High gain relays and systems

Claim 2

A relay comprising an electrically insulating base, stationary contact means mounted on said base, movable contact means mounted on said base for movement between a closed circuit position engaging said stationary contact means and an open circuit position spaced from said stationary contact means, spring means mounted on said base biasing said movable contact means from one of said positions to the other of said positions, and a metal wire secured between said movable contact means and said base, said wire being of a selected metal alloy to be deformed from an original length to a second length by said spring bias as said movable contact means is moved from said one position to said other position by said spring bias while said alloy displays a relatively low modulus of elasticity below a transition temperature and to abruptly return to said original length and to display a relatively higher modulus of elasticity to move said movable contact means back to said one position against said spring bias with a force of at least 15 grams when said wire is heated to said transition temperature, said wire having a selected cross-sectional size and length to be heated from room temperature to said transition temperature by passing electrical current through said wire with a power input of less than about 2 watts for permitting operation of said relay with a gain of at least about 500 to 1 at power levels used in energizing integrated circuits.

Claim 3

A high gain relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wire has a diameter of less thaN about 0.004 inches.

Claim 4

A high gain relay as set forth in claim 2 wherein said wire has a length of at least about 4 inches.

Claim 5

A high gain electrical relay operable at the low power levels used in energizing integrated circuits comprising an insulating base, a pair of stationary electrical contact means mounted on said base to stand above said base in electrically insulated relation to each other, movable electrical contact means movable between a closed circuit position engaging and bridging said stationary contact means and an open circuit position spaced from said stationary contact means, spring means mounted on said base biasing said movable contact means away from said base to said open circuit position, electrically insulating cap means movably secured to said base and in engagement with said movable contact means for limiting movement of said movable contact means away from said base in response to said spring bias, and a wire of a selected nickel-titanium alloy secured between said cap means and base to be deformed from an original length to a greater length by said spring bias as said movable contact means is moved to said open circuit position by said spring bias while said alloy displays a low modulus of elasticity below a transition temperature and to abruptly return to said original length and to display a relatively higher modulus of elasticity to move said movable contact means to said closed circuit position against said spring bias with a force of at least about 15 grams when said wire is heated to said transition temperature, said wire having a diameter less than about 0.004 inches to be heated from room temperature to said transition temperature by directing electrical current through said wire with a low power input of less than about 2 watts for permitting operation of said relay with a gain of at least about 500 to 1.

Claim 6

A high gain electrical relay operable at the low power levels used in energizing integrated circuits comprising an insulating base, a pair of stationary electrical contact means mounted on said base to stand above said base in electrically insulated relation to each other, movable electrical contact means movable between a closed circuit position engaging and bridging said stationary contact means and an open circuit position spaced from said stationary contact means, spring means mounted on said base biasing said movable contact means away from said base to said open circuit position, electrically insulating cap means movably secured to said base and in engagement with said movable contact means for limiting movement of said movable contact means away from said base in response to said spring bias, and a wire of a selected nickel-titanium alloy secured between said cap means and base to be deformed from an original length to a greater length by said spring bias as said movable contact means is moved to said open circuit position by said spring bias while said alloy displays a low modulus of elasticity below a transition temperature and to abruptly return to said original length and to display a relatively higher modulus of elasticity to move said movable contact means to said closed circuit position against said spring bias with a force of at least about 15 grams when said wire is heated to said transition temperature, said wire having a diameter less than about 0.004 inches to be heated from room temperature to said transition temperature by directing electrical current through said wire with a low power input of less than about 2 watts for permitting operation of said relay with a gain of at least about 500 to 1.

Claim 7

A relay as set forth in claim 4 wherein said stationary contact means have terminal portions extending from the bottom of said base and wherein said wire has its opposite ends secured to additional terminals mounted on said base, said additional terminals having portions thereof extending from the bottom of said base.

