Patent ID: 7488909

Claim:
A lighted switch apparatus comprising: a casing having an upper surface with an opening formed therein, and a shielding portion formed around the opening; an operating knob configured to permit light to pass therethrough that is slidingly movable and has at least a pair of indicators; and a light source that is disposed more inside the casing than the opening of the casing; the operating knob further including: a shaft portion composed of a light-guiding member configured to permit light to pass therethrough, the light-guiding member having one end configured to be receive within the opening of the casing and positioned in the casing, the one end configured to face the light source, a knob light guiding part having first reflecting portions that are provided below the indicators and configured to reflect light from another end of the shaft portion positioned outside of the casing to the indicators, wherein the one end of the shaft portion is positioned more inside the casing than the opening of the casing and the another end of the shaft portion is positioned more outside the casing than the opening of the casing, second reflecting portions that reflect and lead the light from the other end of the shaft portion to the knob light guiding part, wherein the knob light guiding part, the second reflecting portions, and the indicators are disposed more outside the casing than the opening of the casing; and wherein light emitted from the light source passes through the shaft portion and is directed to the knob light guiding part by the second reflecting portions, and then is directed to the indicators by the first reflecting portions of the light guiding part.