Patent ID: 6667740
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: G01D,G06F

Abstract:
A stylus for use with a position detector, the stylus comprising:an elongate housing; a movable tip mounted at one end of the housing for axial movement relative thereto in a first direction from a retracted position to an extended position and in a second, opposite direction from the extended position to the retracted position; a sensing coil fixed in the housing and having an abutment surface facing in said second direction; a flux linkage element mounted to the tip for movement relative to the coil; and movement-limiting means to define the extent of movement of the tip relative to the housing between said extended and retracted positions, said movement-limiting means comprising: a first limiting element mounted to the flux linkage element and having a first abutment surface facing in said first direction and a second abutment surface facing in said second direction; a second limiting element fixed in the housing axially adjacent to the coil and having first and second abutment surfaces facing in said first direction, the first abutment surface contacting the abutment surface of the coil; and the arrangement being such that when the tip is in the retracted position, the second abutment surface of the first limiting element contacts the second abutment surface of the second limiting element and when the tip is in the extended position the second abutment surface of the first limiting element contacts the abutment surface of the coil.