RU2044356C1 - Contact system of micromidget relay - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: switching of AC and DC circuits in radio electronic equipment of automatic-control, communication, and computer engineering. SUBSTANCE: two-contact system has nondeformed contact made of monocrysral and covered with insulating layer and metallization layer. Nondeformed contact is connected through glass plate to deformed contact spring that has thin middle part and thick ends. Where contacts are interconnected, electric terminal leads are connected through glass. EFFECT: reduced size and facilitated manufacture. 4 dwg

Description

 The invention is intended for switching DC and AC circuits in electronic equipment of automation, communication and computer technology, i.e. in devices where a low contact resistance of the contacts in the closed state and an infinitely large resistance in the open state are required.

 Known relay devices, switches containing contact systems, for example, according to Japanese patent N 53-8901, class. H 01 H 51/06, or according to US patent N 4052581, class. H 01 H 50/56) containing fixed and movable contacts in the form of flat springs, facing each other in a plane. The disadvantage of these devices is relatively large. This is due to physical limitations imposed by the strength properties of the materials used for flat springs. The reduction in size makes it necessary to reduce the cross-sectional dimensions of the flat springs, which, with the deflections required for reliable contact closure, leads to significant stresses in the material exceeding the tensile strength. In addition, the manufacture of contacts from flat springs is quite laborious, does not allow the use of group methods of processing and assembly. Reducing the dimensions of the contacts reduces the accuracy of the dimensions during manufacture and assembly, which leads to a decrease in the reliability of devices based on them.

 The closest in technical essence and the achieved effect is a device [1] containing a base with conclusions isolated from it, on which fixed contacts are fixed and at least one movable contact, made in the form of a flat spring, facing the stationary contacts with the plane. Common features of the proposed technical solution and prototype are: a base with conclusions isolated from it, fixed contacts and at least one movable contact, made in the form of a flat spring, facing the fixed contacts with the plane.

 The disadvantages of the prototype are the impossibility of further miniaturization due to limitations on the value of permissible stresses in the material when bending a flat contact spring; complexity and low-tech manufacturing of miniature contacts, increasing requirements to reduce tolerances on linear dimensions, complicated assembly due to the small size of parts and tolerances on installation dimensions; Significant cost of the finished product due to the complexity of mechanization of the manufacturing and assembly process.

 The essence of the invention is to improve the contact system of a micro-miniature relay containing a base with isolated conclusions from it, fixed contacts and at least one movable contact, made in the form of a flat spring, facing the stationary contacts with a plane.

 Distinctive features of the contact system of the micro-miniature relay is that the movable and fixed contacts are made in the form of plates of single-crystal material, while the movable contact has a thin middle part and thickenings at the ends in the contact planes, on which an electrically conductive coating is applied, isolated from the contact body and connected with conclusions, moreover, all contacts are attached to each other through thick glass plates providing the necessary clearance in the open state.

 The use of single-crystal material for plates allows increasing the permissible stresses during their bending. In addition, all elements of the contact plates can be made on the basis of group technology of microelectronics. At the same time, manufacturing accuracy is improved with the micro-miniature dimensions of the plates themselves. Group processing of plates allows the use of group assembly of microcontact assemblies, which is completely excluded with existing methods of manufacturing spring contacts, for example, stamping.

 In FIG. 1 shows a two-contact normally open system consisting of a non-deformable contact 1 made of a single crystal and containing a dielectric layer 2 and a metallization layer 3. Contact 1 through a glass plate 4 is connected to a deformable contact spring 5 containing a thin middle part 6 and thickened edges 7. In the area of the connection of contacts 1,5 through the glass 4 are connected electrical output conductors 8.

 Figure 2 shows a three-contact normally closed-open system, consisting of a non-deformable, normally open contact 1 made of a single crystal and containing a dielectric layer 2 and a metallization layer 3, a deformable spring 5, containing a thin middle part 6 and thickened edges 7. With two The sides of the contact spring 5 are coated with layers of dielectric 2 and metallization 3. The spring 5 in its free state is in contact with a normally closed contact 9, which has a similar dielectric layer 2 and metallization 3. All three plates 1 , 5, 9 are connected to each other through glass plates 4. Electrical output conductors 8 are connected to the metallization of all contacts 1, 5, 9.

 Figure 3 shows the contacts depicted in figure 1 from the inside. The movable contact 1 contains a dielectric layer 2 and metallization 3. Metallization 3 is deposited on the inside in the form of metallized strips 10 separated by strips of dielectric 2. Electrical leads are connected to each metallized strip 8. The deformable contact spring 5 also has a dielectric layer 2, metallization layer 3 , which is applied in the form of strips 10, insulated by dielectric 2, and has connected electrical leads 8. In the bending region there is an updated part 6.

 Figure 4 shows the design of the contact system of the micro-miniature relay. It contains a deformable contact spring 5 with metallization 3 applied to the lateral planes, non-deformable contacts 1, 9, fixed in holders 11, which are connected to electrical leads 12, insulated by glass 13 from the base 14.

