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Jun 04, 2023

Five million cycles from clickier tactile push button

C&K is claiming five million cycle life from miniature tactile switches with

C&K is claiming five million cycle life from miniature tactile switches with 2.8N and 4N actuation force – these follow a 10 million cycle 1.6N version.

The part family is named KSC TE, with ‘TE’ standing for, well… "the Tireless Endurance name says it all", said C&K product manger Regis Clement. "It is the combination of a soft actuator and a revised internal structure that enables the KSC TE to provide such high life cycles and reliability. We are the first to offer this solution in the market with a 6mm x 6mm form factor."

Parts are J-leaded for surface-mounting, and the actuator projection is soft elastomer plastic rather than rigid plastic.

When mounted properly, the height above the PCB at which the contacts close is specified and, according to the company, the soft actuator allows for easier tolerance management with possible pre-load.

Life is stated loaded with 1.3mA 24V.

Parts are rated for 24V, 3mA and -40 to +90°C with contacts under 100mΩ and insulation over 1GΩ. Dielectric strength is >250Vrms.

The push buttons are IP67 sealed to keep out dust and water.

Much as they are described as 6 x 6, size is actually 6.3 x 6.2 x 3.5mm

Applications are foreseen in industrial, lift, gaming, and computer peripherals markets.

The KSC TE product page is here

The whole KSC tact switch range is summed up here