Unsure of what this componenet is.

[somekid413]

I am working on a project and need to close a connection when a flat surface is grasped. I found the plans attached, and that seems like a good idea. I was wondering if anyone knows where I could find something like that already built and order it to save time.

What it is is a thin layer of plastic sandwiched between 2 layers of aluminum, when its squeezed, a connection is made. I need several of these and it would be easier to just buy them.

 

[berkeman]

I am working on a project and need to close a connection when a flat surface is grasped. I found the plans attached, and that seems like a good idea. I was wondering if anyone knows where I could find something like that already built and order it to save time.

What it is is a thin layer of plastic sandwiched between 2 layers of aluminum, when its squeezed, a connection is made. I need several of these and it would be easier to just buy them.

Welcome to the PF. Have you priced out that component at the manufacturer?

http://www.hellfiredrums.com/

Or are you wanting to find somebody who makes things like that in different geometries to better fit your object? I'm guessing that the one you show takes a lot of force to close -- it's meant to be hit with a drumstick?

Have you looked at capacitive touch sensing as an alternative?

EDIT -- what is the object being grasped in your application?

 

[somekid413]

sorry about the poor description, this is not struck, it is glued to the underside of an electronic cymbal and when a person squeezes it, it creates contact between the 2 metal sheets which shorts the circuit and causes the computer to receive a choke signal that stops the sound of the cymbal.

this is all for an electronic drum set.

It would just be easier for me to buy it than build, so I was curious if anyone had seen anything like this commercially available.

 

[berkeman]

sorry about the poor description, this is not struck, it is glued to the underside of an electronic cymbal and when a person squeezes it, it creates contact between the 2 metal sheets which shorts the circuit and causes the computer to receive a choke signal that stops the sound of the cymbal.

this is all for an electronic drum set.

It would just be easier for me to buy it than build, so I was curious if anyone had seen anything like this commercially available.

Ah. Isn't it commercially available from the manufacturer's website that I linked. I just found them with a google search and didn't bother to actually read anything there though.

 

[somekid413]

that's the website I got the plans from, they don't sell it, I don't think Ill find something for this exact purpose but anything that you squeeze to activate a switch would work.

 

[berkeman]

that's the website I got the plans from, they don't sell it, I don't think Ill find something for this exact purpose but anything that you squeeze to activate a switch would work.

You can just use a limit switch, I would think. http://media.digikey.com/photos/Cherry Switch Photos/CHERRY SWITCH- D44L-R1RA.jpg

Is it just a pedal to look like the cymbal choke? Can't you just use a pedal switch?

 

[somekid413]

well, It has to have a very slim profile and not as precise as the pedal switch in terms of pressing location.I ended up just building it according to that schematic... it took about 2 hours because I had to try twice but it seems to work really well.. I'm unsure of how long it will last so we'll have to see.

Im still surprised that I can't find something commercially available.

also, I think either I'm using the wrong terminology or were talking about different chokes here. I don't mean the pedal to clamp down the 2 hi-hats, I mean on acoustic drums to "choke" a cymbal is to grab it by its side with your hand to stop the vibration. because Electronic drums only react to the initial electronic signal of the piezo, they have a built in feature that if you short a circuit, it will cut the sound.