Abstract: A lighting assembly is presented herein. The lighting assembly includes a receptacle terminal having a connection portion defining an aperture configured to receive a corresponding plug terminal along a longitudinal axis and a terminal housing defining an opening and a cavity in which the connection portion is disposed. The connection portion is sized, shaped, and arranged within the cavity to be movable along a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A power delivery system includes a power-input-channel, an AC/DC converter, one or more controller-circuits, a silicon-controlled-rectifier, a transformer, and a pair of output-leads. The power-input-channel receives alternating-current from a power-source. The AC/DC converter converts the alternating-current to a direct-current at a converter-output. The one or more controller-circuits are connected with the converter-output and control a signal indicative of a desired-power-level delivered for a desired-time. The silicon-controlled-rectifier is connected with the power-input-channel and controls an SCR-output-voltage to an SCR-output-channel proportional to the signal. The transformer reduces the SCR-output-voltage from a primary-side to a secondary-voltage on a secondary-side. The pair of output-leads are connected with poles of the secondary-side. A solder-joint is disposed between the pair of output-leads.

Abstract: A resistance soldering apparatus suited for soldering an electrical terminal to a glass surface and a method of using such an apparatus is described herein. The resistance soldering apparatus includes an electrode having a distal tip and an electrical terminal having a first major surface in which an indentation is defined and a second major surface opposite the first major surface on which a layer of a solder composition is disposed. The indentation is configured to receive the distal tip of the electrode. The distal tip of the electrode is placed within the indentation and an electrical current is passed through the electrode and the electrical terminal, The electrical current is sufficient to heat the electrode and melt the solder composition on the second major surface.

Abstract: An electrical terminal is presented herein. The electrical terminal includes a base plate, a plurality of contact arms extending from the base plate around a longitudinal axis, and a wire attachment feature extending from the base plate and defining crimp wings configured to mechanically and electrically attach the electrical terminal to a wire cable. The plurality of contact arms form a socket configured to receive a mating electrical terminal. An electrical connector assembly including the electrical terminal and a method of forming the electrical connector assembly is also presented.

Abstract: An illustrative example method of making an electrically conductive connector comprising a first material and a second material, includes situating a layer comprising the second material at least partially within at least one layer comprising the first material and bonding the layers together. The first material has a first coefficient of thermal expansion and the second material has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is different than the first coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A method of forming a solder composition comprises mixing indium, nickel, copper, silver, antimony, zinc, and tin together to form an alloy that consists of about 4% to about 25% by weight tin, about 0.1% to about 8% by weight antimony, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight copper. about 0.03% to about 4% by weight nickel, about 0.03% to about 1.5% by weight zinc, about 66% to about 90% by weight indium, and about 0.5% to about 9% by weight silver. The solder composition formed by this method can be used to solder an electrical connector to an electrical contact surface on a glass component.

Abstract: Indium-tin-silver alloys suitable for use as a lead free solder are described herein. The alloys may comprise primarily indium or comprise primarily tin. The alloys may further include copper, nickel, and iron or copper, antimony, and zinc. The composition can be used to solder an electrical connector to an electrical contact surface on a glass component. Methods of forming the alloys are also described herein.

Abstract: A solder composition includes about 4% to about 25% by weight tin, about 0.1% to about 8% by weight antimony, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight copper, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight nickel, about 66% to about 90% by weight indium, and about 0.5% to about 9% by weight silver. The composition can further include about 0.2% to about 6% by weight zinc, and, independently, about 0.01% to about 0.3% by weight germanium. The composition can be used to solder an electrical connector to an electrical contact surface on a glass component.

Abstract: A presoldered prefluxed electrical component or connector, which can protect the flux from wearing off the surface of solder during shipping and handling. The electrical component can include a terminal pad. A layer of solder can be on the terminal pad. The layer of solder can have a surface with a series of generally equally spaced apart flux wells formed in the surface of the solder for protectively storing and retaining flux therein. The flux wells can have a lateral dimension of at least 0.05 mm and a depth of at least 0.023 mm that is deep enough for retaining a quantity of flux therein when flux on the surface of the layer of solder wears off during shipping and/or handling.

