Microelectromechanical liquid metal current carrying system, apparatus and method
AssigneeInterScience, Inc.
InventorsAdolfo O. Gutierrez, Steven C. Aceto, James T. Woo, Christopher Cormeau
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Abstract
A microelectromechanical power relay uses mercury, or a similar liquid metal with high surface tension, as a flexible non-degrading contact mechanism. The basic systematic requirements for the micro-relay include large current carrying capacity, high speed, use of control voltages readily available in the given application, and an acceptable hold-off voltage. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the novel configuration of a liquid metal current carrying switching device.
Claims14
A microelectromechanical current carrying system comprising at least one microelectromechanical current carrying apparatus, said at least one microelectromechanical current carrying apparatus comprising:
- a microcavity chamber;
- and
- a liquid metal filling said microcavity chamber;
- wherein
- a voltage differential is applied between said liquid metal at a lower end of said microcavity chamber and said liquid metal at an upper end of said microcavity chamber, thereby causing a current to be carried by said liquid metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.