Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrical contact element (1), that has a plurality of contact areas (21, 22), with a base body (6) made from a first material and a coating (7) applied to the base body (6) made from a coating material. In at least one area of the base body (6) within at least one contact area (21, 22) in each case the first material is removed and is at least partially replaced by a second material. The second material and the coating material each have a higher electrical conductivity than the first material.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment, a touch sensor is disclosed. The touch sensor includes a first electroconductive pattern including at least two electrodes. The touch sensor further includes a second electroconductive pattern configured to mask a portion of the first electroconductive pattern when positioned over or under the first electroconductive pattern. The second electroconductive pattern masks the portion of the first electroconductive pattern such that an unmasked portion of the first electroconductive pattern includes unmasked portions of the at least two electrodes. The unmasked portions are of approximately equal length.

Abstract: An actuator is provided for creating an electrical contact between two tracks of a printed circuit board. The actuator includes a polymer part, forming an arm including one contact end and one end for setting in motion; and a metal part, fixedly attached to the contact end, having a general shape of a cap.

Abstract: An electric contact for preventing a terminal of an electrical part and the electric contact from sticking to each other after a continuity test to improve the durability of the electric contact; and a socket for electrical part using the electric contact. In the electric contact according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a foundation layer composed primarily of Ni, a surface layer composed primarily of Pd and Ag, and an outermost layer composed primarily of Sn or Au are formed on a surface of an electrically-conductive base material.

Abstract: An in-cell touch panel liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The display device also includes a common electrode layer disposed on a side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, where the common electrode layer includes a plurality of first common electrodes and a plurality of second common electrodes both arranged in a matrix. In addition, the first common electrodes and the second common electrodes are configured to detect a touched position on the in-cell touch panel liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A touch panel includes a cover substrate; a first sensing electrode including first unit sensing electrodes spaced apart from each other in a first direction on the cover substrate and first connecting electrodes to connect the first unit sensing electrodes to each other; a second sensing electrode including second unit sensing electrodes spaced apart from each other in a second direction on the cover substrate; and a bridge electrode insulated from the first unit sensing electrodes to connect the second unit sensing electrodes to each other, wherein the bridge electrode includes connecting bridge electrodes to connect the second unit sensing electrodes to each other and second unit bridge electrodes overlapping with the second unit sensing electrodes.

Abstract: In this conductive sheet and touch panel, a laminated conductive sheet is configured by laminating: a first conductive sheet having a first conductive pattern configured from a plurality of first sensor units; and a second conductive sheet having a second conductive pattern configured from a plurality of second sensor units. The first sensor units have: a band-shaped section extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to one direction; and a jutting section that juts from both sides of the band-shaped section in the one direction. The second sensor units are formed in a manner so as to approximately fill the regions demarcated by the band-shaped section and the jutting section.

Abstract: A trip device for a circuit breaker disclosed herein includes a first terminal connected to a power source side, a second terminal connected to a load side, and a bimetal having one side connected with the first terminal and the other side connected with the second terminal, such that a current can flow therethrough, wherein the bimetal comes in surface-contact with at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, with interposing an arc-resistive member therebetween.

Abstract: The invention discloses a semi-finished product for making plug-in contacts in plug-in connectors for electric DC power systems in motor vehicles which are operated at a nominal voltage at which electric arcing may occur, having an electrically conductive main body made of a non-precious metallic material that carries, at least in part, a contact-making coating of a material more precious than the material of the main body. It is provided according to the invention that the coating has thickness of at least 0.3 ?m and consists of silver or of a silver-based alloy with an addition that will not form an alloy with silver or with the silver-based alloy, or will at best form a precipitation alloy, and which has a higher melting point than silver.

Abstract: A silver-coated composite material for movable contact parts, which has: an underlying layer composed of any one of nickel, cobalt, a nickel alloy, and a cobalt alloy at least provided on a part of the surface of a stainless steel substrate; an intermediate layer composed of copper or a copper alloy provided thereon; and a silver or silver alloy layer provided thereon as an outermost layer, wherein a thickness of the intermediate layer is 0.05 to 0.3 ?m, and wherein an average grain size of the silver or silver alloy provided as the outermost layer is 0.5 to 5.0 ?m.