Abstract: A method for recovering solder from solder coated scrap pieces includes a step of containing a quantity of solder coated scrap pieces within a centrifuge receptacle of a first centrifuge. The centrifuge receptacle has perforation holes and is rotatably mounted about a first centrifuge axis. A solder collection container surrounds the centrifuge receptacle. The method further includes the steps of heating the solder coated scrap pieces and melting the solder thereon with a heater surrounding the solder collection container and with a drive system, rotating the centrifuge receptacle while the first centrifuge axis is in about a horizontal position at a low speed and tumbling the scrap pieces along a longitudinal length of the centrifuge receptacle, and later rotating the centrifuge receptacle at a high speed for centrifugally extracting molten solder from the centrifuge receptacle, radially outwardly through the perforation holes into the solder collection container.

Abstract: A buss bar strip for mounting to a solar panel to electrically connect to a series of electrical lines extending from solar cells. The buss bar strip can include a thin elongate flat flexible strip of insulative material having a longitudinal length. A predetermined pattern of elongate conductors can be longitudinally disposed on the insulative strip in at least two rows along the longitudinal length and electrically isolated from each other. Each conductor can have a predetermined position, length, and spacing from each other on the insulative strip for laterally electrically connecting to selected electrical lines from the solar cells at lateral electrical connection points located along the length of the conductor on exposed surfaces on the conductor.

Abstract: An apparatus for recovering solder from solder coated scrap pieces includes a first centrifuge comprising a centrifuge receptacle having perforation holes, rotatably mounted about a first centrifuge axis for containing and rotating a quantity of solder coated scrap pieces. A solder collection container can surround the centrifuge receptacle. A heater can surround the solder collection container for heating the solder coated scrap pieces and melting the solder thereon. A drive system can be configured for rotating the centrifuge receptacle while the first centrifuge axis is in about a horizontal position at a low speed that tumbles the scrap pieces along a longitudinal length of the centrifuge receptacle, and later rotating the centrifuge receptacle at a high speed for centrifugally extracting molten solder from the centrifuge receptacle, radially outwardly through the perforation holes into the solder collection container.

Abstract: A buss bar strip for mounting to a solar panel to electrically connect to a series of electrical lines extending from solar cells. The buss bar strip can include a thin elongate flat flexible strip of insulative material having a longitudinal length. A predetermined pattern of elongate conductors can be longitudinally disposed on the insulative strip in at least two rows along the longitudinal length and electrically isolated from each other. Each conductor can have a predetermined position, length, and spacing from each other on the insulative strip for laterally electrically connecting to selected electrical lines from the solar cells at lateral electrical connection points located along the length of the conductor on exposed surfaces on the conductor.

Abstract: A buss bar strip for mounting to a solar panel to electrically connect to a series of electrical lines extending from solar cells. The buss bar strip can include a thin elongate flat flexible strip of insulative material having a longitudinal length. A predetermined pattern of elongate conductors can be longitudinally disposed on the insulative strip in at least two rows along the longitudinal length and electrically isolated from each other. Each conductor can have a predetermined position, length, and spacing from each other on the insulative strip for laterally electrically connecting to selected electrical lines from the solar cells at lateral electrical connection points located along the length of the conductor on exposed surfaces on the conductor.

Abstract: A solder composition includes about 4% to about 25% by weight tin, about 0.1% to about 8% by weight antimony, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight copper, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight nickel, about 66% to about 90% by weight indium, and about 0.5% to about 9% by weight silver. The composition can further include about 0.2% to about 6% by weight zinc, and, independently, about 0.01% to about 0.3% by weight germanium. The composition can be used to solder an electrical connector to an electrical contact surface on a glass component.

Abstract: A buss bar strip for mounting to a solar panel to electrically connect to a series of electrical lines extending from solar cells. The buss bar strip can include a thin elongate flat flexible strip of insulative material having a longitudinal length. A predetermined pattern of elongate conductors can be longitudinally disposed on the insulative strip in at least two rows along the longitudinal length and electrically isolated from each other. Each conductor can have a predetermined position, length, and spacing from each other on the insulative strip for laterally electrically connecting to selected electrical lines from the solar cells at lateral electrical connection points located along the length of the conductor on exposed surfaces on the conductor.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly including a mounting ring having an interior region, a sealing surface at one axial end for securing to a surface, and a securement rim at an opposite axial end. A connector body having engagement surfaces can engage and seal to the mounting ring. The connector body can include electrical terminals extending into the interior region of the mounting ring for engaging mating electrical terminals.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a base pad formed of aluminum and having a bottom surface. An electrical contact can be connected to the base pad. A layer of copper can be on the bottom surface of the base pad.