Patent ID: 8182104

Claim:
A capacitive proximity and/or touch switch, comprising: an at least partially translucent, electrically insulating cover plate, said cover plate having a front face; a carrier plate disposed a spacing distance from said cover plate; an electrically conductive body bridging said distance between said cover plate and said carrier plate, said electrically conductive body having a reflector region; said electrically conductive body having a sensor surface at an end facing said cover plate, said sensor surface being connected to an evaluation circuit by way of said electrically conductive body; a light source associated with said sensor surface, said light source outputting light implementing an optical display in an operating region on said front face of said cover plate defined by said sensor surface; said light source being disposed at an offset from the operating region and being disposed to emit and radiate light along said carrier plate and/or said cover plate; and wherein said reflector region of said electrically conductive body is configured to deflect light radiated in laterally from said light source in a direction toward said operating region.