Claims
- 1. A device for making electrical connection with an electrical brush having a plurality of current conducting elements, said device comprising:
a substrate having surface irregularities; and said surface irregularities shaped and dimensioned to provide multiple contact spots to plural current conducting elements of the plurality of current conducting elements.
- 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said surface irregularities are configured to provide contact spots spaced on average less than 100d on the plural current conducting elements, where d is an average diameter of the plurality of current conducting elements.
- 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise a plurality of asperities.
- 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise a plurality of grooves.
- 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of grooves are substantially parallel to each other.
- 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise a plurality of asperities and grooves.
- 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of asperities are within the grooves and between the grooves.
- 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a surface material having a hardness greater than a hardness of the plurality of current conducting elements.
- 9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise a shape and dimension satisfying the following equation:
- 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a surface material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride and metal nitride.
- 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a surface material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, nickel, stainless steel, titanium, copper alloy, nickel alloy, titanium alloy and chromium.
- 12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a surface material selected from the group of noble metals, silver, gold, rhodium, platinum, iridium, silver alloy, gold alloy, rhodium alloy and platinum alloy.
- 13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a surface material including graphite or a diamond-like graphite.
- 14. The device according to claim 3, wherein plural of the asperities have a shape elongated in a predetermined direction.
- 15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise laser-etched irregularities.
- 16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise lithography-etched irregularities.
- 17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise mechanically-polished irregularities.
- 18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise metallographic electrolytic-polished irregularities.
- 19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise liquid metal aerosol deposited irregularities.
- 20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise mechanically cut grooves.
- 21. The device according to claim 1, wherein local deviations from strict planarity of the substrate surface between the surface irregularities in a predetermined direction do not exceed 20°.
- 22. The device according to claim 1, wherein local deviations from strict planarity of the substrate surface between the surface irregularities in a predetermined direction do not exceed 10°.
- 23. The device according to claim 1, wherein local deviations from strict planarity of the substrate surface between the surface irregularities in a predetermined direction do not exceed 0.60°.
- 24. The device according to claim 1, wherein local deviations from strict planarity of the substrate surface between the surface irregularities in a predetermined direction do not exceed 0.01°.
- 25. The device according to claim 1, wherein local deviations from strict planarity of the substrate surface between the surface irregularities in a predetermined direction do not exceed 0.024°.
- 26. An electrical connection system, comprising:
an electric brush having a plurality of current conducting elements; and a substrate having surface irregularities shaped and dimensioned to provide multiple contact spots to plural current conducting elements of the plurality of current conducting elements.
- 27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the brush is configured to slide against the substrate and the plurality of current conducting elements are oriented parallel to a sliding direction of the brush.
- 28. The system according to claim 26, wherein the brush is configured to slide against the substrate and the plurality of current conducting elements are oriented at an arbitrary angle to a sliding direction of the brush.
- 29. The system according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of current conducting elements comprise a plurality of metal fibers.
- 30. The system according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of current conducting elements comprise a plurality of metal foils.
- 31. The system according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of current conducting elements comprise a plurality of metal fibers and foils.
- 32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the brush includes at least one of 1) a support fiber and 2) a support foil, and said surface irregularities comprise at least one groove configured to receive the at least one of the support fiber and support foil.
- 33. The system according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of current conducting elements comprise at least one arc-resistant metal fiber having a diameter which is less than an average diameter of the plurality of current conducting elements.
- 34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the arc-resistant metal fiber comprises at least one of a stainless steel metal fiber and a tungsten metal fiber.
- 35. The system according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of current conducting elements comprise at least one fiber including a protective coating with noble metals, especially with metals from the platinum group.
- 36. The system according to claim 26, wherein the brush comprises a cross-resistance.
- 37. The system according to claim 26, wherein the brush comprise an arbitrary cross-sectional shape.
- 38. The system according to claim 26, wherein the brush comprises corrugated metal foils.
- 39. The system according to claim 26, wherein the brush comprises a foot print shape dimensioned to reduce arcs.
- 40. A method of making an electrical connection device, comprising:
providing an electric brush having a plurality of current conducting elements; and forming surface irregularities on a substrate to produce multiple contact spots to plural current conducting elements of the plurality of current conducting elements.
- 41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising:
orienting the plurality of current conducting elements to be parallel to a sliding direction of the brush.
- 42. The method according to claim 40, further comprising:
orienting the plurality of current conducting elements to be at an arbitrary angle to a sliding direction of the brush.
- 43. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities by laser etching.
- 44. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities by etching in combination with lithography.
- 45. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities by mechanical relief polishing.
- 46. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities by metallographic electrolytic polishing.
- 47. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities by deposition of a liquid metal aerosol.
- 48. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities by mechanically cutting the substrate with a pre-shaped tool.
