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 component for an aircraft includes at least one connection interface, wherein the connection interface is configured to simultaneously establish an electrical connection and a mechanical connection. An electrical system for an aircraft and a method for connecting components for an aircraft are disclosed.

The disclosed concept relates to compositions and methods for the manufacture of electrically resistive, thermally conductive electrical switching apparatus. The composition includes a polymer component and a nanofiber component. The thermal conductivity of the nanofiber component is higher than the thermal conductivity of the polymer component such that the electrical switching apparatus which includes the composition of the disclosed concept has improved heat dissipation as compared to an electrical switching apparatus constructed of the polymer component in the absence of the nanofiber component. Further, the disclosed concept relates to methods of towering the internal temperature of an electrically resistive, thermally conductive electrical switching apparatus by forming the internals of the apparatus, e.g., circuit breakers, and/or the enclosure from the composition of the disclosed concept.

A circuit breaker including at least two contact tip that comprise an electrical contact material comprising silver (Ag) and tungsten (W). The contact tip further comprises a graphene material (Gr) additively mixed in Ag as being denoted as AgGr0.3% or AgGr0.5% which is mixed with tungsten (W) to form (AgGr0.3)W50 or (AgGr0.5)W50 called a silver-graphene tungsten composite material.

A circuit breaker including at least two contact tip that comprise an electrical contact material comprising silver (Ag) and tungsten (W). The contact tip further comprises a graphene material (Gr) additively mixed in Ag as being denoted as AgGr0.3% or AgGr0.5% which is mixed with tungsten (W) to form (AgGr0.3)W50 or (AgGr0.5)W50 called a silver-graphene tungsten composite material.

A variable-speed control assembly for use in controlling speed of an electric motor of an electric device, the variable-speed control assembly including: a housing; a speed signaling circuit module located within the housing including a pair of spaced-apart electrically-conductive stationary contact members and a movable electrically-conductive contact member configured for movement relative to the pair of stationary contact members between at least one of an OFF position in which the movable contact member does not electrically connect the pair of stationary contact members, and, a plurality of ON positions in which the movable contact member electrically connects the pair of stationary contact members such that an electric current supplied to the speed signaling circuit module from a power supply of the electric device is able to flow between the pair of stationary contact members via the movable contact member; wherein the movable contact member includes an elastically-deformable material configured for deforming in to a plurality of different deformed configurations when arranged in each of the plurality of ON positions such that a contact area between the movable contact member and the pair of stationary contact members will vary in each of the plurality of ON positions resulting in an amount of electrical resistance across the movable contact member varying when arranged in each of the plurality of ON positions relative to the pair of stationary contact members; and whereby said speed signaling circuit module is configured for producing different output electrical signals configured for use in controlling speed of operation of the electric motor by reference to the variable electrical resistance across the movable contact member when arranged in each of the ON positions.

A rotary encoder includes a shaft and an encoder mechanism that holds the shaft in a rotatably inserted state and detects a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the shaft. The encoder mechanism includes a substrate that rotatably holds the shaft, an insulator portion and a resistor portion provided on one surface of the substrate and alternately provided in the rotation direction of the shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft so as to be integrally rotatable with the shaft, and a slider that is attached to the rotor and alternately slidably contacts the insulator portion and the resistor portion by rotation of the shaft. The insulator portion includes a base material made of a resin, spherical silica, and a fluororesin filler.

A membrane circuit board includes a first flexible circuit board, a second flexible circuit board and a nanomaterial layer. The nanomaterial layer includes plural polymeric structures. The nanomaterial layer is formed on the first flexible circuit board, the second flexible circuit board and/or a junction region between the edge of the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board to prevent at least one of the upper metallic conductor line and the lower metallic conductor line from contacting with a specified chemical element. Consequently, the conductive impedance of the upper metallic conductor line and the lower metallic conductor line is not affected by the specified chemical element. Moreover, the present invention also provides a keyboard device with the membrane circuit board.

A membrane circuit board includes a first flexible circuit board, a second flexible circuit board and a nanomaterial layer. The nanomaterial layer includes plural polymeric structures. The nanomaterial layer is formed on the first flexible circuit board, the second flexible circuit board and/or a junction region between the edge of the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board to prevent at least one of the upper metallic conductor line and the lower metallic conductor line from contacting with a specified chemical element. Consequently, the conductive impedance of the upper metallic conductor line and the lower metallic conductor line is not affected by the specified chemical element. Moreover, the present invention also provides a keyboard device with the membrane circuit board.

A metal-graphene composite product in the form of a sliding contact of an electric power application, in which graphene flakes are dispersed in a matrix of the metal, as well as to a method for obtaining such a composite product.