Switch

• US 6,891,454 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kunihiko, Shimizu, Norisato, Nakanishi, Yoshito, Naito, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rojas, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US10/625,154
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 335/78, 200/181
• US Class Current: 335/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/127 Strip line switches

Abstract

A switch for switching over a propagation path of external signal by contacting or non-contacting a movable member to or from an electrode. The switch comprises an input port for inputting an external signal, a movable member connected to the input port, a first electrode for propagating the external signal, a first control power supply connected to the first electrode and for generating a control signal, a second electrode for blocking the external signal, and a second control power supply connected to the second electrode and for generating a control signal. The first control power supply provides a control signal to the first electrode. The movable member is displaced by a driving force generated based on a potential difference between the movable member and first electrode and a potential difference between the movable member and second electrode, thereby being contacted to the first or second electrode.

Claims

1. A switch for switching over a signal propagation path by contacting or non-contacting a movable member to or from an electrode, the switch comprising:

an input port for inputting a signal;

a movable member connected to the input port;

a first electrode for propagating the signal;

a first control power supply connected to the first electrode and for generating a first control signal;

a second electrode for blocking off the signal; and

a second control power supply connected to the second electrode and for generating a second control signal;

the first control power supply provides said first control signal to the first electrode, the movable member being displaced by a driving force generated based on a potential difference between the movable member and first electrode and a potential difference between the movable member and the second electrode, thereby being contacted to the first or second electrode,

the movable member is vibrated in a state contacted on the first electrode or the second electrode,

the first or second control signal is controlled to apply to the movable member a force in one direction corresponding to a magnitude of an overshot that the movable member displaces beyond a predetermined position.

4. A switch according to claim 1, wherein the first or second control signal is provided such that a force in a direction opposite to a direction of an overshoot and corresponding to a magnitude of the overshoot is alternately applied to the movable member at all times.

5. A switch according to claim 4, wherein the force in a direction opposite to a direction of an overshoot and corresponding a magnitude of the overshoot is asymmetric with respect to a direction.

6. A switch according to claim 1, wherein the first and second control signal from the first and second control power supply, respectively, apply to the movable member a force in a pulse form in a time shorter than a response time of the movable member.

7. A switch according to claim 1, wherein the movable member and the electrode has a contact interface in a waveform or rectangular form.

10. A switch according to claim 4, wherein the movable member and the electrode has a contact interface in a waveform or rectangular form.

11. A switch according to claim 5, wherein the movable member and the electrode has a contact interface in a waveform or rectangular form.

2. A switch for switching over a signal propagation path by contacting or non-contacting a movable member to or from an electrode, the switch comprising:

an input port for inputting a signal;

a movable member connected to the input port;

a first electrode for propagating the signal;

a first control power supply connected to the first electrode and for generating a first control signal;

a second electrode for blocking off the signal; and

a second control power supply connected to the second electrode and for generating a second control signal;

the first control power supply provides said first control signal to the first electrode, the movable member being displaced by a driving force generated based on a potential difference between the movable member and first electrode and a potential difference between the movable member and the second electrode, thereby being contacted to the first or second electrode,

the first and second control signal from the first and second control power supply, respectively, apply to the movable member a force in a pulse form in a time shorter than a response time of the movable member,

the pulse-formed force has an application time that is a half in length of an application time of a pulse-formed force causing the movable member to overshoot to a position at which is to occur pull-in for the movable member to be abruptly contacted to the electrode, under an optimal condition of a magnitude of an overshoot of the movable member and the response time.

3. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the optimal condition is that the overshoot is in a magnitude of substantially 0.1 μ

m or smaller and the response time is substantially 20 μ

s or shorter.

8. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the movable member and the electrode has a contact interface in a waveform or rectangular form.

9. A switch according to claim 3, wherein the movable member and the electrode has a contact interface in a waveform or rectangular form.