Description WIRELESS ELECTRONIC PEN Technical Field [1] The present invention relates to a wireless electronic pen that can be used as an input apparatus for inputting a data such as a character, symbol, etc. into a cellular phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), and in particular to a wireless electronic pen that is capable of enhancing an efficiency of an electronic pen in such a manner that the length of the same can be decreased in half when storing and can be extended two times when in use for thereby achieving an easier storing with a minimum space and a convenience in use, and an operation method is achieved based on one touch method.

Background Art [2] Generally, as multimedia industry is advanced, a computer, cellular phone, PDA, etc. become smaller and more intensive in their function.

[3] The compactness and intensive functions are directed to maximizing the efficiency of the use of devices in such a manner that various functions are organically connected for thereby achieving an easier carry and input of data.

[4] In the above compactness and intensive functions, the biggest problem lies in the input apparatus.

[5] Namely, the input apparatus such as keyboard, scanner, wireless electronic pen, etc. has a large volume, so that it is very difficult to store or carry the same.

[6] For example, in the case of a host device such as a cellular phone, a PDA (hereinafter referred to as PDA), etc. , a touch screen method is generally adapted without using an external input apparatus.

[7] Therefore, a certain assistant device is needed for operating the touch screen. Here, the wireless electronic pen is used for the assistant device. A tip is provided at an end of the same in a writing device shape. It is separately carried or is stored in a storing space in the body of a PDA.

[8] However, since the conventional wireless electronic pen must have an enough length so that a user can hold with a hand, the length of the pen is increased. Therefore, a bigger storing space is needed in the body of the PDA, so that it is inefficient for storing or carrying the same.

[9] The size of the wireless electronic pen largely corresponds to the size of the storing space and affects the design range of the body of the PDA. Decreasing the size of the wireless electronic pen, in particular the length of the same is very important in the compactness and intensive functions of the wireless electronic pen as well as the PDA.

Therefore, the improvements thereof are urgently needed.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Solution [10] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems encountered in the conventional art.

[11] It is another object of the present invention to provide a wireless electronic pen in which the length of the same can be changed if necessary, and the storing space of the wireless electronic pen is minimized, and the length of the same is automatically extended when in use based on one touch method, and it is possible to enhance the efficiency in relation with the use of the wireless electronic pen for thereby achieving a compactness and intensive functions of the host units.

[12] To achieve the above objects, there is provided a wireless electronic pen, comprising a cylindrical housing having a certain length; a pen point engaged to a front end of the housing; an engaging member guide core that is engaged to an inner side of the housing in a concentric shape and has four protrusion straps for an engaging mounting and slide guide of the engaging member in a longitudinal direction by a certain length and is arranged in a surrounding direction at a regular interval; an engaging member rotation guide tube that is arranged in front of the engaging guide core in the inner side of the housing and guides the rotation of the engaging member by a certain angle using the tooth shaped guide surface of the rear end; and a slide pin that has the engaging member with a changeable rotation angle using two protrusions at the front side of the same and is assembled in the inner side of the engaging member guide core and is elastically supported by the spring and is stored and extruded into the inner side or from the same of the housing based on an engaging and release operation of the engaging member whereby the length of the pen is decreased or increased if necessary based on the storing or extruding operation of the slide pin.

[13] The tooth shaped stopper is provided in the front end of the engaging member guide core for preventing the rotation of the engaging member rotation guide tube and achieving a circumferential direction interference in the tooth shaped guide surface of the rear end.

[14] The protrusion strap of the engaging member guide core includes a concave mounting step having one slanted surface for an engaging operation of the engaging member in the front end of the same, and a slanted guide surface for a rotation guide of the engaging member.

[15] The protrusions of the engaging member are provided by four at interval of 90° along a surrounding portion or by two at interval of 180'.

[16] The protrusions of the engaging member are rectangular protrusions arranged in one row with a certain orientation.

[17] The slide pin has the same diameter as the outer extended portion of the housing and includes a cap capable of maintaining a certain interval with respect to a rear end of the housing.

