US3585573A - Sliding electrical contact - Google Patents

Sliding electrical contact Download PDF

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Publication number
US3585573A
US3585573A US768285A US3585573DA US3585573A US 3585573 A US3585573 A US 3585573A US 768285 A US768285 A US 768285A US 3585573D A US3585573D A US 3585573DA US 3585573 A US3585573 A US 3585573A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
arm
sliding
button
line
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US768285A
Inventor
Norman Robshaw
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Amphenol Corp
Bunker Ramo Corp
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Bunker Ramo Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bunker Ramo Corp filed Critical Bunker Ramo Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3585573A publication Critical patent/US3585573A/en
Assigned to ALLIED CORPORATION A CORP. OF NY reassignment ALLIED CORPORATION A CORP. OF NY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: BUNKER RAMO CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE
Assigned to CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, NEW YORK AGENCY, AS AGENT reassignment CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, NEW YORK AGENCY, AS AGENT SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: AMPHENOL CORPORATION
Assigned to AMPHENOL CORPORATION, A CORP. OF DE reassignment AMPHENOL CORPORATION, A CORP. OF DE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: ALLIED CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NY
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Assigned to AMPHENOL CORPORATION A CORP. OF DELAWARE reassignment AMPHENOL CORPORATION A CORP. OF DELAWARE RELEASED BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/36—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by sliding
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
    • H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/72—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/721—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/02—Contact members

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  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)

