Overview of Silicone Rubber Keypads and How They Work
If you're looking to buy a new keypad for your business, you'll probably come across silicone rubber keypads. While they've been around decades, silicone rubber keypads have become increasingly popular in recent years. Today, you'll see them used in countless industries, some of which include healthcare, retail, manufacturing and even aerospace. But unless you're familiar with silicone rubber keypads, you might be wondering how they work and why they've become so popular.
What Is a Silicone Rubber Keypad?
A silicone rubber keypad, also known as an elastomeric keypad, is a type of keypad that's designed using webbing material consisting of silicone rubber around a center switch. Each key, for example, features silicone rubber webbing around a switch. When you press a key, the elastic properties of the silicone rubber webbing allows it to deform, resulting in the bottom of the key touching the top of a printed circuit board (PCB) contact.
The Mechanics of Silicone Rubber Keypads
While different silicone rubber keypads are designed in different ways, most feature a similar construction. The switch button is located on top, and underneath the button is a conductive contact, typically made of carbon or gold. Below the conductive contact is the PCB contact that's separated with air. Of course, there's also the silicone rubber webbing itself that's found between the button and PCB contact, essentially forming a bubble around the exterior.
Pressing a button on a silicone rubber keypad forces the webbing material to deform, at which point the switch's conductive contact touches the PCB contact. When this occurs, the silicone rubber keypad identifies and registers this action as a button press.