Description of Drawings [18] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[19] Figure 1 is a disassembled perspective view of the construction of a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; [20] Figure 2 is a partial cross section engagement perspective view of the constriction of a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; [21] Figure 3 is a front view of a core for guiding an engaging member in a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; [22] Figure 4 is a front view of a tube for a rotation guide of an engaging member in a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; [23] Figure 5 is a front view of an engaging member in a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; [24] Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of a storing state of a slide pin of a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; [25] Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of an extrusion state of a slide pin in a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention; and [26] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a storing state of a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention.

Best Mode [27] The preferred embodiments of the wireless electronic pen according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[28] Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the construction of a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention.

[29] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wireless electronic pen according to the present invention includes a housing 10 that forms an outer construction, a slide pin 19 that changes the entire length of the pen based on a storing and extrusion operation, a rotation guide tube 16 that guides a change of a rotation angle for a selective storing and extrusion of the slide pin 19, and an engaging member guide core 14 that inter- mittently limits the slide pin 19 for maintaining the stored state and extrusion guide of the slide pin 19.

[30] The housing 10 is held by the hand when using the pen and is formed in a cylindrical shape with a certain length.

[31] A round shaped groove 26 is formed in the front and rear ends of the inner surface of the housing 1 along the entire surrounding portions. The round protrusions 27 of the engaging member guide core 14 and the pen point 11 are engaged thereto, for thereby determining an accurate assembling position.

[32] The structure is assembled in such a manner that rear part of the pen point 11 is inserted into the front end of the housing 10.

[33] The slide pin 19 is stored and extruded from the inner side of the housing 10 for thereby extending the length of the pen when in use, and when it is not in use, the length of the pen is decreased. It is slidable in the inner side of the housing 10 in a lon- gitudinal direction.

[34] An engaging member 12 is engaged at the front end of the slide pin 19 for performing an engaging and disengaging operation for determining the storing state and extruding state of the slide pin 19.

[35] At this time, the engaging member 12 has a cylindrical shaped body and is inserted at a front end of the slide pin 19 for thereby being assembled in a free rotation state.

The escape of the same is prevented by a snap ring 25 engaged in the front side of the same.

[36] In particular, a protrusion 17 having a certain shape, for example, a triangle shape, is protruded from an outer portion of the engaging member 12 for thereby performing an engaging operation, a rotation angle changing operation, etc. The protrusion 17 is caught by a protrusion strap 13 of the engaging member guide core 14. It is rotation- guided by a tooth shaped guide surface 15 of the rotation guide tube 16 for thereby maintaining a stored state of the slide pin 19 or changing to a disengage state for the extrusion operation.

[37] The protrusions 17 of the engaging member 12 may be provided by four at 90° interval along the circumferential direction or may be provided by two at 180'interval.

In the case that the shape is triangle, they are arranged in a straight line shape in a state that the apex is toward the circumferential direction.

[38] In the protrusion 17 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 5, there are provided four protrusions 17. In this case, the width of the same is about 40°, and the distance of the protrusions is about 50°.

[39] A spring 18 is provided as a member for providing an extrusion force when extruding the slide pin 19. At this time, the spring 18 is supported between the rear end of the pen point 11 and the front end of the slide pin 19 in the inner side of the housing 10. When the slide pin 19 is stored, it is compressed, and when the slide pin 19 is extended, it is expanded for thereby outwardly pushing the slide pin 19.

[40] The support point of the pen point of the spring 18 is received in the groove by a certain depth in the rear end of the pen point 11 for thereby maintaining an accurate assembling state of the spring 18.

[41] In the stored state, a cap 24 is tooth shaped at the rear end of the slide pin 19 partially extended in the direction of the housing 10. The cap 24 operates to provide an easy handling of the slide pin.

[42] The cap 24 has the same diameter as the housing 10. When pushing the pin, it is possible to achieve a desired grounding area. In a state that the slide pin 19 is stored, the front end of the same has a certain distance from the rear end of the housing 10. At this time, when it is pushed by the interval, the operation of the slide pin 19, namely the extrusion operation of the same is obtained.

