JPH09282074A - Coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To unnecessitate a flexible printed circuit board or connector used for electric connection and to provide an inexpensive coordinate input device by simultaneously performing both the mechanical connection and electric connection of a detection board and a circuit board through a calking pin. SOLUTION: A detection board 12 is constituted by adhering a sheet 16 and a base board 17 at the part of a spacer 18 through the spacer 18 so that they are arranged facing each other. Electrodes are respectively formed at four corners of the rectangular base board 17 and further, electrodes are formed along one side. These electrodes are formed from silver, for example. Then, the detection board 12 and a circuit board 13 are mutually fixed through calking pins 31 and 43 and mutually electrically connected by these calking pins 31 and 43. It is preferable for both the terminal parts of these calking pins 31 and 43 to be respectively covered with insulating materials.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coordinate input device used to input a coordinate position by pressing a predetermined position on a sheet-shaped input surface with a writing instrument, a finger or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of coordinate input device is used, for example, in a computer or the like to input handwritten information, and an example of the coordinate input device which has been conventionally used is shown in FIG.
Shown in The coordinate input device 11 includes a detection plate 12 that detects an input position and a circuit board 13 that processes an output signal obtained from the detection plate 12, and these are superposed on each other and integrated by, for example, screws. ing. Electrical connection between the detection plate 12 and the circuit board 13 is made via a flexible printed board (hereinafter, referred to as FPC) 14. In this example, the wiring patterns of the FPC 14 are exposed at both ends thereof, and the FPC 14 is thermocompression-bonded to the corresponding electrodes of the detection plate 12, while the circuit board 13 side has the connector 1 attached and connected to the circuit board 13.
5 is inserted and connected.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed structure of the detection plate 12. The detection plate 12 is configured such that a flexible sheet 16 made of, for example, a polyurethane sheet and a base substrate 17 made of a glass epoxy substrate, etc., are arranged to face each other with a frame-like spacer 18 interposed therebetween and bonded at the spacer 18 portion. A conductive resistance film 19 and a base resistance film 21 made of, for example, a carbon film are formed on the surfaces of the sheet 16 and the base substrate 17 which face each other.

Dot spacers 22 made of an insulating material are arranged in a grid pattern on the conductive resistance film 19.
Thus, the separated state of the resistance films 19 and 21 is maintained. Wiring patterns 23a, 23b, 23c and 23d are respectively connected to the four corners of the rectangular base resistance film 21, and the other ends of the wiring patterns 23a to 23d are electrodes 24a to 24d located on one side of the base substrate 17, respectively.
Connected to each other. The electrode 25 formed on one side of the base substrate 17 along with the electrodes 24 a to 24 d is the conductive resistance film 1 on the sheet 16.
9 is an electrode for connecting to the FPC 14 and this electrode 25
The sheet 16 is fastened to the base substrate 17 by the screws 26, so that the sheet 16 is brought into contact with the conductive resistance film 19 to be electrically connected.

In the detection plate 12 having the above-described structure, when the input surface on the upper surface of the sheet 16 is pressed with a pen or the like for writing, the conductive resistance film 19 contacts the base resistance film 21 at the position where the pen is pressed. Then, they are electrically conducted to form a variable electric circuit. At this time, the circuit board 1
When a constant voltage (for example, 5 V) is applied to the electrodes 24b and 24c from 3 and the electrodes 24a and 24d are set to GND, the electrode 25
X-coordinate information of the pressed position is obtained as a voltage value from the electrode, and similarly, a constant voltage is applied to the electrodes 24a and 24b,
When c and 24d are connected to GND, the Y coordinate information of the pressed position is obtained from the electrode 25 as a voltage value. Therefore, the detection plate 12 can detect the X and Y coordinates of the input position by a pen or the like, and the position signal obtained by the detection plate 12 is arithmetically processed by the circuit board 13 to be a predetermined coordinate input signal.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional coordinate input device 11, the FPC 14 and the connector 15 are used for the electrical connection between the detection plate 12 and the circuit board 13, and the FPC 14 and the connector 15 are used. Is relatively expensive, the coordinate input device 11 is also expensive accordingly. In addition, the detection plate 2 and the circuit board 1
3 is mechanically coupled by screwing or the like, while the electrical coupling is performed by the FPC 14, that is, the mechanical coupling and the electrical coupling are performed by different means.
As a result, the number of parts is increased and the number of assembling steps is increased.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a coordinate input device which can be constructed simply and inexpensively.

