45results about "Magnetic field micromechanical switches" patented technology

A text input device having a keyboard with magnet-actuated switches or magnetoelectric sensors, and a stylus with a magnet at the tip. Each key of the keyboard has a reed switch. A key is selected by moving the stylus magnet near to the selected key and switch. The magnet actuated switch closes due to the magnetic field, and the low resistance state of the switch is detected by a microprocessor. The switches can be connected in a matrix array. In an alternative embodiment, the switches are replaced with magnetoelectric sensors having mechanically coupled magnetostrictive and piezoelectric materials. The present keyboard is small and low power, and is well suited for use in portable electronic devices. The keyboard does not require pressing of the stylus against the keyboard, which facilitates fast typing and reduces user fatigue.

A magnetic switch includes a substrate having a recess therein. A rotor or rotors are provided on the substrate. The rotor includes a tail portion that overlies the recess, and a head portion that extends on the substrate outside the recess. The rotor may be fabricated from ferromagnetic material, and is configured to rotate the tail in the recess in response to a changed magnetic field. First and second magnetic switch contacts also are provided that are configured to make or break electrical connection between one another in response to rotation of the tail in the recess, in response to the changed magnetic field. Related operation and fabrication methods also are described.

A system that senses proximity includes a magnet producing a magnetic field and a sensor having a switch. The switch includes a cantilever supported by a supporting structure. The cantilever has a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis. The magnetic material makes the cantilever sensitive to the magnetic field, such that the cantilever is configured to move between first and second states. The switch also includes contacts supported by the support structure. The switch can be configured as a reed switch. When the magnet moves relative to the sensor, the cantilever interacts with a respective one of the contacts based on the position of the magnet during movement.

A latching relay employing a movable cantilever with a first permanent magnet and a nearby second magnet is disclosed. The permanent magnet affixed to the cantilever is permanently magnetized along its long (horizontal) axis. The cantilever has a first end associated to the first pole (e.g., north pole) of the first magnet, and a second end associated to the second pole (e.g., south pole) of the first magnet. When the first end of the cantilever approaches the second magnet, the first pole of the first magnet induces a local opposite pole (e.g., south pole) in the second magnet and causes the first end of the cantilever to be attracted to the local opposite pole of the second magnet, closing an electrical conduction path (closed state). An open state on the first end of cantilever 10 can be maintained either by the second pole of first magnet being attracted to a local opposite pole in the second magnet or by a mechanical restoring force of flexure spring which supports the cantilever. A third electromagnet (e.g., a coil or solenoid), when energized, provides a third perpendicular magnetic field about the first magnet and produces a torque on the associated cantilever to force the cantilever to switch between closed and open states. A few alternate embodiments of the relay are also disclosed which include a case where the latching feature is disabled, and another case where an external magnet is used to switch the cantilever.

A latching relay employing a movable cantilever with a first permanent magnet and a nearby second magnet is disclosed. The permanent magnet affixed to the cantilever is permanently magnetized along its long (horizontal) axis. The cantilever has a first end associated to the first pole (e.g., north pole) of the first magnet, and a second end associated to the second pole (e.g., south pole) of the first magnet. When the first end of the cantilever approaches the second magnet, the first pole of the first magnet induces a local opposite pole (e.g., south pole) in the second magnet and causes the first end of the cantilever to be attracted to the local opposite pole of the second magnet, closing an electrical conduction path (closed state). An open state on the first end of cantilever 10 can be maintained either by the second pole of first magnet being attracted to a local opposite pole in the second magnet or by a mechanical restoring force of flexure spring which supports the cantilever. A magnetic generator provides a third magnetic field about the first magnet and produces a torque on the associated cantilever to force the cantilever to switch in one of the closed, neutral and open states.

A method of forming a hermetically sealed MEMS package includes a step of providing a supporting GaAs substrate with at least one contact for the MEMS device on the surface of the supporting substrate and forming a cantilever on the surface of the supporting substrate positioned to come into electrical engagement with the contact in one orientation. A metal seal ring is fixed to the surface of the supporting substrate circumferentially around the contact and the cantilever. A cavity is etched in a silicon chip to form a cap member. A metal seal ring is fixed to the cap member around the cavity. The package is hermetically sealed by reflowing a solder alloy, positioned between the two seal rings, in an inert environment without the use of flux.

A text input keyboard with magnet-actuated proximity switches, and a stylus having a magnet at the tip. Each key of the keyboard has a magnet actuated switch. A key is selected by disposing the stylus magnet near the selected key and switch. The switch closes due to the magnetic field from the magnet, and the low resistance state of the switch is detected by a microprocessor. The switches can be connected in a matrix array. The proximity switches can each have a flexible ferromagnetic cantilever bendable by attraction to the magnet. The present keyboard is small and requires little power, and is well suited for use in portable electronic devices. The keyboard does not require pressing of the stylus against the keyboard, which facilitates fast typing and reduces user fatigue.

