Alloys Patents (Class 200/266)
  • Patent number: 5270501
    Abstract: An electrode for an ignition distributor of an internal combustion engine is disclosed which is made of a copper-based sintered alloy. The alloy contains a copper matrix, and grains of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 having an average grain size of 10 to 100 .mu.m. The Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grains are dispersed uniformly in the copper matrix at a ratio of from 45 to 60 percent by surface area as measured in an arbitrary cross-section. The electrode of this construction exhibits very low capacitive-discharge current peaks and starting voltages, and hence the generation of radio wave noise can be substantially eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriaki Murahashi, Yutaka Ohashi, Tohru Kohno
  • Patent number: 5246512
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a contact for a vacuum interrupter obtained by processing a contact-forming material comprising from 20% to 60% by weight of Cr, Bi in an amount of from 0.05% to 1.0% by weight of the total amount of Cu and Bi, and the balance substantially Cu into the shape of a contact, and thereafter subjecting the processed material to vacuum heat treatment. The contact for the vacuum interrupter has both excellent anti-welding characteristics and excellent voltage withstanding characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsuneyo Seki, Tsutomu Okutomi, Atsushi Yamamoto, Kiyofumi Otobe, Tadaaki Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 5233143
    Abstract: A high-power, high-repetition-rate spark gap switch having metal-hydride electrodes is provided The spark gap switch is configured with a trigger and two electrodes fabricated with metal hydrides. The hydride metals may be selected from a variety of alloys including iron, nickel, magnesium, and palladium based alloys. Use of these alloys for fabrication of the electrodes permits hydrogen to be absorbed into the electrode material at a density approximately that of liquid hydrogen. During operation of the switch, the increasing temperature causes hydrogen to be desorbed into cavity surrounding the switch. Whereas the increasing temperature lowers the breakdown voltage of the switch, the increasing pressure raises the breakdown voltage. The result is the switch operates at a constant breakdown voltage independent of temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: R. Kenneth Hutcherson, Stuart L. Moran
  • Patent number: 5207842
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel materials based on silver and tin oxide for the production of electrical contacts as well as the electrical contacts thus produced. According to the invention, these materials contain at least 6% by weight of tin oxide and from 0.02 to 5% by weight of tellurium oxide; the total content by weight of metal oxides, with the exclusion of tellurium oxide, does not exceed 15%, the balance being made up by silver. Application: manufacture of electrical equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Comptoir Lyon-Alemand Louyot
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Guerlet, Dan Weber, Sophie Coupez, Claude Lambert
  • Patent number: 5066550
    Abstract: In an electric contact having a Cu-based layer, a Ni-based layer formed on the Cu-based layer, and a Pd-based layer formed on the Ni-based layer, the Ni-based layer having a thickness of at least 0.8 .mu.m is so formed as to include a noncrystal nickel alloy layer having a thickness of at least 0.08 .mu.m, in order to reduce the thickness of the Pd-based layer down to about 0.08 .mu.m, that is, the cost of the contact without deteriorating the contact durability, as compared with a 0.6 to 2 .mu.m thick prior-art Pd-based layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Horibe, Tomio Hirano, Minoru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5045281
    Abstract: A contact forming material for a vacuum interrupter comprising: from 25% to 65% by weight of a highly conductive component comprising Ag and Cu, and from 35% to 75% by weight of an arc-proof component selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Mo, W and their carbides and borides, and mixtures thereof wherein the highly conductive component of the contact forming material comprises (i) a first highly conductive component region composed of a first discontinuous phase having a thickness or width of no more than 5 micrometers and a first matrix surrounding the first discontinuous phase, and (ii) a second highly conductive component region composed of a second discontinuous phase having a thickness or width of at least 5 micrometers and a second matrix surrounding the second discontinuous phase, wherein the first discontinuous phase in the first highly conductive component region is finely and uniformly dispersed in the first matrix at intervals of no more than 5 micrometers, and wherein the amount of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsutomu Okutomi, Mikio Okawa, Atsushi Yamamoto, Tsuneyo Seki, Yoshinari Satoh, Mitsutaka Honma, Seishi Chiba, Tadaaki Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 4980245
    Abstract: A metallic composite alloy composition useful in electrical components comprises at least one base metal alloy constituent metallurgically bonded to at least one noble metal alloy constituent. A process for producing the metallic composite alloy comprises metallurgically bonding of the base metal alloy to the noble metal alloy. The metallic composite alloy is particularly useful in fabricating an electrical contact and spring member assembly in which the contact portion comprises at least one noble metal alloy and the spring member comprises at least one base metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Precision Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Vincent Marino
