Patents by Inventor Wallace C. Lawrence

Wallace C. Lawrence has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Electrical contacts with specialized surface treatments
    Patent number: 6572420
    Abstract: One embodiment of an electrical contact has a copper alloy substrate and a hard underlayer plating such as nickel. The underlayer is coated with a thin, liquid barrier film coating. The substance that forms the coating is one of the proprietary materials that are described in military specifications MIL-C-81309E, and MIL-L-87177A, Amendment 1. The military specifications generally describe classes of ultra-thin film, water-displacing, corrosion preventive compounds that may be applied by dipping, brushing, or from gas-pressurized containers. The mating surfaces of both mating contacts (i.e., male and female) are provided with the coating. The coatings provide excellent corrosion protection for both contacts despite physical contact therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Wallace C. Lawrence
  • Separable electrical contacts having non-noble metallic elements with specialized surface treatments for high reliability signal applications
    Publication number: 20020077004
    Abstract: One embodiment of an electrical contact has a copper alloy substrate and a hard underlayer plating such as nickel. The underlayer is coated with a thin, liquid barrier film coating. The substance that forms the coating is one of the proprietary materials that are described in military specifications MIL-C-81309E, and MIL-L-87177A, Amendment 1. The military specifications generally describe classes of ultra-thin film, water-displacing, corrosion preventive compounds that may be applied by dipping, brushing, or from gas-pressurized containers. The mating surfaces of both mating contacts (i.e., male and female) are provided with the coating. The coatings provide excellent corrosion protection for both contacts despite physical contact therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Wallace C. Lawrence