Patent ID: 7250708

Claim:
Electric switch with optical feedback of a switching operation, comprising a cover plate 1 defining front and rear sides and at least one cutout therein defining a predetermined shape representing a desired symbol or icon; at least one switching element ( 18 ) spaced from said rear side of said cover plate, which can generate a switching signal when actuated, an actuation element within a space between said rear side and said switching element and itself being a passive luminous body ( 9 ) of an at least translucent material and having at least a portion having a configuration that substantially corresponds to said predetermined shape so that it can at least partially penetrate said cutout proximate to said rear side and be accessible to touch and visible through said cutout from said front side of said cover plate; and active illuminating means actuable by application of contact of said actuation element through said cutout, said passive luminous body ( 9 ) being illuminatable via said active illuminating means ( 15 ) to cause only said portion of said actuation element to be illuminated and visible through said cutout when observed from said front side of said cover plate.