Side Scroll Wheel

[//gainsborough]

I'm not sure where to post this, but I wanted to post it somewhere before I lose my motivation!

I was talking to LightningXI about knobs on keyboards and he pointed out that for right-handed users, using the traditional placed knob (typically on the right-hand side of a board) means taking your hand off of your mouse and turning.  A knob on the left-hand side of the board is one solution, but that's typically where escape lives, or if the design adds another column to the left of the alpha block, you're extending the length of the board by a little bit.  So then I thought, what about a wheel on the side of the board that is mostly underneath the PCB and protrudes enough to turn it with your left hand?

Something like this:



I am not a designer by any stretch of the imagination but thought it would be cool to see this incorporated in future projects by anyone that wants to use it. 

[mcmaxmcmc]

I think it's a good idea, but in order to have a round wheel where the scroll would be, the bezel between the function row and the main cluster has to be increased quite a bit just to make the wheel fit.  Having a small wheel is a no-go either, in my opinion. 

However, I would like to also propose having a sort of touchscreen there, or a sensor of some sort.  I find it quite intuitive to rub on the side of the keyboard, although using three fingers.  Having something there is definitely something I look forward to, as it can be quite helpful. 

[//gainsborough]

Well, I figure the board just has to be "taller" to accommodate the wheel, since the daughterboard for it would be underneath the PCB - that way the wheel could be of any size as well!

I do think it would be cool to have simple buttons as well on the side - like an up and down arrow of sorts.

[PJE]

I’m designing a similar scroll wheel, using a magnetic rotary sensor IC on the front middle ortho keyboard design, where the two halves are separated by the processor, OLED and scroll wheel.

[//gainsborough]

I’m designing a similar scroll wheel, using a magnetic rotary sensor IC on the front middle ortho keyboard design, where the two halves are separated by the processor, OLED and scroll wheel.

Show Image

oh woah!  That's pretty neat!

[suicidal_orange]

Interesting idea (going back to the OP), only problem is in your drawing the wheel is at the top not under the PCB.  If it was below the PCB it may be too close to the desk to be easily usable.

That shouldn't be a very busy area of PCB though so you could always map the connections then cut a bit out and handwire them, or if the plan is a PCB that supports this design around it.

Or just replace Escacpe with a rotary encoder that can be pushed?

I’m designing a similar scroll wheel, using a magnetic rotary sensor IC on the front middle ortho keyboard design, where the two halves are separated by the processor, OLED and scroll wheel.

This works too, looks to be easily usable with a thumb