KEYPAD

NUMERICAL KEYBOARD DESIGN

Description

Numerical keyboard designed, modeled and rendered to improve SolidWorks and KeyShot skills.

Aimed to design a numerical keyboard to compliment existing office and desk setups and offer quality functionality and ergonomics in connection with a custom workstation I am building.

Details

Tools & Processes: 2D sketching / Autodesk Sketchbook / SolidWorks / Adobe Illustrator / KeyShot

Design Considerations

4 main components of this numerical pad explained below.

Keycap

Switch

Mechanical lever that determines key actuation

Touchpoints that the user directly interacts with

Base

Case to hold all components (base plate, switches, caps, electrical components - PCB not included)

Baseplate

Board with cutouts to hold and secure key switches and key stabilizers

Keycaps

Profiles

The most common and aesthetic keycaps used for mechanical keyboards are those with "OEM" and "Cherry" profiles. The profile of the keys vary in height and curvature.

OEM

Mechanical keyboard standard
Angled top
Designed for typists
Form-fitting for fingertips
Widely available

Cherry

Lower profile
Less hand raise
More scarcely available

Contours

Keycaps can have three contours:

Cylindrical

Common among mechanical keyboards
Uninterrupted vertical finger movements
More pronounced side edges

Spherical

Old norm
Retro
Rounded four corners

Flat (none)

Easy to manufacture
Compact
Little key differentiation

Tilt

Both keycap types have standard degree tilts. The sides of the keys are at an 80 degree tilt and the front at a 70 degree tilt.

Design Choice

The OEM profile with cylindrical contour was chosen because this combination is best suited for typing and familiar to most keyboard users.

CAD model of OEM keycap

Underside of keycap with switch attachment and stability ribs

Refined OEM Keycap Renders

CAD model of OEM keycap

Underside of keycap

Switches

Mechanical keyboards can mount a variety of switches that directly affect the user's typing experience. The most popular mechanical keyboard switch is under the brand "Cherry".

Linear & Silent

Complete key depression is smooth and silent

bump

Tactile & Silent

Tactile "bump" to indicate to user key has been pressed

bump

*click*

Tactile & Clicky

Tactile "bump" and audible click when key is depressed

Design Decision

Cherry Brown Switches with Illuminated White LED were chosen to help make numerical entry accurate with the tactile bump during a keystroke.

The LED provides backlit illumination to help the user in a variety of lighting conditions. Orientation of the Cherry switch in the baseplate is obsolete.