Kellogg's Cycle Computers

[Noel[_2_]]

Has anyone got one of these Kellogg's cycle computers to work? Quite
literally giving them away with Cornflakes.

I got it for one of the kids bikes but when my battery finally failed in
my computer today just before a ride I thought I would pop the new Kelloggs
on and see how it performed.

After getting no reading at all I examined it a little more carefully. I
discovered that the electrical contacts on the computer module seem to be
made of rubber! These push against the metal contacts on the handlebar
mount when it is slid into place.

Rubber is not generally accepted as being a great conductor of electricity
so this probably explains why I was struggling to get a reading!

Has anyone else got one? The rubber is not a protective cover and they
must have manufactured quite a few of these.

Cheers
Noel

[Membrane]

Noel > wrote:

>After getting no reading at all I examined it a little more carefully. I
>discovered that the electrical contacts on the computer module seem to be
>made of rubber! These push against the metal contacts on the handlebar
>mount when it is slid into place.
>
>Rubber is not generally accepted as being a great conductor of electricity
>so this probably explains why I was struggling to get a reading!

Materials that look and feel like rubber can be conductive. For example
many computer keyboards use such stuff.

--
Membrane

[Coyoteboy]

Noel wrote:
> Has anyone got one of these Kellogg's cycle computers to work? Quite
> literally giving them away with Cornflakes.
>
> I got it for one of the kids bikes but when my battery finally failed in
> my computer today just before a ride I thought I would pop the new Kelloggs
> on and see how it performed.
>
> After getting no reading at all I examined it a little more carefully. I
> discovered that the electrical contacts on the computer module seem to be
> made of rubber! These push against the metal contacts on the handlebar
> mount when it is slid into place.
>
> Rubber is not generally accepted as being a great conductor of electricity
> so this probably explains why I was struggling to get a reading!
>
> Has anyone else got one? The rubber is not a protective cover and they
> must have manufactured quite a few of these.
>
> Cheers
> Noel

It will be a graphite impregnated rubber, they are used a lot for things
like connecting LCDs to circuit boards without soldering:
https://www.shinpoly.co.jp/business/connector/products_e/ss.html?typezeb

Been about for about a decade but not in "general use" applications.

[PhilO]

On Sep 21, 6:27 pm, Noel > wrote:
>
> Has anyone else got one? The rubber is not a protective cover and they
> must have manufactured quite a few of these.
>
I've just checked the one I fited to my son's bike. Yes, the contacts
look like
rubber, but it works no problems. Must be something else wromg
PhilO

[Rob Morley]

In article >, Noel
says...
> Has anyone got one of these Kellogg's cycle computers to work? Quite
> literally giving them away with Cornflakes.
>
> I got it for one of the kids bikes but when my battery finally failed in
> my computer today just before a ride I thought I would pop the new Kelloggs
> on and see how it performed.
>
> After getting no reading at all I examined it a little more carefully. I
> discovered that the electrical contacts on the computer module seem to be
> made of rubber! These push against the metal contacts on the handlebar
> mount when it is slid into place.
>
> Rubber is not generally accepted as being a great conductor of electricity
> so this probably explains why I was struggling to get a reading!
>
If you've ever taken a TV remote control apart you'll have seen that the
buttons on the back of the keypad that short the contacts on the PCB are
also made of rubber - this is 'magic' rubber and does a reasonable job
of conducting electricity.

[Coyoteboy]

Rob Morley wrote:
> also made of rubber - this is 'magic' rubber and does a reasonable job
> of conducting electricity.
Graphite coated IIRC, prod your finger on it and get the grease on it
and you'll find you cant get channel 5 any more.... apparently.