Background technology
Be used among the patent documentation FR2811147 disclosed above band metal tape not necessarily in this method.In the practice, often be preferably alloy based on beryllium.The core on a surface of band is coated with the metal level of the good conductor that belongs to electricity, for example silver.Making conductive layer remain on an edge of each blade of picture liner plate bending on the direction of outside, electric current can flow through between two contacts of blade by conductive layer like this.Therefore, this layer must be enough thick, to have suitable current-carrying part.The core of a face of band covers conductive layer by the mechanical layer press operation usually, therefore with carry out heat treated and compare with the marginal portion of the band after the sclerosis contact chip and have less elasticity.
In the method for above-mentioned prior art, the marginal portion of band is not covered by conductive layer, and they keep elasticity after heat treated like this, and this elasticity makes blade play the effect of spring.Can notice that this necessity exists in the blade-carrying contact chip of other type, for example in patent documentation FR2339259 blade-carrying of disclosed independent manufacturing.Be noted that then blade must carry out rotating around pivot with respect to this plane, applies the power of returning elastically to Connection Element simultaneously, so that reliable contact to be provided if Connection Element has applied the pressure perpendicular to the plane of sheet for the blade of contact chip.
In addition, pleating operation is formed on the contact chip that has a large amount of blades on the per unit length of sheet.Because there is not the marginal portion of cover tape,, for example be arranged essentially parallel to the single narrow pleat that is bent on the plane of band, as disclosed among the patent FR2811147 that mentions in front so pleating operation can produce one or more pleats.Therefore, obtain difficulty especially of highdensity blade along the length of contact chip in this way.
Although obtained very gratifying contact chip, the conductive capability aspect of big electric current particularly, especially during the electric current of 1000 amperes or greater amount level, often appear in the medium and high pressure device, but the method that belongs to the theme of patent above-mentioned still has some shortcomings.At first, it is very difficult carrying out pleating as liner plate to the edge of each blade, particularly because the covering that applied the metal level on a surface at edge must be enough thick between two relative contact-making surfaces on each blade, to provide enough conductivity, it has caused the burden on the manufacturing cost.Secondly, the cost of mechanical layer press operation itself is relatively very high, especially compares with metallide (electrolyticgalvanization) operation.
A kind of method of traditional manufacturing contact chip is utilized the metallide operation of the band of contact blade.In fact this operation is carrying out at last of handling, promptly in each band, forming blade, band has been cut into the required length that is used for contact chip, and subsequently to each band that is cut into carried out heat treated as annealing on blade, to give after the required elastic performance.The marginal portion that should be noted that band is without successive what pleating operation, and the contact chip of finishing at last is to have identical length and a plating sheet that inserts in another forms by two, as shown in patent documentation FR2100220.Blade quantity on the per unit length is doubled, and realized that being used for being used in big electric current uses required blade density.
With above-mentioned traditional method, can not on the contact chip of single band, realize identical blade density.Carry out because electroplate after forming blade, thus blade too near-earth be close together because the metal level that obtains by metallide has too irregular thickness then, particularly influence blade because of the phenomenon that is called as shadow cone.Shadow cone is defined in electroplates the blade-section that is positioned at another blade back on the direction of an electric field.In addition, blade overlapping on the direction perpendicular to band is many more, and the risk of catching (trapped) bubble in electroplating process is just big more.Owing to be difficult in the electroplating pool bubble that cleaning band is up hill and dale caught with discharge, therefore exist the continuity of metal level by the risk of partial cutoff.Therefore adopted the many solutions to the blade band of traditional embedding to guarantee the plating of gratifying each blade.
But this solution also has the higher relatively deficiency of cost.In addition, in this method, wish before embedding a pair of band of having electroplated, band to be cut into required length, can be more difficult and cost is higher because cut a pair of band that has been embedded into.Therefore the biobelt contact chip that obtains must have different length, and the connector that will be used for them big or small corresponding this means in order to meet the demands apace, have different parts in a large number.Therefore this solution has been brought carrying cost and the burden on the time of delivery.
Summary of the invention
The objective of the invention is will be by proposing the deficiency that a kind of solution overcomes above-mentioned solution of the prior art, and this solution can satisfy various requirement especially apace, but the cost of making and storing is lower.
For this purpose, the invention provides a kind of method of the manufacturing contact chip that begins to propose as this paper, it is characterized in that, it is from following three steps:
-plating is so that metal level covers described centre slice at least on two sides of described metal tape, and this metal level is will good electric conductor than the metal of described band,
-in described band, form described opening and
-each described blade is twisted and bending,
And be to comprise then following continued operation:
-two continuous boundary sheets of the described initial sheet of contact are pleating,
-after aforementioned operation, the contact chip that obtains is carried out described quenching heat treated, forming described secondary contact chip, and
-described secondary contact chip being divided into a plurality of contact chips that will be installed on the connector, to have for the needed leaf length of each connector for these contact chips of connector.
