Ceramic channel plate for a switch

• US 20040112728A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wong, Marvin Glenn, Carson, Paul Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,855,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/182
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0073 Solutions for avoiding the use of expensive silicon technologies in micromechanical switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2029/008 using micromechanics, e.g. micromechanical liquid contact switches or [LIMMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/28 with level of surface of contact liquid displaced by fluid pressure

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a channel plate for a fluid-based switch. The channel plate is produced by 1) forming a plurality of channel plate layers in ceramic green sheet, 2) forming at least one channel plate feature in at least one of the channel plate layers, and 3) laminating the channel plate layers to form the channel plate. Switches using ceramic channel plates, and a method for making a switch with a ceramic channel plate, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A channel plate for a fluid-based switch, produced by:

a) forming a plurality of channel plate layers in ceramic green sheet;

b) forming at least one channel plate feature in at least one of the channel plate layers; and

c) laminating the channel plate layers to form the channel plate.

2. The channel plate of claim 1, wherein at least one of the channel plate features is punched from a channel plate layer, prior to lamination of the channel plate layers.

3. The channel plate of claim 1, wherein at least one of the channel plate features is laser cut into a channel plate layer, prior to lamination of the channel plate layers.

4. The channel plate of claim 1, wherein larger channel plate features are punched from one or more of the channel plate layers, and wherein smaller channel plate features are laser cut into one or more of the channel plate layers.

5. The channel plate of claim 4, wherein the larger channel plate features are defined by widths of about 200 microns or greater, and wherein the smaller channel plate features are defined by widths of about 200 microns or smaller.

6. The channel plate of claim 1, wherein the channel plate features comprise a switching fluid channel, an actuating fluid channel, and a channel that connects the switching and actuating fluid channels.

7. The channel plate of claim 6, wherein the switching and actuating fluid channels are punched from one or more of the channel plate layers, and wherein the channel that connects the switching and actuating fluid channels is laser cut into one or more of the channel plate layers.

8. The channel plate of claim 1, wherein:

a) a first channel plate layer serving as a base is laminated to a second channel plate layer;

the second channel plate having a switching fluid channel formed therein; and

b) the second channel plate layer is laminated to a third channel plate layer;

the third channel plate layer having a switching fluid channel, an actuating fluid channel, and a channel that connects the switching and actuating fluid channels formed therein.

9. A switch, comprising:

a) a ceramic channel plate defining at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first cavity of which is defined by a first channel formed in the ceramic channel plate;

b) a plurality of electrodes exposed within one or more of the cavities;

c) a switching fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and close at least a pair of the plurality of electrodes in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid; and

d) an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to apply said forces to the switching fluid.

10. The switch of claim 9, wherein the ceramic channel plate comprises a plurality of laminated channel plate layers.

11. The switch of claim 10, wherein the first channel defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the switching fluid, and wherein the first channel is punched from one or more of the channel plate layers.

12. The switch of claim 11, wherein:

a) a second channel formed in the ceramic channel plate defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the actuating fluid, and wherein the second channel is punched from one or more of the channel plate layers; and

b) a third channel formed in the ceramic channel plate defines at least a portion of one or more cavities that connect the cavities holding the switching and actuating fluids, and wherein the third channel is laser cut into one or more of the channel plate layers.

13. The switch of claim 9, wherein the channels formed in the channel plate comprise a channel that defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the switching fluid, a pair of channels that define at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the actuating fluid, and a pair of channels connecting corresponding ones of the channels that hold the actuating fluid to the channel that holds the switching fluid.

14. A switch, comprising:

a) a ceramic channel plate defining at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first of which is defined by a first channel formed in the ceramic channel plate;

b) a plurality of wettable pads exposed within one or more of the cavities;

c) a switching fluid, wettable to said pads and held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and block light paths through one or more of the cavities in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid; and

d) an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to apply said forces to the switching fluid.

15. The switch of claim 14, wherein the ceramic channel plate comprises a plurality of laminated channel plate layers.

16. The switch of claim 15, wherein the first channel defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the switching fluid, and wherein the first channel is punched from one or more of the channel plate layers.

17. The switch of claim 16, wherein:

a) a second channel formed in the ceramic channel plate defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the actuating fluid, and wherein the second channel is punched from one or more of the channel plate layers; and

b) a third channel formed in the ceramic channel plate defines at least a portion of one or more cavities that connect the cavities holding the switching and actuating fluids, and wherein the third channel is laser cut into one or more of the channel plate layers.

18. The switch of claim 14, wherein the channels formed in the channel plate comprise a channel that defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the switching fluid, a pair of channels that define at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the actuating fluid, and a pair of channels connecting corresponding ones of the channels that hold the actuating fluid to the channel that holds the switching fluid.

19. A switch, comprising:

a) a ceramic channel plate defining at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first cavity of which is defined by a first channel formed in the ceramic channel plate;

b) a switching fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that is movable between at least first and second switch states in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid.

20. The switch of claim 19, wherein the ceramic channel plate comprises a plurality of laminated channel plate layers.

21. The switch of claim 20, wherein the first channel defines at least a portion of the one or more cavities that hold the switching fluid, and wherein the first channel is punched from one or more of the channel plate layers.

22. The switch of claim 21, wherein a second channel formed in the ceramic channel plate defines at least a portion of a cavity from which the forces are applied to the switching fluid.

23. A method for making a switch, comprising:

a) forming a plurality of channel plate layers in ceramic green sheet;

b) forming at least one channel plate feature in at least one of the channel plate layers;

c) laminating the channel plate layers to form a channel plate; and

d) aligning the at least one feature formed in the channel plate with at least one feature on a substrate and sealing at least a switching fluid between the channel plate and the substrate.