Self-healing liquid contact switch
US7189934B2 · kind B2 · utility
22Cited by
16References
62Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 13, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2029/008
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
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 configured to wet with a liquid metal. The upper and lower actuating surfaces can be brought together electrostatically by an upper and lower actuating electrode. During operation, the liquid metal can be configured to automatically rearrange during each actuating cycle to permit the switch to self-heal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.