Patent ID: 7777175

Claim:
A touch-sensitive momentary-contact switch, comprising: an infrared-radiation-emitting transmitter; an infrared-radiation-receiving receiver; at least one visible-light-emitting signal element; a single light-guiding element into which said transmitter and said signal element radiate and from which said receiver receives, said light-guiding element having a bottom-side area facing said transmitter, said receiver and said signal element; said light-guiding element having a transmission channel, a reception channel and a top-side area remote from said transmitter and said receiver; said light-guiding element effecting a separation of said transmission channel and said reception channel in said light-guiding element due to optical beam guidance, to produce a superimposition of a region to be irradiated by said transmitter and a region to be detected by said receiver only on a portion of said top-side area; and devices for optical beam guidance for said transmitter, said receiver and said signal element each being formed by a respective round or angular column at said bottom-side area.