Method and structure for a slug pusher-mode piezoelectrically actuated liquid metal switch
First Claim
1. A structure for an electrical switch, comprising:
- a chamber housed within a solid material, said chamber filled with an actuator liquid;
a plurality of switch contacts within the chamber, wherein the plurality of switch contacts are coupled to the solid material;
a plurality of liquid metal globules, coupled to the plurality of switch contacts and coupled to the chamber;
a slug, coupled to one or more of the plurality of liquid metal globules and coupled to one or more of the plurality of switch contacts; and
a plurality of piezoelectric elements coupled to a plurality of membranes, said plurality of membranes coupled to the chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and structure for an electrical switch. According to the structure of the present invention, a liquid-filled chamber is housed within a solid material. A plurality of switch contacts within the liquid-filled chamber are coupled to the solid material, while a plurality of piezoelectric elements are coupled to a plurality of membranes. The plurality of membranes are coupled to the liquid-filled chamber. The plurality of switch contacts are coupled to a plurality of liquid metal globules, and a slug is coupled to two of the plurality of switch contacts and further coupled to the plurality of liquid metal globules. According to the method, a piezoelectric element is actuated, causing a membrane element to be deflected. The deflection of the membrane element increases pressure of actuator liquid and the increase in pressure of the actuator liquid breaks a slug connection between a first switch contact and a second switch contact and causes the slug to establish a liquid metal connection between a third contact and a fourth contact of the plurality of switch contacts.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A structure for an electrical switch, comprising:
-
a chamber housed within a solid material, said chamber filled with an actuator liquid;
a plurality of switch contacts within the chamber, wherein the plurality of switch contacts are coupled to the solid material;
a plurality of liquid metal globules, coupled to the plurality of switch contacts and coupled to the chamber;
a slug, coupled to one or more of the plurality of liquid metal globules and coupled to one or more of the plurality of switch contacts; and
a plurality of piezoelectric elements coupled to a plurality of membranes, said plurality of membranes coupled to the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A structure for an electrical switch, comprising:
-
a piezoelectric substrate layer;
an actuator fluid reservoir layer coupled to the piezoelectric substrate layer, said actuator fluid reservoir layer further comprising one or more piezoelectrically actuated pusher elements;
a membrane layer coupled to the actuator fluid reservoir layer, said membrane layer comprising one or more membranes coupled to the one or more piezoelectrically actuated pusher elements;
a liquid metal channel layer coupled to the membrane layer;
a circuit substrate layer coupled to the liquid metal channel layer; and
an actuator liquid-filled chamber housed within the liquid metal channel layer, wherein the actuator liquid-filled chamber comprises one or more globules of liquid metal coupled to one or more switch contacts, a slug coupled to one or more of the one or more globules of liquid metal and coupled to one or more of the one or more switch contacts, wherein said actuator liquid-filled chamber is coupled to the one or more membranes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method for electrical switching of one or more electrical signals using a liquid metal switch, comprising:
-
actuating a piezoelectric element;
deflecting a membrane element by the actuation of the piezoelectric element;
increasing a pressure of actuator liquid by the deflection of the membrane element; and
the increase in pressure of the actuator liquid breaking a liquid metal connection between a first switch contact and a second switch contact of a plurality of switch contacts and moving a slug previously coupled to the first switch contact and coupled to the second switch contact so that the slug is coupled to a third switch contact and a fourth switch contact of a plurality of switch contacts. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification