US3876850A - Liquid type modular electrical switch - Google Patents

Liquid type modular electrical switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US3876850A
US3876850A US370448A US37044873A US3876850A US 3876850 A US3876850 A US 3876850A US 370448 A US370448 A US 370448A US 37044873 A US37044873 A US 37044873A US 3876850 A US3876850 A US 3876850A
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Prior art keywords
switch
contacts
enclosure
cavity
conductive
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Expired - Lifetime
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US370448A
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English (en)
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Phillippe Paul Amberny
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Individual
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Individual
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H29/00—Switches having at least one liquid contact
    • H01H29/02—Details
    • H01H29/04—Contacts; Containers for liquid contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/36—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by sliding
    • H01H1/40—Contact mounted so that its contact-making surface is flush with adjoining insulation
    • H01H1/403—Contacts forming part of a printed circuit

Definitions

  • a modular electrical switch includes a fluid-tight enclosure into which conductive contacts extend to pro 30 Foreign Appncation priority Data vide selective switching in cooperation with a conduc- Jul 4 France 74075 tive liquid, such as mercury, contained within a cavity y in the enclosure, depending on the position of the [52] U S Cl 200/220 100/224 switch module.
  • the contacts and the connections [51 1 d U08 thereto are formed by metallic deposits on a dielectric [58] Fie'ld 228 234 substrate.
  • the cavity can be of several different shapes 200/235 187 l74/68 5 317/ 6 including polygonal and toric, the liquid resting, due to gravity, in the lowermost corner of the cavity in the former embodiment.
  • the present invention generally relates to modular 5 electrical switches employing a liquid conductor, such as mercury-type switches.
  • Switches of the type referred to above take a number of different forms, switching generally being provided by rotation of the unit and the liquid, as stated, usually being mercury.
  • mercury is contained in a fluid-tight swinging bulb to which electrodes are attached.
  • a further such switch includes a mercury-containing cylindrical bulb inside of which electrodes are electomagnetically rotated.
  • Another switch of this type is formed by a fluid-tight toric or toroidal glass tube which contains a mass of mercury and into which projects an electrode assembly. The mercury moves responsive to swinging or rotational movements of the tube to make selective contact with the various electrodes.
  • a modular electrical switch is provided which is of substantially reduced size and weight as compared with prior art switches, but. nonetheless, enables complex switching to be carried out.
  • the swtich of the invention comprises a liquid-tight, insulating enclosure which contains a conductive liquid and into which conductive contacts extend, the contacts being formed by a metallic deposit on a dielectric substrate.
  • the metallic deposits can, for example, be thin metallic layers formed by printed circuit techniques, thereby making it possible to substantially reduce both the size and cost of the device.
  • the fluid-tight enclosure provides a toric cavity and the contacts are located about the periphery of the cavity. This arrangement permits the use of a large number of contacts and hence provides a correspondingly large number of switching states.
  • the contacts are covered or coated with a conductive deposit which can be wetted by the conductive liquid, the additional deposit permitting the passage of very weak currents.
  • the conductive liquid is mercury
  • these deposits can be made up of platinum, nickel, chrome, tungsten or other metals which do not form an amalgam with mercury.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line IIII of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is side elevation, partially broken away, of a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line lV-IV of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a third embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 10 VIVI of FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly of switches similar to those of FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the switch includes a dielectric substrate 10 with a series of conductive connections 12 located thereon, the connections 12 being formed by metallic deposits on substrate 10.
  • the connections 12 are adapted to be connected, through connector portions 12a, to external circuitry by conventional lead wires (not shown) and include contact portions or contacts 12b which form a discontinuous conductive network, as illustrated.
  • the connections 12 are preferably formed as thin layers using printed circuit techniques and employing copper, or by conventional photoengraving techniques using platinum, chrome-nickel or tungsten. Connections 12 can also be formed in even thinner layers using silk screening techniques.
  • Substrate 10 can, for example, comprise a polyester with glass fibers incorporated therein.
  • portions of contacts 12b extend into a fluid-tight housing or enclosure 14 formed by a rectangular insulating cup 16.
  • Cup 16 is secured to substrate 10 by suitable means such as gluing, using a bead of epoxy resin as indicated at 20 in FIG. 2, and defines a cavity 18
  • the enclosure 14 contains a conductive liquid formed by a drop of mercury 20.
