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US 5,478,978 AGranted
Electrical switches and sensors which use a non-toxic liquid metal composition
AssigneeCenter for Innovative Technology
InventorsLarry T. Taylor, James Rancourt, Carlos V. Perry, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Liquid gallium or gallium alloy is utilized as the conductive fluid in a switch or sensor housing. In order to prevent wetting of the interior walls of the switch or sensor housing, the liquid gallium or gallium alloy is either free of metal oxides or has only very low quantities of metal oxides.
Claims14
A method for producing an electrical switch or sensor which utilizes gallium, comprising the steps of:
- removing metal oxides from gallium or a gallium alloy;
- dispensing said gallium or gallium alloy into a switch or sensor housing;
- and
- preventing the formation of metal oxides in said gallium or gallium alloy during and after said step of dispensing.
1 more element
An apparatus for making an electrical switch which utilizes gallium, comprising:
- means for dispensing a gallium or gallium alloy into a switch or sensor housing;
- and
- means for preventing formation of oxides of said gallium or gallium alloy wherein said means for preventing includes a means for purging air from a dispensing head connected to said means for dispensing.
A switch or sensor, comprising:
- a hollow housing;
- a liquid metal comprised of a gallium alloy positioned inside an internal volume within said hollow housing, said liquid metal having less than 0.1% metal oxides by weight, said liquid metal being flowable within said internal volume within said hollow housing and not wetting an inside wall of said internal volume of said hollow housing, wherein said liquid metal is a gallium alloy which has a freezing point of less than 0.degree. C.;
- and
- an inert gas positioned inside said internal volume within said hollow housing, said metal and said inert gas completely filling said internal volume within said hollow housing.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.