To provide a normally closed electric contact switching device with high responsiveness.
The electric contact switching device is provided with a silicon substrate 1, a glass substrate 7 attached to the silicon substrate 1 while covering a groove 2 and a fluid reservoir 3 formed on the silicon substrate 1, two electric contacts 10a and 10b formed at locations in opposition to the groove 2 on the glass substrate 7, a piezoelectric actuator 8 which depresses a diaphragm 4 formed at the rear side of the fluid reservoir 3 upon energization, a conductive fluid 6 located inside the groove 2 so that it may be present between the electric contacts 10a and 10b in a state where it is not electrically connected with the piezoelectric actuator 8, and non-conductive fluids 5a and 5b located at both sides of the conductive fluid 6 within the groove 2. Upon energization of the piezoelectric actuator 8, the diaphragm 4 is depressed towards the fluid reservoir 3, causing the fluid 5a inside the fluid reservoir 3 to be moved to the groove 2. As a result, the conductive fluid 6 is no longer present between the contacts 10a and 10b, which are turned off.
UOTOME RIICHI
FURUKUBO HIDEKAZU
Atsuo Mori