  • the switch is assumed to be vertical in FIG. 1, and the mercury drop 22 thus occupies the lower corner of rectangular cup 16 where it is held by gravity.
  • the connector portions 12a there are six connector portions 12a arranged so that their associated contacts 12b form three inter-electrode gaps or posts" 24, 26, 28 in three corners of cup 16 which are bridged by mercury drop 22 when the switch is rotated so that the gap in question is lowermost, i.e., in the position shown for gap 26 in FIG. 1.
  • the gaps 24 and 26 are formed by the ends of four convergent contacts 12b, one contact of each being the end of the arm of a' generally cruciform shaped central contact as shown'f -i
  • the other gap 26 is formed by two contacts, viz, the foot of the cruciform shaped central contact and a straight line contact portion, as shown.
  • the amount of mercury i.e., the size of mercury drop 22 depends on the space or gap defined at 24, 26 and 28, although in a specific practical embodiment, the volume of drop 22 is several cubic millimeters.
  • the switch of FIG. ll does not have to be vertical to enable proper operation and, in fact, can be inclined up to about to the vertical and still function as intended.
  • the precise maximum value of inclination depends on a number of technical or physical relationships, the'frictional forces exerted by the drop 22 on the surface of the cup 16 depending, for example, on the substance used to make the cup.
  • a suitable metal thereon which does not form an amalgam with mercury drop 22 and is capable of wetting thereby.
  • a partial vacuum can be created in cavity 18 or this cavity can be filled with a neutral gas.
  • the switch of the invention is particularly advantageous in switching microcurrents (currents of several milliamperes) but when so used, it is necessary, as a practical matter, that the contacts 12b be covered with a thin conductive layer providing good electrical contact with mercury drop 22, the resistance between drop 22 and contacts 12b preferably being held to value on the order of one milliohm. If contacts 12b are copper, this purpose may be served by electrochemically depositing thereon a suitable metal such as platinum, chrome or nickel. Alternatively, tungsten can be sprayed on contacts 1212 using conventional tungsten plasma techniques.
  • the switch of the invention is very small in size and low in cost relative to conventional switches of this type and, with this simplicity, enables complex switching to be performed thereby making it attractive for use, as an example, in telephonic switching.
  • cup 16 need not be rectangular and other polygonal shapes can be used to provide a number ofinterelectrode gaps, corresponding to gaps 24, 26 and 28, equal to the number of angles of the polygon.
  • the angle of rotation between adjacent gaps should be at least 30.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated which includes a fluid-tight unit or housing 30 defines a toric or toroidal cavity 32 into which a plurality of radial contacts 34b extend. Radial contacts 34b are part of corresponding connections, generally denoted 34, which terminate in connector portions 34a.
  • the unit 30 houses a mercury drop 36 and is mounted on a substrate 38, and the switch of FIGS. 3 and 4 is otherwise similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the volume of mercury drop 36 is such as to provide connection of three adjacent contacts 341; although, of course, this volume can be reduced to provide connection between two contacts only.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 provides a particularly large number of switching gaps or posts for mercury drop 36 simply by multiplying the number of conductive connections 34. Switching is accomplished, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, by merely rotating the switch, the mercury drop 36 remaining stationary and providing connection between the next set of electrode contacts 34b rotated into the position shown in FIG. 3.
  • the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 is particularly useful in generating pulses and, for example, measuring rotational speeds.
  • FIGS. and 6 the embodiment shown therein is closely related to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and like elements have been given the same numners as in FIGS. 3 and 4 with prime superscripts.
  • an annular cup 40 replaces the enclosure of FIGS. 3 and 14 and defines a circular cavity 42.
  • Substrate 38 includes a concave face 38a the center of which is coaxial with cavity 42.
  • Electrodes 34' are also curved to conform to the shape of the concave face 38a of substrate 38' as shown in FIG. 6.
  • the mercury drop 36' is located in the center of cavity 42 as illustrated.
  • FIG. 7 an assembly 50 of a series of switches similar to those of FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown.
  • Flexible lead wires 52 are provided and the switches are held together by rods (not shown) which extend through the assembly and on to the ends of which are screwed nuts 54.
  • a polygonal half cup may be combined with a toric-shaped half cavity and an appropriate arrangement of contacts provided.
  • a branched conductive network in the center of housing 32, the branches cooperating with the mercury drop 36 and two electrodes 34 to provide switching connections.
  • a modular electrical switch comprising a dielectric substrate, electrical contacts located on said substrate, a fluid-tight insulating enclosure secured to said substrate and containing a conductive liquid and said electrical contacts extending into said enclosure, said contacts comprising thin metallic layer deposits on said dielectric substrate and said conductive liquid, in the switching position thereof, providing a conductive path between a pair of neighboring electrical contacts.

