Patent Abstract:
A touch input device comprises: a body made of a conductive material; a brush formed at one end of the body for external extraction, and which is made of a conductive material for touching a capacitive touch panel; and a unit for generating a clicking sensation which is installed within the body to generate a clicking sensation when the touch panel is touched by the brush, thereby enabling a user to sense a click when touching the touch panel, thus improving user convenience, enabling dragging to be smoothly performed, enabling pictures to be easily drawn, minimizing damage such as scratches or the like on the surface of the touch panel, and enabling the surface of the touch panel to be cleaned.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a touch input device for inputting information by touching a touch panel. 
     A personal computer, a portable transmission device, other personal information processing devices, etc. perform text processing, graphic processing, etc. by using a variety of input devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a digitizer. 
     The input devices are input device as interfaces according to the expansion of PC use, and the products cannot be handled by using only a keyboard and a mouse. The input devices are being developed owing to the need in which the input devices are simple and less in a mal-operation and anyone can easily perform input and perform text input directly while carrying the input devices. 
     In particular, there has been known a touch panel which is simple and less in a mal-operation and which enables a user to perform a desired command by only touching a panel so that the user can perform input directly. There are various types of touch panels in the detection method, structure, performance, etc. of the touch panel. That is, the touch panel can be basically classified into a resistive film method, a capacitance method, a ultrasonic wave method, a light (infrared) sensor method, an electronic induction method, etc. 
     The resistive film method touch panel is the most frequently used touch panel and is also called a decompression method touch panel for sensing pressure. The resistive film method touch panel includes an upper and lower plate structure having two layer. When the touch panel is touched by applying pressure, the upper and lower plates are brought in contact with each other, electricity flows, and the electricity is sensed. The ultrasonic wave method touch panel, the light (infrared) sensor method touch panel, the electronic induction method touch panel, etc. are complicated and expensive, and they are not suitable for small-sized touch panel, but are limitedly used in fixed and large-scale panels. 
     Meanwhile, the capacitance method touch panel is also called an electrostatic or constant voltage method. The capacitance method touch panel is based on the fact that an electric field is formed when an electric current is made to flow on a surface of the panel. When an electric current is made to flow toward the center of a square panel from the four points of the square panel, the fact that the electric current becomes weak farther from the points is sensed and a location to be touched is sensed by measuring the sensed values. 
     In this touch panel input device, a user can input a command by touching the touch panel by using his finger. If a user&#39;s finger touches the touch panel, however, there are problems in that the touch panel is contaminated or damaged by a sharp nail, etc. and precise manipulation is difficult. A touch pen or a stylus pen is used as a touch input device for solving the problems. 
     In the resistive film method, a touch panel has only to be touched by applying pressure to the touch panel. The tip of a touch pen as a touch panel input device has only to be formed in the body having a common long shape. However, the capacitance method touch panel cannot use a resistive film method touch pen and must use a conductive touch pen that is able to be used only in a capacitance method touch panel. 
     A conventional capacitance method touch pen includes a touch tip made of a conductive material and provided at the end of a body  10 . 
     The touch tip is made of a conductive rubber material or a conductive fiber material. 
     The touch tip has a cylindrical shape and inevitably has a large diameter. This is because a minimum cross area for sensing a change of capacitance between the touch tip and an electrode formed on the surface side of the panel is necessary. That is, if the touch tip has a small cross area, the sensing precision of a sensor must be increased. However, malfunction due to noise resulting from environmental factors, for example, moisture in the atmosphere, other external dielectric alien substances and an error due to a temperature drift are likely to occur, and power consumption for a sensing circuit is sharply increased. Accordingly, in order to sense a touch on the touch tip under sensing precision capable of excluding external noise, the touch tip inevitably has a large cross area. As a result, the size of the touch panel input device is inevitably increased. As described above, in order to increase the cross area, the contact area of the touch tip and the touch panel may be maximized by cutting the front end of the touch tip diagonally. 
