Device for providing electrical continuity between electrically conductive surfaces

Claim 1

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts being of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections which are interconnected in such a manner that the sense of curvature of each arc-shaped section is opposite to that of its adjacent said arc-shaped section, and wherein said interconnection is smoothly accomplished resulting in a serpentine-shaped section, so configured that the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part and the point of the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is farthest removed from the joint part are on opposite sides of a tangent to the point of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part, and means to return said arc-shaped sections to their respective original, curved shapes after said curved shapes have been completely flattened and wherein said means comprises a series of arc-shaped sections each having a minimum radius of curvature greater than,

Claim 2

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts being of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections which are interconnected in such a manner that the sense of curvature of each arc-shaped section is opposite to that of its adjacent said arc-shaped section, and wherein said interconnection is smoothly accomplished resulting in a serpentine-shaped section, so configured that the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part and the point of the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is farthest removed from the joint part are on opposite sides of a tangent to the point of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part, and means to return said arc-shaped sections to their respective original, curved shapes after said curved shapes have been completely flattened and wherein said means comprises a series of arc-shaped sections each having a minimum radius of curvature greater than,

Claim 6

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts consists of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections which are interconnected in such a manner that the sense of curvature of each arc-shaped section is opposite to that of its adjacent said arc-shaped section, and wherein said interconnection is smoothly accomplished resulting in a serpentine-shaped section, so configured that the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part and the point of the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is farthest removed from the joint part are on opposite sides of a tangent to the point of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part, each of said arc-shaped sections is a substantially circular arc, and, all of said arc-shaped sections have substantially the same radius of curvature.

Claim 7

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts consists of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections which are interconnected in such a manner that the sense of curvature of each arc-shaped section is opposite to that of its adjacent said arc-shaped section, and wherein said interconnection is smoothly accomplished resulting in a serpentine-shaped section, so configured that the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part and the point of the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is farthest removed from the joint part are on opposite sides of a tangent to the point of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part, each of said arc-shaped sections is a substantially circular arc, and, all of said arc-shaped sections have substantially the same radius of curvature.

Claim 10

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts consists of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections which are interconnected in such a manner that the sense of curvature of each arc-shaped section is opposite to that of its adjacent said arc-shaped section, and wherein said interconnection is smoothly accomplished resulting in a serpentine-shaped section, so configured that the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section is closest to said joint part and the point of the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is farthest removed from the joint part are on opposite sides of a tangent to the point of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part, each of said arc-shaped sections is a substantially circular arc, all of said substantially circular arcs have substantially the same radius of curvature, and, said serpentine-shaped section contains three of said substantially circular arcs.

Claim 11

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts consists of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections which are interconnected in such a manner that the sense of curvature of each arc-shaped section is opposite to that of its adjacent said arc-shaped section, and wherein said interconnection is smoothly accomplished resulting in a serpentine-shaped section, so configured that the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section is closest to said joint part and the point of the arc-shaped section of said serpentine-shaped section which is farthest removed from the joint part are on opposite sides of a tangent to the point of said serpentine-shaped section which is closest to said joint part, each of said arc-shaped sections is a substantially circular arc, all of said substantially circular arcs have substantially the same radius of curvature, and, said serpentine-shaped section contains three of said substantially circular arcs.

Claim 13

A device for providing electrical continuity across a seam between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, and, at least one of said finger parts contains a through-hole suitable to allow passage of a mechanical fastener for securing said seam, said through-hole is elongated in a direction along said spaces between said finger parts.

Claim 14

A device for providing electrical continuity across a seam between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, and, at least one of said finger parts contains a through-hole suitable to allow passage of a mechanical fastener for securing said seam, said through-hole is elongated in a direction along said spaces between said finger parts.

Claim 15

A device for providing electrical continuity across a seam between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, a through-hole substantially centered in the space between at least two adjacent said finger parts, wherein said through-hole is suitable to allow passage of a mechanical fastener for securing said seam, and wherein said through-hole cuts partially into each of said adjacent finger parts.

Claim 16

A device for providing electrical continuity across a seam between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, a through-hole substantially centered in the space between at least two adjacent said finger parts, wherein said through-hole is suitable to allow passage of a mechanical fastener for securing said seam, and wherein said through-hole cuts partially into each of said adjacent finger parts.

Claim 19

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts consists of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections, and means to return said arc-shaped sections to their respective original, curved shapes after said curved shapes have been completely flattened and wherein said means comprises a series of arc-shaped sections each having a minimum radius of curvature greater than, 0.3Yt/Sm, wherein, Y=Modulus of elasticity of the material of which said fingers are fabricated t=thickness of said material Sm=yield strength of said material.

Claim 20

A device for providing electrical continuity between two substantially flat surfaces, comprising, as a minimum, a one-piece electrically conductive sheet including a plurality of finger parts and a joint part joining said finger parts spaced from one another, said finger parts having curved portions being so curved that when said curved portions of said finger parts are clamped between two substantially flat surfaces they conform to the latter and completely straighten to extend rectilinearly and to contact the surfaces over a broad area and to serve as a positive stop between the surfaces, without being permanently deformed, said curved portions of each of said finger parts consists of a series of at least two arc-shaped sections, and means to return said arc-shaped sections to their respective original, curved shapes after said curved shapes have been completely flattened and wherein said means comprises a series of arc-shaped sections each having a minimum radius of curvature greater than, 0.3Yt/Sm, wherein, Y=Modulus of elasticity of the material of which said fingers are fabricated t=thickness of said material Sm=yield strength of said material.