A circuit structure includes: a network of clamps; sense elements in series with the clamps and configured to sense a turn-on of at least one clamp of the network of clamps; and feedback elements connected to the clamps to facilitate triggering of remaining clamps of the network of clamps.

A power contact fault clearing device includes a first pair of terminals adapted to be connected across a first set of switchable contacts, and a second pair of terminals adapted to be connected across a second set of switchable contacts. The second set of switchable contacts coupled to an arc suppressor. A current sensor is adapted to be connected between a power load and the second set of switchable contacts. The current sensor is configured to measure a power load current associated with the power load. A controller circuit is operatively coupled to the current sensor and the first and second pairs of terminals. The controller circuit is configured to detect a fault condition based at least on the power load current, and sequence deactivation of the first set of switchable contacts and the second set of switchable contacts based on the detected fault condition.

An electronic control device includes an input terminal connected to a second terminal of a switch via an electrically conductive lead, an input circuit connected to the input terminal via a signal line, and a microcontroller to detect whether the switch is in an electrically conducting state or an electrically non-conducting state based on an output signal from the input circuit, and to perform at least one process in accordance with a detected result. The input circuit includes a first resistor connected to a supply voltage or ground and to the signal line, and a transient current circuit connected to the supply voltage or ground and to the signal line, the transient current circuit including a second resistor that allows a transient current to flow through the switch when the switch transitions from the electrically non-conducting state to the electrically conducting state.

A radio frequency micro-electromechanical switch (generally referred to using the acronyms RF MEMS) is described. Also described is a method of producing such an RF MEMS switch.

The present invention is notably directed to methods for estimating a degradation of an electronically controlled electro-mechanical switch. The methods comprise determining a change of state of the contactor. They also comprise, computing, for each determined change of state, a wear increment W.sub.I of the contactor by: identifying a wear coefficient using a mapping between a last measured current through the contactor and a current range associated with a given wear coefficient; computing the actual wear W.sub.N of the contactor by adding the computed wear increment W.sub.I to a former known wear W.sub.I−1 of the contactor.

Multi-pole and single-pole circuit breakers include a housing and a reset lockout mechanism disposed within the housing. The reset lockout mechanism disables electrical communication between line and load terminals of the circuit breaker if a predefined condition exists. Some circuit breakers include a single actuator, transition between ON and OFF states, and are capable of performing test functions. The test functions may involve testing AFCI and/or GFCI functions of the circuit breakers. The test functions may be performed when the circuit breaker transitions from an OFF state to an ON state. Some circuit breakers including a reset lockout mechanism may be powered only on its line side. Some circuit breakers provide an electrical indication when they are in the OFF state.

A MEMS/NEMS actuator based on a phase change material is described in which the volumetric change observed when the phase change material changes from a crystalline phase to an amorphous phase is used to effectuate motion in the device. The phase change material may be changed from crystalline phase to amorphous phase by heating with a heater or by passing current directly through the phase change material, and thereafter quenched quickly by dissipating heat into a substrate. The phase change material may be changed from the amorphous phase to a crystalline phase by heating at a lower temperature. An application of the actuator is described to fabricate a phase change nano relay in which the volumetric expansion of the actuator is used to push a contact across an airgap to bring it into contact with a source/drain.

A mechanical connection is provided for a microelectromechanical and/or nanoelectromechanical device for measuring a variation in pressure. The device includes a fixed component extending in a main plane, a mobile component to move or deform in an out-of-plane direction under effect of a variation in pressure, and a detector of movement or deformation having at least one mobile element. The mechanical connection includes: a lever arm; a first connection connecting the mobile component to a first end of the lever arm, the first connection transmitting out-of-plane movement of the mobile component to the first end of the lever arm while allowing out-of-plane rotation of the lever arm about a direction of rotation; a second connection connected to the second end of the lever arm to allow mainly an out-of-plane rotation of the lever arm about an axis of rotation extending in the direction of rotation; a third connection connecting the lever arm to the detector at a given distance from the axis of rotation in the out-of-plane direction, the third connection being designed to convert the rotation of the lever arm about the axis of rotation into a translation in the plane of the at least one mobile element in a direction of translation.

A system includes a dry contact with a first pair of switchable electrodes, a wet contact with a second pair of switchable electrodes, an arc suppressor, and a controller circuit operatively coupled to the arc suppressor and the first and second pairs of switchable electrodes. The controller circuit is configured to detect a failure of the wet contact and determine a stick duration associated with the first pair of switchable electrodes. The stick duration is based on a duration between an instance when a coil of the dry contact is deactivated and an instance of separation of the first pair of switchable electrodes during deactivation of the coil. The controller circuit generates, in-situ and in real-time, health assessment for the first pair of switchable electrodes based on a comparison of the determined stick duration with an average stick duration associated with a window of observation.

A switch that includes a droplet capable of spreading between two conductors to allow them to be coupled when a voltage is applied. The droplet can be enclosed by a cap that is bonded to a wafer that the droplet is placed upon, and include metallic properties. The cap can create a cavity that may be filled by a fluid, gas, or vapor. The cavity can have multiple conductors that extend partially or fully through it. The droplet can couple the conductors when specific voltages, or frequencies are applied to them. At the specific voltage and frequency the droplet can spread allowing at least two conductors to be coupled.