USRE28595E
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Current control apparatus and methods of manufacture
Assignee: Lear Corp EEDS and Interiors
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Filing: 1972-11-09
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Granted: 1975-10-28
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Expires: 1992-11-09
Abstract
Abstract Current control apparatus operable to function selectively as a conductor, a circuit breaker, or a thermostat comprises a body formed of electrically insulating, compressible, inorganic, preferably elastomeric material having one or more portions thereof provided with discrete, electrically conductive particles which move relatively to one another into and out of engagement in response to changes in the state of compression to which the body is subjected or in response to variations in temperature of the body. The conductive portion or portions of the body extend through the latter from one side to the other, but are electrically isolated from one another by the nonconductive body portions. The body may include upstanding ribs or flanges on either or both of its opposite surfaces for the purpose of providing seals to prevent the entry of moisture or other foreign matter to the area bounded by the flanges.
Inventors
No inventors recorded.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:20
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R13/22; H01R13/24; H01R13/2407; H01R13/2414; G; G04; G04G; G04G17/00; G04G17/02; G04G17/06; H01C; H01C10/00; H01C10/10; H01C10/106; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/02; H01H1/021; H01H1/029
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
Current control apparatus comprises a body formed of electrically nonconductive, resiliently compressible material, said body having at least one opening extending therethrough; and at least one composite pad occupying said opening and adhered to said body, said pad being formed of resiliently compressible, electrically nonconductive material having discrete, electrically conductive particles dispersed therethrough, said particles being responsive to compression of said pad to establish an electrically conductive path through said pad, said pad being exposed at opposite sides of said body for engagement with conductors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
Current control apparatus comprises a body formed of electrically nonconductive, resiliently compressible material, said body having at least one opening extending therethrough; and at least one composite pad occupying said opening and adhered to said body, said pad being formed of resiliently compressible, electrically nonconductive material having discrete, electrically conductive particles dispersed therethrough, said particles being responsive to compression of said pad to establish an electrically conductive path through said pad, said pad being exposed at opposite sides of said body for engagement with conductors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein the resilience of said material of said pad is such as to disable said particles from establishing said conductive path except when said material of said pad is compressed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said material of said pad has a thermal coefficient of expansion different from the thermal coefficient of expansion of said particles whereby said material and said particles expand and contract at different rates in response to changes in temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the nonconductive material of said pad is the same as the material of said body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said body has an upstanding, deformable endless flange at least at one side thereof and encircling said pad.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said body has an upstanding, deformable endless flange on each of its said two opposite sides and encircling said pad.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said body has a plurality of spaced-apart openings therethrough and in each of which is adhered one of said pads, each of said openings being solated from one another by the material forming said body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein said pads are solated from one another by upstanding resilient ribs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein the height of each of said pads is at least as great as the thickness of said body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including an upstanding deformable endless rib at least at one side of said body and encircling all of said pads.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 10 including additional ribs upstanding at said one side of said body and cooperating with the first-mentioned rib to encircle each of said pads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 7 including an upstanding, deformable, endless rib on both sides of said body, each of said ribs encircling all of said pads.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is quadrangular.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is circular.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is annular.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including a conductor in engagement with said pad; and means for pressing said conductor against said pad with sufficient force to render said pad electrically conductive.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 16 wherein said pressing means comprises a pair of members sandwiching said body therebetween; and means for clamping said members to one another under sufficient force to cause said conductor to compress said pad.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 17 wherein said clamping means includes a spring.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 16 wherein said conductor constitutes part of a printed circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 18 wherein said printed circuit is flexible.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said pad has an inherent compression such as to render it conductive without the application of external compressive force.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the nonconductive material of said pad is greater than the thermal coefficient of expansion of said conductive particles.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of forming current control apparatus comprising molding a nonconductive material into a form-stable, resilient body having at least one opening therethrough; and occupying said opening with a molded form-stable composite substance adhered to said body and comprising nonconductive material having conductive particles dispersed therethrough.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of forming current control apparatus comprising molding a nonconductive material into a form-stable, resilient body having at least one opening therethrough; and occupying said opening with a molded form-stable composite substance adhered to said body and comprising nonconductive material having conductive particles dispersed therethrough.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method set forth in claim 23 wherein said opening is formed during the molding of said body.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method set forth in claim 23 wherein said opening is formed following the molding of said body.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method set forth in claim 23 wherein said composite substance is molded under pressure sufficient to maintain said particles in engagement one with another.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method set forth in claim 23 wherein said composite substance is molded under pressure insufficient to maintain said particles in engagement with one another in the absence of the application of an external compressive force on said substance.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method set forth in claim 23 wherein the nonconductive material of said body is the same as the nonconductive material of said composite substance.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method set forth in claim 23 wherein said composite substance is molded in place in said opening.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method set forth in claim 23 including providing an upstanding endless rib at least at one side of said body and encircling said opening.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method set forth in claim 23 including providing an upstanding endless rib at opposite sides of said body and encircling said opening at the opposite ends thereof.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
