ITW magnetic valve

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ITW magnetic valve
Manufacturer ITW, Devlin
Introduced Possibly ca. 1974
Discontinued 2005
Switch type Linear, tactile
Sense method Magnetic valve
Switch mount Plate mount
Patents US4099176 (1974)
US4017850 (1976)

ITW magnetic valve is a provisional name which refers to a type of electromagnetic switch patented by ITW and manufactured by ITW and Devlin.

History

ITW filed a patent for their magnetic valve switch in 1974. The tooling was later sold to Devlin; these Devlin-made switches are reported to have been very popular in the newspaper editing industry, with most European and North American newspapers specifying them across their operations.[1] Devlin ended production of them in 2005, choosing to use only Cherry MX switches.

Devlin referred to these switches as "Cortron" switches. No further details are known, as all documentation was disposed of (along with the tooling) at the termination of production.

Variants

Full-height

One variant of these switches uses a helical return spring, and appears to be linear.[2] The switch has a fairly typical late 1970s design, similar to contemporary metal contact microswitches, with a cruciform slider.

Intermediate

This appears to be a high profile version of the low-profile, i.e. the design has a lot more in common with the low-profile design than the earlier designs. The switches are branded "itw".[3]

Low-profile

The most common variant of this switch is the low-profile version with an open shell. The switch should not be be confused with the RAFI RS 76C Hall effect switch, with which it bears more than a passing resemblance, in particular the open low-profile shell, slider, and keycap mount.

The low-profile version has no spring under the slider; consequently, a buckling rubber sleeve is placed within the keycap to act as the return spring. These switches are tactile, with around 60 cN force.[4]

Keyboards

References

  1. Private correspondence with Devlin employee
  2. 2.0 2.1 Google+ — HP 02645-60023
  3. 3.0 3.1 Deskthority — Pr1me PST100 (ITW magnetic valve)
  4. geekhack — Devlin KMX-144 find - thread reload....
  5. Google+ — Misc Aydin Keyboards
  6. Kaineko2 — Decision Data Computer Corporation keyboard