JPH05108247A - Tablet for digitizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a tablet thin and heighten the XY coordinate reading accuracy of a pointer. CONSTITUTION:A circuit part 18 is laminated on one terminal part of a grid part 17. The circuit part 18 is formed by packaging the circuit elements 18b of X and Y amplifier circuits and a microprocessor, etc.. on the circuit pattern layer 18a1 on an insulation substrate 18a, and insulating the upper plane of the layer by covering with an insulating case 28. Insulation is performed by laminating the insulation substrate 18a of the circuit part 18 on, for example the X-coil 17x of a grid substrate 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electromagnetic induction type digitizer tablet for reading the XY coordinate position of a pointer for pointing a data input position to a computer, and more particularly to
The present invention relates to a tablet having an improved grid portion forming an XY coil.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a digitizer is often used instead of a keyboard to indicate a data input position at a specific position displayed on the screen of a display device of a computer. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a digitizer of this type that detects the XY coordinates of the pointer by measuring the pointing position of the pointer operated on the operation surface of the tablet by an electromagnetic induction method or a charge coupling method. An example is shown in FIG.

This digitizer 1 includes a circuit element such as an excitation coil 2a and a cursor pointer 2 having a push button switch 2b for reading, a grid substrate for forming X and Y coils, and circuit elements such as an amplifier and a microprocessor. A tablet 3 having a built-in circuit board or the like for mounting the

The digitizer 1 accurately measures the XY coordinate position of the pointer 2 by measuring the alternating magnetic field emitted from the pointer 2 with the X and Y coils of the tablet 3. One example is the method disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 60-29970.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional digitizer 1, a circuit portion 3a for mounting circuit elements such as an amplifier and a microprocessor on an insulating substrate.
Is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the tablet 3, there is a problem that the effective operating area of the operating surface 3b for operating the pointer 2 inside the circuit portion 3a is narrow, and the pointing range of the pointer 2 is narrow. Therefore, the operation surface 3b of the tablet 3
If the area of the tablet 3 is enlarged, a new problem arises that the tablet 3 becomes larger in size.

Further, in order to electrically insulate the upper surface of the grid substrate forming the operation surface 3b and the upper surface of the circuit portion 3a, the tablet 3 is housed in a box-shaped main body case 5 made of an insulator. In addition to preventing electric shock on the operation surface 3b,
The operation of the XY coil is stabilized.

For this reason, the tablet 3 has a main body case 5
Therefore, there is a problem that the size is increased, the thickness is increased, the weight is increased, the number of parts is increased, the manufacturing workability is deteriorated, and the cost is increased.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a thin and inexpensive digitizer tablet which has high accuracy in reading a pointing position by a pointer.

[0009]

The present invention is configured as follows in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

The invention according to claim 1 of the present application (hereinafter, referred to as the first
Of the invention), a grid portion formed by arranging an X coil and a Y coil so as to be orthogonal to each other in the XY direction via an insulating layer and forming one surface on an operation surface that can be operated by a pointer, and a circuit on which a circuit element is mounted. In a tablet of a digitizer having a part, the circuit part is laminated on one end part of the grid part, and the circuit element mounting surface is covered with a lid case so as to be electrically insulated, while the operation surface of the grid part is provided. An insulating layer is formed.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application (hereinafter referred to as the second invention) is characterized in that the grid portion according to the first invention is integrally formed by a multilayer printed circuit board.

Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 of the present application (hereinafter referred to as the third invention) is characterized in that the insulating layer according to the first invention is formed of an epoxy resin containing glass fiber. ..

[0013]

[Action]

<First Invention> The upper surface of the circuit portion is covered with a case to electrically insulate it, while an insulating layer such as a thin film is formed on the operation surface such as the upper surface of the grid portion.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the grid portion is not housed in the case as in the conventional example, the grid portion can be made thin and the conventional large case can be omitted. Cost reduction can be achieved.

