System, connector and method for providing environmentally degradable electronic components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10074925-B1
Application number	US-201414180800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2014
Priority date	Feb 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A connector including a biodegradable base material and a biodegradable binder material, comprising at least one of a protein and a residue, configured to hold together the base material to form a biodegradable connector element. The biodegradable connector element affects an operational condition of an apparatus the biodegradable connector element is used within. Degradation of at least one of the biodegradable base material, the biodegradable binder, and the biodegradable connector element provides for a limited operational lifespan of the apparatus resulting in the apparatus becoming inoperable. A system is also disclosed.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. An electronic connector, comprising:
a molded connector body having an applied biodegradable sealant covering the connector body and having an electrical contact within the connector body;
a biodegradable base material comprising a plant fiber;
a biodegradable binder material, comprising at least one of a protein and a residue, configured to hold together the base material to form a degradable connector element;
a pheromone combined with at least one of the biodegradable base material and the biodegradable binder material, the pheromone to attract fauna to consume the at least one of the biodegradable base material and the biodegradable binder material based on biological consumption of the degradable connector element by the fauna; and
an electrically conductive material to provide an electrical path, the electrically conductive material to conduct an electrical power signal from a power source to an electrical circuit of an apparatus to power the apparatus operating in air;
wherein the degradable connector element affects an operational condition of the apparatus by severing the electrical path and thereby opening the electrical path between the apparatus and the power source in response to degradation of the degradable connector element when the degradable connector element is exposed to environmental elements including sunlight, the air and the biological consumption;
wherein the degradation of the at least one of the biodegradable base material, the biodegradable binder material, and the degradable connector element provide for a limited operational lifespan of the apparatus resulting in the apparatus becoming inoperable by severing the electrical power signal to the apparatus; and
wherein the pheromone is released when the degradation of the at least one of the biodegradable base material and the biodegradable binder material occurs.

2. The electronic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the degradable connector element comprises a male electrical connector component and a female electrical connector component which are configured to connect to each other for the communication of the electrical power signal wherein the male electrical connector component includes a male connector body, a first wire extending from the male connector body, an electrical contact in the male connector body coupled to the first wire and plugs formed in the male connector body; and the female electrical connector component includes a female connector body, a second wire extending from the female connector body, a second contact in the female connector body coupled to the second wire and sockets formed in the female connector body, a respective one socket configured to tightly fit a respective one plug of the male connector body; and wherein the electrical path passes through the female connector body and the male connector body.

3. The electronic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the degradable connector element comprises at least one electrical connector through which the electrical power signal is communicated to an operational element of the apparatus.

4. The electronic connector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the degradable connector element further comprises an environmentally degradable wire that is further within an operational element connected to the degradable connector element and bridged with the electrically conductive material; and
wherein degradation of the environmentally degradable wire renders the operational element further inoperable in response to exposure to the environmental elements.

5. The electronic connector according to claim 4 , wherein the environmentally degradable wire comprises an ultrafine wire.

6. The electronic connector according to claim 5 , wherein the ultrafine wire comprises powdered metal.

7. The electronic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the protein and the residue comprises at least one of tree sap, shellac, egg whites, and albumin.

8. The electronic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the limited operational lifespan of the apparatus is determinative by a composition of the biodegradable binder material and the biodegradable base material.

9. The electronic connect according to claim 1 , further comprising a biodegradable conductive insulation applied to the degradable connector element.

10. The electronic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable sealant, on the degradable connector element, comprises at least one of the protein and the residue.

11. The electronic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the binding material further functions as the sealant of the degradable conductor element.

12. A system, comprising:
an operational element within the system to cause the system to perform a function while the operational element operates in air;
a system element within the system configured to activate and power the operational element with a power signal communicated on an electrical path while the system element operates in air; and
a molded connector body having an applied biodegradable sealant covering the connector body and at least one connector element providing for power communication between the operational element and the system element, the at least one connector element comprising a biodegradable base material comprising a plant fiber, a biodegradable binder material, comprised of at least one of a protein and a residue, configured to hold together the base material and form the at least one connector element including a portion of the electrical path to electrically connect the operational element and the system element together; and
wherein degradation of at least one of the biodegradable base material, the biodegradable binder material, and the at least one connector element, caused by exposure to environmental elements, provides for a limited operational lifespan of the operational element resulting in the operational element becoming inoperable by severing the electrical path on which the power signal is communicated between the system element and the operation element and thereby opening the electrical path in response to the degradation when exposed to the environmental elements including sunlight, biological consumption, and the air;
wherein the at least one connector element further comprises a pheromone combined with at least one of the biodegradable base material and biodegradable binder material to attract fauna to consume the at least one of the biodegradable base material and biodegradable binder material based on the biological consumption of the at least one connector element by the fauna; and
wherein the degradation of the at least one of the biodegradable base material and biodegradable binder material releases the pheromone to attract the fauna.

13. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising a biodegradable conductive insulation applied to the at least one connector element.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein a rate of degradation of the at least one connector element is determinative by a composition of the biodegradable binder material with the biodegradable base material and at least one condition experienced by exposure to the environmental elements.

15. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising an environmentally degradable wire connected to at least one of the operational element, the system element, and the at least one connector element wherein degradation of the degradable wire severs the electrical path and renders at least one of the system element and the operational element further inoperable.

16. The sys

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Thomas Toby D
• Santiago Caleb

Classifications

• F42B33/06 Primary

  Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs ({F42B33/004 and} F42B33/04 take precedence; {elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091}) · CPC title

• H05K1/0275

  Security details, e.g. tampering prevention or detection · CPC title

• H01R13/46 Primary

  Bases; Cases · CPC title

• F42D5/04

  Rendering explosive charges harmless, e.g. destroying ammunition ({F42B39/14 and F42B39/20 take precedence } ; extracting primers, dismantling ammunition F42B33/04, F42B33/06 {; chemical deactivating of explosives C06B21/0091}); Rendering detonation of explosive charges harmless · CPC title

• H05K2203/178

  Demolishing, e.g. recycling, reverse engineering, destroying for security purposes; Using biodegradable materials · CPC title