  • Patent number: 4933520
    Abstract: An electrical contact is provided for use in an electromagnetic relay. The electrical contact includes an outer coating containing an element of the VA Group such as antimony, arsenic, phosphorus or bismuth. Thus, the electrical contact does not serve as a catalyst for oxidizing any organic gases which may be produced during the operation of the electromagnetic relay. Accordingly, oxidation of the gases is reduced, carbon generation is suppressed and high reliability of the contact can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Omron Tateisi Electronics Company
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ohba, Kazuo Ozawa
  • Patent number: 4922068
    Abstract: An electrical switch assembly is made with a braided electrical conductor having a densified end which has reduced porosity from the braided wire. Preferably, the densified end is formed by squeezing copper wires with a solder matrix to reduce the air in the densified end so that it has over 95% solids. A solder layer is formed between the densified end and the switch element, preferably by using a foil of silver braze which is melted between the densified end and the switch element. In the preferred method of forming the densified end, the solder and copper are heated and squeezed at pressures in the range of 500-750 pounds under a liquid blanket of material to limit copper oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventor: Edmund R. Bangs
  • Patent number: 4904317
    Abstract: An erosion resistant electrical contact material and a method of making the material is described. The material comprises from about 10 to about 20 volume percent of SnO.sub.2, from about 0.45 to about 1.2 volume percent of an oxide selected from the group consisting of TiO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, and combinations thereof and the balance being substantially silver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Technitrol, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinhoo Kang, Charles Brecher, Philip C. Wingert
  • Patent number: 4870231
    Abstract: A contact for a vacuum interrupter, of a material containing copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), and either tantalum (Ta) or niobium (Nb), has splendid interrupting ability and breakdown voltage ability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizo Naya, Mitsuhiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 4853184
    Abstract: The invention relates to contact material for vacuum interrupter, and in order to be splendid in the breakdown voltage ability and increase the interrupting ability, a contact material is constituted by containing copper and chromium, and moreover adding one component selected from silicon, titanium, zirconium and aluminum as another component, and is used in a vacuum interrupter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naya Eizo, Nagata Yoshikazu, Horiuchi Toshiaki, Okumura Mitsuhiro, Demizu Michinosuke, Harima Mitsuhiro, Asakawa Shigeki, Asakawa Masuo
  • Patent number: 4849303
    Abstract: A plating bath and process for electroplating coatings of palladium nickel alloys on a conductive substrate at current densities in the range of 10 amps/sq. ft. to 150 amps/sq. ft. wherein the palladium content of the alloy remains substantially constant despite current density variations during plating. The alloy composition stability is achieved by adding at least about 15 parts per million of iodide and/or iodate ions to the plating bath. The as-plated alloy has a thin surface layer which contains iodide at or near the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Arthur H. Graham, Kenneth B. Keating
  • Patent number: 4846901
    Abstract: A novel method of producing a silver, tin-indium oxide contact material is disclosed. The material is fabricated by alloying silver with tin and indium, hermetically joining two sheets of such alloy with a layer of release material therebetween to form a multilayer structure, internally oxidizing the structure at elevated pressure and separating it into component parts. The inventiive process produces a member substantially free of oxide depleted regions about at least one surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Engelhard Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Lima, Yuan S. Shen
  • Patent number: 4817695
    Abstract: A material for electrical contact use has the following composition: 6 to 18 percent tin oxide, 0.25 to 1% germanium oxide, 0.2 to 2% indium oxide, balance silver, all percentages by weight. The material exhibits superior erosion characterstics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Inventors: Philip C. Wingert, Charles Brecher, Han J. Kim, Shinhoo Kang
  • Patent number: 4803322
    Abstract: Electrical contacts especially for use with electric breakers, consisting of (1) a base made from a silver-tin system alloy containing In, and (2) a clad over the base made from a silver-cadmium system alloy, the alloys having been internally oxidized. The clad (2) stands by to initial tests provided for electric breakers, and the base (1) stands by to the tests thereafter. The base has no segregation of tin oxides on account of internal oxidation of the base screened by the clad (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Chugai Denki Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Akira Shibata
  • Patent number: 4784829
