IEC 61020-1:2009

IEC 61020-1


®

Edition 2.0 2009-07



INTERNATIONAL



STANDARD



NORME
INTERNATIONALE


Electromechanical switches for use in electrical and electronic equipment –
Part 1: Generic specification

Interrupteurs électromécaniques pour équipements électriques et
électroniques –
Partie 1: Spécification générique


IEC 61020-1:2009

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IEC 61020-1


®

Edition 2.0 2009-07



INTERNATIONAL



STANDARD



NORME
INTERNATIONALE


Electromechanical switches for use in electrical and electronic equipment –
Part 1: Generic specification

Interrupteurs électromécaniques pour équipements électriques et
électroniques –
Partie 1: Spécification générique


INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
XB
CODE PRIX
ICS 31.220.20 ISBN 978-2-88910-401-7
® Registered trademark of the International Electrotechnical Commission
Marque déposée de la Commission Electrotechnique Internationale

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– 2 – 61020-1 © IEC:2009



CONTENTS

FOREWORD.5


INTRODUCTION.7

1 Scope and object.8

1.1 Scope.8

1.2 Object .8

2 General .8

2.1 Normative references .8

2.2 Units and symbols .10
2.3 Terms and definitions .10
2.4 Preferred values.12
2.4.1 Clearance and creepage distances .12
2.5 Marking .12
3 Quality assessment procedures.12
4 Test and measurement procedures.12
4.1 General .12
4.1.1 Tolerances .13
4.1.2 Preconditioning.13
4.1.3 Mounting .13
4.2 Standard atmospheric conditions.13
4.3 General examination .13
4.3.1 Visual examination .13
4.3.2 Dimensions .14
4.3.3 Dimensions, gauging .14
4.3.4 Mass .15
4.3.5 Functional operation .15
4.3.6 Operating characteristics .16
4.3.7 Contact bounce .18
4.4 Resistance measurements .19
4.4.1 Contact resistance – Millivolt level.19
4.4.2 Contact resistance – Specified current .21
4.4.3 Resistance from actuator to mounting bushing (surface).22
4.4.4 Insulation resistance.23

4.5 Dielectric strength .23
4.5.1 Dielectric strength at standard atmospheric conditions .23
4.5.2 Dielectric strength at low air pressure.24
4.6 Heating .25
4.6.1 Object .25
4.6.2 Method .25
4.6.3 Requirement.26
4.6.4 Details to be specified .26
4.7 Dynamic stress.26
4.7.1 Shock .26
4.7.2 Vibration.27
4.7.3 Contact disturbance.28
4.8 Mechanical strength .28
4.8.1 Robustness of actuator.28

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61020-1 © IEC:2009 – 3 –


4.8.2 Robustness of mounting bushing .31

4.8.3 Robustness of screw mounting .31

4.8.4 Robustness of terminations .31

4.9 Mechanical endurance.32

4.9.1 Mechanical endurance – Standard atmospheric conditions .32

4.9.2 Mechanical endurance – Category temperature range .33

4.10 Electrical endurance.33

4.10.1 Electrical endurance – Standard atmospheric conditions .33

4.10.2 Electrical endurance – Upper category temperature.35

4.10.3 Electrical endurance – Category temperature range .36

4.10.4 Electrical endurance – Low air pressure .36
4.10.5 Logic loads (TTL) .37
4.10.6 Low level endurance test .38
4.11 Overload .39
4.11.2 Electrical overload .39
4.11.3 Capacitive load switching .40
4.12 Environmental testing.41
4.12.1 Climatic sequence .41
4.12.2 Damp heat, steady state.43
4.12.3 Rapid change of temperature.44
4.12.4 Mould growth (resistance) .44
4.12.5 Corrosion, industrial atmosphere .45
4.12.6 Dust and sand .46
4.12.7 Contact resistance stability.48
4.13 Soldering.49
4.13.1 Solderability, wetting, solder bath method.49
4.13.2 Solderability, wetting, soldering iron method.50
4.13.3 Solderability, de-wetting .51
4.13.4 Resistance to soldering heat, solder bath method.51
4.13.5 Resistance to soldering heat, soldering iron method .52
4.14 Panel seal .53
4.14.1 Drip – Proof .53
4.14.2 Splash – Proof.53
4.14.3 Immersion .53
4.14.4 Submersion .54