[43] The rotation guide tube 16 is provided to change the rotation angle of the engaging member 12 of the slide pin 19 and is assembled between the pen point 11 and the engaging member guide core 14 in the inner side of the housing 10.

[44] The rotation guide tube 16 has a through hole along the centerline, so that the spring 18 and the engaging member 12 are partially freely moved.

[45] A tooth shaped guide surface 15 continuously formed along the circumferential portion is provided in the rear end of the rotation guide tube 16 for guiding the rotation angle of the engaging member 12 and is directly contacted with the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12, so that the engaging member 12 is rotated by a certain angle based on the angle of the guide surface.

[46] In the tooth shaped guide surface 15, one side extended to both groove sides is a vertical surface, and the other side of the same is a slanted surface. Wth the above orientation, the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 is guided along the slanted surface, and the engaging member 12 is rotated by a certain angle.

[47] As shown in Figure 4, in the present invention, there is provided a tooth shaped guide surface having eight teeth arranged at an angle of 45°.

[48] As described above, the rotation guide tube 16 may have a desired assembling position between the pen point 11 and the engaging guide core 14. The tooth shaped guide surface 15 is engaged with the tooth shaped stopper 20 of the engaging member guide core 14 for achieving a stable and accurate engagement. Even when an external force is applied based on the frequent storing and extrusion operation of the pen, it is possible to prevent any rotation of the same.

[49] The engaging member guide core 14 maintains a storing state of the slide pin 19 and guides the movement during the extrusion and has a cylindrical body and is assembled in a concentric shape in the inner side of the housing 10. It is fixed by the round shaped protrusion 27 of the rear end engaged to the round groove 26 provided in the rear end of the housing 10.

[50] The tooth shaped stopper 20 is provided in the front end of the engaging member guide core 14 for thereby limiting the rotation of the rotation guide tube 16 engaged thereto through the tooth shaped guide surface 15.

[51] At this time, the outer diameter of the engaging member guide core 14 and the outer diameter of the rotation guide tube 16 are same. In each diameter, the inner diameter of the portion of the tooth shaped guide surface 15 is smaller than the inner diameter of the portion of the tooth shaped stopper 20. Namely, the portion of the tooth shaped guide surface 15 is thicker. Therefore, in a state that they are engaged each other, the tooth shaped guide surface 15 is more protruded in the direction of the center by the thickness difference. The above protrusion contacts with the protrusion 17 of the engaging member for thereby performing a guiding operation.

[52] At least four protrusion straps 13 are provided for the storing state maintenance and extrusion state guide of the engaging member 12.

[53] The protrusion straps 13 are arranged at regular intervals in the inner surface of the engaging member guide core 14 in a longitudinal direction. The portions between the protrusion straps 13 become the passage for guiding the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 during the extrusion operation. The front end of the protrusion strap 13 is formed backwardly as compared with the front end of the engaging member guide core 14 and becomes a certain step by which the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 is caught during the storing operation.

[54] A concave mounting step 22 having a straight line section different from the slanted surface 21 is formed in the front end of the protrusion strap 13. When the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 is mounted therein for thereby achieving a storing state of the slide pin 19.

[55] The slant surface 21 allows the protrusion 17 to rotate one more when the protrusion 17 entered into the concave mounting step 22.

[56] In addition, a slanted guide surface 24 having a certain angle may be provided in one side of the entrance of the concave mounting step 22, so that one more rotation is achieved when the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 enters into the passage between the protrusion straps 13.

[57] As shown in Figure 3, in the present invention, the interval between the protrusion straps 13 is 50°, the width of the protrusion strap 13 is 40°, and the angle of the entrance side front end (end of slanted surface) of the concave mounting step 22 with respect to the teeth of the tooth shaped stopper 20 is 12. 5° in the shape of the protrusion strap.

[58] Namely, the mount step portion of the protrusion strap 13 is formed in a structure that it is slightly eccentric with respect to the vertical and horizontal lines passing through the center axis.