Further, since the upper surface of the grid portion is insulated by the insulating layer such as a thin film, the pointer can be brought close to the XY coil of the grid portion, and the accuracy of reading the coordinate position of the pointer can be improved.

<Second Invention> Since the grid portion according to the first invention is integrally formed of a multilayer printed circuit board, workability in manufacturing the grid portion can be improved and yield can be increased.

<Third Invention> Since the insulating layer on the operating surface of the grid portion according to the first invention is formed of a hard insulating coating made of epoxy resin containing glass fiber, scratches are less likely to occur and the operating surface is Can be protected.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an embodiment including the first and second inventions of the present application, FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 4, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 4, in which the digitizer 11 has a cursor pointer 12 for pointing a data input position, and this pointer 12
XY on the pointer 12 by moving the
A tablet 13 for detecting coordinate values,
The relative position of 13 is measured by the electromagnetic induction method, and the position data is measured by, for example, the data code 1 of RS232C code.
4 is output to an input port of a computer (not shown).

The cursor pointer 12 is an exciting coil 12a.
The tablet 1 is provided with a circuit element such as the like and a push button switch 12b for instructing reading, and through the pointer code 15.
3 is connected to the oscillation circuit 16 shown in FIG. 5 and radiates an alternating magnetic field having a predetermined frequency.

On the other hand, the tablet 13 has a circuit board 18 laminated on one end portion (left end portion in FIG. 1) of the grid substrate 17 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, while the lower surface of the grid substrate 17 is insulated. The lower layer pattern 20a and the metal plate 20b are sequentially laminated in this order via the layer 19. Metal plate 2
0b reinforces the mechanical strength of the tablet 13,
Alternatively, for example, four rubber feet may be equally arranged on the lower surface of the insulating substrate 20a1 of the lower layer pattern 20a.

The grid substrate 17 has an X coil 17x and a Y coil 17y formed of a thick film or a thin film on both front and back surfaces of an insulating substrate 17a such as glass epoxy or polyester.

That is, in the X coil 17x, for example, a plurality of U-shaped conductive wire grids are arranged side by side so that their grid axes coincide with the X axis direction, and the open ends of these grids are shown in FIG. Multiple X-axis multiplexers 21x, 21
It is configured as a closed loop coil by appropriately closing the switch operation by combining x ...

Therefore, the X coil 17x receives an alternating magnetic field from the cursor pointer 12 and induces an electromotive force by electromagnetic induction. Therefore, the X coordinate of the cursor pointer 12 is detected by detecting the induced position of the induced power. can do.

The Y coil 17y has a plurality of conducting wire grids arranged side by side so that the grid axes thereof coincide with the Y axis direction, and the open ends of these conducting wire grids are connected to a plurality of Y axis multiplexers 21y, 21y. A plurality of closed loop coils are formed by appropriately closing the switches by a combination of switch operations.

Therefore, the Y coil 17y receives an alternating magnetic field from the cursor pointer 12 and induces an electromotive force by electromagnetic induction. Therefore, the Y coordinate of the pointer 12 can be detected by detecting the position of the induced power. it can.

On the other hand, in the circuit board 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a circuit pattern layer 18a1 is formed on an insulating substrate 18a, and a plurality of circuit elements 18b are mounted on the circuit pattern layer 18a1. ing. As the circuit element 18b, the oscillating circuit 16 shown in FIG.
1x ..., 21y ..., X-axis and Y-axis amplifier circuits 22x, 22
y, a switch 23, an A / D converter 24, a microprocessor 25, an output circuit 26, and a high-quality power supply circuit 27 which is a power supply for these.

The circuit board 18 is composed of these circuit elements 1.
As shown in FIG. 4, 8b is concentratedly mounted on the upper end portion (the left end portion in FIG. 1) in the drawing, and a covered corner made of an electric insulator is provided on the upper portion thereof so as to cover the upper portions of these circuit elements 18. A cylindrical insulating case 28 is attached.

