Longitudinal electromagnetic latching relay
First Claim
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1. An electromagnetic relay, comprising:
- a relay housing containing a switching channel a solid slug adapted to move within the switching channel;
a first contact located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
a second contact located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
a third contact located in the switching channel between the first and second contacts and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
an electrically conducting liquid in wetted contact with the solid slug;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a first position where it is in wetted contact with the first and third contacts; and
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a second position where it is in wetted contact with the second and third contacts, wherein the relay housing comprises;
a circuit substrate layer on which the first, second and third contacts are formed;
a cap layer; and
a switching layer, positioned between the circuit layer and the cap layer, in which the switching channel is formed.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an electrical relay in which a solid slug is moved within a channel and used to make or break an electrical connection. The solid slug is moved by electromagnets. In the preferred embodiment, the slug is wetted by a conducting liquid, such as liquid metal, that also adheres to wettable contact pads within the channel to provide a latching mechanism. The relay is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An electromagnetic relay, comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel a solid slug adapted to move within the switching channel;
a first contact located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
a second contact located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
a third contact located in the switching channel between the first and second contacts and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
an electrically conducting liquid in wetted contact with the solid slug;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a first position where it is in wetted contact with the first and third contacts; and
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a second position where it is in wetted contact with the second and third contacts, wherein the relay housing comprises;
a circuit substrate layer on which the first, second and third contacts are formed;
a cap layer; and
a switching layer, positioned between the circuit layer and the cap layer, in which the switching channel is formed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for switching an electrical circuit between a first contact and a second contact in a electromagnetic relay having solid slug wetted by a conducting liquid, the method comprising:
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if the electrical circuit is to be completed;
energizing a first electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug along a switching channel to a first position where it is in wetted contact with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; and
if the electrical circuit is to be broken;
energizing a second electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug along the switching channel to a second position where it is in wetted contact with the second electrical contact and a third contact, wherein the switching channel is formed in switching layer positioned between a circuit substrate layer on which the first, second and third contacts are formed and a cap layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for switching between a first electrical circuit, between a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and a second electrical circuit, between the second electrical contact and a third electrical contact, in a electromagnetic relay having solid slug wetted by a conducting liquid, the method comprising:
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if the first electrical circuit is to be completed;
energizing a first electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug along a switching channel to a first position where it is in wetted contact with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; and
if the second electrical circuit is to be completed;
energizing a second electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug along the switching channel to a second position where it is in wetted contact with the second electrical contact and the third electrical contact, wherein the switching channel is formed in switching layer positioned between a circuit substrate layer on which the first, second and third contacts are formed and a cap layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification