JP2016021134A - Touch pen and pen tip thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an active touch pen capable of preventing damage to a touch panel and excellent in position detection accuracy and writing feeling on the touch panel, and to provide a pen tip of the touch pen.SOLUTION: An active touch pen includes a pen body and a pen tip replaceably mounted on the pen body. The pen tip includes a metal core, a surface layer covering the metal core, and an intermediate layer formed between the metal core and the surface layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch pen and its pen tip.

  Touch panels are portable information devices (tablets, notebook PCs, smartphones, mobile phones, PDAs, etc.), digital audio players, portable game machines, car navigation devices, photocopiers, ATMs at financial institutions, and automatic ticket sales at stations and restaurants. It is used in many areas such as aircraft. Such a touch panel operation is performed by touching or pressing a desired position on the display surface on which an image is displayed with a dedicated pen called a finger, a touch pen, a stylus, or the like (hereinafter referred to as a “touch pen”). .

  The touch panel includes a resistance film method, a surface acoustic wave method, an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, and a capacitance method. Here, in the capacitive touch panel, an input position on the display is detected by capturing a change in capacitance between the fingertip or the pen and the conductive film.

  Touch pens used for such capacitive touch panels include passive pens and active pens. Generally, a passive pen is mainly composed of a pen holder and a pen tip made of a soft material such as conductive rubber attached to the tip of the pen holder. The reason for using a soft material for the pen tip is that it is necessary to increase the contact area with the touch panel in order to detect a change in capacitance. Thus, since the passive pen needs to have a large contact area with the touch panel, the pen tip cannot be thinned and is not suitable for writing thin characters.

  On the other hand, the active pen mainly includes a pen holder, a pen tip attached to the tip of the pen holder, and an electric circuit provided inside the pen holder that generates an electric field from the pen tip. In the active pen, an electric field is generated from the pen tip, so that the position detection accuracy on the touch panel is relatively good, and the pen tip can be made thin. 6 to 8 are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating examples of the pen tip of the touch pen.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when a metal core 101 covered with a POM (polyacetal) 102 is used as a nib, the position detection accuracy on the touch panel is good, but the writing comfort is not so good because it is slippery. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, when the conductive felt 103 is used as a nib, the writing comfort is good, but the position detection accuracy is lower than that using a metal core. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the metal core 101 covered with the felt 104 has good position detection accuracy and writing comfort. However, since the wear resistance is low, if the felt is scraped off by wear and the metal core comes out, the touch panel May be hurt.

JP 2013-65147 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-30941

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides an active touch pen and its pen tip that have good position detection accuracy and writing comfort on the touch panel and can prevent the touch panel from being damaged. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is an active touch pen, which includes a pen body and a pen tip that is replaceably attached to the pen body. Comprises a metal core, a surface layer covering the metal core, and an intermediate layer formed between the metal core and the surface layer.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the wear strength of the metal core, the surface layer, and the intermediate layer is preferably the metal core> the intermediate layer> the surface layer.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the pen body includes an electronic circuit that generates an electric field in the metal core.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the surface layer is felt.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the intermediate layer is preferably POM.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the intermediate layer and the surface layer are formed in different colors.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is an active touch pen nib that is replaceably mounted on the pen body of the touch pen and covers the metal core and the metal core. A surface layer and an intermediate layer formed between the metal core and the surface layer are provided.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the wear strength of the metal core, the surface layer, and the intermediate layer is preferably the metal core> the intermediate layer> the surface layer.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the surface layer is felt.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the intermediate layer is preferably POM.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the intermediate layer and the surface layer are formed in different colors.

  According to the present invention, the position detection accuracy and writing comfort are good, and the touch panel can be prevented from being damaged.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a computer system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pen tip of the touch pen of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pen body of FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where the pen tip is attached to the pen body (touch pen). FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the surface layer of the nib has been scraped off due to wear. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a pen tip of a touch pen. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a pen tip of a touch pen. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a pen tip of a touch pen.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the touch pen and the pen tip according to the present invention will be described. Although the components of the present invention are generally illustrated in the drawings herein, it can be readily understood that they may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of configurations with various configurations. Accordingly, the following more detailed description of the touch pen and its nib embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims, but merely selected embodiments of the present invention. And is merely illustrative of selected embodiments of apparatus, configuration and structure consistent with the present invention as set forth in the claims herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be implemented without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, and materials.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a computer system according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the computer system 1 includes a tablet computer 10 and a touch pen 20 for giving coordinate input to the tablet computer 10. The tablet computer 10 houses a touch panel 12 on the surface of a substantially box-shaped housing 11 and also has various electronic components such as a drive detection unit that controls display and coordinate detection of the touch panel 12 inside the housing 11. Contains the finished board.

