US 12,272,912 B2
Electrical contacts using an array of micromachined flexures
Fabian Goericke, Berkeley, CA (US); Klaus Zietlow, Berkeley, CA (US); and James Stölken, Berkeley, CA (US)
Assigned to Atomic Machines, Inc., Berkeley, CA (US)
Filed by Atomic Machines, Inc., Berkeley, CA (US)
Filed on May 17, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/667,483.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/504,869, filed on May 30, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0405454 A1, Dec. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. H01R 4/26 (2006.01); B81B 7/02 (2006.01); B81C 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 4/26 (2013.01) [B81B 7/02 (2013.01); B81C 1/00206 (2013.01); B81B 2201/01 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0361 (2013.01); B81B 2207/056 (2013.01); B81C 2201/0107 (2013.01); B81C 2201/0143 (2013.01); B81C 2201/0145 (2013.01); B81C 2201/0174 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A contact, comprising:
a first contact member having an exposed surface, the exposed surface having asperities that form one or more high points and low points on the exposed surface; and
a second contact member having a contact base surface, and a plurality of electrically conductive flexures extending from the contact base surface;
wherein the first contact member and the second contact member may be moved relative to each other to provide differentiated open and closed positions;
wherein, when the first contact member is positioned adjacent the second contact member in a closed position in which the contact base surface of the second contact member is not in electrical contact with the one or more high points on the exposed surface of the first contact member, each flexure of the plurality of electrically conductive flexures is in electrical contact with the exposed surface of the first contact member.