# US 2010/0167600 A1 · Electrocoated contacts compatible with surface mount technology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167600 A1 - Document ID: US20100167600A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/627,891 - Filed: 2009-11-30 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2007-01-09 - Assignees: Laird Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Philip van Haaster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167600A1 ## CPC - H01R 13/035: {Plated dielectric material} - H05K 3/4015: {using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. pieces of metal foil, metallic spheres} - H05K 3/341: Surface mounted components - H05K 2201/0133: Elastomeric or compliant polymer - Y10T 29/49117: Conductor or circuit manufacturing - Y10T 29/4913: Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc. - Y10T 29/49204: Contact or terminal manufacturing - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of contacts that may be compatible with surface mount technology. The contacts may be surface mountable for establishing an electrical pathway (e.g., electrical grounding contact, etc.) from at least one electrically-conductive surface on the substrate to another electrically-conductive surface (e.g., EMI shield, battery contact, etc.). In one exemplary embodiment, a contact generally includes a resilient dielectric core member. At least one outer electrically-conductive layer is electrocoated onto the resilient dielectric core member. A solderable electrically-conductive base member may be coupled to the resilient core member and/or the outer electrically-conductive layer. The base member may be in electrical contact with the outer electrically-conductive layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a contact that is suitable for establishing electrical grounding contact from at least one electrically-conductive portion on a substrate to another electrically-conductive surface, the method comprising electrocoating at least one electrically-conductive layer onto a resilient dielectric material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising insert molding the resilient dielectric material to a solderable electrically-conductive base member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a solderable electrically-conductive base member to the resilient dielectric material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein electrocoating includes dipping and immersing the resilient dielectric material into one or more materials to be electrocoated onto the resilient dielectric material, whereby the exposed surfaces of the resilient dielectric material are substantially entirely electrocoated with at least one electrically-conductive layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein dipping and immersing includes gripping and holding onto a portion of an electrically-conductive base member attached to the resilient dielectric material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein electrocoating includes providing all exposed surfaces of the resilient dielectric material with at least one electrically-conductive layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein electrocoating includes dipping and immersing the exposed surfaces of the resilient dielectric material into one or more materials to be electrocoated onto the resilient dielectric material. ### Claim 8 A method of installing a contact on an electrically-conductive surface, the contact having a resilient dielectric core with at least one electrically-conductive layer electrocoated thereon, the method comprising: feeding the contact to a surface mount technology (SMT) machine; picking up the contact; disposing the contact onto an electrically-conductive surface; and attaching the contact to the electrically-conductive surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein attaching includes soldering or adhering a base of the contact to the electrically-conductive surface, whereby an electrical pathway is established from the electrically-conductive surface to the electrocoated layer in electrical contact with the base of the contact. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the contact is configured for placement by an SMT machine onto a ground trace of a printed circuit board (PCB) pre-screened with solder paste, and wherein the method further includes performing a solder reflow process while the contact's base is on the solder paste to thereby solder the contact's base to the ground trace and form an electrical and mechanical connection therebetween. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising retrieving the contact from at least one upwardly-facing pocket of a carrier tape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising compressively sandwiching the contact between a ground trace of a printed circuit board (PCB) and an electrically-conductive surface of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield such that the contact establishes an electrical grounding pathway from the EMI shield's electrically-conductive surface to the PCB ground trace. ### Claim 13 A contact for establishing electrical grounding contact from at least one electrically-conductive surface to another electrically-conductive surface, the contact comprising: a resilient dielectric core member; and at least one outer electrically-conductive layer electrocoated onto the resilient dielectric core member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, further comprising a solderable electrically-conductive base member in electrical contact with the outer electrically-conductive layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, further comprising a solderable electrically-conductive base member insert molded to the base member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, wherein an upper portion of the contact has a generally ogival shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, wherein the contact includes an upper portion having slots that define finger elements therebetween, and wherein the finger elements are configured to flex inwardly toward one another and downwardly toward the base member, when a load is applied with a generally downward force component against the finger elements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, wherein the contact is configured to be compressed generally between first and second surfaces with sufficient contact pressure effective for establishing an electrically-conductive pathway between the first and second surfaces. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, wherein the contact is configured to conform at least partially to a gap defined between first and second surfaces, when the contact is sandwiched under pressure between the first and second surfaces with the first surface compressively engaging the contact's upper portion in a direction generally towards the second surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The contact of claim 13, wherein: the resilient dielectric core member comprises at least one of silicone rubber and neoprene foam; and/or the electrically-conductive outer layer comprises polyurethane loaded with electrically-conductive particles; and/or the contact is formed from materials having the ability to withstand solder reflow temperatures up to about four hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit; and/or the contact is configured to be compatible with surface mount technology.