[59] With the above structure, the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 is guided by the guide surfaces or the slanted surfaces for thereby sequentially performing the storing and extrusion operation.

[60] The storing and extruding operations of the wireless electronic pen according to the present invention will be described.

[61] Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of a storing state of the slide pin in the wireless electronic pen according to the present invention.

[62] As shown in Figure 6, the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 engaged to the front end of the slide pin 19 is mounted in the concave mounting step 22 in the front end of the engaging member guide code 14. The above state corresponds to a storing state of the slide pin 19.

[63] Namely, since it is possible to decrease the length of the wireless electronic pen in half, the storing space is decreased in maximum.

[64] Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the extrusion state of the slide pin in the wireless electronic pen according to the present invention.

[65] As shown in Figure 7, the engaging member 12 of the slide pin 19 is backwardly extruded using the passage between the protrusion straps 13. The above state corresponds to the extrusion state of the slide pin 19.

[66] Namely, since it is possible to obtain an original length of the wireless electronic pen, the user cannot feel any inconvenience when using the pen.

[67] In a state that the slide pin is extruded, the escape from the housing is prevented in such a manner that the one side of the spring is connected with the slide pin, or the protrusion of the engaging member is blocked in the inner direction of the engaging guide core.

[68] When extruding the slide pin from the storing state, the rear cap 24 is pressed, and the slide pin 19 and the engaging member 12 of the front side of the same compress the spring 18 and are forwardly moved.

[69] At this time, the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 is guided by the rear end tooth shaped guide surface 15 of the rotation guide tube 16 and is moved, so that the engaging member 12 is rotated at a certain angle in a first stage, and when the pressed cap 24 is released, the engaging member 12 and the slide pin 19 are backwardly moved by the force of the spring 18.

[70] The protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 that has a slightly moved position during the first movement is guided in the direction of the passage between the protrusions traps 13 and is contact-guided by the slant guide surface 23 and is rotated in the same direction in a second stage and is backwardly moved along the passage.

[71] The engaging member is rotated two times in the same direction at the storing position of the initial mounting step and then is extruded. As the rotation angle is changed two times in that way, the protrusion of the engaging member enters into the tooth shaped guide surface, not the tooth shaped guide surface that was first come out.

[72] When storing the extruded slide pin, the rear end cap 24 is pressed, and the slide pin 19 and the engaging member 12 of the front end of the same compress the spring 18 and are forwardly moved.

[73] At this time, the protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 is guided by the rear end tooth shaped guide surface 15 of the rotation guide tube 16, and the engaging member 12 is first rotated at a certain angle, and when the pressed cap 24 is released, the engaging member 12 and the slide pin 19 are backwardly moved by the force of the spring 18.

[74] The protrusion 17 of the engaging member 12 that is first rotated and is moved is guided to the front end concave mounting step 22 of the protrusion strap 13 and is contact-guided by the slant surface 21 and is second rotated in the same direction and is caught by the concave mounting step 22.

[75] In the storing operation, the engaging member is rotated two times in the same direction and is stored.

[76] Snce the rotation angle is changed two times, the protrusion of the engaging member enters into the next tooth shaped guide surface, not the first escaped tooth shaped guide surface during the re-extrusion.

[77] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a storing state of a wireless electronic pen according to the present invention.

[78] As shown in Figure 8, the length of the wireless electronic pen is decreased by storing the slide pin the body of the PDA, so that it is possible to store into a smaller storing space in the body of the PDA.

Industrial Applicability [79] As described above, the present invention provides a wireless electronic pen capable of decreasing the length of the same when storing and has the mowing advantages.

[80] 1) The storing space related to the storing of the wireless electronic pen can be minimized.

[81] 2) The length of the wireless electronic pen can be automatically extended by one touch method for thereby conveniently using the pen.

[82] 3) In the present invention, it is possible to enhance the efficiency in relation with the use of the wireless electronic pen based on a variable length of the pen.

[83] 4) It is possible to effectively achieve the compactness and intensive functions of the host apparatuses.

[84] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing de- scription, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modi- fications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

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