# US 2017/0287663 A1 · Use of conducting fluid in printed circuits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0287663 A1 - Document ID: US20170287663A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/086,103 - Filed: 2016-03-31 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Vijay Ekambaram; Manikandan Padmanaban; Sarbajit K. Rakshit - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170287663A1 ## CPC - H05K 1/0272: {Adaptations for fluid transport, e.g. channels, holes} - H01H 29/04: Contacts; Containers for liquid contacts - H01H 2029/008: {using micromechanics, e.g. micromechanical liquid contact switches or [LIMMS]} - H05K 1/0293: {Individual printed conductors which are adapted for modification, e.g. fusable or breakable conductors, printed switches} - H05K 2201/10053: Switch - H05K 2203/128: Molten metals, e.g. casting thereof, or melting by heating and excluding molten solder - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract An apparatus for toggling circuits includes a plurality of parallel channels each having a first end and a second end, a plurality of ports transverse to the plurality of parallel channels, wherein each port has a plurality of valves corresponding to the plurality of parallel channels, wherein each valve selectively opens and closes in response to an input and wherein opening a valve fills a portion of a port with a conducting fluid. The apparatus also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the input of each valve and configured to complete an electric circuit between the first end of the parallel channel and the port corresponding to the valve when the controller opens the valve. A method executed by a computer and a corresponding computer program product are also disclosed herein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for toggling circuits, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of parallel channels each having a first end and a second end; a plurality of ports transverse to the plurality of parallel channels, wherein each port has a plurality of valves corresponding to the plurality of parallel channels, wherein each valve selectively opens and closes in response to an input and wherein opening a valve fills a portion of a port with a conducting fluid; and a controller communicatively coupled to the input of each valve and configured to complete an electric circuit between the first end of the parallel channel and the port corresponding to the valve when the controller opens the valve. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conducting fluid is selected from the group consisting of mercury, gallium, a combination of mercury and gallium, and conductive ink. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric circuit is broken when the conducting fluid is removed from the valve corresponding to the port and the valve is closed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the conducting fluid is removed from the valve by applying a negative pressure to the conducting fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parallel channels directly corresponds to a redundancy factor for control of the electric circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein upon failure of one or more parallel channels of the plurality of parallel channels, the electric circuit is selectively completable via any remaining parallel channel that has not failed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each valve of the plurality of valves comprises one of an electromagnetic microvalve, a mechanical microvalve, an electrostatic microvalve, a thermal microvalve, and piezoelectric microvalve, a thermopneumatic microvalve, and a hydrogel microvalve. ### Claim 8 A method for toggling circuits, the method comprising: receiving instructions to open a valve of a plurality of valves, wherein each valve is associated with a port of a plurality of ports transverse to a plurality of parallel channels having a first end and a second end, wherein each valve selectively opens and closes in response to an input; and opening the valve using a controller communicatively coupled to the input, wherein opening the valve fills a portion of a port with a conducting fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to complete an electric circuit between the first end of the parallel channel and the port corresponding to the valve when the controller opens the valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the conducting fluid is selected from the group consisting of mercury, gallium, a combination of mercury and gallium, and conductive ink. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: breaking the electric circuit in response to removing the conducting fluid is from the valve corresponding to the port and closing the valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the conducting fluid is removed from the valve by applying a negative pressure to the conducting fluid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of parallel channels directly corresponds to a redundancy factor for control of the electric circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein upon failure of one or more parallel channels of the plurality of parallel channels, the electric circuit is selectively completable via any remaining parallel channel that has not failed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein each valve of the plurality of valves comprises one of an electromagnetic microvalve, a mechanical microvalve, an electrostatic microvalve, a thermal microvalve, and piezoelectric microvalve, a thermopneumatic microvalve, and a hydrogel microvalve. ### Claim 15 A computer program product for toggling circuits, the computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage medium and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium, the program instructions comprising instructions for: receiving instructions to open a valve of a plurality of valves, wherein each valve is associated with a port of a plurality of ports transverse to a plurality of parallel channels having a first end and a second end, wherein each valve selectively opens and closes in response to an input; and opening the valve using a controller communicatively coupled to the input, wherein opening the valve fills a portion of a port with a conducting fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to complete an electric circuit between the first end of the parallel channel and the port corresponding to the valve when the controller opens the valve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the conducting is selected from the group consisting of mercury, gallium, a combination of mercury and gallium, and conductive ink. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for: breaking the electric circuit in response to removing the conducting fluid is from the valve corresponding to the port and closing the valve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the conducting fluid is removed from the valve by applying a negative pressure to the conducting fluid. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein upon failure of one or more parallel channels of the plurality of parallel channels, the electric circuit is selectively completable via any remaining parallel channel that has not failed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein each valve of the plurality of valves comprises one of an electromagnetic microvalve, a mechanical microvalve, an electrostatic microvalve, a thermal microvalve, and piezoelectric microvalve, a thermopneumatic microvalve, and a hydrogel microvalve.