US-12619323-B2 - Electronic pen

Abstract

An electronic pen is realized which includes a side switch that has a simple configuration and enables instruction inputs of a plurality of states to be performed easily and properly. The electronic pen has a side switch unit provided at a side surface of a pen body to be gripped by a user. The side switch unit includes a sensor unit in which capacitive sensors and pressure sensing sensors are provided as two kinds of touch sensors of different detection systems such that sensor regions (detection regions) are superimposed on each other. Thus, at least a case of performing an operation in such a manner as to act on one touch sensor and a case of performing an operation in such a manner as to act on both touch sensors simultaneously can be indicated through the side switch unit.

Inventors

• Akiyuki Kake
• Ipei Hung
• Kizuku ISHIMARU

Assignees

• WACOM CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20241230

Priority Date

20201127

Claims (17)

1. 1 . An electronic pen, comprising: a casing configured to be held by a user; and a side switch unit provided at a side surface of the casing, wherein the side switch unit includes an operating member configured to receive an operation input by the user, wherein the side switch unit includes a sensor unit in which two kinds of touch sensors of different detection systems are disposed such that respective sensor regions of the two kinds of the touch sensors are superimposed on each other, wherein the two kinds of touch sensors are a capacitive touch sensor and a pressure sensing touch sensor, wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a plurality of capacitive touch sensors arranged in an axial direction of the casing, wherein the pressure sensing touch sensor consists of a single pressure sensing touch sensor configured to detect depression of the operating member by the user, wherein the plurality of capacitive touch sensors are interposed between the operating member of the side switch unit and the single pressure sensing touch sensor, and wherein the side switch unit includes: a holding member disposed within the casing and having an upper surface; and an elastic member disposed on the upper surface of the holding member and having an upper surface, wherein the operating member is disposed on the upper surface of the elastic member, wherein the sensor unit is disposed between the elastic member and the operating member.
2. 2 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein the capacitive touch sensor is on an upper side of the side switch unit, and the pressure sensing touch sensor is on a lower side of the side switch unit.
3. 3 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein: the holding member has a projecting portion that extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the casing, and the elastic member has a hole portion into which the projecting portion is fitted.
4. 4 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein: the holding member has a projecting portion that extends in the axial direction of the casing, and the elastic member has a hole portion into which the projecting portion is fitted.
5. 5 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein: the holding member has a first projecting portion that extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction and a second projecting portion that extends in the axial direction, and the elastic member has a first hole portion into which the first projecting portion is fitted and a second hole portion into which the second projecting portion is fitted.
6. 6 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein: the casing has a polygonal cross section intersecting the axial direction of the casing, and the side switch unit is provided at one or more different side surfaces of the polygonal section of the casing.
7. 7 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , comprising: an oscillating circuit; and a core body formed of a conductive material, wherein the core body, in operation, transmits a signal from the oscillating circuit, wherein the oscillating circuit, in operation, multiplexes an instruction input received through the sensor unit in a position indication signal and supplies the multiplexed instruction input to the core body.
8. 8 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , comprising: a short-range wireless communication circuit, wherein the short-range wireless communication circuit, in operation, includes an instruction input received through the sensor unit in a signal to be output, and transmits the instruction input.
9. 9 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein: each of the plurality of capacitive touch sensors and the single pressure sensing touch sensor produces a detection output corresponding to either “on” or “off”, and the sensor unit is configured such that, in response to a slide operation on the operation member in the axial direction of the casing, the plurality of capacitive touch sensors sequentially produce detection outputs corresponding to “on” and the single pressure sensing touch sensor produces a detection output corresponding to “off”.
10. 10 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 , wherein the single pressure sensing touch sensor comprises a resistance film type sensor or a capacitive type sensor.
11. 11 . An electronic pen, comprising: a casing configured to be held by a user; and a side switch unit provided at a side surface of the casing, wherein the side switch unit includes an operating member configured to receive an operation input by the user, wherein the side switch unit includes a sensor unit in which two kinds of touch sensors of different detection systems are disposed such that respective sensor regions of the two kinds of the touch sensors are superimposed on each other, wherein the two kinds of touch sensors are a capacitive touch sensor and a pressure sensing touch sensor, wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a plurality of capacitive touch sensors arranged in an axial direction of the casing, wherein the pressure sensing touch sensor consists of a single pressure sensing touch sensor configured to detect depression of the operating member by the user, wherein the plurality of capacitive touch sensors are interposed between the operating member of the side switch unit and the single pressure sensing touch sensor, and wherein the holding member has a first projecting portion that extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction and a second projecting portion that extends in the axial direction, and an elastic member has a first hole portion into which the first projecting portion is fitted and a second hole portion into which the second projecting portion is fitted.
12. 12 . The electronic pen according to claim 11 , wherein the capacitive touch sensor is on an upper side of the side switch unit, and the pressure sensing touch sensor is on a lower side of the side switch unit.
13. 13 . The electronic pen according to claim 11 , wherein: the casing has a polygonal cross section intersecting the axial direction of the casing, and the side switch unit is provided at one or more different side surfaces of the polygonal section of the casing.
14. 14 . The electronic pen according to claim 11 , comprising: an oscillating circuit; and a core body formed of a conductive material, wherein the core body, in operation, transmits a signal from the oscillating circuit, wherein the oscillating circuit, in operation, multiplexes an instruction input received through the sensor unit in a position indication signal and supplies the multiplexed instruction input to the core body.
15. 15 . The electronic pen according to claim 11 , comprising: a short-range wireless communication circuit, wherein the short-range wireless communication circuit, in operation, includes an instruction input received through the sensor unit in a signal to be output, and transmits the instruction input.
16. 16 . The electronic pen according to claim 11 , wherein: each of the plurality of capacitive touch sensors and the single pressure sensing touch sensor produces a detection output corresponding to either “on” or “off”, and the sensor unit is configured such that, in response to a slide operation on the operation member in the axial direction of the casing, the plurality of capacitive touch sensors sequentially produce detection outputs corresponding to “on” and the single pressure sensing touch sensor produces a detection output corresponding to “off”.
17. 17 . The electronic pen according to claim 11 , wherein the single pressure sensing touch sensor comprises a resistance film type sensor or a capacitive type sensor.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an electronic pen that enables information to be input by indicating coordinates to a position detecting device incorporated in an electronic apparatus such as a tablet personal computer (PC), for example. Description of the Related Art Some electronic apparatuses such as tablet PCs and advanced mobile telephone terminals referred to as smart phones or the like enable indication input by an electronic pen for finer drawing input through an incorporated position detecting device. Enabling the use of what is generally called a side switch also in such an electronic pen has been considered. The side switch in the electronic pen refers to a switch that is provided to a side surface of the electronic pen in such a manner as to be operable by a finger while the electronic pen is gripped. Some side switches in electronic pens are, for example, formed by using a small switch that is mechanically switched on/off. However, Patent Document 1 discloses a design related to an electronic pen in which a side switch is formed by using a touch sensor in order to realize an easy-to-use electronic pen (position indicator) such that an operation pressure on the side switch is light. The electronic pen of the design disclosed in Patent Document 1 is formed by connecting touch sensor electrodes forming a pair (set) as variable resistance elements to a tuning circuit including a coil and a capacitor, and providing the touch sensor electrodes forming a pair to a side surface of a casing of the electronic pen. A user can change a characteristic such as a reactance, an impedance, or what is generally called a Q-value of the tuning circuit by establishing a connection between the touch sensor electrodes forming a pair by a fingertip. That is, an on/off state of the side switch can be indicated by the characteristic of the tuning circuit which characteristic changes between a case where a connection is established between the touch sensor electrodes forming a pair by a finger and a case where no connection is established therebetween. Incidentally, the electronic pen of the design disclosed in Patent Document 1 is of an electromagnetic coupling type that performs position indication or the like by transmitting and receiving a magnetic field between a position detecting device and the electronic pen. Prior Art Document Patent Document Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. Hei06-65929 BRIEF SUMMARY Technical Problems In the case of the design disclosed in Patent Document 1, instructions that can be given through the side switch are on/off switching operations. In order to enable instruction inputs of a plurality of states, a plurality of pairs of (sets of) touch sensor electrodes need to be provided, as illustrated in FIG. 1B of Patent Document 1. In this case, because the area of the side surface of the electronic pen is limited, operability may be impaired by, for example, making it difficult to hold the electronic pen in the case where the plurality of pairs of touch sensor electrodes are provided. In addition, an erroneous operation may tend to occur in the case where the plurality of pairs of (sets of) touch sensor electrodes are provided. In view of the above, it is an object of the present disclosure to realize an electronic pen including a side switch that has a simple configuration and enables instruction inputs of a plurality of states to be performed easily and properly. Technical Solution In order to solve the above-described problems, there is provided an electronic pen including a tubular casing configured to be held by a user, and a side switch unit provided at a side surface of the tubular casing and configured to receive an operation input by the user, the side switch unit including a sensor unit in which two kinds of touch sensors of different detection systems are disposed such that respective sensor regions of the two kinds of the touch sensors are superimposed on each other. According to this electronic pen, the side switch unit is provided to the side surface of the tubular casing to be held by the user. This side switch unit includes the sensor unit in which the two kinds of touch sensors of different detection systems are disposed such that the respective sensor regions (detection regions) of the two kinds of touch sensors are superimposed on each other. Thus, at least a case of performing an operation in such a manner as to act on one touch sensor and a case of performing an operation in such a manner as to act on both touch sensors simultaneously can be indicated through the side switch unit. Incidentally, the words “touch sensor” in the present specification refers to a sensor that detects proximity or contact of a finger of a human body as a dielectric, a sensor that detects application of a pressure by being pressed by a finger of a human body or the like, and the like. In other words, the touch sensor includes various sensors tha