The series provides design engineers with an array of options that enhance and complete front panels needing an innovative and modern look and feel.

The new KP Series devices are available with built-in RGB LED illumination. This option allows engineers to utilize the full color spectrum to create unlimited color combinations. An additional illumination option is Super Bright red/green built-in LEDs which can be combined to produce amber. In both configurations, these switches’ unique design ensures that illumination is evenly diffused throughout.

The series’ square caps have a clear lens with a white diffuser and are offered in flat, sculptured or home key styles, and in three common sizes of 17.4, 15 and 12 mm, further enabling design flexibility. A rectangular switch cap shape can also be specified. To facilitate adding legends, caps are constructed to accommodate laser etching and film inserts. Custom legends and additional value added assemblies are available upon request from NKK Switches.

KP Series pushbuttons can also be specified with tactile or non tactile with silent actuation or with tactile and audible feedback. In all arrangements, a unique actuation guide gives positive indication of circuit transfer.

Engineers can also choose between two stroke travel and actuation force combinations. The shorter stroke option has a total travel of 3.5 mm, with a pretravel of 2.3 mm, overtravel of 1.2 mm and an actuation force of 1.6 N. The longer stroke option has a total travel of 4.5 mm, with a pretravel of 3.1 mm, an overtravel of 1.4 mm and an actuation force of 1.9 N.

The KP Series’ compact design is just 23.0 mm in height from the PC board to the top of the cap. This is the same height as the IS Series programmable SmartSwitch. These devices also feature specially designed snap in standoffs for simple and secure PC board mounting and alignment.

Rated at 100 mA maximum at 12 Vdc, the KP pushbuttons have twin contacts with gold plating to assure high reliability. Epoxy sealed terminals, which feature standard PC board spacing of 2.54 mm, lock out flux, dust and other contaminants. All of this results in a lifetime of 5 million operations minimum; which is the longest expected lifetime of any comparable product.

Applications for KP Series illuminated pushbuttons include instruments, control panels and custom keyboards in the medical, test, industrial, aerospace, military, security and broadcast industries.