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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Infinite north on Tue, 08 June 2010, 02:09:16

Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Infinite north on Tue, 08 June 2010, 02:09:16
I found this on a Chinese website, photos are watermarked. the switch has a three pronged gear in it. while none of the photos show the back side of the plunger I am guessing it looks like a regular black. anyone have any clues as to what the function is? the source website didn't seem to have much of an idea.

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=10799&d=1275980557)
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=10800&d=1275980565)
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=10801&d=1275980704)
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Nonmouse on Tue, 08 June 2010, 02:35:07
A locking (non-momentary) switch, perhaps?
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: kishy on Tue, 08 June 2010, 02:40:22
Quote from: Nonmouse;190836
A locking (non-momentary) switch, perhaps?


That's what I'm thinking based on the little notched 'pinwheel' thing.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Infinite north on Tue, 08 June 2010, 02:50:48
So I guess I just don't know how to read translated text. it's a locking mechanism to hold a key in a down stroke, for a caps lock and such.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 08 June 2010, 07:06:22
Quote from: Nonmouse;190836
A locking (non-momentary) switch, perhaps?


Quote from: kishy;190837
That's what I'm thinking based on the little notched 'pinwheel' thing.


It is.  The grey case signifies the "locking-style" switches.  Chloe put it in the Wiki.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 08 June 2010, 10:11:14
Is the latching action pure mechanical, or is it electronically controlled?

Will a 3 mm LED fit in the circular hole? If then, why is there no hole in the black part under it?
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 08 June 2010, 10:33:03
Quote from: ripster;190887
Have a link to the page that showed those?

I'm thinking I'll start filling in some pics into the Cherry Switch wiki.  Chloe won't mind.

They were the two links in the MX/ML Links section, but they are dead now.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: didjamatic on Tue, 08 June 2010, 11:34:22
Very interesting.  I'd like to see it in motion as it's hard to see how the 3 toothed gear thingy works.

Last week I pulled an ALPS penis switch out of an AEKII, it was on the capslock key and provides the same function.

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=6770&stc=1&d=1262057994)
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Infinite north on Tue, 08 June 2010, 12:49:51
http://mouse.zol.com.cn/91/917572.html (http://mouse.zol.com.cn/91/917572.html)

Link to source.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: pcode on Tue, 08 June 2010, 13:26:48
Quote from: Infinite north;190839
So I guess I just don't know how to read translated text. it's a locking mechanism to hold a key in a down stroke, for a caps lock and such.


I can confirm that what you mentioned here is right. What the article basically says is that when you press the key, it won't bounce back to its original non-depressed position i.e stays locked down. When you press it the next time however, it will bounce back to its originally non depressed state.

If anyone here can read chinese here, feel free to contribute a better translation. I know that there are at least 3 of you here that can do that, 2 from HK and one from Malaysia. :) Despite the fact that I studied chinese for 10 years in my life, I have conveniently forgotten most of it due to it's relatively low usage here in my country -- I can speak but not too good at reading and writing.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: phoenix on Tue, 08 June 2010, 15:49:24
A quick translation.

罕见Cherry MX机械轴曝光
Rare Cherry MX mechanical switch exposed

    在本次横评中，除了以上大家看到的十几颗Cherry MX机械轴之外，笔者还拿到一颗非常特殊的轴，从外观上看，底座为黑色、轴帽固定卡是灰色、轴帽是黑色，在轴帽固定卡上有一个长方形小孔。
In this review, besides the more than 10 Cherry MX mechanical switches you have seen, I have also received a very special switch. On the outside, it has a black bottom, gray upper, black stem, and a rectangular orifice on the upper cover.

当第一次按下轴帽时，轴帽会下陷不再弹起，当再次按下轴帽时，轴帽完全弹起，如此反复循环，与某类可弹起式开关非常类似，由于我们不知道它的来历，这里暂且称之为开关式机械轴。

The first time the stem gets pressed, it stays down and doesn't bounce back up. The next time it's pressed, it bounces up completely. The switch cycles between these two states, similar to certain retracting/latching switches. Since we don't know where it came from, we'll just call it a latching mechanical switch.

将这颗特殊的机械轴拆解之后，笔者在轴帽上发现一个从来没有见过的特殊部件，一个小型的三叶齿轮，可以活动，这也就不难理解为什么会出现当按下轴帽时出现的开关式起伏。

After disassembling the special mechanical switch, I found a part on the stem that I've never seen before. A small 3-tooth gear. No wonder the switch can be lock and unlocked when pressed.

对于这款特殊的Cherry MX机械轴，我们暂且还不了解其特殊用途，但是独特的设计让大家看到了希望，除了青、茶、黑、白四大经典机械轴，Cherry仍在继续开发新轴来满足不同的需求。在网络上曾经出现过黄色机械轴（据说是来自台湾的伪轴）和红色机械轴（没有见到实物）的消息，同样非常罕见。

We don't yet know where this special switch is used, but the unique design gives us hope that Cherry is still developing new switches for different needs. We've seen yellow stems (allegedly fake from Taiwan) and heard about red stems* online, which are also very rare.


Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Rajagra on Tue, 08 June 2010, 17:03:00
Quote from: ripster;190933
It's Cherry's version of the HHKB DIP Switch.


Lies! Only the dual-mode Cherry blue-brown has a DIP switch!

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=5156&d=1255620551)
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: pang0011 on Wed, 09 June 2010, 00:13:19
There is another strange switch found in Taiwan (http://www.cool3c.com/article/14848?page=1), they called it Taiwan Jet (TJ) switch.  It is so strange even in Taiwan where it was produced, but surely it is not the so called Taiwan White (TW)switch.  Taiwanese called it Jet because its components could easily bounce out of its casing when attempting to disassemble it.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Infinite north on Wed, 09 June 2010, 00:53:44
That taiwan jet looks like it would be a bear to type on, springs on springs. I can see why it would fly apart.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: DryDry on Thu, 10 June 2010, 04:18:07
Quote from: Rajagra;191033
Lies! Only the dual-mode Cherry blue-brown has a DIP switch!

Show Image
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=5156&d=1255620551)


i am very intrested in it!
is there any guy konw the turth
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: Rajagra on Thu, 10 June 2010, 06:24:39
Sorry, it isn't real.
Title: strange cherry switch
Post by: kriminal on Thu, 10 June 2010, 07:09:23
Quote from: Rajagra;191584
Sorry, it isn't real.


Pawnt.