US4019876A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical contact element and method of producing the same
Assignee: G RAU GmbH and Co KG
•
Filing: 1976-04-19
•
Granted: 1977-04-26
•
Expires: 1996-04-19
Abstract
Abstract The contact element is produced by ultrasonically welding one or more contact pieces onto a carrier, an intermediate layer, for example of aluminium foil, being interposed between the contact piece and the carrier prior to such welding in order to assist in the welding of contact pieces made of material which would otherwise be difficult to weld.
Inventors
- 👤 Dieter Stockel
- 👤 Hans-Jurgen Oberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:59
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K35/00; B23K35/001; B23K35/007; H; H01; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/02; H01H1/021; H01H1/023; H01H1/0231; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/922; Y10S428/9265; Y10S428/929; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12535; Y10T428/12736
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
An electrical contact element comprising at least one contact piece having a contact surface for making selective electrical connection with a corresponding contact surface of a contact piece on another contact element, a carrier for supporting the or each contact piece and to which the or each contact piece is joined by means of ultrasonic welding, and an intermediate layer of readily cold-weldable metal material which is inserted between the contact piece and the carrier prior to the ultrasonic welding of the or each contact piece to the carrier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
An electrical contact element comprising at least one contact piece having a contact surface for making selective electrical connection with a corresponding contact surface of a contact piece on another contact element, a carrier for supporting the or each contact piece and to which the or each contact piece is joined by means of ultrasonic welding, and an intermediate layer of readily cold-weldable metal material which is inserted between the contact piece and the carrier prior to the ultrasonic welding of the or each contact piece to the carrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A contact element according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is less than 1 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A contact element according to claim 2 wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is less than 0.2 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A contact element according to claim 1 wherein the major component of the intermediate layer is aluminium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A contact element according to claim 4 wherein the contact piece is made of silver-cadmium oxide and the carrier is made of brass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of producing an electrical contact element according to claim 1, said method comprising inserting an intermediate layer in the form of a metal foil between the or each contact piece and the carrier, and carrying out said ultrasonic welding under pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the metal foil is inserted loosely between the or each contact piece and the carrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 7 including placing the or each contact piece on a piece of metal foil which is larger than the contact piece, separating the required foil from the piece of foil during ultrasonic welding, and removing the unrequired foil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 8 including continuously feeding strips of carrier and metal foil together to a welding machine, placing each contact piece on the metal foil, ultrasonically welding the contact pieces one at a time to the metal foil, and removing the superfluous foil from the strip of carrier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3674446A
Cited
US3666428A
Cited
US3574570A
Cited
US3775067A
Cited
US3926357A
Cited
US3941299A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-25 | 1980-10-25 | 1981-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-25 | 1984-10-25 | 1985-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-25 | 1988-10-25 | 1989-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |