Conductive elastomeric ink composition
First Claim
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1. A switch device comprising at least one contact and movable contactor for engagement therewith, at least the contact or contactor comprising a dry electrically conductive elastomeric ink composition which comprises an elastomeric cured silicone binder and finely divided nickel particles interspersed therein in an amount from about 25 to about 90 percent by weight based on the weight of the composition, the nickel particles having a size in the range from about 0.05 to about 32 microns.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conductive elastomeric ink is described comprised of very fine nickel particles admixed in a silicone binder. The ink has utility in elastomeric switch control devices, printed circuits and the like.
52 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A switch device comprising at least one contact and movable contactor for engagement therewith, at least the contact or contactor comprising a dry electrically conductive elastomeric ink composition which comprises an elastomeric cured silicone binder and finely divided nickel particles interspersed therein in an amount from about 25 to about 90 percent by weight based on the weight of the composition, the nickel particles having a size in the range from about 0.05 to about 32 microns.
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10. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a printed circuit board having conductive traces and contacts thereon; and a plurality of keyswitch assemblies individually overlying contact of the printed circuit board, and individually comprising a keyholder housing having an aperture therein, a switch control device contained within the housing and having a movable contactor portion, and a key top mounted to said housing and including means passable through said aperture for transmitting force applied to the key top to the switch control device, for actuating a switch device; and
whereinat least one of said conductive traces, contact or contactor portion comprises a dry electrically conductive elastomeric ink composition which comprises an elastomeric cured silicone binder and finely divided nickel particles interspersed therein in an amount from about 25 to about 90 percent by weight based on the weight of the composition and wherein the nickel particles have a size from about 0.05 to about 32 microns.
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- 11. A switch device comprising an elastomeric switch control device having a movable contactor portion thereon, and at least one contact engageable with said movable contactor, at least the contactor comprising a dry electrically conductive elastomeric ink composition which is normally conductive when the movable contactor and contact are engaged together, which ink composition comprises an elastomeric cured silicone binder and finely divided nickel particles interspersed therein in a amount from about 25 to about 90 percent by weight based on the weight of the composition, the nickel particles having a size in the range from about 0.1 to about 10 microns, the binder being formed of a cured elastomeric silicone polymer which has undergone linear shrinkage of at least about 3 percent during cure, and the ink composition being self-adhered to the elastomeric switch control device.
- 16. A switch device comprising a contact member and an elastomeric switch control device having a movable contactor thereon for engagement with the contact member, at least the contactor comprising a dry electrically conductive elastomeric ink composition which comprises an elastomeric cured silicone binder and conductive particles interspersed therein comprising particulate graphite on which is coated on the surface thereof finely divided nickel particles having a size in the range from about 0.05 to about 5 microns, the nickel coated graphite particles being interspersed in the silicone binder in an amount from about 25 to about 90 percent by weight based on the weight of the ink composition.
Specification