Abstract

A sliding electrical contact having a contact button on an arm in which transfer of material from the arm to the button by a wiping action during operation is prevented by recessing or cutting away the part of the arm from which wiping occurs or lifting it clear of the wiping surface by means of projections on the arm.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No Filed Patented Assignee Priority Norman Robshaw Chestfield, Kent, England 768,285
Oct. 17, 1968 June 15, 1971 The Bunker-Raine Corporation Oakbrook, [IL
Oct. 17, 1967 Great Britain SLIDING ELECTRICAL CONTACT 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.
US. Cl. 339/176, 339/217, 339/278 Int. Cl H0lrJ3/26 Field of Search 339/17, 176, 258, 278, 217
[ References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,008,113 11/1961 Johnson 339/17 LM 3,173,737 3/1965 Kinkaid et 3.1.... 339/176 MP 3,283,291 11/1966 Krol et a1. 339/276 A Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn AttorneyRoberts, Cushman & Grover Jill a -"l'" L M h PATENTED JUN] 5197:
SHEET 1 OF 2 NOE SLIDING ELECTRICAL CONTACT This invention relates to an electrical contact which slides over a surface in order to complete or interrupt an electric circuit. In particular the invention is concerned with a contact button carried on an arm. In one application of the invention a number of pairs of arms carrying contact buttons are mounted in a connector for engagement with a printed circuit board inserted in the connector, the board being pushed between the contacts of each pair of arms so that they engage opposite sides of the board.
When relative sliding movement takes place between such a button and a surface, the material forming the arm tends to be transferred onto the button by a wiping action. Any material transferred in this way tends to have a deleterious effect upon the electrical properties of the contact button.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce such transfer of material onto a contact button.
With this object in view, there is provided according to the present invention a sliding electrical contact comprising an arm carrying a contact button and having means for reducing transfer of the material forming the arm onto the button during sliding of the contact on a surface comprising means for preventing contact during sliding between the surface and at least part of the arm which is close to the contact button and in line with it along the line of sliding.
Advantageously the means for preventing contact comprise a projection carriedon the arm close to the said part of the arm.
Conveniently two projections are carried on the arm close to the said part of the arm, one on each side of the line of slidmg.
Alternatively the means for preventing contact may comprise an indentation in the said part of the arm or a hole through the said part of the arm.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a contact arm,
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the arm shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of contact arm,
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of yet another embodiment of contact arm,
FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the arm shown in FIG. 4, and
FIG. 6 is a cross section of a connector body incorporating a pair of sliding contacts in accordance with the invention.
Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a sliding electrical contact comprising an arm 11. The arm 11 is electroplated with tin. The arm 1I carries a gold contact button 12 secured to it by welding, riveting, or plating. The arm 11 is intended to be slid over a surface in use to cause the contact button 12 to complete or interrupt an electric circuit. The arm 11 carries means for reducing transfer of the tin onto the button during sliding. The means for reducing transfer comprises means for preventing contact between the surface over which the arm slides and at least part of the arm which is close to the contact button and in line with it along the line of sliding (i.e. longitudinally of the arm 11 in the embodiments illustrated).
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the means for preventing contact between the arm II and the surface over which it slides is constituted by a pair of projections 13 carried on the arm 11, one on each side of the line of sliding.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the means for preventing contact comprises an indentation 14 in the arm II, the indentation 14 being longitudinally aligned with the contact button I2.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the means for preventing contact comprises a hole 15 bored through the arm 11 and lon itudinall aligned with the contact button 12.
In use, t e arm 1 is slrd longitudinally over a surface to cause the contact button 12 to complete or interrupt an electric circuit. By virtue of the projections 13, indentation 14, or hole 15, part of the arm 11 which is close to the contact button 12 and in line with it along the line of sliding is prevented from touching the surface over which sliding is taking place. Transfer of tin from the arm 11 onto the contact button 12 is therefore reduced. The dimensions of the projections 13, indentation 14, or hole 15 should be such as to protect the majority of the contact button 12 from having tin transferred on to it. Alternatively the dimensions should be such as to protect the entire contact button 12.
FIG. 6 shows a connector for making connections to a printed circuit board 16. Sliding contacts 17 and 18 with contact buttons 19 and 20 are mounted in a connector body 21 and form one of several pairs of contacts each of which embraces the edge of the board 16 when the connector is pushed onto the board. The contacts 17 and 18 of each pair slide over opposite faces of the board until their contact buttons 19 and 20 make the required connections. Connecting leads are attached to the free ends of the contacts.
I claim:
I. A sliding electric contact comprising an arm carrying a contact button and having means for reducing transfer of the material forming the surface of said arm onto the surface of said button during sliding of the contact on a slidable surface comprising means for substantially preventing contact during sliding between that portion of said slidable surface which is aligned with said contact button along the line of sliding and any surface on said arm other than that of said contact button.
2. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for substantially preventing contact comprise an indentation in said arm, said indentation being positioned in alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding.
3. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim I, wherein the means for preventing contact comprise a hole through said am, said hole being positioned in alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding.
4. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for substantially preventing contact comprise a projection carried on said arm and positioned out of alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding.
5. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in'claim 4, wherein two projections are carried on said arm, each positioned out of alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding, one on each side of the line of sliding of said portion of said slidable surface.
6. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim I wherein the material forming the surface of said arm is different from the material forming the surface of said button.
7. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 6 wherein the surface of said button is a noble metal and the surface of said arm is other than a noble metal.
8. A sliding contact in accordance with claim 7 wherein the surface of said button is gold and the surface of said arm is tin.
9. In an electrical connector having a sliding contact comprising an arm and a contact button on said arm, the material on at least the surface of said contact button being different from the material on at least the surface of said arm, and a contact surface cooperating with said sliding contact, the improvement comprising means for substantially preventing contact during sliding between that portion of the said contact surface which is aligned with said contact button along the line of sliding and any surface on said arm other than that of said contact button, whereby transfer of material from the surface of said arm to the surface of said button is reduced.

Claims (9)