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant electrical connector is disclosed. A multi-layer nickel underplating is applied to the substrate material of the connector contacts. The three layers of nickel include a leveling nickel layer, a sulfumate nickel layer, and a high-phosphorous nickel layer. A layer of gold is applied to the nickel underplating in an embodiment.

Abstract: A touch panel includes an upper substrate having insulating property, an upper conductive layer on a lower surface of the upper substrate, an intermediate layer on a lower surface of the upper conductive layer, an upper electrode on a lower surface of the intermediate layer, a lower conductive layer facing the upper conductive layer with a predetermined gap interposed between the conductive layers, a lower electrode on an upper surface of the lower conductive layer, and a lower substrate on a lower surface of the lower conductive layer and having insulating property. The upper and lower electrodes contain 70 wt. % to 98 wt. % of conductive metal. The intermediate layer contains a resin and 40 wt. % to 90 wt. % of carbon and has a thickness ranging from 1 ?m to 50 ?m. The touch panel has resistance to environment and is applicable to a large size.

Abstract: In an Sn-plated strip in which a copper alloy containing 15 to 40 mass % of Zn in terms of an average concentration is used as an alloy strip and the layers of an Sn phase, an Sn—Cu alloy phase and an Ni phase constitute a plating film from the surface to the alloy strip, the Zn concentration of the surface of the Sn phase is adjusted to a range of 0.1 to 5.0 mass %. The alloy may further contain 0.005 to 3.0 mass % in total of an arbitrary constituent selected from Sn, Ag, Pb, Fe, Ni, Mn, Si, Al and Ti. Moreover, the alloy may be a copper base alloy containing 15 to 40 mass % of Zn, 8 to 20 mass % of Ni, 0 to 0.5 mass % of Mn and a balance of Cu and unavoidable impurities, and may further contain 0.005 to 10 mass % in total of the above arbitrary constituent. There is provided a Cu/Ni double layer base reflowed Sn-plated Cu—Zn alloy strip in which generation of whiskers is suppressed.

Abstract: An electrical contact comprising a contact layer for making a contact with an opposite electrical contact and a high conductive layer in an opposite side of the contact layer, the layers being integrally connected to each other, wherein the contact layer contains Cr, Cu and Te, and the high conductive layer contains copper as a main component, and wherein the high conductive layer is provided with a means for suppressing warp of the contact layer at the time of turning on of the contacts.

Abstract: An electrical contact comprising a silver-coated stainless steel strip, which has an underlying layer comprising any one of nickel, cobalt, nickel alloys, and cobalt alloys, on at least a part of the surface of a stainless steel substrate, and has a silver or silver alloy layer formed as an upper layer, in which a copper or copper alloy layer with a thickness of 0.05 to 2.0 ?m is provided between the silver or silver alloy layer and the underlying layer; and a producing method of the above-described electrical contact, in which the silver-coated stainless steel strip is subjected to a heat-treating in a non-oxidative atmosphere.

Abstract: A capacitive type touch panel includes: a transparent substrate; an array of first conductors formed on a surface of the transparent substrate; an array of second conductors formed on the surface of the transparent substrate; a plurality of conductive first bridging lines, each of which interconnects two adjacent ones of the first conductors; a plurality of conductive second bridging lines, each of which interconnects two adjacent ones of the second conductors and each of which intersects insulatively a respective one of the first bridging lines; and a plurality of spaced apart insulators, each of which is disposed at an intersection of a respective one of the first bridging lines and a respective one of the second bridging lines to separate the respective first and second bridging lines.

Abstract: A touch screen panel for an image display device and a method of fabricating the same. The touch screen panel includes: a transparent substrate; a plurality of first and second sensing patterns on one side of the transparent substrate, the first sensing patterns coupled to one another along a first direction, and the second sensing patterns positioned between the first sensing patterns including patterns separated from one another; a first insulating layer on the first and second sensing patterns, the first insulating layer having a plurality of contact holes, and the contact holes exposing portions of the second sensing patterns; and connecting patterns on the first insulating layer, the connecting patterns coupling the second sensing patterns to one another along the second direction through the contact holes. In the touch screen panel, the first insulating layer is formed of a transparent photoresist.

