Key Tronic magnetic reed
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| Manufacturer | Key Tronic |
|---|---|
| Switch type | Linear |
| Sense method | Reed |
Contents
History
General consensus indicates that Key Tronic Corp. produced reed switch keyboards during the 1970s. Specific dates and catalog information have not been discovered.[1][2][3]
Variants
Variant 1
Variant 1 switches
Internal mechanism
Reed
- The keyswitch housings were produced in several "bank" configurations. The minimum housing configuration, 1, was used for space bars and singleton keys. The maximum, 6, was used for central rows.
- The upper housing contains slider guides, but is otherwise a simple rectangular enclosure.
- The lower housing contains conical plastic projections that stand upright, holding the reed valves and covering them completely.
- The slider is a one piece mechanism containing a circular magnet and spring. The spring compresses the magnet against the top of the slider and provides resistance to counteract fingers and gravity.
- The housing is held together by a screw and nut; a third nut holds the assembled switch to the PCB.
- The reed is soldered directly to the PCB.
Variant 2
Variant 2 switches
Internal mechanism
Reed
Switch case removed from reed switch
Switch case top separated from base
Bottom view of case top containing plunger
Switch parts
Switch parts
Reed switch
Reed switch
Single unit switch PCB retaining screws and reed switch solder points
Reed switch, green glass
Reed switch, yellow glass
Variant 2 is similar to variant 1. The switches feature a different slider top, cut off reed enclosure tips, and a spring with fewer coils. Those design choices were likely made to decrease material cost and reduce keyswitch travel distance. Additional differences are visible in the gallery.[4]
Feel & Sound
Variant 1 is exceptionally linear and fairly smooth. A light "ting" or "ping" can be heard when the switch activates. It is not a light switch. Variant 2 should be equally linear due to its design, though that fact cannot be verified.
Availability
The switches are difficult to find. The cause is unknown; factors other than switch rarity, such as false identification, could play a role.
Keyboards
- Key Tronic Corp. 65-0201-09
- Custom Key Tronic Corp. Keyboard[4]
- KTC A 24956
- KTC A65-00627-021 PCB-002J
References
- ↑ Deskthority — Key Tronic Corp. Serial No.19790
- ↑ Deskthority — Interesting History of Key Tronic
- ↑ Google Books — Line in "Complete Computer Hardware Only"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Imgur — Photos of custom Key Tronic keyboard
