Xiang Min KSB-LE movable contact

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I need to sharpen my skills at deathly boredom and utter irrelevance, so here's something you won't want to know. Suggestion: don't read this topic.

I took this photograph last night, intended as an illustration of [wiki]alps.tw Type OA2[/wiki] ("Simplified Alps Type IV") contacts (left) versus [wiki]alps.tw Type T1[/wiki] contacts (right):

alps.tw Type OA2 (left) vs Xiang Min KSB-LE (right).jpg (71.49 KiB) Viewed 1327 times

The contacts on the right are from a Xiang Min KSB-LE production sample switch.

However, this is a crop from one of 002's photos, of the T1 switches in his Focus FK-2001:

alps.tw Type T1.jpg (79.82 KiB) Viewed 1327 times

I just noticed that there is a subtle but distinct difference. I've studied other photos of T1 switches, such as Sandy's ELSA Communications MAK-98, the SIIG MiniTouch, and a photo obtained directly from Hua-Jie showing the the AK-CN2 (which is what the T1 appears to be) and AK-CN2 (2), which internally appears identical to the other Xiang Min switches.

No other photos show that shorter gap between the contact tips, that you see on the KSB-LE. Xiang Min KSB-LE (linear with LED, as used in Matias and Ducky keyboards for lock keys) use the older-style contacts, but if Xiang Min are using legacy parts, why is there that difference? You can see the difference between normal and LED switch contacts here:

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Xiang_Min_K ... _vs_KSB-LE

Both designs have that shorter gap. I've just confirmed that my Hua-Jie AK-CN2 (2) samples do share the same shorter-gap design as current Xiang Min switches.

I just wonder if the metal parts manufacturer had to retool in the late 90s/early 2000s, and altered the design.

If anyone has read this far — does anyone have an Alps clone keyboard from (say) 1998 to 2013 with clicky T1 switches, where you already have a switch photo (I wouldn't make anyone open a switch just for this, as they're a pain to reassemble)? Strong Man keyboards are a good candidate.

[nourathar]

Hi,

wow, how boring indeed !

I found this picture of when I ruined one of the switches in my Siig Minitouch,
but I doubt it tells you anything you did not know already, since it doesn't show that difference you are looking for..

siigminitouchswitch.JPG (293.89 KiB) Viewed 1257 times

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It was Monterey (who made the MiniTouch) who referred me to Hua-Jie originally, and Hua-Jie sent me a photo (which is on the wiki) showing their switch fully disassembled, and it's the same as the one in the MiniTouch, with one possible exception: the switch upper shell is upside down so I can't check what numbering they were using.