Abstract: A unitary current path structure for a circuit breaker is provided. The unitary current path structure includes a terminal portion that is configured to couple with an electrical circuit. A flexible portion is coupled to the terminal portion. A movable portion is coupled to the flexible portion. The unitary current path structure is fabricated from a plurality of sheets stacked in a laminate arrangement. The terminal portion and movable portion are formed through a solidification process.

Abstract: A tactile laminate and a method for generating tactile feedback, wherein the tactile laminate and method provide a flexible laminate for creating a tactile sensation on a desired surface without the need for separate motion generating devices, is disclosed. A tactile laminate includes a first layer having a first conductive pad disposed thereon, the first conductive pad adapted to receive a first desired electric charge, a second layer having a second conductive pad disposed thereon, the second conductive pad adapted to receive a second desired electric charge, and a third layer having a desired permittivity disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A reed switch has a contact surface composed of three layers of metal applied to the contacts of the reed switch. The three layers comprise first a layer of titanium of approximately 15 to 150 micro inches, second a layer of molybdenum of 15 to 150 micro inches, and finally a contact layer of 5 to 20 micro inches of ruthenium, or other platinum group metal or alloy. The layers may be applied by any suitable methods, for example by sputtering.

Abstract: A contact piece is formed by a tungsten overlay soldered onto a support, wherein at least portions of the solder layer and optionally of the support are covered by a layer of a less noble metal than tungsten. The corrosion resistance of the tungsten overlay is considerably improved.

Abstract: There is provided a metal member capable of realizing a corrosion resistance and wear resistance, which are equivalent to or better than those when expensive PdNi is used even if PdNi is not used, and of being produced at relatively low costs. A first layer essentially consisting of nickel and unavoidable impurities is formed on the surface of a base metal member. On the first layer, a second layer essentially consisting of nickel, phosphorus and unavoidable impurities is formed. On the second layer, a third layer essentially consisting of a noble metal or an alloy thereof is formed. The second layer contains 10 to 15 wt % of phosphorus. The thickness of the first layer is 3 ?m or more, and the thickness of the second layer is 0.1 ?m or more.

Abstract: An illuminated keypad (400) includes a substantially transparent keypad (420) having a plurality of actuator buttons (412), a plurality of switches (404) residing substantially and correspondingly below the plurality of actuator buttons, a display laminate layer (415) residing between the plurality of actuator buttons and the plurality of switches, and a light source (417) reflectively illuminating a pattern of a symbol on the laminate layer by radiating light through the substantially transparent keypad. The display laminate can include a driver layer (406) having a conductor pattern configured in the pattern of the symbol to be displayed on the substantially transparent keypad, a transparent conductor layer (410), and an electrically active ink layer (408) disposed between the transparent conductor layer and the driver layer.

Abstract: An electric contact comprises a main body consisting of a copper-based alloy or of stainless steel and a contact layer consisting of a gold-based alloy. The contact layer has a thickness of at least 0.3 ?m and consists of gold with a content of 0.5 percent by weight to 15 percent by weight of one or more platinum group metals, and that an intermediate layer consisting of silver or of a silver-based alloy or of nickel is provided between the main body and the contact layer. The contact layer is preferably applied on the main body by a PVD process.

Abstract: A push-button switch includes insulating member having a surface, first and second stationary contacts electrically isolated from each other and provided at the surface of the insulating substrate, and a movable contact. The movable contact includes an elastic metal base having a dome-shape and having a concave surface spaced from the first stationary contact and an outer rim mounted on the second stationary contact, a nickel plated layer provided on the concave surface of the elastic metal base and having a thickness ranging from 0.05 ?m to 0.5 ?m, a copper plated layer provided on the nickel plated layer and having a thickness ranging from 0.05 ?m to 0.7 ?m, and a silver plated layer provided on the copper plated layer and having a thickness ranging from 0.1 ?m to 2 ?m. The push-button switch has a long operating life time, has a stable contact resistance, and is inexpensive.

