Conductive terminals

Abstract

The present invention discloses a conductive terminal made of a metal copper plate. The conductive terminal includes a contact area for mating with a mating connector. The contact area is electroplated with a metal coating on the surface of the metal copper plate. The metal coating includes at least a first rhodium alloy coating, a second rhodium alloy coating, and multiple corrosion-resistant layers. Electroplating at least two rhodium alloy coatings on the surface of the conductive terminal improves the conductive terminal's resistance to electrolytic and chemical corrosion, thereby enhancing its performance and extending its service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application is a divisional application with application number 201911043099.2, application date October 30, 2019, and invention name “Conductive Terminal”.

[0002] The present invention relates to a conductive terminal, and in particular to a conductive terminal with stronger electrolytic corrosion resistance. Background Art

[0003] Prior art Chinese utility model patent CN207918992U discloses a wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant electroplating layer, as well as a terminal and electronic interface. The wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant electroplating layer comprises a copper base metal, a corrosion-resistant nickel alloy layer, a transitional gold plating layer, and a wear-resistant rhodium-ruthenium alloy layer. When a terminal with this electroplating layer is energized, it exhibits poor resistance to electrolytic corrosion and is susceptible to electrolytic corrosion, resulting in a shortened terminal life.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an improved conductive terminal to overcome the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a conductive terminal with stronger electrolytic corrosion resistance.

[0006] The objectives of the present invention are achieved through the following technical solutions: a conductive terminal, which is made of a metal copper plate, the conductive terminal includes a contact area for docking with a docking connector, and the contact area is electroplated with a metal plating layer on the surface of the metal copper plate; the metal plating layer includes at least two rhodium alloy plating layers, a corrosion-resistant layer and a gold plating layer arranged at intervals from each other, and among the at least two rhodium alloy plating layers, two rhodium alloy plating layers are arranged adjacent to each other.

[0007] Furthermore, in the two rhodium alloy plating layers arranged adjacent to each other, the thickness of the inner rhodium alloy plating layer is smaller than the thickness of the outer rhodium alloy plating layer.

[0008] Furthermore, the corrosion-resistant layer includes at least two layers, and the two rhodium alloy plating layers arranged adjacent to each other are located between the corrosion-resistant layers.

[0009] Furthermore, among the at least two rhodium alloy plating layers, two rhodium alloy plating layers are separated by the corrosion-resistant layer.

[0010] Furthermore, one of the rhodium alloy plating layers is both one of the two adjacent rhodium alloy plating layers and one of the intervally arranged rhodium alloy plating layers.

[0011] Furthermore, one rhodium alloy plating layer is located at the sub-outer layer of the metal plating layer, and the outer side of the rhodium alloy plating layer is plated with the gold plating layer.

[0012] Furthermore, the corrosion-resistant layer includes a nickel-plated layer and a first corrosion-resistant layer arranged adjacent to the surface of the metal copper plate, the first corrosion-resistant layer is a palladium-plated layer or a palladium alloy-plated layer or a silver-plated layer or a platinum-plated layer, and the rhodium alloy-plated layer and the corrosion-resistant layer arranged adjacent to each other are connected by a gold-plated layer.

[0013] Furthermore, one rhodium alloy plating layer is located at the sub-outer layer of the metal plating layer, and the outer side of the rhodium alloy plating layer is plated with the gold plating layer.

[0014] Furthermore, the surface of the metal copper plate is sequentially provided with a nickel plating layer, a gold plating layer, a first rhodium alloy plating layer, a second rhodium alloy plating layer, a gold plating layer, a first corrosion-resistant layer, a gold plating layer, a third rhodium alloy plating layer and a gold plating layer.

[0015] Furthermore, the conductive terminal is used for a USB electrical connector.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the present invention electroplates at least two layers of rhodium alloy plating, namely a first rhodium alloy plating layer and a second rhodium alloy plating layer, on the surface of the conductive terminal, and among the rhodium alloy plating layers, two layers of rhodium alloy plating layers are arranged adjacent to each other, thereby improving the resistance of the conductive terminal to electrolytic corrosion and chemical corrosion, and enhancing the performance of the conductive terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the metal plating structure of the conductive terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the metal plating structure of the conductive terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the metal plating structure of the conductive terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Main component symbols

[0021] Metal plating 1, 2, 3 Metal copper plate 11, 21, 31

[0022] Nickel-plated layers 12, 22, 32 Gold-plated layers 13, 23, 33

[0023] First rhodium alloy plating layer 14, 25, 34 First corrosion resistant layer 15, 24, 36

[0024] Second rhodium alloy plating layers 16, 26, 35 Third rhodium alloy plating layer 37

[0025] The following specific embodiments will further illustrate the present invention in conjunction with the above-mentioned drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Please refer to Figure 1 The figure shows a first embodiment of the present invention, a conductive terminal (not labeled). The conductive terminal is made of a metal copper plate 11 and includes a contact area for mating with a mating connector (not shown). The contact area is electroplated with a metal layer 1 formed on the surface of the metal copper plate 11. The metal layer 1 comprises, starting from the surface of the metal copper plate 11, a nickel layer 12, a gold layer 13, a first rhodium alloy layer 14, a gold layer 13, a first corrosion-resistant layer 15, a gold layer 13, a second rhodium alloy layer 16, and the gold layer 13. The thickness of the first rhodium alloy layer 14 is equal to that of the second rhodium alloy layer 16. The first corrosion-resistant layer 15 is a palladium layer, a palladium alloy layer, a gold layer, a silver layer, or a platinum layer. The nickel layer and the first corrosion-resistant layer are corrosion-resistant layers. The nickel layer 12 is used to fill uneven surfaces on the surface of the metal copper plate 11 and is corrosion-resistant. The first corrosion-resistant layer 15 further protects the conductive terminal from chemical corrosion.

