터치 스위치란 무엇인가? 꼭 알아야 할 사항
스위치는 램프와 천장 조명기구부터 TV, 컴퓨터 등에 이르기까지 수많은 전자 기기에 사용됩니다. 정의상 스위치란 회로를 제어하는 데 사용되는 전기 부품입니다. 스위치를 누르면 회로가 닫히고, 스위치를 놓으면 회로는 다시 열린 상태로 돌아갑니다. 스위치에는 여러 종류가 있는데, 그중 하나가 터치 스위치입니다.
Touch Switches Explained
A touch switch is a special type of switch that, as the name suggests, operates via touch. In other words, you don’t have to necessarily press enough a touch switch. Just touching it should trigger the circuit to open or close.
Touch switches are frequently used in lamps and wall-mounted light switches. They offer a clean, low-profile design that many consumers and business owners prefer over traditional mechanical switches.
How Touch Switches Differ From Mechanical Switches
Mechanical switches, on the other hand, require greater physical force to open and close the respective electrical circuit. There are typically two layers of conductive traces within a mechanical switch. To close the electrical circuit, you must press the mechanical switch hard enough so that these layers meet.
The 3 Different Types of Touch Switches
All touch switches are characterized by touch-based operation, meaning you can open and close the respective electrical circuit simply by touching the switch. With that said, there are three primary types of touch switches, including capacitive, resistive and piezo.
Capacitive switches are characterized by a single electrode. The electrode is typically found behind a layer of nonconductive material, such as glass or plastic. Capacitive switches work in a similar manner as capacitive touchscreens by relying on the human body’s conductive properties to open and close the circuit. When you tap or touch a capacitive switch, its capacitance will drop, thereby triggering the circuit to open or close.
Resistive touch switches are characterized by the use of two electrodes. When you tap or touch a resistive touch switch, the resistance between the electrodes decreases, thereby triggering the circuit to open or close. Resistive touch switches are simpler than their capacitive counterparts, making them a popular choice among consumers and business owners.
Finally, piezo touch switches leverage the properties of piezo ceramic to open and close an electrical circuit. They are made of piezo ceramic, which is usually found behind an exterior top layer, to support touch input from any object as well as a bare or gloved finger.
Piezo switches have some interesting advantages over their conventional mechanical counterparts. One is that there are no moving parts necessary for them to do their job. This means the lifetime of such a switch can be ensured to be tens of millions of operations, since there is no wear involved.
Another advantage is that they may easily be completely sealed from the environment and thus made weatherproof. They are often constructed with stainless steel housings such that they are resistant to damage by vandals or heavy use.
A capacitive switch is a touch sensor or type of touch-controlled electrical switch that operates by measuring change in capacitance; also known as touch sensor technology. Touch switches are used in the following applications: white goods, security devices, commercial appliances, kiosks, electrical housewares and medical equipment.
Anti- vandal switches are designed for applications that are subjected to harsh use and attempts to damage them. Applications for anti-vandal switches (and tamper proof) include vending kiosks, public ticket dispensers, pedestrian cross walk signals and security keypad panels in a gated community.
