| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a breaker with high performance and a small size by installing at least a pair of facing electrodes in a closed container, and opening or closing a contact of a current circuit by evaporation and coagulation of liquid metal held in a gap between the electrodes. SOLUTION: Liquid metal is selected from at least one of Hg, Ga, Na-K alloy, and Rb. Facing electrodes 2 coated with Teflon 3 except for the tip are installed in a closed container 4 formed by fitting conical dents formed in a Teflon material and sticking from both sides, the liquid metal 1 is held in a gap between the facing electrodes 2 to form a current breaker. When current exceeding an allowable value flows through the liquid metal, vapor pressure of the liquid metal 1 is raised by heat generation, vapor of the liquid metal is coagulated on the surface having lower temperature than the facing electrodes 2, such as the inner surface of the container, the volume of the liquid metal 1 between the facing electrodes 2 is decreased and a signal line is shut off. The inner wall of the container other than the facing electrodes 2 is heated to raise vapor pressure again, the liquid metal 1 is coagulated again between the facing electrodes 2 to recover a shut off state.
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