1. A solder joint disposed on an electrical conductor which comprises silver, said solder joint comprising:
bismuth and tin,
wherein said solder joint is formed from a first solder composition comprising bismuth and from a second solder composition comprising tin;
a microstructure comprising a bismuth-rich solder bulk and a silver-solder reaction zone,
wherein said bismuth-rich solder bulk is disposed adjacent to said silver-solder reaction zone; and
a plurality of bismuth-rich grains formed from bismuth and substantially dispersed throughout at least said bismuth-rich solder bulk.
2. The solder joint of claim 1 wherein said solder joint and said electrical conductor form a solder-conductor interface therebetween.
3. The solder joint of claim 2 having a thickness of said solder joint extending from said solder-conductor interface to a surface opposite said solder-conductor interface wherein each of said bismuth-rich grains has a dimension of no greater than \xbc of said thickness of said solder joint.
4. The solder joint of claim 3 wherein said bismuth-rich solder bulk extends at least \u2155 of said thickness of said solder joint.
5. The solder joint of claim 2 wherein said solder-conductor interface of said solder joint comprises bismuth and said silver-solder reaction zone with said bismuth disposed throughout said silver-solder reaction zone.
6. The solder joint of claim 1 wherein said microstructure of said solder joint further comprises a tin-rich phase disposed adjacent to said bismuth-rich solder bulk and opposite said silver-solder reaction zone.
7. The solder joint of claim 1 wherein said first solder composition comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition.
8. The solder joint of claim 1 wherein said first solder composition further comprises tin.
9. The solder joint of claim 8 wherein said first solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 20 to 90 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition.
10. The solder joint of claim 1 wherein said second solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition.
11. The solder joint of claim 1 formed by the steps of:
bonding said first solder composition to said electrical conductor to form a first solder layer, wherein said first solder composition comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition; and
bonding said second solder composition to said first solder layer, thereby forming said solder joint, wherein said second solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition.
12. The solder joint of claim 1 substantially free of lead.
13. The solder joint of claim 1 substantially free of indium.
14. A window pane comprising:
a substrate formed from glass;
an electrical conductor comprising silver and disposed across a region of said substrate;
a solder joint disposed on said electrical conductor and comprising;
bismuth and tin,
wherein said solder joint is formed from a first solder composition comprising bismuth and from a second solder composition comprising tin,
a microstructure comprising a bismuth-rich solder bulk and a silver-solder reaction zone,
wherein said bismuth-rich solder bulk is disposed adjacent to said silver-solder reaction zone, and
a plurality of bismuth-rich grains formed from bismuth and substantially dispersed throughout at least said bismuth-rich solder bulk; and
an electrical connector disposed on said solder joint with said electrical connector operatively connected to and in electrical communication with said electrical conductor through said solder joint.
15. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said solder joint and said electrical conductor form a solder-conductor interface therebetween.
16. The window pane of claim 15 wherein said solder joint and said electrical connector form a solder-connector interface therebetween with a thickness of said solder joint extending from said solder-conductor interface to said solder-connector interface wherein each of said bismuth-rich grains has a dimension of no greater than \xbc of said thickness of said solder joint.
17. The window pane of claim 16 wherein said bismuth-rich solder bulk of said solder joint extends at least \u2155 of said thickness of said solder joint.
18. The window pane of claim 15 wherein said solder-conductor interface of said solder joint comprises bismuth and said silver-solder reaction zone with said bismuth disposed throughout said silver-solder reaction zone.
19. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said microstructure of said solder joint further comprises a tin-rich phase disposed adjacent to said bismuth-rich solder bulk and opposite said silver-solder reaction zone.
20. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said first solder composition of said solder joint comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition.
21. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said first solder composition of said solder joint further comprises tin.
22. The window pane of claim 21 wherein said first solder composition of said solder joint comprises tin in an amount of from 20 to 90 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition.
23. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said second solder composition of said solder joint comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition.
24. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said solder joint is formed by the steps of:
bonding said first solder composition to said electrical conductor to form a first solder layer, wherein said first solder composition comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition;
bonding said second solder composition to said electrical connector to form a second solder layer, wherein said second solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition; and
bonding said first solder layer and said second solder layer together to form said solder joint.
25. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said solder joint is substantially free of lead.
26. The window pane of claim 14 wherein said solder joint is substantially free of indium.
27. An electrical device comprising:
a first electrical conductor comprising silver;
a solder joint disposed on said first electrical conductor and comprising;
bismuth and tin,
wherein said solder joint is formed from a first solder composition comprising bismuth and from a second solder composition comprising tin,
a microstructure comprising a bismuth-rich solder bulk and a silver-solder reaction zone,
wherein said bismuth-rich solder bulk is disposed adjacent to said silver-solder reaction zone, and
a plurality of bismuth-rich grains formed from bismuth and substantially dispersed throughout at least said bismuth-rich solder bulk; and
a second electrical conductor disposed on said solder joint with said second electrical conductor operatively connected to and in electrical communication with said first electrical conductor through said solder joint.
28. The electrical device of claim 27 wherein said solder joint is formed by the steps of:
bonding said first solder composition to said first electrical conductor to form a first solder layer, wherein said first solder composition comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition;
bonding said second solder composition to said first solder layer to form a second solder layer, wherein said second solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition; and
bonding said second electrical conductor to said second solder layer to form said solder joint.