Can obtain the secondary contact chip by long band, and load onto, for example, before being assembled to sheet in the connector, be cut into contact chip just by client (client) with the form of bobbin.
Advantageously the described row metal of bringing into is electroplated by electroplating.For example use silver to electroplate electrolytically to realize carrying out.The band that will be electroplated can comprise the alloy of beryllium and bronze, and its conductivity is very poor, but the elasticity after the heat treated is fine.This is known in the art.The heat treated of beryllium-bronze can comprise that being heated about 320 ℃ continues four hours, cooling gradually subsequently.
In a preferred embodiment of this method, in the metal plating operating process, cover all surface of described band.Use the metal plating of being undertaken by metallide especially, and under the prior art state, it is more much lower than the cost of the centre slice of only handling band to electroplate whole surface.
At an embodiment of this method, in band, stamp out opening, promptly utilize a stamping machine that adapts among another to cut out opening to form the hole of relative broad with punch die, before described punching operation, carry out metal plating operation to band.
In a preferred embodiment of this method, in described pleating operating process, move described blade and more closely come to together, like this they are evenly spaced apart, make that the ratio between initial pitch and the new pitch is from 1.3 to 2 with new standard pitch.In the remaining part of this specification, this ratio is called blade near factor.There is a number range in this ratio, and new pitch is corresponding to enough big blade density in this number range, and the performance with the contact chip of making by above-mentioned method of the prior art is the same good at least to guarantee performance in big electric current application.
In the remaining part of this specification, will show out the further feature and the advantage of manufacturing method according to the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in greater detail.
At last, the present invention also provides a kind of contact chip that is used to connect electric equipment, obtain by metal tape, in metal tape, be formed with opening to form the discontinuous centre slice of blade, the whole surface of described contact chip all is coated with the metal level of the good conductor that belongs to electricity, vertical end of described blade is connected on two continuous boundary sheets of described band, described band has been bent transverse curvature, described blade is evenly spaced apart with standard pitch, contact chip is characterised in that, each pleat all has a height, makes that the ratio between described standard pitch and the described height is from 1.7 to 2.5.The spatial character of each pleat in this contact chip is advantageous particularly in the pleating operation that allows, and this pleating operation is carried out simple relatively, and does not have the risk of the regional interior conductive metal layer of the described continuous boundary sheet that damages band.
If contact chip obtains by manufacturing method according to the invention, contact chip then according to the present invention is particularly advantageous from the compromise viewpoint of performance/cost.
Embodiment
Fig. 1 shows metal tape 9, as seeing in Fig. 1 a, all is coated with the metal level 15 of the good conductor that belongs to electricity on two surfaces of this metal tape 9.In the remaining part of this specification, " good conductor of electricity " referring to any one conductivity than the metal of this band also will good metal.As seeing in Fig. 2, the centre slice CS tegillum 15 that should be with at least covers, and the opening 12 that standard pitch is opened is stamped into centre slice.As following illustrated, before covering band, can form these openings selectively with the metal level 15 that belongs to good conductor.
Hypothesis has covered the whole surface with 9 in the metal plating operating process in the remaining part of this specification, and opening 2 forms after metal plating.The metal of band for example is the alloy of a kind of beryllium and bronze, and it is a kind of electric conductor of conductivity relative mistake, and the metal plating process is the metallide process in silver-colored pond for example.If entire belt is electroplated, then Dai edge can be coated with the layer that connects two surface, the layer 15s shown in the image pattern 1a.
As shown in Figure 2, opening 2 is formed in the metal plating band of seeing from Fig. 1 a, has primary standard pitch d on the direction of the symmetrical longitudinal axis A that is with
1, to form the discontinuous centre slice CS of blade 3, vertical terminal 31 and 32 of this blade 3 is connected to two continuous boundary sheet ES of band
1And ES
2On.Preferably, these openings can be relatively narrower at its waist, and in the present embodiment, these waists are along the symmetrical longitudinal axis A of band, particularly for given width of blade D, obtain as far as possible little initial pitch d
1, and also to limit the amount of the material under remaining.
The width D of each blade is preferably more than initial pitch d
1About 80% because its this width at waist equals d
1-D, therefore an opening equals d at the most at the width of its waist
1About 20%.For special width of blade D, do not wish the initial pitch d of opening
1Big more a lot of than D, use long metal plating band because this will force, and increased the width of opening, this means to increase manufacturing cost.In addition, as described below, form from the outstanding pleat in the same side of band with pleating operation, the height of pleat is along with initial pitch d
1Increase and increase, although do not wish to form too big pleat, because this can hinder the adaptive of contact chip and its connector that will be used for.
Externally to the band two edge piece ES
1And ES
2Slot to form tongue 4, this tongue 4 is used for the part of contact chip with the connector that will be used for is connected.In the present embodiment, blade 3 is with respect to its longitudinal axis A
TSymmetry, this longitudinal axis A
TPerpendicular to longitudinal axis A, not a kind of design of symmetry fully like this but can adopt, promptly adopt a kind of asymmetric a little opening shape.
By convention, next make blade twist operation around their longitudinal axis, so that they pivot with respect to the plane of being with, make two surfaces of each blade be formed on separately contact 3A and the 3B that gives prominence on each side on this plane, as what can in the first of Fig. 3, see.When carrying out this distortion operation, be attended by two edges of crooked each blade in perpendicular at least one fore-and-aft plane on band plane by convention, to form at least one contact area on each surface of blade, electric current flows between the part of blade and connector in this contact area.In the remaining part of this specification, it should be understood that contact 3A or 3B comprise at least one contact-making surface.
In manufacturing method according to the invention, consider from the cost angle, usually preferably, the operation that cuts out blade and tongue that will carry out in the continuous processing procedure of in single installation, carrying out, distortion and the operation of camber blades and the continuous boundary sheet of band carried out pleating operation.This be because the cost done like this seldom, labor cost particularly, and needn't between operations, reset or adjust band.Why Here it is preferably will carry out the metal plating operation usually in the beginning of manufacturing method according to the invention exactly.
In addition, must be noted that as shown in Figure 1a that when solid metal being electroplated band and carry out punching, the conductivity that covers between two surfaces two-layer of blade of band is only influenced by the metal thickness of band.This is because the blade that cuts out by punching does not have the metal level that connects two superficial layer on its edge, for example can be in Fig. 1 a with the edge on the layer 15s that see.The metal of contact chip band is not the good conductor of electricity usually.But, because this band is relatively thinner usually, thick from 0.10mm to 0.40mm typically, therefore can conduct big electric current, this band has enough surface areas to remain in the acceptable number range for the whole resistance of contact chip under considering the situation that makes the blade heating by the electric current that will flow through, the whole resistance of described contact chip, i.e. equivalent resistance between two of all blades groups of contact 3A and the 3B.
If on the surface that does not increase band or do not reduce must reduce under the situation of its thickness the whole resistance of contact chip, then may electroplate the row metal of bringing into of punching, that is, after having cut out and may twist and be crooked, blade carries out.This is because belong to surface and the edge that next metal of good conductor will cover each blade.Therefore, in the contact chip that obtains by this method, be separated between with 9 thickness and blade edge at the electric current that flows between two contact 3A of blade and the 3B, the whole resistance of the contact chip that obtains can be reduced to a certain degree.But, owing to previously mentioned reason, and exactly to compare handling the operating sequence carry out metal plating at the very start, the metal plating of carrying out in this stage need be born suitable cost usually to be increased.
The first of Fig. 3 is the view of interior secondary of vertical section and initial contact chip, and it also passes through in the plane of its longitudinal axis A vertical with the plane P of band.Can see initial contact chip at the right-hand side of Fig. 3, it is to obtain after the blade to the contact chip shown in Fig. 2 twists operation.By the initial pitch d identical with opening 2
1Spaced apart blade 3.In this representation, the plane P with respect to band tilts tongue 4, as seeing in Fig. 5.The left-hand side of figure shows at two continuous boundary sheet ES to band
1And ES
2Carry out the pleating secondary sheet that obtains afterwards, make by new pitch d
2And open blade 3 at its heat treated space before.Must remember that in manufacturing method according to the invention, pleating operation above-mentioned must be carried out after the metal plating band, to avoid in the part that blade overlaps each other, seldom proceeding to plating.
Provide the notion of related magnitude, for example, initial pitch d
1Be 2.5mm, corresponding new pitch d
2Be 1.7mm, produce blade near factor d
1/ d
2Approach 1.5.Can notice that blade is overlapped each other on the direction perpendicular to the band plane P.But, the edge of a blade and and the surface of its immediate blade between spacing must keep enough big, install and be pressed between two parts of connector so that work as the final contact chip that forms, in the time of between two parts 11 as shown in Figure 5 and 12, this edge can not contact with described surface.Therefore, begin with given initial contact chip, for new pitch d
2There is low restriction, and must not surpasses this restriction.This restriction depends on that especially blade is with respect to the gradient on band plane, required blade elasticity and the width D and the thickness of blade.Therefore, in order in the good conductive capability that obtains for big electric current, to obtain high blade density, must trade off to obtain as far as possible little pitch d
2
Initial pitch d
1Must be enough big can cut out quite wide blade, make it possible to they the crooked zone with satisfactory contact surface area, this contact surface area and this initial pitch d of also forming
1Two part fits of the connector that is used for.In addition because each blade of the contact chip that obtains can flexiblely pivot, therefore importantly to have its width D enough big with realize required in the contact area of each blade the blade of elastic movement.But wide blade will make to a certain extent must increase new pitch d
2, it has hindered realizes highdensity blade.As what explained in the explanation about Fig. 2, owing to do not wish initial pitch d
1Greater than 1.25 times of the required width D of blade, therefore must trade off so that the initial pitch minimum.
Corresponding to new pitch d
2Near factor d
1/ d
2There is optimum number range, this new pitch d
2Enough little of obtaining relatively large blade density by initial contact chip, and the initial pitch d of this initial contact chip
1The enough big blade that has satisfied electric and mechanical performance with formation.From 1.3 to 2 blade has constituted optimum compromise proposal near factor, and satisfies the specification requirement of top indication fully.
Be positioned at second portion below the first among Fig. 3 and be the plane graph of the initial and secondary contact chip shown in the first of this figure.Can be clear that the overlapping each other of blade of secondary sheet at the left-hand side of this figure.After pleating operation, tongue 4 is with the new pitch d identical with blade
2Be evenly spaced apart.
As seeing in the first of Fig. 3, the pleat 5 that draws closer together with moving blade 3 that laterally forms in band is all outstanding on the same side of the plane P of band, and preferably, this same side is identical with the side that tongue 4 is bent towards.Like this, two of band continuous boundary sheet ES
1And ES
2Present the crenation shape with paired crenellation, every pair of crenellation is opened by the bottom interval of pleat 5.
The inwall of pleat 5 does not contact each other, like this in the pleating process that fractures when bending is applied to the continuous boundary sheet of band just without any risk, this is at edge piece ES
1And ES
2Have superiority most under the situation of the conductive layer 15 of the centre slice CS of last covering one image-tape.Because if be to press next wall to form pleat by supporting another wall, then the risk that may break mainly is present in the layer 15.
Therefore, each pleat all has an inner space that forms cavity 6, and this cavity 6 is at the plane P inner opening of band.Each cavity all has two flat basically walls, and it is parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane of the band among Fig. 3 embodiment, and each cavity also comprises the wall of semi-cylindrical, and it forms the bottom of cavity 6.Therefore the bottom of this cavity has the curvature diameter δ corresponding to the diameter of semicylinder, and in the present embodiment, this diameter δ also equals the spacing between two planar walls of cavity.
Selectively, can form pleat 5 with two planar walls, these two walls are not parallel each other, for example the shape shown in Fig. 3 a.Among this figure, a plane in two planar walls of pleat 5 perpendicular to band, but this is dispensable, can also utilize an angle except 90 °.Take diameter is the cylindrical shape of δ the wall part of formation cavity 6 bottoms, therefore has the curvature diameter that equals δ.
Advantageously the height of each horizontal pleat 5 is h, makes new standard pitch d like this
2And the ratio d between its height
2/ h is from 1.7 to 2.5.The height of pleat be the pleat end edge piece the plane and be parallel to and the plane of that face that the peak of pleat is tangent between spacing, suppose that each pleat is outstanding from the same side on band plane.For example, for the new pitch of 1.75mm, the pleat height can be 0.85mm, the ratio d that it obtains
2/ h is approximately 2.The scope of pointing out has above constituted compromise preferably, makes tongue 4 enough wide like this, but pleat 5 is sufficiently high to move blade 3 nearer, and it has required new pitch d
2Horizontal plane (level) in buckling is gone up the width of measuring tongue, and this buckling is the continuous boundary sheet ES with band
1, ES
2Form.
At first, tongue 4 must have certain rigid having certain flexible while, makes when this contact chip of assembling, and they may be engaged in the groove in the first 11 of connector, as shown in Figure 5.Then, the end of tongue must be fully against the inclined wall of living groove 13, to control contact chip when living part 11 in engagement.If tongue is too narrow, then contact chip can not be by enough being controlled against living part 11 securely, and when two parts 11 of connector when 12 are not connected, will have the out-of-gear risk of this sheet.
In order to make each horizontal pleat 5 satisfy the ratio d that points out previously
2The scope of/h, between the curvature diameter δ of cavity 6 bottoms of the height h of pleat and pleat than h/ δ preferably and advantageously from 2.4 to 3.2.If cover the edge piece ES of band with conductive layer 15
1And ES
2, then in above-mentioned scope, allow to have enough wide bending especially, there not to be the risk of break edge embolium in the pleating process than h/ δ.For example, for the pleat height of 0.85mm, curvature diameter δ can be 0.3mm, generation be approximately 2.8 than h/ δ.
Fig. 4 shows the schematic diagram with the slightly different blade shape of the similarly more traditional blade shape of the shape of contact chip shown in Figure 2.Blade 3 has mid portion 7, and its symmetrical longitudinal axis A along band is narrower, as in some prior art embodiments, for example in patent documentation CH590570.This blade shape is applicable to the mid portion of blade, with at blade around its A
TThe edge of distortion and blade side carries out bending with after forming the contact, can not contact the part 11 or 12 that for example can see in Fig. 5 with connector part.Like this, each in two of blade surfaces all has two contact-making surface Z on each opposite side of described mid portion
1And Z
2, and with respect to axle A symmetry.
Among Fig. 5, be installed in the first 11 of connector by the contact chip that forms with similar blade band shown in Figure 4.In plane, be shown schematically in the cross section of contact chip by blade perpendicular to the band plane.First 11 comprises two longitudinal flutings 13, is used for making after installing contact chip the tongue 4 of contact chip to maintain static.And, make two continuous boundary sheet ES of band in order to be pressed between two connector parts 11 and 12 when contact chip
1And ES
2Pleat 5 do not touch on the bottom that comes to groove, each groove 13 is enough dark.The first 11 of connector has the vertical surperficial 20 of a plane or column between two longitudinal fluting 13, when tongue 4 is installed in the groove contact 3B of blade lower surface be extruded and lean this surface or this cylinder vertical surperficial 20 on and controlled.Laterally limit two ends 21 and the 22 edge dislocation adjacency sections (edgedisplacement abutments) that can constitute on vertical surface 20 for contact chip with respect to two longitudinal flutings 13.If have frictional force crossing on the direction of contact chip, so especially be connected or break away from 12 when connecting at two connector parts 11, contact chip tends to laterally move.If tongue 4 is not this mobile to limit of enough rigidity, then continuous boundary sheet ES
1Or ES
2Pleat 5 can abut against on end 21 or 22, and prevent from anyly further to move.
Two parts 11 and 12 1 interconnect, and the contact 3A on vane tip surface just is applicable to against the second portion 12 of living connector.Link position with dashed lines profile at second portion shows second portion 12.Be clear that very each contact 3A or 3B comprise two contact areas, for example for the regional Z of contact 3A
1And Z
2Therefore, the surface area of contact between a blade face and a connector part increased basically with respect to more traditional embodiment, and in more traditional embodiment, each surface of blade only has a contact area.Like this, the contact resistance between contact 3A or 3B and corresponding connector part 12 or 11 can significantly reduce.
Fig. 6 is shown schematically in the cross section part to the similar contact chip shown in Fig. 5.Keep the connector part of this sheet to comprise and be used for longitudinally making the fixed device of this sheet, this is favourable in (marginal) of some relatively small amounts embodiment.Said apparatus comprises crenellation 14, and it is more shallow regional corresponding with longitudinal fluting 13, has formed the bottom of this crenellation 14 in this case by the bottom of groove 13.In case assemble this sheet, the lug boss of crenellation is just than the close plane P of being with of the lug boss of pleat 5.Like this, if bigger power has been applied on the contact chip in a longitudinal direction the tongue of contact chip is slided in their retaining groove 13, then pleat 5 abuts against on the crenellation 14, and prevents further vertically moving of this sheet.For this embodiment, need in groove 13, not have and pleat 5 as many crenellations 14 in relevant contact chip, a small amount of crenellation promptly distributes on the whole length of this sheet.
Fig. 6 a is a plane P ' skeleton diagram of equipment among upper longitudinal part Fig. 6 in dividing.Equipment in the image pattern 5 is the same, and the bottom of groove 13 is enough far away from can not contact them when being pressed into contact chip from pleat 5.Be clear that very pleat 5 can lean against on the side of crenellation 14 if this sheet vertically moves.
Therefore,, also can guarantee to maintain static in a longitudinal direction owing to there is first connector part 11 to support contact chip with the embodiment as shown in Fig. 6 and 6a so this sheet can be nested in this connector part.If connector is columniformly this sheet is maintained static and do not rotate with regard to having hinted naturally like this.