Electrical contact element with a cover layer having a chemical reducing agent, electrical contact arrangement and methods for manufacturing an electrical contact element and for reducing oxidization of a contact section of an electrical contact element
AssigneesTE Connectivity Germany GmbH, Tyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsHelge Schmidt, Josh Golden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an electrical contact element, an electrical contact arrangement and methods for manufacturing an electrical contact element and for reducing oxidization of a contact section of an electrical contact element. In order to avoid that the durability of the contact element and therefore of the contact arrangement is negatively influenced by growing oxide layers on contact surfaces, the contact element is provided with a cover layer with a chemical reducing agent that can be activated by frictional forces.
Claims18
An electrical contact element with a cover layer, arranged at least on a contact section of the contact element, the cover layer being electrically conductive, wherein the cover layer comprises a surface lubricant and also comprises a chemical reducing agent that is adapted to reduce metal oxides of the cover layer and the reducing agent comprises at least one flux material selected from the group consisting of multi-protic fluxing acid, linear fluxing acid, dendritic fluxing acid, branched fluxing acid, abietic acid, stearic acid, and adipic acid, and the reducing agent is provided in particles, and each particle has a receiving body comprised of a material configured to absorb the at least one flux material of the reducing agent through a capillary effect.
A method for manufacturing an electrical contact element by adding a cover layer wherein the method comprises co-depositing a surface lubricant and an electrically conductive material in a plating bath to form the cover layer;
- embedding a chemical reducing agent in the cover layer by providing the chemical reducing agent in particles, and each particle includes a receiving body;
- selecting a flux material of the chemical reducing agent from the group consisting of multi-protic fluxing acid, linear fluxing acid, dendritic fluxing acid, branched fluxing acid, abietic acid, stearic acid, and adipic acid;
- and absorbing the flux material of the chemical reducing agent into the receiving body through a capillary effect.
A method for reducing oxidization of a contact section of an electrical contact element wherein the method comprises:
- applying frictional forces to a cover layer on the contact section;
- embedding a surface lubricant in the cover layer;
- providing, in the cover layer, a chemical reducing agent having a flux material selected from the group consisting of multi-protic fluxing acid, linear fluxing acid, dendritic fluxing acid, branched fluxing acid, abietic acid, stearic acid, and adipic acid;
- receiving the chemical reducing agent within a plurality of particles, each particle having a receiving body comprised of a material configured to absorb the chemical reducing agent through a capillary effect;
- and
- releasing the chemical reducing agent in response to the frictional forces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.