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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7271688 | Three-stage liquid metal switch A three-stage liquid metal switch employing electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD), including a common EWOD switch 1310 having an input port 1302, a first shared-EWOD-switch output 1336, and a second shared-EWOD-switch output 1338; a first E... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7234233 | Method of manufacturing an electromagnetic relay The present invention relates to an electrical relay in which a solid slug is moved within a channel and used to make or break an electrical connection. The solid slug is moved by electromagnets. In the preferred embodiment, the slug is wetted by a conducting liquid... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7193336 | Switchable low-loss cryogenic lead system A method and apparatus for reducing conductive thermal losses in high-current cryogenic power electronics systems needing large cables to interface between warm and cold environments. Thermal losses increase with increasing cross-sectional area. The total current at... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7189934 | Self-healing liquid contact switch A self-healing liquid contact switch and methods for producing such devices are disclosed. An illustrative self-healing liquid contact switch can include an upper actuating surface and a lower actuating surface each having a number of liquid contact regions thereon ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7012354 | Method and structure for a pusher-mode piezoelectrically actuated liquid metal switch A method and structure for an electrical switch. According to the structure of the present invention, a liquid-filled chamber is housed within a solid material. A plurality of switch contacts within the liquid-filled chamber are coupled to the solid material, while ... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6946776 | Method and apparatus for maintaining a liquid metal switch in a ready-to-switch condition A method and apparatus for maintaining a liquid metal switch in a state of readiness for switching. The liquid metal switch has a liquid metal volume contained in a cavity of a switch body. A signal path though the cavity is made or broken by energizing an actuator ... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6925223 | Pressure actuated optical latching relay A pressure actuated optical relay containing a transparent mirror housing, located at the intersection of two optical paths. A liquid metal slug is moved within a channel passing through the transparent mirror housing by the action of pressure exerted by an actuatio... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6903490 | Longitudinal mode optical latching relay A piezoelectric optical relay array having one or more array elements. Each array element contains a transparent mirror housing, located at the intersection of two optical paths. A liquid metal slug is moved within a channel passing through the transparent mirror ho... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6900578 | High frequency latching relay with bending switch bar An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of moveable switching contacts is attached to the free end of a switch bar and positioned between a pair of fixed electrical contact pads. The connections to the switc... | 05/31/2005 |
| 6894424 | High frequency push-mode latching relay An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of moveable switching contacts is positioned between a pair of fixed electrical contact pads. A surface of each contact supports a droplet of a conducting liquid, such... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6885133 | High frequency bending-mode latching relay An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of moveable switching contacts is attached to the free end of a piezoelectric actuator and positioned between a pair of fixed electrical contact pads. The electrical c... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6882088 | Bending-mode latching relay An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of moveable electrical contacts is attached to the free end of a piezoelectric actuator and positioned between pair of fixed electrical contacts. The contacts each sup... | 04/19/2005 |
| 6879088 | Insertion-type liquid metal latching relay array An electrical relay array using conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. The relay array is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques. Each element of the relay array uses an actuator, such as a piezoelectric element, to cause a switch actuator to i... | 04/12/2005 |
| 6876132 | Method and structure for a solid slug caterpillar piezoelectric relay A method and structure for an electrical switch. A gas-filled chamber is housed within a solid material. Contacts within the gas-filled chamber are coupled to the solid material, while a plurality of piezoelectric elements within the gas-filled chamber are also coup... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6876131 | High-frequency, liquid metal, latching relay with face contact An electrical relay using conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. The relay is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques. In the relay, two electrical contacts are held a small distance apart. The facing surfaces of the contacts each support a drop... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6876130 | Damped longitudinal mode latching relay A piezoelectric relay is disclosed in which a solid slug moves within a switching channel formed in relay housing. An electrical circuit passing between fixed contact pads in the switching channel is completed or broken by motion of the solid slug. Motion of the sol... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6876133 | Latching relay with switch bar An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of switching contacts is attached to the free end of a switch bar and positioned between a pair of fixed electrical contact pads. A surface of each contact supports a ... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6864767 | Microelectromechanical micro-relay with liquid metal contacts A MEM relay includes an actuator, a shorting bar disposed on the actuator, a contact substrate, and a plurality of liquid metal contacts are disposed on the contact substrate such that the plurality of liquid metal contacts are placed in electrical communication whe... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6838959 | Longitudinal electromagnetic latching relay The present invention relates to an electrical relay in which a solid slug is moved within a channel and used to make or break an electrical connection. The solid slug is moved by electromagnets. In the preferred embodiment, the slug is wetted by a conducting liquid... | 01/04/2005 |