29. The electrical device of claim 27 wherein said solder joint is formed by the steps of:
bonding said first solder composition to said first electrical conductor to form a first solder layer, wherein said first solder composition comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition;
bonding said second solder composition to said second electrical conductor to form a second solder layer, wherein said second solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition; and
bonding said first solder layer and said second solder layer together to form said solder joint.
30. The electrical conductor of claim 27 wherein:
said first solder composition comprises bismuth in an amount of from 10 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight and tin in an amount of from 20 to 90 parts by weight, each based on 100 parts by weight of said first solder composition; and
said second solder composition comprises tin in an amount of from 95 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said second solder composition.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A connector assembly for receiving at least one electrical terminal having a wire-connect segment and an electrical mating segment extending at a right angle from the wire-connect segment, the connector assembly comprising;
a first part having an interior for receiving the at least one terminal through an insertion end, the interior including at least one member for supporting the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal; and
a second part having an inner compartment and an interior chamber extending at a right angle from the compartment for receiving the mating segment of the at least one terminal, the compartment having at least one member arranged to be opposite the at least one member in the interior of the first part when the first and second parts are assembled together such that the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal is clamped between the at least one member in the interior of the first part and the at least one member in the compartment of the second part.
2. The connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a latch means within the first part for snapping over protrusions from the at least one right-angle terminal to secure the at least one right-angle terminal in the first part prior to assembly with the second part.
3. A connector assembly for receiving at least one electrical terminal having a wire-connect segment and an electrical mating segment extending at a right angle from the wire-connect segment, the connector assembly comprising;
a first part having an interior for receiving the at least one terminal through an insertion end, the interior including at least one cradle-shaped member for supporting the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal; and
a second part having an inner compartment and an interior chamber extending at a right angle from the compartment for receiving the mating segment of the at least one terminal, the compartment having at least one cradle-shaped member arranged to be positioned opposite the at least one cradle-shaped member in the interior of the first part when the first and second parts are assembled together such that the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal is clamped by the at least one cradle-shaped member in the interior of the first part and the at least one cradle-shaped member in the compartment of the second part.
4. The connector assembly of claim 3 wherein there are multiple cradle-shaped members in the interior of the first part and the compartment of the second part, and the members of the parts are aligned in a manner corresponding to a length of the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal.
5. The connector assembly of claim 4 wherein there are multiple sets of aligned cradle-shaped members spaced across the interior of the first part and the compartment of the second part such that multiple terminals may be clamped in the connector assembly.
6. The connector assembly of claim 5 wherein the first part has a recessed ledge surrounding the interior and the second part has a raised portion within the compartment from which the cradle-shaped members extend, the raised portion being sized to fit within the interior over the ledge.
7. The connector assembly of claim 6 further comprising a seal for fitting between the raised portion and ledge, sealing the interior of the first part when the first and second parts are completely assembled.
8. The connector assembly of claim 3 wherein there are multiple cradle-shaped members across the interior of the first part and the compartment of the second part such that multiple terminals may be clamped in the connector assembly.
9. The connector assembly of claim 3 wherein the interior of the first part further includes inner walls with vertical grooves arranged to receive protrusions from the at least one terminal to guide the at least one terminal into a seated position within the interior and onto the at least one cradle-like member.
10. The connector assembly of claim 9 further comprising locking projections within the grooves to secure the at least one terminal in the seated position prior to assembling the second part on the first part.
11. The connector assembly of claim 3 further comprising an outer casing for enclosing the first and second parts.
12. The connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the outer casing includes a wire guide portion for fitting around electrical wires adjacent to where the wires enter the first part.
13. The connector assembly of claim 12 further comprising resilient elements within the wire guide portion positioned between the casing and the wires.
14. The connector assembly of claim 3 wherein the second part includes a channel around the interior chamber for receiving a gasket to seal the connector assembly against an electrically mating device.
15. A connector assembly for receiving at least one electrical terminal having a wire-connect segment and an electrical mating segment extending at a right angle from the wire-connect segment, the connector assembly comprising;
a first part having an interior for receiving the at least one terminal through an insertion end, the interior including at least one member having a concave surface for supporting the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal; and
a second part having an inner compartment and an interior chamber extending at a right angle from the compartment for receiving the mating segment of the at least one terminal, the compartment including at least one member having a concave surface, the at least one member in the compartment arranged to be positioned opposite the at least one member in the interior of the first part when the first and second parts are assembled together such that the wire-connect segment of the at least one terminal is clamped between the concave surfaces of the at least one member in the interior of the first part and the at least one member in the compartment of the second part.
16. The connector assembly of claim 15 wherein there are multiple members with concave surfaces in the interior of the first part and the compartment of the second part, each member in the interior having an opposite, matching member in the compartment.
17. The connector assembly of claim 16 wherein the members in the interior of the first part are formed integrally with the first part.
18. The connector assembly of claim 17 wherein the members in the compartment of the second part are formed integrally with a raised portion of a base section of the second part.
19. The connector assembly of claim 18 wherein the raised portion is received within the interior when the parts are assembled together.
20. The connector assembly of claim 15 further comprising a retention feature in the first part for holding the at least one terminal in the at least one member prior to assembly of the parts.