EP0057130A2 - Quecksilberschalter mit Rückstellung des beweglichen Elements durch die Oberflächenspannung des Quecksilbers - Google Patents

Quecksilberschalter mit Rückstellung des beweglichen Elements durch die Oberflächenspannung des Quecksilbers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0057130A2
EP0057130A2 EP82400095A EP82400095A EP0057130A2 EP 0057130 A2 EP0057130 A2 EP 0057130A2 EP 82400095 A EP82400095 A EP 82400095A EP 82400095 A EP82400095 A EP 82400095A EP 0057130 A2 EP0057130 A2 EP 0057130A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
movable
mercury
liquid
pallet
fixed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP82400095A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0057130B1 (de
EP0057130A3 (en
Inventor
Philippe Pouyez
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Constructions Electriques Et Electron Cie
Original Assignee
CONSTRUCTIONS ELECTRIQUES ET ELECTRONIQUES (CCEE) Cie
Socapex SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by CONSTRUCTIONS ELECTRIQUES ET ELECTRONIQUES (CCEE) Cie, Socapex SA filed Critical CONSTRUCTIONS ELECTRIQUES ET ELECTRONIQUES (CCEE) Cie
Publication of EP0057130A2 publication Critical patent/EP0057130A2/de
Publication of EP0057130A3 publication Critical patent/EP0057130A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0057130B1 publication Critical patent/EP0057130B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/06—Contacts characterised by the shape or structure of the contact-making surface, e.g. grooved
    • H01H1/08—Contacts characterised by the shape or structure of the contact-making surface, e.g. grooved wetted with mercury

