Electronic device with plated electrical contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9563233-B2
Application number	US-201414460286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2014
Priority date	Aug 14, 2014
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device includes an electronic component configured to receive electric current and a plated contact electrically coupled to the electronic component and configured to carry the electric current to the electronic component from a system external to the device. The plated contact includes a copper-alloy layer, a platinum-group metal (PGM) layer plated over the copper-alloy layer, and a gold-alloy layer plated over the PGM layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an electronic component wearable on human skin and configured to receive electric current; and
a mechanically contactable plated electrical contact coupled to the electronic component and configured to carry the electric current to the electronic component from a system external to the electronic device, the plated electrical contact including:
a copper-alloy layer;
a platinum-group metal (PGM) layer plated over the copper-alloy layer; and
a gold-alloy layer plated over the PGM layer.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the PGM layer is plated directly onto the copper-alloy layer.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the PGM layer includes palladium.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the PGM layer is a PGM-alloy layer.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the PGM-alloy layer includes nickel.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the gold-alloy layer is at least thirty microinches in thickness.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the copper-alloy layer is a zinc-free bronze.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the gold-alloy layer includes cobalt.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the gold-alloy layer is plated directly onto the PGM layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the PGM layer is a first PGM layer, the plated contact further comprising one or more additional PGM layers arranged between the first PGM layer and the gold-alloy layer.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein each of the additional PGM layers is arranged over an underlying gold layer.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein each of the additional PGM layers is plated directly onto the underlying gold layer.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the gold-alloy layer and each underlying gold layer is plated directly onto the PGM layer directly beneath it.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein each underlying gold layer is a substantially pure gold layer.

15. A method comprising:
coupling a copper-alloy layer to an electronic component of an electronic device, the electronic component wearable on human skin and configured to receive electric current;
plating a platinum-group metal (PGM) layer over the copper-alloy layer to form a mechanically contactable plated electrical contact, the plated contact being coupled to the electronic component and configured to carry the electric current to the electronic component from a system external to the electronic device; and
plating a gold-alloy layer over the PGM layer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said plating includes electroplating.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said plating includes electroless deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and/or evaporative deposition.

18. An electronic device to be worn on human skin, the electronic device comprising:
an electronic component wearable on human skin and configured to receive electric current; and
a mechanically contactable plated electrical contact coupled to the electronic component and configured to carry the electric current to the electronic component from a system external to the electronic device, the plated electrical contact including:
a copper-alloy layer;
a platinum-group metal (PGM) layer plated directly onto the copper-alloy layer; and
a gold-alloy layer plated directly onto the PGM layer.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the copper-alloy layer includes an aluminum bronze, silicon bronze, and/or phosphor bronze, and wherein the gold-alloy layer is at least thirty microinches in thickness.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Mccormack Mark Thomas
• Fischer Anthony Allen
• Master Raj
• Shariff Farah
• Tom Dennis
• Alam Zulfiqar

Classifications

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• H01R13/03

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

• C25D5/10 Primary

  Electroplating with more than one layer of the same or of different metals (for bearings C25D7/10) · CPC title

• C25D3/62

  containing more than 50% by weight of gold · CPC title

• C25D3/50

  of platinum group metals · CPC title