Swap between 2 laser diodes via 1 momentary switch

Thread Starter

CobraSteve

Joined Feb 10, 2022
17
Hi all, very new here.

I want to swap between 2 laser pointers 3.5v each, via one tact button. Im fine with soldering tiny components but its the understanding of circuits and how they work that i struggle with.
Im not very litterate with electronic systems, been looking for ages, bought various flip flop tiny boards from aliexpress. 13mm is one dimension it HAS to be as it needs to fit in a 13mm tube.

if someone could please tell me what Id need, 555, or other, ready made switching circuit or what would I need to put where to make this work. Wiring diag…? Put 2 systems together….. Cant be that complicated surely? Dont have room for any Raspberries, pies or arduinos…
Low in and high out terminology completely confuse me as I said, Ive tried to read and understand but thats sadly all foreign to me. I thought there would be a simple A-on-/-B-on latching circuit ready made!?

thanks in advance
Steve
 

Thread Starter

CobraSteve

Joined Feb 10, 2022
17
Hi, thanks for the reply. It has to be via tactile non latching push button. Either A or B to be on. (Off) is a bonus (on-off-on) but via tac switch hence the need for something extra.
 

Thread Starter

CobraSteve

Joined Feb 10, 2022
17
Thanks for the reply mr chips.

unfortunately half of that digram is lost on me. Like I said, im schematically illiterate. The Q/ goes to D.. is that the Diode? Whats 14, 4,6 &7?
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,708
The flip-flop circuit was taken straight off the internet.
I patched it a bit.

Pin-4 is reset
pin-6 is set
pin-7 is GND
pin-14 is +V power

The second half of CD4013 is not used.
Connect pins 8, 9, 10, 11 to GND.

The two diodes are your A and B laser pointers.
Value of R is selected to limit the current to the lasers if your supply voltage is higher than 3V.
Transistors are 2N3904.
Base resistor is 470-1kΩ.

toggle flip-flop 2.jpg
 

sghioto

Joined Dec 31, 2017
5,378
This might work using the modules in post #8.
After power is turned on press Sw1 to turn Laser 1 on, then use Sw2 to toggle between.
There are a couple other options using the two switches as well.

1644536898899.png
 
Last edited:

ThePanMan

Joined Mar 13, 2020
773
will require some extra circuitry to flip back and forth if using only one switch.
Disagree. Whatever is on D when the clock signal comes in Q will switch to that state. /Q will switch to the opposite state, sending D opposite of Q waiting for the next clock pulse. With each clock pulse D will toggle High then Low then High then Low. Every time the switch is pressed it will toggle once.

BTW: Welcome to AAC CobraSteve
 

Thread Starter

CobraSteve

Joined Feb 10, 2022
17
This might work using the modules in post #8.
After power is turned on press Sw1 to turn Laser 1 on, then use Sw2 to toggle between.
There are a couple other options using the two switches as well.

View attachment 260348
issue is it has to be one button. Even if plugging in power turns on one laser the the button swaps red or green.

mW rating shouldnt be an issue as the switch would flick between each driver board as these are out of pointers that use 2 aaa cells.
 

Thread Starter

CobraSteve

Joined Feb 10, 2022
17
Disagree. Whatever is on D when the clock signal comes in Q will switch to that state. /Q will switch to the opposite state, sending D opposite of Q waiting for the next clock pulse. With each clock pulse D will toggle High then Low then High then Low. Every time the switch is pressed it will toggle once.

BTW: Welcome to AAC CobraSteve
lost me on clock signal…..
Any chance of explaining that to a 10 year old? , thats my understanding on the terminology. Sorry.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,069
I think This kind of looks like what i may need. Thanks for detailing part numbers. So much easier to understand for a real novice. What are the black down arrows though?
Those are the connection to the common 0V point, the negative terminal of the supply. Sometimes erroneously called "ground". They are just all connected, one way or another, to the negative of the power supply.

This is the same thing with lines added:

1644571896210.png
 
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