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US 7,022,926 B2Granted
Ultrasonically milled channel plate for a switch
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorMarvin Glenn Wong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a switch having a channel plate and a switching fluid. The channel plate defines at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first cavity of which is defined by an ultrasonically milled channel in the channel plate. The switching fluid is held within one or more of the cavities, and is movable between at least first and second switch states in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid. Alternate switch embodiments, and a method for making a switch, are also disclosed.
Claims15
A switch, comprising:
- a) a channel plate defining at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first cavity of which is defined by an ultrasonically milled channel in the channel plate;
- b) a plurality of electrodes exposed within one or more of the cavities;
- c) a switching fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and close at least a pair of the plurality of electrodes in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid;
- and
- d) an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to apply said forces to the switching fluid.
2 more elements
A switch, comprising:
- a) a channel plate defining at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first cavity of which is defined by an ultrasonically milled channel in the channel plate;
- b) a plurality of wettable pads exposed within one or more of the cavities;
- c) a switching fluid, wettable to said pads and held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and block light paths through one or more of the cavities in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid;
- and
- d) an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to apply said forces to the switching fluid.
2 more elements
A switch, comprising:
- a) a channel plate defining at least a portion of a number of cavities, a first cavity of which is defined by an ultrasonically milled channel in the channel plate;
- b) a switching fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that is movable between at least first and second switch states in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.