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US370448A 1972-07-04 1973-06-15 Liquid type modular electrical switch Expired - Lifetime US3876850A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7224075A FR2191237B1 (de) 1972-07-04 1972-07-04

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US3876850A true US3876850A (en) 1975-04-08

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US (1) US3876850A (de)
DE (1) DE2334053A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2191237B1 (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4503299A (en) * 1981-08-07 1985-03-05 Thomson-Brandt Control-lever for a game
US4795868A (en) * 1988-02-08 1989-01-03 Harry Benjamin Tilt switch
US5058520A (en) * 1988-02-10 1991-10-22 Eltgrim Hugo Kruger Kg Apparatus for influencing the position of a boat in water
US5751074A (en) * 1995-09-08 1998-05-12 Edward B. Prior & Associates Non-metallic liquid tilt switch and circuitry
US20030006959A1 (en) * 2001-07-09 2003-01-09 Marcelo Varanda Method of operating a handheld device for directional input
US6867381B1 (en) * 2003-11-12 2005-03-15 Benq Corporation Electronic device and position sensor thereof
US20060195252A1 (en) * 2005-02-28 2006-08-31 Kevin Orr System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2856486A (en) * 1956-10-22 1958-10-14 Richard J O'neill Electric switch
US2968861A (en) * 1958-08-07 1961-01-24 Mycalex Corp Of America Method of manufacturing mercury commutation switch
US3250848A (en) * 1963-09-11 1966-05-10 Rca Corp Connections in multilayer circuits and method of making same
US3644693A (en) * 1969-11-26 1972-02-22 Fifth Dimension Inc Nonsticking relay contacts

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2856486A (en) * 1956-10-22 1958-10-14 Richard J O'neill Electric switch
US2968861A (en) * 1958-08-07 1961-01-24 Mycalex Corp Of America Method of manufacturing mercury commutation switch
US3250848A (en) * 1963-09-11 1966-05-10 Rca Corp Connections in multilayer circuits and method of making same
US3644693A (en) * 1969-11-26 1972-02-22 Fifth Dimension Inc Nonsticking relay contacts

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4503299A (en) * 1981-08-07 1985-03-05 Thomson-Brandt Control-lever for a game
US4795868A (en) * 1988-02-08 1989-01-03 Harry Benjamin Tilt switch
US5058520A (en) * 1988-02-10 1991-10-22 Eltgrim Hugo Kruger Kg Apparatus for influencing the position of a boat in water
US5751074A (en) * 1995-09-08 1998-05-12 Edward B. Prior & Associates Non-metallic liquid tilt switch and circuitry
US8115731B2 (en) * 2001-07-09 2012-02-14 Research In Motion Limited Method of operating a handheld device for directional input
US20030006959A1 (en) * 2001-07-09 2003-01-09 Marcelo Varanda Method of operating a handheld device for directional input
US20060071905A1 (en) * 2001-07-09 2006-04-06 Research In Motion Limited Method of operating a handheld device for directional input
US8390570B2 (en) 2001-07-09 2013-03-05 Research In Motion Limited Method of operating a handheld device for directional input
US6867381B1 (en) * 2003-11-12 2005-03-15 Benq Corporation Electronic device and position sensor thereof
US7519468B2 (en) 2005-02-28 2009-04-14 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US7860644B2 (en) 2005-02-28 2010-12-28 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US20110063216A1 (en) * 2005-02-28 2011-03-17 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US8014940B2 (en) * 2005-02-28 2011-09-06 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US20090167678A1 (en) * 2005-02-28 2009-07-02 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US8175798B2 (en) 2005-02-28 2012-05-08 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US8285480B2 (en) 2005-02-28 2012-10-09 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US20060195252A1 (en) * 2005-02-28 2006-08-31 Kevin Orr System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US8447513B2 (en) * 2005-02-28 2013-05-21 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device
US8521417B1 (en) 2005-02-28 2013-08-27 Research In Motion Limited System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device

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Publication number Publication date
FR2191237A1 (de) 1974-02-01
DE2334053A1 (de) 1974-01-24
FR2191237B1 (de) 1975-03-07

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