Patent ID: 6894424

Claim:
An electrical relay comprising: a relay housing containing a switching cavity; first and second fixed contact pads, each attached to the relay housing in the switching cavity and having a wettable surface; first and second switching contacts positioned between the first and second fixed contact pads, each of the first and second switching contacts having a wettable surface; a moveable contact carrier supporting the first and second switching contacts; a first conducting liquid volume in wetted contact with the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad; a second conducting liquid volume in wetted contact with the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad; and an actuator in a rest position, coupling the contact carrier to the relay housing and operable to move the contact carrier in a first direction, to decrease the distance between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and increase the distance between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad, and a second direction to increase the distance between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and decrease the distance between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad, wherein: motion of the contact carrier in the first direction causes the first conducting liquid volume to form a connection between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and causes the second conducting liquid volume to separate into two droplets, thereby breaking a connection between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad; and motion of the contact carrier in the second direction causes the first conducting liquid volume to separate into two droplets, thereby breaking the connection between the first switching contact and the first fixed contact pad and causes the second conducting liquid volume to form a connection between the second switching contact and the second fixed contact pad.