USRE30052E
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrical contact material and process
Assignee: Schneider Electric USA Inc
•
Filing: 1977-12-23
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Granted: 1979-07-24
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Expires: 1997-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A material for use in making electrical contacts is produced in a powder form suitable for later processing into electrical contacts by standard metallurgical techniques. The material consists of a first metal, such as silver, and the oxide of a second metal, such as cadmium, added to the first metal in a proportion up to the limits of solubility of the second metal in the first metal. An oxide of a third metal having a low electronic work function level, such as lithium oxide, is added and uniformly distributed on the surfaces of the powder particles by precipitation. A fourth metal, such as tellurium, that is insoluble in the first metal is also added to provide selected characteristics.
Inventors
- 👤 Terrence A. Davies
- 👤 David J. Pedder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 15:07
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22C; C22C1/00; C22C1/10; C22C1/1078; C22C32/00; C22C32/001; C22C32/0015; C22C32/0021; H; H01; H01B; H01B1/00; H01B1/02; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/02; H01H1/021; H01H1/023; H01H1/0237; H01H1/02372; H01H1/02374
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 70
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A material for use in making electrical contacts for power level applications consisting essentially of a first metal selected from a group consisting of silver and copper, an oxide of a second metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin, and zinc added in an amount from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum equal to the limit of solubility of the second metal in the first metal, and an oxide of a third metal selected from a group consisting of metals in group IA and IIA of a periodic table .Iadd.with the oxides of the second and the third metals uniformly distributed throughout the material.Iaddend..
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A material for use in making electrical contacts for power level applications consisting essentially of a first metal selected from a group consisting of silver and copper, an oxide of a second metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin, and zinc added in an amount from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum equal to the limit of solubility of the second metal in the first metal, and an oxide of a third metal selected from a group consisting of metals in group IA and IIA of a periodic table .Iadd.with the oxides of the second and the third metals uniformly distributed throughout the material.Iaddend..
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A material according to claim 1 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A material according to claim 1 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium and francium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A material according to claim 1 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A material according to claim 1 wherein the first metal is silver and the second metal is cadmium. .[.6. A material according to claim 1 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
barium..]. 7. A material according to claim 1 wherein the first metal is
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
silver. 8. A material according to claim 7 wherein the second metal is
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
cadmium. 9. A material according to claim 8 wherein the third metal is a
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
metal selected from the group consisting of lithium and barium. 10. A
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
metal selected from the group consisting of lithium and barium. 10. A
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
material according to claim 1 wherein the third metal is lithium. 11. A material according to claim 1 wherein the amount of the oxide of the third metal is added from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum of about three weight percent of the third metal relative to the total weight of
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
the material. 12. A material according to claim 11 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium and the third metal is a metal
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
selected from the group consisting of lithium and barium. 13. A material
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
selected from the group consisting of lithium and barium. 13. A material
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
according to claim 11 wherein the third metal is lithium. 14. A material according to claim 1 additionally having an oxide of a fourth metal selected to be insoluble in the first metal and provide embrittlement
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
characteristics. 15. A material according to claim 14 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium, and the third metal is
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
lithium. 16. A material according to claim 15 wherein the fourth metal is tellurium. .[.17. A method according to claim 14 wherein the fourth metal
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
is tellurium..]. 18. A material according to claim 14 wherein the third metal is a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium and barium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
A material according to claim 14 wherein the first metal is silver.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A material according to claim 14 wherein the third metal oxide is added in an amount from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum of approximately three weight percent of the third metal in relation to the
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
total amount of material present. 21. A material according to claim 20 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium, the third
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
metal is lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 22. A material
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
metal is lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 22. A material
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
according to claim 20 wherein the fourth metal is tellurium. 23. A
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
material according to claim 22 wherein the third metal is lithium. 24. A material according to claim 20 wherein the third metal is a metal selected
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
from a group consisting of lithium and barium. 25. A material according to claim 24 wherein the first metal is silver and the fourth metal is
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
tellurium. 26. A material according to claim 20 wherein the fourth metal is added from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum of about three
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
weight percent of the total of the material. 27. A material according to claim 26 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium,
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
the third metal is lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 28. A
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
the third metal is lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 28. A
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
material according to claim 26 wherein the fourth metal is tellurium. 29. A material according to claim 26 wherein the third metal is a metal
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium. 30. A material
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium. 30. A material
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
according to claim 26 wherein the second metal is cadmium. 31. A material according to claim 26 wherein the third metal is lithium and the fourth
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
metal is tellurium. 32. A material according to claim 26 wherein the first
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
135 words
metal is silver and the second metal is cadmium. 33. An electrical contact for electrical power applications comprising a first metal selected from a group consisting of silver and copper, an oxide of a second metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc added in an amount from a miniumum effective amount up to a maximum equal to the limit of solubility of the second metal in the first metal, and an oxide of a third metal selected from a group consisting of the metals in groups IA and IIA of a periodic table .Iadd.with the oxides of the second and the third metals uniformly distributed throughout the material.Iaddend.. .[.34. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium,
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
cesium, francium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium..]. 35. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium. .[.36. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium..]. 37. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium,
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
cesium and francium. 38. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of magnesium,
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
46 words
calcium, strontium, and barium. 39. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the first metal is silver and the second metal is cadmium. .[.40. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium..].