    Abstract: A contact material for a vacuum circuit breaker of excellent current breaking property and voltage withstand capability can be made from an alloy composed of copper and boride of tantalum, or an alloy composed of copper, boride of tantalum and titanium, or an alloy composed of copper, chromium, and boride of tantalum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Okumura, Eizo Naya
  • Patent number: 4785137
    Abstract: This invention relates to electrical devices in which the electrical contact areas are plated with a nickel/indium/other metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Allied Corporation
    Inventor: George J. Samuels
  • Patent number: 4780582
    Abstract: This invention relates to a new use of a fused material of copper and chrome as a contact material for use in vacuum contactors. In addition, the invention relates also to the contact material itself and to the method of its fabrication, as well as for special contact arrangements in the vacuum contactors.The invention shows a whole new, unsuspected range of application for the above fused materials. Up to now, contactors normally used material based on tungsten and copper which were first sintered and then immersed. It has now been experimentally shown that fused materials of copper and chrome, particularly after being reshaped, are very well suited as a contact material for vacuum contactors. Furthermore, in contact pieces of said fused material, methods are provided for additional additives to be precisely inserted by localized alloying, diffusion, or related techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinrich Haessler, Reiner Mueller, Horst Kippenberg, Wilfried Kuhl, Joachim Grosse
  • Patent number: 4777335
    Abstract: A contact forming material for a vacuum valve or vacuum circuit breaker comprising (a) a conductive material consisting of copper and/or silver, and (b) an arc-proof material consisting of chromium, titanium, zirconium, or an alloy thereof wherein the amount of said arc-proof material present in said conductive material matrix is no more than 0.35% by weight. This contact forming material is produced by a process which comprises the steps of compacting arc-proof material powder into a green compact, sintering said green compact to obtain a skeleton of the arc-proof material, infiltrating the voids of said skeleton with a conductive material, and cooling the infiltrated material. The contact forming material can provide contacts for a vacuum valve or vacuum circuit breaker which has excellent characteristics such as temperature rise characteristic and contact resistance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsutomu Okutomi, Seishi Chiba, Mikio Okawa, Tadaaki Sekiguchi, Hiroshi Endo, Tsutomu Yamashita
  • Patent number: 4764227
    Abstract: Contact materials based on AgSnO.sub.2 and having Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 and CuO as further metal oxide additives were previously disclosed. In these materials the total content of all metal oxides was supposed to be between 10 and 25% by volume with the SnO.sub.2 share equal to or greater than 70% by volume of the total amount of oxide.According to this invention the quantity of SnO.sub.2 is kept smaller than 70% by volume; specifically at about 65%, but in any case equal to or greater than 50%. The SnO.sub.2 weight content is to be in the 4% to 8% range and the weight percentage ratio of SnO.sub.2 to CuO is to be between 8:1 and 12:1.In the associated production process, either Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 powder is purposely admixed to an internally oxidized alloy powder (IOAP) in an additional operation, a grain restructuring with locally different Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 concentrations occurring in the structure after sintering and compacting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Rothkegel, Wolfgang Haufe
  • Patent number: 4753689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of conditioning an object in shape-memory material of metallic alloy type.The object formed to final shapes and dimensions constituting the first shape-memory state is submitted to a thermal treatment in order to bring this object to an austenitic crystallographic phase, then to cooling. The object is then submitted in at least one deformation zone to a process of education consisting of imposing on the object, in at least one cycle, a series of thermal and/or mechanical stresses. The stresses are such as to lead to deformation of the object for bringing it to a shape close to its second shape-memory state in a martensitic crystallographic state, then to permit the return of the object to its first shape-memory state, on a return of the object to the austenitic crystallographic state.Application to electric contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Souriau & Cie
    Inventors: Gilles Rizzo, Alain Dubertret, Gerard Guenin
  • Patent number: 4743718
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter device 11 with contacts 21 and 27 formed from a mixture of copper, chromium, bismuth, and at least about 0.5 weight percent of chromic oxide. The mixture can additionally include small amounts of silver, iron and titanium. The chromic oxide hinders copper grain growth, binds bismuth in the matrix, and increases vacuum dielectric strength in the vacuum interrupter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Vincent J. Santilli
  • Patent number: 4743346