  The touch panel 12 is a capacitive touch panel, and is configured to allow coordinate input by a finger or a touch pen 20. The touch panel 12 includes a plurality of ITOs arranged in the X direction and the Y direction. The touch detection unit drives the touch panel 12 by the above-described drive detection unit, and a change in capacitance due to a finger and a pen tip 40 of the touch pen 20 are generated. By detecting a change in capacitance due to an alternating electric field having a predetermined frequency, coordinate input by a finger or the touch pen 20 is possible.

  The touch pen 20 includes a pen body 30 and a pen tip 40 configured to be replaceable with respect to the pen body 30. When the power switch 31 is turned on, the touch pen 20 generates an AC electric field (for example, a sine wave signal) having a frequency f1, and when the pen tip 40 is further pressed, the touch pen 20 has a frequency f2 (where f2> f1). An AC electric field is generated, and the drive detection unit can detect a change in capacitance due to the AC electric field. In the tablet computer 10, a cursor may be displayed when the pen tip 40 is touched on the touch panel 12, and drawing (writing) may be started when the pen tip 40 is pressed on the touch panel 12.

  2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pen tip 40 of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pen main body 30 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 shows a state (touch pen) in which the pen tip 40 is mounted on the pen main body 30. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the surface layer of the nib 40 has been scraped off due to wear.

  2 to 4, the pen body 30 includes a pen body 21 that is a hollow cylinder and a substrate 22 that is accommodated in the pen body 21. The pen body unit 30 is provided with a power switch 31. The pen body 1 is formed in a size and shape suitable for a user to hold and operate using a material such as plastic.

  Mounted on the substrate 22 are a holder 23 that slidably holds the pen tip 40, a battery 32, a transducer 33, a control IC 34, and a pressure detection unit 35. The holder 23 includes an insertion hole 23a into which the pen tip 40 is inserted, and a spring 23b that urges the pen tip 40 outward. The pressure detection unit 35 detects the pressure when the pen tip 40 is brought into contact with the touch panel 12 and the pen tip 40 is pushed against the elastic force of the spring 23b by the pressing force, and outputs the pressure to the control IC 34. To do. Although the pressure detection unit 35 detects the pressing of the pen tip 40, the present invention is not limited to this, and other known detection methods may be used.

  The battery 32 is a battery such as a lithium battery or an alkaline battery. The power switch 31 is electrically connected between the battery 32 and the control IC 34 and is used to turn on and off the power output from the battery 32. When the power switch 31 is off, the touch pen 20 is used as a passive touch pen to simulate a user's finger for touching the touch panel 12.

  When the user turns on the power switch 31, power is supplied from the battery 32 to the control IC 34, and the control IC 34 adjusts the voltage level and supplies the voltage to the transducer 33 and the pressure detection unit 35. When a voltage is supplied, the transducer 33 starts oscillating to generate a sine wave signal and is used as an active touch pen.

  The transducer 33 is a voltage controlled oscillator, for example, and is electrically connected to the metal core 41 of the nib 40. The transducer 33 generates a sine wave signal (frequency f1, amplitude A1) based on the voltage output from the control IC 34, and transmits the sine wave signal through the metal core 41 of the nib 40. The touch panel 12 receives the sine wave signal. To do.

  When the control IC 34 detects pressing of the pen tip 40 based on the pressure detection result of the pressure detection unit 35, the control IC 34 changes the voltage output to the transducer 33 and changes the sine wave signal (frequency f2 (however, f2> f1) and amplitude A1) are generated.

  In the present embodiment, the position detection accuracy and writing comfort on the touch panel 12 are good, and the pen tip 40 is connected to the metal core 41 and the surface layer 43 covering the metal core 41 in order to prevent the touch panel 12 from being damaged. And an intermediate layer 42 formed between the metal core 41 and the surface layer 43. The wear strength (abrasion resistance) is preferably metal core 41> intermediate layer 42> surface layer 43.

  The metal core 41 has a substantially mushroom shape, and includes an insertion portion 41 a that is inserted into the insertion hole 23 a of the holder 23 and a head portion 41 b that protrudes from the pen body portion 21. For the metal core 41, for example, a metal material such as aluminum, zinc, gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, nickel, iridium, rhodium, cobalt, osmium, ruthenium, iron can be used. Materials such as gold, silver and copper are desirable from the viewpoints of economy and antibacterial properties.

