Patent · US Expired

Reusable fast opening switch

US4598338A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
10References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 21, 1983
Grant dateJul 1, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 21, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N70/00
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A reusable fast opening switch for transferring energy, in the form of a high power pulse, from an electromagnetic storage device such as an inductor into a load. The switch is efficient, compact, fast and reusable. The switch comprises a ferromagnetic semiconductor which undergoes a fast transition between conductive and insulating states at a critical temperature and which undergoes the transition without a phase change in its crystal structure. A semiconductor such as europium rich europhous oxide, which undergoes a conductor to insulator transition when it is joule heated from its conductor state, can be used to form the switch.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.