Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A nickel-iron alloy article having a solderability, which comprises a thin plating layer of nickel formed on the surface of a nickel-iron alloy, and an ultra-thin plating layer of a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver and palladium, or an alloy selected from the group consisting of gold-, silver- or palladium-containing alloys, which is formed on the nickel plating layer, the amount of the nickel deposited.being so small that a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-iron alloy and the color tone of nickel is produced when plate with nickel and the amount of the gold, silver or palladium or the alloy thereof deposited being so small that a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy and the color tone of gold, silver or palladium or the alloy thereof, when plated with gold, silver or palladium or the alloy thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A nickel-iron alloy article having a solderability, which comprises a thin plating layer of nickel formed on the surface of a nickel-iron alloy, and an ultra-thin plating layer of a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver and palladium, or an alloy selected from the group consisting of gold-, silver- or palladium-containing alloys, which is formed on the nickel plating layer, the amount of the nickel deposited.being so small that a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-iron alloy and the color tone of nickel is produced when plate with nickel and the amount of the gold, silver or palladium or the alloy thereof deposited being so small that a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy and the color tone of gold, silver or palladium or the alloy thereof, when plated with gold, silver or palladium or the alloy thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, wherein the nickel-iron alloy consists essentially of 6 to 45% by weight of nickel and 55 to 94% by weight of iron.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the deposited nickel is 0 500 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited nickel by the area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the deposited nickel is 0 in the range of 300 to 700 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited nickel by the area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A nickel-iron alloy aritcle according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the deposited gold, plalladium or alloy thereof is in the range of 30 0 to 500 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof is in the range of 50 0 to 300 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the deposited silver or 0 alloy thereof deposited is in the range of 50 to 2,000 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited silver or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the deposited silver or 0 alloy thereof is in the range of 100 to 1,000 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited silver or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
' 9. A nickel-iron alloy article according to claim 1, which is a lead frame for IC.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of making a nickel-iron alloy article having a solderability, which comprises: electroplating a nickel-iron alloy material with nickel to an extent such that the resulting nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy material exhibits a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-iron alloy material and the color tone of nickel, and immediately thereafter, electroplating the nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy material with a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver and palladium, and alloys of these metals, to an extent such that the resulting plated nickel-iron alloy material exhibits a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy material and the color tone of the gold, silver, palladium or alloy thereof used.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of making a nickel-iron alloy article having a solderability, which comprises: electroplating a nickel-iron alloy material with nickel to an extent such that the resulting nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy material exhibits a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-iron alloy material and the color tone of nickel, and immediately thereafter, electroplating the nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy material with a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver and palladium, and alloys of these metals, to an extent such that the resulting plated nickel-iron alloy material exhibits a color tone intermediate between the color tone of the nickel-plated nickel-iron alloy material and the color tone of the gold, silver, palladium or alloy thereof used.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the nickel-iron alloy material consists essentially of 6 to 45% by weight of nickel and 55 to 94% by weight of iron.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the o amount of the deposited nickel is 500 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited nickel by the area.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the amount of the deposited nickel is in the range of 300 to 700 Å as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited nickel by the area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the electroplating with nickel is carried out at a temperature of 45 to 65°C at a cathode current density of 4 to 12 ampere/dm 2 for a period of 10 seconds to 2 minutes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof 0 is in the range of 30 to 500 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof o is in the range of 50 to 300 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited gold, palladium or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the amount of the deposited silver or alloy thereof deposited is in the range of 50 to 2,000 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited silver or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the amount of the deposited silver or alloy thereof is in 0 the range of 100 to 1,000 A as expressed in terms of thickness which is calculated by dividing the amount of the deposited silver or alloy thereof by the area.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the electroplating with gold, silver, palladium or an alloy thereof is carried out at a temperature of 40 to 65°C at a cathode current density of 0.5 to 18 ampere/dm 2 for a period of 1 second to 2 minutes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
146 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein, prior to the electroplating with nickel, the nickel-iron alloy material is dipped in an activating solution containing, based on the weight of the solution: (i) 3 to 20% by weight of hydrochloric acid, (ii) 2 to 30% by weight of sulfuric acid, (iii) 0.1 to 5% by weight of a nonionic or cationic surface active agent and ' (iv) 0.1 to 20% by weight of 2-pyrrolidone or its N-alkyl derivative, and then, the activated nickel-iron alloy material is subjected to cathodic electrolysis in a cathode electrolytic activation solution containing, based on the weight of the solution: (i) 5 to 20% by weight of phosphoric acid, (ii) 2 to 10% by weight of nitric acid, (iii) 0.1 to 5% by weight of a nonionic surface active agent and (iv) 0.1 to 20% by weight of 2-pyrrolidone or its N-alkyl derivative.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the nickel-iron alloy article is a lead frame for IC.