     Furthermore, if a touch pen is used instead of a finger, the contamination of a touch panel and damage to the touch panel can be slightly reduced. If a task, such as a drag, is performed in the state in which a touch tip touches or has touched the touch panel, however, there are problems in that the touch panel is inevitably damaged and it is difficult to use the touch panel softly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is for providing a touch input device which enables a drag task to be performed softly and enables a convenient drawing task. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is for providing a touch input device, which is capable of minimizing damage to a surface of a touch panel due to a scratch, etc. and performing a cleaning task on a surface of a touch panel. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is for providing a touch input device which has excellent touch performance, can improve durability, and enables a convenient touch task when it is touched at a specific tilt angle. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is for providing a touch input device in which a capacitance method and a resistive film method can be combined and used. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is for providing a touch input device which can be easily used so that a feeling of clicking can be provided when touching a touch panel by using a brush. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is for providing a touch input device having USB memory integrated therein. 
     Technical objects to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-described objects and a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can evidently appreciate other technical objects that have not been described above. 
     In an embodiment, a touch input device includes a body made of a conductive material, a brush disposed at the end of the body in such a way as to be externally drawn and made of a conductive material so that the brush touches a capacitance method touch panel, and a clicking feeling generation unit installed within the body and generating a feeling of clicking when the brush is brought in contact with the touch panel. 
     The clicking feeling generation unit includes a push rod disposed within the body movably in a straight line and having one end disposed in the brush, a dome member fixed to the body and generating a feeling of clicking that clunks when the dome member is pressed by the push rod, and a spring disposed within the body and giving elastic force to the push rod. 
     A slide member disposed within the body movably in a straight line and configured to have the brush fixed thereto and an elastic ring fixed to the end of the slide member, elastically surrounded by the outer circumferential surface of the brush, and contracted when the brush touches the touch panel are further included. 
     A slide member disposed within the body movably in a straight line and configured to have the brush fixed thereto, a protection ring disposed at the end of the slide member movably in a straight line, disposed in the outer surface of the brush, and leaded into the slide member when the brush is brought in contact with the touch panel, and an elastic member providing the protection ring with elastic force are further included. 
     The touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that a drag task can be performed softly and a drawing action is convenient because it includes the brush made of a conductive material. 
     Furthermore, the touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that damage due to a scratch, etc. can be minimized and a cleaning task can be performed on a surface of the touch panel because the brush softly touches a surface of the touch panel. 
     Furthermore, the touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that it can have a wide range of use because a capacitance method and a resistive film method can be combined and used. 
     Furthermore, Furthermore, the touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that a user can check whether or not there is a touch input and user convenience can be improved because it the clicking feeling generation unit generates a feeling of clicking when the brush touches the touch panel. 
     Furthermore, the touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that the widening of the brush can be minimized and the generation of dust can be minimized according to an increase in the number of times of use because the brush is surrounded by the brush protection unit. 
     Furthermore, the touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that a variety of tasks can be performed by controlling the contact area of the brush and the touch panel through the adjustment of the draw length of the brush. 
     Furthermore, the touch input device of the present invention is advantageous in that a function of storing data and touch input function can be performed at the same time because USB memory is integrated with the body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a state in which a touch input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention has been separated. 
         FIG. 2  shows a state in which the touch input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention operates. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing another example in which touch input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is used. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the touch input device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of line A-A in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a touch input device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows a state in which the touch input device in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention operates. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a touch input device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments in accordance with the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this process, the sizes, shapes, etc. of elements shown in the figures may have been enlarged for the clarity of a description and for convenience&#39; sake. Furthermore, terms specially defined by taking the constructions and functions of the present invention into consideration may vary depending on an intention of a user or an operator or usages. Accordingly, the terms should be defined based on the contents over the entire specification. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a state in which a touch input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention has been separated, and  FIG. 2  shows a state in which the touch input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention operates. 
     The touch input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a body  10  held by the hand of a user, a brush  30  installed in the body  10  so that it can be externally drawn and configured to touch a capacitance method touch panel, a touch pen unit  80  detachably mounted on the body  10  and configured to have a pointed end so that the touch pen unit  80  can touch a resistive film method touch panel, and a brush draw unit installed in the body  10  and configured to draw the brush  30  outside the body  10  or lead the body  10  therein. 
     The body  10  is formed in a cylindrical form having a diameter that is easy to grasp by the hand, and a slide member  20  is disposed in the body  10  in such a way as to slide thereon. 
