Patent ID: 7501722
Filing Date: 2009-03-10
Classification: G09F,H01H

Abstract:
1. A switch device comprising: a contact switch to perform electrical switching; an operation axis attached to said contact switch such that rotation of said operation axis causes said contact switch to perform electrical switching; a substantially disk-shaped operator attached to said operation axis such that rotation of said disk-shaped operator causes rotation of said operation axis, said substantially disk-shaped operator having a viewing portion; light emitting elements arranged to illuminate said disk-shaped operator from below; and a substantially ring-shaped indicator, which does not rotate upon rotation of said substantially disk-shaped operator, having indications and being disposed between said light emitting elements and said viewing portion of said substantially disk-shaped operator, said substantially ring-shaped indicator including a right-hand side and a left-hand side; wherein said viewing portion of said substantially disk-shaped operator is translucent and dark colored; wherein said indications of said substantially ring-shaped indicator are translucent and other areas of said substantially ring-shaped indicator other than said indications are opaque; wherein said indications are made difficult to identify through said viewing portion from above with no illumination of said light emitting elements; wherein said indications are identified through said viewing portion only when said light emitting elements are turned on for illumination; and wherein said light-emitting elements are operably connected with said substantially disk-shaped operator such that, upon rotation of said substantially disk-shaped operator in one of a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction, said light emitting elements are turned on beneath said right-hand side of said substantially ring-shaped indicator and turned off beneath said left-hand side of said substantially ring-shaped indicator and, upon rotation of said substantially disk-shaped operator in the other of the clockwise direction and the counter-clockwise direction, said light emitting elements are turned on beneath said left-hand side of said substantially ring-shaped indicator and turned off beneath said right-hand side of said substantially ring-shaped indicator.