| 6831532 | Push-mode latching relay An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of fixed electrical contacts is held a small distance from a pair of moveable electrical contacts. The facing surfaces of the contacts each support a droplet of a cond... | 12/14/2004 |
| 6803842 | Longitudinal mode solid slug optical latching relay A piezoelectric optical relay array having one or more array elements. Each array element contains a transparent mirror housing, located at the intersection of two optical paths. A solid slug is moved within a channel passing through the transparent mirror housing b... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6396371 | Microelectromechanical micro-relay with liquid metal contacts A MEM relay includes an actuator, a shorting bar disposed on the actuator, a contact substrate, and a plurality of liquid metal contacts are disposed on the contact substrate such that the plurality of liquid metal contacts are placed in electrical commun... | 05/28/2002 |
| 5912606 | Mercury wetted switch A switch having spaced apart conductors with a high resistivity gate member therebetween. First and second mercury droplets are respectively connected to the ends of the conductors. When a control signal is applied to the gate member, the mercury droplets... | 06/15/1999 |
| 5892424 | Encapsulated contact material and a manufacturing method therefor, and a manufacturing method and a using method for an encapsulated contact In an encapsulated contact material which varies little in contact resistance and has good working life performance, at least one contact coating layer is formed covering the surface of a contact substrate. The contact coating layer includes a substantial... | 04/06/1999 |
| 5686875 | Mercury wetted switch A switch assembly comprising a housing including a baseplate on which are mounted a magnet core having a pair of flanges and a winding wound around it, and two switch capsules positioned on either sides of the magnetic core with each capsule being insulat... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5517166 | Mercury wetted switch A switch assembly comprising a housing including a baseplate on which are mounted a magnetic core having a pair of flanges and a winding wound around it, and two switch capsules positioned on either sides of the magnetic core with each capsule being insul... | 05/14/1996 |
| 4769622 | Reed switch having improved glass-to-metal seal A novel reed switch element and method of fabricating the same comprises a ferrous alloy reed which is positioned in a glass envelope. The reed element is characterized by a layer of substantially pure titanium or chromium applied on that portion of the r... | 09/06/1988 |
| 4683355 | Position insensitive shock sensor A shock sensor has a mercury-wetted insert for supporting a mercury mass normally space from a terminal. The mercury and terminal are contained within a sealed housing. When the sensor is subjected to a shock, the mercury is redistributed and protrudes fr... | 07/28/1987 |
| 4680563 | Relay switch apparatus A multi-positional mercury switch (1) for use with miniature relays (3). The mercury switch apparatus has magnetic contact structures (11, 13, 16, 17) supported in a sealed envelope member (10) with free ends thereof located in the envelope member and pos... | 07/14/1987 |
| 4668927 | Relay switch apparatus A multi-positional mercury switch (1, 2) for use with miniature relays. The mercury switch apparatus has mercury wettable magnetic contact structures (11, 12, 13, 21, 22) supported in a sealed envelope member (10, 20) supporting the magnetic contact struc... | 05/26/1987 |
| 4638274 | Relay switch apparatus A multi-positional mercury switch (1, 2, 3) for use with miniature relays (4). The mercury switch apparatus has mercury wettable magnetic contact structures (11, 12, 211, 212, 221, 222, 311, 312) supported in a sealed envelope member (10, 20, 30) supporti... | 01/20/1987 |
| 4630359 | Method of making mercury containing reed switches The present disclosure relates to mercury containing reed switches and to methods of preparing switch blades for use in such switches. Heretofore such reed switches have been doped with mercury after the reed switch blades have been mounted in the envelop... | 12/23/1986 |
| 4400671 | Magnetically controlled mercury wetted switch and electrical relay incorporating such a switch A mercury wetted switch, controlled by a magnetic field produced from a discret semiconductor encapsulating box or case, whose base has a double or so-called "common" electrode and at least one other insulated electrode. A moving plate engages in fork-lik... | 08/23/1983 |
| 4368442 | Mercury switch A mercury switch in which a magnetic armature and a magnetic pole having a fixed contact are inserted in a glass tube, mercury is introduced into the glass tube to wet the contact point, and both ends of the glass tube are sealed. A recessed portion is fo... | 01/11/1983 |
| 4329670 | Mercury reed switch A reed switch comprising a sealed capsule which includes a movable armature consisting in a beam of magnetic material having two pole ends capable of alternate contacting engagement with a respective of two distinct stationary contacts when the armature i... | 05/11/1982 |
| 4311769 | Mercury contact The mercury contact comprises a solid metal base of antimony, wetted with mercury. The method of manufacturing the mercury contact includes preparing the solid metal base by electrolytic deposition of antimony onto the substrate, and subsequently coating ... | 01/19/1982 |
| 4263342 | Method of manufacturing mercury contact on a beryllium base The mercury contact comprises a solid metal base of beryllium, wetted with mercury. The method of manufacturing the mercury contact includes periodically dipping the cleaned solid metal base of beryllium into chemically pure mercury through a mixture of s... | 04/21/1981 |
| 4260970 | Position insensitive mercury relay switch A position insensitive mercury relay switch includes a generally cylindrical hollow common contact assembly and a pair of stationary contacts disposed respectively at each end of the common contact assembly. An armature movably disposed within the common ... | 04/07/1981 |
| 4238748 | Magnetically controlled switch with wetted contact The invention relates to a magnetically controlled switch with contacts wetted by a conductive liquid. It is characterized in that the wettable contact surfaces of the electrodes are selectively connected to one another by a wettable ferromagnetic moving ... | 12/09/1980 |
| 4236129 | Mercury contact switch A mercury switch has two spaced apart electrical contacts mechanically supported by its glass envelope and electrically connected to external terminals. A third conductor passes through the glass envelope at the opposite end. A housing for mercury is form... | 11/25/1980 |