    Abstract: A plating bath and process for electroplating coatings of palladium nickel alloys on a conductive substrate at current densities in the range of 10 amps/sq. ft. to 150 amps/sq. ft. wherein the palladium content of the alloy remains substantially constant despite current density variations during plating. The alloy composition stability is acheived by adding at least about 15 parts per million of iodide ions to the plating bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Arthur H. Graham, Kenneth B. Keating
  • Patent number: 4695330
    Abstract: Internal oxidized Ag-SnO system alloy electrical contact materials having a moderate initial contact resistance and having no depletion layer is disclosed. The alloy is internal oxidized by having it sandwiched between pure silver thin layers, and is cut horizontally right in two, simultaneously removing the depletion layer from the internally oxidized alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Chugai Denki Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Akira Shibata
  • Patent number: 4687515
    Abstract: An electrical contact for vacuum interrupters of a pressed and sintered composition of copper (60-80 wt %), ferrovanadium alloy (40-100 wt % of the balance) with at least 80 wt % of any remainder consisting of a refractory metal of the group of chromium, vanadium and their compounds. The ferrovanadium alloy comprises 55-85 wt % of vanadium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph L. Talento
  • Patent number: 4686338
    Abstract: A novel contact electrode material for vacuum interrupters is disclosed, by which the chopping current value inherent in contact material can be reduced so that it is possible to stably interrupt small lagging current due to inductive loads without generating surge voltages. The material is equivalent or superior to the conventional Cu-0.5Bi material in large current interrupting capability and dielectric strength. The material consists essentially of copper, chromium, iron or molybdenum and chromium carbide or molybdenum carbide. The metallographical microstructure is such that copper is infiltrated into a porous matrix formed by mutually bonding chromium powder, iron or molybdenum powder and metal carbide powder in diffusion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kashiwagi, Yasushi Noda, Kaoru Kitakizaki
  • Patent number: 4680162
    Abstract: Ag-SnO system alloy electrical contact materials. The Ag alloy before internal oxidation thereof contains Sn of an amount of 5-20 weight %, 0.5-15 weight % of which amount is in the powder form of SnO.sub.2. The existence of SnO.sub.2 particles in the alloy accelerates the internal oxidation speed, allowing oxygen to readily pass aside and between the particles, while the internal oxidation per se makes the alloy more dense by eliminating spaces between SnO.sub.2 grain particles on account of the volumeric expansion of Sn which results from the internal oxidation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Assignee: Chugai Denki Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Akira Shibata
  • Patent number: 4652710
    Abstract: A mercury switch device comprising a pool of mercury and a plurality of electrical contacts made of or coated with a non-wettable material such as titanium diboride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Maurice M. Karnowsky, Frederick G. Yost
  • Patent number: 4640999
    Abstract: Contact materials of a vacuum interrupter and producing process therefor are disclosed. The contact materials provide a contact which is much high in relatively large current and small lagging and leading current interrupting capabilities and dielectric strength while a little in an anti-welding capability down. The contact materials are composed of between 20 and 70 weight % copper, between 5 and 70 weight % molybdenum and between 5 and 70 weight % chromium. The contact material is produced by diffusion bonding a mixture of molybdenum powder and chromium powder into a porous matrix and infiltrating the matrix with copper. Alternatively, the contact materials may be produced by sintering a mixture of three metal powders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kashiwagi, Yasushi Noda, Kaoru Kitakizaki
  • Patent number: 4634824
    Abstract: A contact assembly for a microswitch has a contact material inserted into and calked in a hole formed in a base material which is a copper alloy having iron phosphide crystallized therein and having a chemical composition of 0.025 to 0.040% by weight of phosphorus, 0.05 to 0.15% by weight of iron and the rest of copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Inventor: Tetsuo Takano
  • Patent number: 4630359
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mercury containing reed switches and to methods of preparing switch blades for use in such switches. Heretofore such reed switches have been doped with mercury after the reed switch blades have been mounted in the envelope, the mercury migrating to the contact area of the switch blades, made of a mercury-wettable material, after sealing. The present invention avoids the expense and complexity of this procedure by improving the control of mercury dosing to enable improved performance of such reed switches in low power applications, for example in automatic test equipment, process control equipment and data processing terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: Standex electronics (UK) Limited
    Inventors: John Hill, Henryk Turczanski, Cyril E. Coote
  • Patent number: 4626282
    Abstract: Contact material for vacuum circuit breaker according to the present invention contains (1) copper, (2) molybdenum, and (3) niobium or tantalum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizo Naya, Mitsuhiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 4584445
