Self terminating coaxial switch

Claim 2

In a self-terminating coaxial microwave switch having a first terminal that is selectively connectable to a second terminal by a reed conductor and that has a termination resistor, the improvement wherein: said reed conductor and said termination resistor alternately directly and mechanically contact said first terminal.

Claim 3

The self-terminating coaxial microwave switch claimed in claim 1 wherein the reed conductor and termination resistor respectively contact different parts of the first terminal.

Claim 4

The self-terminating coaxial microwave switch claimed in claim 2 wherein the end of the reed conductor contacting the first terminal is shaped to conform to the end of the termination resistor contacting the first terminal and is spaced apart from the termination resistor.

Claim 5

The self-terminating coaxial microwave switch claimed in claim 1 further having a rocker arm means for moving the reed conductor and termination resistor into and out of contact with the first terminal.

Claim 6

The self-terminating coaxial microwave switch claimed in claim 1 further having a first and second springs disposed adjacent to each end of the termination resistor for ensuring that the termination resistor moves in direct response to movement of the rocker arm.

Claim 7

Switching means for use in a self-terminating coaxial microwave switching device comprising: a switch housing; a rocker arm connected to the housing by a pivot means for allowing the rocker arm to move between a first signal transmission position and a second termination position; a reed conductor for allowing transmission of a microwave signal; a reed conductor spring disposed in the switch housing adjacent a first coaxial terminal and first end of the rocker arm and connected to the reed conductor such that the force of the reed conductor spring places the conductor reed in the first signal transmission position; a termination resistor having a predetermined .impedance for terminating a position of the self-terminating multi-position coaxial microwave switching device, said termination resistor being vertically disposed in the switch housing adjacent a second coaxial terminal and a second end of the rocker arm such that the termination resistor may be moved vertically in the switch housing in response to movement of the rocker arm; a termination spring disposed in the switch housing adjacent the bottom end of the termination resistor such that the force of the termination spring moves the termination resistor upward in the switch housing; a fail-safe spring disposed in the housing proximate to the top end of the termination resistor such that the force of the fail-safe spring tends to move the termination resistor downward in the switch housing; and a switch activating means for moving the rocker arm between the first signal transmission position and the second termination position; wherein the relative spring forces of the reed conductor spring, termination spring, and fail-safe spring when expanded are such that the rocker arm tends to remain in the second termination position when the switch activating means is not actuated, the fail-safe spring thereby moving the termination resistor downward in the switch housing into contact with the second coaxial terminal, while actuating the switch activating means moves the rocker arm into the first signal transmission position, thereby moving the termination resistor upward in the switch housing and compressing the reed conductor spring, completing the signal path.

Claim 8

Switching means for use in a self-terminating coaxial microwave switching device comprising: a switch housing; a rocker arm connected to the housing by a pivot means for allowing the rocker arm to move between a first signal transmission position and a second termination position; a reed conductor for allowing transmission of a microwave signal; a reed conductor spring disposed in the switch housing adjacent a first coaxial terminal and first end of the rocker arm and connected to the reed conductor such that the force of the reed conductor spring places the conductor reed in the first signal transmission position; a termination resistor having a predetermined .impedance for terminating a position of the self-terminating multi-position coaxial microwave switching device, said termination resistor being vertically disposed in the switch housing adjacent a second coaxial terminal and a second end of the rocker arm such that the termination resistor may be moved vertically in the switch housing in response to movement of the rocker arm; a termination spring disposed in the switch housing adjacent the bottom end of the termination resistor such that the force of the termination spring moves the termination resistor upward in the switch housing; a fail-safe spring disposed in the housing proximate to the top end of the termination resistor such that the force of the fail-safe spring tends to move the termination resistor downward in the switch housing; and a switch activating means for moving the rocker arm between the first signal transmission position and the second termination position; wherein the relative spring forces of the reed conductor spring, termination spring, and fail-safe spring when expanded are such that the rocker arm tends to remain in the second termination position when the switch activating means is not actuated, the fail-safe spring thereby moving the termination resistor downward in the switch housing into contact with the second coaxial terminal, while actuating the switch activating means moves the rocker arm into the first signal transmission position, thereby moving the termination resistor upward in the switch housing and compressing the reed conductor spring, completing the signal path.

Claim 9

A self-terminating multi-position coaxial microwave switching device having a plurality of switches as claimed in claim 1 and including: a housing having a body and body cover plate, wherein the body has a cavity comprising a central portion and a plurality of radial portions extending from the central portion; a central coaxial terminal disposed in the body with its inner conductor extending coaxially into the central portion of the body; a plurality of peripheral coaxial terminals disposed in the body at the end points of the radial portions of the body located near the periphery of the body; a plurality of reed conductors of the same number as the peripheral coaxial terminals suspended from the body cover plate over each of the radial portions and having a configuration such that the reed conductors may be placed into the radial portions of the body cavity; said body cover plate having a plurality of self-terminating coaxial microwave switches of the type as claimed in claim 1, one for each radial portion of the body cavity, for selectively coupling the central coaxial terminal with a peripheral coaxial terminal, wherein: each reed conductor is connected to an associated reed conductor spring through the body cover plate such that compressing the reed conductor spring thereby brings one end of the reed conductor into contact with the central coaxial terminal and brings the other end into contact with a peripheral coaxial terminal; whereas allowing the reed conductor spring to expand pulls the reed conductor out of contact with the central coaxial terminal and peripheral coaxial terminal, allows the fail-safe spring to expand, and thereby brings the termination resistor into contact with the peripheral coaxial terminal.

