Editing Tai-Hao APC semi-mechanical

{{stub}}

{{infobox dswitch
| image name        = APC membrane switch (Type II) - slider and housing close up.jpg
| manufacturer      = [[Tai-Hao]]
| product code      = 
| switch type       = Clicky
| contact mechanism = Spring over [[Contact mechanism#Membrane|membrane]]
| switch mount      = Integrated
| keycap mount      = [[Keycap mount#Alps mount|Alps mount]]
}}

The '''Tai-Hao APC semi-mechanical''' switch is [[Tai-Hao]]'s cheaper alternative to their discrete [[Tai-Hao APC series|APC series]] mechanical switch.

==Description==
The design is similar to an [[Acer switch]], but perhaps uniquely, there are two [[click leaf|leaf springs]] instead of the usual one, on either side of the [[slider]]. Pressure against the three-layer [[Contact mechanism#Membrane|membrane]] is provided by a helical spring.

Unlike Acer keyboards, where the upper shell is case-mounted and every switch can be removed, the upper shell of APC semi-mechanical switches is moulded as part of the keyboard itself.

==Variants==
===Two click leaves===
Both leaves are identical, silver-coloured wide click leaves.<ref name="DT-Clicker" />

===Click and tactile leaves===
Likely to be a later model, introduced after the advent of the narrow copper click leaf, this variant only has one click leaf, of the narrow variety, in copper colour. The other leaf is a wide tactile leaf, also copper-coloured.<ref name="DT-APC-Clicker" /><ref name="Ripster" />

Another variant uses metal coloured click leaf instead of copper click leaf.<ref name="Qwerters-APC" /><ref name="Blogspot-Revisit" />

==Keyboards==
* Some [[Tai-Hao APC semi-mechanical keyboard]]s

==Gallery==
Due to the usage of sharing multiple variants within possibly the same model numbers it will be split into three different sets of galleries from various sources in order to prevent confusion.

===Type I (Double metal leaf variant used within one keyboard)<ref name="DT-Clicker" />===
This variant is currently found on CLICKER Patent Approved Germany No. G71960E.

<gallery widths=250 heights=187>
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_I)_-_undersides.jpg            | Undersides revealing the "clicky" switch over membrane.
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_I)_-_switch.jpg                | Close up of the switch in pieces.
</gallery>

===Type II (Mixed single narrow and single wide copper leaf variant)<ref name="DT-APC-Clicker" /><ref name="Sandy" />===
This variant was found on two keyboards with different case designs.

<gallery widths=250 heights=187>
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_II)_-_undersides.jpg           | Undersides revealing the "click" switch over membrane. You can see there is a difference in the colour for the leaf springs being used as compared to Type I.
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_II)_-_switch_close_up.jpg      | Close-up revealing the copper leaves used.
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_II)_-_switch_disassembly.jpg   | Close-up of disassembled switch.
</gallery>

===Type III (Single metal leaf variant)<ref name="Blogspot-Revisit" />===
This is another variant which was also found on two keyboards with different case designs.

<gallery widths=250 heights=140>
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_III)_-_underside.jpg           | Undersides revealing the "click" switch over membrane. Only one metal leaf spring per key.
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_III)_-_switch_assembly_I.jpg   | Switch assembly.
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_III)_-_switch_assembly_II.jpg  | Switch assembly with the leaf spring flipped around.
File:APC_membrane_switch_(Type_III)_-_switch_assembly_III.jpg | Switch assembly, this is what it would look like when placed into the slider housing.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Tai-Hao APC semi-mechanical keyboard]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="DT-Clicker">Deskthority — [http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/clicker-a-semi-mechanical-alps-wannabe-t4861.html Clicker: a semi-mechanical Alps wannabe] Posted 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2015-08-02.</ref>
<ref name="DT-APC-Clicker">Deskthority — [http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/apc-clicker-t749.html APC Clicker] Posted 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2015-08-02.</ref>
<ref name="Ripster">Imgur — [http://imgur.com/a/VrFtD#23 Ripster Vintage Switch Guide:  Various Spring Membrane] Dated 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2015-08-02.</ref>
<ref name="Qwerters-APC">Qwerters Clinic — [http://ex4.sakura.ne.jp/kb/main_apc_f-21.htm 国内販売元はオウルテック] (Japanese) Dated 2001-08-05. Retrieved 2015-08-02.</ref>
<ref name="Blogspot-Revisit">Blogspot — [http://eidolon-sapphire.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/revisiting-some-old-school-keyboards.html Revisiting some old school keyboards] Dated 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2015-08-02.</ref>
<ref name="Sandy">Sandy55 — [http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/temp/temp.html Sandy55's blog] (Japanese) Dated 2005-03-12. Retrieved 2015-08-02.</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Tai-Hao switches]]
[[Category:Keyboard switches with Alps mount]]
[[Category:Membrane switches]]
[[Category:Clicky switches]]
[[Category:List of all keyboard switches]]