Bonding washer

• US 8,608,418 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiley, Brian Thomas, Chan, Palvin Chee Leong
• Primary Examiner(s): DELISLE, ROBERTA S
• Application Number:
  US13/619,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20130078053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 411/160, 411/533, 411/970
• US Class Current: 411/160
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/1054 the pull-mandrel or the like being frangible
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/1072 the pull-mandrel or the like comprising a thread and being rotated with respect to the rivet, thereby mechanically expanding and fastening the rivet nuts fastened by riveting F16B37/067
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/24 by means of washers, spring washers, or resilient plates that lock against the object locking to the screw-thread F16B39/14 , F16B39/34, F16B39/36
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/00 Washers or equivalent devices; Other devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts circlips F16B21/18; for indicating tensile load F16B31/02; forming a whole with the bolt or nut F16B33/00; locking bolts or nuts by means of a fixed plate or ring, or washer-like resilient plates F16B39/10, F16B39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/187 with sliding nuts or other additional connecting members for joining profiles provided with grooves or channels channel nuts per se F16B37/045
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 5/002 Auxiliary arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/26 Connections in which at least one of the connecting parts has projections which bite into or engage the other connecting part in order to improve the contact H01R4/188, H01R4/203, H01R4/5075 take precedence; using shape memory materials H01R4/01
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A bonding washer for making electrical connection between two metal pieces that are to be mechanically fastened together. The washer, to be interposed between the two metal pieces, may be constructed so as to fasten to one of the pieces before the two pieces are joined. Teeth on the washer, positioned at right angles to the plane of the washer, are forced into each of the two metal pieces when the fastener is tightened, making electrical connection between the two metal pieces.

Claims

1. A bonding element for making an electrical connection between two metal pieces when the metal pieces are rigidly clamped together with at least a portion of the bonding element disposed between them, the bonding element comprising a sheet metal body member, which comprises:

a first body portion and a second body portion, said body portions folded together so as to be contiguous;

a first set of teeth, numbering one or more, formed on said first body portion and extending away from said body member in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second body portions, each tooth of said first set having a distal edge; and

a second set of teeth, numbering one or more, formed on said second body portion and extending away from said body member in a second direction substantially opposite said first direction, each tooth of said second set having a distal edge,

wherein at least one tooth of said second set of teeth is substantially aligned with a tooth of said first set of teeth to define at least one pair of substantially aligned, diverging teeth,

whereby, when the metal pieces are clamped together with said first and second sets of teeth between them, the distal edges of said teeth are forcibly embedded into the metal pieces to make electrical contact therewith.

2. The bonding element of claim 1, wherein the distal edge of each tooth is substantially smooth.

3. The bonding element of claim 2, wherein the distal edge of each tooth is substantially circular.

4. The bonding element of claim 1, wherein the distal edge of each tooth is substantially circular.

5. The bonding element of claim 1, wherein each pair of substantially aligned teeth are hollow.

6. The bonding element of claim 5, wherein each pair of substantially aligned teeth define a hole through the body member.

7. The bonding element of claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of teeth comprise plural pairs of substantially aligned, diverging teeth.

8. A bonding washer for making an electrical connection between two metal pieces when the metal pieces are rigidly held together by a fastener with at least a portion of the bonding washer disposed between them, the bonding washer comprising a sheet metal body member, which comprises:

first and second substantially congruent body portions folded together about a hinge portion so as to be contiguous and substantially coextensive;

an opening in each of said body portions through which a fastener can extend, said openings being substantially coextensive and substantially aligned;

a first set of teeth formed on said first body portion and extending away from said body member in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second body portions, each tooth of said first set of teeth having a distal edge; and

a second set of teeth formed on said second body portion and extending away from said body member in a second direction substantially opposite said first direction, each tooth of said second set of teeth having a distal edge and being substantially aligned with a respective tooth of said first set of teeth to define pairs of substantially aligned, diverging teeth,

whereby, when a fastener extending through said openings is tightened with said first and second sets of teeth between the metal pieces, the distal edges of said teeth are forcibly embedded into the metal pieces to make electrical contact therewith.

9. The bonding washer of claim 8, wherein each of said openings comprises a hole located substantially at the center of its respective body portion, and said teeth surround said holes.

10. The bonding washer of claim 9, wherein said body portions are substantially annular.

11. The bonding washer of claim 10, wherein the distal edge of each tooth is substantially circular.

12. The bonding washer of claim 11, wherein the distal edge of each tooth is substantially smooth.

13. The bonding washer of claim 12, wherein each pair of substantially aligned teeth are hollow.

14. The bonding washer of claim 13, wherein each pair of substantially aligned teeth define a hole through the body member.

15. The bonding washer of claim 8, wherein the distal edge of each tooth is substantially circular and smooth.

16. The bonding washer of claim 15, wherein each pair of substantially aligned teeth define a hole through the body member.

17. A bonding element for making an electrical connection between two metal pieces when the metal pieces are rigidly clamped together with at least a portion of the bonding element disposed between them, the bonding element comprising:

a metal body having a first face and a second face, said first and second faces facing away from said body in opposite directions;

a first set of teeth, numbering one or more, formed on said body and extending outwardly away from said first face substantially perpendicular to a plane of said body, each tooth of said first set having a distal edge; and

a second set of teeth, numbering one or more, formed on said body and extending outwardly away from said second face substantially perpendicular to said plane of said body, each tooth of said second set having a distal edge,

wherein at least one tooth of said second set of teeth is substantially aligned with a tooth of said first set of teeth to define at least one pair of substantially aligned, diverging teeth, each tooth of said pair of substantially aligned teeth having a substantially annular distal edge and a hollow interior,

whereby, when the metal pieces are clamped together with said first and second sets of teeth between them, the distal edges of said teeth are forcibly embedded into the metal pieces to make electrical contact therewith.

18. The bonding element of claim 17, wherein the distal edge of each tooth of each substantially aligned pair of teeth is substantially smooth.

19. The bonding element of claim 18, wherein each pair of aligned teeth define a hole through said body.

20. The bonding element of claim 19, wherein all of said teeth are substantially uniform.