Patent ID: 6064126
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
An electrical switch for enabling or preventing current flow between two points wherein the switch includes two terminals, a plurality of conductive tracks extending from each terminal, the conductive tracks connected with one terminal being electrically insulated from the tracks connected with the other terminal, the switch including a plurality of electrically-conductive bridging elements spaced from the tracks and displaceable between a first position where the bridging elements are spaced from the tracks and a second position where each bridging element is connected with one terminal and a track connected with the other terminal such that current can flow in parallel between the two terminals via the conductive tracks and the bridging elements, and an actuator arranged to displace all the bridging elements together between the first and second position, such that all the bridging elements are either in the first or second position at any one time, wherein at least some of the bridging elements are formed in a common plate of material that is fixed and is formed to provide flexible elements by which the bridging elements are supported in the plate, such that each bridging element is independently flexible relative to the plate and failure of one bridging element in the second position does not prevent other bridging elements moving to the first position.