If you are designing the overall structure of the machine and have also used silicone buttons, you may have encountered a problem. I worked hard to design a silicone button, and after a long wait at the silicone button factory for sampling, I received the sample and installed it in the whole machine. Then I pressed it... Oh my goodness, how come this button doesn't start working after pressing it!
In fact, silicone button sticking and dead keys are a common problem, mainly caused by the following reasons.
1. The coordination structure between the silicone button and the housing is not well designed, which leads to the jamming and dead keys of the silicone button after installation, accounting for almost 90% of this problem. This is mainly reflected in the design of the clearance between the button and the housing, whether the center between the button and the housing is consistent, whether the button's demolding is reasonable, and so on.
2. The low load and rebound force of the silicone button cause the key to jam and get stuck.
There are two reasons for low load:
Firstly, the load design of the button itself is too low. For example, based on the shape, weight, and friction loss of the shell, a rebound force of 50g is required to achieve good rebound of the button. However, when designing the structure of the silicone button, only a rebound force of 20g was set, and of course, the small horse pulling the big car will not bounce up.
Secondly, there is no problem with the button load design, but there was an error in the production process of silicone buttons, resulting in insufficient rebound force and causing key jamming and dead keys.
3. Eccentricity can cause silicone buttons to get stuck and dead. The so-called eccentricity refers to when the silicone button is pressed, the button does not sink vertically, but tilts to one side, which is usually caused by wear or inaccurate positioning of the silicone mold positioning column.
4. Damaged silicone buttons can cause jamming and dead keys, which is usually caused by the rupture of the load-bearing wall of silicone buttons that have been in use for a long time, leading to rebound failure.
5. Burrs or sharp edges on the shell can cause the silicone buttons to become stuck and dead. This is easy to understand, but I won't go into too much detail. Just clean the burrs and burrs on the shell.
Why do silicone buttons get stuck
When we use a certain product and need to use buttons, sometimes due to the high pressure and speed of the buttons, they may not pop up after being pressed, which is called a stuck button. So what is the reason for silicone button sticking?
According to research conducted by the silicone product manufacturer Beizhite Silicone, in addition to using materials that are not very good or not very straight and causing key sticking, there are also other reasons: there is a problem in a certain process during the production of silicone keys. The situation of key jamming is a functional defect, which affects the quality of the product and prevents it from being used normally. If not dealt with, the consequences will be serious. Below, the editor of Beizhite Silicone Products Factory will talk about some reasons why the silicone buttons get stuck after installation.
a. Tight assembly can easily cause PCD deformation.
b. The silicone button color key type is relatively large and irregular, and the pressing force should be in the center of the key.
c. The gap between the silicone button key and the panel is not appropriate, and the gap should be controlled within a moderate range.
d. If there are miscellaneous items such as cloaks on the button panel, be careful to avoid the accumulation of dust or even debris on the silicone buttons.
Only by identifying the problem with the silicone key card can we choose the appropriate method to solve it. Beizhite Silicone is a manufacturer specializing in customized silicone products, and can also solve some silicone button technology problems for customers.
How to deal with silicone button keys
1、Silicone button key type is large and irregular
Attention: The pressing force should be in the center of the key
2、The key holes on the button panel have capes or burrs
Attention: Avoid accumulating a lot of dust or even debris on the silicone buttons
3、Assembly too tight
Attention: Being too tight can easily cause PCB deformation.
Solution: Loosen the screw slightly< Raise the screw post by 0.2mm>
4、Improper gap between silicone button key and panel
Attention: It is important to control the gap. A small gap may cause key jamming, and a large gap may result in poor tactile sensation
Suggestion:
1. The gap between the silicone button and the panel is set at 0.1~0.2mm
2. Fuel injection is required, approximately 0.25-0.3mm
3. Electroplated parts generally require 0.3-0.4mm.
5、 Improper setting of silicone button travel
Suggestion:
1. The stroke of the button is set to 1.2-1.5mm
2. A thin film switch needs to be attached to the bottom, with the button travel set at around 0.3mm.
6、The load (elasticity) of silicone buttons is low, or the rebound force is low
