Connector terminal and method for producing connector terminal

• US 9,590,341 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Sunaga, Takahiro, Saka, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US14/655,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20150357737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 439/886
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/46 of silver
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/00 Electroplating characterised by the article coated
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12556 Organic component

Abstract

It is aimed to provide a connector terminal including a silver layer on a surface of an electrical contact portion, having a reduced coefficient of friction of a surface and excellent in practicality and productivity and provide a method for producing such a connector terminal. A coating layer made of a silver layer and a film formed by bringing the silver layer into contact with a solution containing thiol and benzotriazole is formed on a contact portion of a connector terminal to be electrically brought into contact with another electrically conductive member. A solvent of this solution is preferably water and the thiol is preferably octadecanethiol.

Claims

1. A connector terminal comprising:

a contact portion configured to be electrically brought into contact with another electrically conductive member, wherein the contact portion is covered with a coating layer that includes a silver layer and a film formed by bringing the silver layer into contact with a solution containing a thiol compound and benzotriazole, and the formation of the film occurs substantially without the formation of silver thiolate.

2. A connector terminal according to claim 1, wherein a solvent of the solution containing the thiol compound and the benzotriazole is water.

3. A connector terminal according to claim 1, wherein the thiol compound is octadecanethiol.

8. A connector terminal according to claim 1, wherein the thiol compound and the benzotriazole coexist in the solution as separate compounds.

4. A method for manufacturing an electrical terminal configured to be brought into contact with with another electrical member, the method comprising:

forming a silver layer on an outermost surface of a contact portion of the connector terminal, the outermost surface being configured to be electrically in contact with the other electrical member;

forming a film on the surface of the silver layer by bringing the silver layer into contact with a solution containing a thiol compound and benzotriazole,

wherein the formation of the film occurs substantially without the formation of sifter thiolate.

5. A method for manufacturing an electrical terminal according to claim 4, wherein a solvent of the solution containing the thiol compound and the benzotriazole is water.

6. A method for manufacturing an electrical terminal according to claim 5, wherein the thiol compound is octadecanethiol.

7. A method for manufacturing an electrical terminal according to claim 4, wherein the thiol compound is octadecanethiol.