Electrical connector having electrical contacts that include a precious metal plating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016308295-A1
Application number	US-201514690932-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 20, 2015
Priority date	Apr 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Electrical connector includes a connector housing configured to engage a mating connector during a mating operation. The electrical connector also includes a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the connector housing. Each of the electrical contacts includes a proximal base coupled to the connector housing and an elongated body that extends from the proximal base to a distal end. The elongated body includes an outer plating that comprises a precious metal. The outer plating forms interstitial regions that define an array of cavities. The interstitial regions form an exterior surface of the corresponding electrical contact that engages a corresponding contact of the mating connector during the mating operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrical connector comprising:
a connector housing configured to engage a mating connector during a mating operation; and a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the connector housing, each of the electrical contacts including a proximal base coupled to the connector housing and an elongated body that extends from the proximal base to a distal end, the elongated body including an outer plating that comprises a precious metal, the outer plating forming interstitial regions that define an array of cavities, the interstitial regions forming an exterior surface of the corresponding electrical contact that engages a corresponding contact of the mating connector during the mating operation.

2 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis extends through the elongated body between the proximal base and the distal end and wherein a cross plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis intersects a plurality of the interstitial regions and a plurality of the cavities.

3 . The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the cavities form elongated channels that extend parallel to a channel axis, the channel axis forming a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the cross plane.

4 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the outer plating is disposed along an underlying layer and has a height measured relative to the underlying layer, the height of the outer plating at the cavities being at most 50% of the height of the outer plating at the interstitial regions.

5 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the outer plating is disposed along an underlying layer and has a height measured relative to the underlying layer, the height of the outer plating at the cavities being at most 20 microinches, the height of the outer plating at the interstitial regions being between 30 microinches and 100 microinches.

6 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the outer plating includes a base layer and a flash layer on the base layer, the flash layer being at most 10 microinches.

7 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the cavities form isolated wells or elongated channels.

8 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein a pore-blocking substance is disposed within the cavities.

9 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the outer plating occupies a plating volume, the cavities of the outer plating comprising at least 25% of the outer plating volume.

10 . A communication system comprising:
a receptacle connector comprising a plurality of receptacle contacts; and a header connector comprising a plurality of header contacts that are configured to engage corresponding receptacle contacts of the receptacle connector during a mating operation between the receptacle and header connectors, each of the header contacts including a proximal base and an elongated body that extends from the proximal base to a distal end, the elongated body including an outer plating that comprises a precious metal, the outer plating forming interstitial regions that define an array of cavities, the interstitial regions forming an exterior surface of the corresponding header contact that engages the corresponding receptacle contact of the receptacle connector during the mating operation.

11 . The communication system of claim 10 , wherein each of the receptacle contacts wipes along the corresponding exterior surfaces of the corresponding header contacts as the receptacle and header connectors are mated.

12 . The communication system of claim 10 , wherein a longitudinal axis extends through the elongated body between the proximal base and the distal end and wherein a cross plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis intersects a plurality of the interstitial regions and a plurality of the cavities.

13 . The communication system of claim 10 , wherein the outer plating is disposed along an underlying layer and has a height measured relative to the underlying layer, the height of the outer plating at the cavities being at most 50% of the height of the outer plating at the interstitial regions.

14 . The communication system of claim 10 , wherein the outer plating is disposed along an underlying layer and has a height measured relative to the underlying layer, the height of the outer plating at the cavities being at most 20 microinches, the height of the outer plating at the interstitial regions being between 30 microinches and 100 microinches.

15 . The communication system of claim 10 , wherein the outer plating includes a base layer and a flash layer on the base layer, the flash layer being at most 10 microinches.

16 . An electrical contact comprising:
a proximal base; and an elongated body that extends from the proximal base to a distal end, the elongated body including an outer plating that comprises a precious metal, the outer plating forming interstitial regions that define an array of cavities, the interstitial regions forming an exterior surface of the elongated body that is configured to engage a corresponding contact through a wiping action.

17 . The electrical contact of claim 16 , wherein a longitudinal axis extends through the elongated body between the proximal base and the distal end and wherein a cross plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis intersects a plurality of the interstitial regions and a plurality of the cavities.

18 . The electrical contact of claim 16 , wherein the outer plating is disposed along an underlying layer and has a height measured relative to the underlying layer, the height of the outer plating at the cavities being at most 50% of the height of the outer plating at the interstitial regions.

19 . The electrical contact of claim 16 , wherein the outer plating is disposed along an underlying layer and has a height measured relative to the underlying layer, the height of the outer plating at the cavities being at most 20 microinches, the height of the outer plating at the interstitial regions being between 30 microinches and 100 microinches.

20 . The electrical contact of claim 16 , wherein the outer plating includes a base layer and a flash layer on the base layer, the flash layer being at most 10 microinches.

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Dubniczki George J
• Shreffler Daniel Briner
• Boyer Raymond Dennis

Classifications

• H01R13/03 Primary

  characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials · CPC title

• H01R13/04

  Pins or blades for co-operation with sockets · CPC title

• H01R12/737

  Printed circuits being substantially perpendicular to each other (for printed connections H05K3/366) · CPC title

• H01R13/114

  co-operating with pins or blades having a square transverse section · CPC title

• H01R43/16

  for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending · CPC title