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Apologies if this is a duplicate, by definition I'm not sure what to search for.

I took apart a kitchen timer and found a few things I'd like to learn about, but couldn't find the right terminology to google for.

  1. There are silicone/rubber (?) buttons used to close switches on the circuit. Are these considered membrane / dome switches? If not, what are they called?

  2. these switches connect to the PCB on what look like surface mount circles with a squiggly nonconductive shape between them - what are these called?

button and PCB connection

  1. The screen is a 7-segment display with 12 connectors, but it isn't soldered to the board, rather it has a soft rubbery connection (pink/black in pic) that conducts when pressed against the connectors - what is this connector/technique called?

Soft connector for 7-segment display

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  • \$\begingroup\$ 3) Elastromeric strip/connector. But in general people call it zebra strip/connector. \$\endgroup\$
    – Unimportant
    Apr 26, 2021 at 16:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks! how about the button + surface connector in the first pic? \$\endgroup\$
    – Jonathan Levin
    Apr 26, 2021 at 16:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ Perhaps "resistive membrane" button/pad. If you take a multimeter on kilo-Ohms resistance scale and touch the leads to the active, dark rubber part of the button, it should show some resistance (such 50kΩ). When the (larger) surface area makes contact with the squiggly pads, that resistance is likely <2kΩ. \$\endgroup\$
    – rdtsc
    Apr 26, 2021 at 16:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ for the switch: membrane non-tactile pushbutton. The squiggle area on the printed circuit board is likely gold-plated and very conductive \$\endgroup\$
    – glen_geek
    Apr 26, 2021 at 16:53

1 Answer 1

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  1. These gold PCB contacts are indeed counterparts to the conductive-paint silicone shape that make these membrane switches.
  2. see above
  3. Elastomer connector, often called zebra strip (but I think that might be a brand name)
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