Patent ID: 8541926

Claim:
A nano/micro electro-mechanical relay, comprising: at least one normally open (NO) nano/micro relay switch and at least one normally closed (NC) nano/micro relay switch, both of which operationally include at least one displaceable contact pad that can be displaced relative to at least one substrate anchored pad to substantially simultaneously switch the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch between their respective normal relay switch positions and their respective actuated relay switch positions; an at least one nano/micro actuator including at least one piezoelectric stack layer being attached to at least one elastic layer, wherein to actuate the at least one nano/micro actuator, the at least one piezoelectric stack layer contracts to deflect the at least one elastic layer; and at least one nano/micro contact bar that when actuated by the at least one nano/micro actuator configured to simultaneously switch the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch between their respective normal relay switch position and their respective actuated relay switch positions at least partially in response to deflection of the at least one nano/micro actuator.