Patent ID: 8610592

Claim:
Proximity switch for detecting objects, comprising: a sleeve-type housing; a transducer unit disposed at a measuring end of the sleeve-type housing, the transducer unit comprising a transducer receptacle and a transducer element disposed therein for detecting a physical measurand; a connecting piece disposed at a connecting end of the sleeve-type housing; an electronic assembly disposed on a printed circuit board accommodated in the sleeve-type housing and having a control and evaluation unit adapted to control the transducer element, to evaluate signals measured by the transducer element, and to emit switching signals to an environment; the connecting piece having a peripheral transparent region which is formed optically homogeneously and is capable of being monochromatically illuminated by light-emitting diodes; wherein variously colored light-emitting diodes are disposed on the printed circuit board at the measuring end and at the connecting end for indicating at least one of operational states and switching states; the transducer receptacle exhibits at least one of a transparent region disposed around a housing axis and a transparent region at an end face, which transparent region is formed optically homogeneously and is capable of being monochromatically illuminated by the light-emitting diodes; and the control and evaluation unit is adapted to control the respective variously colored light-emitting diodes for indicating at least one of different operational states and switching states.