Granted Patent B2

US 12,300,950 · App. 17/719,058 · Granted May 13, 2025

Inventors: John M. Becker (Omaha, NE); Jonathon D. Smith (Omaha, NE); Martin Blair (Gretna, NE)

Assignee: CONDUCTIX, INC.

H01R39/36H02J7/0045

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. A charging contact assembly comprising:

a connector to connect to a source of electrical energy for receiving electrical current;

a brush coupled with the connector for contacting a conducting surface to transfer the electrical current from the source of electrical energy through the connector and the brush to the conducting surface; and

a shunt fixedly connected to the connector and the brush for transferring the electrical current from the connector to the brush, the shunt including

a sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate having a first end and a second end, the first end fixedly connected to the connector and the second end fixedly connected to the brush, and

an exposed mesh conductor disposed around the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate and extending between the connector and the brush for transferring the electrical current from the connector to the brush.

2. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate comprises at least one of a flat spring steel insert, a spring steel wire insert, a fiberglass insert, a polymeric insert, or a beryllium copper insert.

3. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mesh conductor comprises at least one of a tinned copper braid, an uncoated copper braid, a braided aluminum, or a multi-strand circular conductor material.

4. A shunt for a charging contact assembly, the shunt comprising:

a sprung elongate elastic support substrate formed of spring steel; and

an exposed mesh conductor disposed around the sprung elongate elastic support substrate for transferring electrical current.

5. The shunt as recited in claim 4 , wherein the sprung elongate elastic support substrate is woven into the mesh conductor.

6. The shunt as recited in claim 4 , wherein the mesh conductor comprises at least one of a tinned copper braid, an uncoated copper braid, a braided aluminum, or a multi-strand circular conductor material.

7. A charging contact assembly comprising:

a connector to connect to a source of electrical energy for receiving electrical current;

a brush coupled with the connector for contacting a conducting surface to transfer the electrical current from the source of electrical energy through the connector and the brush to the conducting surface; and

a shunt fixedly connected to the connector and the brush for transferring the electrical current from the connector to the brush, the shunt including

a sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate having a first end and a second end, the first end fixedly connected to the connector and the second end fixedly connected to the brush, and

an exposed conductor disposed around the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate and extending between the connector and the brush for transferring the electrical current from the connector to the brush.

8. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the conductor comprises a mesh conductor.

9. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the conductor comprises a mesh conductor, and the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate is woven into the mesh conductor.

10. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first end and the second end of the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate extend generally parallel to one another at respective connection points at the connector and the brush.

11. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first end and the second end of the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate extend at angles with respect to one another at respective connection points at the connector and the brush.

12. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate comprises at least one of a flat spring steel insert, a spring steel wire insert, a fiberglass insert, a polymeric insert, or a beryllium copper insert.

13. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the conductor comprises a mesh conductor, and the mesh conductor comprises at least one of a tinned copper braid, an uncoated copper braid, a braided aluminum, or a multi-strand circular conductor material.

14. The charging contact assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the conductor comprises a plurality of conductive sheets, and the sprung elongate arcuate elastic support substrate comprises one or more sheets of support material disposed on at least one of an inside of the plurality of conductive sheets, an outside of the plurality of conductive sheets, or between adjacent ones of the plurality of conductive sheets to form a laminate.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (59)