An underwater connector half includes a base and at least two electrical connection terminals respectively connected to two electric wires received in at least one cable. The two electrical connection terminals are ring-shaped and coaxial about an axis located along a direction of assembly of a complementary connector half and the base has a side wall that is parallel to the axis and through which passes the cable. An underwater connector including such a connector half is also disclosed.

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for forming electrical connections using liquid metals. Electrical connections that employ liquid metals are useful for testing and validation of semiconductor devices. Electrical connections are formed between the probes of a testing interface and the electronic interface of a device under test through a liquid metal region. In embodiments of the invention, liquid metal interconnects are comprised of gallium or liquid metal alloys of gallium. The use of liquid metal contacts does not require a predetermined amount of force be applied in order to reliably make an electrical connection.

An electronic device and associated methods are disclosed. In one example, the electronic device includes a socket that includes one or more liquid metal filled reservoirs. In selected examples, the electronic devices and sockets include configurations to aid in reducing ingress of moisture.

An electronic device and associated methods are disclosed. In one example, the electronic device includes a socket that includes one or more liquid metal filled reservoirs. In selected examples, the electronic devices and sockets include configurations to aid in reducing ingress of moisture.

A detachable electrical device can be formed from a kit comprising a pair of component parts adapted for connection to each other, wherein the connected components of the device may be subsequently disconnected, comprising: an array of electrical connectors, each electrical connector comprising an electrically conductive liquid; and an array of electrodes; wherein the arrays can be brought into contact with each other so as to provide a plurality of electrical connections between the electrically conductive liquid of the array of electrical connectors and the electrodes of the array of electrodes, and wherein the electrical connections may be subsequently broken by detaching the electrically conductive liquid from the electrodes of the array.

A rotary connector includes a rod-shaped rotating side electrode rotatably supported by an external shell case and a fixed side electrode supported by the external shell case. Rotating side electrode and the fixed side electrode are disposed so that one end parts of the electrodes face each other spaced apart to form a clearance therebetween, the rotary connector further has a cylindrical liquid impregnated member, disposed so as to surround the outer peripheral surface close to the one end part of the fixed side electrode, that covers the clearance formed between the fixed side electrode and the rotating side electrode from outer peripheral sides of the fixed side electrode and the rotating side electrode, and the region formed by one end part of the rotating side electrode, one end part of the fixed side electrode, and the inner peripheral surface of the liquid impregnated member is filled with liquid metal.

A rotary connector includes a rod-shaped rotating side electrode rotatably supported by an external shell case and a fixed side electrode supported by the external shell case. Rotating side electrode and the fixed side electrode are disposed so that one end parts of the electrodes face each other spaced apart to form a clearance therebetween, the rotary connector further has a cylindrical liquid impregnated member, disposed so as to surround the outer peripheral surface close to the one end part of the fixed side electrode, that covers the clearance formed between the fixed side electrode and the rotating side electrode from outer peripheral sides of the fixed side electrode and the rotating side electrode, and the region formed by one end part of the rotating side electrode, one end part of the fixed side electrode, and the inner peripheral surface of the liquid impregnated member is filled with liquid metal.

A conductive member of the present invention includes: a metallic conductive base material including a joining region to be joined to another conductive member when the conductive member is used; and a conductive-auxiliary-coating-agent layer for imparting conductivity and an oxidation preventing property to a joining section between the joining region and another conductive member when the conductive member is used, the conductive-auxiliary-coating-agent layer being formed by applying a conductive auxiliary coating agent to the joining region of the conductive base material, in which the joining region of the conductive base material has a surface roughness of 0.6 μm or less in terms of an arithmetic mean roughness Ra specified in JISB0601 (1994).

A conductive member of the present invention includes: a metallic conductive base material including a joining region to be joined to another conductive member when the conductive member is used; and a conductive-auxiliary-coating-agent layer for imparting conductivity and an oxidation preventing property to a joining section between the joining region and another conductive member when the conductive member is used, the conductive-auxiliary-coating-agent layer being formed by applying a conductive auxiliary coating agent to the joining region of the conductive base material, in which the joining region of the conductive base material has a surface roughness of 0.6 μm or less in terms of an arithmetic mean roughness Ra specified in JISB0601 (1994).

A connector to connect to a liquid metal wire includes a hollow conduit configured to connect to a tubular wire casing, and further includes a reservoir including a solid metal conductor. The reservoir is to receive liquid metal to substantially fill a volume of the reservoir such that the liquid metal extends into the tubular wire casing. The tubular wire casing, filled with the liquid metal, becomes the liquid metal wire.