JPH10255615A - Axial direction detecting switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small axial direction detecting switch that has a simple structure, and high detecting accuracy. SOLUTION: A body 1 comprises an inclined corn shape bottom surface 2, a cylindrical side wall 4 in which a plurality of terminals (electrode rods) 3 are arranged, and a top cover 5. Also, a substrate 6 is attached to the bottom surface 2 and connected to the terminals 3 inside the side wall 4. The terminals 3 are lead-out by using lead wires 7, etc., to interface with other system. A detecting switch for an axial direction is composed by inserting a conductive ball 8 in this body 1. When the body 1 is inclined, the conductive ball 8 moves from a bottom surface center part 9 to be contact with the side wall 4. At this time, adjacent terminals 3 arranged at the side wall 4 is electrically connected through the ball 8 to be able to detect declination and its direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an axial direction detecting switch used for detecting an axial direction of a pen input device for recognizing handwritten information of handwritten characters and figures and for inputting to a computer. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in determining the axial direction of a pen, a method of holding the pen only in the same direction has been used.

[0003] For example, as means for preventing the pen input device from rotating, a pen-shaped cross section is made into an inverted triangle as disclosed in JP-A-62-140130, or as disclosed in JP-A-8-163130.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 01-79149 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-76914, a housing is attached to the outside of a pen in order to determine the axial direction, and is forcibly held in the same direction.

A switch for detecting the inclination is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 4-24919 and Hei 6-527.
No. 63 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-08634,
When the device is tilted, the conductive sphere inside the device rolls, and the electrical contact or disconnection between the two terminals detects only the tilt.

[0005] Further, there is a technique capable of detecting an inclination direction as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-190761.

[0006]

In the prior art as described above, the pen becomes very difficult to hold, and it is necessary to form a large projection outside the pen for specifying the axial direction.

[0007] A conventional switch for detecting inclination is
It is impossible to detect only the inclination of the apparatus main body and to detect any inclination direction and top and bottom.

Further, even in the prior art in which the inclination direction can be detected, it is impossible to detect the top and bottom, and since the ball continues to move for a while after conduction between the two terminals, there is a problem that the detection accuracy is reduced. Was.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the invention according to claim 1 has a conical bottom surface and a plurality of terminals disposed inside. A conductive ball is freely inserted into a housing composed of a cylindrical side wall and an upper lid. An axial direction detection switch characterized in that the switch is electrically connected to the switch.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial direction detection switch according to the first aspect, wherein the terminal is an electrode rod.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial direction detection switch according to the first aspect, wherein a terminal is arranged on the upper cover.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial direction detection switch according to the third aspect, wherein the upper lid forms a hemispherical or cylindrical concave portion.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a housing according to the present invention. FIG.
, The housing 1 includes a conical bottom surface 2 having a gradient angle α, a cylindrical side wall 4 in which a plurality of terminals (electrode rods) 3 are arranged, and an upper lid 5.

A substrate 6 is attached to the bottom surface 2 and the side walls 4
The terminal 3 is connected to an internal terminal 3, and the terminal 3 is pulled out by a lead wire 7 or the like, and serves as an interface with another system.

Further, the detection in the axial direction is performed by using every other terminal 3 as a common terminal.

Further, the bottom surface 2, the side wall 4, and the upper lid 5 are formed of a non-conductive material.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state in which the axial direction detection switch of the present invention is in a normal position. The axial direction detection switch shown in FIG. 2 is one in which a conductive ball 8 is placed in the housing 1 shown in FIG.

When this switch is in the normal position, the ball 8
Are located at the bottom center 9 without touching any of the terminals 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state where the axial direction detection switch of the present invention is inclined. When the housing 1 is tilted, the conductive ball 8 rolls from the bottom center portion 9 and comes into contact with the side wall 4. At this time, the adjacent terminals 3 arranged on the side wall 4 are electrically connected to each other via the sphere 8, so that the inclination and the direction can be detected.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the axial direction detection switch of the present invention. When the switch is in the normal position, the ball 8
a is located at the bottom center portion 9 without touching any of the terminals 3.

