Clare foam and foil
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| Manufacturer | Clare, General Instrument |
|---|---|
| Sense method | Capacitive |
Clare foam and foil is a type of foam and foil switch manufactured by Clare and seemingly also the parent company General Instrument. The series name of S-890 is tentatively identified with this series, but not confirmed in any way.[1]
The earliest known example is from 1981, branded "CP CLARE" and marked "ASM MEXICO". This keyboard pre-dates the various foam and foil patents filed by General Instrument in 1982. A 1982 Cray keyboard has been found with a single "CP CLARE"-branded switch alongside unbranded switches, giving a small indication of the change in branding.[2] A 1982 keyboard has been found with the PCB branded "General Instrument".[1]
Like with various other foam and foil switch types from the likes of Key Tronic and Cherry, these switches use discrete modules to hold the slider and springs, mounted into a plate.
Patents
The following patents may be relevant:
| Applicant | Patent | Filed | Published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Instrument Corporation | EP 0072784 Keyswitch design | 1982-08-10 | 1983-02-23 | Single-sided PCB with through-hole-soldered capacitor pads |
| General Instrument Corporation | US 4450332 Keyswitch design | 1982-08-25 | 1984-05-22 | This may be the switch series in question |
| General Instrument Corporation | US 4454562 Keyswitch with telescoping plunger | 1982-09-15 | 1984-06-12 | |
| General Instrument Corporation | US 4453198 Linear feel keyswitch with hysteresis | 1982-09-15 | 1984-06-05 |
Keyboards
- Unidentified keyboard from 1981[3]
- Cray Research keyboard from 1982 (GI PCB branded as Ampex; GI controller)[2]
- Unidentified keyboard from 1982, marked "GENERAL INSTRUMENT | Keyboard Division" and model "S-890 Series"[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Deskthority — IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Deskthority — Cray Research Inc keyboard - made by Ampex
- ↑ geekhack — Any ideas about what this keyboard is from?
