Patent Publication Number: US-2015084934-A1

Title: Electromagnetic and capacitive pointer

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pointer, and more particularly to an electromagnetic and capacitive pointer. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Electromagnetic-type input technology applies electromagnetic pens and the input device with induction sensor coils. Electromagnetic pen has advantages of convenient for writing, tip pressure level function, and certain sensing height. Although electromagnetic type input technology has advantages of convenient for writing, tip pressure level function, and certain sensing height as mentioned above, an user&#39;s finger(s) or other touch sources will not work and a particular stylus must be used for input operation. Capacitive touch input technology has been widely applied in touch panel. Capacitive touch input technology has advantages of allowing the use of variety of touch sources such as an user&#39;s finger(s) for input operation and multi-touch gestures for various operations and functions. Various applications can be assigned corresponding to multi-touch gestures. Thus integrating both electromagnetic and capacitive input technologies into a touch panel will have both advantages thereof and significantly increase convenience of use. 
     In order to perform input operation on a touch panel with electromagnetic and capacitive input functions, a pointer with electromagnetic and capacitive functions must be used. Therefore, the invention provides an electromagnetic and capacitive pointer to meet the requirement of using a pointer on a touch panel with electromagnetic and capacitive input functions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic and capacitive pointer with both electromagnetic and user hand held capacitive input functions to meet the requirement of using a pointer on a touch panel with electromagnetic and capacitive input functions. 
     According to the object, one embodiment of the present invention provides an electromagnetic and capacitive pointer comprising a tube assembly and a conductive tube assembly, a ferrite core, an non-magnetic and conductive pin penetrating trough the ferrite core and being moveable through the ferrite core, a control circuit board, a conductive pin holder, a conductive elastomer located between the conductive pin holder and the control circuit board, a holder with a winding coil electrically connecting to the control circuit board to constitute a resonance circuit with the ferrite core, and a power source providing the control circuit board with electrical power. One end of the non-magnetic and conductive pin is sheathed in the conductive pin holder. The ferrite core, the conductive pin holder and the conductive elastomer are sheathed in the holder. The non-magnetic and conductive pin, the conductive pin holder, the conductive elastomer, the control circuit board and the conductive tube assembly constitute a conductive path. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. 
         FIG. 1A  shows an electromagnetic and capacitive pointer according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a sectional view of the electromagnetic and capacitive pointer shown in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1C  is an exploded view of the electromagnetic and capacitive pointer shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The detailed description of the present invention will be discussed in the following embodiments, which are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but can be adapted for other applications. While drawings are illustrated in details, it is appreciated that the scale of each component may not be expressly exactly. 
       FIG. 1A  shows an electromagnetic and capacitive pointer according to one embodiment of the invention. The electromagnetic and capacitive pointer  10  comprises tube assemblies  12  and  13 , a conductive tube assembly  11 , a pen tip  14  and a button  15 . The electromagnetic and capacitive pointer  10  of this embodiment will be further described in detail with  FIG. 1B  and  FIG. 1C . 
       FIG. 1B  is a sectional view of the electromagnetic and capacitive pointer shown in  FIG. 1A . The electromagnetic and capacitive pointer  10  further comprises an non-magnetic and conductive pin  16  or a conductive pin with a low permeability p, a ferrite core  18 , an non-magnetic and conductive pin holder  20  or a conductive pin holder with a low permeability p, a spring  21 , a conductive elastomer  22 , holders  17  and  26 , a control circuit board  28 , a power source  25  and a cathode assembly  24  beside the tube assemblies  12  and  13 , the conductive tube assembly  11 , the pen tip  14  and the button  15 . The control circuit board  28  has a conductive anode contact or a conductive elastic strip  23 . The cathode assembly  24  comprises a conductive elastic strip. The conductive elastic strip  23  and the cathode assembly  24  contact the power source  25 . A circuit board can be located between the conductive elastomer  22  and the control circuit board  28  so as to electrically connect the conductive elastomer  22  and the control circuit board  28 . The circuit board comprises a printed circuit board. 
     The tube assemblies  12  and  13  comprise non-conductive tube assemblies while the conductive tube assembly  11  comprises a tube assembly of conductive material or a tube assembly with inner and outer conductive plated surfaces. The pen tip  14  comprises a rubber pen tip or a conductive pen tip. The non-magnetic and conductive pin  16  comprises a conductive pin of non-magnetic metal materials such as stainless steel. The conductive elastomer  22  comprises a conductive rubber. The control circuit board  28  comprises a printed circuit board with a resonance circuit and components thereon so that the electromagnetic and capacitive pointer can resonate with the electromagnetic signals from sensor coils or antennas of a touch panel. The power source  25  comprises a battery to provide the control circuit board  28  with electrical power. 
       FIG. 1C  is an exploded view of the electromagnetic and capacitive pointer shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B . The tube assemblies  12  and  13 , the conductive tube assembly  11  constitute a hollow assembly to accommodate the non-magnetic and conductive pin  16 , the ferrite core  18 , the non-magnetic and conductive pin holder  20 , the spring  21 , the conductive elastomer  22 , the holders  17  and  26 , the control circuit board  28 , the power source  25  and the cathode assembly  24 . 
     The ferrite core  18  and a coil (not shown) winding the holder  17  constitute an inductor and the coil electrically connects to the control circuit board  28  through a conductive wire (not shown) to complete a resonance circuit. The ferrite core  18  has a hollow center and a diameter slightly larger than that of the non-magnetic and conductive pin  16  so that the non-magnetic and conductive pin  16  can move through the center of the ferrite core  18 . 
     One end of the non-magnetic and conductive pin  16  contrary to the tip is sheathed in the non-magnetic and conductive pin holder  20 . The conductive elastomer  22  is sheathed in the spring  21  and both are located between the non-magnetic and conductive pin holder  20  and the control circuit board  28 . The non-magnetic and conductive pin holder  20  contacts the conductive elastomer  22 . The ends of the ferrite core  18  and the non-magnetic and conductive pin  16  contrary to the tip and the non-magnetic and conductive pin holder  20  are sheathed in the holder  17 . The control circuit board  28  is sheathed in the holder  26 . The non-magnetic and conductive pin  16 , the conductive pin holder  20 , the conductive elastomer  22 , the control circuit board  28  and the conductive tube assembly  11  constitute a conductive path. When an user uses the electromagnetic and capacitive pointer  10  to contact or approach the surface of a touch panel, the user (fingers), the conductive tube assembly  11  and the touch panel constitute a conductive path through the conductive path mentioned above so as to perform input operation. 
     The electromagnetic and capacitive pointer in one embodiment of the invention has both electromagnetic and user hand held capacitive input functions to meet the requirement of using a pointer on a touch panel with electromagnetic and capacitive input functions. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.