Abstract: A panel-type peripheral device including first and second conductive panel members, each panel member being provided with an insulating substrate and a conductive film applied on the insulating substrate, is produced. First, a panel assembly, including the first and second conductive panel members fixed to each other with the respective conductive films thereof oppositely facing to each other through a gap defined therebetween, is securely held between first and second support members of a panel support unit. The panel assembly held by the panel support unit is placed, together with a receptacle accommodating a liquid material, in a common environment. Next, the pressure of the common environment is reduced while a passage formed in the panel assembly to communicate with the gap is exposed to the environment, so as to evacuate the gap in the panel assembly. Then, the passage of the panel assembly is immersed in the liquid material.

Abstract: A switching element, specifically an encoder element, is fabricated by forming a conductive track on an insulative substrate, and then screen printing an insulative layer on the track in a predetermined pattern that forms a contact array that comprises a plurality of conductive contacts separated by nonconductive areas. The substrate may be a polymeric resin, and the track comprises (a) a copper base layer formed on a surface of the substrate in the configuration of the track, (b) a first metal-plated layer, preferably of nickel, on the base layer, and (c) a second metal-plated layer, preferably of gold, on the first metal-plated layer. The insulative layer is formed of a thick film dielectric material comprising a difunctional monomer (e.g., diallyl isophthalate), a glycol ether ester (e.g., ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate), an inorganic filler (e.g., BaSO4), and an acetate surface modifier (e.g., an ethyl acrylate/ethylhexylacrylate copolymer).

Abstract: The present invention provides an electric contact structure comprising a first contact surface and a second contact surface, wherein at least one of the first and second contact surfaces comprises an AuAgPd alloy including 7-16% by weight of Ag and 1-10% by weight of Pd, whereby a high anti-adhesion property and a highly stable contact resistance can be obtained particularly when the electric contacts are in non-operating state.

Abstract: A membrane switch having a pair of flexible printed boards and a pair of contacts respectively disposed on said printed boards. The contacts are formed of powdered alloy of silver and palladium bounded by resinous material, and a conductive layer of silver powder is disposed between the flexible printed board and the contact. Preferably, the powdered alloy contains 50-97 weight percent silver and palladium in the remainder of weight percent.

Abstract: A material for forming contact members of a control switch, which has a structure including a primary layer made of Ni, Co, a Ni alloy or a Co alloy formed on a conductive base, and a surface layer made of Pd or a Pd alloy having a thickness of 0.001 to 0.4 .mu.m which is formed on the primary layer. Such material exhibits good resistance to corrosion and adhesive wear. A control switch which is made using such material has a high operational reliability and a long service life.

Abstract: A 100% dense, porosity free copper-chromium contact has been prepared in which deleterious porosity has been eliminated. This copper-chromium contact has been produced by pressurizing liquid copper to infiltrate an evacuated chromium based, lightly sintered, highly porous preform. The electrical contact has one of either a homogeneous Cr distribution and a graded Cr distribution. The apparatus used to effect the molten metal infiltration has two independent, physically separated chambers--a first cold chamber and a second hot chamber. The first chamber is under no applied pressure except inside a gating system used to transfer molten Cu into the porous preform in the first chamber. The new contact has about 15-30% Cr material and a high erosion resistant contact surface. The graded Cr distribution has a Cr rich layer with about 25-50% by weight Cr, an intermediate Cr layer with about 15-20% by weight Cr, a low Cr layer with about 5-15% Cr and a Cr poor layer with about 1-5% Cr above a copper substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides inexpensive electric contact materials having higher hardness and higher melting point and being more excellent in the points of wear resistance and environmental resistance over the electric contact materials of Ag type, Au type, platinum group type, etc. having been used so far, production methods thereof and electric contacts used said contact materials.In the electric contact materials of the invention, basically, a covering layer having at least one selected from transition metals of groups IVa (Ti, Zr, Hf, etc.), Va (V, Nb, Ta, etc.) and VIa (Cr, Mo, W, etc.) as a major ingredient is formed on the substrate as an electric contact in a thickness of 0.03 to 100 .mu.m, and, if need be, a fixed intermediate layer is formed between said covering layer of electric contact and substrate or a fixed surface layer is formed on the outside of covering layer of electric contact, thus aiming at further improvement in the characteristics of contact.

