Method to render accessible an electrical contact region of a composite element

Method of forming a readily accessible contact region on a composite plate-like element having

• a first plate-like body (11, 11/2, 19, 24, 25) defining a major plane and having a terminal connecting portion (13, 13/1, 21, 41);
• an additional plate-like body (10, 17, 26, 27) positioned in contact with, or closely adjacent to said first plate-like body,
• at least one of said bodies (11, 11/2, 19, 24, 25) being of ceramic material
• including the step of
• sintering said at least one body, and
• wherein, in accordance with the invention, the sintering step includes the step of
• applying a bending force to the terminal connecting portion (13, 13/1, 21, 41) of said at least one ceramic body (11, 11/2, 19, 24, 25) while said body, during sintering, is in plastically deformable condition, in a direction to bend said body, and the contact region (16, 16/1, 23, 29, 31) thereon away from its major plane such that the contact region of said terminal connecting portion of said body is located relative to the center of the bend on the remote surface of the bent body;
• and uniting said bodies in a separate connecting step to form said composite element, with the terminal connecting portion of said at least one body, upon cooling, being spread apart from the other body, or bodies, and retaining said spreadapart position.