Electricity: conductors and insulators – With fluids or vacuum – Current conductive fluid and/or vacuum
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-02
2001-01-30
Kincaid, Kristine (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
With fluids or vacuum
Current conductive fluid and/or vacuum
C200S061520, C200S182000, C200S193000, C200S233000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180873
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electric devices that facilitate, regulate, monitor, or otherwise modify current flowing through a current carrying system. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are electrical switches.
A principal feature of the present invention is the discovery that certain liquids have varying dielectric properties depending upon the thickness of the liquid layer. These liquids are referred to herein as mesoscopically conductive liquids or mesoscopic conductors or mesoscopic liquids. Thick layers of these mesoscopic liquids are insulators; whereas thin layers are conductors. One embodiment of the present invention involves a use of such mesoscopic conductors in a current carrying device wherein a conductor moves relative to a conducting surface, which it engages. Such embodiments are effective and dependable substitutes for various conventional switches such as mercury switches.
A mercury tilt switch is used for indicating the presence of an angular orientation through the creation of an electrical signal. Such uses range from thermostat controls and motion detectors, to ordinance devices and liquid level controls, among others. While liquid mercury provides an ideal medium in such a case, mercury possesses substantial drawbacks such as environmental pollution and toxicity. It is desirable to provide a non-mercury alternative to the mercury switch.
Workers attempting to satisfy that need have devised switches comprised of a chamber surrounding a mobile conductive element, e.g., gold plated balls, which fulfills the role of mercury. Strategically disposed within the chamber are electrodes. The gold plated ball functions as an alternative to the free flowing mercury. Thus, when the ball simultaneously contacts the electrodes, an electrical signal is transferred. Those devices, however, suffer from low current carrying or switching capacity, high contact resistance, short life and/or electrical bounce.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to various devices exploiting mesoscopically conductive liquids. Mesoscopically conductive liquids are materials that operate as an insulator and as a conductor as a function of the thickness of a layer of the mesoscopic liquid. Such devices include current conducting devices such as switches, as well as other devices wherein the flow of current through the device is regulated or monitored. The invention further includes methods for regulating or monitoring current flow within a system.
In one embodiment, the mesoscopically conductive liquid is oriented within a charge carrying device as an interface between electrodes. In bulk, the mesoscopic liquid has high resistivity, acting as an insulator and thereby preventing or substantially eliminating charge transfer between electrodes. As the current carrying members approach each other, the thickness of the liquid mesoscopic conductor separating the electrodes diminishes, entering a mesoscopic range, wherein the liquid mesoscopic conductor relatively abruptly shifts from insulator to conductor, and charge or current is carried through the mesoscopic conductor between electrodes. In such an embodiment, the electrodes might be movable into and out of engagement or be permanently engageable. The relative movement of electrodes might involve rolling, rotating, sliding, or the like, or any combination thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2926223 (1960-02-01), Netterfield
patent: 3564496 (1971-02-01), Brooks et al.
patent: 4135067 (1979-01-01), Bitko
patent: 4207100 (1980-06-01), Kadokura
patent: 4278854 (1981-07-01), Krause
patent: 5900602 (1999-05-01), Bitko
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Kincaid Kristine
Polaron Engineering Limited
Walkenhorst W. David
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