CA2124423A1 - Coated metal band as semi-finished goods for electrical contact pieces and method for the application of such contact pieces on a carrier - Google Patents

Coated metal band as semi-finished goods for electrical contact pieces and method for the application of such contact pieces on a carrier

Info

Publication number
CA2124423A1
CA2124423A1 CA 2124423 CA2124423A CA2124423A1 CA 2124423 A1 CA2124423 A1 CA 2124423A1 CA 2124423 CA2124423 CA 2124423 CA 2124423 A CA2124423 A CA 2124423A CA 2124423 A1 CA2124423 A1 CA 2124423A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
contact
layer
backing
metal band
carrier
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2124423
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Gunther Henning
Klaus-Dieter Heppner
Josef Weiser
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.)
Siemens AG
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens AG filed Critical Siemens AG
Publication of CA2124423A1 publication Critical patent/CA2124423A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H11/00Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches
    • H01H11/04Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches of switch contacts
    • H01H11/041Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches of switch contacts by bonding of a contact marking face to a contact body portion
    • H01H11/045Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches of switch contacts by bonding of a contact marking face to a contact body portion with the help of an intermediate layer
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23KSOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K35/00Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
    • B23K35/02Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape
    • B23K35/0222Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape for use in soldering, brazing
    • B23K35/0233Sheets, foils
    • B23K35/0238Sheets, foils layered
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/02Contact members
    • H01R13/03Contact members characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/02Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for soldered or welded connections
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H11/00Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches
    • H01H2011/0087Welding switch parts by use of a laser beam
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H11/00Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches
    • H01H11/04Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches of switch contacts
    • H01H11/041Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches of switch contacts by bonding of a contact marking face to a contact body portion
    • H01H2011/046Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches of switch contacts by bonding of a contact marking face to a contact body portion by plating

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A metal band feedstock for producing contact pieces, the metal band forming a contact profile composed of a backing of hard solder material and of at least one contact layer that is applied onto the backing by electroplating. A contact profile that can be directly welded onto the contact carrier without special welding aids being required is thus produced with optimally few layers. The welding of a contact piece having the profile structure of the invention can be accomplished with a laser beam that is directed onto the hard solder backing of the contact piece through the contact carrier proceeding from the back side.

Description

2l2~23 P E C I F I C A T I O N
TITLE:
"COATED META~ BAND AS ~EMI-FINISHED GOODS FOR
ELECTRICAL CONTACT PIECES AND METHOD FOR THE :
APPLICATION OF ~UCH CONTACT PIECES ON A CARRIER"

BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a coated metal band as semi-finished goods or feedstock for producing electrical contact pieces having a wire-shaped or band-shaped backing on one side of which at least one contact layer of precious metal or of a ~ -precious metal alloy is voltaically applied. The invention is also directed to a method for applying such contact pieces on a carrier.
Contact profiles are described, for example, in the article "Anwendung von Mikroprofilen fuer elektrische Kontakte" by G.
Weik and G. Taubitz in Elektro-Anzeiger, Vol. 38, No. 10, 7 October 1985, pages 20-29. Dependent on the use of the contacts, different contact layers and contact layer combinations are proposed for voltaic production and for other methods of production such as roll-bonding. Various weldable copper alloys are cited therein as materials for the non-precious profile backing. In order to facilitate welding onto a carrier band, it is also proposed that the underside of the backing be provided with welding buttons and/or that a thin nickel or CuNi layer be additionally provided as welding aid.
Among other things, DE-C2-34 17 762 discloses a contact profile for welding onto a carrier band, whereby the contact material band composed, for example, of tungsten or molybdenum comprises a thin solder layer on the side to be weldedO However, the hard and brittle contact material itself is the supporting part of the profile described therein.

212~423 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to specify a contact profile in the form of a metal band wherein optimally few materials are employed in addition to the required contact layers for producing the profile stability and for guaranteeing a good weldability, wherein the manufacture of the profile can be accomplished in an optimally simple way. At the same time, further-processing, i.e., the welding of such contact pieces, should be optimally simple and reliable.
The object is inventively achieved by a contact profile in the form of a coated metal band wherein the backing is composed of a hsrd solder material. Standard hard solders can thereby be employed such as, for example, silver-phosphorus hard solder (AglSP) or a silver-copper alloy (AgCu28). In a continuous operation, this hard solder wire as backing is provided with suitable contact layers by electroplating.
By employing the hard solder as backing for the contact profile, the copper alloy backing, which is otherwise standard and that must be made weldable by additional measures such as by using welding buttons or by using an additional, thin solder layer, is eliminated. The backing composed of hard solder can be welded to the contact carrier in a simple way without the application of special welding buttons.
Dependent on the use, the actual contact layers are formed by suitable precious metals or, respectively, alloys. In a preferred embodiment, a first contact layer of a palladium alloy having a thickness of 20 through 50 ~m is thereby provided on the backing and a second contact layer of a gold alloy having a thickness up to 5 ~m is provided over this. In a known way, a protective layer of rhodium can then be applied as third layer, this usually being less than 1 ~m thick. What is thereby ::

