US 2004/0201319 A1Published application

High frequency push-mode latching relay

AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.

InventorsMarvin Glenn Wong, Arthur Fong

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Abstract

An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of moveable switching contacts is positioned between a pair of fixed electrical contact pads. A surface of each contact supports a droplet of a conducting liquid, such as a liquid metal. An actuator is energized to move the pair of switching contacts, closing the gap between one of the fixed contact pads and one of the switching contacts, thereby causing conducting liquid droplets to coalesce and form an electrical circuit. At the same time, the gap between the other fixed contact pad and the other switching contact is increased, thereby causing conducting liquid droplets to separate and break an electrical circuit. The actuator is then de-energized and the switching contacts return to their starting positions. The volume of liquid metal is chosen so that liquid metal droplets remain coalesced or separated because of surface tension in the liquid. The relay is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electrical relay comprising:

a relay housing containing a switching cavity;
first and second fixed contact pads, each attached to the relay housing in the switching cavity and having a wettable surface;
first and second switching contacts positioned between the first and second fixed contact pads, each of the first and second switching contacts having a wettable surface;
a moveable contact carrier supporting the first and second switching contacts;
a first conducting liquid volume in wetted contact with the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad;
a second conducting liquid volume in wetted contact with the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad;
and
an actuator in a rest position, coupling the contact carrier to the relay housing and operable to move the contact carrier in a first direction, to decrease the distance between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and increase the distance between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad, and a second direction to increase the distance between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and decrease the distance between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad,
wherein:
motion of the contact carrier in the first direction causes the first conducting liquid volume to form a connection between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and causes the second conducting liquid volume to separate into two droplets, thereby breaking a connection between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad;
and
motion of the contact carrier in the second direction causes the first conducting liquid volume to separate into two droplets, thereby breaking the connection between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and causes the second conducting liquid volume to form a connection between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad.

9 more elements

A method for switching between a first electrical circuit, between a first switching contact and a first fixed contact pad, and a second electrical circuit, between a second switching contact and a second fixed contact pad, in a relay, the first and second switching contacts being supported on a contact carrier and positioned between the first and second fixed contact pads, the method comprising:

if the first electrical circuit is to be selected:
energizing an actuator to move the contact carrier in a first direction, thereby moving the first switching contact towards the first fixed to contact pad so that a first conducting liquid volume, supported by at least one of the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad, wets between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and completes the first electrical circuit;
and
if the second electrical circuit is to be selected:
energizing the actuator to move the contact carrier in a second direction, thereby moving the second switching contact towards the second fixed contact pad so that a second conducting liquid volume, supported by at least one of the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad, wets between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad and completes the second electrical circuit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.