Touch Switch

Touch Switch

A membrane switch is simply defined as a three part mechanism, although the complexity and usage varies. The key elements are an electrical circuit board, an electrically insulating spacer and a top button layer or screen. An electrically conductive circuit pattern makes up the circuit board, and may be as small and thin as necessary for its application. This is where the computer program is stored. The spacer sheet layer is attached to the circuit board and essentially provides the spaces necessary to input key strokes. Here is where the touch switch varies from traditional membrane switch setup. Instead of a single spacer sheet, two sheets of conductive material are in place between the circuit board and the surface screen. There is natural space separating the sheets so that pressure from the screen is registered when the sheets connect. The positions of graphic overlays identify what action will take place when that spot on the screen is pressed. These two sheets can be referred to as the static layer and the flexible layer.

Touch switches, or resistive touch screens, are one of many types of touch screen technology. Another common touch screen is a capacitive panel. This type of touch screen works because the electrical charge from a finger or similar object that is identified as a stylus because of its conductivity, may access and engage a computer program, allowing various options to be chosen. Other touch screen options include infrared activated screens, which involve the crossing of an x y axis to identify what option on the screen was chosen, as well as the acoustic wave touch screen that utilizes the changes of wave frequency along the glass screen to identify the desired action. All of these touch screens, including the touch switches are commonly found in grocery stores, ATM stations, manufacturing industries, commercial stores and hospitals. They are also carried by individuals in the form of smart phones and ipads, both of which are excessively popular. Touch switches are a more cost effective option then the other technologies.