4.15 Enclosure seal.55
4.15.1 Watertight immersion.55
4.15.2 Resilient or hermetic seal .55
4.16 Fluid resistance.56
4.16.1 Immersion in cleaning solvents (marking) .56
4.17 Fire hazard.56
4.18 Capacitance .56
4.18.1 Object .56
4.18.2 Method .56
4.18.3 Requirement.57
4.18.4 Details to be specified .57
4.19 Illumination.57
4.19.1 Chromaticity .57
4.19.2 Transmittancy.57

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4.19.3 Temperature of illuminated surface.58

4.20 Soldering for surface mounting switches .58

4.20.1 Solderability, solder bath method (surface mounting switches) .58

4.20.2 Solderability, reflow method (surface mounting switches) .59

4.20.3 Solderability, soldering iron method (surface mounting switches) .60

4.20.4 Resistance to soldering heat , solder bath method (surface mounting

switches) .60

4.20.5 Resistance to soldering heat, reflow method (surface mounting

switches) .61

4.20.6 Resistance to soldering heat, soldering iron method (surface

mounting switches).62
4.21 Mechanical strength (surface mounting switches).62
4.21.1 Substrate bending (surface mounting switches) .62
4.21.2 Pull-off and push-off (surface mounting switches).63
4.21.3 Shear (surface mounting switches) .64
4.21.4 Body strength (surface mounting switches).64
Annex A (informative) Quality assurance procedures .66
Bibliography.67

Figure 1 – Contact bounce test circuit.18
Figure 2 – Typical trace of contact bounce.19
Figure 3 – Application of forces and torques for test 4.81.30
Figure 4 – Submersion seal enclosure .55

Table 1 – Minimum wire length .25
Table 2 – Torque values for mounting screws .31
Table 3 – Methods proposed for corrosion tests.46
Table 4 – Solderability, Bath method: Test severities (duration and temperature) .50

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61020-1 © IEC:2009 – 5 –


INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________



ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCHES

FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT –



Part 1: Generic specification





FOREWORD

1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
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in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
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with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
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4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
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between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
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5) IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61020-1 has been prepared by subcommittee 23J: Switches for
appliances, of IEC technical committee 23: Electrical accessories.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 1991. This second
edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition.
a) The requirements of the IEC 60512 series of standards have been integrated in this
second edition of IEC 61020-1. In particular the test methods, terminology, symbols and
other necessary information concerning switches as specified in IEC 60512 have been
implemented in this standard.
b) Additionally, the following items have been updated with respect to the first edition:
– test methods were reviewed for detailed description;

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– the explanation for the test method of the operating force was rewritten in more detail;

– the test voltage for measurement for contact bounce was reviewed;


– the electrical endurance “ON” duration in the duty cycle was harmonized with

IEC 61058;

– the requirements for fire hazards have been deleted;

– testing methods of surface mounting switches based on the Japanese industrial

standard were added.


The text of this standard is based on the following documents:


FDIS Report on voting
23J/325/FDIS 23J/328/RVD

Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in
the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.

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61020-1 © IEC:2009 – 7 –


INTRODUCTION


This generic specification covers the general requirements and test methods for

electromechanical switches with optional quality assurance procedures. It provides the

general requirements and test methods for use in any detail specifications for pushbutton

switches, rotary switches, sensitive switches, toggle switches, and other electromechanical

switches. It also provides guidelines for appropriate quality assurance procedures in Annex A

(informative).


