Patent ID: 7207816
Filing Date: 2007-04-24
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
1. A gas-tight electrical connection for at least one wire to a conductive electrical substrate, comprising: a socket for each wire that radially penetrates the substrate with a diameter and depth large enough to insert the wire into the substrate with sufficient contact area for a desired radial electrical connection between the wire and the substrate; at least one slot that radially penetrates the substrate and each socket arranged so that the plane of the slot propagates along the axis of each socket; and at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) force ring that has a deformed martensite diameter that is enlargened to slip over the substrate near each slot in the substrate; wherein heat applied to change each SMA force ring to its austenitic state causes each SMA force ring to contract to its original diameter and compress each wire in each socket, thereby establishing a gas-tight connection.