High-frequency, liquid metal, latching relay with face contact
First Claim
1. An electrical relay, comprising:
- a first electrical contact, having a wettable surface;
a first signal conductor, electrically coupled to the first electrical contact;
a first conducting liquid droplet in wetted contact with the first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact, spaced from and aligned with the first electrical contact and having a wettable surface facing the wettable surface of the first electrical contact;
a second signal conductor, electrically coupled to the second electrical contact;
a second conducting liquid droplet in wetted contact with the second electrical contact;
a ground shield, encircling the first and second electrical contacts and the first and second signal conductors; and
a first actuator in a rest position, coupled to the first electrical contact and operable to move the first electrical contact towards the second electrical contact, to cause the first and second conducting liquid droplets to coalesce and complete an electrical circuit between the first and second electrical contacts, and away from the second electrical contact, to cause the first and second conducting liquid droplets to separate and break the electrical circuit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical relay using conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. The relay is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques. In the relay, two electrical contacts are held a small distance apart. The facing surfaces of the contacts each support a droplet of a conducting liquid, such as a liquid metal. An actuator is energized to reduce the gap between the electrical contacts, causing the two liquid metal droplets to coalesce and form an electrical circuit. The actuator is then de-energized and the electrical contacts return to their starting positions. The liquid metal droplets remain coalesced because of surface tension. The electrical circuit is broken by energizing an actuator to increase the gap between the electrical contacts and break the surface tension bond between the liquid metal droplets. The droplets remain separated when the piezoelectric actuator is de-energized because there is insufficient liquid metal to bridge the gap between the contacts. Additional conductors are included in the assembly to provide a coaxial structure and allow for high frequency switching.
89 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electrical relay, comprising:
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a first electrical contact, having a wettable surface;
a first signal conductor, electrically coupled to the first electrical contact;
a first conducting liquid droplet in wetted contact with the first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact, spaced from and aligned with the first electrical contact and having a wettable surface facing the wettable surface of the first electrical contact;
a second signal conductor, electrically coupled to the second electrical contact;
a second conducting liquid droplet in wetted contact with the second electrical contact;
a ground shield, encircling the first and second electrical contacts and the first and second signal conductors; and
a first actuator in a rest position, coupled to the first electrical contact and operable to move the first electrical contact towards the second electrical contact, to cause the first and second conducting liquid droplets to coalesce and complete an electrical circuit between the first and second electrical contacts, and away from the second electrical contact, to cause the first and second conducting liquid droplets to separate and break the electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electrical relay, comprising:
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a ground shield comprising an electrically conducting hollow tube having a first end and a second end;
a first dielectric layer lining the first end of the hollow tube;
a first signal conductor located in the first end of the hollow tube and electrically isolated from the hollow tube by the first dielectric layer;
a first electrical contact, electrically coupled to the first signal conductor;
a second dielectric layer lining the second end of the hollow tube;
a second signal conductor located in the second end of the hollow tube and electrically isolated from the hollow tube by the second dielectric layer;
a second electrical contact, electrically coupled to the second signal conductor;
a first conducting liquid volume in wetted contact with the first electrical contact; and
a second conducting liquid volume in wetted contact with the second electrical contact;
a first actuator within the hollow tube coupled to the first signal conductor at one end and supporting the first electrical contact at the other end and operable to move the first electrical contact towards the second electrical contact, thereby causing the first and second conducting liquid droplets to coalesce and complete an electrical circuit between the first and second electrical contacts; and
a second actuator within the hollow tube coupled to the second signal conductor at one end and supporting the second electrical contact at the other end and operable to move the second electrical contact away from the first electrical contact, thereby causing the first and second conducting liquid droplets to separate and break the electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification