Patent · US Expired

Fretting and whisker resistant coating system and method

US7391116B2 · kind B2 · utility

24Cited by
29References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 12, 2004
Grant dateJun 24, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 16, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/12896
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A coated electrically conductive substrate has particular utility where there are multiple closely spaced leads and tin whiskers constitute a potential short circuit. This electrically conductive substrate has a plurality of leads separated by a distance capable of bridging by a tin whisker, a silver or silver-base alloy layer coating at least one surface of at least one of the plurality of leads, and a fine grain tin or tin-base alloy layer directly coating said silver layer. An alternative coated electrically conductive substrate has utility where debris from fretting wear may increase electrical resistivity. This electrically conductive substrate has a barrier layer deposited on the substrate that is effective to inhibit diffusion of the substrate into a subsequently deposited layers, which include a sacrificial layer deposited on the barrier layer that is effective to form intermetallic compounds with tin, and a low resistivity oxide metal layer deposited on the sacrificial layer.An alternative coated electrically conductive substrate has particular utility where debris from fretting wear may oxidize and increase electrical resistivity, such an in a connector assembly. This ele…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.