Magnetically activated switch having magnetostrictive material
AssigneeLittelfuse, Inc.
InventorBrian Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Switch assemblies and a switching method are disclosed. In some embodiments, a switch assembly may include a first contact element, and a second contact element operable with the first contact element. The first and second contact elements form an open circuit in a first configuration and form a closed circuit in a second configuration. At least one of the first contact element and the second contact element includes a magnetostrictive material. During operation, a magnetic field from a magnet causes the magnetostrictive material to deform or change shape/dimensions, thus causing the first and second contact elements to open or close. In some embodiments, the switch assembly is a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) switch.
Claims15
A switch assembly comprising:
- a first contact element operable with a second contact element to form an open circuit or a closed circuit, at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element including a magnetostrictive element coupled to a bi-metallic strip, the magnetostrictive element operable to bias the first contact element and the second contact element relative to one another to form the open circuit or the closed circuit, wherein the bi-metallic strip comprises a first strip formed of a first metal having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and a second strip coupled to the first strip and formed of a second metal having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion.
A switching method comprising:
- providing a first contact element operable with a second contact element, wherein the first and second contact member form an open circuit in a first configuration and form a closed circuit in a second configuration, and wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element includes a magnetostrictive element coupled to a bi-metallic strip, wherein the bi-metallic strip comprises a first strip formed of a first metal having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and a second strip coupled to the first strip and formed of a second metal having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion;
- and
- biasing the first contact element and the second contact element relative to one another using a magnetic field to change the shape the magnetostrictive element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.