     Here, the body  10  can have a variety of forms which are easy to graph by the hand and into which the design is taken into consideration, such as a polygonal form and a form having a curve on its external surface, in addition to a cylindrical form. 
     The body  10  is made of a conductive material. That is, in the case of the capacitance method, the body  10  is made of a conductive material so that static electricity generated from the body can be transferred to a touch panel when a user grasps the body by the hand and touches the touch panel. The body  10  can be made of a metal material having conductivity and can be made of a conductive fiber material, and any material having conductivity can be used as the body  10 . 
     The slide member  20  is formed to have the same cross section as the body  10  and is smaller in size than the body  10 . The slide member  20  is drawn from and led into the body  10 . Furthermore, a latch unit is formed between the slide member  20  and the body, and the latch unit prevents the slide member  20  from being led into the body  10  when the slide member  20  is drawn from the body  10  to a maximum extent and prevents the slide member  20  from being pulled out from the body  10 . 
     The brush  30  is fixed to the end of the slide member  20  and made of several threads of conductive fiber. The conductive fiber refers to a mixture of fiber forming polymer and carbon black as a conductive component. For example, the fiber forming polymer can include polyester, nylon-6, nylon-6.6, polypropylene, etc. In particular, polyester having excellent texture, the easy handling of a processing process, and excellent chemical resistance properties, more preferably, polyethyleneterephthalate is preferred. In order to provide conductivity to the fiber forming polymer, carbon black, that is, a conductive part, is included in the fiber forming polymer. Carbon black can include, for example, acetylene black, oil furnace black, thermal black, channel black, Ketjenblack, and carbon nanotube. The carbon black can be commonly used by dispersing the carbon black in a matrix polymer. Here, the various types of fiber forming polymers are used as the matrix polymer. 
     The brush draw unit includes a press button  84  disposed at the end of the body  10  so that a pressing operation is possible and connected to the slide member  82 . Furthermore, actuation components for performing an operation of drawing the brush  30  outside the body  10  or leading the brush  30  therein in response to the operation of the press button  84  are included in the body. 
     The brush draw unit draws the brush  30  outside the body  10  when the press button  84  is pressed once and leads the brush  30  into the body  10  when the press button  84  is pressed again. Furthermore, a sticking pin  86  by which the touch input device can be sticked into a pocket, etc. is installed in the press button  84 . 
     The brush draw unit can have any structure in which the brush  30  can be lead into the body and drawn therefrom, in addition to the above-described press button  84  structure. 
     The touch pen unit  80  includes a cap unit  92  detachably coupled to the end of the body  10  and configured to protect the brush  30  and a tip unit  90  installed at the end of the cap unit  92  and configured to have a pointed shape so that the tip unit touches a resistive film method touch panel. Here, it is preferred that the tip unit  90  be made of resin material in order to minimize damage to a surface of a touch panel. 
     Next, a cap  94  for protecting the tip unit  90  is detachably mounted on the touch pen unit  80 . A connection string  96  for connecting the touch input device to a display device having a touch panel is fixed to the cap  94 . 
     If the touch input device constructed as described above in accordance with one embodiment is sought to be used in a capacitance method touch panel, when the touch pen unit  80  is separated from the body  10  and the press button  84  is pressed, the brush  30  is drawn outside the body  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Next, when the press button  84  is pressed again, the brush  30  is led into the body  10  and is not externally exposed as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Furthermore, if the touch input device in accordance with one embodiment is sought to be used in a resistive film method touch panel, when the cap  94  is separated from the touch pen unit  80  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the tip unit  90  of the touch pen unit  80  is externally exposed, and the tip unit  90  touches the resistive film method touch panel. 
     The touch input device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention can be used conveniently because it can be used both in a resistive film method and a capacitance method touch panel by using one touch input device. 
     Furthermore, there are advantages in that the brush can be protected because the brush is drawn outside the body only when he brush draw unit is included and used and the cap or the touch pen unit can be easily mounted on the body. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a touch input device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     The touch input device in accordance with the second embodiment includes a body  100  grasped by the hand of a user, a brush  110  included in the body  100  and brought in contact with a capacitance method touch panel, and a brush length adjustment unit  120  included in the body  100  and configured to adjust the length of the brush  110  that is drawn. 
