Patent ID: 8854163

Claim:
An operating element for a regulating and/or switching functionality having at least two switching or regulating stages, comprising: an actuating part which can be actuated manually and thereby moved out of a rest position; and at least three permanent magnets, comprising: a first movable permanent magnet, which is driven synchronously over a range of movement by the actuating part; a second movable permanent magnet, which, in a first partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet, is synchronously entrained by the first permanent magnet through magnetic force, and whose further movement is inhibited in at least one second partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet by at least one stop; and a third permanent magnet, which is stationary relative to the actuating part, for generating a magnetic return force on the at least first permanent magnet, wherein when the actuating part is in the rest position, unlike poles of the first permanent magnet, the second permanent magnet, and the third permanent magnet are positioned opposite one another, respectively.