Touch pad switches what are they called?

[LifeForce4]

Instead of using a button or switch I wanted to use a little pad that when touched would act like a SPST button. I know I have seen them around I just dont know what they are called.

Thanks,
Kyle

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Instead of using a button or switch I wanted to use a little pad that when touched would act like a SPST button. I know I have seen them around I just dont know what they are called.

As far as I know they are just called 'touch switches', but I've never heard of commercially available ones - it's generally part of the overall circuit, and can be quite complex to make. They also tend to be very unreliable, at one time they were common on TV sets - it was quite usual to have to jump in the air to change channels, particularly in damp weather :lol:

 

[LifeForce4]

Alright thanks I will keep looking.

Kyle

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Alright thanks I will keep looking.

Kyle

What are you trying to switch, and why do you want a touch switch?.

Try googling for "touch switch", you might like to have a look at http://www.discovercircuits.com/S/switch.htm which has some circuits which could be helpful. Another site it finds is http://www.futurlec.com/TouchSwitch.shtml which is for a kit.

 

[Exo]

Making a 2-terminal touch switch is quite easy (2 terminals, wich you connect by touching them) with just a 40-series chip.

 

[zachtheterrible]

You could do the same thing with two of these switches and an SCR. A normally open pushbutton switch to activate the SCR, and a normally closed pushbutton switch to reset the SCR.

 

[gerty]

Membrane switch

 

[LifeForce4]

Thanks for all the tips guys I found what I think I was looking for. Its panasonic's Thin Surface Mount Light Touch Switches EVQ-PQ and P6.

What are you trying to switch, and why do you want a touch switch?

I have a paintball gun that I want to make a pad trigger for instead of the normal button that is pressed when I pull the trigger.

Thanks,
Kyle