ratio of the contact portion 21A calculated in this manner is 50% or more, when the operation area of ​​the input device is viewed from the shaft portion 1 side, the operation area of ​​the input device can be sufficiently viewed through the aperture 212A even if the view is partially blocked by the conductive material 211A of the contact portion 21A.

[0040] <Second Modification> 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a second modified example of the pen tip structure of the input pen 1. Pen tip 2B of this modified example is formed by arranging linear conductive material 211B in a mesh pattern, like the pen tip 2 described above, but the form of the mesh structure formed by the linear conductive material 211B is different from that of the pen tip 2 described above.

[0041] The pen tip 2B does not have a connecting member 22 or a reinforcing member 23 as described above, and the contact portion 21B is directly attached to the shaft portion 1, but is not limited to this and may have a connecting member 22 and / or a reinforcing member 23 similar to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0042] The contact portion 21B has a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings 212B are formed approximately uniformly in a conductive material 211B, and similar to the above-described embodiment, the operation area of ​​the input device is configured to be visible from the shaft portion 1 side through the contact portion 21B.

[0043] The contact portion 21B of this modification is formed by arranging linear conductive material 211B in a mesh shape. Specifically, the conductive material 211B is a metal wire such as silver, copper, gold, or aluminum having a diameter of 0.01 mm to 1.0 mm, and such conductive material 211B is woven vertically and horizontally like latitudes and longitudes to form a semispherical (dome-shaped) contact portion 21B having a mesh structure (openings 212B only at the vertices are triangular) in which quadrangular openings 212B are arranged approximately uniformly.

[0044] Even with the input pen 10 having such contact portion 21B, a configuration can be realized in which the operation area of ​​the input device can be seen through the contact portion 21B from the shaft portion 1 side, so that the presence of the contact portion 21B does not reduce the visibility of the touch panel screen. Therefore, with the input pen 10 having such contact portion 21B, as in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is possible to generate a change in capacitance sufficient for the touch panel to react, without sacrificing the visibility of the touch panel screen.

[0045] Also, as in the above embodiment, if the opening ratio of the contact portion 21B, that is, the ratio of the total opening area to the surface area of ​​the contact portion 21B, is 50% or more, the degree to which the operation area of ​​the input device can be viewed through the opening 212B formed in the contact portion 21B increases. Note that the opening ratio of the contact portion 21B refers to a calculated ratio of the total area of ​​the multiple openings 212B formed in the contact portion 21B to the entire surface area of ​​the contact portion 21B. If the opening ratio of the contact portion 21B calculated in this way is 50% or more, when the operation area of ​​the input device is viewed from the shaft portion 1 side, the operation area of ​​the input device can be sufficiently viewed through the opening 212B even if the view is partially blocked by the conductive material 211B of the contact portion 21B.

[0046] Although the input pen according to the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications are possible. For example, the conductive material constituting the contact portion of the input pen may be conductive fiber, conductive rubber formed by adding a conductive agent such as carbon or metal to natural rubber, nitrile rubber, etc., conductive resin formed by adding a conductive agent such as carbon or metal to polyether ether ketone resin, polyacetal resin, etc., FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) in which carbon fiber is hardened with elastic epoxy resin, or a composite material thereof. In addition, the contact portion may be formed by attaching a conductive material to the outer surface or inner surface of a reinforcing member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 10 Input Pen 1 Shaft 2,2A,2B pen tip 21,21A,21B Contact part 211,211A,211B Conductive material 212,212A,212B opening 22 Connecting parts 221a, 221b, 221c, 221d Rod-shaped part 222 Top plate 223 Bottom plate part 23 Reinforcement members

Claims

1. 1. An input pen for use in an input device that detects a coordinate position of an operation part in an operation area based on a change in an electric quantity caused by a change in electrostatic capacitance, and inputs the coordinate position of the operation part, A shaft portion, a hemispherical contact portion that is attached to the shaft portion directly or via a connecting member and that contacts the operation area of ​​the input device; An input pen, wherein the contact portion has a mesh structure in which a plurality of openings are formed approximately uniformly in a conductive material, and the operation area of ​​the input device is configured to be visible from the shaft side through the contact portion.

2. The input pen according to claim 1 , wherein the opening ratio of the contact portion is 50% or more.

3. 3. The input pen according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is formed by arranging linear conductive material in a mesh pattern.

4. 3. The input pen according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is formed by perforating a plurality of through holes in a sheet-like conductive material.

5. 5. The input pen according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is configured to be elastically deformable.

6. 6. The input pen according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing member which is transparent and elastic and is disposed in close contact with an outer surface or an inner surface of the contact portion.

7. 7. The input pen according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is composed of a plurality of rod-shaped portions.

8. The input pen according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of said plurality of rod-shaped portions is conductive.

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