Where it is intended that an electromechanical switch comply with requirements related to

safety, the specific safety requirements are specified in IEC 61058-1.

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– 8 – 61020-1 © IEC:2009


ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCHES

FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT –



Part 1: Generic specification








1 Scope and object


1.1 Scope
This generic specification relates to electromechanical switches intended for use in electrical
and electronic appliances. Switches covered by this specification:
a) are devices which open, close, or change the connection of a circuit by the mechanical
motion of conducting parts (contacts);
b) have a maximum rated voltage of 480 V;
c) have a maximum rated current of 63 A.
This generic specification does not include keyboards and keypads which are intended for use
in information-handling systems. Electromechanical key switches may be included under the
scope of this generic specification.
Switch families shall be described in any detail specifications that will reference this generic
specification.
1.2 Object
The object of this generic specification is to provide consistency in detail specifications for
electromechanical switches by specifying the terminology, symbols, test methods and other
necessary information.
2 General
2.1 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

IEC 60027 (all parts), Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology
IEC 60050-581:2008, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary – Part 581: Electromechanical
components for electronic equipment
IEC 60068-1:1988, Environmental testing – Part 1: General and guidance
Amendment 1 (1992)
IEC 60068-2-6:2007, Environmental testing – Part 2-6: Tests – Test Fc: Vibration (sinusoidal)
IEC 60068-2-1:2007, Environmental testing – Part 2-1: Tests – Test A: Cold
IEC 60068-2-2:2007, Environmental testing – Part 2-2: Tests – Test B: Dry heat

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61020-1 © IEC:2009 – 9 –


IEC 60068-2-10:2005, Environmental testing – Part 2-10: Tests – Test J and guidance: Mould

growth


IEC 60068-2-13:1983, Environmental testing – Part 2-13: Tests – Test M: Low air pressure


IEC 60068-2-14:2009, Environmental testing – Part 2-14: Tests – Test N: Change of

temperature


IEC 60068-2-17:1994, Environmental testing – Part 2-17: Tests – Test Q: Sealing


IEC 60068-2-20:2008, Environmental testing – Part 2-20: Tests – Test T: Test methods for

solderability and resistance to soldering heat of devices with leads
IEC 60068-2-21:2006, Environmental testing – Part 2-21: Tests – Test U: Robustness of
terminations and integral mounting devices
IEC 60068-2-30:2005, Environmental testing – Part 2-30: Tests – Test Db: Damp heat, cyclic
(12+12-hour cycle)
IEC 60068-2-42:2003, Environmental testing – Part 2-42: Tests – Test Kc: Sulphur dioxide
test for contacts and connections
IEC 60068-2-43:2003, Environmental testing – Part 2-43: Tests – Test Kd: Hydrogen sulphide
test for contacts and connections
IEC 60068-2-45:1980, Environmental testing – Part 2-45: Tests – Test XA and guidance:
Immersion in cleaning solvents
Amendment 1 (1993)
IEC 60068-2-49:1983, Environmental testing – Part 2-49: Tests – Guidance to Test Kc:
Sulphur dioxide test for contacts and connections
IEC 60068-2-58:1999, Environmental testing Part 2-58: Tests – Tests Td: Test methods for
solderability, resistance to dissolution of metallization and to soldering heat of surface
mounting devices (SMD)
IEC 60068-2-61:1991, Environmental testing – Part 2-61: Test methods – Test Z/ABDM:
Climatic sequence
IEC 60068-2-68:1994, Environmental testing – Part 2-68: Tests – Test L: Dust and sand

IEC 60068-2-78:2001, Environmental testing – Part 2-78: Tests – Test Cab: Damp heat,
steady state
IEC 60529:1989, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
Amendment 1 (2001)
IEC 60617, Graphical symbols for diagrams
IEC 61058-1:2000, Switches for appliances – Part 1: General requirements
Amendment 1 (2001)
Amendment 2 (2007)
...