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for recalling a mobile element, a switch comprising such a device as well as its use in relays with magnetic control. It relates more particularly to a device for returning a mobile element which can take at least two different positions, respectively a working position under the action of an external control force and a rest position under the action of a force of recall.
  • the return spring used in this case is generally made of a material different from that constituting the mobile element to which it is fixed by welding or any other suitable means.
  • this flat spring is then of extremely reduced dimensions, which makes on the one hand its manipulation difficult and on the other hand the precise adjustment of its extremely delicate position. The same applies to the operations for fixing to the moving part and in general for all the operations in which this spring is concerned.
  • Such springs have a fairly high cost price: they are not only made of fairly special materials such as beryllium copper, but it is also necessary to subject them to a treatment which gives them good elastic properties. .
  • any mechanical spring is subject to an aging phenomenon which causes its characteristics to change over time.
  • the recall device makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks.
  • it is characterized in that it is constituted by a liquid disposed between the mobile element and a fixed element whose distance is at most equal to the value for which the liquid is held between them by the forces capillary, the respective surfaces of the fixed member and the movable member in contact with the liquid being such that they are wetted by the latter.
  • this liquid will be mercury, in particular when the device will be used as a switch in a relay with wet mercury contacts.
  • the invention is particularly advantageous since the enclosure in which the switch is located already normally contains mercury. This therefore performs the dual function of wetting the contacts of the relay, on the one hand, and of the device for returning the movable element, on the other hand.
  • the mobile element and / or the fixed element will have the form of flat metal tongues.
  • the movable tongue may either move in translation under the action of an external force, such as a magnetic field, when it is made of a material sensitive to such a field, or move by rotation, for example around 'an axis contained in a plane integral with the fixed element.
  • the fixed element will consist of a dihedral-shaped part, one of the planes of which is secured to a support parallel to the axis of rotation of the movable part, an opening being formed in said plan across which passes the movable element having the shape of a tongue located on the same side as the second plane of the dihedral relative to the first.
  • the axis of rotation of the movable part which is arranged in a groove inside the support, a groove preferably also containing mercury, is then maintained by the plane of the dihedron provided with an opening. It is thus very easily industrially produced such a switch from a plate pierced with an opening, bent at 90 ° and a support such as a transistor base provided with its working and rest contacts, on which there is practiced a groove.
  • the axis of rotation of the mobile part is then placed in the groove, then there is added over the plane of the dihedral pierced with its opening, which is fixed to the support and which thus maintains the mobile part, allowing only a rotation of it.
  • a drop of mercury is introduced into the corresponding cover which is welded to the base.
  • the mercury can be introduced after welding of the cover on the base through one of the electrodes having the shape of a hollow cylinder.
  • the invention in principle, in fact, calls upon a law of physics well known under the name of law of JURIN.
  • the applications of the switches according to the invention, as described above, are manifold: it is possible, for example, to use them with magnetically controlled relays of the monostable, bistable type, or having several different stable positions.
  • the movable tab will be moved under the action of an external force and will come into contact with one of the electrical contacts wetted with mercury.
  • the position will be stable insofar as the restoring force exerted by the liquid on the movable tongue will remain less than the capillary attraction force caused by the liquid on the upper part of the movable tongue, at the level of the electrical contact.
  • Figure 1 shows, in two sectional views (a) (b), the two phases of movement of a movable blade return by surface tension forces according to the invention.
  • the reminder device uses a liquid 21, one of which a certain quantity is found between the movable part 1 in the form of a blade, and a fixed part 22, arranged opposite, and integral with the base 3.
  • Another advantage lies in the fact that the mechanical parts 1 and 22 do not need to have particular elastic properties.
  • Another advantage lies in the fact that for systems of reduced dimensions such as, for example, miniature switches in hermetic enclosure, there is no need to operate a connection by precise welding between the moving part 1 and the base fixed 3.
  • FIG. 2 represents an embodiment of the recall device of the invention in a miniature switch with wet mercury contacts.
  • the switch consists of a fully wetted sealed enclosure obtained by closing a cover 8 on a base 3 comprising two electrodes 6 and 7 isolated from the base 3 by insulators 9 and a movable pallet 1, connected via the base 3 has an external electrical contact 24, said movable pallet coming to establish electrical contact either between the electrode 6 and the electrode 24 or between the electrode 7 and the electrode 24.
  • a fixed pallet 22 is positioned on the base 3 near the movable electrode 1 so that there is a capillary rise of the liquid 21 between the parts 1 and 22.
  • the fixed electrode 7 is the electrode on which the movable pallet 1 generally comes to rest in the absence of external stress thanks to the restoring force caused by the liquid spring of the invention.
  • the electrode 6 is the working electrode on which the movable pallet 1 is placed when a force external to the system, for example of magnetic origin, acts on said pallet.
  • the switch according to the invention operates only by the action of an electromagnetic force on the movable pallet which makes it tilt in contact with the electrode 6.
  • the removal of the magnetic field generates the return of the movable pallet 1 on the electrode 7.
  • the switch then operates in a monostable manner.
  • FIG. 3 shows a very enlarged view of a preferred variant of the device according to the invention.
  • the support 32 is coated with a flat metal part 31 pierced with an opening 37 through which the movable pallet 34 provided with its axis 35 located in the corresponding housing 36 of the support 32 passes.
  • the support 31 is extended by a support 30 substantially oriented at 90 ° and forming a dihedral therewith which contains the liquid 33 also present in the groove 36.
  • the surfaces in contact with the liquid 33 of the pallets 34 and 30 are of course treated to be wetted by the latter.
  • a drop of liquid being deposited on the support 31 above the groove 36, the latter rises by capillarity between the pallets 30 and 34, over a height determined by the various parameters described above. above. It is understood that the distance between the two pallets 30 and 34 has been greatly increased to better understand the phenomenon which is the basis of the invention but that the respective dimensions of the elements of this figure are not to scale.
  • FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of the device of Figure 3.
  • the same elements as those of the previous figure have the same references.
  • the fixed pallet 30 has not been straightened to form a dihedral with the support 31. This allows to better understand the simplicity of manufacture of the device according to this preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • a base 32 such as a transistor base of the TO 5 type, to create a groove 36 in it, then placing the pallet 34 provided with its axis of rotation 35 so that it is placed in said groove.
  • FIG. 4 does not represent the electrical contacts such as 6 and 7 in figure 2).

Landscapes

  • Contacts (AREA)
  • Switches That Are Operated By Magnetic Or Electric Fields (AREA)
  • Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Switches (AREA)
  • Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
EP82400095A 1981-01-23 1982-01-19 Quecksilberschalter mit Rückstellung des beweglichen Elements durch die Oberflächenspannung des Quecksilbers Expired EP0057130B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8101293 1981-01-23
FR8101293A FR2498689A1 (fr) 1981-01-23 1981-01-23 Dispositif de rappel par tension de surface d'un liquide, interrupteur comportant un tel dispositif et son utilisation dans les relais a commande magnetique

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0057130A2 true EP0057130A2 (de) 1982-08-04
EP0057130A3 EP0057130A3 (en) 1982-08-18
EP0057130B1 EP0057130B1 (de) 1985-08-21

