JP2002196868A - Touch panel input means - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that conduction may be lost when an adhesive is used as a screw locking agent in a touch panel input means requiring electric connection between a tip part for inputting data to a touch panel and a grip part to be held by an operator. SOLUTION: The tip part is electrically connected to the grip part by the frictional force of a connection part between the tip part and the grip part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch panel input means used for operating a touch panel device, for example, a pen type input means, and more particularly to a direct contact type or a capacitive coupling in which a conductive material directly contacts a conductive surface of a sensor panel. The present invention relates to input means used in a touch panel device of the type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventionally known touch panel device of a direct contact type or an electrostatic coupling type, since the input information detecting means of the touch panel is of a current detecting type, the input information detecting means between the surface of the touch panel and the input means made of a conductive material. Current needs to flow at Therefore, the pen-type input means is divided into a pen tip for indicating a desired position on the touch panel, a grip for the operator to hold, and a conductor for grounding. The pen tip needs to be made of a conductive material and grounded in order to allow an AC signal current to flow by direct contact or electrostatic coupling by contact with the surface when operating the touch panel. Possible materials for the pen tip include metal, conductive resin, or conductive rubber to pass current, and conductive material coated with an insulating layer with good sliding properties. A conductive resin is employed from the viewpoint of performance. In general, since the conductive resin is an expensive material, it is wasteful to make the entire input pen with the conductive resin. Therefore, it is common that the pen tip and the grip are made of different parts and connected. As a joining method, a method of forming an external thread on the pen tip portion, forming an internal thread on the grip portion on the pipe, and connecting the both by screws is adopted.

[0003]

In the touch panel device, an unspecified number of people are often operators. Therefore, if the pen tip and the gripper are connected by screws, there is a possibility that the pen tip and the gripper may be removed and carried away. Therefore, it is necessary to bond the pen tip and the gripping part with an adhesive. In the method of bonding the pen tip and the gripping part, an adhesive is applied to the male screw formed on the pen tip side. Therefore, when the adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the screw part by the operation method, there is a possibility that conduction may be impaired. In addition, although conduction can be ensured by using a conductive adhesive, the conductive paint is expensive and has a problem that the adhesive strength is lower than that of a general screw lock agent.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems. In an electronic apparatus having a touch panel and input means for inputting data to the touch panel, the input means is made of a conductive material. The present invention proposes a touch panel input means comprising a contact portion made of a conductive material and a body portion made of a conductive material, wherein the contact portion with the touch panel and the body portion of the input means are press-fitted to each other.

[0005]

Since the present invention does not use an adhesive, there is no danger of impairing electrical conduction. Further, since the pen tip is inserted into the grip portion by press-fitting and fixed, the grip portion and the pen tip do not easily come off.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to an input pen used as an input means of a touch panel device. The present invention relates to a means for joining a grip portion (pen shaft portion) and a pen tip portion constituting the input pen. As a method for joining the pen tip portion and the pen tip portion, a female screw is provided on the grip portion side to press-fit the pen tip member. The grip portion side is formed by making the pen insertion hole slightly smaller than the mounting portion of the pen point member, and press-fitting the grip portion of the input pen and the mounting portion of the pen tip.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows the relationship between the input pen and the touch panel device 2. The touch panel device 2 of the direct contact type or the electrostatic coupling type using the input pen 1 of the present invention employs a current detection type as input information detection means of the touch panel 3. When the touch panel 3 is touched with the input pen 1, an AC signal current flows through the input pen 1 that is grounded by the function of an electric circuit (not shown) of the touch panel device 2. The grounding portion of the input pen 1 may be a method of grounding a cable electrically connected to the pen tip portion 4 or a method of grounding via a human body holding a grip portion 5 electrically connected to the pen tip. . In a method in which a cable (not shown) used for grounding is electrically connected to the pen tip 4, the pen tip 4 and the grip 5 do not need to be electrically connected. Therefore, the selection of the material used for the grip portion 5 is widened. Incidentally, the touch panel device 2 is often operated by an unspecified number of people. Therefore, it is necessary to take care that the input pen 1 is not removed. For the purpose of preventing carry-out and protecting cables,
A metal bellows 6 is attached to the input pen 1. In the input pen 1 of the present invention, the metal bellows 6 may be used as a conductor for grounding without using a cable (not shown). In this case, the pen point 4 and the metal bellows 6 may be electrically connected via the grip 5 of the input pen 1, and a cable (not shown) may be used.
Becomes unnecessary. Even when a cable (not shown) is used, the cable (not shown) may be connected to the grip 5 as long as the nib 4 and the grip 5 of the input pen 1 are electrically connected. Workability is better than when connecting to the unit 4. If the pen tip 4 and the grip 5 are electrically connected, an operator (not shown) holding the grip 5 can serve as a ground. The present invention uses the grip 5 for grounding.
As a conductor. In the present embodiment, description will be made on the assumption that the grip 5 is a pipe made of aluminum or stainless steel.

Next, the connecting portion 7 between the pen tip 4 of the input pen 1 and the grip portion 5 will be described. A cylindrical portion 9 for forming a male screw (not shown) is provided at the joint 8 of the pen tip portion 4. The distal end of the cylindrical portion 9 is chamfered so that it can be easily screwed into the female screw 10 provided at the joint 7 of the grip portion 5. The diameter of the cylindrical portion 9 corresponds to the diameter of a male screw (not shown) to be formed. The female screw 10 serving as a die for forming a male screw (not shown) on the pen tip 4 is formed at the joint 7 of the grip 5. Pen point 4
When the pen tip 4 is screwed into the female screw 10 formed in the grip 5, a male screw (not shown) is formed in the cylindrical portion 9 of the pen tip 4, The tip part 4 and the grip part 5 are connected. Further, since the formed threads of the male screw 10 bite into the threads of the grip portion 5, a strong frictional force is generated, and practically sufficient mounting strength can be obtained without using an adhesive.

Next, another embodiment of the connecting portion 8 of the pen tip portion 4 will be described. As in the above-described embodiment, the connecting portion 8 of the pen tip 4 is formed by chamfering the column 11. Gripper 5
The joint 7 is provided with a hole 12 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the column 11 of the pen tip 4. Pen tip 4 and gripper 5
Is fixed coaxially, and the cylindrical portion 11 of the pen tip portion 4 is
When press-fitted into the hole 12, the nib 4 and the gripper 5 are connected. When the pen tip portion 4 is pressed into the grip portion 5, the arrow 1
Press-fit while rotating the pen tip 4 in the direction 3. If the press-fit allowance is appropriately set according to the material and shape, a strong frictional force is generated, and practically sufficient mounting strength can be obtained without using an adhesive.

[0010]

According to the present invention, since a strong bonding force can be obtained without using an adhesive, it is possible to eliminate variations in performance due to variations in adhesive application work, and it is not necessary to use an expensive conductive adhesive. Further, since the contact force becomes stronger than the joining by the male screw and the female screw, the contact resistance between the pen tip and the grip portion is also reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a touch panel and an input pen.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a grip portion and a pen tip of an input pen.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining press-fitting of a pen point member and a grip portion 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 input pen 2 touch panel device 3 touch panel 4 pen tip part 5 grip part 6 metal bellows 7 joint part 8 joint part of pen tip 4 9 cylindrical part for forming male screw 10 female screw 11 cylindrical part of other embodiment 12 Small diameter hole 13 arrow

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electronic apparatus having a touch panel and input means for inputting data to the touch panel, wherein the input means comprises a contact portion made of a conductive material, and a body made of a conductive material. A touch panel input means, wherein a contact portion with the touch panel and a body of the input means are press-fitted to each other.