- 49. The method according to claim 40, wherein the forming step forms the surface irregularities to satisfy the following equation:
- 50. A device for making electrical connection with an electrical brush having at least one current conducting element, said device comprising:
a substrate having surface irregularities; and said surface irregularities shaped and dimensioned to provide plural contact spots with the at least one current conducting element, wherein dimensions of the surface irregularities are in the order of magnitude of a dimension of the at least one current conducting element to be electrically connected with the device.
- 51. The device according to claim 50, wherein the dimensions of the surface irregularities are on the order of magnitude of 20 μm.
- 52. The device according to claim 50, wherein the surface irregularities comprise grooves which are substantially parallel to a sliding direction of the electrical brush.
- 53. A substrate for making electrical connection with an electrical brush, said substrate comprising:
a plurality of asperities provided in a surface of the substrate; and said asperities having a density (D) in the range of: 2500/cm2≦D≦107/cm2, where the density (D) is defined as a number of asperities per square centimeter.
- 54. The substrate according to claim 53, further comprising a plurality of grooves.
- 55. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein the plurality of grooves are substantially parallel to each other.
- 56. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein the plurality of asperities are within the grooves and between the grooves.
- 57. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves has a spacing (λ) is in the range of:
- 58. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein a width of a respective groove of the plurality of grooves is within the inclusive range of 10 μm and 200 μm.
- 59. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein a depth of a respective groove of the plurality of grooves is within the inclusive range of 10 μm and 1 μm.
- 60. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein a depth of a respective groove of the plurality of grooves is within the inclusive range of 10 μm and 200 μm.
- 61. The substrate according to claim 53, wherein a respective asperity of the plurality of asperities has a surface radius of curvature (rc) in the range of:
- 62. The substrate according to claim 54, wherein a respective groove of the plurality of grooves has a surface radius of curvature (rc) in the range of:
- 63. The substrate according to claim 53, further comprising a surface material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride and metal nitride.
- 64. The substrate according to claim 53, further comprising a surface material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, nickel, stainless steel, titanium, copper alloy, nickel alloy, titanium alloy and chromium.
- 65. The substrate according to claim 53, further comprising a surface material selected from the group of noble metals, silver, gold, rhodium, platinum, iridium, silver alloy, gold alloy, rhodium alloy and platinum alloy.
- 66. The substrate according to claim 53, further comprising a surface material including graphite or a diamond-like graphite.
- 67. A substrate for making electrical connection with an electrical brush, said substrate comprising:
a plurality of grooves provided in a surface of the substrate; and adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves having a spacing (λ) in a range of: 10 μm≦λ≦1000 μm.
- 68. The substrate according to claim 67, wherein a width of a respective groove of the plurality of grooves is within the inclusive range of 10 μm and 200 μm.
- 69. The substrate according to claim 67, wherein a depth of a respective groove of the plurality of grooves is within the inclusive range of 10 μm and 1 mm.
- 70. The substrate according to claim 67, wherein a depth of a respective groove of the plurality of grooves is within the inclusive range of 10 μm and 200 μm.
- 71. The substrate according to claim 67, wherein a respective groove of the plurality of grooves has a surface radius of curvature (rc) in the range of:
- 72. The substrate according to claim 67, wherein the plurality of grooves are substantially parallel to each other.
- 73. The substrate according to claim 67, further comprising a plurality of asperities.
- 74. The substrate according to claim 73, wherein the plurality of asperities are within the grooves and between the grooves.
- 75. The substrate according to claim 73, wherein the plurality of asperities has a density (D) in the range of:
- 76. The substrate according to claim 73, wherein a respective asperity of the plurality of asperities has a surface radius of curvature (rc) in the range of:
- 77. The substrate according to claim 67, further comprising a surface material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride and metal nitride.
- 78. The substrate according to claim 67, further comprising a surface material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, nickel, stainless steel, titanium, copper alloy, nickel alloy, titanium alloy and chromium.
- 79. The substrate according to claim 67, further comprising a surface material selected from the group of noble metals, silver, gold, rhodium, platinum, iridium, silver alloy, gold alloy, rhodium alloy and platinum alloy.
- 80. The substrate according to claim 67, further comprising a surface material including graphite or a diamond-like graphite.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/105,319, filed on Oct. 23, 1998. This application is a bypass application of PCT Application PCT/US99/24480, filed on Oct. 22, 1999, which was published in English. This application is also related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,358,699 and 4,415,635 and a pending international application Ser. No. 09/147,100, filed on Feb. 5, 1999, which claims priority to a provisional application Serial No. 60/014,753, filed on Apr. 4, 1997. The above-noted applications are herein incorporated by reference.
Government Interests
[0002] This invention was made in part by funds provided by the U.S. Department of the Navy. The U.S. Government may therefore have certain rights in the invention.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60105319 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
|
60014753 |
Apr 1996 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US99/24480 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Child |
09839404 |
Apr 2001 |
US |