81 words
Current control apparatus comprising a body formed of electrically non-conductive, resiliently compressible material, said body having at least one opening extending therethrough; and at least one composite pad fitted into said opening, said pad being formed of resiliently compressible, electrically nonconductive material having discrete, electrically conductive particles dispersed therethrough, said particles being responsive to compression of said pad to establish an electrically conductive path through said pad, said pad being exposed at opposite sides of said body for engagement with conductors.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
81 words
Current control apparatus comprising a body formed of electrically non-conductive, resiliently compressible material, said body having at least one opening extending therethrough; and at least one composite pad fitted into said opening, said pad being formed of resiliently compressible, electrically nonconductive material having discrete, electrically conductive particles dispersed therethrough, said particles being responsive to compression of said pad to establish an electrically conductive path through said pad, said pad being exposed at opposite sides of said body for engagement with conductors.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
41 words
A method of forming current control apparatus comprising molding a non-conductive material into a formstable, resilient body having at least one opening therethrough; and fitting into said opening a molded, formstable, composite substance comprising non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therethrough.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
41 words
A method of forming current control apparatus comprising molding a non-conductive material into a formstable, resilient body having at least one opening therethrough; and fitting into said opening a molded, formstable, composite substance comprising non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therethrough.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
68 words
Electrical interconnecting apparatus comprising a dielectric material having first and second opposite surface areas and having at least one hole extending through the dielectric material from the first surface area to the second surface area, at least one elastomeric compressible resilient electroconductive element disposed in the hole, the at least one element comprising a dielectric resin containing discrete electrical conductors held in electrical conducting relationship in the element.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
68 words
Electrical interconnecting apparatus comprising a dielectric material having first and second opposite surface areas and having at least one hole extending through the dielectric material from the first surface area to the second surface area, at least one elastomeric compressible resilient electroconductive element disposed in the hole, the at least one element comprising a dielectric resin containing discrete electrical conductors held in electrical conducting relationship in the element.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
63 words
The electrical interconnecting apparatus of claim 34 wherein the dielectric material has a plurality of holes therein and wherein the at least one element comprises a plurality of elements disposed within the holes for electrically connecting a plurality of first contacts adjacent the first surface area of the material with a plurality of second contacts adjacent the second surface area of the material.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electrical interconnecting apparatus of claim 34 wherein the dielectric material comprises a resin.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical interconnecting apparatus of claim 34 wherein the dielectric material comprises a flexible, thin resin sheet.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical interconnecting apparatus of claim 34 wherein the dielectric material comprises a thin resilient resin sheet.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
79 words
The electrical interconnecting apparatus of claim 34 wherein the dielectric material comprises a flexible resilient and compressible resin sheet having first and second opposite faces and having a plurality of holes extending through the sheet, and wherein the at least one electroconductive elements comprises a plurality of elastomeric rods disposed in the holes, the rods having electroconductors therein whereby a plurality of contacts adjacent the first face are electrically connected with a plurality of contacts adjacent the second face.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
40 words
The electrical connecting apparatus of claim 39 wherein each rod has a plurality of relatively small discreet conductors held by the elastomeric rods in electrical conducting relation which is enhanced by compressing the rods between contacts adjacent the sheet faces.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
84 words
The electrical interconnecting apparatus of claim 34 further comprising first contact bearing means adjacent the first surface area and having positioned thereon at least one first contact ajdacent the at least one element, and second contact holding means adjacent the second surface area and having a second contact adjacent the at least one element and means pressing the first and second contact means inward thereby tending to compress the at least one element and completing an electrical circuit between the first and second contacts.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the element extends from one surface of the dielectric material to an opposite surface thereof.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
46 words
The method of joining electrical contacts comprising positioning contacts opposite each other, interposing a dielectric retainer having a conductive elastomeric element extending therethrough between the contacts and pressing the contacts towards each other, thereby compressing the conductive elastomeric element and completing a circuit between the contacts.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
46 words
The method of joining electrical contacts comprising positioning contacts opposite each other, interposing a dielectric retainer having a conductive elastomeric element extending therethrough between the contacts and pressing the contacts towards each other, thereby compressing the conductive elastomeric element and completing a circuit between the contacts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-27 | 1979-04-28 | 1979-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-27 | 1983-04-28 | 1983-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-27 | 1987-04-28 | 1987-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |