Apple Inc.
PRECIOUS-METAL-ALLOY CONTACTS

Abstract:

Contacts that can be highly corrosion resistant, can be readily manufactured, and can conserve precious materials . One example can provide contacts having a layer of a precious-metal alloy to improve corrosion resistance. The precious-metal-alloy layer can be plated with a hard, durable, wear and corrosion resistant plating stack for further corrosion resistance and wear improvement. The resources consumed by a contact can be reduced by forming a bulk or substrate region of the contact using a more readily available material, such as copper or a material that is primarily copper based.