US3290472A - Electric current collecting element - Google Patents

Electric current collecting element Download PDF

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Publication number
US3290472A
US3290472A US465556A US46555665A US3290472A US 3290472 A US3290472 A US 3290472A US 465556 A US465556 A US 465556A US 46555665 A US46555665 A US 46555665A US 3290472 A US3290472 A US 3290472A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
core
current collecting
area
metal
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US465556A
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert H Savage
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.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
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 General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Priority to US465556A priority Critical patent/US3290472A/en
Priority to GB24343/66A priority patent/GB1141474A/en
Priority to FR65591A priority patent/FR1483421A/fr
Priority to DE1564011A priority patent/DE1564011B2/de
Priority to CH903066A priority patent/CH459330A/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3290472A publication Critical patent/US3290472A/en
Priority to JP1968046195U priority patent/JPS4630537Y1/ja
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
    • H01B1/00—Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/60—Auxiliary means structurally associated with the switch for cleaning or lubricating contact-making surfaces
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R39/00—Rotary current collectors, distributors or interrupters

Definitions

  • Metal contacts used either as make-and-break elements or as sliding conductors have the disadvantage that, because the contact is unlubrioated, consequent welding occurs between the contact element and the surf-ace. Also lack of lubrication may lead to arcing, which in turn creates regions of roughness in the metal surface, thereby precipitating further arcing in an autodestructive manner. Metal contact elements, while they are operating satisfactorily, have the distinct advantage of being excellent conductors of electricity.
  • small metal contact elements having a large portion of the cross section thereof composed of an electrically conducting lubricating material.
  • the construction can be effected either by providing -a recess in a metal contact, which recess is then provided with the lubricant core by pressing a rod of the lubricant material therein, or by a more commercially practical method; that is, filling a metal cylinder 'ice with the electrically conducting lubricant core material, plugging the ends of the cylinder, swaging the composite to a reduced diameter, and then finally, drawing the structure into small wire of the requisite composite cross-section. Once drawn into wire it is expedient to cut the wire in appropriate lengths as required.
  • the more common metals to be employed as the thin outer contacting wall of the composite construction are copper and silver, alalthough other metals may be employed.
  • the contacting core material may, for example, be graphite, molybdenum disulfide (modified to render it electrically conductive), mixtures of silver and graphite.
  • FIG. 1 is a small composite contact button having a metal wall and a graphite core
  • FIG. 2 shows a short length of composite wire construction having a bevelled contact face
  • FIG. 3 composed of FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c schematically illustrates steps of production by which the composite wire construction shown in FIG. 2 may be produced;
  • FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the use of the contact element shown in FIG. 1 as a make-and-break element
  • FIG. 5 shows the application of the composite structure shown in FIG. 2 in conjunction with a timing disk employed as a motor control.
  • the small composite contact button 10 shown in FIG. 1 was converted from a metal contact button by providing recess 11 therein and then force-pressing tight-fitting carbon rod 12 into the recess.
  • a composite construction having a cross-section is produced containing a large percentage of low adhesion material to serve in the requisite lubricant capacity for the metal shell disposed in contact with the surface from which current is being collected.
  • the action of forcing the tight-fitting graphite rod 12 into the recess 17 insures a good electrical contact between the graphite core and metal shell 13.
  • the metal wall 13 is preferably constructed of copper or silver, although other metals or alloys may be employed.
  • the composite current collecting wire element 16 consists of metal wall, or shell, portion 17 serving as a good electrical conductor and enclosing the sidewall area of the electrically conductive lubricant core 18.
  • metal as the outer wall consists in the ease With which attachment can be made thereto by mechanical means, as by soldering or welding.
  • the outside diameter of the wire is, of course, a matter depending upon the particular application; however, wire sizes in the range of from about 10 to 60 mils are suitable for the practice of this invention.
  • the ratio of the radius of the lubricant core to the thickness of the metal wall will be within the range of from about 20:1 to 1:1. Expressed another way, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the lubricant core to the cross-sectional area of the metal wall would be in the range of from about 400:1 to 1:1.
  • the choice of the core material to be used is controlled by relatively simple criteria.
  • the core material must be free of corrosive impurities (nor may it itself be corrosive) such as will cause deterioration of the metallic wall portion enclosing it;
  • the core material in its compacted state should have a coefiicient of friction against itself or against copper or silver of less than about 0.5 (preferred range about 0.05 to about 0.25), and it should have electrical resistivity of less than 10 ohm-centimeter.
  • core materials meeting these criteria are graphitic carbon, graphitic carbon mixed with silver or copper, graphitic carbon mixed with solid lubricants, such as molybdenum or tungsten disulfide, and electrically conductive molybdenum disulfide or tungsten disulfide.
  • a tubular body or billet 20 (FIG. 3a) is prepared comprising tube 21, filled with compressed powder, or granular material 22, to form a core.
  • the filler material as for example graphite, is retained within tubular body 20 during the subsequent swaging and drawing operations by the end caps or plugs 23, 24, which are welded (or otherwise fixedly secured) to tube 21.
  • the billet 20 is next swaged to drawing size, after which the composite body of reduced diameter so produced is subjected to successive wire drawing stages as shown in FIGS. 3b and 3c to produce composite wire of the ultimate small diameter.
  • approximately a 90% reduction in size may advantageously be employed.
  • the composite wire so produced may be cut into such varied lengths as may be required.
  • FIG. 4 a make-and-break device is shown employing the contact button element shown in FIG. 1 afiixed to flexible spring-like arm 31.
  • Motor panel 32 is activated in response to the demands of timer mechanism 33, such as may be employed in an automatic washing machine.
  • Timer 33 receives power from the l10-volt power source, which services motor panel 32.
  • solenoid 34 is actuated pulling the flexible member 31 toward it.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are interchangable for the purpose of collecting current and it is to be understood that applications illustrative of the one structure are also illustrative of the other.
  • the rotating disk 41 schematically represents part of a timing mechanism such as is conventionally employed in an automatic washer (not shown).
  • the composite wire contact element illustrated in FIG. 2 is shown in juxtaposition to rotating disk 41.
  • Sliding contact element 42 is held in fixed position so that, as disk 41 rotates, the timing islands 43 are brought into contact with element 42.
  • the disk 41 is itself electrically nonconductive, while the timing islands 43 are electrically conductive.
  • the arc length of the individual islands 43 in conjunction with the rate of rotation of disk 41 determines the period of time during which some given automatic operation is conducted by the machine, because of the completion of an electric circuit through ring contact 44, lead 46, the particular island 43 and the sliding contact 42. Interruptions in motor operation occur when the electrically nonconducting portions of disk 41 are rotated into juxtaposition with the sliding contact elements 42.
  • said element having as an exposed current collecting contact face an area of said low adhesion material surrounded by an area of said metallic material with the ratio of the area of low adhesion material to the area of metallic material being in the range of from about 400:1 to 1:1.
  • a current collecting element substantially as recited in claim 1 wherein the low adhesion material contains a solid lubricant.
  • a current collecting element substantially as recited in claim 1 wherein the element is substantially cylindrical in configuration.
  • a make-and-break switch for selectively interrupting and permitting the passage of electric current by the separation and approximation of first and second opposed, relatively movable contacts, the improvement comprising: (a) the first contact having a current collecting contact face comprising a concentration of low adhesion,
  • said moveable portion and said balance of said second contact being made of electrically conducting material and being in direct physical contact with each other
  • said low adhesion material forms an electrical contact with said movable portion before said metallic rim comes into contact with said balance of said second contact.
  • the collecting element comprises a longitudinallyextending core and a longitudinally-extending metallic shell
  • said core containing a concentration of low adhesion, electrically conducting material
  • said metallic shell enclosing said core over the longitudinal wall area thereof, having low electrical resistance and having a maximum value for the cross-sectional wall area about equal to the cross-sectional area of said core

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  • Contacts (AREA)
  • Motor Or Generator Current Collectors (AREA)
US465556A 1965-06-21 1965-06-21 Electric current collecting element Expired - Lifetime US3290472A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US465556A US3290472A (en) 1965-06-21 1965-06-21 Electric current collecting element
GB24343/66A GB1141474A (en) 1965-06-21 1966-06-01 Improvements in current collecting element
FR65591A FR1483421A (fr) 1965-06-21 1966-06-15 élément composé collecteur de courant électrique
DE1564011A DE1564011B2 (de) 1965-06-21 1966-06-18 Elektrischer Schaltkontakt
CH903066A CH459330A (de) 1965-06-21 1966-06-21 Zusammengesetztes elektrisches Kontaktelement
JP1968046195U JPS4630537Y1 (ja) 1965-06-21 1968-06-04

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US465556A US3290472A (en) 1965-06-21 1965-06-21 Electric current collecting element

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3290472A true US3290472A (en) 1966-12-06

Family

ID=23848287

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US465556A Expired - Lifetime US3290472A (en) 1965-06-21 1965-06-21 Electric current collecting element

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3290472A (ja)
JP (1) JPS4630537Y1 (ja)
CH (1) CH459330A (ja)
DE (1) DE1564011B2 (ja)
FR (1) FR1483421A (ja)
GB (1) GB1141474A (ja)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3562466A (en) * 1969-09-02 1971-02-09 Gen Electric Make-and-break composite electrical contacts
US3771094A (en) * 1971-12-27 1973-11-06 Bunker Ramo Adjustable electrical resistor having a helical coil of resistance material in threaded, biased engagement with a rotatable internal contact member
US3784941A (en) * 1972-03-06 1974-01-08 Essex International Inc Relay construction
US3963889A (en) * 1974-07-30 1976-06-15 International Telephone And Telegraph Corporation Low velocity flow switch
US4171475A (en) * 1978-06-02 1979-10-16 Norlin Industries, Inc. Flexible switch contact having a precious metal contact surface
FR2498378A2 (fr) * 1976-02-13 1982-07-23 Cgr Mev Piston de court-circuit pour ligne coaxiale hyperfrequence utilisee a haute energie et ligne coaxiale munie d'un tel piston
US5199553A (en) * 1990-10-09 1993-04-06 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Sliding contactor for electric equipment
WO2006096742A1 (en) * 2005-03-08 2006-09-14 University Of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. In-situ lubrication of sliding electrical contacts

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL171934C (nl) * 1972-02-07 1983-06-01 Hoechst Ag Stelsel met een bandvormige elektrofotografische beelddrager en een glijcontact.
DE3328360A1 (de) * 1983-08-03 1985-02-21 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Kontaktanordnung fuer drehschalter
DE4126220A1 (de) * 1991-08-08 1993-02-11 Duerrwaechter E Dr Doduco Verfahren zum herstellen von elektrischen kontaktnieten
JP6682919B2 (ja) * 2016-03-02 2020-04-15 株式会社デンソー モータ
DE112017000929T8 (de) * 2016-02-22 2019-01-17 Denso Corporation Elektromotor
JP6693164B2 (ja) * 2016-02-22 2020-05-13 株式会社デンソー モータ

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1986222A (en) * 1932-07-30 1935-01-01 Sachs Joseph Electric switch
US2435800A (en) * 1946-01-22 1948-02-10 Reid Avery Company Automatic welding electrode
US2499420A (en) * 1946-02-19 1950-03-07 Michael J Sakatos Nonsparking switch
US2888740A (en) * 1952-07-15 1959-06-02 Eaton Mfg Co Composite ductile wire

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1986222A (en) * 1932-07-30 1935-01-01 Sachs Joseph Electric switch
US2435800A (en) * 1946-01-22 1948-02-10 Reid Avery Company Automatic welding electrode
US2499420A (en) * 1946-02-19 1950-03-07 Michael J Sakatos Nonsparking switch
US2888740A (en) * 1952-07-15 1959-06-02 Eaton Mfg Co Composite ductile wire

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3562466A (en) * 1969-09-02 1971-02-09 Gen Electric Make-and-break composite electrical contacts
US3771094A (en) * 1971-12-27 1973-11-06 Bunker Ramo Adjustable electrical resistor having a helical coil of resistance material in threaded, biased engagement with a rotatable internal contact member
US3784941A (en) * 1972-03-06 1974-01-08 Essex International Inc Relay construction
US3963889A (en) * 1974-07-30 1976-06-15 International Telephone And Telegraph Corporation Low velocity flow switch
FR2498378A2 (fr) * 1976-02-13 1982-07-23 Cgr Mev Piston de court-circuit pour ligne coaxiale hyperfrequence utilisee a haute energie et ligne coaxiale munie d'un tel piston
US4171475A (en) * 1978-06-02 1979-10-16 Norlin Industries, Inc. Flexible switch contact having a precious metal contact surface
US5199553A (en) * 1990-10-09 1993-04-06 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Sliding contactor for electric equipment
WO2006096742A1 (en) * 2005-03-08 2006-09-14 University Of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. In-situ lubrication of sliding electrical contacts
US20080272670A1 (en) * 2005-03-08 2008-11-06 University Of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. In-Situ Lubrication of Sliding Electrical Contacts
US7960317B2 (en) 2005-03-08 2011-06-14 University Of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. In-situ lubrication of sliding electrical contacts

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1564011B2 (de) 1975-09-11
JPS4630537Y1 (ja) 1971-10-22
CH459330A (de) 1968-07-15
GB1141474A (en) 1969-01-29
DE1564011A1 (de) 1970-01-22
FR1483421A (fr) 1967-06-02

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