[0027] The gold layer 13 is plated between the different plating layers because internal stress exists between the different plating layers, which affects the adhesion between the different plating layers. Gold, due to its good ductility, can buffer or reduce the internal stress between the plating layers, preventing cracks in the plating layers. Plating another gold layer 13 on the second rhodium alloy plating layer 16 enhances the appearance of the conductive terminal.

[0028] Because the rhodium alloy plating layer has good electrical contact properties, low contact resistance, high hardness, and resistance to plugging and unplugging, sweat corrosion, chemical corrosion, and electrolytic corrosion, placing the second rhodium alloy plating layer 16 as the outermost layer (excluding the gold plating layer 13) can effectively prevent electrolytic and chemical corrosion of the conductive terminals, thereby better protecting the conductive terminals.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 2The figure shows a second embodiment of the present invention, a conductive terminal (not labeled), made of a metal copper plate 21. The conductive terminal includes a contact area for mating with a mating connector (not shown). The contact area is electroplated with a metal plating layer 2 formed on the surface of the metal copper plate 21. The metal plating layer 2 is electroplated, starting from the surface of the metal copper plate 21, and comprises: a nickel plating layer 22, a gold plating layer 23, a first corrosion-resistant layer 24, a gold plating layer 23, a first rhodium alloy plating layer 25, a second rhodium alloy plating layer 26, and a gold plating layer 23. The nickel plating layer 22 and the first corrosion-resistant layer 24 are corrosion-resistant layers with chemical corrosion resistance. In this embodiment, the thickness of the first rhodium alloy plating layer 25 is less than that of the second rhodium alloy plating layer 26 to facilitate the electroplating of the second rhodium alloy plating layer 26 and ensure better bonding between the first rhodium alloy plating layer 25 and the second rhodium alloy plating layer 26. The functions of the other plating layers are the same as those in the first embodiment and are not further described here.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 3 The third embodiment of the present invention is shown, which includes a conductive terminal (not labeled) made of a metal copper plate 31. The conductive terminal includes a contact area for mating with a mating connector (not shown). The contact area is electroplated with a metal plating layer 3 on the surface of the metal copper plate 31. The metal plating layer 3 comprises, starting from the surface of the metal copper plate 31, a nickel plating layer 32, a gold plating layer 33, a first rhodium alloy plating layer 34, a second rhodium alloy plating layer 35, a gold plating layer 33, a first corrosion-resistant layer 36, a gold plating layer 33, a third rhodium alloy plating layer 37, and finally the gold plating layer 33. In this embodiment, three rhodium alloy plating layers (including the first, second, and third rhodium alloy plating layers) are electroplated, providing improved resistance to electrolytic corrosion. The functions of the other plating layers are the same as in the first embodiment and are not further described here.

[0031] In summary, the conductive terminal described herein has the following beneficial effects: Electroplating at least two layers of rhodium alloy, namely, a first rhodium alloy layer and a second rhodium alloy layer, on the surface of the conductive terminal provides improved resistance to electrolytic and chemical corrosion compared to electroplating a single rhodium alloy layer at equivalent thickness. This conductive terminal is used in USB Type-C electrical connectors.

[0032] The above descriptions are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Any equivalent changes made to the technical solution of the present invention by ordinary technicians in this field after reading the specification of the present invention are covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A conductive terminal made of a metal copper plate, comprising a contact area for mating with a mating connector, wherein the contact area is electroplated with a metal coating formed on the surface of the metal copper plate; characterized in that: The metal plating layer includes at least two rhodium alloy plating layers, a corrosion-resistant layer, and a gold plating layer spaced apart from each other. Among the at least two rhodium alloy plating layers, two rhodium alloy plating layers are adjacent to each other. Among the at least two rhodium alloy plating layers, two rhodium alloy plating layers are spaced apart by the corrosion-resistant layer. One of the rhodium alloy plating layers belongs to both one of the two adjacent rhodium alloy plating layers and one of the spaced apart rhodium alloy plating layers.

2. The conductive terminal according to claim 1, wherein: In the two rhodium alloy plating layers arranged adjacent to each other, the thickness of the rhodium alloy plating layer located on the inner side is smaller than the thickness of the rhodium alloy plating layer located on the outer side.

3. The conductive terminal according to claim 1, wherein: The corrosion-resistant layer comprises at least two layers, and the two rhodium alloy plating layers disposed adjacent to each other are located between the corrosion-resistant layers.

4. The conductive terminal according to claim 1, wherein: One of the rhodium alloy plating layers is located in the secondary outer layer of the metal plating layer, and the outer side of the rhodium alloy plating layer located in the secondary outer layer is plated with the gold plating layer.

5. The conductive terminal according to claim 1, wherein: The corrosion-resistant layer includes a nickel-plated layer and a first corrosion-resistant layer arranged adjacent to the surface of the metal copper plate. The first corrosion-resistant layer is a palladium-plated layer, a palladium alloy-plated layer, a silver-plated layer, or a platinum-plated layer. The rhodium alloy-plated layer and the corrosion-resistant layer arranged adjacent to each other are connected by a gold-plated layer.

6. The conductive terminal according to claim 5, wherein: The surface of the metal copper plate is sequentially provided with a nickel plating layer, a gold plating layer, a first rhodium alloy plating layer, a second rhodium alloy plating layer, a gold plating layer, a first corrosion-resistant layer, a gold plating layer, a third rhodium alloy plating layer and a gold plating layer.

7. The conductive terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The conductive terminal is used for a USB electrical connector.

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