Product Description & Technical Details
Product Description
The 3x4 Telephone-Style Keypad is a durable, tactile alternative to membrane keypads. Featuring rigid plastic buttons that provide satisfying physical feedback, this keypad is designed for applications where reliability and ease of use are paramount. It follows the standard telephone layout (0-9, *, #) and uses a 7-pin matrix configuration (4 rows and 3 columns). This rugged design is a favorite at Robogears for building high-use devices like digital door locks, safe cabinets, PBX systems, and data-entry terminals for industrial microcontrollers.
Key Highlights
Tactile Feedback: Unlike flat membrane stickers, these buttons have a clear travel distance and click feel, reducing user input errors in high-speed data entry.
Rugged Construction: Built with hard ABS plastic keys that resist wear and tear, making it suitable for handheld devices or semi-outdoor enclosures.
Easy Mounting: The back of the keypad typically features mounting holes, allowing it to be securely bolted to a panel rather than relying on adhesive.
Simple Wiring: The 7-pin header is ready to plug directly into female-to-male jumper wires or a breadboard.
Standard 12-Key Logic: Fully compatible with the standard Arduino Keypad.h library, making code implementation quick and easy.
Technical Specifications
Max Voltage: 12V DC
Max Current: 30mA
Insulation Resistance: 100M Ω @ 100V
Bounce Time: ≤ 10ms
Dimensions: 70mm x 52mm x 10mm (Approx)
Operating Temperature: -20°C to +60°C
Installation Tip from Robogears
To interface this with an Arduino, connect the 7 pins to any 7 digital I/O pins. In your code using the Keypad.h library, define the rowPins as 4 and colPins as 3. If the keypad is mounted on a metal panel, ensure the rear solder points are insulated with electrical tape or a 3D-printed spacer to prevent short circuits. Because these are mechanical switches, adding a small software "debounce" or using a library is recommended to ensure a single press doesn't register as multiple characters.
Note: This product is the 3x4 Plastic Keypad ONLY. Connecting wires and mounting hardware are sold separately. Product images are for illustration purposes only.