Connector contact point

Claim 2

A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising: a yieldable-metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross-section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in said region, and a conductive metal overlay plated onto the external surface of said region, said overlay (a) being located wholly or primarily on one of the external faces of said region, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from a plated area remote from the intended overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodeposition.

Claim 3

The connector of claim 1, wherein the conductive metal is gold.

Claim 4

The connector of claim 1, wherein the overlay fills in any pits which may exist in the part of the surface of the region to which the overlay is plated, such fill ins containing significantly fewer and smaller bubbles than fill ins characteristic of immersion electrodeposition.

Claim 5

A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising: a yieldable-metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross-section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in said region, a diffusion barrier conductive metal first overlay plated onto the external surface of said region, said first overlay (a) being located essentially on one of the external faces of said region, but also extending up to and around the two side edges of said face and onto the adjacent faces a short distance, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the first overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from an extensive, minimal-thickness, plated area remote from the intended first overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, including around said side edges and onto said adjacent faces, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodepositon, and a conductive metal second overlay plated onto the external surface of the first overlay, said second overlay (a) being located essentially coterminously with the first overlay, including extending up to and around the two plated edges of the face containing the major portion of the first overlay and onto the adjacent plated faces a short distance, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the second overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from an extensive, minimal-thickness, plated area remote from the intended second overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, including around said side edges and onto said adjacent faces, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodeposition.

Claim 6

A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising: a yieldable-metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross-section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in said region, a diffusion barrier conductive metal first overlay plated onto the external surface of said region, said first overlay (a) being located essentially on one of the external faces of said region, but also extending up to and around the two side edges of said face and onto the adjacent faces a short distance, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the first overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from an extensive, minimal-thickness, plated area remote from the intended first overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, including around said side edges and onto said adjacent faces, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodepositon, and a conductive metal second overlay plated onto the external surface of the first overlay, said second overlay (a) being located essentially coterminously with the first overlay, including extending up to and around the two plated edges of the face containing the major portion of the first overlay and onto the adjacent plated faces a short distance, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the second overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from an extensive, minimal-thickness, plated area remote from the intended second overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, including around said side edges and onto said adjacent faces, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodeposition.

Claim 7

The connector of claim 4, wherein the first overlay is nickel.

Claim 8

The connector of claim 4, wherein the second overlay is gold.

Claim 9

The connector of claim 4, wherein the first overlay fills in any pits which may exist in the part of the surface of the region to which the overlay is plated, such fill ins containing significantly fewer and smaller bubbles than fill ins characteristic of immersion electrodeposition.

Claim 10

A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising: a yieldable-metal underbody having a surface portion approximating a spherical cap, and a conductive metal overlay plated onto said surface portions, said overlay (a) being located wholly on said surface portion, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from a plated area remote from the intended overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodeposition.

Claim 11

A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising: a yieldable-metal underbody having a surface portion approximating a spherical cap, and a conductive metal overlay plated onto said surface portions, said overlay (a) being located wholly on said surface portion, (b) terminating with a feather edge along the entire boundary of the overlay, such feather edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or partial immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from a plated area remote from the intended overlay location resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the feathered edges, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density characteristic of wiping electrodeposition.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 8 wherein the overlay is gold.

Claim 13

The connector of claim 8, wherein the overlay fills in any pits which may exist in the part of the surface of the region to which the overlay is plated, such fill ins containing significantly fewer and smaller bubbles than fill ins characteristic of immersion electrodeposition.

Claim 14

An electrical contact having an essentially rectangular cross-section at the point of contact comprising in combination, a yieldable metal underbody having a curvilinear contact point for yieldably engaging a member in electrical communication, a conductive metal overlay plated to said underbody having a thickened center section and feather edge end portions presenting a curvilinear surface of electrodeposited conductive metal for direct yieldable electrical engagement with a further contact point, said conductive metal overlay being characterized by uniform deposit thickness at the critical contact area and the absence of edge build-up and back plating without evidence of masking of the type resulting from fluid plating in the absence of a wiping type of electrodeposition, whereby the contact surface has a minimized central curvilinear thickness of metal and in which the interface is formed by electrodeposition.

Claim 15

An electrical contact having an essentially rectangular cross-section at the point of contact comprising in combination, a yieldable metal underbody having a curvilinear contact point for yieldably engaging a member in electrical communication, a conductive metal overlay plated to said underbody having a thickened center section and feather edge end portions presenting a curvilinear surface of electrodeposited conductive metal for direct yieldable electrical engagement with a further contact point, said conductive metal overlay being characterized by uniform deposit thickness at the critical contact area and the absence of edge build-up and back plating without evidence of masking of the type resulting from fluid plating in the absence of a wiping type of electrodeposition, whereby the contact surface has a minimized central curvilinear thickness of metal and in which the interface is formed by electrodeposition.

Claim 16

The contact of claim 11, wherein an underbody of diffusion barrier electrically conductive metal is plated to a curvilinear portion of said contact point characterized by feather edges at both ends, and a thicker section at a midpoint of the underbody.

Claim 17

The contact point of claim 11 above, wherein the conductive metal is gold.

Claim 18

The contact point of claim 12, wherein the underbody plating is nickel.

Claim 19

The contact of claim 13, wherein the underbody coat of metal is nickel.