Atex KDO158-01
Posted: 09 Nov 2016, 19:39
When I picked up Atex keyboard, I wasn't really hoping for much.
Turns out I was in for a surprise
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The inside of the keyboard was made by a company called Digitran (seems they still exist too, http://www.digitran-switches.com/).
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Looking at the switch, assembly, my guess would be linear. But according to the force curve, it's a bit more interesting than that.
Then looking at the bottom of the pcb...
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It took me a little while to realize that this is a capacitive switch, where one of the electrodes physically moves. This is in contrast to nearly every single capacitive sensing keyboard switch (except for this one photos-videos-f64/teletype-40k-104-dab-t6594.html).
Conveniently, there are even patents listed on the pcb.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US3750113A (NKRO scanning)
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4408252A (Switch)
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4412754A (Low-profile spacebar assembly)
For 1983-1984, Digitran did really achieve a low-profile keyboard, compared to a lot of other keyboards of the time.
The keycaps are mostly (crap and thin) doubleshot ABS. Though there are a few engraved/infilled keycaps as well.
But enough talk, more pictures.
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And yes, that's a Radio Shack key.
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Flickr Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskGLThEK
Turns out I was in for a surprise
DSC07528The inside of the keyboard was made by a company called Digitran (seems they still exist too, http://www.digitran-switches.com/).
DSC07371Looking at the switch, assembly, my guess would be linear. But according to the force curve, it's a bit more interesting than that.
Then looking at the bottom of the pcb...
DSC07339It took me a little while to realize that this is a capacitive switch, where one of the electrodes physically moves. This is in contrast to nearly every single capacitive sensing keyboard switch (except for this one photos-videos-f64/teletype-40k-104-dab-t6594.html).
Conveniently, there are even patents listed on the pcb.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US3750113A (NKRO scanning)
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4408252A (Switch)
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4412754A (Low-profile spacebar assembly)
For 1983-1984, Digitran did really achieve a low-profile keyboard, compared to a lot of other keyboards of the time.
The keycaps are mostly (crap and thin) doubleshot ABS. Though there are a few engraved/infilled keycaps as well.
But enough talk, more pictures.
DSC07527DSC07526DSC07518DSC07517DSC07511DSC07514DSC07509DSC07498DSC07467DSC07475DSC07483DSC07478DSC07462DSC07457DSC07428And yes, that's a Radio Shack key.
DSC07417DSC07401DSC07376DSC07427DSC07374DSC07355DSC07353DSC07351DSC07346DSC07342DSC07341DSC07336DSC07338DSC07335DSC07329DSC07327DSC07311Flickr Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskGLThEK
Stunningly elegant keyboard!