Ceramic channel plate for a switch
First Claim
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1. 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.
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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.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A switch, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A switch, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A switch, comprising:
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a) a ceramic channel plate comprised of a plurality of laminated channel plate layers, the 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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification