US 11,951,542 B2
Cold spray additive manufacturing of multi-material electrical contacts
Michael Lee Killian, Troy, MI (US); Jacob A. Kallivayalil, Bloomfield Township, MI (US); Yong Liu, Horseheads, NY (US); and Darron Robert Mohr, Painted Post, NY (US)
Assigned to EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed by Eaton Intelligent Power Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/223,120.
Prior Publication US 2022/0314322 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B22F 10/25 (2021.01); B22F 12/58 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/10 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); H01R 4/58 (2006.01); H01R 43/16 (2006.01)
CPC B22F 10/25 (2021.01) [B22F 12/58 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/10 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); H01R 4/58 (2013.01); H01R 43/16 (2013.01); B22F 2304/10 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming an electrical contact comprising a functionally graded monolithic structure, the method comprising:
operating at least one material feeder to release a feed of a first metal selected from a group consisting of copper, silver, aluminum, gold, platinum, and combinations thereof, and a second metal selected from a group consisting of aluminum oxide, chromium, chromium carbide, tungsten, tungsten carbide, molybdenum, molybdenum carbide, vanadium, vanadium carbide, and combinations thereof,
wherein the first and second metals are each in a solid state and a powder form, and the second metal has a higher melting temperature as compared to a melting temperature of the first metal, and
wherein the melting temperatures of the first and second metals differ by at least 1400° F.;
depositing the first metal and second metal on a substrate by applying a compressed gas to the first and second metals to eject the first and second metals toward the substrate,
wherein the depositing is performed under a pressure sufficient to form a solid state bond between the first and second metals, and
wherein the first and second metals are ejected onto the substrate at an angle between 75° to 105°; and
forming an electrical contact comprising a functionally graded monolithic structure,
wherein an amount of the second metal as compared to an amount of the first metal increases with distance in the structure from a first surface of the structure to a second opposing surface of the structure such that the second metal content increases continuously or incrementally throughout height of the electrical contact, while maintaining the structure at a temperature that is below the melting temperature of both the first and second metals, keeping the first and second metals in a solid state.