US3740839A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cryogenic connection method and means
Assignee: Raychem Corp
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Filing: 1971-06-29
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Granted: 1973-06-26
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Expires: 1991-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A reusable connecting device is disclosed which utilizes a heat recoverable metallic band disposed about a resilient member such as the tines of a forked member. Where the resilient member is a forked member, the forked member has at least two tines which are spaced from one another and which are elastically mounted so that they can be moved inwardly but, when so moved, exert an outward force. When it is desired to make a connection between this device and other objects, the object is placed between adjacent tines and the metallic band is caused to shrink thereby forcing the tines towards one another and causing them to contact and hold the object between them. The device is reusable in that when the temperature of the metallic band is lowered to cause the metal to transform to a martensitic state, it may be easily deformed due to a decrease in yield strength. The elastic nature of the tines or other resilient member causes them to push against the band resulting in a deformation of the band. This deformation permits the tines to move away from one another and releases the object held therebetween. However, once the metallic band is heated to a temperature at which the band reverts to its austenitic state, the band again contracts and moves the tines toward one another permitting a strong electrical or physical connection to be made.
Inventors
- 👤 R Otte
- 👤 C Fischer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:18
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22F; C22F1/00; C22F1/006; H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R13/193; H01R4/00; H01R4/01; H01R4/10; H01R4/58; H01R4/62; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/909; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49126; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/49218; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863; Y10T29/49865; Y10T29/49947
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A reusable connecting device comprising: a forked member having at least two tines which tines are capable of being moved inwardly and when so moved exert an outward force; at least one band of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto and capable of changing dimensions so as to increase the transverse dimension of said band with the application of the force applied by said forked member when cooled to a temperature where it exists in the martensitic state and further being capable of changing dimensions so as to decrease the transverse dimension without the application of external force when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state, each band being large enough to permit it to be forced around at least a portion of the exterior of said tines when in its martensitic state and being small enough to move said tines inwardly when warmed to its austenitic state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A reusable connecting device comprising: a forked member having at least two tines which tines are capable of being moved inwardly and when so moved exert an outward force; at least one band of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto and capable of changing dimensions so as to increase the transverse dimension of said band with the application of the force applied by said forked member when cooled to a temperature where it exists in the martensitic state and further being capable of changing dimensions so as to decrease the transverse dimension without the application of external force when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state, each band being large enough to permit it to be forced around at least a portion of the exterior of said tines when in its martensitic state and being small enough to move said tines inwardly when warmed to its austenitic state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said forked member has two tines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said device has one band.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said band is a continuous band.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said band is around a lower part of said fork.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said band is a ring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
173 words
A reusable connecting device comprising: a forked member having at least two tines and being constructed from elastic material, said forked member having a cylindrical exterior located near the base of said tines; a ring of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto and capable of changing dimensions so as to increase the transverse dimension of said ring with the application of the force supplied by said forked member when said ring is cooled to a temperature where it exists in its martensitic state, said ring being further capable of changing dimensions so as to decrease the transverse dimension without the application of external force when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state, said ring being large enough to permit it to be forced around said cylindrical exterior of said forked member when said ring is in its martensitic state and being small enough to move said tines inwardly when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
173 words
A reusable connecting device comprising: a forked member having at least two tines and being constructed from elastic material, said forked member having a cylindrical exterior located near the base of said tines; a ring of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto and capable of changing dimensions so as to increase the transverse dimension of said ring with the application of the force supplied by said forked member when said ring is cooled to a temperature where it exists in its martensitic state, said ring being further capable of changing dimensions so as to decrease the transverse dimension without the application of external force when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state, said ring being large enough to permit it to be forced around said cylindrical exterior of said forked member when said ring is in its martensitic state and being small enough to move said tines inwardly when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said fork is fabricated from beryllium copper.