Patent Publication Number: US-2018039343-A1

Title: Stylus pen housing with movable connector device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Computing devices may be operated using various accessories, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. A stylus pen is another such accessory that may be used as an input device for a computing device. For example, a stylus pen may be used on a touch screen computing device to provide an input to the touch screen computing device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some examples of the present application are described with respect to the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example system with a stylus pen partially housed in a housing having a magnetic movable connector device to connect the stylus pen to the housing; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example system with a stylus pen fully housed in a housing having a magnetic movable connector device to connect the stylus pen to the housing; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an example system with a stylus pen partially housed in a housing having a mechanical movable connector device to connect the stylus pen to the housing; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an example system with a stylus pen also partially housed in a housing having a mechanical movable connector device to connect the stylus pen to the housing; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an example system with a stylus pen also partially housed in a housing having a mechanical movable connector device to connect the stylus pen to the housing; and 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an example system with a stylus pen fully housed in a housing having a mechanical movable connector device to connect the stylus pen to the housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As described above, a stylus pen may be used as an input device to a computing device. A stylus pen may be a pen-shaped instrument that may be used to input commands to a touch screen computing device by placing the stylus pen on the surface of the touch screen to provide the input command. In some examples, a stylus pen may also be a computing device capable of performing various functions. As such, in some examples, a stylus pen may operate using any suitable power source (e.g., an internal battery), where the power source may be powered in any suitable manner (e.g., by charging the internal battery using a charging station plugged into a power source). In some examples, a stylus pen may be housed in a housing providing power to the power source of the stylus pen. However, often times the housing&#39;s connector component used to connect the housing to the stylus pen may scratch or scrape the stylus pen while a user attempts to dock the stylus pen in the housing, damaging the exterior of the stylus pen. 
     To prevent damage to the exterior of the stylus pen, a stylus pen housing may have a connector device that may be used to connect the housing to the stylus pen, where the connector device is movable such that the connector component of the connector device does not make contact with the stylus pen until a contact area of the stylus pen is aligned with the connector device. The contact area of the stylus pen may be a portion of the stylus pen to which the connector component of the housing connects. 
     Referring now to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example system  100  with a stylus pen  106  partially housed in a housing  104  having a magnetic movable connector device  108  to connect the stylus pen  106  to the housing  104 . The system  100  may include a computing device  102 , which may be any suitable computing device with which the stylus pen  106  may be used, such as a notebook computer, a desktop computer, an all-in-one system, a tablet computing device, a mobile phone, a touch screen device, an electronic book reader, a printing device, and the like. The computing device  102  may include at least one processor capable of performing various functions. 
     The stylus pen  106  may be any suitable stylus pen that may be used to provide input commands to the computing device  102 . The stylus pen  106  may be housed in and/or removed from the housing  104 , which may be any suitable housing capable of docking the stylus pen  106 . In some examples, the stylus pen  106  may be charged when the stylus pen  106  is connected to the housing  104 . For example, the housing  104  may provide power to the stylus pen  106  when the stylus pen  106  is fully housed in housing  104 . In some examples, the housing  104  may provide power to the stylus pen  106  from the computing device  102 . 
     The housing  104  may be connected to and in communication with the computing device  102 . The housing  104  may be separate from, detachable from, and/or part of the computing device  102 . The housing  104  may include at least one wall (e.g., wall  118 ) capable of surrounding the stylus pen  106 . For example, the housing  104  may include a circular wall surrounding the stylus pen  106 , multiple walls forming a shape that surrounds the stylus pen  106 , and the like. 
     The housing  104  may also include a movable connector device  108  affixed to an inner portion of the at least one wall (e.g., wall  118 ) of the housing  104 , where the inner portion of the at least one wall is a portion that faces toward the inside of the housing  104 . The movable connector device  108  may be affixed to the inner portion of the at least one wall of the housing  104  in any suitable manner (e.g., affixed using a spring, a hinge, etc.) such that the movable connector device  108  is capable of moving with respect to the housing  104 . 