Abstract: A thin galvanically deposited gold-containing surface layer is backed by a support layer containing a palladium alloy and having a thickness between 0.05 .mu.m and 0.5 .mu.m. In a preferred embodiment the surface layer and the support layer have a combined thickness of less than 0.5 .mu.m.

Abstract: An electrical contact element having a core part made of an iron/nickel alloy and a gold/tin alloy applied to a portion of the core part which serves as a solderable connection part. The gold/tin alloy has a tin content of from about 10 to about 40% by weight and an adhesive layer, formed of a silver/tin alloy and containing about 10 to 50% by weight tin, is located between the core part and the gold/tin alloy.

Abstract: A sliding contact member substantially free of the toxic metals lead and antimony, includes copper, carbon, and at least one added material which is selected from the group consisting of a metal and a metal alloy having a melting temperature which is substantially below that of copper. The sliding contact member contains less than 10 percent by weight of the at least one added material. The sliding contact member is electrically conductive and capable of carrying high current densities, and the at least one added material provides a good cleaning effect, promotes cooling of the sliding contact member during operation, and provides good slidability against a mating contact member. This is achieved by keeping the at least one added material separate from the copper so that alloy formation is inhibited and, preferably, prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for providing an electrostatically actuated mechanical switch utilizing a cantilever beam element fabricated by solid-state microfabrication techniques. The apparatus reduces the required pull down voltage and lowers the switch inductance by separating the pull down electrode and contact pad. The pull down electrode is placed further away from the fulcrum of the cantilever beam then the contact pad to optimize the mechanical advantages which allow for a reduced pull down voltage. The contact pad is placed closer to the cantilever fulcrum to reduce the associated switch inductance. The gap between the contact pad and the cantilever beam is less then the gap between the pull down electrode and the cantilever beam to insure that the cantilever makes first contact with the contact pad.

Abstract: There has been provided an electrical component having resistance to oxidation and wear. The component has a copper or copper alloy substrate coated with a relatively thick layer of silver. A thin layer of gold may be deposited on the external surface of the silver coating layer to improve oxidation resistance, lubricity and to serve as a diffusion barrier.

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.

Abstract: A molded case circuit breaker movable contact arm electrically connects with the circuit breaker load terminal requiring only a small diameter auxiliary electrical conducting braid by pivotally arranging the contact arm within its support. The contact arm is nickel-plated prior to attachment of the contact to insure high current circuit interruption withtout damage to the contact or the contact arm.

Abstract: An improved phased-array active antenna transmit-receive means utilizing a multiplicity of individual transmit-receive cells positioned in an array format upon a common wafer of semiconductor material. Each transmit-receiver cell, comprises a multiplicity of redundant, integrated circuit, electronic devices implanted upon the common semiconductor substrate. The transmit-receive cells utilize novel mitered mechanical switches to permanently interconnect individual electronic devices into either transmit or receive circuits during the fabrication and test of the transmit-receive cells. Radio frequency and direct current input and output vias formed from a novel metal evaporation technique connect the devices upon the surface of the common semiconductor wafer to underlying, insulated direct current distribution circuits and a radio frequency manifold.

Abstract: An electrical device is provided which has contacts having regions with a conductive matte-finish metal surface. The matte-finish surface is characterized by having a Knoop hardness number of at least 300, a diffuse reflectance of less than about 20 percent, and a specular reflectance of less than about 2 percent. These contacts have a contact resistance of less than about 50 milliohms, under a 50-gram load, even after exposure to 50.degree. C. and 95% relative humidity for a period of 20 days. Reflection electron microscopy shows that particularly advantageous matte-finish surfaces have sharply peaked asperities with average peak angles of less than about 90 degrees. In one embodiment, the surface is formed of hardened nickel electroplated from an electrolytic bath with a pH above about 7.0.

Abstract: A rubber structure contact connector includes a support upon which is placed an electrical contact. An insulating material, such as rubber, is applied over the contact and overlies the support and it has a portion which is formed as a raised dome-shaped resilient compressible portion or actuating key. On the interior of the dome-shaped, resilient compressible portion, there is a surface which has an oil-resistant layer thereon and a conductive portion which overlies the oil-resistant layer. The conductive portion is aligned over the electrical contact. In another embodiment, instead of the covering on the interior surface of the key which includes only an oil-resistant layer and an electrical conductive part, there is an electro-conductive part on the interior surface followed by an oil-resistant layer and another electrical conductive part.

