Electrical connector for oxidized surface

Abstract

An electrical connector for an oxidized surface includes a plurality of spaced apart parallel connector legs integrally formed as extensions of a central connector spine. Each connector leg has a free standing integral barb projecting therefrom toward an adjacent one of the connector legs. A group of legs is arranged to straddle a metal plate having an oxidized surface with the pointed ends of the barbs having a separation less than the thickness of the plate to enable the barbs to scrape the oxide from the surface to establish electrical contact to the underlying metal layer. The connector, in turn, is made of phosphor bronze to enable a spring-loaded electrical contact to be made to the connector surface by providing a low resistance non-oxidizing contacting surface. A use for such as connector would be to provide an effective electrical connection to aluminum plates such as those used in an electrostatic precipitator where the aluminum oxide forms an electrical current barrier and the connector is required to have a low resistance surface to contact a spring-loaded connector extending from a high voltage source to the collector plates. The use of an extended connector spine enables the connector to bridge a pair of plates while providing individual electrical connections thereto.