Patent ID: 8698069
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: G02B,H01H

Abstract:
1. A switch, comprising: a displacement member to be displaced in accordance with a load of force from an exterior; a signal output means for outputting a signal in accordance with a position of the displacement member; a light emitting element for emitting light from a light emitting surface; and a light receiving element having a light receiving surface facing the light emitting surface, the light receiving element for outputting a characteristic amount indicating an amount of the light incident on the light receiving surface, wherein, the displacement member is disposed between the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface, and placed at a reference position when there is no load of the force from the exterior, an opening through which the light passes is formed in the displacement member in such a manner that the amount of the light incident on the light receiving surface among the light emitted from the light emitting surface is changed in accordance with displacement of the displacement member, the switch further comprises: a setting processing means for setting the characteristic amount outputted from the light receiving element as a threshold value when a setting instruction is inputted in a state where the displacement member is displaced to a designated position; and a position detection means for performing detection processing of detecting whether or not the displacement member is placed at a closer position to the reference position than to the designated position by comparing the threshold value set by the setting processing means and the characteristic amount outputted from the light receiving element, and the signal output means outputs the signal based on a result of the detection processing performed by the position detection means.