Electric switch for enhancing electric current flow by quantum tunneling effect
US5900602A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 6, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 4, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 6, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H35/02
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A tilt switch includes a casing in which a shorting element, such as a ball, is freely movable. An inside surface of the casing forms one fixed electrode surface, and an element projecting into the casing forms a second fixed electrode surface. The shorting element rolls along the first fixed electrode surface toward and away from the second fixed electrode surface. The chamber contains a dielectric liquid which is wettable to the first and second fixed electrode surfaces, and to the surface of the shorting element. The liquid is either a non-polar liquid or a weakly charged polar liquid. Surface tension acting on the liquid causes the surface of the shorting element to be pulled into close intimate relationship with the fixed electrode surfaces, sufficiently for an electric current to be enhanced by a quantum tunneling effect.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.