Patent ID: 7760065

Claim:
A microelectromechanical switch comprising: a unidirectional microelectromechanical element including: a first cold beam having a first free end and a first end connected to a first cold beam anchor, said first cold beam anchor attached to a substrate; a first beam pair coupled to said first cold beam by a first free end tether and configured to elongate when heated to a temperature greater than a temperature of said first cold beam; and a first tip integral with said free end of said first cold beam, wherein said first tip includes at least two spaced apart prongs; and a bi-directional microelectromechanical element switchably coupled to said unidirectional microelectromechanical element including: a second cold beam having a second free end and a first end connected to a second cold beam anchor, said second cold beam anchor attached to said substrate; a second beam pair coupled to said second cold beam by a second free end tether and configured to elongate when heated to a temperature greater than a temperature of said second cold beam; a third beam pair located on an opposing side of said second cold beam from said second beam pair and coupled to said second beam pair and said second cold beam by said second free end tether, said third beam pair configured to elongate when heated to a temperature greater than said temperature of said second cold beam; and a second tip integral with said free end of said second cold beam including another prong, wherein one of said at least two spaced apart prongs of said first tip and said another prong of said second tip form a conductive path when said one of said at least two spaced apart prongs of said first tip and said another prong of said second tip are in electrical contact with each other to carry an electrical signal through the microelectromechanical switch.