[IC] Inverse65 - new(?) take on keyboard case assembly

[keywave]

Hi all - been in the hobby for awhile now and have recently grown interested in trying to create a keyboard idea I have. I'm by no means a designer or engineer and just started messing around in fusion360 so the below images are pretty raw but would love any and all initial feedback on the general idea and design of the board. My plan is to at least have a prototype made for myself and if there's a lot of interest, potentially running a GB (although I know nothing around how to do that but learning is fun).

Idea: Inverse65: A 65% keyboard that is top mount but the entire top case slides down and into the bottom case. Running along the bottom of the top case are gaskets so that when the top case sits inside, it is resting on gaskets. My thinking here is you get the top mount style sound but potentially have a little give overall as the entire top case is resting on gaskets - kind of combing the two mounting styles (this may be pointless or not noticeable but will have to test that via prototype). I love the sound of a top mount, carbon fiber plate but that is obviously very stiff - if that could be sitting in a top case that was resting on gaskets, my thinking is you get the sound of the carbon fiber top mount but a little more flex to the typing feel. In addition, the top case sliding down creates a really unique looking top down profile as well as side profile. A lot of 65% keyboards today have a very standardized look with the only real variation coming from the bottom weight or back (neither of which you see while typing) - so my goal here was to create something unique looking as well. Let me know what you think! Thanks!


UPDATE: Learned how to "render" in Fusion so removed the original pics and included some rendered images. Maybe I need to call this the Rhino65 instead of the Inverse65.

[lampmk]

Interesting concept. My biggest concern is the front height seems really tall / the angle seems pretty flat? However, I really like where you're headed with this idea. GL!

[keywave]

Thanks for the feedback! Agreed, the front height (top of the grey top case to the bottom of the brass color bottom case) is about 31 mm which is definitely WAY too high - need to readjust and get that down closer to 19 mm or so. Attempting to get the typing angle to be 5.5 degrees but will need to be reworked once I make height adjustments. I'll work on lowering the overall and front height though - thanks again, appreciate the help!

[krzank]

Interesting ... any hope for split backspace and split left-shift?

[stewfayew]

Would love to see a prototype 

[keywave]

Interesting ... any hope for split backspace and split left-shift?

That is still way down the line for this project so haven't even thought about PCB options/configs just yet but noted!

[keywave]

Would love to see a prototype 

I'll definitely continue to update this thread as I make progress. Need to rework the height and typing angle and finish up the aesthetics of the side profile but just wanted to start to get some initial feedback on the overall idea. As soon as I get a prototype in hand, I'll post some pics of it here!

[aicyborg]

What inspired the side profile? I apologise if this seems rude but to me it feels as if you modelled random shapes and called it done (for the sides specifically). It doesn't look reminiscent of anything - it's not a graceful, circular swoop, etc. If there is a design motif, it's unclear what it is. The shapes appear random, which whilst not inherently bad, doesn't look good.

The idea of the bottom piece "hugging" the top is novel at the very least, and I think you might be onto something there.

When you next show this, please consider creating proper renders rather than raw CAD screenshots. They give this IC a feeling of being rushed and perhaps even a little lazy, just put out without the time or effort needed.

[keywave]

What inspired the side profile? I apologise if this seems rude but to me it feels as if you modelled random shapes and called it done (for the sides specifically). It doesn't look reminiscent of anything - it's not a graceful, circular swoop, etc. If there is a design motif, it's unclear what it is. The shapes appear random, which whilst not inherently bad, doesn't look good.

The idea of the bottom piece "hugging" the top is novel at the very least, and I think you might be onto something there.

When you next show this, please consider creating proper renders rather than raw CAD screenshots. They give this IC a feeling of being rushed and perhaps even a little lazy, just put out without the time or effort needed.

I assure you it's not due to laziness, I'm on day 4 of learning Fusion so it really comes down to me just not knowing how to do what I envision in the program just yet. The aesthetics are certainly no where near finished so apologies, maybe this doesn't belong in the IC forum but wasn't sure where else to drop it. I was really just looking for feedback on the general idea and to see if anyone had immediate reasons as to why this wouldn't work either from a functionality or manufacturing standpoint that would cause me to stop and rethink.

Appreciate the feedback on the sides - my goal is to definitely have it be more of a sweeping design up to a point and then rounding down the back almost like a wave shape/profile. Glad you think the bottom case hugging the top is a novel idea though - that was another piece of feedback I was looking for, I searched around and didn't really find another board quite like this but wanted to make sure I wasn't copying anyone else's design idea. Thanks!

[dystatic]

Interesting idea, I've always wondered what a keyboard designed to make the most out of case acoustics like a musical instrument would be like and a case design like this would provide enough space within the case for noise to reverberate. Maybe designing a keyboard like this with inspiration from an opera house or symphony hall could be a direction to look at. In terms of the more practical design issues, that front "lip" of the bottom case looks like an actual blade that I would probably cut myself on multiple times during assembly/disassembly if made of metal. Anyway good luck if you plan on bringing this idea to fruition.

[keywave]

Interesting idea, I've always wondered what a keyboard designed to make the most out of case acoustics like a musical instrument would be like and a case design like this would provide enough space within the case for noise to reverberate. Maybe designing a keyboard like this with inspiration from an opera house or symphony hall could be a direction to look at. In terms of the more practical design issues, that front "lip" of the bottom case looks like an actual blade that I would probably cut myself on multiple times during assembly/disassembly if made of metal. Anyway good luck if you plan on bringing this idea to fruition.

Haha very true on the front lip - my goal would be to have it seamlessly fit/connect to the top case once built but you're right, that would create a rather sharp component during the build process. Interesting point on the opera house as well - I'll do a little research into the acoustics of an opera house and see if there's something there. Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it!

[keywave]

What inspired the side profile? I apologise if this seems rude but to me it feels as if you modelled random shapes and called it done (for the sides specifically). It doesn't look reminiscent of anything - it's not a graceful, circular swoop, etc. If there is a design motif, it's unclear what it is. The shapes appear random, which whilst not inherently bad, doesn't look good.

The idea of the bottom piece "hugging" the top is novel at the very least, and I think you might be onto something there.

When you next show this, please consider creating proper renders rather than raw CAD screenshots. They give this IC a feeling of being rushed and perhaps even a little lazy, just put out without the time or effort needed.

Just learned and realized how easy it is to render in Fusion - ha I had no idea. Updated the photos to rendered images!