.
2~2~423 important is that thicker contact layers such as, for instance, palladium alloys having a thickness up to 50 ~m, can be produced by electroplating (jet plating), this having hitherto not been standard, at least for such thick layers.
The following advantages are obtained compared to low-bonding:
the layer thicknesses can be exactly controlled down to less than 1 ~m;
the surface hardness can be controlled, this being important with respect to cold welding;
no subseq~ent temperature treatments are required which involve the ris~ of reducing hardness;
sandwich structures of contact profiles with the greatest variety of alloy layers or elements, such as rhodium, ruthenium, and even hard alloy layers or elements, can be produced;
high surface cleanness is obtained that is not jeopardized by drastic mechanical processing;
washing procedures are not required;
the specific electroplating technique to be applied manages with slight, controlled quantities of chemicals and is thus environmentally safe.
A preferred method for applying contact pieces having a layer structure of the invention on a contact carrier comprises the following steps:
the contact piece is placed onto the front side of the contact carrier and is pressed there against; and the backing composed of hard solder is welded on punctiform via a designational application of heat proceeding from the back side of the contact carrier.
Dependent on the circumstances, the contact piece can be separated from the profile band or, respectiv~ly, wire before or 21~4-~23 after the welding. A laser beam is preferably employed for producing the heat, this accomplishing the welding from the back side pr~ceeding through the contact carrier. This process is thus non-contacting for the contact location, so that a contamination of the contact surfaces due to a copper electrode is prevented. A hold-down means used in the welding can thereby be fashioned such that it touches the contact piece only in edge regions. Moreover, the hold-down means can be coated with precious metal, for example rhodium, so that a contamination of the contact surface with copper is eliminated altogether.
The invention shall be set forth in greater detail below with rePerence to exemplary embodiments on the basis of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a cross section through an inventively fashioned contact profile;
Figure 2 is a schematic arrangement for welding a contact piece onto a carrier; and Figure 3 is an arrangement as in Figure 2 but with a slightly modified contact carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The contact profile shown in section in Figure 1 has a backing 1 that is composed of hard solder, for example Hgl5P-Silphos and whose thickness can lie approximately on the order of magnitude of 50 ~m. A wear-resistant, first contact layer 2 that, for example, can be composed of palladium-nickel or palladium-silver or of a division of these two alloys lying above one another is electroplated onto this wire or, respectively, 212~ ~23 onto this band 1. This electroplated layer has, for example, a thickness of more than 20 ~m up to approximately 50 ~m. ;~
A second contact layer 3 lies above this, this being envisioned for switch applications having low contact wear and being preferably composed of AuAg8 (potentially with Sn doping), AuPd or AuNi. A rhodium or ruthenium layer having a thickness of less than 1 ~m can be applied as third layer 4 for protection against cold welding.
Figure 2 schematically shows the welding of a contact piece having a profile according to Figure 1 onto a carrier 5. The contact carrier, which can be a contact spring or a contact plate, is thereby held in a receptacle 6 with its edge regions.
A recess 7 of the receptacle guarantees that the middle region of the contact carrier 5 remains accessible proceeding from the under side. A contact piece 10 separated from a profiled band according to Figure 1, or to be separated therefrom later, has its backing 1 placed onto the upper side of the contact carrier 5 and is pressed in the direction of the arrow 9 with a hold-down means 8. The pressing of the hold-down means 8 is thereby provided with a spherical cap-shaped recess 14 such that only the edge regions 11 touch the contact surface of the contact layer 3 or, respectively, 4. Moreover, the hold-down means is coated with rhodium in the region of the recess 14.
A small region of the backing 1 composed of hard solder is now melted and welded to the contact carrier 5 with a schematically indicated laser beam 12 that penetrates through the contact carrier 5 proceeding from the under side. The melted zone 13 which t~ereby arises is indicated with broken lines.
Figure 3 illustrates an alternate arrangement. Given contact carriers in the form of thicker plates, a hole in the plate facilitates the welding at the location of the melting zone 212~ 123 13. Here, the plate 15 has a hole 16 in the middle region through which the laser beam 12 directly impinges onto the backing 1 of the contact piece. Welding through a hole in a carrier is described in EP-A-O 118 859.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. A coated metal band for producing electrical contact pieces comprising:
a backing layer composed of a hard solder material; and at least one contact layer composed of precious metal produced on one side of the backing layer by electroplating.
2. The metal band according to claim 1, wherein said at least one contact layer comprises a first contact layer comprising a palladium alloy arranged on the backing layer and a second contact layer comprising gold applied over said first contact layer.
3. The metal band according to claim 2, wherein the first contact layer comprises a thickness between 20 and 50 µm and the second contact layer comprises a thickness from 1 through 5 µm.
4. The metal band according to claim 2, wherein said at least one contact layer comprises a protective layer of rhodium having a thickness of less than 1 µm covering the second contact layer.
5. The metal band according to claim 2, wherein the first contact layer is formed of two sub-layers of palladium-nickel and palladium-silver.
6. The metal band according to claim 1, wherein said at least one contact layer comprises a palladium alloy.
7. The metal band according to claim 6, wherein said palladium alloy comprises one alloy selected from the group consisting of palladium-nickel and palladium silver.
8. A method for applying contact pieces on a contact carrier, comprising the following steps:
placing a backing layer of a contact piece on the front side of a contact carrier and pressing the contact piece thereagainst;
welding the backing punctiform fashion via a designational application of heat proceeding from the back side of the contact carrier.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of welding is further characterized in that a welding energy beam is directly directed onto the backing of the contact piece through a hole provided in the contact carrier.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of pressing the contact piece is further characterized in that the contact piece is pressed onto the contact carrier with a hold-down means during welding, said hold-down means essentially touching only an edge region of the contact piece.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of placing a backing layer is further defined in that said backing layer is composed of hard solder and is covered by a contact layer of precious metal.
12. The method according to claim 11 comprising the further step of electroplating said contact layer onto said backing layer before said step of placing a backing layer.
CA 2124423 1993-05-28 1994-05-26 Coated metal band as semi-finished goods for electrical contact pieces and method for the application of such contact pieces on a carrier Abandoned CA2124423A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19934317950 DE4317950A1 (en) 1993-05-28 1993-05-28 Coated metal strip as a semi-finished product for electrical contact pieces and method for applying such contact pieces to a carrier
DEP4317950.9 1993-05-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2124423A1 true CA2124423A1 (en) 1994-11-29

