# US 11,078,587 B2 · Tin-plated product and method for producing same

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- Number: US 11,078,587 B2
- Document ID: US11078587B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/752,996
- Filed: 2016-08-23
- Published: 2018-08-30
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-01
- Assignees: Dowa Metaltech Co., Ltd.; Yazaki Corporation
- Applicants: Dowa Metaltech Co., Ltd.; Yazaki Corporation
- Inventors: Yuta Sonoda; Hiroto Narieda; Hideki Endo; Akira Sugawara; Hirotaka Kotani; Jyun Toyoizumi; Takaya Kondo; Yuya Kishibata
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078587B2

## CPC

- C25D 5/12: at least one layer being of nickel or chromium
- 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)}
- C25D 5/50: by heat-treatment
- C25D 5/505: {of electroplated tin coatings, e.g. by melting}
- C25D 5/617: {Crystalline layers}
- H01R 13/03: characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
- B32B 2311/12: Copper
- B32B 2311/16: Tin
- B32B 2311/22: Nickel or cobalt
- C25D 3/12: of nickel or cobalt
- C25D 3/32: characterised by the organic bath constituents used
- C25D 3/38: of copper
- H01R 43/16: for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A tin-plated product contains: a substrate 10 of copper or a copper alloy; an underlying layer 12 of nickel which is formed on the surface of the substrate 10; and an outermost layer 14 containing tin, the outermost layer 14 being formed on the surface of the underlying layer 12, the outermost layer 14 being composed of a copper-tin alloy layer 14a of a large number of crystal grains of a copper-tin alloy, tin layers 14b of tin having an average thickness of 0.01 to 0.20 micrometers, and a plurality of copper-nickel-tin alloy layers 14c of a copper-nickel-tin alloy, each of the tin layers 14b being formed in a corresponding one of recessed portions between adjacent two of the crystal grains of the copper-tin alloy on the outermost surface of the copper-tin alloy layer, the copper-nickel-tin alloy layers 14c being arranged on the side of the underlying layer 12 in the copper-tin alloy layer 14a so as to be apart from each other.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tin-plated product comprising:
a substrate of copper or a copper alloy;
an underlying layer of nickel or a copper-nickel alloy which is formed on a surface of the substrate; and
an outermost layer containing tin, the outermost layer being formed on a surface of the underlying layer,
wherein the outermost layer is composed of a copper-tin alloy layer of a copper-tin alloy, tin layers of tin, and copper-nickel-tin alloy layers of a copper-nickel-tin alloy, each of the tin layers being formed in a corresponding one of recessed portions on an outermost surface of the copper-tin alloy layer, the copper-nickel-tin alloy layers being arranged on the side of the underlying layer in the copper-tin alloy layer, the tin layers having an average thickness of 0.01 to 0.20 micrometers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said copper-tin alloy layer is formed of crystal grains of the copper-tin alloy, and each of said recessed portions is formed between adjacent two of said crystal grains of the copper-tin alloy on said outermost surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said copper-nickel-tin alloy layers are composed of a plurality of layers which are arranged so as to be apart from each other.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein an area ratio occupied by said tin layers on the outermost surface of the tin-plated product is 10 to 80%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tin layers have a maximum thickness of 1.5 micrometers or less.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said copper-tin alloy layer has an average thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said underlying layer has an average thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 micrometers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said outermost surface has an arithmetic mean waviness Wa of 0.06 micrometers or less in such a state that said tin layers are removed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

An electrical element which uses a tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, as a material thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A tin-plated product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the copper-nickel-tin alloy layers are composed of a plurality of layers which are arranged so as to be apart from each other.