Therefore, the operation surface 13 of the tablet 13
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a is covered and electrically insulated by the insulating substrate 18a of the circuit board 18, so that the X and Y coils 17x, 1 are operated when the cursor / pointer 12 is operated.
It is possible to prevent the electric shock due to the electromotive force induced in 7y and to stabilize the operation of the X and Y coils 17x and 17y.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When the cursor pointer 12 is operated on the operation surface 12a of the tablet 13, an alternating magnetic field having a predetermined frequency is emitted from the cursor pointer 12 onto the operation surface 12a.

This alternating magnetic field has X and Y coils 17x and 17x.
received by y, due to the electromagnetic induction action, these X,
An electromotive force is induced in the Y coils 17x and 17y.

The electromotive force in the XY directions is amplified by the X and Y axis amplifiers 22x and 22y, and then alternately converted by the switching device 23 by the A / D converter 24 into a digital signal, and the microprocessor 25 is operated. Given to.

The microprocessor 25 uses the XY coordinates of the position where these electromotive forces are induced, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 60-299.
It is calculated and detected by the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 70-70, and the detected data is given from the output circuit 26 to the computer main body through the output code 14.

That is, the input position data designated by the cursor pointer 12 is given to the computer main body,
It is plotted on the screen of the display device.

In this embodiment, the circuit board 18 is laminated on a part of the grid board 17, and the circuit board 18 is covered with the insulating case 28. Therefore, as in the conventional example, the entire tablet 13 is covered with the insulating case. Since it is not necessary to store the operation surface in the housing 28, the area of the operation surface 13a can be increased, and the thickness can be reduced, so that the size and weight can be reduced.

Since the upper surface of the X coil 17x of the grid board 17 is insulated by the thin insulating board 18a of the circuit board 18, the exciting coil 12a of the cursor / pointer 12 can be brought closer to the X coil 17x. Therefore, the accuracy of reading the XY coordinates of the cursor pointer 12 can be improved.

Further, since the grid board 17 is integrally formed of a multilayer printed board, the grid board 17 is
It is possible to improve the workability of manufacturing and improve the yield.

[0039]

As described above, the first invention of the present application is
At least the externally exposed surface of the circuit part is covered with a covered case so that it can be electrically insulated, while an insulating layer is formed on the operation surface of the grid part. Since it is not provided, the grid portion can be thinned.

Further, since the pointer can be brought close to the grid portion through the thin insulating layer, the reading accuracy can be improved accordingly.

Further, in the second aspect of the invention, since the grid portion is integrally formed of the multilayer printed circuit board, the workability in manufacturing the grid portion can be improved and the yield can be increased.

Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, since the insulating layer on the operation surface of the grid portion is formed of a hard insulating film made of epoxy resin containing glass fiber, scratches are less likely to occur.
The operation surface can be protected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an embodiment including the first and second inventions of the present application.

5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a circuit section of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a conventional digitizer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Digitizer 12 Cursor / Pointer 12a Excitation coil 13 Tablet 13a Operating surface 17 Grid board 17x X coil 17y Y coil 18 Circuit part 18a Insulation board 18b Circuit component 20 Metal plate 28 Insulation case

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A grid section formed by arranging an X coil and a Y coil so as to be orthogonal to each other in the XY directions via an insulating layer and forming one surface on an operation surface that can be operated by a pointer, and a circuit section on which a circuit element is mounted. In a digitizer tablet having and, on one end portion of the grid portion, the circuit portion is laminated, and the circuit element mounting surface is covered with a lid case so as to be electrically insulated, while the operation surface of the grid portion is A digitizer tablet characterized by having an insulating layer formed. 2. A tablet of a digitizer, wherein the grid portion according to claim 1 is integrally formed by a multilayer printed board. 3. A tablet for a digitizer, wherein the insulating layer according to claim 1 is formed of an epoxy resin containing glass fiber.