# US 9,004,960 B2 · Connector with gold-palladium plated contacts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,004,960 B2 - Document ID: US9004960B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/772,755 - Filed: 2013-02-21 - Published: 2014-02-13 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-10 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Douglas J. Weber; Naoto Matsuyuki; Eric S. Jol - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9004960B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/03: characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials - B32B 15/018: {one layer being formed of a noble metal or a noble metal alloy} - C22C 5/00: Alloys based on noble metals - C22C 5/02: Alloys based on gold - C25D 3/62: containing more than 50% by weight of gold - C25D 5/12: at least one layer being of nickel or chromium - C25D 5/627: {Electroplating characterised by the visual appearance of the layers, e.g. colour, brightness or mat appearance} - C25D 7/00: Electroplating characterised by the article coated - H01R 24/20: Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable - H01R 43/16: for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending - H01R 43/205: {with a panel or printed circuit board} - C23C 18/1653: {Two or more layers with at least one layer obtained by electroless plating and one layer obtained by electroplating} - Y10T 29/49208: by assembling plural parts - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An improved outer layer of plating comprising a binary metal alloy of gold and palladium is employed on connector contacts. The binary metal alloy is plated on at least the contact surface of the contacts. Intermediate plating layers can be applied between the outer layer of gold and palladium and the conductive base of the contacts. The binary metal alloy of gold and palladium may be configured to have a mostly gold or a mostly silver appearance, depending upon the relative concentration of gold and palladium in the binary metal alloy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector comprising: a body; and a plurality of contacts carried by the body, each contact including a conductive base having a binary metal alloy plated layer at an outer surface of each contact, the binary metal alloy plated layer comprising gold and palladium; wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the binary metal alloy plated layer is at least 10 percent, with the remainder in gold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the binary metal alloy plated layer is between 15-50 percent, with the remainder in gold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical connector set forth in claim 1 wherein a concentration of palladium and a concentration of gold is substantially constant throughout a thickness of the binary metal alloy plated layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrical connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the binary metal alloy plated layer is between 0.2-2.0 microns thick. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the conductive base in each of the plurality of contacts comprises a copper alloy or stainless steel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical connector set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of contacts includes an intermediate layer disposed between the conductive base and the binary metal alloy plated layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrical connector set forth in claim 6 wherein the intermediate layer comprises nickel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrical connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of contacts are external contacts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electrical connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the body includes a tab extending longitudinally away from a base portion and the plurality of external contacts are positioned at an outer surface of the tab. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electrical connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the plurality of external contacts include a first plurality of contacts positioned at a first outer surface of the tab and a second plurality of contacts positioned at a second outer surface of the tab opposite the first outer surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein a color of the binary metal alloy plated layer comprising gold and palladium is more silver than gold. ### Claim 12 An electrical connector comprising: one or more contacts, wherein each contact comprises a conductive base; and the conductive base comprising a contact surface and one or more surface layers disposed on the contact surface; wherein an outermost surface layer comprises gold and palladium; and wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the outermost surface layer is at least 10 percent, with the remainder in gold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the outermost surface layer is between 15-50 percent, with the remainder in gold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein a concentration of palladium and a concentration of gold is substantially constant throughout a thickness of the outermost surface layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein the outermost surface layer is between 0.2-2.0 microns thick. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein the conductive base in each of the one or more contacts comprises a copper alloy or stainless steel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of contacts includes an intermediate layer disposed between the conductive base and the outermost surface layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electrical connector set forth in claim 17 wherein the intermediate layer comprises nickel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein a color of the outermost surface layer comprising gold and palladium is more silver than gold. ### Claim 20 A method of making an electrical connector comprising: forming a connector body; forming one or more contacts from a conductive base material; plating at least a portion of the one or more contacts with one or more surface layers; and assembling the one or more contacts to the connector body; wherein an outermost surface layer comprises an alloy of gold and palladium; and wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the outermost surface layer is at least 10 percent, with the remainder in gold. ### Claim 21 A method of making an electrical connector comprising: forming one or more contacts from a conductive base material; plating at least a portion of the one or more contacts with one or more surface layers; wherein an outermost surface layer comprises an alloy of gold and palladium; forming an interface board; attaching the one or more contacts to the interface board; and attaching a cable to the interface board; wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the outermost surface layer is at least 10 percent, with the remainder in gold. ### Claim 22 An electrical connector comprising: one or more contacts, wherein each contact comprises a conductive base having an outermost surface layer including an alloy of gold and palladium; an interface board; and a cable; wherein the one or more contacts and the cable are electrically attached to the interface board; and wherein the weight percentage of palladium in the outermost surface layer is at least 10 percent, with the remainder in gold.