Electronic Pen Optical Path Overlap for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pointing devices become large due to separate optical paths for light emission and detection, which hinders their compact design and functionality.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a light source, a rotating body, and a deflecting member that overlaps or closely aligns the optical paths for light emission and detection, using a deflecting member like a half mirror or diffraction element to transmit and reflect light, allowing for a compact design while maintaining accurate pointer movement detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate optical paths are used for light emission and detection, then the pointing device can function properly, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light emission optical path and light detection optical path into a single integrated optical path. The light source emits light that reflects off the rotating body and is detected by the detection element along the same optical path, eliminating the need for separate optical paths and reducing device size while maintaining functional reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a beam splitter positioned at a 45-degree angle to redirect light paths in different spatial dimensions. The light source emits light that is reflected by the beam splitter toward the rotating body, and the reflected light is further redirected by the beam splitter to the detection element, effectively combining paths that would otherwise require separate spatial arrangements
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 configuration enables a compact and functional electronic pen that can accurately detect pointer movement in various orientations, suppressing the increase in size associated with separate optical paths, thus enhancing usability and design efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first deflecting member configured to deflect, toward the rotating body, the irradiation light emitted by the light source and to transmit the irradiation light reflected by the rotating body
Implementation Method 2
a first deflecting member configured to transmit, toward the rotating body, the irradiation light emitted by the light source and to deflect the irradiation light reflected by the rotating body
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic pen is provided with a light source that emits irradiation light, a rotatable rotating body, a deflecting member that deflects, toward the rotating body, the irradiation light emitted by the light source and transmits the irradiation light reflected by the rotating body, and a detecting member that receives the irradiation light transmitted through the deflecting member.