Surface mount switch well suited for wearable devices

Smartphone models with large-sized screens have appeared on the market in recent years and manufacturers have had to devise ways to ensure the phones remain easy to hold and operate, such as by slimming down and curving the sides. And to prevent rain and dirt from infiltrating products like smartphones and compact wearable devices, the electronic components inside those items need to not only be compact, but also have dust- and water-resistant designs.

Responding to these market needs, ALPS Electric has developed and commenced mass production of the SKTA series Surface Mount TACT Switch with Projection. Using original design and manufacturing techniques, IP67-equivalent dust and water resistance and a long operating life of 300,000 cycles were realised even with dimensions of 2.6x1.6x0.53mm, representing a roughly 20% smaller mounting area than earlier products.

For the metal contact, an inner projection is employed to help improve ease of use and handling both by preventing differences in feel caused by position variations during installation in the end-product and by enabling stable operation of the switch even when it is pressed at the edge or diagonally.