     The movable connector device  108  may include a connector component  110 , which may be any suitable component capable of protruding into the housing  104  such that it may connect with a contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106 . The connector component  110  may facilitate a connection between the housing  104  and the stylus pen  106  when the connector component  110  is inserted into the contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106 . The contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106  may be any suitable contact area capable of receiving and connecting with the connector component  110  of the movable connector device  108 . The contact area  114  may be capable of receiving power from the housing  104  and/or the computing device  102  via the movable connector device  108  such that the stylus pen  106  may be charged. 
     The movable connector device  108  may also include a moving mechanism  112  in the form of at least one magnet. The moving mechanism  112  may be capable of moving the movable connector device  108  toward the stylus pen  106  when the contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106  is aligned with the connector component  110  of the movable connector device  108  such that the movable connector device  108  makes no contact with the stylus pen  106  until the contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106  is aligned with the connector component  110 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , the moving mechanism  112  may move the movable connector device  108  toward the stylus pen  106  when the connector component  110  is aligned with the contact area  114  using the magnetic attraction of the moving mechanism  112  to the magnet  116  in the stylus pen  106 . 
     The system  100  of  FIG. 1  shows the stylus pen  106  partially inserted in the housing  104 . The connector component  110  of the movable connector device  108  is not aligned with the contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106 , and as such, the movable connector device  108  has not yet been moved toward the stylus pen  106 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example system  120  with the stylus pen  106  fully housed in the housing  104  having a magnetic movable connector device  108  to connect the stylus pen  106  to the housing  104 . The example system  120  of  FIG. 2  is similar to the example system  100  of  FIG. 1 , except that the stylus pen  106  in  FIG. 2  is fully inserted and connected to the housing  104 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the connector component  110  of the movable connector device  108  is aligned with the contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106 , the moving mechanism  112  becomes attracted to the magnet  116  such that the movable connector device  108  is moved toward the stylus pen, resulting in the connector component  110  being connected to the stylus pen  106  via the contact area  114  of the stylus pen  106 , thereby preventing the connector component  110  from scraping or scratching the exterior of the stylus pen  106 . 
     In some alternate examples, the movable connector device  108  with its connector component  110  and moving mechanism  112  may stay in place when the contact area  114  becomes aligned with the connector component  110 , and instead, the contact area  114  may move toward the connector component  110  when the contact area  114  is aligned with the connector component  112  due to the magnetic attraction between the magnetic moving mechanism  112  and the magnet  116 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an example system  200  with a stylus pen  206  partially housed in a housing  204  having a mechanical movable connector device  208  to connect the stylus pen  206  to the housing  204 . Similar to the example system  100  in  FIG. 1  and the example system  120  in  FIG. 2 , the example system  200  of  FIG. 3  may include a computing device  202  having at least one processor. The computing device  202  may be any suitable computing device with which the stylus pen  206  may be used to provide input commands to the computing device  202 . The stylus pen  206  may be housed in and/or removed from the housing  204 , which may be any suitable housing capable of docking the stylus pen  206  (e.g., a charging station). 
     The housing  204  may be connected to and in communication with the computing device  202 . The housing  204  may be separate from, detachable from, and/or part of the computing device  202 . The housing  204  may include at least one wall (e.g., wall  216 , wall  218 ) capable of surrounding the stylus pen  206 . 
     The housing  204  may also include a movable connector device  208  affixed to an inner portion of the at least one wall (e.g., wall  216 ) of the housing  204 , where the inner portion of the at least one wall is a portion that faces toward the inside of the housing  204 . The movable connector device  208  may be affixed to the inner portion of the at least one wall of the housing  208  in any suitable manner (e.g., affixed using a spring, a hinge, etc.) such that the movable connector device  208  is capable of moving with respect to the housing  204 . 
     The movable connector device  208  may include a connector component  210 , which may be any suitable component capable of protruding into the housing  204  such that it may connect with a contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206 . The connector component  210  may facilitate a connection between the housing  204  and the stylus pen  206  when the connector component  210  is inserted into the contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206 . The contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206  may be any suitable contact area capable of receiving and connecting with the connector component  210  of the movable connector device  208 . The contact area  214  may be capable of receiving power from the housing  204  and/or the computing device  202  via the movable connector device  208  such that the stylus pen  206  may be charged. 
