Search coil assembly with laminate frame members and method for making same

Claim 1

A metal detector search coil assembly comprising a frame assembly having an aperture therethrough, electrically conductive strands wound upon said frame assembly, potting plastic disposed on external surfaces of said frame assembly and embedding said strands, and a metal housing enclosing said potting plastic, said frame assembly comprising four frame members joined together to form said aperture, each of said frame members comprising a first sheet of rigid plastic, a second sheet of rigid plastic of substantially the same configuration and substantially the same size as said first sheet, an electrically conductive material disposed between said first and second rigid plastic sheets, said conductive material being spaced from peripheral edges of said sheets, and adhesive disposed on margins of said sheets between said peripheral edges and said conductive material and including pockets of adhesive surrounded by said conductive material, to bond said sheets together with said conductive material bonded therebetween, and means for interconnecting each of said frame members conductive material with at least one other frame member conductive material, said interconnecting means comprising metallic foil strips and being operative at three corners of said frame assembly for interconnecting said conductive materials of two adjoining frame members, two metallic foil strips on one frame member being joined to two metallic foil strips on each of said adjoining frame members.