Low cost electrical terminals manufactured from conductive loaded resin-based materials

Abstract

Electrical terminals are formed of a conductive loaded resin-based material. The conductive loaded resin-based material comprises micron conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination of conductive powder and conductive fibers in a base resin host. The percentage by weight of the conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination thereof is between about 20% and 50% of the weight of the conductive loaded resin-based material. The micron conductive powders are formed from non-metals, such as carbon, graphite, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from metals such as stainless steel, nickel, copper, silver, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from a combination of non-metal, plated, or in combination with, metal powders. The micron conductor fibers preferably are of nickel plated carbon fiber, stainless steel fiber, copper fiber, silver fiber, aluminum fiber, or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . A battery device comprising:
 at least one component comprising a conductive loaded, resin-based material, the component being selected from the group consisting of a battery cable, a battery cable terminal, a cable conductor, and a heat sink.   
     
     
         79 . The battery device according to  claim 78  wherein the conductive loaded, resin-based material comprises micron conductor fiber in a resin-based host, and wherein the micron conductive fiber has a diameter of between about 3 μm and about 12 μm and a length of between about 2 mm and about 14 mm. 
     
     
         80 . The battery device according to  claim 79  wherein the percent by weight of the micron conductor fiber is between about 20% and about 40% of the total weight of the conductive loaded resin-based material. 
     
     
         81 . The battery device according to  claim 79  wherein the micron conductive fiber is selected from the group consisting of nickel plated carbon fiber, stainless steel fiber, copper fiber, silver fiber and combination thereof. 
     
     
         82 . The battery device according to  claim 79  wherein the micron conductive fiber is stainless steel and wherein the percent by weight of the stainless steel fiber is between about 20% and about 40% of the total weight of the conductive loaded resin-based material. 
     
     
         83 . The battery device according to  claim 79  wherein the micron conductive fiber comprises stainless steel fiber. 
     
     
         84 . The battery device according to  claim 78  wherein the conductive loaded, resin-based material comprises conductive powder. 
     
     
         85 . A method to form a battery device of claim  1 , comprising:
 providing conductive loaded, resin-based material comprising micron conductor fiber in a resin-based host, and   molding said conductive loaded, resin-based material into the component being selected from the group consisting of a battery cable, a battery cable terminal, a cable conductor, and a heat sink.