Cartridge-Type Electronic Pen With Nested Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to design an electronic pen that maintains reliable capacitive coupling with a position detection sensor, even when the pen is configured as a thin refill, due to the lower strength of capacitive coupling compared to electromagnetic induction coupling.
Innovation Solution
The electronic pen features a conductive center electrode with a pen tip projecting from a cylindrical housing, accompanied by a peripheral electrode insulated from the center electrode. This configuration ensures that both the center and peripheral electrodes are projected, reducing the distance between them and the position detection sensor, thereby enhancing capacitive coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the electronic pen is configured as a thin refill to achieve miniaturization, then the device size is reduced, but the capacitive coupling strength with the position detection sensor deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic pen is divided into a reusable pen body and a replaceable thin refill cartridge. The refill contains the necessary electrodes and circuitry, allowing the pen body to be minimized in size while maintaining functional capabilities. This segmentation enables the thin refill design without compromising the overall system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The center electrode and peripheral electrode are nested concentrically within the thin refill structure. The center electrode is positioned at the core, surrounded by the peripheral electrode, creating a compact nested arrangement that maximizes capacitive coupling area within the constrained thin profile of the refill.
2Ease of operation
If the electronic pen is designed with modularized components like a ballpoint refill, then ease of replacement and handling is improved, but the capacitive coupling reliability deteriorates due to reduced size
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic pen system is segmented into a reusable body and a disposable refill cartridge, enabling easy replacement of the refill without affecting the main body. The refill is designed as a self-contained module with integrated electrodes and circuitry, maintaining reliability while facilitating convenient replacement similar to ballpoint refills.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional components are merged into the thin refill cartridge, including the center electrode, peripheral electrode, battery, and signal transmission circuitry. This consolidation creates a compact modular unit that is easy to replace while maintaining all necessary functions for reliable capacitive coupling.
3Device complexity
If a single center electrode is used in the thin refill, then device complexity is reduced, but signal transmission reliability deteriorates due to lower capacitive coupling strength
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is segmented into two distinct electrodes: a center electrode for primary signal transmission and a peripheral electrode for enhanced coupling and alternative signal paths. This segmentation improves signal transmission reliability by providing redundant pathways and stronger overall capacitive coupling, while the modular design keeps the structure manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The center electrode and peripheral electrode are arranged in a nested concentric configuration, with the center electrode positioned inside the peripheral electrode. This nested arrangement maximizes the capacitive coupling area within the thin refill profile, enhancing signal transmission reliability without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for reliable detection of positions pointed to by the electronic pen, even when it is configured as a thin refill, by strengthening the capacitive coupling between the pen and the position detection sensor.
Implementation Method 1
The active capacitance method allows the electronic pen to exchange signals (i.e., to interact) with a position detection sensor of a position detection apparatus through capacitive coupling therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge-type electronic pen main body includes a conductive center electrode and a peripheral electrode disposed around the center electrode. The peripheral electrode includes a tapered part on a pen tip side and a cylindrical shaped part on an opposite side along an axial direction. When the cartridge-type electronic pen main body is in use, one end of the center electrode forming a pen tip is projected to the outside from an opening of a cylindrical housing of an electronic pen, and a portion of the tapered part of the peripheral electrode is also projected to the outside such that both the one end of the center electrode and the portion of the tapered part of the peripheral electrode are projected beyond a distal end of the cylindrical housing to capacitively couple with a sensor surface while the cylindrical shaped part of the peripheral electrode remains within the cylindrical housing.