Electrical connector devices

Claim 1

A method of making an elastomeric electrical connector element comprising the steps of: a. providing a plurality of flat metal blanks of single thickness sheet metal each with rails interconnected by a row of uniformly spaced parallel strip members, b. forming a rigid multi-layer stack of said blanks in which the rails are in register with each other and are separated from each other by spacers making face-to-face contact with the rails to define therewith opposed walls of a cavity traversed by a plurality of spaced rows of the strip members, c. filling the cavity with a liquid to immerse the rows of strip members, the liquid being settable to an elastomeric electrically insulating material; and d. removing the rails to provide a connector element consisting of a plurality of spaced rows of metal strips embedded in the elastomeric material with the opposed ends of the strips of each row exposed.

Claim 2

A method of making an elastomeric electrical connector element comprising the steps of: a. providing a plurality of flat metal blanks of single thickness sheet metal each with rails interconnected by a row of uniformly spaced parallel strip members, b. forming a rigid multi-layer stack of said blanks in which the rails are in register with each other and are separated from each other by spacers making face-to-face contact with the rails to define therewith opposed walls of a cavity traversed by a plurality of spaced rows of the strip members, c. filling the cavity with a liquid to immerse the rows of strip members, the liquid being settable to an elastomeric electrically insulating material; and d. removing the rails to provide a connector element consisting of a plurality of spaced rows of metal strips embedded in the elastomeric material with the opposed ends of the strips of each row exposed.

Claim 3

A method of making an electrical connector element, comprising the steps of: a. providing a plurality of first flat, metal blanks of single thickness sheet metal each having first and second side rails interconnected by uniformly spaced parallel strip members and an end rail, b. providing a plurality of second metal blanks each having first and second side rails interconnected by an end rail to maintain the rails at a separation corresponding to the separation of the rails of the first metal blanks, c. forming a stack of the first and second blanks such that the first and second blanks alternate with each other, and with the respective end and side rails aligned with each other to define side walls, and an end wall, d. cramping the stack between side plates which co-act with the end and side rails of the outermost blanks of the stack thereby to define with said walls a cavity open at one end and traversed in its interior by the spaced parallel strips, e. filling the cavity with a liquid settable elastomer insulating material; and f. removing, after the material has set, the side plates, end rails, and said side rails to provide a connector element consisting of a matrix of said parallel strips embedded in the elastomer material, with the ends of the strips exposed.

Claim 4

A method of making an electrical connector element, comprising the steps of: a. providing a plurality of first flat, metal blanks of single thickness sheet metal each having first and second side rails interconnected by uniformly spaced parallel strip members and an end rail, b. providing a plurality of second metal blanks each having first and second side rails interconnected by an end rail to maintain the rails at a separation corresponding to the separation of the rails of the first metal blanks, c. forming a stack of the first and second blanks such that the first and second blanks alternate with each other, and with the respective end and side rails aligned with each other to define side walls, and an end wall, d. cramping the stack between side plates which co-act with the end and side rails of the outermost blanks of the stack thereby to define with said walls a cavity open at one end and traversed in its interior by the spaced parallel strips, e. filling the cavity with a liquid settable elastomer insulating material; and f. removing, after the material has set, the side plates, end rails, and said side rails to provide a connector element consisting of a matrix of said parallel strips embedded in the elastomer material, with the ends of the strips exposed.