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter of more improved large current interrupting capability and dielectric strength is disclosed. The interrupter has a pair of separable contact-electrodes (13, 24), a vacuum envelope (4) generally electrically insulating and enclosing the pair therewithin, a contact-making portion (19) of 20 to 60% IACS electrical conductivity being a part of one contact-electrode (13) of the pair and being into and out of engagement with the other contact-electrode (24) of the pair, an arc-diffusing portion (20) of 2 to 30% IACS electrical conductivity being the other part of the one contact-electrode (13) and being electrically and mechanically connected to the contact-making portion (19) so as to be spaced from the other contact-electrode (24) when the contact-electrodes (13, 24) are into engagement, and means (14, 15) for applying an axial magnetic field in parallel to an arc established between the contact-electrodes (13, 24) when separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kashiwagi, Yasushi Noda, Kaoru Kitakizaki
  • Patent number: 4579787
    Abstract: Low voltage current contacts should have good tarnish resistance and resistance to wear at the smallest possible gold content. Such materials consist of 330 to 50 wt. % palladium, 18 to 48 wt. % silver, 19 to 33 wt. % gold, 0.01 to 1 wt. % iridium, osmium, or a mixture of iridium and osmium and either 0.5 to 5 wt. % lead or a mixture of 0.5 to 3 wt. % lead and 0.1 to 3 wt. % tin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Assignee: Degussa Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Horst Heidsiek, Hartmuth Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4575451
    Abstract: A contact material for a vacuum circuit breaker consists essentially of copper as the basic component, and, as the other components, 35% by weight or below of chromium and 50% by weight or below of niobium, the total quantity of chromium and niobium in said contact material being 10% by weight and above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1986
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizo Naya, Mitsuhiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 4574014
    Abstract: In the manufacture of a formed contact part of a metal alloy, wherein the formed part is shaped in one or more manufacturing operations without the removal of metal to produce a contact element, the improvement which comprises forming from the alloying constituents a composite material in which the alloying constituents are heterogeneously embedded, the composite material being formed into the contact part without the removal of metal and, after forming, heating the contact part so as to convert the composite material into a homogeneous alloy. The process is particularly applicable to silver-palladium alloys where the alloy would not itself be suitable for the forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1986
    Assignee: G. Rau GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Dieter Stockel, Friedrich E. Schneider
  • Patent number: 4554425
    Abstract: A contact of a vacuum interrupter and a manufacturing process therefor are disclosed. The contact can greatly reduce the chopping current of the interrupter, can greatly increase the dielectric strength thereof and can improve the large- and small-current interrupting capabilities thereof. The contact is made of a material containing 29 to 74 weight % copper, 15 to 60 weight % chromium, 10 to 35 weight % iron, 0.5 to 15 weight % carbon and 0.5 to 15 weight % silicon. The process contains the steps of producing a porous matrix by sintering a mixture of all of the elements except copper under a nonoxidizing atmosphere, impregnating the matrix with copper and machining the resultant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kashiwagi, Yasushi Noda, Kaoru Kitakizaki
  • Patent number: 4553003
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cup type vacuum interrupter contact comprised of a holder portion and a contact portion. The holder portion is cup shaped and has a base and side walls extending vertically from the base. The contact portion is circular in configuration corresponding approximately in shape and cross-sectional area to the side walls of the holder portion and is disposed on and affixed to the rim of the side walls. The holder portion has slots extending at an angle from its base through the side walls to the rim. The holder portion is comprised of a precipitation-hardened copper alloy and the contact portion is comprised of copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Sidney J. Cherry
  • Patent number: 4540861
    Abstract: A contact material for use in a vacuum circuit interrupter which simultaneously provides superior current interrupting performance and breakdown voltage. The contact material of the invention includes components of copper, tantalum and at least one of cobalt and iron. Cobalt or iron should be present in an amount of 50 wt % or less, while the combination of tantalum and cobalt or iron should be present in an amount of at least 10 wt %. A fourth component of at least one of titanium, zirconium and aluminum may be added. Also, there may be included a fifth component containing at least one of a low melting point metal, alloys of a low melting point metal, intermetallic compounds of a low melting point metal, and oxides thereof, with the low melting point metal being at least one of bismuth, tellurium, antimony, thallium, lead, selenium, cerium and calcium in an amount of not more than 20 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Okumura, Eizo Naya, Mitsumasa Yorita, Yasushi Takeya
  • Patent number: 4537743
