Sharp EL-8145 Handheld Electronic Calculator
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Object Details
- Sharp Corporation
- Description
- In the second half of the 1970s, taking advantage of the introduction of liquid crystal displays, manufacturers of handheld electronic calculators designed and built ever-thinner products. In this Sharp calculator the usual keys have been replaced by a single thin membrane. This reduces the thickness of the calculator itself to about .3 cm (about 1/8”). Pushing numbers on such a calculator produces no tactile sensation. To give users a sense that they indeed had entered information, the calculator could be set so that a tone sounded whenever a digit or function was entered. Pushing the section of the membrane with a musical note on it (called the sensor key) activated this part of the calculator.
- The credit card-sized calculator has a total of twenty-six “keys.” To the left are ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a % key, four arithmetic function keys, three memory keys, and a total key. Right of these are an off key, an on/clear key, a sensor key, a clear entry key, a STR key for storing a number in the memory, and a COMP key for computing conversions by multiplying the stored value by the value in the display. These last two keys are labeled: STORAGE COMPUTER.
- Behind the key membrane on the left side is the eight-digit LCD display. Text next to it reads: SHARP EL-8145.
- Text on the back of the calculator reads: SHARP (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR U.S. Pats. 390169 & 3976994 (/) EL-8145 No. (/) 86408458. It also reads: SHARP CORPORATION MADE IN JAPAN. The most recent U.S. patent number listed, 3976994, was issued in 1976 and assigned to Sharp.
- The calculator ran on two squat cylindrical silver oxide batteries.
- The instrument fits into a black plastic wallet. A mark on the front of the wallet reads: SHARP (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR. The wallet, in turn, fits into a blue cardboard box. One price tag on the box reads: FRED MEYER (/) $29.95. Another reads: FRED MEYER SALE (/) $19.99.
- Sharp membrane calculators in the collections include 1997.0032.01 (Sharp EL-8152 or EL-8152A), 1987.0435.13 (Sharp EL-8130A) and 1986.0988.316 (Sharp EL-8145).
- References:
- [Advertisement], Washington Post, September 1, 1978. p. C5. “Credit card calculator” advertised as on sale for $34.95.
- [Advertisement], Chicago Tribune, November 12, 1978, p. N4. Price given is $32.95. Comparable (less expensive) credit card-sized calculators mentioned in the ad are the National Semiconductor NS 102 and the Casio LC-78.
- [Advertisemnt], Los Angeles Times, October 20, 1979, p. D7. Price for calculator listed as $25.95.
- [Advertisemnt], Los Angeles Times, February 17, 1980, p. C9. Price of calculator listed as $28.88.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of John B. Priser
- 1978-1980
- ID Number
- 1986.0988.316
- catalog number
- 1986.0988.316
- accession number
- 1986.0988
- Object Name
- electronic calculator
- Physical Description
- plastic (carrying case material)
- metal (case material)
- glass (display material)
- paper (box; stickers material)
- Measurements
- overall: 1/8 in x 3 3/8 in x 2 1/8 in; .3175 cm x 8.5725 cm x 5.3975 cm
- place made
- Japan
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Computers
- Computers & Business Machines
- Handheld Electronic Calculators
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_1363550
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746af-2d23-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
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