Back to results
US 7,990,241 B2Granted
Encapsulated switches employing mercury substitute and methods of manufacture thereof
AssigneeThermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
InventorsMarcos Hernandez, Carl Rosenblatt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Encapsulated switches are disclosed which substitute non-toxic gallium alloy for mercury. In one embodiment, wetting of the interior surfaces of the housing is prevented by coating the surfaces with an electrically insulative inorganic non-metallic material, such as alumina or boron nitrate. According to another embodiment, a perfluorocarbon liquid is employed as the anti-wetting agent.
Claims14
An encapsulated switch, comprising:
- a housing defining an interior volume;
- a pool of a gallium alloy liquid located within the interior volume;
- first and second electrodes located within the interior volume, the pool of gallium alloy liquid establishing or assisting to establish an electrical conduction path between the first and second electrodes when the switch is in an on state;
- and
- a layer of an anti-wetting agent overlying at least a portion of the interior surface of the housing to prevent wetting thereof by the gallium alloy liquid, the anti-wetting agent comprising an electrically insulative inorganic non-metallic material.
2 more elements
An encapsulated switch, comprising:
- a housing defining an interior volume;
- a pool of a gallium alloy liquid located within the interior volume;
- first and second electrodes located within the interior volume, the gallium alloy liquid establishing or assisting to establish an electrical conduction path between the first and second electrodes when the switch is in an on state;
- a layer of an anti-wetting agent overlying at least a portion of the interior surface of the housing to prevent wetting thereof by the gallium alloy liquid, the anti-wetting agent comprising perfluorocarbon liquid.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.