How Does a Tactile Feedback Switch Work?

Tactile switches, also known as push switch buttons, are commonly found in the market. They have four pins labeled as 1, 2, 3, and 4. Pin 1 is always connected with pin 3 and pin 4, while pin 2 is always connected with pin 3. The push switch is located in between these pins.

When you press the switch, it activates the connection between pins 2 and 3. If power is given to pin 1, the power will directly go to pin 4. However, pins 1 and 4 are not connected to pins 2 and 3. Thus, when you press the switch, the power from pin 1 will go to pin 2, and you will get the power at pin 3.

If you give power to pin 4, the power will go to pin 3 when you press the switch, and you will get the power at pin 2. An LED can be connected to these pins to demonstrate the switch’s working.

If an LED is connected to pin 4, it will start glowing from the moment you power it up, and it will remain glowing irrespective of whether the switch is pressed or open. This happens because pin 1 and pin 4 are always connected.

If an LED is connected to pin 2, it will only glow when you press the switch. The connection gets disconnected when you release the switch, and the LED goes off.

To better understand the working of a tactile switch, you can connect LEDs to pins 2 and 4 and a power source to pin 1. When you power it up, the LED connected to pin 4 will start glowing, and the LED connected to pin 2 will only glow when you press the switch.

In conclusion, tactile feedback switches work by connecting or disconnecting the power supply to different pins. This simple mechanism can be used in various electronic devices, such as remote controls, keyboards, and game controllers, to provide tactile feedback to the user.