     The touch input device in accordance with the second embodiment can further include the brush draw unit and the touch pen unit capable of touching a resistive film method touch panel, which have been described in the one embodiment. 
     If a contact area where the brush  110  comes into contact with a touch panel can be adjusted, the thickness of a line can be easily adjusted when performing a drawing task and proper handling for the size of a touch panel is possible. That is, in a portable communication device, etc. including a touch panel having a relatively small size, a precise touch task can be performed by reducing a contact area between the brush and the touch panel. If the size of the touch panel is relatively large, touch performance is increased by increasing a contact area between the brush and the touch panel. 
     If the contact area of the touch panel of the brush  110  can be adjusted as described above, touch panel having various sizes can be used by using one touch input device and various types of touch tasks can be properly handled. 
     Accordingly, in the second embodiment, the brush length adjustment unit  120  is included. If the length of the brush that is drawn is short, a contact area between the brush and the touch panel can be made small. If the length of the brush that is drawn is long, a contact area between the brush and the touch panel can be made wide because the brush can be widely spread. 
     The brush length adjustment unit  120 , for example, includes a moving member  122  configured to have the brush  110  fixed thereto and disposed within the body  100  so that it can be moved in a straight line, a rotating member  124  rotatably installed in the body  100 , and driving units  126  and  128  configured to move the moving member  122  in a straight line when the rotating member  124  is rotated. 
     One or more latch projections  130  are formed in the outer circumferential surface of the moving member  122  so that the moving member  122  is moved within the body  100  in a straight line, but is not rotated as shown in  FIG. 5 . The latch projections  130  are inserted into latch grooves  132  formed in the inner surface of the body  100  in the length direction, thus preventing the moving member  122  from rotating. 
     The driving unit  126  includes a screw bar  126  connected to the moving member  122  and configured to have a male screw unit formed in its outer circumferential surface and a female screw unit  128  formed in the inner surface of the rotating member  124  and screwed onto the male screw unit of the screw bar  126 . 
     The operation of the brush length adjustment unit  120  is described below. When the rotating member  124  is rotated in one direction, the screw bar  126  advances and draws the brush  110 , fixed to the moving member  122 , outside the body  100  so that the length of the brush  110  that is drawn becomes long. When the rotating member  124  is rotated in the other direction, the screw bar  126  recedes and leads the brush  110  into the body  100  so that the length of the brush  110  that is drawn becomes short. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a touch input device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 7  shows a state in which the touch input device in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention operates. 
     The touch input device in accordance with the third embodiment includes a body  200  grasped by the hand of a user, a brush  210  disposed at the end of the body  200 , disposed in such a way as to be drawn externally, and configured to touch a capacitance method touch panel, and a clicking feeling generation unit  220  configured to generate a feeling of clicking so that a user can check whether the brush  210  has touched a touch panel  60  or not when the brush  210  touches the touch panel  60 . 
     The touch input device may include only the body  200  configured to have a touch tip included at its end and the clicking feeling generation unit  200  configured to generate a feeling of clicking so that a user can check whether the body has touched the touch panel  60  or not when the body touches the touch panel  60 . That is, the touch input device may be implemented without the brush  210 . In this case, when a resistive film method touch panel is touched, a feeling of touch can be generated so that whether the touch tip has touched the touch panel or not can be checked. 
     The touch input device in accordance with the third embodiment can further include the brush draw unit and the touch pen unit capable of touching a resistive film method touch panel which have been described in the one embodiment. 
     In the case of a key pad, when a key button is pressed, information is inputted. In this case, a user can check whether the information has been inputted or not because there is a feeling of clicking that presses the key pad. In the case of a touch panel, however, since information is inputted to the touch panel when the touch panel is touched, a user cannot check whether or not there is a touch input because he cannot have a feeling of clicking. 
     Accordingly, the clicking feeling generation unit is included in the touch input device, with the result that when a touch input is performed, a user can have a feeling of clicking and thus information can be inputted precisely. 
     The body  200  is separated into a first body  201  grasped by the hand of a user and a second body  202  configured to have the brush  210  mounted thereon, and the first body  201  and the second body  202  are coupled detachably. The coupling structure of the first body and the second body is a screw coupling method in the present embodiment, but not limited thereto. A variety of methods capable of coupling the two bodies can be used. The bodies are made of a conductive material. 
