Conductive colors for electrical contacts
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsKenneth Michael Bagwell, Michael W. Barnstead, Robert Scritzky, Christoph Werner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of coating contacts to have various colors. The color can be selected to match a color of a portion of a device enclosure for an electronic device housing the contacts. Examples can instead provide methods of coating contacts to have a color to contrast with a color of a portion of the device enclosure. These methods can provide electrical contacts having a low contact resistance and good corrosion and scratch resistance.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an electrical contact, the method comprising:
- receiving a contact substrate;
- forming a coating layer over a top surface of the contact substrate;
- forming a plurality of holes in the coating layer, the holes extending to a top layer of the contact substrate;
- and
- plating the plurality of holes in the top surface of the contact substrate to form a plurality of pillars.
An electrical contact for an electronic device, the electrical contact comprising:
- a contact substrate;
- a coating layer over the contact substrate, the coating layer having a plurality of holes;
- and
- a plurality of pillars, each pillar formed in a corresponding one of the plurality of holes.
A method of manufacturing an electrical contact, the method comprising:
- receiving a contact substrate;
- forming a plurality of holes in a top surface of the contact substrate;
- forming a coating layer the top surface of the contact substrate;
- and
- removing excess coating layer from the top surface of the electrical contact substrate such that the coating layer remains in the holes in the top surface of the contact substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.