PCB and plate mount fusion. Costar stabs with PCB mounted switches.

[MOZ]

Someone sent me a PM, asking me if I could design a plate that had PCB mounted switches however have costar stabs.

Now this got me thinking and I designed the below two plates for a TKL layout:





You can see in orange I have the normal cutouts for the switches, and in black the proposed cutouts so that the plate can be just lifted off the PCB. The other way such a  plate can be designed is with larger cutouts for individual switches.

Couple of things to note:
1. This plate can only be made in steel/alu for 1.5mm thickness, as I don't think even 3mm acrylic would be thick enough as there are some very thin parts on the plate and they would just snap off. However, 5mm acrylic could most likely be used, but you would have to glue the costar stabs permanently to the plate.
2. You need standoffs for the PCB
3. You would need some sort of standoffs or tabs extending from the plate to mount the plate.

[MOZ]

No interest in something like this?

[frogamic]

What is the benefit of this? ability to easily swap switches?

[MOZ]

What is the benefit of this? ability to easily swap switches?

It is a very niche design, it is for those that prefer the bottom out on PCB mounted switches but like costar stabs as opposed to cherry stabs.

[The_Beast]

No interest in something like this?

Why not make this an interest check?

[MOZ]

No interest in something like this?

Why not make this an interest check?

Not something I am looking to produce, just a design idea based on a request and looking for feedback.

I am more of a plate mounted switches user.

I have failed to find a reliable source for metal plates If you want to do an IC, I would be more than happy

[esoomenona]

Has that person ever heard of clipping said Cherry PCB mounted stabilizers?

[MOZ]

I don't know. And funny thinks is I deleted the PM, so don't know who it was 

[laden3]

http://www.otd.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=album&wr_id=160705&sca=%EC%A0%9C%ED%92%88%2F%EC%A0%95%EB%AC%BC&page=2
There must be a reason for them to make that plate.

If I am not mistaken, plate mounted linear cherry switches on different rows produce different sounds when you bottom out. PCB mounted linear switches kinda minimize the sound difference.

Some people prefer costar stabilizers as well. Supposedly, they feel "crispier".

If you use a PCB mounted stabilizer, you can remove the wires without any soldering.

[esoomenona]

http://www.otd.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=album&wr_id=160705&sca=%EC%A0%9C%ED%92%88%2F%EC%A0%95%EB%AC%BC&page=2
There must be a reason for them to make that plate.

To hold plate mount stabilizers, because the PCB doesn't support PCB mounted ones.

[laden3]

http://www.otd.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=album&wr_id=160705&sca=%EC%A0%9C%ED%92%88%2F%EC%A0%95%EB%AC%BC&page=2
There must be a reason for them to make that plate.

To hold plate mount stabilizers, because the PCB doesn't support PCB mounted ones.

There are holes to support PCB mounted stabilizers and I am not sure whether their plate support costar stabilizers.

[MOZ]

BTW, laden3 was the one that requested this plate design.

[Photekq]

Apparently the acrylic 356.2 plate is absolute ****e.

[laden3]

Until you typed on the keys on the middle of the keyboard and realized that your PCB is flexing =D

Just saying, maybe they have some hidden standoffs...

[nubbinator]

Apparently the acrylic 356.2 plate is absolute ****e.

That's kind of to be expected with acrylic plates.

Until you typed on the keys on the middle of the keyboard and realized that your PCB is flexing =D

Just saying, maybe they have some hidden standoffs...

Or just do a metal backplate with an insulation barrier between the metal and the PCB.  Problem solved.