Variable capacitor and position indicator

A position indicator, comprising:

• a variable capacitor including:
• a dielectric having a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;
• a first electrode disposed on said first surface of said dielectric;
• a second electrode disposed to face said second surface of said dielectric;
• and a pressing member configured to cause said second electrode and said dielectric to contact each other when a pressing force is applied thereto, wherein said second electrode includes at least one electrode piece having an abutting central portion, against which said pressing member transmits the pressing force applied thereto, and two extension portions that radially extend from said abutting central portion in opposite directions toward a circumference of said dielectric, each of the extension portions being shaped to have a width that extends orthogonal to the radially extending direction, and said width in a radially outward portion of the extension portion being greater than said width in a radially inward portion of the extension portion;
• and wherein the abutting central portion and the two extension portions are physically and electrically connected to form said at least one electrode piece such that a contact area between said dielectric and said second electrode is increasingly changed in accordance with the pressing force applied to said pressing member, to change a capacitance of the variable capacitor;
• and
• a resonance circuit having said variable capacitor as a circuit element.

A position indicator, comprising:

• a variable capacitor including:
• a dielectric having a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;
• a first electrode disposed on said first surface of said dielectric;
• a second electrode disposed to face said second surface of said dielectric;
• and a pressing member configured to cause said second electrode and said dielectric to contact each other when a pressing force is applied thereto, wherein said second electrode includes at least one electrode piece having an abutting central portion, against which said pressing member transmits the pressing force applied thereto, and two extension portions that radially extend from said abutting central portion in opposite directions toward a circumference of said dielectric, each of the extension portions being shaped to have a width that extends orthogonal to the radially extending direction, and said width in a radially outward portion of the extension portion being greater than said width in a radially inward portion of the extension portion;
• and wherein abutting central portion and the two extension portions are physically and electrically connected to form said at least on electrode piece such that a contact area between said dielectric and said second electrode is increasingly changed in accordance with the pressing force applied to said pressing member, to change a capacitance of the variable capacitor;
• and a resonance circuit having said variable capacitor as a circuit element;
• and
• a pen-shaped case,
• wherein said variable capacitor is disposed in the pen-shaped case such that a direction along which a pressing force is applied to the pressing member coincides with a longitudinal direction of said pen case;
• and
• a distal tip of the pressing member protrudes from said pen case to form a pen tip.