 In the initial state, contacts 1 and 5 (Figs. 1, 2) are open, contacts 5 and 9 (Fig. 2) are closed. All contacts are made of single crystal material, for example silicon.

The dielectric layer 2 is formed on the basis of silicon dioxide SiO ₂ by oxidation in the atmosphere of water vapor.

 Metallization 3 is applied by spraying metals, for example gold, followed by galvanic growth in the contact zone, the formation of spring contacts is carried out, for example, by anisotropic etching of silicon in a KOH solution using the well-known microelectronics technology.

Metallization 3 (Fig. 3), applied to the inner contacting plane, is made in the form of longitudinal strips 10, isolated from each other by gaps 2 of SiO _2. This is realized by etching the metallization layer in the gap region during the photolithography process. The number of bands is determined by the requirement for the number of switched circuits. The gap between the normally open contacts 1 and 5 (Fig. 1, 2) is set by glass plates 4 (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), which are connected to the contacts by an electrostatic method (for example, according to US patent N 3397278). Moreover, these plates simultaneously serve as insulators between the movable and fixed contacts 1 and 5 (Fig. 1, 2). Normally closed contacts 5 and 9 (figure 2) are also connected through a glass plate 4 by electrostatic method. Its thickness provides the necessary clearance when bending the movable contact 5 by force F, and also provides electrical isolation of contacts 5 and 9 (Fig. 2) when the relay is activated. The movable contact, the spring 5 (Fig. 1, 2), is made protruding in the area of contact with the fixed contacts 1 (Fig. 1) and 1, 9 (Fig. 2) for applying bending force F to it from the actuator, for example, the armature of an electromagnet not shown in the drawings. In the field of pinning, they are made of different lengths for the convenience of attaching thin gold conductors 8 (Fig.1-3).

 These conductors can be connected, for example, by thermal compression, which is widely used in microelectronics technology in the manufacture of integrated circuits. The proposed design of the movable 5 (Fig.2-4) and fixed 1, 9 (Fig. 1, 4) contacts allows you to use in the manufacture of group technology on a silicon wafer. This technology is similar to that used in microelectronics in the manufacture of transistors and microcircuits. Moreover, a large number of contacts can be placed on a single silicon wafer.

 After forming the shape of the contacts, applying dielectric and metallized layers, these contacts can be connected through glass plates 4 (Fig. 1, 2, 4) by the electrostatic method and then separated from each other by etching the connecting jumpers. Etching technology is widely known and used in microelectronics. This sequence provides a group assembly of an integrated contact system. In some cases, it is possible to separate the contacts-springs by scribing, cutting with a laser beam or by an electroerosive method. The installation of the contact system (figure 2) in the micro-miniature relay is shown in figure 4. The fixed contacts 1, 9 are fixed in the holder 11, on the one hand they are welded to the terminals 12 of the relay, and on the other they are glued or soldered to the contacts 1, 5, 9. The electrical connection of the contacts 1, 5, 9 with the terminals 12 is carried out by welding thin gold conductors . The findings 12 are insulated, for example, by glass 13 from the base 14. The base 14 with the contact system is articulated with the armature of the electromagnet, which moves the contact of the spring 5 when the relay is activated. All relays can be sealed.

 In the case of using a multi-contact system (Fig. 3), the location of the movable and fixed contacts may be different, for example, one above the other, and the electrical leads are located similarly, as is done in the case of microcircuits.

 The operation of the proposed device does not differ from the work of widely known relays, i.e. a core coil is provided, to which a suspended anchor is attracted. The movement of the armature leads to the appearance of a force F, which acts on the deformed contact spring 5, which bends and closes the metallization 3 on the fixed contact 1.

 In a similar way, a normally closed contact 9 (Fig. 2, 4) opens with a deformable contact spring 5. The multi-contact system of FIG. 3 operates in a similar manner. The transfer of the movement of the armature to the movable contact spring 5 (Fig. 4) is possible according to a different scheme, including the scheme adopted in the design according to auth. N 619975. The movement of the deformed plate 1 leads to the opening of a normally closed contact and the closure of a normally open.

 The technical and economic advantages of the proposed device in comparison with the prototype are as follows: the possibility of further microminiaturization and integration of the contact system; the possibility of using group methods of manufacturing parts of the contact system and group assembly; due to the use of group methods of manufacturing and assembly, it is possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing a relay and reduce material consumption; increased reliability, resistance to mechanical stress due to a decrease in the size and weight of the contact system; the use of the proposed device in microminiature relays can reduce the dimensions of devices based on them and increase their reliability.

Claims (1)

 CONTACT SYSTEM OF THE MICROMINIATURE RELAY, comprising a base with insulated terminals, fixed contacts and at least one movable contact made in the form of a flat spring facing the stationary contacts by the plane, characterized in that the movable and fixed contacts are made in the form of plates of single-crystal material while the movable contact is made with a thin middle part and thickenings at the ends in the contact planes, which are applied electrically conductive coating, insulated about the contact body and connected to the terminals, and all contacts are attached to each other via a glass plate providing the desired gap thickness in the open position.

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