What are these membrane switch pads called?

Electronics
#1

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The pad on the left, I’m trying to find it in Eagle but I can’t for the life of me figure out the technical name of it…

Thanks for your help!

mark

#2

There’s no one ‘official’ name for it.

https://www.pannam.com/blog/carbon-tactile-key/

http://www.abatek.com/designguide/04Electrical.html

These designs are totally dependent on the conductive contact geometry, so you may have to make your own.

1 Like
#3

I have seen those design guides. Was hoping there would be an Eagle cad library. Thanks for the tip though…now I have more to go on

#4

I think that would be pretty easy to make into a footprint; the trick is to do a keep-out zone on the solder mask layer so that the copper isn’t covered (like a pad). ENIG finish would be best for these boards to prevent corrosion on those finger-like structures.

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#5

Is it possible to connect micro switches to these type of pcb contacts?

I would like to replace the silicon rubber keypad on a tv remote with individual push button switches.

I can’t figure out how to connect the switches, i tried solder but it would not stick.
Thanks

#6

Yes/no.

You have to get down to clean copper to solder the micro switches in place.Use a good pencil eraser on the copper contacts to clean them and the solder shoudl stick.

It’s easier to buy a rubber keypad contact repair kit at Tanner Electronics and fix the remote that way.

If it has the grey/black material on the PCB instead of copper then you have to get through that crap and down to clean copper to solder.

2 Likes
#7

Hi thanks for the eraser hint, I’ll try that.
I should have elaborated on why I want to replace the rubber keypad, I absolutely hate the tactile feel of those rubber keypads. I know that’s a little crazy :laughing:
I like nice crisp push and click feel of switches.