Family

ID=9254459

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82400095A Expired EP0057130B1 (de) 1981-01-23 1982-01-19 Quecksilberschalter mit Rückstellung des beweglichen Elements durch die Oberflächenspannung des Quecksilbers

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4471190A (de)
EP (1) EP0057130B1 (de)
JP (1) JPS57143213A (de)
DE (1) DE3265486D1 (de)
FR (1) FR2498689A1 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2570543A1 (fr) * 1984-09-14 1986-03-21 Michel Marc Commutateur electrique a seuil de declenchement
WO1996018040A1 (fr) * 1994-12-09 1996-06-13 D L D International Structure heterogene d'accumulation ou de dissipation d'energie, procedes d'utilisation d'une telle structure et appareils associes

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6373356B1 (en) * 1999-05-21 2002-04-16 Interscience, Inc. Microelectromechanical liquid metal current carrying system, apparatus and method
AU2001249055A1 (en) 2000-02-02 2001-08-14 Raytheon Company Microelectromechanical micro-relay with liquid metal contacts
US8179216B2 (en) * 2006-06-06 2012-05-15 University Of Virginia Patent Foundation Capillary force actuator device and related method of applications

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2288452A (en) * 1940-06-15 1942-06-30 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Electric switch
US2309953A (en) * 1940-06-15 1943-02-02 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Electric switch
US2473693A (en) * 1947-09-19 1949-06-21 Beil Telephone Lab Inc Mercury contact device
US3144533A (en) * 1962-03-16 1964-08-11 Fifth Dimension Inc Mercury relay
DE1257285B (de) * 1962-03-05 1967-12-28 Siemens Ag Quecksilberrelais
FR2392485A1 (fr) * 1977-05-27 1978-12-22 Orega Circuits & Commutation Interrupteur a contacts mouilles, et a commande magnetique

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2312672A (en) * 1941-05-09 1943-03-02 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Switching device
FR1375169A (fr) * 1963-08-26 1964-10-16 Fifth Dimension Inc Relais à mercure
DE1514762B2 (de) * 1965-05-28 1970-06-25 : Standard Elektrik Lorenz AG, 7000 Stuttgart Haftrelais
US4085392A (en) * 1976-01-14 1978-04-18 Gordos Corporation Reed switch construction
US4114006A (en) * 1977-05-03 1978-09-12 Western Electric Co., Inc. Mercury-wetted sealed contact switch
US4149130A (en) * 1978-01-20 1979-04-10 Gordos Corporation Miniature mercury contact reed switch construction
US4236129A (en) * 1979-06-20 1980-11-25 Gordos Corporation Mercury contact switch
FR2473217A1 (fr) * 1980-01-08 1981-07-10 Socapex Interrupteur a contacts mouilles et a commande magnetique, et relais electrique comportant un tel interrupteur
FR2479552A1 (fr) * 1980-03-26 1981-10-02 Socapex Dispositif d'articulation d'une lame mobile, pivotante sur son embase et interrupteur comportant un tel dispositif

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2288452A (en) * 1940-06-15 1942-06-30 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Electric switch
US2309953A (en) * 1940-06-15 1943-02-02 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Electric switch
US2473693A (en) * 1947-09-19 1949-06-21 Beil Telephone Lab Inc Mercury contact device
DE1257285B (de) * 1962-03-05 1967-12-28 Siemens Ag Quecksilberrelais
US3144533A (en) * 1962-03-16 1964-08-11 Fifth Dimension Inc Mercury relay
FR2392485A1 (fr) * 1977-05-27 1978-12-22 Orega Circuits & Commutation Interrupteur a contacts mouilles, et a commande magnetique

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2570543A1 (fr) * 1984-09-14 1986-03-21 Michel Marc Commutateur electrique a seuil de declenchement
WO1996018040A1 (fr) * 1994-12-09 1996-06-13 D L D International Structure heterogene d'accumulation ou de dissipation d'energie, procedes d'utilisation d'une telle structure et appareils associes
FR2728037A1 (fr) * 1994-12-09 1996-06-14 Dld International Structure heterogene d'accumulation ou de dissipation d'energie, procedes d'utilisation d'une telle structure, et appareils associes d'accumulation ou de dissipation d'energie

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US4471190A (en) 1984-09-11
JPS57143213A (en) 1982-09-04
FR2498689B1 (de) 1984-02-17
EP0057130B1 (de) 1985-08-21
DE3265486D1 (en) 1985-09-26
FR2498689A1 (fr) 1982-07-30
EP0057130A3 (en) 1982-08-18

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