    Abstract: The disclosed electrode composition for a vacuum switch comprises copper, as a principal ingredient, a low melting point metal such as Bi, Pb, In, Li, Sn or any of their alloys, in a content not exceeding 20% by weight, a first additional metal such as Te, Sb, La, Mg or any of their alloys and a refractory metal such as Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Ti, W or any of their alloys in a content less than 40% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1985
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamanaka, Yasushi Takeya, Mitsumasa Yorita, Toshiaki Horiuchi, Kouichi Inagaki, Eizo Naya, Michinosuke Demizu, Mitsuhiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 4518469
    Abstract: A method for electroplating a nickel-antimony alloy comprising from 1-70 weight percent antimony and the balance nickel comprises electroplating the alloy from a solution containing a soluble nickel salt and a soluble mixed antimony alkali metal salt of a polybasic organic acid at a pH in the range of about from 1 to 6. The substrate to be plated is made the cathode and an inert anode is employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: AT&T Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sau-Lan L. NG, John T. Plewes, Murray Robbins
  • Patent number: 4517033
    Abstract: A contact material for a vacuum circuit breaker consists essentially of copper as the basic component, and, as the other components, 35% by weight or below of chromium and 50% by weight or below of tantalum, the total quantity of chromium and tantalum in said contact material being 10% by weight and above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1985
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Okumura, Eizo Naya, Michinosuke Demizu
  • Patent number: 4509980
    Abstract: Electrical contacts of high density and high erosion resistance made by sintering a powder compact containing silver, cadmium oxide, cupric nitrate, or any other water soluble copper salt, and optionally silver oxide or silver oxide and barium hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1985
    Assignee: Chemet Corporation
    Inventor: Ernest M. Jost
  • Patent number: 4503131
    Abstract: Electrical contact materials are provided which belong to the general category of copper that is overplated with a noble metal, usually gold. The improvement resides in the provision of an electroless nickel deposit laid down over the copper layer and under the gold layer, which electroless nickel deposit is laid down from a particular class of nickel-boron or nickel-phosphorus baths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1985
    Assignee: Richardson Chemical Company
    Inventor: Donald W. Baudrand
  • Patent number: 4501941
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter electrical contact which exhibits an improved voltage withstand characteristic. The electrical contact comprises a minor portion of selected refractory metal and a major portion of dispersion strengthened copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1985
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Sidney J. Cherry
  • Patent number: 4499009
    Abstract: The disclosed electrode composition for a vacuum switch comprises copper, as a principal ingredient, a low melting point metal such as Bi, Pb, In, Li, Sn or any of their alloys, in a content not exceeding 20% by weight, a first additional metal such as Te, Sb, La, Mg or any of their alloys and a refractory metal such as Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Ti, W or any of their alloys in a content less than 40% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamanaka, Yasushi Takeya, Mitsumasa Yorita, Toshiaki Horiuchi, Kouichi Inagaki, Eizo Naya, Michinosuke Demizu, Mitsuhiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 4486631
    Abstract: A contact for a vacuum circuit breaker is disclosed which contains copper as a first component and also at least two elements of the group of chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten as the other components. Each of these other components is contained in an amount not greater than 40% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizo Naya, Toshiaki Horiuchi, Yasushi Takeya, Kouichi Inagaki, Michinosuke Demizu, Mitsuhiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 4475491
    Abstract: In order to make possible the lower level of electrostatic disturbance that accompanies the use of a wider than usual gap in an ignition distributor without undesirable increase of the ignition pulse voltage, the distributor electrode and/or the fixed ignition circuit electrodes of the distributor are made at least in part of a material that requires less energy for pulling out an electron and has a higher secondary electron emission capability than the usual brass plate used for the contact plate at the axis of revolution of the distributor rotor, to which a carbon brush is usually provided for making contact. Alloy additions of calcium oxide or barium oxide or silicon to brass have a suitable effect and an alloy containing silicon and preferably also aluminum and calcium is preferred. The gap width is between 3 and 5 mm, preferably about 4 mm for normal motor vehicle engine application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Grunwald, Jurgen Schmatz
  • Patent number: 4450204
    Abstract: A two-layer contact having a silver backing and a silver cadmium oxide body which backing is relatively free of warpage and macroscopic voids is produced from a mixture of silver oxide, silver acetate and silver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Han J. Kim, Richard C. Bevington