1. A sliding electric contact comprising an arm carrying a contact button and having means for reducing transfer of the material forming the surface of said arm onto the surface of said button during sliding of the contact on a slidable surface comprising means for substantially preventing contact during sliding between that portion of said slidable surface which is aligned with said contact button along the line of sliding and any surface on said arm other than that of said contact button.
2. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for substantially preventing contact comprise an indentation in said arm, said indentation being positioned in alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding.
3. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for preventing contact comprise a hole through said arm, said hole being positioned in alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding.
4. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for substantially preventing contact comprise a projection carried on said arm and positioned out of alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding.
5. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 4, wherein two projections are carried on said arm, each positioned out of alignment with said contact button along said line of sliding, one on each side of the line of sliding of said portion of said slidable surface.
6. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material forming the surface of said arm is different from the material forming the surface of said button.
7. A sliding electrical contact as claimed in claim 6 wherein the surface of said button is a noble metal and the surface of said arm is other than a noble metal.
8. A sliding contact in accordance with claim 7 wherein the surface of said button is gold and the surface of said arm is tin.
9. In an electrical connector having a sliding contact comprising an arm and a contact button on said arm, the material on at least the surface of said contact button being different from the material on at least the surface of said arm, and a contact surface cooperating with said sliding contact, the improvement comprising means for substantially preventing contact during sliding between that portion of the said contact surface which is aligned with said contact button along the line of sliding and any surface on said arm other than that of said contact button, whereby transfer of material from the surface of said arm to the surface of said button is reduced.
US768285A 1967-10-17 1968-10-17 Sliding electrical contact Expired - Lifetime US3585573A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB47285/67A GB1132185A (en) 1967-10-17 1967-10-17 Sliding electrical contact

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3585573A true US3585573A (en) 1971-06-15

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US768285A Expired - Lifetime US3585573A (en) 1967-10-17 1968-10-17 Sliding electrical contact

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US3585573A (en)
DE (1) DE1803031C3 (en)
FR (1) FR1587027A (en)
GB (1) GB1132185A (en)
NL (1) NL6814901A (en)

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3895339A (en) * 1974-03-29 1975-07-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Acoustic camera apparatus
US3895340A (en) * 1974-03-29 1975-07-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Acoustic camera apparatus
US3898608A (en) * 1974-03-29 1975-08-05 Westinghouse Electric Corp Acoustic camera apparatus
US4018495A (en) * 1975-10-02 1977-04-19 Sperry Rand Corporation Connector device
US4025143A (en) * 1975-06-10 1977-05-24 Rozmus John J Electrical contacts
US4026627A (en) * 1976-06-23 1977-05-31 Gte Sylvania Incorporated Electrical contact and connector
FR2482791A1 (en) * 1980-05-13 1981-11-20 Ctm Tin-lead eutectic plated phosphor bronze contact - use 3 micron minimum layer of fine grain plating with 25 degree contact angle for low fretting corrosion
US4514032A (en) * 1983-10-31 1985-04-30 Amp Incorporated Contact element
WO1986002206A1 (en) * 1984-09-28 1986-04-10 North American Specialties Corporation Electrical connector
US4586772A (en) * 1983-06-13 1986-05-06 Amp Incorporated Improved card edge connector
US4778231A (en) * 1984-09-28 1988-10-18 North American Specialties Corp. Electrical connector
WO1996041400A1 (en) * 1995-06-07 1996-12-19 The Panda Project Contact beam for electrical interconnect component
US5769672A (en) * 1995-09-27 1998-06-23 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contact spring with contact preopening
US5993222A (en) * 1997-11-10 1999-11-30 Sentry Technology, Corp. Moving electrical contact for track mounted systems
US6247972B1 (en) 1997-08-14 2001-06-19 Silicon Bandwidth, Inc. Electrical connector assembly with a female electrical connector having internal flexible contact arm
US20030132102A1 (en) * 2002-01-12 2003-07-17 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Cathode contact pin for an electroplating process
US6641442B1 (en) * 2002-08-15 2003-11-04 Fci Americas Technology, Inc. Air bag initiator coaxial connector
US8657616B2 (en) 2011-05-24 2014-02-25 Fci Americas Technology Llc Electrical contact normal force increase
US20150229058A1 (en) * 2012-09-17 2015-08-13 Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik Gmbh & Co. Kg Contact element
US20160006154A1 (en) * 2014-07-04 2016-01-07 Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG Electrical plug contact with conductive plastic and reduced contact resistance

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE620535A (en) * 1961-07-26
US3402008A (en) * 1964-12-18 1968-09-17 Parker Pen Co Writing instrument
DE10022505C1 (en) * 2000-05-10 2001-10-25 Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co Cable termination or connection device has contact element of first termination part provided with contact spring engaging termination element of termination block of second termination part

