Electromechanical transducer type relay

Claim 2

An electromechanical transducer type relay comprising a bimorph cell having a pair of joined dielectric electromechanical transducer elements which, when subjected to an electric field, generate strains in different directions to be displaced toward the operation and return sides of said bimorph cell; a movable contact member of a magnetic material; fixed terminals of a magnetic material to and away from which said movable contact member moves; a permanent magnet for attracting and holding said movable contact member so that said movable contact member contacts said fixed terminal on its operation side or on its return side; a connection member provided at a movable end of said bimorph cell for displacing said movable contact member toward its operation side or toward its return side when said bimorph cell is displaced, said connection member having an aperture therein allowing said movable contact member to remain in its operation state or in its return state when said bimorph cell has returned to its initial state; and a drive circuit for reciprocating said bimorph cell by applying a one-shot pulse to each of said bimorph cell operation and return electromechanical transducer elements.

Claim 3

An electromechanical transducer type relay comprising a bimorph cell having a pair of joined dielectric electromechanical transducer elements which, when subjected to an electric field, generate strains in different directions to be displaced toward the operation and return sides of said bimorph cell; a movable contact member of a magnetic material fixed at its base so as to be cantilevered; fixed terminals having fixed contacts to and away from which said movable contact member moves; a pair of yokes of a magnetic material, one displaced at a predetermined spacing from and opposite to each of the sides of said movable contact member; a permanent magnet for attracting and holding said movable contact member so that said movable contact member contacts the corresponding yoke on its operation side or on its return side; a connection member provided at a movable end of said bimorph cell for displacing said movable contact member toward its operation side or toward its return side when said bimorph cell is displaced, said connection member having an aperture therein allowing said movable contact member to remain in its operation state or in its return state when said bimorph cell has returned to its initial state; and a drive circuit for reciprocating said bimorph cell by applying a one-shot pulse to each of said bimorph cell operation and return electromechanical transducer elements.

Claim 4

An electromechanical transducer type relay comprising a bimorph cell having a pair of joined dielectric electromechanical transducer elements which, when subjected to an electric field, generate strains in different directions to be displaced toward the operation and return sides of said bimorph cell; a movable contact member of a magnetic material fixed at its base so as to be cantilevered; fixed terminals having fixed contacts to and away from which said movable contact member moves; a pair of yokes of a magnetic material, one displaced at a predetermined spacing from and opposite to each of the sides of said movable contact member; a permanent magnet for attracting and holding said movable contact member so that said movable contact member contacts the corresponding yoke on its operation side or on its return side; a connection member provided at a movable end of said bimorph cell for displacing said movable contact member toward its operation side or toward its return side when said bimorph cell is displaced, said connection member having an aperture therein allowing said movable contact member to remain in its operation state or in its return state when said bimorph cell has returned to its initial state; and a drive circuit for reciprocating said bimorph cell by applying a one-shot pulse to each of said bimorph cell operation and return electromechanical transducer elements.

Claim 5

An electromechanical transducer type relay of claim 2, wherein said yokes are disposed between said fixed terminals and said connection member.

Claim 6

An electromechanical transducer type relay of claim 2, wherein said yokes are disposed between said fixed terminals and a common fixed terminal at the base of said movable contact member.

Claim 7

An electromechanical transducer type relay of claim 1 wherein said drive circuit includes a capacitor connected to an input terminal and charged when a voltage is applied to said input terminal; a first switching element conducting from the application of the input voltage until the charging of said capacitor is completed to supply electric power to said bimorph cell operation electromechanical element displaced toward its operation side; and a second switching element conducting from the interruption of said input voltage until said capacitor completes its discharging to supply electric power to said bimorph element return electromechanical transducer element displaced toward its return side.