A signal input sheet having a flexible upper laminate and a lower laminate. The upper laminate includes either a conductive layer or a resistive layer on its lower surface as a first layer and at least one hand-written input area and at least one binary data input area on its upper surface. The lower laminate includes either a conductive layer or a resistance layer on its upper surface as a second layer, however, at least one of the first and second layer is formed as a resistive layer. Elastic insulative spacers are interposed between the first layer of the upper laminate and the second layer of the lower laminate. The spacers are arranged at desired intervals to allow the first layer to come in contact with the second layer when pressure is applied to the upper laminate from the outside. The spacing between adjacent insulative spacers is larger in the binary input area than the hand-written input area. Also, the insulative spacers are wider in the binary data input area as opposed to the hand-written input area. Means are provided for applying a voltage between the upper and lower laminates. In addition, means are provided for detecting at what position the force is applied from the outside.
A coordinate input device including a flexible upper substrate mounted on a rigid lower substrate and having a centrally-located input operating portion. The upper substrate includes a first resistance layer laminated thereon and X-axis electrodes formed on the first resistance layer on opposite sides of the input operating portion. The lower substrate includes a second resistance layer laminated thereon and Y-axis electrodes formed on the second resistance layer on opposite sides of the input operating portion. A spacer group is mounted between the upper and lower substrates to maintain a predetermined clearance, with spacers of the spacer group being having a height of 4 .mu.m or less, and being arranged at a pitch in the range of 0.3 to 1.0 mm. A position detecting circuit is provided for locating a depressed portion of the upper substrate by measuring a change in voltage caused by contact between the first and second resistance layers. A method is also provided for making the coordinate input device.
An input panel of a resistance layer type includes a first board having a first transparent conductive layer on its surface and a second board having a second transparent conductive layer on its surface. The first board and the second board are arranged such that the first transparent conductive layer faces the second transparent conductive layer. The input panel further includes first spacers arranged between the first board and the second board, the first spacers being non-conductive and having a height no greater than 14 .mu.m, and second spacers arranged between the first board and the second board among the first spacers, the second spacers being non-conductive and having a height no smaller than 15 .mu.m.
A writing instrument for use with trackpad type of navigational devices for computers is described. The writing instrument includes a standard grip as typically found in a pen so that a human can move the instrument about the surface as desired. The instrument also includes a contact end simulating a fingertip, and the grip is electrically coupled to the contact end.
In a panel member of a coordinates input device, a first input unit and a second input unit are set on a pair of transparent electrodes and the first input unit only allows input by a member of a relatively large pressing pressure such as by using a pen. The second input unit also allows input by pressing with a member of a relatively small pressing pressure, such as a finger, and thus is not limited to a pen. In order to achieve a coordinates input device of enhanced accuracy in the reading of pressing position by accurately measuring the pressing level at the pressing position, the device possesses a structure in which an X-direction resistive film and a Y-direction resistive film are separated by a tiny clearance and, when the pressing position is pressed, various switches are controlled by a specified procedure such that the X-direction and Y-direction levels of the contact resistance due to the pressing of the position are detected and, only when the pressing levels are sufficient, are coordinates of the pressing position measured.
A proposed computer input device for transmitting the displacement data representing the quantity and direction of the movement of a cursor to a computer is operable in a narrow space and easily portable. The input device is provided with a pressure sensitive pad composed of a conductive layer formed on the underside of a flexible sheet and a resistor layer formed on the upper face of a substrate at a predetermined interval from the conductive layer. When the flexible sheet is depressed, the conductive layer contacts the resistor layer at the depressed position. In a control circuit connected to the conductive layer and the resistor layer, when the contact of the conductive layer with the resistor layer is detected, a voltage of 5V is applied alternately in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction on the surface of the resistor layer. The depressed position on the pressure sensitive pad is sequentially computed from the voltage value produced on the conductive layer when the voltage is applied. Based on the computation result, the movement count number is calculated and transmitted to the computer.
