SparkFun Forums

[willcapellaro]

I might be looking for simple terminology, or to be set straight on how pushbuttons work.

I need to know how to find a pushbutton that works like a clicky pen. It's either in, or out, and pushing it changes it between those two states.

All the pushbuttons I have want to unpush themselves after their job is done.

I really don't want to take apart a bunch of pens to prototype my project. I already looked down that road, it's a mess.

What am I looking for?

[Liencouer]

You have momentary push button switches. What you want is a toggle push button switch.

In a digikey search, they're referred to as Switch Function: Off-On or On-Off, or something similar. Not Mom[entary].

[stevech]

You have momentary push button switches. What you want is a toggle push button switch..

I know Fry's stocks them, and likely Radio Shack, if you're in the US.

[esklar81]

willcapellaro,

Jameco catalogs several switches that are "maintained", that is, not momentary, contact devices. The catalog page lists the action type, so limit yourself to those that don't have parentheses.

Eric