Patent ID: 6876130

Claim:
A piezoelectric relay comprising: a relay housing containing a switching channel; a solid slug adapted to move within the switching channel; a first contact pad located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid; a second contact pad located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid; a third contact pad located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid; an electrically conductive liquid volume in wetted contact with the solid slug; a first piezoelectric actuator operable to impart an impulsive force to the solid slug to move the solid slug to a first position within the switching channel where it completes an electrical circuit between the first and second contact pads; and a second piezoelectric actuator operable to impart an impulsive force to the solid slug to move the solid slug to a second position within the switching channel where it completes an electrical circuit between the second and third contact pads.