ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS USING DISCRETE, ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE PARTICLES

• US 3,783,242 A
• Filed: 04/25/1972
• Issued: 01/01/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interdynamics Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dominic Paul Edmund Barnard
• Inventors: Barnard, Dominic Paul Edmund
• Primary Examiner(s): Clay, Darrell L.
• Application Number:
  US05/247,490
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 174/84R,88R,117A 219/541,546,543,549,522 338/309,328,332 29/628,610,619,621,629 339/276R,276T
• US Class Current: 219/546
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49101 Applying terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4921 with bonding

Abstract

An electric heater for a rear windscreen of a motor vehicle including a heater element constituted by a thin strip of electrically resistive material and a pair of terminals clamped to respective ends of the element, has discrete electricallyconductive particles disposed between the ends of the element and the terminals to establish electrical connection therebetween. The strip is coated on one surface with a layer of adhesive to facilitate mounting of the element on the windscreen, and the particles adhere to the adhesive layer at the ends of the strip and impinge on the element through the adhesive layer.

Claims

1. An electric heater comprising a heating element which is of electrically resistive material in strip form and which has two ends and a pair of opposed surfaces, a coating of adhesive on one surface only of the said element to facilitate mounting of the said element on a surface to be heated, a pair of terminals electrically connected to respective said ends of the element, each terminal comprising an electrically-conductive member, means clamping each said member to the said element, and discrete, electrically-conductive particles adhering to the said adhesive coating at the said ends of the element and disposed under pressure between each of said members and the said element impinging onto the said element through the said adhesive coating establishing electrical connection between the said members and the respective said ends of the element.

2. An electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the said adhesive is a thermo-set adhesive.

3. An electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the said element remote from the said adhesive coating has bonded thereto a layer of electrically insulating material.

4. An electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the said element are of enlarged width.

5. An electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the said element follows a sinuous path.

6. An electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the said element is supported by a readily removable backing layer.

7. An electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the said adhesive coating extends over the whole of the said one surface of the element.

8. A method of establishing an electrical connection between an electrically-conductive member and a thin electrically-conductive element which is to be supplied with electric current and which has a pair of opposed surfaces, comprising the steps of a. applying a coating of adhesive to one surface only of the said element, b. applying discrete, electrically-conductive particles to a part of the said adhesive coating, c. bringing the said member into contact with the said particles, and d. clamping the said member and the said element together causing the said particles to impinge onto the said element through the said adhesive coating providing the said electrical connection between the said member and the said element.

9. A device that includes an electrical connection comprising a thin electrically-conductive element having first and second opposed surfaces, an electrically-conductive member disposed adjacent the first surface of the said element, discrete, electrically-conductive particles disposed between the said element and the said electrically-conductive member, a plate member disposed adjacent the second surface of the said element, a resilient pad disposed between the said element and the said plate member, and means clamping the said element between the said electrically-conductive member and the said plate member to compress the said particles between the said element and the said electrically-conductive member to establish electrical connection therebetween.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the said clamping means includes a plurality of deformed projections carried by one of said members and engaging the other said member.

11. A method of forming an electric heater comprising the steps of a. forming, from electrically resistive material, a heating element in strip form having two ends and a pair of opposed surfaces, b. applying a coating of adhesive to one surface only of the said element to facilitate mounting of the said element on a surface to be heated, c. applying discrete, electrically-conductive particles to the said adhesive coating at the said ends of the element, d. bringing a pair of electrically-conductive terminal members into contact with the said particles at respective said ends of the element, and e. clamping each of the said terminal members to the said element causing the said particles to impinge onto the said element through the said adhesive coating providing an electrical connection between the said terminal members and the respective said ends of the element.