Abstract:
An electrical switch has an evacuated housing with input and output terminals each connected to a respective group of metal tracks extending parallel and insulated from one another. A second silicon plate is cut to form several bridging elements, each having a metal layer on its upper and lower surface. Each bridging element extends transversely above tracks connected to different ones of the terminals. The housing is closed by a silicon cap having actuating tracks extending above the bridging elements, which form an electrostatic actuator with the metal layer on the upper surface of the bridging elements. When a voltage is applied to the electrostatic actuator, the bridging elements are driven down so that they contact tracks connected to different ones of the terminals and allow current to flow between them.
Abstract:
An electromechanical switch including a non-magnetic cup shaped housing, the interior of which is sealed from the atmosphere with a seal assembly. A first electric terminal extends through the seal assembly and is connected to a coil spring. A second terminal includes a stationary electrode. The electrode extends through the seal assembly and through the coil spring. The coil spring supports a movable contact. A permanent magnet is selectively movable via a solenoid in close proximity to the contact member for selectively moving the contact member in and out of contact with electrode. In the closed position, electric current flows between the first and second terminals and through the coil spring. In another embodiment, an electric magnet provides the necessary flux for selectively moving the contact member. In yet another embodiment, two electrodes extend through the seal assembly and the movable contact is selectively placed in and out of contact with both of the electrodes for selectively controlling electric current flow between the terminals. The coil spring is preferably made of beryllium copper and the movable contact and electrodes are made of molybdenum. The interior of the non-magnetic housing can be evacuated placing it in a vacuum or filled with an arc quenching gas.
Abstract:
An improved reed relay having a bobbin, an operating coil wound around the bobbin and at least one reed switch contained within the bobbin. The reed switch has a hermetically-sealed glass capsule that contains an atmosphere of dry inert gas. The capsule also contains two long thin contact blades having terminations extending from respective ends of the capsule. A first contact blade acting as the armature is formed at its contact end with multiple prongs, each prong containing a contact pad. The second contact blade acts as the fixed contact. The contact pads surround the contact end of the second blade so as to contact, during operation of the relay, a different surface area of the second blade. The prongs may be formed in any desired geometric arrangement (e.g., rectangular, triangular, etc.) to surround the contact end of the second contact blade.
Abstract:
A method of establishing a contact arrangement for a reed switch. The method increases the number of contact surfaces between the armature and the fixed contact by providing the fixed contact with a contact end that has multiple prongs and positions the armature and the fixed contact so that the prongs surround the armature. The method also adjusts the armature and the fixed contact so that there are prongs that contact the armature when the armature moves from the rest position during switch operation and prongs that provide additional multi-planar contact surfaces for the armature in the event that the armature and the fixed contact prematurely separate during switch operation.
Abstract:
A sealed contact unit that attains stabilized contact switching operation and effective dimensional minimization with an arrangement wherein a switching contact section including opposing movable and stationary contacting members is housed within a sealed container together with an electrically insulating gas, a movable shaft interlocked to the movable contacting member is hermetically passed through a wall of the container to be axially shiftable with an end projected externally while the movable contacting member biased away from the stationary contacting member by a resetting spring is mounted through a contact-pressure spring to the other end of the movable shaft inside the container, the contact-pressure spring being provided to coaxially enclose the movable shaft and biasing the movable contacting member against the biasing force of the resetting spring for attaining a contact-pressure when the movable contact member shifts to engage the stationary contact member fixed inside the container, a driving section for switching ON and OFF between movable and stationary contacts of the movable and stationary contacting members is engaged to the projected end of the movable shaft for axial drive of the shaft.
Abstract:
A sealed contact device is formed by disposing a fixed electrode having a fixed contact in an air-tight space defined in a hermetical container in which an electrically insulating gas is sealed at a high pressure, a movable contact of a movable electrode is provided for contact opening and closing with the fixed contact, and means is provided with respect to the movable electrode for allowing it positively movable in the air-tight manner, whereby an optimum contact opening speed of the movable contact and at the same time a proper contact pressure are both obtainable.
Abstract:
A solid state switch connected across a pair of separable contacts for eliminating arcing across the contacts allows the contacts and the contact driver to be enclosed within an evacuated envelope. The vacuum environment allows the use of an inexpensive, highly conductive contact material, such as copper, without fear of chemical reaction.
Abstract:
An electrically actuated switch for opening and closing an optical connection between at least a first and second light waveguide characterized by a common basic member supported in a housing of the switch at one end with the remaining portion of the member being free of the housing, a mobile switching blade supporting one of the waveguides being mounted on the basic member, a fixed support for the other waveguide being mounted on the member and an electrical coil being positioned to create a magnetic field to change the position of the switching blade between a rest and a second position to open and close the connection between the two waveguides. Preferably, the electrical coil telescopically receives a coil member which has an internal surface for mounting the one end of the common basic member which is preferably a one piece member. The mounting of the basic common member reduces the influence of thermal stresses and external forces on the parts which stresses or forces might change or shift the accurate position of the end faces of the light waveguides which are to be coupled to one another in the switching operation.
Abstract:
A scanner unit on a double-sided printed circuit board has reed switches on one face and coils on the other. The copper patterns include large screening pads beneath the reed switches and the coils. These pads distribute heat evenly along the switches to minimize thermally-induced E.M.F.'s, and provide electrostatic screening. An energizing circuit for the coils provides a single, long pulse several times larger in magnitude than the minimum required for relay actuation, followed by a series of shorter pulses of the same magnitude, but having a time-average magnitude equal to the relay holding current. This avoids the need for a voltage-dropping resistor and power wastage therein.