Editing Cherry MX (section)

==Design==
Cherry MX switches have [[gold crosspoint]] contacts. The contact mechanism has one small static terminal, and a movable leaf that is folded against itself at the top. At least two designs of contact mechanism are known. As of 2013, the current system has a very narrow "neck" where it folds back on itself. One known previous design uses more metal and appears to be more complicated; this design has been found in the [[Hirose Cherry MX Orange]]<ref name="YAMAHA-QX3" /> and [[Hirose Cherry MX Clear]], as well as [[Cherry MX Black]].<ref name="gh-hrclear" />

All German Cherry MX switches, and some Japanese-made Hirose MX switches, are branded "CHERRY" on the top; the exact logo used has varied over time. Hirose MX switches were also branded "HCP" (Hirose Cherry Precision).

The shell's design is based on the [[Cherry M9]]. The upper shell cannot be removed while the switch is mounted in a [[switch mount#plate mount|plate]]; it must first be de-soldered and removed, as the plate prevents the shell's four retention clips from moving outward. For modification, PCB-mount keyboards are preferred, or enthusiast-created plates with four small cutouts that allow the switches to be opened in-place.

Clicky MX switches use a special two-piece slider with a movable contact that fires the "click collar" downwards on passing the actuation point. When the switch is released, the click collar is pulled back upwards by the slider itself and held in place by the movable contact.

The [[keycap mount]] is only 180° rotationally symmetrical. The horizontal (E and W) arms of the cross are around 1.25–1.30 mm thick, while the vertical (N and S) arms are 1.05–1.10 mm thick. Keycaps do not always fit sideways. The stem is around 3.7 mm tall and sits on a platform that descends inside the switch, allowing the full travel to be greater than the stem's height.