On the other hand, when the housing 1 is tilted,
b rolls from the bottom center part 9 and comes into contact with the side wall 4. At this time, the space between the adjacent terminals 3 arranged on the side wall 4 is a ball 8
, And the inclination and the direction can be detected.

The terminal 3 is an electrode rod, and the ball 8b is arranged between the electrode rods. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another axial detection switch of the present invention. In the axial switch shown in FIG. 5, the shape of the upper cover 5 of the housing 1 was changed, the terminals 3 were arranged on the upper cover 5, and a lead wire 7 for drawing out the terminals 3 was provided.

Then, a hemispherical concave portion 10 having a diameter larger than that of the conductive sphere 8 was formed in the upper lid 5.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which an axial direction detection switch according to another embodiment of the present invention is upside down. As shown in FIG. 6, when the switch is turned upside down, the conductive sphere 8 fits into the hemispherical recess 10 formed in the upper lid 5.

At this time, the two terminals 3 arranged on the upper lid 5 are electrically connected to each other through the ball 8 and it is possible to detect that the two terminals 3 are upside down.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view when the axial direction forming switch of the present invention is used for a pen input device. The information is given by connecting the terminal 3 of the axial direction detection switch of the present invention to the data processing unit of the pen input device main body or another system such as a personal computer by drawing out the terminal 3 from the terminal 3 of the switch.

In this embodiment, the sphere 8 having the same diameter, the cylindrical side wall 4, the bottom surface 2 having the same gradient angle α, and the terminals 3 having the same distance are described. By changing the angle, the angle, and the distance, the detection accuracy can be easily changed.

[0029]

According to the present invention, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a conductive material is provided in a housing having a conical bottom surface, a cylindrical side wall having a plurality of terminals disposed therein, and an upper lid. The ball is rolled as the housing is tilted, and the adjacent terminals arranged on the side wall are electrically connected via the ball, so that unlike the conventional one, It is possible to detect not only the inclination but also the direction of the inclination.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the axial direction detection switch according to the first aspect, since the terminal is an electrode rod, the terminal can be formed more easily in terms of structure, and a ball fits between the electrode rods. Therefore, the problem that the ball moves for a while even after the conduction between the terminals and the accuracy of detection in the axial direction is reduced can be solved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the axial direction detection switch according to the first aspect, since the terminal is disposed on the upper lid, it is possible to detect that the main body is upside down.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4, in the axial direction detection switch according to claim 3, since the upper lid forms a hemispherical or cylindrical concave portion, the sphere fits in the concave portion, and thus the terminal connection is established. The problem that the sphere moves for a while and the accuracy of detection is reduced can be solved.

In short, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an axial direction detection switch having a simple structure, small size, and high detection accuracy.

Also, by using the pen input device,
The axial direction can be detected and determined without changing the shape of the conventional pen and without making a large protrusion on the pen.

Further, in a pen input device or the like, the case can be used upside down to intentionally turn off the housing and turn on the terminal of the upper lid, thereby canceling previously input information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a housing of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where an axial direction detection switch of the present invention is in a normal position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where an axial direction detection switch of the present invention is inclined.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the axial direction detection switch of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another axial direction detection switch of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another state in which an axial direction detection switch of the present invention is turned upside down.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view when the axial forming switch of the present invention is used for a pen input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 2 Bottom surface 3 Terminal 4 Side wall 5 Top lid 6 Substrate 7 Lead wire 8 Sphere 9 Bottom center part 10 Recess

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A conductive ball is freely inserted into a housing having a conical bottom surface, a cylindrical side wall having a plurality of terminals disposed therein, and an upper lid, and the housing is inclined. An axial direction detection switch characterized in that the ball is rolled by this, and adjacent terminals arranged on the side wall are electrically connected via the ball. 2. The axial direction detection switch according to claim 1, wherein said terminal is an electrode rod. 3. The axial direction detection switch according to claim 1, wherein a terminal is arranged on the upper lid. 4. The axial direction detecting switch according to claim 3, wherein said upper lid forms a hemispherical or cylindrical concave portion.