     The movable connector device  208  may also include a mechanical moving mechanism  212 . The moving mechanism  212  may be capable of moving the movable connector device  208  toward the stylus pen  206  when the contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206  begins to align with the connector component  210  of the movable connector device  208  such that the movable connector device  208  makes no contact with the stylus pen  206  until the contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206  is aligned with the connector component  210 . In the example of  FIG. 3 , the moving mechanism  212  may move the movable connector device  208  toward the stylus pen  206  as the connector component  210  begins to align with the contact area  214  by pushing the wall  216  toward the stylus pen  206  as the stylus pen  206  is inserted in the housing  204  and pushes the wall  218  of the housing  204  downward. 
     The system  200  of  FIG. 3  shows the stylus pen  206  partially inserted in the housing  204 . The connector component  210  of the movable connector device  208  is not aligned with the contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206 , and as such, the movable connector device  208  has not yet made contact with the stylus pen  206 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an example system  220  with the stylus pen  206  also partially housed in the housing  204  having a mechanical movable connector device  208  to connect the stylus pen  206  to the housing  204 . The example system  220  of  FIG. 4  is similar to the example system  200  of  FIG. 3 , except that the stylus pen  206  in  FIG. 4  is further inserted into the housing  204 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the stylus pen  206  pushes the wall  218  downward, the wall  216  connected to the wall  218  and the movable connector device  208  connected to the wall  216  may be moved downward as well, causing the wall  216  and the movable connector device  208  to be pushed toward the stylus pen  206  by the moving mechanism  212 . As the wall  218 , wall  216 , and movable connector device  208  are pushed downward by the downward force of the stylus pen  206  on the wall  218 , portions of the wall  216  and the movable connector device  208  may be pushed toward the stylus pen  206  by the moving mechanism  212  as those portions move downward along the moving mechanism  212 . 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an example system  240  with the stylus pen  206  also partially housed in the housing  204  having a mechanical movable connector device  208  to connect the stylus pen  206  to the housing  204 . The example system  240  of  FIG. 5  is similar to the example system  200  of  FIG. 3  and the example system  220  of  FIG. 4 , except that the stylus pen  206  in  FIG. 5  is further inserted into the housing  204 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , when the stylus pen  206  pushes the wall  218  downward, the wall  216  connected to the wall  218  and the movable connector device  208  connected to the wall  216  may be moved downward as well, causing the wall  216  and the movable connector device  208  to be pushed toward the stylus pen  206  by the moving mechanism  212 . As the wall  218 , wall  216 , and movable connector device  208  are pushed downward by the downward force of the stylus pen  206  on the wall  218 , portions of the wall  216  and the movable connector device  208  may be pushed toward the stylus pen  206  by the moving mechanism  212  as those portions move downward along the moving mechanism  212 . The example system  240  of  FIG. 5  shows the movable connector device  208  being pushed further inward due to the stylus pen  206  being further inserted, as compared to the system  220  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an example system  260  with the stylus pen  206  fully housed in the housing  204  having a mechanical movable connector device  208  to connect the stylus pen  206  to the housing  204 . The example system  260  of  FIG. 6  is similar to the example system  200  of  FIG. 3 , the example system  220  of  FIG. 4 , and the example system  240  of  FIG. 5 , except that the stylus pen  206  in  FIG. 6  is fully inserted into the housing  204 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the stylus pen  206  is fully inserted in the housing  204 , the moving mechanism  212  moves the movable connector device  208  toward the stylus pen  206  such that the connector component  210  is connected to the stylus pen via the contact area  214  of the stylus pen  206  when the connector component  210  is aligned with the contact area  210 . As the stylus pen  206  is fully inserted into the housing  204 , the moving mechanism  212  pushes the movable connector device  208  toward the stylus pen  206  such the housing becomes connected to the stylus pen when the connector component  210  is aligned with the contact area  214 , thereby preventing the connector component  210  from scraping or scratching the exterior of the stylus pen  206 .