A MEM's reed switch array is provided having a first switch having a sensitivity causing the first switch to open or close due to a magnetic flux, and a second switch of lesser sensitivity than the first switch causing the second switch to open or close due to a magnetic flux. The first switch can be parallel to the second switch, or the first switch can be proximate to the second switch so that a center line of the first switch is coaxial to a center line of the second switch. Further, a security device for residential and / or commercial use is provided, having a magnet housing having a magnet, a switch housing having a MEM's reed switch array with a first switch and a second switch, and a gap between the magnet housing and the switch housing.

The invention relates to a device for monitoring the position of a movable part (11) mounted on a casing (10) of an electrical switch apparatus (1), said movable part (11) being able to take at least two determined positions (M, A). The device comprises a permanent magnet (60, 62) and a reader (4) furnished with an antenna (40) for contactless exchange of data by electromagnetic coupling with a receiver element (5, 5a, 5b) associated with the electrical switch apparatus. The receiver element (5, 5a, 5b) comprises an antenna (50) controlled by a microswitch (2) switched between two states as a function of the position of the movable part (11), so as to make or break the electromagnetic coupling between the reader (4) and the receiver element (5, 5a, 5b).

The invention relates to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and more particularly, to MEMS switches using magnetic actuation. The MEMS switch may be actuated with no internal power consumption. The switch is formed in an integrated solid state MEMS technology. The MEMS switch is micron and / or nanoscale, very reliable and accurate. The MEMS switch can be designed into various architectures, e.g., a cantilever architecture and torsion architecture. The torsion architecture is more efficient than a cantilever architecture.

The invention relates to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and more particularly, to MEMS switches using magnetic actuation. The MEMS switch may be actuated with no internal power consumption. The switch is formed in an integrated solid state MEMS technology. The MEMS switch is micron and / or nanoscale, very reliable and accurate. The MEMS switch can be designed into various architectures, e.g., a cantilever architecture and torsion architecture. The torsion architecture is more efficient than a cantilever architecture.

A miniaturized relay having a first zone facing a second zone, a first condenser plate, a second condenser plate arranged in the second zone, and smaller than or equal to the first plate, an intermediate space between both zones, a conductive element arranged in the intermediate space and which is mechanically independent from the adjacent walls and can move freely across the intermediate space depending on voltages present between both plates, contact points of an electric circuit, in which the conductive element closes the electric circuit by making contact with the contact points. Such relays can be used, for example, as: accelerometers, accelerometers in airbags, tiltmeters, Coriolis force detectors, microphones, in acoustic applications, pressure sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors, gas sensors and magnetic field sensors.

A system that senses proximity includes a magnet producing a magnetic field and a sensor having a switch. The switch includes a cantilever supported by a supporting structure. The cantilever has a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis. The magnetic material makes the cantilever sensitive to the magnetic field, such that the cantilever is configured to move between first and second states. The switch also includes contacts supported by the support structure. The switch can be configured as a reed switch. When the magnet moves relative to the sensor, the cantilever interacts with a respective one of the contacts based on the position of the magnet during movement. The sensor can have multiple functionalities, such as it can: (1) be used to detect distance to an object, (2) be used to detect direction of a moving object, (3) include a memory that stores a last location of an object; (4) detect ferromagnetic-based materials and hard or soft magnetic objects; (5) be used to detect velocity and / or acceleration of an object and / or (6) be modified to include any function desired by a user.

A capacitive switch module is disclosed, which is capable of achieving simplification of fabricating process and miniaturization, preventing deterioration of sensitivity and reducing the possibility of malfunction, and further capable of reducing inferior goods caused by impacts applied during the transportation. The most distinctive feature of the capacitive switch module according to the present invention is in an integrated structure of a metal plate serving as a sensing electrode, a base serving as a bracket, and a capacitive sensor IC chip. Also, a lower cover capable of relieving an impact applied from a lower part to the capacitive sensor IC chip is optionally mounted.

The invention relates to a device for switching on and off an electric circuit comprising: a charge (5) which can be ignited, the combustion of which brings about the switching on or off of the electric circuit, ignition means for the pyrotechnic charge (5), characterised in that: the ignition means are connected to the electric circuit and the ignition means comprise a microswitch (M, M') with magnetic action for controlling the ignition of the pyrotechnic charge (5).

A method of forming a hermetically sealed MEMS package includes a step of providing a supporting GaAs substrate with at least one contact for the MEMS device on the surface of the supporting substrate and forming a cantilever on the surface of the supporting substrate positioned to come into electrical engagement with the contact in one orientation. A metal seal ring is fixed to the surface of the supporting substrate circumferentially around the contact and the cantilever. A cavity is etched in a silicon chip to form a cap member. A metal seal ring is fixed to the cap member around the cavity. The package is hermetically sealed by reflowing a solder alloy, positioned between the two seal rings, in an inert environment without the use of flux.

A direct current (DC) switching apparatus is provided. The DC switch apparatus includes an auxiliary contact device includes at least one pair of stationary contacts; one or more coils, a movable iron core that is driven by the one or more coils; a movable contact table operating in engagement with the movable iron core, and an auxiliary contact device arranged below the movable iron core. The auxiliary contact device includes a microswitch.

A filtration system interconnection structure having a filter manifold including a sump housing and a first correlated magnet located on or connected to a portion of the manifold, and a filter cartridge including a filter media, first and second end caps sealed to the filter media, and a second, paired correlated magnet located on or connected to the filter cartridge housing body. The first and second correlated magnets are interconnected via magnetic communication upon insertion of the filter cartridge into the sump housing, and upon movement of the filter cartridge into an alignment position, the correlated magnet located on or connected to the manifold is permitted to translate as a result of the magnetic communication. The polarity profiles of the paired correlated magnets are aligned such that a repulsion force is created when the filter cartridge is inserted within the manifold sump housing.

The present invention concerns a device for detecting three states, namely 'on', 'off' and 'triggered' of an electric circuit breaker (1), comprising a mobile magnetic device (40, 41), movable between three positions corresponding to the three states of the circuit breaker (1) and comprising at least one permanent magnet (400, 401, 410) generating a magnetic field provided with magnetic field lines (L) for driving two DIP switches (2a, 2b) via the magnetic effect. In each of the magnetic device's positions (40, 41), the two DIP switches are controlled in either an open or closed position to form a specific combination representing one of the three states of the circuit breaker (1).

A relay comprises a movable body placed in a cavity which is formed on a substrate and surrounded by a spacer layer and sealed by a cover layer. The movable body comprises a first magnet which is permanently magnetized and has at least a first end. A nearby switching electromagnet, when energized, produces a switching magnetic field which is primarily perpendicular to the magnetization direction of the first magnet and exerts a magnetic torque on the first magnet to force the first magnet and said movable body to rotate and close an electrical conduction path at the first end. Changing the direction of the electrical current in the switching electromagnet changes the direction of the switching magnetic field and thus the direction of the magnetic torque on the first magnet, and causes the first magnet and said movable body to rotate in an opposite direction and opens the electrical conduction path at the first end. The first magnet can comprise multiple magnetic layers to form relatively closed magnetic circuits with other magnetic components. Latching and non-latching types of relays can be formed by appropriately using soft and permanent magnets as various components.

The invention relates to an on-load tap-changer which is used for realizing switching between different taps in a transformer winding, and comprises a switching switch group and a tapping selector. The switching switch group comprises two groups of switching switches which are arranged in parallel; each group of switching switches comprises a selection switch and at least one transition switch which are arranged in parallel, and each transition switch is connected with a transition resistor in series; the tapping selector comprises a plurality of tapping switches, and each tapping switch is connected with one tapping point of the transformer in series; a plurality of tapping switches of the tapping selector are divided into two groups according to an odd-even sequence; all tapping switchesin each group are arranged in parallel, and the two groups of tapping switches are respectively connected with one of the two groups of switching switches. The selection switches and the transition switches are both magnetic control vacuum switches, and the tapping switches are magnetic control switch, so that mechanical switching and tapping in the prior art are converted into electric control switching and tapping.

A microsystem, including a magnetic microactuator, with a mobile element supported by a substrate and controlled by magnetic effect between a first position and a second position for switching at least one electric circuit. A permanent magnet or a solenoid subjects the mobile element to a first uniform magnetic field to hold the mobile element in the first position. An energizing coil external to the substrate, on energizing, subjects the mobile element to a second magnetic field to move the mobile element from the first position to the second position, the energizing coil being of solenoid type and surrounding the substrate supporting the mobile element.

An electromechanical microswitch, comprising first and second electromagnets mounted in spaced-apart orientation to one another where each electromagnetic has a field center located a first distance above the mounting surface. A permanent magnet is positioned between the electromagnets and includes a magnetic field center that is higher above the mounting surface than that of the electromagnets so that the permanent magnet is magnetically biased toward the mounting surface. A stripline switch element is mountable between the permanent magnet and mounting surface, and biased against circuit structures on the mounting surface, whereby the stripline switch element moves between first and second activated positions under influence of the electromagnets.

Switch assemblies and a switching method are disclosed. In some embodiments, a switch assembly may include a first contact element, and a second contact element operable with the first contact element. The first and second contact elements form an open circuit in a first configuration and form a closed circuit in a second configuration. At least one of the first contact element and the second contact element includes a magnetostrictive material. During operation, a magnetic field from a magnet causes the magnetostrictive material to deform or change shape / dimensions, thus causing the first and second contact elements to open or close. In some embodiments, the switch assembly is a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) switch.