Tin-silver coatings
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. An automotive mating electrical connector comprising:
- an electrically conductive material; and
a non-electroplated coating formed on at least a portion of the electrically conductive material, said coating consisting of 3.0 wt % to about 20 wt % silver and the balance tin, said coating having a melting point greater than 225°
C., a thickness in the range of from 0.00001″
to 0.001″
, and a nanoindentation hardness in the range of from 0.32 to 0.41 GPa.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to improved coatings for electrical or electronic connectors such as contacts or terminals used in automotive applications. Coatings in accordance with the present invention preferably comprise binary tin-silver coatings consisting of more than 1.0 wt % to about 20 wt %, preferably from 2.0 wt % to 15 wt %, and most preferably from 3.0 wt % to 10 wt %, silver and the balance essentially tin. The coating is preferably applied by immersing the substrate material in a molten tin-silver bath.
33 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An automotive mating electrical connector comprising:
-
an electrically conductive material; and
a non-electroplated coating formed on at least a portion of the electrically conductive material, said coating consisting of 3.0 wt % to about 20 wt % silver and the balance tin, said coating having a melting point greater than 225°
C., a thickness in the range of from 0.00001″
to 0.001″
, and a nanoindentation hardness in the range of from 0.32 to 0.41 GPa. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An automotive mating electrical connector comprising:
-
an electrically conductive material; and
a non-electroplated coating formed on at least a portion of the electrically conductive material, the coating consisting of more than 3.0 wt % to 20 wt % silver, at least one addition selected from the group consisting of silicon, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and antimony in an amount effective to increase coating hardness up to 5.0 wt %, and the balance tin, said coating having a melting point greater than 225°
C., a thickness in the range of from 0.00001″
to 0.001″
, and having a nanoindentation hardness in the range of from 0.32 GPa to 0.41 GPa. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An automotive mating electrical connector comprising:
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an electrically conductive substrate material; and
a non-electroplated layer of coating material on at least a portion of said substrate material and said coating material consisting of 3.0 wt % to 20 wt % silver, copper in a range from 2.5 wt % to 5.0 wt %, and the balance tin, said coating material having a melting point greater than 225°
C., a thickness in the range of from 0.00001″
to 0.001″
, and having a nanoindentation hardness in the range of from 0.32 to 0.41 GPa. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An automotive mating electrical connector comprising:
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an electrically conductive substrate material; and
a non-electroplated layer of coating material over at least a portion of said substrate material, and said coating material consisting of 3.0 wt % to 20 wt % silver, at least one addition selected from the group consisting of bismuth, silicon, copper, magnesium, iron, nickel, manganese, zinc, and antimony in an amount effective to increase coating hardness up to 5.0 wt %, and the balance tin, and said coating material having a melting point greater than 225°
C., a thickness in the range of from 0.00001″
to 0.001″
, and a nanoindentation hardness in the range of from 0.32 GPa to 0.41 GPa. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A process for forming an automotive mating electrical connector comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate material to be coated;
preparing a bath consisting of 3.0 wt % to 20 wt % silver and the balance tin;
immersing said substrate material in said bath to form a non-electroplated coating layer on said substrate material, which coating layer consists 3.0 wt % silver and the balance tin and which coating has a nanoindentation hardness in the range of 0.32 GPa to 0.41 GPa and a thickness in the range of from 0.00001″
to 0.001″
;
maintaining said bath at a temperature greater than 500°
F. during said immersing step; and
forming an automotive mating electrical connector from the coated substrate material. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A process for forming an automotive mating electrical connector comprising the steps of
preparing a bath consisting of 3.0 wt % to 20 wt % silver, at least one addition selected from the group consisting of bismuth, silicon, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and antimony in an amount effective to increase coating hardness up to 5.0 wt %, and the balance tin; -
maintaining said bath at a temperature of at least 500°
F.;
immersing an electrically conductive substrate material in said bath for a resident time period of from 0.2 to 10 seconds to form a coating on the substrate material; and
forming an automotive mating electrical connector from the coated substrate material. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A process for forming an automotive mating electrical connector comprising the steps of
preparing a bath consisting of 3.0 wt % to 20 wt % silver and the balance tin; -
maintaining said bath at a temperature of at least 500°
F.;
immersing an electrically conductive substrate material in said bath for a resident time period of from 0.2 to 10 seconds; and
forming an automotive mating electrical connector from the coated substrate material. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification