Matsushita and Panasonic Hall ICs
Contents
Overview
Matsushita and Panasonic made a number of Hall sensor IC models. DN837 is confirmed as being used in keyboard switches. “DN” denotes “digital bipolar” (バイポーラ ディジタル).
Models
DN830 and DN831 appear to be the original models. Thus far, no details of the IC packaging have been found. DN834, DN385, DN837, DN838 and DN839 followed. At 7.2 × 7.2 × 2.2 mm, these are presently the smallest observed Hall IC, being smaller than the better-known 10 × 6.5 × 2.1 mm Siemens package (copied by HFO and used in RAFI keyboards). However, DN6835 and its siblings are smaller still at only 4.5 mm wide, 4.0 mm tall and 2.0 mm deep.
DN830
DN830 is a discrete output Hall sensor, introduced at the Japan Electronics Show in 1973 in Osaka, as reported in Electronic Design magazine, December 20, 1973. DN830 offered a fanout of 8 for TTL/DTL, and “can be used for keyboard and other switches as well as speed and position sensing.” DN830 is dual-output current sinking.
DN831
DN831, introduced at the same time as DN830, is a linear model with analogue output.
DN834
DN834 is believed to be used in Omron B2H switches. B2H switches with output type 4 are described as providing “collector resistance” (current sink): there is an internal pull-up resistor for each output. It is documented as follows (translated from Japanese for convenience):
特徴 (Special characteristics)
-
電源電圧5Vで動作
Operates at 5 V supply voltage -
出力はDTLやTTLを直接駆動可能
Output can be driven directly with DTL and TTL -
接点部分がないので寿命は半永久的
Life is semi-permanent because there are no contact points -
動作速度は従来のスイッチに比べて高速
Operating speed is faster than conventional switches -
小さな磁石で駆動可能
Can be driven with a small magnet
用途 (Use)
-
キーボードスイッチ
Keyboard switches -
スピードセンサ
Speed sensors -
マイクロスイッチ
Microswitches -
位置センサ
Position sensors
DN837
DN837 is found in Omron B2H-F7W and presumably all other B2H models with output type 7. It is an open collector (current sink) model with dual outputs, the same operating principle as Micro Switch SW and Micro Switch SD sink level switches.
The summary of DN837 is the same as for DN834, except for the output which is characterised as follows:
-
出力はオープンコレクタで,耐圧が20V以上あり,MOS ICを直接駆動可能
Output is open collector, withstand voltage of 20 V or more, and can directly drive MOS ICs
DN6835 and DN6835
These are current sourcing sensors, not currently known to have been used in keyboards.
DN6837
DN6837 was used by Omron B2A switch models B2A-□□7. This is an open collector sensor.
DN6852
DN6852 was used by Omron B2A switch models B2A-□□2.This is an open collector sensor.
Documentation
- DN834 databook entry (from Datasheets360)
- DN837 databook entry (source unknown; found on the web in 2019)
- Hall-effect devices provide 10 mA to drive TTL and MOS, Electronics, Vol. 52 No. 19, September 13 1979 (scanned by or for WorldRadioHistory.Com)
- DN6835/DN6836 databook entry (from Datasheets360)
- DN6837 databook entry (from The Datasheet Archive)
- DN6852 datasheet (from DatasheetsPDF.com)