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3895339A (en) * 1974-03-29 1975-07-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Acoustic camera apparatus
US3895340A (en) * 1974-03-29 1975-07-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Acoustic camera apparatus
US3898608A (en) * 1974-03-29 1975-08-05 Westinghouse Electric Corp Acoustic camera apparatus
US4025143A (en) * 1975-06-10 1977-05-24 Rozmus John J Electrical contacts
US4018495A (en) * 1975-10-02 1977-04-19 Sperry Rand Corporation Connector device
US4026627A (en) * 1976-06-23 1977-05-31 Gte Sylvania Incorporated Electrical contact and connector
FR2482791A1 (en) * 1980-05-13 1981-11-20 Ctm Tin-lead eutectic plated phosphor bronze contact - use 3 micron minimum layer of fine grain plating with 25 degree contact angle for low fretting corrosion
US4586772A (en) * 1983-06-13 1986-05-06 Amp Incorporated Improved card edge connector
US4514032A (en) * 1983-10-31 1985-04-30 Amp Incorporated Contact element
WO1986002206A1 (en) * 1984-09-28 1986-04-10 North American Specialties Corporation Electrical connector
US4747794A (en) * 1984-09-28 1988-05-31 North American Specialties Corp. Electrical connector
US4778231A (en) * 1984-09-28 1988-10-18 North American Specialties Corp. Electrical connector
WO1996041400A1 (en) * 1995-06-07 1996-12-19 The Panda Project Contact beam for electrical interconnect component
US5791947A (en) * 1995-06-07 1998-08-11 The Panda Project Contact beam for electrical interconnect component
US5769672A (en) * 1995-09-27 1998-06-23 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contact spring with contact preopening
US6247972B1 (en) 1997-08-14 2001-06-19 Silicon Bandwidth, Inc. Electrical connector assembly with a female electrical connector having internal flexible contact arm
US6461197B2 (en) 1997-08-14 2002-10-08 Silicon Bandwidth, Inc. Female contact pin including flexible contact portion
US5993222A (en) * 1997-11-10 1999-11-30 Sentry Technology, Corp. Moving electrical contact for track mounted systems
US6860769B2 (en) * 2002-01-12 2005-03-01 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd Cathode contact pin for an electroplating process
US20030132102A1 (en) * 2002-01-12 2003-07-17 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Cathode contact pin for an electroplating process
US6641442B1 (en) * 2002-08-15 2003-11-04 Fci Americas Technology, Inc. Air bag initiator coaxial connector
US8657616B2 (en) 2011-05-24 2014-02-25 Fci Americas Technology Llc Electrical contact normal force increase
US20150229058A1 (en) * 2012-09-17 2015-08-13 Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik Gmbh & Co. Kg Contact element
US9281598B2 (en) * 2012-09-17 2016-03-08 Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik Gmbh & Co. Kg Contact element
US20160006154A1 (en) * 2014-07-04 2016-01-07 Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG Electrical plug contact with conductive plastic and reduced contact resistance
US9490561B2 (en) * 2014-07-04 2016-11-08 Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG Electrical plug contact with conductive plastic and reduced contact resistance

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1803031B2 (en) 1977-08-25
NL6814901A (en) 1969-04-21
DE1803031A1 (en) 1969-06-19
GB1132185A (en) 1968-10-30
DE1803031C3 (en) 1978-04-27
FR1587027A (en) 1970-03-06

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AS Assignment

Owner name: ALLIED CORPORATION COLUMBIA ROAD AND PARK AVENUE,

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:BUNKER RAMO CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE;REEL/FRAME:004149/0365

Effective date: 19820922

AS Assignment

Owner name: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, NEW YORK AGENC

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AMPHENOL CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004879/0030

Effective date: 19870515

AS Assignment

Owner name: AMPHENOL CORPORATION, A CORP. OF DE, ILLINOIS

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ALLIED CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NY;REEL/FRAME:004844/0850

Effective date: 19870602

Owner name: AMPHENOL CORPORATION, LISLE, ILLINOIS A CORP. OF D

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ALLIED CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NY;REEL/FRAME:004844/0850

Effective date: 19870602

AS Assignment

Owner name: AMPHENOL CORPORATION A CORP. OF DELAWARE

Free format text: RELEASED BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE;REEL/FRAME:006147/0887

Effective date: 19911114