     The brush  210  is disposed so that it is exposed to the outside of the second body  202  and fixed to the inner surface of the second body  202  by way of a fixing member  212 . A through hole  214  is formed in the fixing member  212 . The fixing member  212  is fixed to the inner surface of the second body  202  and is made of a conductive material so that electricity can conduct between the brush  210  and the second body  202 . 
     The clicking feeling generation unit  220  includes a push rod  222  configured to have one side disposed in the center of the brush  210  and to penetrate the through hole  214 , a dome member  224  fixed to the first body  201  and configured to generate a feeling of clicking that clunks when being pressed by the push rod  222 , and a spring  226  disposed in the push rod  222  and configured to provide elastic force to the push rod  222 . 
     The push rod  222  includes a stopper  230  engaged with the fixing member  212  and configured to prevent the push rod  222  form being deviated wherefrom. One side of the push rod  222  is disposed in the center of the brush  210  and brought in contact with the touch panel  60 , and the other side of the push rod  222  is brought in contact with the dome member  224 , thus pressing the dome member  224 . 
     When the dome member  224  is fixed to a dome support member  232  fixed to the inner surface of the first body  201  and is pressed, the dome member  224  generates a feeling of clicking that clunks. The dome member  224  is formed of a thin metal plate having a dome shape. 
     The spring  226  has one end supported by the stopper  230  and the other end supported by the dome support member  232  and provides elastic force to the push rod  222 . 
     The operation of the touch input device constructed as described above in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention is described below. 
     When a user brings the brush  210  in contact with the touch panel  60  while grasping the body  200  in order to input information, the push rod  222  disposed in the center of the brush  210  overcomes the elastic force of the spring  226  by means of force that presses the touch panel  60 , so that the push rod  222  is pressed. In response thereto, the push rod  222  presses the dome member  224 . When the dome member  224  is pressed, it generates a feeling of clicking that clunks. Accordingly, a user can have a feeling of clicking for a touch input conveniently. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a touch input device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     The touch input device in accordance with the fourth embodiment includes a body  300 , a brush  310  fixed to the end of the body  300  and configured to touch a capacitance method touch panel, and USB memory  320  fixed to the body  300 . 
     The body  300  can detachably include a cap  330  for protecting the brush  310 . 
     The body  300  and the brush  310  can include at least one of the elements described in connection with all the embodiments. 
     The USB memory  320  includes a housing  322  connected to the body and a connector  324  installed in the housing  322  in such a way as to be drawn therefrom and configured to draw the housing  322  externally when the connector  324  is rotated in one direction. 
     The USB memory  320  can include a variety of structures, such as a structure in which the cap is mounted in such a way as to be separated from the connector and a structure in which the connector is disposed in the housing in such a way as to slide thereon, in addition to the above structure. 
     As described above, the touch input device in accordance with the fourth embodiment can be used conveniently and can have a variety of applications because it further includes the USB memory in the structure having the brush capable of touching a capacitance method touch panel. 
     The embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been described above, but they are only illustrative. A person having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a variety of modifications and embodiments having an equivalent range are possible from the aforementioned embodiments. Accordingly, the intrinsic technical scope of the present invention should be defined by the following claims. 
     REFERENCE NUMERALS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS 
     
         
           10 ,  100 ,  300 : body  20 ,  82 : slide member 
           22 : space unit  30 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 : brush 
           32 ,  212 : fixing member  40 : cap member 
           42 ,  96 : connection string  50 : elastic ring 
           60 : touch panel  70 : protection ring 
           72 : elastic member  74 : latch unit 
           80 : touch pen unit  84 : press button 
           86 : sticking pin  90 : tip unit 
           92 : cap unit  94 ,  330 : cap 
           120 : brush length adjustment unit  122 : moving member 
           124 : rotating member  126 : screw bar 
           128 : female screw unit  130 : latch projections 
           132 : latch grooves  200 : body 
           201 : first body  202 : second body 
           214 : through hole  220 : clicking feeling generation unit 
           222 : push rod  224 : dome member 
           226 : spring  230 : stopper 
           232 : dome support member  320 : USB memory 
           322 : housing  324 : connector

Technology Classification (CPC): 6