ELECTRICAL CONNECTION DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED CONDUCTANCE

• US 20130122730A1
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A.M.C. Tãªxtil Ltda. (AMC Exportação E Importação S/A)
• Original Assignee: A.M.C. Tãªxtil Ltda. (AMC Exportação E Importação S/A)
• Inventors: Pillet, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 9,093,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/271
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/12 End pieces terminating in an eye, hook, or fork
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/304 having means for improving contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/62 Connections between conductors of different materials; Connections between or with aluminium or steel-core aluminium conductors H01R4/68 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49195 with end-to-end orienting

Abstract

An electrical connection device, including two conductors (12 and 14), in which at least one of the two conductors is made of aluminum, each conductor has a contact surface, and a conductive element (1) is inserted between the contact surfaces of the conductors. The inserted conductive part has a foam skeleton having open cells of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, and the alloys thereof, directly covered with at least one coating of copper, tin, indium or one of the alloys thereof.

Claims

1. An electrical connection device comprising two conductors (12 and 14) each having a contact surface and a conductive element (10) inserted between the contact surfaces of said conductors, the inserted conductive element consisting of a metal foam skeleton with open cells intended to reduce the electrical resistance of the connection;

said device being characterized in that the inserted conductive element consists of a foam skeleton of a metal chosen from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and the alloys thereof directly covered with at least one coating of copper, tin, indium or one of the alloys thereof.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the coating is a coating of copper or one of the alloys thereof, itself covered with a coating of tin, indium or one of the alloys thereof.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the two conductors (12 and 14) is made of aluminum.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the inserted conductive element (10) comprises a nickel foam skeleton.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, in which the nickel foam skeleton is covered with a coating of tin.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which a current of intensity greater than 1000 amperes circulates.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the inserted conductive element (10) comprises at least one seal (20) at its periphery creating a barrier that is tight to degrading external agents.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, in which the seal (20) is produced by the deposition of a sealing product of elastomer type on the periphery of the inserted conductive element (10).

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, in which the seal (20) is produced by at least one folding-in of the edge of the inserted conductive element (10).

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the metal foam forming the skeleton of the inserted conductive element (10) is impregnated with grease.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, in which the grease is a conductive grease.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the metal foam forming the skeleton of the inserted conductive element (10) is impregnated with a component suitable for reducing the formation of a layer of high resistivity on the surface of at least one of the conductors (12, 14) and/or for cleaning the surface of at least one of the conductors.

16. An electricity meter, characterized in that it comprises an electrical connection device as claimed in claim 1.

13. A clamping system, characterized in that it comprises a clamping means (16) suitable for bringing together two conductors around an inserted conductive element (10) consisting of a foam skeleton of a metal with open cells intended to reduce the electrical resistance of the connection, the metal of the metal foam being chosen from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and the alloys thereof directly covered with at least one coating of copper, tin, indium or one of the alloys thereof.

14. The clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the metal foam skeleton is made of nickel directly covered with a coating of copper.

15. The clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the metal foam skeleton is made of nickel covered, directly or indirectly, with a coating of tin.

19. An electricity meter, characterized in that it comprises a clamping system as claimed in claim 13.

17. A crimp terminal fitting, characterized in that it comprises a conductive element (10) consisting of a foam skeleton of a metal with open cells intended to reduce the electrical resistance of the connection, the metal of the metal foam being chosen from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and the alloys thereof directly covered with at least one coating of copper, tin, indium or one of the alloys thereof.

18. A method for electrically connecting two conductors (12 and 14) each having a contact surface, comprising a step of positioning said contact surfaces facing one another, characterized in that it comprises a step of positioning, between said contact surfaces, an inserted conductive element (10) consisting of a foam skeleton with open cells of a metal chosen from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and the alloys thereof directly covered with at least one coating of copper, tin, indium or one of the alloys thereof.