Patent ID: 7683748

Claim:
A control element comprising: a shaft; an actuator head, which is positioned on the shaft; LEDs mounted on a circuit board for association with light barriers; a magnetic device connected to the actuator head, the magnetic device including designated magnet and magnetic material, whereby one of designated magnet and the magnetic material is attached to the shaft and at least partially displaced from the other of the designated magnet and the magnetic material by a displacement of the shaft relative to the circuit board when the actuator head is displaced; and a code disc attached to the actuator head to be inclined with the displacement of the actuator head, wherein, when the code disc is inclined, a light flow emitted by one or more of the LEDs toward the associated light barriers is disrupted and/or permitted by the code disc; wherein a pushbutton or contact located on the circuit board is operatively connected to the shaft.