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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: oneproduct on Tue, 15 March 2016, 18:12:45

Title: Can you put LEDs in the housing of Matias linear switches?
Post by: oneproduct on Tue, 15 March 2016, 18:12:45

Looking at https://deskthority.net/wiki/Matias_switch (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Matias_switch) it seems like Matias used to have keyboards with clicky/tactile switches that used special linear switches for mode keys (e.g. caps lock) that used an in-switch LED to show which mode you were in.

Clicky/tactile switches can't have an LED due to the presence of a tactile/click leaf. However, I'm not sure whether the Matias linear switches (with red stems) can support an LED in the switch housing or not. In the specific section about Matias linear switches in that wiki, it says that they contain an additional leaf spring. I'm not sure if tactile/click leaf = leaf spring in terms of occupying the place where an LED would otherwise go. From the Matias site, they say: "With the Matias Quiet Linear switch, we've added a special internal leaf spring."

I'm guessing this does in fact take the space that could otherwise be used by an in-switch LED, but just wanted some confirmation if someone knows for sure.

Otherwise I'll just mount the LEDs on the underside of the PCB as the transparent housing encourages.

Title: Re: Can you put LEDs in the housing of Matias linear switches?
Post by: chyros on Wed, 16 March 2016, 03:16:56

Nope, won't work. They don't have the leg holes for it either.

Title: Re: Can you put LEDs in the housing of Matias linear switches?
Post by: bocahgundul on Wed, 16 March 2016, 03:37:16

But what about the switches on the keyboard io? they use matias switches right?

Title: Re: Can you put LEDs in the housing of Matias linear switches?
Post by: Melchior on Thu, 17 March 2016, 15:14:32

You'd have to have a cut-out / hole and a gull-wing SMD led mounted underneath the PCB to get light thru that.

Basically if you are not designing your own PCB - perhaps a side-emitter could be used instead.

Title: Re: Can you put LEDs in the housing of Matias linear switches?
Post by: ctm on Thu, 17 March 2016, 20:55:13

Quote from: bocahgundul on Wed, 16 March 2016, 03:37:16

But what about the switches on the keyboard io? they use matias switches right?

I believe on keyboardio the LED is under the switch, similar to this one
(https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=46060.0;attach=28995;image)

A side note: some linear Alps has a place for LED in the housing, on the side where tactile/clicky metal leaf usually is. This is not possible with Matias linear. Matias linear does have a leaf just like tactile/clicky ones, to provide constant force from top to bottom, so there's no possible space for through-hole LED.