The Unified Daughterboard Project is an open standard to unify the USB daughterboards used in custom mechanical keyboard projects.
The USB-to-internal-cable daughterboards allows designers to easily implement electrical protection via a tested proven PCB, and allows users to maintain and repair their keyboards in the future via an open-source standard.
The Unified Daughterboard integrates USB Type C connector and the needed circuitry for USB2.0 operation in a small PCB that can be screwed into a keyboard chassis; this allows for greater case design freedom and simplifies the main circuit board.
In its latest versions, the daughterboards of this project feature:
- ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection on the data lines of the USB connector through a specialized chip;
- Overcurrent protection through a PTC fuse;
- Overvoltage protection through a bidirectional TVS diode;
- Shielding noise decoupling capabilities through a ferrite bead;
- Single-path grounding of the metallic chassis to which the daughterboard is attached.
Adittionally, same-letter series (C1, C2, C3, etc.) are backwards compatible, allowing for upgrading daughterboards used in past projects to newer revisions.
Please visit our website for further information such as announcements, detailed information on designing around and implementing the Unified Daughterboard into a project, and production details.
