EP 1535296 A1 20050601 - MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCH HAVING A DEFORMABLE ELASTOMERIC CONDUCTIVE ELEMENT
Title (en)
MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCH HAVING A DEFORMABLE ELASTOMERIC CONDUCTIVE ELEMENT
Title (de)
MIKROELEKTROMECHANISCHER SCHALTER MIT EINEM DEFORMIERBAREN ELASTOMERISCHEN LEITFüHIGEN ELEMENT
Title (fr)
COMMUTATEUR MICROELECTROMECANIQUE AYANT UN ELEMENT CONDUCTEUR ELASTOMERE DEFORMABLE
Publication
Application
Priority
US 0219449 W 20020614
Abstract (en)
[origin: WO03107372A1] A micro-electromechanical switch (MEMS) having a deformable elastomeric element (1) which exhibits a large change in conductivity with a small amount of displacement. The deformable elastomeric element (1) is displaced by an electrostatic force that is applied laterally resulting in a small transverse displacement. The transversal displacement, in turn, pushes a metallic contact (7) against two conductive paths (5, 6), allowing passage of electrical signals. The elastomer (1) is provided on two opposing sids with embedded metallic elements (9, 10), such as impregnated metallic rods, metallic sheets, metallic particles, or conductive paste. Actuation electrodes (18, 8) are placed parallel to the conductive sides of the elastomer. A voltage applied between the conductive side of the elastomer and the respective actuation electrodes (18, 8) generate the electrostatic attractive force that compresses the elastomer (1), creating the transverse displacement that closes the MEMS. The elastomeric based MEMS extends the lifetime of the switch by extending fatigue life of the deformable switch elements.
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
H01H 57/00 (2006.01); H01H 59/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
H01H 59/0009 (2013.01)
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
DOCDB simple family (publication)
WO 03107372 A1 20031224; AU 2002316298 A1 20031231; CN 1316531 C 20070516; CN 1650382 A 20050803; EP 1535296 A1 20050601; EP 1535296 A4 20070404
DOCDB simple family (application)
US 0219449 W 20020614; AU 2002316298 A 20020614; CN 02829426 A 20020614; EP 02746591 A 20020614