Electrical plug-type connector

• US 4,138,604 A
• Filed: 07/16/1976
• Issued: 02/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WC Heraeus GmbH (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Original Assignee: WC Heraeus GmbH (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Inventors: Harmsen, Nils, Thiede, Horst, Schiff, Klaus-Ludwig, Markhof, Horst, Reichelt, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Padgett, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barr, J. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/705,919
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 200/262, 200/267, 200/268, 200/270, 339/278 C, 29/182
• US Class Current: 200/267
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/023 having a noble metal as the basic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/929 Electrical contact feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/931 Conductive coating

Abstract

To provide low contact resistance, long life, and resistance against tarnishing under corrosive, particularly sulfur atmospheres, a substrate carrier has a layer of palladium applied thereto, of a thickness between 0.5 and 5 μm, preferably between 1 and 3 μm, to which a coating of gold is applied which is porous and has a thickness of only between 0.05 μm and 0.1 μm; the porous gold coating forms islands of gold on the palladium which, in use and as the terminal is wiped against a counter element, smears over the palladium, thus effectively covering the palladium, preventing tarnishing, and maintaining low contact resistance throughout the useful life of the terminal element.

Claims

1. Electrical plug-type terminal connector contact element adapted to be wiped against a counter element comprising

a metal electrical plug-type termainal connector substrate and a gold surfaced contact layer in direct contact with and covering at least a portion of said metal plug-type terminal connector substrate, said contact layer consisting essentially of (i) a layer of palladium between about 0.5 and 5 μ

m thick which is coated with (ii) a thin and a porous surface coating of hard gold having a thickness of between 0.05 μ

m and 0.1 μ

m.

2. Contact element according to claim 1, wherein the contact layer and the gold layer completely surround the carrier.

3. Contact element according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is a copper-base alloy.

4. Contact element according to claim 3, wherein the palladium layer has a thickness of between 1 and 3 μ

m.

5. Contact element according to claim 1, wherein the palladium layer is a layer applied by rolling on, roll bonding, vapor deposition sputtering or galvanic deposition.

6. Contact element according to claim 1, wherein the gold coating comprises a coating applied by galvanic deposition, vacuum deposition including at least one of:

evaporation;

sputtering;

or by ion implantation.

7. Contact element according to claim 4 wherein said substrate is brass or bronze.