  The intermediate layer 42 covers the head portion 41 b of the metal core 41. The intermediate layer 42 is preferably made of a material having higher wear strength (wear resistance) than the surface layer 43, and for example, a rubber material such as POM (polyacetal) can be used. Further, the intermediate layer 42 preferably has a lower strength than the strength of the glass on the surface of the touch panel 12 (for example, expressed by the “H” standard of JIS) so as not to damage the touch panel 12. The intermediate layer 22 may use either a conductive or nonconductive material. Since an AC electric field is generated from the metal core 41, the touch panel 12 can detect the intermediate layer 22 with high position detection accuracy even when the intermediate layer 22 is made of a nonconductive material.

  The surface layer 43 covers the intermediate layer 42. The surface layer 43 is preferably made of a material having a high frictional resistance (friction coefficient). For example, a plastic material such as felt can be used. This is because it is desirable to increase the frictional resistance of the surface in order to approach the writing comfort equivalent to writing using paper and a pen. Further, the surface layer 43 desirably has a strength lower than the strength of the glass on the surface of the touch panel 12 (for example, expressed by the “H” standard of JIS) so as not to damage the touch panel 12. The surface layer 43 can be made of a conductive or non-conductive material. Since an AC electric field is generated from the metal core 41, the touch panel 12 can detect the surface layer 43 with high position detection accuracy even when the surface layer 43 is made of a nonconductive material.

  The intermediate layer 42 and the surface layer 43 are preferably formed in different colors so that it can be easily recognized that the surface layer 43 has been scraped off due to wear and the intermediate layer 32 is exposed. The surface layer 43 may be formed of black or white.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, even if the surface layer 43 is scraped due to wear due to the use of the nib 40, the metal core 41 is not exposed and the intermediate layer 42 is exposed, thereby preventing the touch panel 12 from being damaged. Can do. Further, by forming the intermediate layer 42 and the surface layer 43 in different colors, the user can easily recognize that the surface of the intermediate layer 42 is exposed (for example, the red color of the intermediate layer 42 is exposed). The user only needs to replace the pen tip 40 when the intermediate layer 42 is exposed, and the user can easily determine when to replace the pen tip 40.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the active touch pen 20 includes the pen body 30 and the pen tip 40 that is replaceably attached to the pen body 30, and the pen tip 40 is made of metal. Since it has a core 41, a surface layer 43 covering the metal core 41, and an intermediate layer 42 formed between the metal core 41 and the surface layer 43, the touch panel 12 position detection accuracy and writing comfort are good, and It is possible to prevent the touch panel 12 from being damaged.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the wear strength of the metal core 41, the surface layer 43, and the intermediate layer 42 is metal core> intermediate layer> surface layer. In addition, since the intermediate layer 42 with high wear strength is provided, it is possible to prevent the touch panel 12 from being damaged by exposing the metal core 41.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, since the intermediate layer 42 and the surface layer 43 are formed in different colors, the user easily determines that the surface layer 43 is scraped and the intermediate layer 42 is exposed. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine the replacement time of the nib 40.

  The touch pen and the pen tip according to the present invention can be used for various touch panels.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Computer system 10 Tablet computer 11 Case 12 Touch panel 20 Touch pen 21 Pen main-body part 22 Substrate 23 Holder 23a Insertion hole 23b Spring 30 Pen main body 31 Power switch 32 Battery 33 Transducer 34 Control IC
35 Pressure detection part 40 Nib 41 Metal core 41a Insertion part 41b Head part 42 Intermediate layer 43 Surface layer

Claims (11)

An active touch pen,
The pen body,
A pen tip that is replaceably attached to the pen body;
With
The nib is
A touch pen comprising: a metal core; a surface layer covering the metal core; and an intermediate layer formed between the metal core and the surface layer.   The touch pen according to claim 1, wherein the wear strength of the metal core, the surface layer, and the intermediate layer is metal core> intermediate layer> surface layer.   The touch pen according to claim 1, wherein the pen body includes an electronic circuit that generates an electric field in the metal core.   The touch pen according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer is felt.   The touch pen according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is a POM.   The touch pen according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the intermediate layer and the surface layer are formed in different colors. An active touch pen nib,
It is attached to the pen body of the touch pen in a replaceable manner,
A pen tip of a touch pen, comprising: a metal core; a surface layer covering the metal core; and an intermediate layer formed between the metal core and the surface layer.   The nib of the touch pen according to claim 7, wherein the wear strength of the metal core, the surface layer, and the intermediate layer is the metal core> the intermediate layer> the surface layer.   The pen tip of the touch pen according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the surface layer is felt.   The nib of the touch pen according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer is a POM.   The pen point of the touch pen according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the intermediate layer and the surface layer are formed in different colors.

Images