Alps SKCC Cream

Alps SKCC Cream

Manufacturer	Alps Electric
Family	Alps SKCC series
Product code	SKCCBJ
Switch type	Linear
Sense method	Metal leaf
Rated lifetime	3–20 M
Bounce time	5 ms
Actuation force	ca. 70 gf (estimate)
Peak force	90±25 gf
Total travel	3.5±0.5 mm
Switch mount	Plate mount

Alps SKCC Cream is a switch in the Alps SKCC series.

Description

The return spring in SKCC Cream (black switchplate) is 10.9 mm long, of 0.22 mm gauge wire, and has nine active turns. This is virtually identical to the spring in grey switchplate Alps SKCC Tall Cream, indicating that they do indeed differ solely in keystem height.

The specifications for the Alps AKB-3420 includes the switches. The model number for the switches is not given, but all in all examples found to date, they are SKCC Cream. An older example of this keyboard ca. 1979 specifies the switch lifetime as 3×10⁶ cycles in the product literature, while a later example from ca. 1988 specifies the switch lifetime as 2×10⁷; it is not known whether this large increase was due to greater testing time, or improvements to the design. Based on non-scientific keystem-to-keystem testing, SKCC Green appears to provide 60 gf actuation, so with the 11:9 free turn ratio of the Cream and Green return springs, the heavier SKCC Cream would be in the region of 70 gf actuation. Only the "operating force" is officially specified, at 90±25 g, which will be total travel force.

Part SKCCBJ0001 has two separated terminal recesses with semicircular ends, just as found in Alps SKCC Green part SKCCBK0001.<ref name="Taobao-BJ0001" /> Normally there is only a single terminal recess, typically with straight ends. This version has a spring in the region of 10.3–10.6 mm long, also of 0.22 mm gauge wire, but only seven active turns.

Keyboards

• Adtek System Science SKB-01<ref name="adtek"/>
• Alps AKB-3420
• Some Apple III keyboards
• Bondwell 14<ref name="bondwell"/>
• Some Dragon Data Dragon 32 (late model)^{[Citation needed]}
• Some Dragon Data Dragon 64
• EgO keyboard^{[Citation needed]}
• Ericsson KB4701<ref name="eric"/>
• Ergo 201<ref name="ergo"/>
• HAX-2P001B<ref name="hax"/>
• Lane 700 <ref name="lane"/>
• Lear Siegler ADM 22 keyboard
• Micro-Term Ergo 301<ref name="micro"/>
• Morrow Designs keyboard (Unknown Model)<ref name="morrow"/>
• Nabu PC KBD-2
• National mybrain3000 JB-3001-02<ref name="mybrain"/>
• Oshima KBC-2800<ref name="oshima"/>
• Some Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I (1979)
• Some Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III<ref name="TRS-IBM-TI" />
• Panasonic KX-D4910D<ref name="Panasonic"/>
• Sanyo MBC-1250<ref name="sanyo"/>
• Sony SMC-70 series<ref name="sony"/><ref name="sony2"/>
• Tatung 71739
• TEAC PS-85<ref name="teac"/>
• Some Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
• Unidentified Model 03850112-201<ref name="unidentified"/>
• Yaesu YK-901<ref name="yaesu"/>
• Some Zenith / Heath Z-100 keyboards<ref name="Zenith"/>

Keypads

• Sony SMI-7060<ref name="sony3"/>

Typewriters / Word Processors

• Hitachi Basic Master MB-6855 T <ref name="Hitachi"/>

Gallery

• 
  Comparison with Alps SKCC Tall Cream
• 
  Comparison with Alps SKCC Green

SKCCBJ0001

The following switches were sourced from AliExpress,<ref name="UAE-BJ0001" /> and are from a batch previously sold on Taobao.<ref name="Taobao-BJ0001" /> They feature a short white switchplate. The photo of the box on Taobao includes only a small fraction of the date stamp, which appears that it may be too faint to read.

• 
  SKCCBJ0001 switches
• 
  Partially opened
• 
  Opened; note the unusual divided recess around the terminals
• 
  Opened; the switchplate guide ridge remains, even though the switchplate no longer reaches down to it
• 
  Slider and spring
• 
  Disassembled, top views; note the small pegs that the switchplate sits on
• 
  Disassembled, bottom views
• 
  Fully disassembled (switch is scuffed from being opened badly)

References

<references> <ref name="TRS-IBM-TI">Deskthority — Keyboard mystery: Alps 12KC018A for TRS-80 Model III</ref> <ref name="UAE-BJ0001">AliExpress — SKCC BJ0001 keyboard switch …</ref> <ref name="Taobao-BJ0001">Taobao — 日本ALPS SKCCBJ0001 健盘开关 按键开关 复位开关 微动开关</ref> <ref name="Zenith">Deskthority — Alps 12KC155B Posted 2019-08-31.</ref> <ref name="Panasonic">Deskthority — Restoration Tips for a Panasonic KX-D4910D? Posted 2021-01-27.</ref> <ref name="oshima">Deskthority — Oshima KBC-2800 SKCC XT-layout fuckery Posted 2021-05-14.</ref> <ref name="sony">Deskthority — Sony SMC-70 SKCC cream Posted 2022-01-31.</ref> <ref name="sony2">SudoNull — Sony SMC-70GP Posted 2015-06-15.</ref> <ref name="bondwell">Deskthority — Bondwell 14 keyboard Posted 2013-08-14.</ref> <ref name="eric">Imgur — [1] Uploaded 2019-02-16.</ref> <ref name="lane">Deskthority — (SKCC cream) LANE 700 System hand wire Posted 2019-05-01.</ref> <ref name="micro">Deskthority — Vintage Keyboard Haul & Restoration Posted 2017-04-04.</ref> <ref name="adtek">Twitter — [2] Posted 2021-11-07.</ref> <ref name="ergo">Imgur — Ergo 201 84410079 (Alps SKCC Cream) Uploaded 2022-12-24.</ref> <ref name="Hitachi">Deskthority — Yuchipashe's Yahoo Auction Haul Pt. 1 Posted 2019-10-09.</ref> <ref name="sony3">Deskthority — Sony SMI-7060 Uploaded 2012-09-18.</ref> <ref name="morrow">Imgur — [3] Uploaded 2019-01-17.</ref> <ref name="teac">Nitter — @wuzhangwu Posted 2021-10-24.</ref> <ref name="sanyo">Imgur — Sanyo mbc-1250 - SKCC Cream Uploaded 2022-07-14.</ref> <ref name="yaesu">Twitter — [4] Posted 2023-04-14.</ref> <ref name="hax">Twitter — [5] Posted 2021-09-05.</ref> <ref name="mybrain">Twitter — [6] Posted 2021-07-25.</ref> <ref name="unidentified">Imgur — Unidentified 03850112-201 (SKCC Cream) Uploaded 2023-04-18.</ref> </references>