Methods and apparatus for preventing oxidation of an electrical connection

• US 10,062,996 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ideal Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ideal Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Bello, Nolan, Keswani, Sushil N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Colleen P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liang, Anthony M
• Application Number:
  US13/306,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/122 Ionic conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/22 the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/34 Conductive members located under head of screw

Abstract

A malleable wax-based antioxidant is provided for use between two electrical connectors. To form the example antioxidant, a wax-base is melted and particles, such as, for example, zinc particles, are provided in suspension with the melted wax. The suspension is then cooled and formed into a shape by, for example, molding, extrusion, die cutting, or other suitable forming method. The antioxidant remains viscose under normal operating temperatures of the electrical connector to avoid oozing and/or running out of the antioxidant, thus better preventing oxidation of the connector. The particles keep the connections running cool, particularly with aluminum to aluminum connections.

Claims

1. A method of forming an antioxidant material for use between two electrical connectors comprising:

melting a wax base, wherein the wax base has a melting temperature of at least about 73.0°

C., a kinematic viscosity of between about 13.0 cSt and 17.0 cSt at 100°

C., an oil content of less than about 2.5% by weight, and a needle penetration depth of the wax base is about 20 dmm to 30 dmm at 25°

C.;

adding metal particles to the melted wax to form a suspension, wherein the metal particles are zinc and the suspension includes about 10% to 95% by weight of the metal particles;

cooling the suspension to form a malleable solid; and

forming the malleable solid into a shape suitable for placement between the two electrical connectors.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising forming an aperture in the shape.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the aperture is sized to allow a fastener coupling the two electrical connectors to pass through the aperture.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the shape is formed through at least one of an extrusion or die-cut process.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrical connectors is a wire.