Caliper Toggle Switch Mod

thingiverse

I own an affordable pair of digital calipers that have been plagued by a faulty power button for some time now. To conserve battery life, I would often remove the battery when not in use, which led to me misplacing the battery cover on several occasions. I've managed to put up with taping it down for quite a while, but I finally found a fix! This innovative design creates a mechanical toggle switch and new battery cover for my calipers without requiring any electronics. Simply print it out, insert it, and you're good to go. The mechanism works by blocking the battery's contact with the contact tab. A rocker switch mounted on a corner moves back and forth when pressed, causing a thin piece of plastic to slide between the battery and contact tab. While the cover isn't perfect due to the calipers' inability to measure themselves accurately, I've made some adjustments using stickers to fine-tune the battery's position. Although it needs further refinement, I'm happy with how it works now, so I won't be bothering to improve it. The tactile feedback from the switch is quite pleasing. In fact, I find that zeroing the calipers with a quick flick back and forth is more satisfying than pressing the original button.