Family

ID=6489222

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2124423 Abandoned CA2124423A1 (en) 1993-05-28 1994-05-26 Coated metal band as semi-finished goods for electrical contact pieces and method for the application of such contact pieces on a carrier

Country Status (4)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH06338236A (en)
CA (1) CA2124423A1 (en)
DE (1) DE4317950A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2278499A (en)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19530512C1 (en) * 1995-08-18 1996-10-17 Siemens Ag Electrical layered contact element used in weak current relays
EP0856375B1 (en) * 1996-12-03 2001-09-12 MTU Aero Engines GmbH Partially coated workpieces and process for manufacturing same
DE19809450A1 (en) * 1998-03-06 1999-09-23 Inovan Stroebe Electrical multi-layer contact profile
US6302318B1 (en) * 1999-06-29 2001-10-16 General Electric Company Method of providing wear-resistant coatings, and related articles
DE10019117A1 (en) * 2000-04-18 2001-12-13 Mannesmann Vdo Ag Throttle valve actuator
US20020185716A1 (en) * 2001-05-11 2002-12-12 Abys Joseph Anthony Metal article coated with multilayer finish inhibiting whisker growth

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DD82174A (en) *
GB991433A (en) * 1961-09-23 1965-05-05 Siemens Ag A three-layer electric contact body and a process for the production thereof
GB1265309A (en) * 1968-08-09 1972-03-01
GB1298399A (en) * 1970-05-11 1972-11-29 Burroughs Corp Formation of soldier joints across gaps
DE3012959A1 (en) * 1979-04-09 1980-10-30 Bunker Ramo CONTACT ELEMENT OF PALLADIUM-PLATED SHEET AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
DE3308678A1 (en) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-13 Inovan-Stroebe GmbH & Co KG, 7534 Birkenfeld METHOD FOR PRODUCING ELECTROMECHANICAL CONTACT COMPONENTS
DD240976B5 (en) * 1984-02-08 1993-11-25 Tro Transformatoren Und Schalt METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ABRASIVE CONTACT IN A CONTACT ARRANGEMENT FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHES, ESPECIALLY POWER SWITCHES
DE3417762A1 (en) * 1984-05-12 1985-11-28 W.C. Heraeus Gmbh, 6450 Hanau METHOD FOR THE AUTOMATIC RESISTANCE WELDING OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT PLATES ON A CARRIER BAND AND SEMI-PRODUCT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONTACTS TO BE WELDED ONTO A CARRIER TAPE FROM HARD AND BRED CONTACT MATERIALS

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH06338236A (en) 1994-12-06
DE4317950A1 (en) 1994-12-01
GB2278499A (en) 1994-11-30
GB9410428D0 (en) 1994-07-13

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