Material for sliding contact, composite clad material, and small-sized direct current motor using the same

• US 6,245,166 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mabuchi Motor Company Limited, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tanaka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Mabuchi Motor Company Limited, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tanaka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Asada, Takao, Shiraki, Kenji, Shibuya, Isao, Yamamoto, Toshiya, Nakamura, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Sikyin
• Application Number:
  US09/242,607
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 310/219, 310/233, 310/234, 310/235, 310/236, 310/237, 310/228, 148/5-38, 148/431, 428/614, 428/615, 428/672, 428/673, 428/674, 428/929, 420/504, 420/506
• US Class Current: 148/431
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/01 all layers being exclusively metallic making layered metal workpieces by pressure cladding B23K20/22; making coatings with a metallic material characterised by its composition C23C30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/018 one layer being formed of a noble metal or a noble metal alloy
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 5/06 Alloys based on silver
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 5/08 with copper as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/025 Conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/26 Solid sliding contacts, e.g. carbon brush
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/929 Electrical contact feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12493 Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12889 Au-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12896 Ag-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12903 Cu-base component

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a material for a sliding contact whose alloy composition does not contain an environmentally detrimental substance such as Cd, which exhibits excellent contact resistance, whose electrical functions are good and free of time-course variation, and which further exhibits excellent wear resistance. The material for a sliding contact assumes the form of an Ag—Zn—Pd, Ag—Zn—Pd—Cu, Ag—Zn—Pd—Ni, or Ag—Zn—Pd—Cu—Ni alloy. In the compositions of these alloys, the Zn content is 0.1-3.0% by weight, the Pd content is 0.1-1.5% by weight, and the balance is Ag. When Cu is contained, the Cu content is 0.1-3.0% by weight. When Ni is contained, the Ni content is 0.01-0.5% by weight. Zn, Pd, and Cu are present in the Ag α phase in the form of solid solution. Ni particles are finely dispersed in the alloys. A composite clad material is formed through use of the material for a sliding contact. A commutator manufactured through use of the composite clad material is incorporated into a small-sized direct current motor used in a household electrical appliance.

Claims

1. A commutator material for a small-sized direct current motor employed for a sliding element for electrical switching through a rotary sliding element relative to a brush, said material being a Ag—

Zn—

Pd—

Cu alloy consisting of 0.1-3.0% by weight Zn, 0.1-1.5% by weight Pd, 0.1-3.0% by weight Cu, and the balance Ag.

2. A composite clad material, characterized in that a material for a sliding contact as described in claim 1 is embedded in a portion of a base material of Cu or a Cu alloy.

3. A small-sized direct current motor whose commutator employs a composite clad material as described in claim 2.

4. A composite clad material, characterized in that a material for a sliding contact as described in claim 1 is embedded in a portion of a base material of Cu or a Cu alloy and that at least a portion of the material for a sliding contact is clad with Au or an Au alloy.

5. A small-sized direct current motor whose commutator employs a composite clad material as described in claim 4.

6. A commutator material for a small-sized direct current motor employed for a sliding element for electrical switching through a rotary sliding element relative to a brush, said material being a Ag—

Zn—

Pd—

Ni alloy consisting of 0.1-3.0% by weight Zn, 0.1-1.5% by weight Pd, 0.01 to less than 0.5% by weight Ni, and the balance Ag.

7. A composite clad material, characterized in that a material for a sliding contact as described in claim 6 is embedded in a portion of a base material of Cu or a Cu alloy.

8. A small-sized direct current motor whose commutator employs a composite clad material as described in claim 7.

9. A composite clad material, characterized in that a material for a sliding contact as described in claim 6 is embedded in a portion of a base material of Cu or a Cu alloy and that at least a portion of the material for a sliding contact is clad with Au or an Au alloy.

10. A small-sized direct current motor whose commutator employs a composite clad material as described in claim 9.

11. A commutator material for a small-sized direct current motor employed for a sliding element for electrical switching through a rotary sliding element relative to a brush, said material being a Ag—

Zn—

Pd—

Cu—

Ni alloy consisting of 0.1-3.0% by weight Zn, 0.1-1.5% by weight Pd, 0.1-3.0% by weight Cu, 0.01 to less than 0.5% by weight Ni, and the balance Ag.

12. A composite clad material, characterized in that a material for a sliding contact as described in claim 11 is embedded in a portion of a base material of Cu or a Cu alloy.

13. A small-sized direct current motor whose commutator employs a composite clad material as described in claim 12.

14. A composite clad material, characterized in that a material for a sliding contact as described in claim 11 is embedded in a portion of a base material of Cu or a Cu alloy and that at least a portion of the material for a sliding contact is clad with Au or an Au alloy.

15. A small-sized direct current motor whose commutator employs a composite clad material as described in claim 14.