Abstract: An electric connection terminal arranged at a rear end of a sensor element and capable of affording quick and easy connection of the sensor element with a contacting element connected to a lead wire extending into a connector socket or connector insulator accommodating the contacting element for transmitting a signal detected at the front end of the sensor element, is composed of at least two conductive layers, and at least the lowermost layer of the conductive layers is composed of a mixture of a conductive metal and ceramics and/or glass, so that the layers bond firmly with each other and the lowermost layer bonds most firmly to the sensor element, whereby peeling-off of the connection terminal from the sensor element due to friction thereof against the contacting element and repetition of heating and cooling of the sensor element is eliminated.

Abstract: Methods for increasing the ductility and reducing the porosity and cracking tendency of a palladium or palladium-silver electrodeposit which comprises providing an underlayer of a palladium/nickel or palladium/cobalt alloy electrodeposit. Also dual layer composite electroplated deposits and their use in electrical contacts or connectors.

Abstract: A change of state circuit breaker contact material provides a low contact resistance at a low closing force by reducing current density through a pair of circuit breaker contacts. The use of a meltable metal alloy within the contact structure forces the current through a wider area of conduction whenever the temperature increases to melt correspondingly larger quantities of the metal alloy. The reduced contact hardness results in a substantial decrease in the force required to hold the contacts together, thereby allowing the contacts to open more quickly.

Abstract: A switch for making and breaking a connection between a load circuit and a power line, with two parallelogrammatic linkages terminating in scissorlike contactor pairs, has limitedly swivelable and/or extensible cross-links interconnecting aligned pivotal junctions of the two linkages to provide them with a certain relative mobility. In an operating position, part-cylindrical armatures detachably secured to the two contactor pairs grip respective portions of an elongate countercontact fixedly suspended between a pair of rings attached to the power line, this countercontact comprising a metallic supporting tube also provided with part-cylindrical armatures in the region of the contactor pairs. Each armature may comprise several metallic layers on a base of copper, namely an inner layer of silver, a protective layer of tin on top thereof, and an outer silver layer. The armatures could also be made, at least in part, of a scorchproof material such as silver/cesium oxide.

Abstract: An electrical contact structure of a vacuum interrupter wherein a pair of electrical contacts 2 are provided within a vacuum vessel 1 through a pair of contact rods 14 so that one is in contact with the other or away therefrom. The electrical contact 2 comprises a substantially disk-shaped contact body 2b made of high electric conducting metal portions and metallic pipes having a low electric conductivity, and a plurality of major current flowing sections 22 made of metal having a high electric conductivity, penetrated in the contact body 2b in a manner to be penetrated in the direction of the thickness of the contact body 2b and separated from each other.

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.

Abstract: A variable resistance device including a non-conducting base, a resistance supported by the base and forming a track surface, and an electrical terminal connected to the resistance. Also included in the device is a wiper assembly mounted for movement relative to the resistance and comprising a carrier, an elongated conductive spring member having one end secured to the carrier, a conductive coupling element bonded to an opposite end of the spring member and a corrosion resistant contact bonded to the coupling element and disposed to traverse the track surface during movement of the wiper assembly relative thereto.

Abstract: An electrical multilayer contact, specifically for relays, comprises the following layers disposed upon each other on a contact support member:a first layer of a copper-nickel alloy for mechanically and electrically connecting the further layers to the support member,a second layer consisting of silver or having a very high silver content for adhering the further layers to the first layer,a third layer of a silver-tin oxide composition,a fourth layer of silver or a silver alloy, anda fifth layer of gold or an alloy having a high gold content.This multilayer structure is preferably used for both, the fixed contact member and the movable contact member of a relay contact couple. In this case, the upper surface of the multilayer contact structure disposed on the fixed contact is plane, while that on the movable contact is curved in one direction to cooperate with the opposite plane surface in forming a line contact.