Patent ID: 8393408

Claim:
A power tool comprising a housing; a motor received within said housing for driving a tool; at least two switch assemblies, each of said switch assemblies being configured as an optical control device for controlling activation of said motor, wherein each of said switch assemblies comprises: a light source; at least two optical waveguides, at least a first one of which being configured as a transmitting waveguide being coupled to said light source and cooperating with a second one of said optical waveguides, said second optical waveguide being configured as a receiving waveguide; a control element being movable between at least two positions for controlling light input from said transmitting waveguide into said receiving waveguide; and an evaluation circuitry coupled to said receiving waveguide for evaluating the light received by said receiving waveguide; wherein said control element is covered by an elastic touch pad which is integrated into said housing; and wherein said optical waveguides are located at least partially on an outer side of the housing, or in recesses formed within the housing.