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the first metal is
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
12 words
silver. 42. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the second
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
25 words
metal is cadmium. 43. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the third metal is a metal selected from the group consisting of calcium,
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
10 words
potassium, cesium and lithium. 44. An electrical contact according to
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
10 words
potassium, cesium and lithium. 44. An electrical contact according to
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
67 words
claim 33 wherein the third metal is lithium. 45. An electrical contact according to claim 33 wherein the oxide of the third metal is added in an amount from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum of about three weight percent of the third metal relative to the total weight of the first metal, the oxide of the second metal, and the oxide of the third
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
25 words
metal. 46. An electrical contact according to claim 45 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium and the third metal is
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
12 words
lithium. 47. An electrical contact according to claim 45 wherein the third
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
metal is lithium. 48. An electrical contact according to claim 33 also comprising an oxide of a fourth metal selected to have a high ionization
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
25 words
energy. 49. An electrical contact according to claim 48 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium, and the third metal is
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
11 words
lithium. 50. An electrical contact according to claim 49 wherein the
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
12 words
fourth metal is tellurium. 51. An electrical contact according to claim 48
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
25 words
wherein the fourth metal is tellurium. 52. An electrical contact according to claim 48 wherein the third metal is a metal selected from the group
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
11 words
consisting of lithium and barium. 53. An electrical contact according to
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
11 words
consisting of lithium and barium. 53. An electrical contact according to
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
66 words
claim 48 wherein the first metal is silver. 54. An electrical contact according to claim 48 wherein the third metal oxide is added in an amount from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum of approximately three weight percent of the third metal in relation to the total weight of the first metal, the oxide of the second metal, the oxide of the third metal,
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
26 words
and the oxide of the fourth metal. 55. An electrical contact according to claim 54 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium,
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
24 words
the third metal is lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 56. An electrical contact according to claim 54 wherein the fourth metal is
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
11 words
tellurium. 57. An electrical contact according to claim 56 wherein the
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
25 words
third metal is lithium. 58. An electrical contact according to claim 54 wherein the third metal is a metal selected from a group consisting of
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
11 words
lithium and barium. 59. An electrical contact according to claim 58
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
67 words
wherein the first metal is silver and the fourth metal is tellurium. 60. An electrical contact according to claim 54 wherein the fourth metal is added in the proportion from a minimum effective amount up to a maximum of about three weight percent of the total weight of the first metal, the oxide of the second metal, the oxide of the third metal, and the oxide of
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
26 words
the fourth metal. 61. An electrical contact according to claim 60 wherein the first metal is silver, the second metal is cadmium, the third metal is
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
11 words
lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 62. An electrical contact
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
11 words
lithium, and the fourth metal is tellurium. 62. An electrical contact
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
24 words
according to claim 60 wherein the fourth metal is tellurium. 63. An electrical contact according to claim 60 wherein the third metal is a
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
23 words
metal selected from a group consisting of lithium and barium. 64. An electrical contact according to claim 60 wherein the second metal is
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
12 words
cadmium. 65. An electrical contact according to claim 60 wherein the third
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
29 words
metal is lithium and the fourth metal is tellurium. 66. An electrical contact according to claim 60 wherein the first metal is silver and the second metal is cadmium.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-07-23 | 1983-01-22 | 1983-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-07-23 | 1987-01-22 | 1987-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-07-23 | 1991-01-22 | 1991-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |