One-time electrically-activated switch
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsCharles W. Eichelberger, Robert J. Wojnarowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-time electrically-activated switch is composed of a cured polymeric binder which contains a powdered conductive material in an amount sufficient to establish particle-to-particle contact throughout the binder and in which the material powder particles have a non-conductive oxide surface sufficient to resist the flow of electricity below a given threshold. When a sufficiently high voltage is applied to the switch, the break-down voltage of the oxide layer is exceeded and avalanche current is permitted to flow. As a result, the oxide layer on the conductive particles breaks down along the break-down path and forms an irreversible low-impedance connection.
Claims14
A one-time electrically-activated switch, comprising:
- a polymeric binder containing an agglomeration of particles of a conductive material, essentially all of said particles having a surface normally coated with a layer of an oxide compound of the conductive material, said conductive material being present in an amount sufficient to establish particle-to-particle contact throughout the binder, the oxide surface and the thickness of said binder being sufficient to resist the flow of electricity before a given threshold voltage of between about 8 volts and about 15 volts is applied thereto.
An irreversibly-activated electrical switch comprising:
- a polymeric binder containing an agglomeration of particles of a selected one of aluminum and chromium, essentially all of said particles having a surface normally coated with a layer of a non-conductive compound of the selected one of aluminum and chromium, said particles being present in an amount to establish particle-to-particle contact throughout the binder, the surface non-conductive compound on a portion of said particles being at least partially broken down so as to provide at least one low resistance pathway through said binder.
A method for operating a one-time electrically-activated switch having a polymeric binder containing an agglomeration of particles of a conductive material, the particles having a surface normally coated with a layer of an oxide compound of the conductive material, the conductive material being present in amounts sufficient to establish particle-to-particle contact throughout the binder and with the oxide surface being sufficient to resist the flow of electricity before a given threshold breakdown voltage between about 8 volts and about 15 volts is applied thereto, said method comprising the step of:
- applying a voltage to the switch in excess of the about 8 volt to about 15 volt threshold breakdown voltage thereof.
A method of operating a one-time electrically-activated switch disposed between a pair of conductors, the switch having a polymeric binder containing an agglomeration of particles of a conductive material, the particles having a surface normally coated with a layer of an oxide compound of the conductive material, the conductive material being present in an amount sufficient to establish particle-to-particle contact throughout the binder and with the oxide surface being sufficient to resist the flow of electricity before a given threshold break-down voltage between about 8 volts and about 15 volts is supplied thereto, comprising the step of:
- applying a voltage to the switch in excess of the threshold break-down voltage thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.