Claim 8

A relay as set forth in claim 5 wherein said additional terminals are formed of deformable, electrically conductive metal material and are deformable for adjusting contact pressure between said movable contact means and said stationary contact means in said closed circuit position.

Claim 9

A relay as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cap means are adjustably mounted on said base for adjusting spacing between said movable contact means and said stationary contact means in said open circuit position.

Claim 10

A relay as set forth in claim 6 wherein said movable contact means comprises an electrically conductive bridging contact arm having electrical contacts mounted on opposite ends of said arm and wherein said cap means comprises a body of insulating material having a surface engaging said movable contact arm, and a threaded member extending through said insulating body into threaded, adjustable engagement with said base.

Claim 11

A relay as set forth in claim 8 having multiple lengths of said wire extending between said additional terminals and bosses on said base and bosses on said insulating body of said cap means.

Claim 12

A high gain electrical relay operable at the low power levels used in energizing integrated circuits comprising an insulating header, a stationary contact member cantilever mounted on said header to support a stationary contact at the distal end thereof, a spring contact member cantilever mounted on said header to support a movable contact at the distal end thereof and to bias said movable contact to closed circuit position engaging said stationary contact, and a wire of a selected nickel-titanium secured between said distal end of said spring contact member and said header to be deformed from an original length to a greater length by said spring member Bias as said spring member moves said movable contact to said closed circuit position while said alloy displays a relatively low modulus of elasticity below a transition temperature and to abruptly return to said original length and to display a relatively higher modulus of elasticity to move said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact to an open circuit position against said spring member bias with a force of at least about 15 grams when said wire is heated to said transition temperature, said wire having a diameter less than about 0.004 inches to be heated from room temperature to said transition temperature by directing electrical current through said wire with a low power input of less than about 2 watts for permitting operation of said relay with a gain of at least about 500 to 1.

Claim 13

A high gain electrical relay operable at the low power levels used in energizing integrated circuits comprising an insulating header, a stationary contact member cantilever mounted on said header to support a stationary contact at the distal end thereof, a spring contact member cantilever mounted on said header to support a movable contact at the distal end thereof and to bias said movable contact to closed circuit position engaging said stationary contact, and a wire of a selected nickel-titanium secured between said distal end of said spring contact member and said header to be deformed from an original length to a greater length by said spring member Bias as said spring member moves said movable contact to said closed circuit position while said alloy displays a relatively low modulus of elasticity below a transition temperature and to abruptly return to said original length and to display a relatively higher modulus of elasticity to move said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact to an open circuit position against said spring member bias with a force of at least about 15 grams when said wire is heated to said transition temperature, said wire having a diameter less than about 0.004 inches to be heated from room temperature to said transition temperature by directing electrical current through said wire with a low power input of less than about 2 watts for permitting operation of said relay with a gain of at least about 500 to 1.

Claim 14

A relay as set forth in claim 10 wherein said spring contact member comprises a blade spring.

Claim 15

A relay as set forth in claim 10 wherein said spring contact member comprises a metal member having a dished portion intermediate its ends having one end of said member fixed to said header and having said movable contact mounted at its opposite end so that said spring member biases said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact with snap action.

Claim 16

A relay as set forth in claim 10 having a pair of terminals mounted on said header, having an insulating member secured to said distal end of said spring contact member, having said wire of said nickel-titanium alloy with one end secured to one of said terminals and its other end secured to said insulating member, and having a flexible wire conductor connected at one end to said other end of said nickel-titanium alloy wire and at its opposite end to said other terminal.

Claim 17

A relay as set forth in claim 10 having a pair of terminals mounted on said header, having an insulating member secured to said distal end of said spring contact member, and having said wire of said nickel-titanium alloy secured at its opposite ends to said respective terminals and secured intermediate its ends to said insulating member.

Claim 18

A relay as set forth in claim 14 having a boss secured to said header and having multiple lengths of said wire extending between said terminals, said boss and said insulating member.