BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an electronic pen which is a pen-type position indicator for use with a position detecting device.

Description of the Related Art

An electronic pen is grasped by a user, and is used to indicate a position on a sensor of a position detecting device. The position indicated on the sensor by the electronic pen is detected by the position detecting device through transfer of a position detection signal between the electronic pen and the sensor by various coupling systems such as an electromagnetic induction coupling system and a capacitive coupling system. Note that an example of an input device including an electronic pen and a coordinate detection sensor of the electromagnetic induction system is disclosed in Patent Document 1 set forth later, and an example of an input device including an electronic pen and a coordinate detection sensor of the capacitive system is disclosed in Patent Document 2 set forth later.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT

Patent Documents

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1995-044304Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1995-295722

BRIEF SUMMARY

Technical Problems

An electronic pen used in a position detecting device of the electromagnetic induction coupling system or a capacitive coupling system is configured with a circuit board and a battery and the like mounted therein. For this reason, conventional electronic pens have been thicker (diametrically larger) than general writing utensils such as, for example, ball-point pens and fountain pens. However, attendant on the reductions in size and thickness of electronic apparatuses such as so-called tablet personal computers (PCs) with a position detecting device mounted therein and high-function mobile phone terminals called smartphones and the like, electronic pens have also come to be demanded to be smaller in thickness (diametric size).

In correspondence with this, formation of capacitors and the like on a circuit board incorporated in an electronic pen in the form of chips, reduction in the size of a pen pressure (writing pressure) detector and the like have been promoted, and reduction in the thickness (diametric size) of an electronic pen has also been advanced. However, attendant on the reduction in the thickness (diametric size) of the electronic pen, the thickness of an outside casing of the electronic pen has also been reduced, and there is a worry that the electronic pen might become weaker in strength, namely, might become liable to bend or break. In view of this, a technology for enhancing the strength of electronic pens on the trend toward smaller thickness (smaller diametric size) has come to be requested.

In consideration of the foregoing, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an electronic pen enhanced in strength such as not to be bent or broken even when made thinner (smaller in diametric size).

Technical Solution

In order to solve the above problems, an electronic pen of the disclosure as described in claim1includes a core body, a circuit board, a connection member that holds the core body at one end thereof and holds the circuit board at an other end thereof, a rigid tubular member accommodating the circuit board, and a casing that accommodates the core body, the circuit board, the connection member, and the rigid tubular member such that a tip portion of the core body protrudes through an opening in the casing to outside of the casing. The rigid tubular member has a side opening that enables an operation to be performed on the accommodated circuit board, and is fitted to the connection member at one end in an axial direction thereof.

According to the electronic pen of the disclosure as described in claim1, the connection member holds the core body at one end thereof and holds the circuit board at the other end thereof. The circuit board is accommodated in the rigid tubular member provided with the side opening, and the rigid tubular member is fitted to the connection member. By this, an electronic pen main body section (electronic pen functional section) wherein the core body, the circuit board, and the rigid tubular member are united together through the connection member is configured, and it is accommodated in the casing, whereby the electronic pen is configured.

By this, an electronic pen with high strength in which the circuit board is protected by the rigid tubular member can be formed. In addition, after the circuit board is accommodated in the rigid tubular member, an operation on an electronic part provided on the circuit board and a work on an electronic circuit formed on the circuit board can be performed through the side opening provided in the rigid tubular member.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize an electronic pen enhanced in strength such as not to be bent or broken even when made thinner (smaller in diametric size). Moreover, members can be firmly connected together, and an operation on an electronic part mounted on the circuit board and a work on the circuit board are prevented from becoming impossible to carry out.

