# US 6,723,932 B2 · Water immersed electrical switch and method for preparation thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,723,932 B2 - Document ID: US6723932B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/239,705 - Filed: 2002-12-30 - Published: 2003-08-07 - Granted: 2004-04-20 - Earliest claimed: 2001-01-22 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Hiroshi Ohki; Haruo Watanabe; Yasuhito Inagaki; Tsutomu Noguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6723932B2 ## CPC - C08L 55/02: ABS [Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene] polymers - H01H 35/42: Switches operated by change of humidity - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - 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 A water-immersed switch which does not conduct electricity in the absence of a dielectric liquid, such as water, and which conducts electricity in the presence of the dielectric liquid. The water-immersed switch includes a modified copolymer containing acrylonitrile and at least one of styrene and/or a conjugated diene, as constituent units, and acidic groups introduced into said modified copolymer, and a plurality of electrically conductive electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water-immersed electrical switch comprising: a modified copolymer containing acrylonitrile and at least one of styrene or a conjugated diene, as constituent units, and acidic groups introduced into said modified copolymer; and a plurality of electrically conductive electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein said copolymer contains 5 to 80 mol % of acrylonitrile units. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein said copolymer contains 20 to 95 mol % of the constituent unit of at least one of the styrene and/or a conjugated diene. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein said copolymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile) resin and NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene) rubber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein said copolymer further contains an inorganic pigment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 5 wherein said inorganic pigment is carbon black or titanium oxide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 5 wherein said inorganic pigment is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 5 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer (dry weight). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the acidic group in said modified copolymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of a sulfo group, —PO(OH)2 and —CH2PO(OH)2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the acidic group in the modified copolymer is a sulfo group. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the acidic group in the modified copolymer is contained in an amount of 5 to 95 mol % based on the total weight of the units in the modified copolymer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the copolymer is crushed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 11 wherein the copolymer is crushed, acid-processed and subsequently dried. ### Claim 13 A water-immersed electrical switch comprising: a modified copolymer; and a plurality of electrically conductive electrodes; said modified copolymer being a used resin into which acidic groups are introduced; said used resin being a modified copolymer containing acrylonitrile and at least one of styrene or a conjugated diene, as constituent units, and acidic groups introduced into said modified copolymer, said used resin having been molded for use in specified application. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein said copolymer contains 5 to 80 mol % of acrylonitrile units. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein said copolymer contains 20 to 95 mol % of the constituent unit of at least one of the styrene or a conjugated diene. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 15 wherein said copolymer further contains an inorganic pigment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 16 wherein said inorganic pigment is carbon black or titanium oxide. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 16 wherein said inorganic pigment is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 5 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer (dry weight). ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein said copolymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile) resin and NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene) rubber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein the acidic group in said modified copolymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of a sulfo group, —PO(OH)2 and —CH2PO(OH)2. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein the acidic group in the modified copolymer is a sulfo group. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein the acidic group in the modified copolymer is contained in an amount of 5 to 95 mol % based on the total weight of the units in the modified copolymer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 13 wherein the copolymer is crushed. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 23 wherein the copolymer is crushed, acid-processed and subsequently dried. ### Claim 25 A method for producing a water-immersed switch comprising combining a modified copolymer containing acrylonitrile and at least one of styrene or a conjugated diene, as constituent units, and acidic groups introduced into said modified copolymer; and a plurality of electrically conductive electrodes. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said copolymer contains 5 to 80 mol % of acrylonitrile units. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said copolymer contains 20 to 95 mol % of the constituent unit of at least one of the styrene and/or a conjugated diene. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said copolymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile) resin and NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene) rubber. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said copolymer further contains an inorganic pigment. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 29 wherein said inorganic pigment is carbon black or titanium oxide. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 29 wherein said inorganic pigment is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 5 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer (dry weight). ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 29 wherein said copolymer is crushed small-sized pieces 3.5 mesh or less in size. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said acidic group in said modified copolymer has been introduced into the copolymer using at least one inorganic acid selected from the group consisting of concentrated sulfuric acid, sulfuric anhydride, fuming sulfuric acid, chlorosulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, phosphorus chloride and phosphorus oxide. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said acidic group in said modified copolymer has been introduced into the copolymer using concentrated sulfuric acid with the concentration not lower than 70 wt %. ### Claim 35 (depends on 25) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 25 wherein said acidic group in said modified copolymer has been introduced into the copolymer by sequentially adding concentrated sulfuric acid or chlorosulfonic acid and sulfuric anhydride or fuming sulfuric acid. ### Claim 36 A method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch comprising combining a modified copolymer; and a plurality of electrically conductive electrodes; said modified copolymer being a used resin into which acidic groups are introduced; said used resin being a modified copolymer containing acrylonitrile and at least one of styrene or a conjugated diene, as constituent units, and acidic groups introduced into said modified copolymer, said used resin having been molded for use in specified application. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said copolymer contains 5 to 80 mol % of acrylonitrile units. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said copolymer contains 20 to 95 mol % of the constituent unit of at least one of the styrene or a conjugated diene. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said copolymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile) resin and NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene) rubber. ### Claim 40 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said copolymer further contains an inorganic pigment. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 40 wherein said inorganic pigment is carbon black or titanium oxide. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 40 wherein said inorganic pigment is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 5 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer (dry weight). ### Claim 43 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said acidic group in said modified copolymer has been introduced into the copolymer using at least one inorganic acid selected from the group consisting of concentrated sulfuric acid, sulfuric anhydride, fuming sulfuric acid, chlorosulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, phosphorus chloride and phosphorus oxide. ### Claim 44 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said acidic group in said modified copolymer has been introduced into the copolymer using concentrated sulfuric acid with the concentration not lower than 70 wt %. ### Claim 45 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said acidic group in said modified copolymer has been introduced into the copolymer by sequentially adding concentrated sulfuric acid or chlorosulfonic acid and sulfuric anhydride or fuming sulfuric acid. ### Claim 46 (depends on 36) The method for producing a water-immersed electrical switch according to claim 36 wherein said copolymer is crushed small-sized pieces 3.5 mesh or less in size.