Sensing Tip Retention Mechanism for Digital Pens
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic styli suffer from worn-out or damaged sensing tips, and individual tips have different properties for writing and drawing, necessitating a solution for reliable mechanical retention and electrical connection that allows for easy replacement and consistent performance.
Innovation Solution
A tip retention assembly that physically retains and electrically connects the sensing tip to the electronic components using a clamping sub-assembly with preload springs and clamp bands, ensuring consistent mechanical retention and reliable electrical contact, allowing for easy tip replacement and accommodating different tip designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a sensing tip is permanently integrated into the electronic stylus, then structural simplicity is improved, but adaptability and ease of replacement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing tip is segmented from the electronic stylus body, creating a modular design where the tip can be independently removed and replaced. The tip retention assembly provides a mechanical interface that separates the consumable tip from the permanent electronic components, enabling adaptability while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip retention assembly creates a universal interface that can accommodate different sensing tip designs (writing tips, drawing tips, eraser tips) while maintaining a consistent mechanical and electrical connection system. This allows the same retention mechanism to serve multiple tip types and functions.
2Ease of operation
If the sensing tip is designed for easy removal, then ease of operation is improved, but mechanical retention reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tip retention assembly uses spring-loaded clamps that dynamically adjust their gripping force. The springs provide continuous mechanical pressure to securely hold the tip during normal use, while allowing controlled release when a tip removal force is applied, thus maintaining both retention reliability and ease of removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamps are pre-loaded by springs to automatically engage and secure the sensing tip upon insertion. This preliminary mechanical action ensures reliable retention without requiring additional fastening steps, and the pre-loaded springs enable easy release when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensing tips with different properties are used, then adaptability is improved, but consistency of performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different sensing tips are designed with specific local qualities optimized for their intended function (writing tips with finer contact points, drawing tips with broader surfaces, eraser tips with abrasive materials). The standardized retention assembly provides a consistent interface that ensures each tip type performs optimally for its specific purpose while maintaining reliable electrical and mechanical connections.
4Reliability
If a robust mechanical retention system is used, then reliability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tip retention assembly merges multiple functions into a single integrated mechanism: mechanical retention through spring-loaded clamps, electrical connection through contact points, and tip positioning through the cavity structure. This consolidation provides robust retention and reliable electrical connection without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
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
The solution provides economical and reliable mechanical retention and electrical connection, ensuring consistent performance over the lifetime of the digital pen, facilitating easy tip replacement and accommodating various tip designs for writing and drawing.
Implementation Method 1
a spring positioned within the tip holder and biased against the clamps
Implementation Method 2
a clamp band positioned around the clamps and forcing the clamps inwardly toward the sensing tip
Implementation Method 3
The clamps and the spring can be part of an electrical conduction pathway between the sensing tip and electronic components of the digital pen
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
The description relates to devices having sensing tips and releasably retaining the sensing tips. One example includes a tip holder that defines a cavity that receives the sensing tip. This example also includes first and second clamps positioned radially around the tip holder and extending through holes in the tip holder into the cavity to contact the sensing tip. The example further includes a flexible clamp band positioned around the first and second clamps and biasing the first and second clamps inwardly against the sensing tip.