Cherry M8

This article requires photographic illustration — clear, cropped photos illustrating a selection of the Hirose Cherry and (German) Cherry variants (from above and below)

Cherry M8

Manufacturer	Cherry, Hirose
Product code	M8xx-xxxx
Discontinued	2013
Switch type	Linear, tactile
Sense method	Metal leaf
Rated lifetime	10M
Bounce time	2 ms
Total travel	2.5 mm
Switch mount	PCB mount

Cherry M8 refers to several switch families that predated Cherry MX switches. They are rare, low profile switches that were made in a multitude of variants. Cherry issued a final-buy notification for the M8 series in October 2013; it is now discontinued.

Mechanism

Cherry M8 switches use a gold-silver contact mechanism. When at rest, the slider separates the two contacts, with one bent outward against the slider, under tension. As the slider enters the housing, the contact under tension approaches the second contact, following the grooves on the upper portion of the slider. When pressure has been removed from the switch, the spring pushes upwards, overcoming the force provided by the contact and returning the slider to its start position.

The contact mechanism is the same as that of the Cherry M9 switch.

Variants

In part numbers, the first character after M8 indicates the switch's rating, including the contact plating material and its permissible loads. The switches are sometimes divided into sub-series based on rating:

Characteristic	M81	M82	M84
Voltage min/max	28 V AC/DC	60 V AC/DC	12 V AC/DC max
Current min/max	100 mA max	100 mA max	10 mA max
Contacts material	AuAg26Ni3	AgPd30	AuAg10

Other variations include:

LED

Optional fitment of an integrated LED

DPST

Double-pole, single-throw operation

Tactile operation

The switches could be ordered with linear, tactile or German Postal Service tactile specification force curves

Cover

Covered and uncovered versions were available; covered switches are significantly rarer than the uncovered versions

Keycap mount

Multiple keycap mounts were available

Typically, switches in European keyboards are SPST but have a DPST slider, and have space for an integrated LED. Japanese keyboards have all been sighted with a variant design, using an SPST-only slider and no LED space. This variant design has also been used in a German keyboard.<ref name="basis" />

Covered switches are largely identical to uncovered switches. The cover adds to the height, and requires a taller keystem on the slider. The cover from a covered switch fits on an uncovered switch, but the keystem does not protrude through its hole.

Cherry M85

The Cherry Keymodule M8 brochure includes a section on the M85 sub-series. M85 switches have a hollow slider designed to support a central LED. The shell is visibly different from other M8 switches, but the internals are assumed to be largely the same. M85 switches are not intended for use in computer or typewriter keyboards.

Hirose Cherry M8

Hirose in Japan manufactured a variant of this switch, branded HIROSE CHERRY on the base.^{[Citation needed]} All Hirose Cherry M8 switches found to date have been of the SPST-only, uncovered (open) type.

It is not clear whether the Hirose Cherry M8 is Hirose Cherry mount.

Recognition

• Typical uncovered switch
  Typical uncovered switch
• SPST-only switch
  SPST-only switch

Keyboards

• Some Atari 800 keyboards (covered version with bar mount slider)<ref name="AtariAge" />
• Basis 108 keyboard (uncovered; standard white, and black SPST-only)
• Bondwell 8T portable (semi-Cherry MX-compatible sliders; uncovered; used for the numeric keypad)<ref name="GH" />
• Cherry G80-0431
• Cherry G80-0662 (uncovered)
• Epson HC-20 (white stems)<ref name="HC-20" />
• Epson PX-8 keyboard (white and black stems)
• Genest Technologies Numerikeys (uncovered)<ref name="EFX6BBNUMKEY" />

Gallery

• 
  Various
• 
  A diagram of a Cherry M81 switch
• 
  G80-0662 switches #1
• 
  G80-0662 switches #2
• 
  Open-top DPST-capable design switch
• 
  Open-top switch with LED fitted
• 
  SPST-only design with black slider, from a German keyboard
• 
  SPST-only version in a Japanese keyboard

M84A-0100

The depicted switches are from Cherry's last ever batch of M8 switches, made in late 2013 or early 2014.

• 
  Assorted switches
• 
  DPST-ready base, with provision for dual contacts and terminals
• 
  Top, angled
• 
  Top, front
• 
  Rear, angled
• 
  Top, side
• 
  Disassembled; top views of components
• 
  Disassembled; bottom views of components

Covered

The switches depicted are NOS from AliExpress, of unknown part number.

• 
  Assorted
• 
  Base detail
• 
  Slider comparison with uncovered switch

References

<references> <ref name="HC-20">MouseFan — EPSON HC-20 '83 JAPAN Retrieved 2015-07-23.</ref> <ref name="AtariAge">AtariAge Forums — 600/800XL Keyboard variants</ref> <ref name="GH">Geekhack — SKCL (complicated linear) with cream colored sliders? Posted 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2015-07-23.</ref> <ref name="EFX6BBNUMKEY">ちゃたりたいね — GENEST TECHNOLOGIES NUMERIKEYS EFX6BBNUMKEY JAPAN Dated 2014-08-25. Retrieved 2015-07-23.</ref> <ref name="basis">Deskthority — Basis 108 - Cherry M8 low profile</ref> </references>