Patent ID: 6456190
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A micro-mechanical switching device comprising at least two contact elements, a first element and a second element, said first and second elements having first and second ends, said first ends of each element being fixed on a carrier along a line and said second ends of each element being movable with respect to said first ends of the corresponding element and at least partly movable relative to each other, said micro-mechanical switching device having a first close circuit position when said second ends contact each other and a second open circuit position when said second ends are spaced apart, said contact elements consisting of at least two materials with essentially different thermal expansion coefficients, said elements at said first position being further arranged to substantially align with overlapping second ends, whereinat least one of said elements comprises a heating member, said elements being arranged to assume said second, open position in opposite sides of said line, and said first closed position is obtained by displacing said first element over said line into a same side as the second element and then displacing both elements to alignment and closed circuit.