Selective Coating of Electric Contacts Using Beam-Alloyed Functional Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing electrical contact elements are limited in their ability to create multiple functional regions with optimized properties on a single contact element, as they often require costly wet-chemical processes and struggle with precise selective coating of small areas, leading to inaccuracies and material inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving mechanical application of material coatings followed by highly energetic thermal radiation for precise modification of the coating properties, allowing for the creation of multiple functional regions with varying mechanical and chemical properties on a contact element, using techniques such as printing, spraying, or applying wires/films, and controlling the beam parameters for precise heating and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If electroplating methods are used for coating contact elements, then coating can be applied uniformly, but selective coating of small functional regions is not possible and material selection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the contact element into multiple functional regions (contact locations, introduction regions, connection locations) and applies different material coatings to each region independently. This segmentation allows selective coating of small areas with specific materials optimized for each function, resolving the contradiction between uniform coating capability and selective region coating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying different material compositions and coating thicknesses to different functional regions based on their specific requirements. Contact locations receive wear-resistant materials, while connection locations receive solderable coatings, enabling each region to have optimized properties without compromising the whole element.
2Ease of manufacture
If hot dip tin-plating is used, then coating can be applied to contact elements, but selective coating of small regions is scarcely possible and process temperature is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal field-based hot dip plating process with a mechanical application system that can precisely deposit materials only on targeted functional regions. This mechanical substitution enables selective coating of small areas with high precision while avoiding the temperature limitations and poor selectivity of hot dip methods.
3Reliability
If contact locations are produced separately and joined to contact elements, then functional regions can be processed metallurgically, but tolerances and fitting operations result in substantial rejects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the contact locations directly onto the contact element substrate as integral functional regions rather than producing them separately. This integration eliminates the fitting and joining operations that cause tolerance issues and rejects, while still allowing metallurgical processing of the functional regions through the coating and irradiation process.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional coating methods are used, then coating can be applied to contact elements, but changing coating properties is impossible or requires great difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic element to the coating process by using controllable irradiation (electron beam, ion beam, or laser) that can modify coating properties after application. This allows the same base coating to be transformed into different functional coatings by varying irradiation parameters, enabling property changes without reapplying entire coatings and providing flexibility while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the production of contact elements with precise, optimized functional regions, reducing material waste and production costs, while achieving improved mechanical and chemical properties, such as wear resistance and corrosion protection, through the precise control of material coatings and their interactions.
Implementation Method 1
subsequently a highly energetic thermal radiation is directed onto the at least one material coating in the functional region
Implementation Method 2
the highly energetic thermal radiation is an electron beam
Implementation Method 3
the highly energetic thermal radiation is laser radiation
Implementation Method 4
an alloyed region is produced from the material coating in a base material of the contact element by means of the highly energetic thermal radiation
Implementation Method 5
the cooling is controlled in the active region by means of the highly energetic thermal radiation
Implementation Method 6
at least one material coating is mechanically applied to the contact element in the functional region
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing at least one functional region (1) on an electrical contact element (30) such as, for example, a switching contact or a plug type contact. The at least one functional region (1), for example, a contact location or a connection region for crimping or soldering connections is limited to a partial area of the contact element. In order to prevent the high environmental burden which is disadvantageous in wet-chemical methods and to overcome the restriction to a very small number of materials caused in hot dip methods in physical technical terms, and to substantially improve the spatial possibility for selection and structuring which is insufficient in both techniques, there is provision according to the invention for at least one material coating (4) to be applied mechanically in a highly selective manner to the contact element in the functional region (1) und subsequently highly energetic thermal radiation (9) such as, for example, a particle beam in the form of an ion and/or electron beam, to be directed onto the at least one material coating (4). The material coating (4) can contain new materials or material combinations which cannot be provided by previous methods. The invention further relates to a device for producing such a functional region and a contact element having such a functional region (1), the contact element (30) being produced in accordance with the above method.