Claim 10

A switching means for use in a self-terminating multi-position coaxial microwave switching device comprising: a substantially flat body portion, having a cavity comprising a channel in a top surface of the body portion; a body cover portion coupled to the body portion at the surface having the channel; a rocker arm connected to the body cover portion by a pivot means for moving the rocker arm between a first position and a second position; first and second coils mutually excited by a current source and wound about an axis such that the magnetic forces generated by the respective coils are in opposite directions along the axis; a substantially flat magnet plate; a permanent magnet disposed between the first and second coils, beneath the magnet plate and above the rocker arm such that, when the rocker arm is in the first position, a magnetic circuit is completed comprising the permanent magnet, a first portion of the magnet plate, the core of the first coil, and a first end portion of the rocker arm and, when the rocker arm is in the second position, a magnetic circuit is completed comprising the permanent magnet, a second portion of the magnet plate, the core of the second coil, and a second end portion of the rocker arm; a first coaxial terminal disposed in the body portion with its inner conductor extending into a first end of the channel; a second coaxial terminal disposed in the body portion with its inner conductor extending into a second end of the channel; a termination resistor having a predetermined impedance; a reed connector having an upwardly extending shaft, the shaft extending through the body cover portion and suspended therefrom by a reed spring, the shaft and spring being disposed beneath the rocker arm and above the channel; wherein placing the rocker arm in a first position compresses the reed spring, thereby displacing the reed connector in a downward position into contact with the first and second coaxial terminals so that a microwave signal may travel from the first coaxial terminal to the second coaxial terminal, and placing the rocker arm in the second position moves the termination means downward into contact with the second coaxial terminal.

Claim 11

A switching means for use in a self-terminating multi-position coaxial microwave switching device comprising: a substantially flat body portion, having a cavity comprising a channel in a top surface of the body portion; a body cover portion coupled to the body portion at the surface having the channel; a rocker arm connected to the body cover portion by a pivot means for moving the rocker arm between a first position and a second position; first and second coils mutually excited by a current source and wound about an axis such that the magnetic forces generated by the respective coils are in opposite directions along the axis; a substantially flat magnet plate; a permanent magnet disposed between the first and second coils, beneath the magnet plate and above the rocker arm such that, when the rocker arm is in the first position, a magnetic circuit is completed comprising the permanent magnet, a first portion of the magnet plate, the core of the first coil, and a first end portion of the rocker arm and, when the rocker arm is in the second position, a magnetic circuit is completed comprising the permanent magnet, a second portion of the magnet plate, the core of the second coil, and a second end portion of the rocker arm; a first coaxial terminal disposed in the body portion with its inner conductor extending into a first end of the channel; a second coaxial terminal disposed in the body portion with its inner conductor extending into a second end of the channel; a termination resistor having a predetermined impedance; a reed connector having an upwardly extending shaft, the shaft extending through the body cover portion and suspended therefrom by a reed spring, the shaft and spring being disposed beneath the rocker arm and above the channel; wherein placing the rocker arm in a first position compresses the reed spring, thereby displacing the reed connector in a downward position into contact with the first and second coaxial terminals so that a microwave signal may travel from the first coaxial terminal to the second coaxial terminal, and placing the rocker arm in the second position moves the termination means downward into contact with the second coaxial terminal.

Claim 12

A self-terminating multi-position coaxial microwave switching device including: a housing containing a base plate with a plurality of switching means as claimed in claim 8.

Claim 13

In a self-terminating coaxial switch of the type wherein a common terminal is selectively connectable to another coaxial terminal by a reed movable in a transmission cavity, said reed being movable in a direction toward and away from a common plane containing the surface of said common terminal and the surface of said other common terminal, the improvement comprising: a termination resistor situated above a portion of said other terminal surface, said termination resistor being movable toward and away from said common terminal surface, and means for concurrently moving (a) said reed towards said common plane to bring one end of said reed into contact with said common terminal surface and the other end of said reed into contact with said other terminal surface so as to provide a microwave path between said one terminal and said other terminal, and (b) said termination resistor away from said other terminal surface, and alternately moving (a) said reed away from said terminal surfaces to open said microwave path and (b) said termination resistor toward and into contact with said portion of said other terminal surface so as to provide a resistive termination for that other terminal, said reed other end being configured to contact only a part of said other terminal surface different from said position contacted by said termination resistor.

Claim 14

In a self-terminating coaxial switch of the type wherein a common terminal is selectively connectable to another coaxial terminal by a reed movable in a transmission cavity, said reed being movable in a direction toward and away from a common plane containing the surface of said common terminal and the surface of said other common terminal, the improvement comprising: a termination resistor situated above a portion of said other terminal surface, said termination resistor being movable toward and away from said common terminal surface, and means for concurrently moving (a) said reed towards said common plane to bring one end of said reed into contact with said common terminal surface and the other end of said reed into contact with said other terminal surface so as to provide a microwave path between said one terminal and said other terminal, and (b) said termination resistor away from said other terminal surface, and alternately moving (a) said reed away from said terminal surfaces to open said microwave path and (b) said termination resistor toward and into contact with said portion of said other terminal surface so as to provide a resistive termination for that other terminal, said reed other end being configured to contact only a part of said other terminal surface different from said position contacted by said termination resistor.

Claim 15

The improvement of claim 10 wherein said termination resistor end is generally circular and said reed other end is of convex semicircular shape, said reed ether end being spaced laterally from said termination resistor end.

Claim 16

The improvement of claim 10 wherein said means for moving comprises a magnetically latched rocker arm, said reed and said termination resistor being respectively operatively connected to different portions of said rocker arm.