Electrical connection device having improved conductance

• US 9,093,778 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Phuong
• Application Number:
  US13/810,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130122730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 174/357, 439/927, 439/66, 439/801
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 conductive element comprising a metal foam skeleton having open cells intended to reduce the electrical resistance of an electrical connection;

said metal foam skeleton comprising a metal chosen from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and the alloys thereof,

said metal foam skeleton being directly covered with at least one coating selected from the group consisting of copper, tin, indium and 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, adapted for use with a current of intensity greater than 1000 amperes.

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

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

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the metal foam forming the skeleton of the 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 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 contact surface of at least one of the conductors.

16. An electricity meter comprising an electrical connection device as claimed in claim 1.

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

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

18. A method for electrically connecting two conductors (12 and 14) each having a contact surface, said method comprising

positioning said contact surfaces facing one another,

inserting, between said contact surfaces, a conductive element (10) comprising a metal foam skeleton having open cells of a metal chosen from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and the alloys thereof, said metal foam skeleton being directly covered with at least one coating selected from the group consisting of copper, tin, indium and one of the alloys thereof.