[0008]

According to the invention of claim 1, a detection plate forming a variable electric circuit according to the pressing position of the input surface and the detection plate are driven and obtained from the detection plate. In a coordinate input device having a circuit board for processing position signals, the detection plate and the circuit board are fixed to each other by a plurality of caulking pins and are electrically connected to each other by the caulking pins.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the invention of claim 1, both ends of the caulking pin are covered with an insulating material.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Parts corresponding to those in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the detection plate 12 and the circuit board 13 are penetrated by five cylindrical caulking pins 31 and fixed to each other, and are electrically connected to each other by the caulking pins 31.

The structure will be described in detail below. Sheet 16
The detection plate 12 in which the base plate 17 and the base substrate 17 are arranged opposite to each other via the spacer 18 and are adhered at the spacer 18 portion.
Has a structure as shown in FIG. 2 in this example. Electrodes 32a, 32b, 3 are provided at four corners of the rectangular base substrate 17.
2c and 32d are formed, and an electrode 33 is further formed along one side thereof. These electrodes 3
2a to 32d and 33 are formed of, for example, silver,
The electrodes 32a to 32d are connected to the four corners of the rectangular base resistance film 21 via the wiring patterns 34, respectively.
A through hole 35 penetrating the base substrate 17 is formed in each central portion of the electrodes 32a to 32d, and similarly, two through holes 36a and 36b are also formed in the electrode 33.

The sheet 16 having the conductive resistance film 19 and the dot spacers 22 has a shape in which four corners of a rectangle are cut out, and the through holes 36 of one of the electrodes 32a to 32d of the base substrate 17 and one of the electrodes 33 are formed by these cutouts.
One half including a is exposed to the outside. Also, sheet 16
Through the through hole 3 facing the other through hole 36b of the electrode 33.
7 are formed, the conductive resistance film 19 includes the through hole 37 so that the through hole 37 is included in the formation region thereof.
Has been extended towards.

The frame-shaped spacer 18 has a rectangular shape whose inner circumference is slightly smaller than the base resistance film 21 and whose outer circumference is substantially the same shape as the sheet 16. A notch 38 is provided in a portion of the base substrate 17 facing the through hole 36b. On the other hand, the circuit board 13 has substantially the same size as the base board 17, and the through holes 35 and 3 of the base board 17 are formed.
A through hole 39 is formed at a position facing 6a, and a notch 41 is formed at a position facing the through hole 36b. The connection terminals 42 of the circuit board 13 are provided around the through holes 39 at the positions where the through holes 39 are located on the lower surface of the circuit board 13. The terminal 42 is formed of, for example, copper. Further, it may have a two-layer structure in which a solder layer is provided thereon.

The connection of the detection plate 12 and the circuit board 13 by the caulking pins 31 is performed by inserting the five caulking pins 31 into the through holes 35 and 36a of the corresponding detection plate 12 and the through hole 39 of the circuit board 13, respectively. This is done by crimping both ends. FIG. 3A shows an example of this state. Both ends of the five caulking pins 31 are caulked and pressed against the electrodes 32a to 32d, 33 of the base substrate 17 and the terminals 42 of the circuit substrate 13, respectively, whereby the detection plate 12 and the circuit substrate 13 are mechanically and electrically connected. To be combined.

In this example, the conductive resistive film 19 on the sheet 16 of the detection plate 12 and the base substrate 17 are provided.
The caulking pin 43 is also used for connection with the electrode 33 of
That is, when the caulking pin 43 is inserted into the through hole 37 of the sheet 16 and the through hole 36b of the base substrate 17 and caulked, they are brought into contact with each other as shown in FIG. 3B.

The crimping pins 31 and 43 are made of a metal material such as copper or iron. Further, the metal may be plated with nickel or solder.
Further, when crimping the crimping pins 31 and 43, a washer may be added and the washer may be sandwiched between the crimping pins 31 and 43. In the example described above, both ends of the crimping pins 31 and 43, which also serve as the electrical connecting means, are exposed, and when it is necessary to ensure insulation from the outside depending on the usage state, the crimping pins 31 and 43 should be secured. Both ends of 31 and 43 are covered with an insulating material. As the insulating material, for example, insulating resin or insulating tape is used.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, both mechanical and electrical couplings between the detection plate 12 and the circuit board 13 are simultaneously performed by the inexpensive caulking pin 31, and the conventional electrical coupling is achieved. Since the FPC 14 and the connector 15 that have been used can be eliminated, an inexpensive coordinate input device can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1 with a part omitted.

FIG. 3 is an end view showing a joined state by a caulking pin.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional coordinate input device.

5 is an exploded perspective view of the detection plate of FIG.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A coordinate input having a detection plate that forms a variable electric circuit according to a pressing position of an input surface, and a circuit board that drives the detection plate and arithmetically processes a position signal obtained from the detection plate. A coordinate input device, wherein the detection plate and the circuit board are fixed to each other by a plurality of caulking pins and electrically connected to each other by the caulking pins. 2. The coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the caulking pin are covered with an insulating material.