Fluid switch construction having a sealed deformable container partially filled withan electrically conductive, non-wetting fluid

Claim 1

THE IMPROVEMENT OF A FLUID SWITCH CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A SEALED, HOLLOW CONTAINER FORMED OF A VISCOELASTIC, DEFORMABLE MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL TERMINALS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CONTAINER INTO ITS INTERIOR HOLLOW PORTION, AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE, NON-WETTING FLUID PARTIALLY FILLING THE INTERIOR HOLLOW PORTIONOF SAID CONTAINER AND IN CONTACT WITH ONLY PORTION FOTHE PERIPHERAL SURFACE THEREOF, SAID FLUID BEING IN CONTACT WITH SAID ELECTRICAL TERMINALS SO AS TO PROVIDE A LOW RESISTANCE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT PATH BETWEEN SAID TERMINALS WHEN THE CONTAINER IS NOT DEFORMED, AND MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID CONTAINER FOR DEFORMING THE CONTAINER TO CAUSE THE LOW RESISTANCE ELECTRICAL PATH BETWEEN THE TERMINALS TO BE ABRUPTLY RUPTURED TO FORM A HIGH RESISTANCE OPEN CIRCUIT, THE INTERNAL PERIPHERY OF SAID CONTAINER BEING DEFINED BY A PLURALITY OF ARCUATE SURFACES CONTIGUOUS WITH EACH OTHER AND MEETING AT JUNCTIONS FORMING REGIONS OF SURFACE DISCONTINUITY SUCH THAT A SHARPLY DISCONTINUOUS ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT SWITCHING FUNCTION CAN BE EFFECTED BETWEEN THE TERMINALS AS A RESULT OF THE DEFORMATION OF SAID CONTAINER FOR AN AMOUNT LESS THAN THE DEFORMATION REQUIRED TO CAUSE THE INTERNAL OPPOSING PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF THE CONTAINER TO COMPLETELY ABUT EACH OTHER.