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said forked member has two tines.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said ring exists in its austenitic state above about 0* C and in its martensitic state below about -40* C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said ring is fabricated from an alloy consisting essentially of about 49 atomic percent titanium, about 49 atomic percent nickel and about 2 atomic percent cobalt.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said ring is fabricated from an alloy consisting essentially of about 48 atomic percent nickel, about 2 atomic percent iron and about 50 atomic percent titanium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said ring is fabricated from an alloy consisting essentially of about 52 atomic percent nickel, and about 48 atomic percent titanium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said ring is fabRicated from a titanium, nickel and iron alloy within an area defined on a titanium, nickel and iron ternary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first corner at 49.1 percent titanium, 47.3 percent nickel and 3.6 percent iron; its second corner at 49.1 percent titanium, 48.8 percent nickel and 2.1 percent iron; its third corner at 50.2 percent titanium, 46.8 percent nickel and 3.0 percent iron and its fourth corner at 50.2 percent titanium, 45.1 percent nickel and 4.7 percent iron.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
267 words
A device for stacking printed circuit boards said device being capable of forming both a physical and an electrical contact between adjacent boards, said device comprising: a beryllium copper forked member having two tines the exterior of said device having a lower cylindrical section, a middle cylindrical section having a larger outside diameter than said lower cylindrical section and an upper section having a larger outside dimension than said middle cylindrical section said upper and middle sections having a slot cut therebetween thereby forming two tines of said forked member said upper section further containing a cylindrical hollow portion aligned about axially with said lower cylindrical sections and having an inside dimension about equal to the outside dimension of said lower cylindrical section; and a ring of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto and capable of changing dimension so as to increase the transverse dimension of said ring with the application of the force applied by said forked member when said ring is cooled to a temperature where it exists in its martensitic state said ring further being capable of changing dimensions so as to decrease the transverse dimension thereof without the application of external force when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state, said ring being large enough to permit it to be forced around said middle cylindrical section of said forked member when said ring is in its martensitic state, said ring being small enough to move said tines inwardly when warmed to a temperature at which its exists in its austenitic state.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
267 words
A device for stacking printed circuit boards said device being capable of forming both a physical and an electrical contact between adjacent boards, said device comprising: a beryllium copper forked member having two tines the exterior of said device having a lower cylindrical section, a middle cylindrical section having a larger outside diameter than said lower cylindrical section and an upper section having a larger outside dimension than said middle cylindrical section said upper and middle sections having a slot cut therebetween thereby forming two tines of said forked member said upper section further containing a cylindrical hollow portion aligned about axially with said lower cylindrical sections and having an inside dimension about equal to the outside dimension of said lower cylindrical section; and a ring of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto and capable of changing dimension so as to increase the transverse dimension of said ring with the application of the force applied by said forked member when said ring is cooled to a temperature where it exists in its martensitic state said ring further being capable of changing dimensions so as to decrease the transverse dimension thereof without the application of external force when warmed to a temperature at which it exists in its austenitic state, said ring being large enough to permit it to be forced around said middle cylindrical section of said forked member when said ring is in its martensitic state, said ring being small enough to move said tines inwardly when warmed to a temperature at which its exists in its austenitic state.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for removably joining an object to a forked member having movable tines which tines tend to exert an outward force when they are forced inwardly, said method comprising: cooling a band of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto to a temperature where it exists in the martensitic state, said band having an inside dimension about 5 percent smaller than the outside dimension of the base of the tines of said forked member; forcing the cooled band about the exterior of the base of said tines thereby increasing its size about 5 percent; placing an object between the tips of said tines; and warming said band to a temperature at which it exists in a martensitic state thereby causing said band to heat recover about the base of said tines and forcing the tips of said tines into contact with said object.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for removably joining an object to a forked member having movable tines which tines tend to exert an outward force when they are forced inwardly, said method comprising: cooling a band of a metallic material capable of having the property of heat recoverability imparted thereto to a temperature where it exists in the martensitic state, said band having an inside dimension about 5 percent smaller than the outside dimension of the base of the tines of said forked member; forcing the cooled band about the exterior of the base of said tines thereby increasing its size about 5 percent; placing an object between the tips of said tines; and warming said band to a temperature at which it exists in a martensitic state thereby causing said band to heat recover about the base of said tines and forcing the tips of said tines into contact with said object.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |