Patent EP0180090A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0180090A2
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EP
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System and method for automatically monitoring and maintaining desired concentrations of metal plating baths
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1985-10-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-15
Abstract
Abstract A system for the automatic, on-line analysis and control of additives in chemical processing solutions in manufacturing processes is disclosed. The automatic control system embodiment includes a sensing system such as measuring a cell (10) in which appropriate sensors are located. For electrochemical measurements, a three electrode cell with a rotating disk sensor is employed to control agitation of the sample solution. Other sensors on electrodes are used to measure pH and a thermometer is provided to monitor temperature. The sensing process, like the sampling process, is automatically controlled by a controller (18). The system, in addition to the sensing means and controller, further includes a plating tank (20), a mixing tank (22), a pump or control valve (24) and a reservoir (26). The measuring cell (10) may be disposed in the bath in a standard plating tank in which the plating bath solution is contained. Alternatively, a flow through tank may be used in which the plating solution may flow into and from as desired. When the sensing means so determines, a replenishment bath from the reservoir can be pumped into the mixing tank by means of the pump or control valve means under the command of signals from the controller which in turn receives output signals from the measuring cell.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary Vincent Arbach
- 👤 Perminder Singh Bindra
- 👤 David Noel Light
- 👤 David Lee Rath
- 👤 Judith Marie Roldan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:39
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/1601; C23C18/1617; C25; C25D; C25D21/00; C25D21/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A system for plating materials of the type including a first vessel containing a plating bath initially having a desired concentration of an organic additive and a second vessel containing a supply of said organic additive for said plating bath, said system being characterised by comprising an arrangement for automatically controlling the concentration of said additive in said plating bath comprising: means for obtaining an electrical measurement of said plating bath wherein said electrical measurement is a parameter dependent on the concentration of said additive in said bath, means for detecting changes in said electrical measurement indicative of changes in said additive concentration in said bath, means responsive to said detecting means for providing a control signal representative of said changes in additive concentration in said bath, and means connected between said first and second vessels for introducing a selected amount of said organic additive from said second vessel into said first vessel in accordance with said control signal to maintain said desired concentration of said additive in said plating bath.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
171 words
A system for plating materials of the type including a first vessel containing a plating bath initially having a desired concentration of an organic additive and a second vessel containing a supply of said organic additive for said plating bath, said system being characterised by comprising an arrangement for automatically controlling the concentration of said additive in said plating bath comprising: means for obtaining an electrical measurement of said plating bath wherein said electrical measurement is a parameter dependent on the concentration of said additive in said bath, means for detecting changes in said electrical measurement indicative of changes in said additive concentration in said bath, means responsive to said detecting means for providing a control signal representative of said changes in additive concentration in said bath, and means connected between said first and second vessels for introducing a selected amount of said organic additive from said second vessel into said first vessel in accordance with said control signal to maintain said desired concentration of said additive in said plating bath.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 1, in which said means for obtaining an electrical measurement includes means for measuring the mixed potential E MP (as hereinbefore defined) of said plating bath wherein said mixed potential is a parameter dependent on the concentration of said additive in said bath, and said detecting means includes means for detecting changes in said mixed potential indicative of changes in said additive concentration in said bath.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 2, said measuring means being a applied directly in situ to said plating bath in said first vessel, and wherein said measuring means includes an electrode system having a rotating disc sensor and reference electrodes for performing an electrolytic measurement of the mixed potential E of said bath.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 2, further including a by-pass tank connected to said first vessel for obtaining a sample of said plating bath in said first vessel, and wherein said measuring means is applied to said sample of plating bath in said by-pass tank and includes an electronic system having a rotating disc sensor and reference electrodes for performing an electrolytic measurement of the mixed potential E MP of said bath.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system for plating material according to Claim 2, 3 or 4, in which said detecting means including an electronic data processing means having calibration data relating plating concentration to said electrolytic measurement for producing an output signal specifying additives value for measured concentrations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 5, in which said means responsive to said detecting means includes a pump and valve combination disposed between said first and second vessels responsive to said output signal from said electronic data processing means from transferring an amount of said additive from said second vessel to said first vessel to maintain said desired concentration of said additive in said plating bath.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 6, in which said rotating disc sensor and said electrode system measuring the mixed potential of said plating bath with a zero net current applied to said bath, and said electronic data processing detecting means interpreting said mixed potential measurement as a function of the relative velocity of said plating bath and said rotating sensor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 7, said electronic data processing detecting means having stored therein data associated with plating bath concentration valves measured as a function of rotation velocities of said rotating disc sensor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 8, said additive in said plating bath and said second vessel being thiourea.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system for plating materials according to Claim 8, said additive in said plating bath and said second vessel being 2-benzothiazolethiol.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for controlling the concentration of an organic additive in a system for plating materials of the type including a first vessel containing a plating bath having a desired concentration of an organic additive and a second vessel containing a supply of said organic additive for said plating bath, comprising the steps of: electrically measuring the mixed potential E MP (as hereinbefore degined) of said plating bath wherein said mixed potential is a parameter dependent on the concentration of said additive in said bath, detecting and analyzing changes in said mixed potential for determining changes in said additive concentration in said bath, and automatically adding a selected amount of said organic additive from said second vessel into said first vessel in accordance with said determined changes in said additive concentration to maintain said desired concentration of said additive in said plating bath.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for controlling the concentration of an organic additive in a system for plating materials of the type including a first vessel containing a plating bath having a desired concentration of an organic additive and a second vessel containing a supply of said organic additive for said plating bath, comprising the steps of: electrically measuring the mixed potential E MP (as hereinbefore degined) of said plating bath wherein said mixed potential is a parameter dependent on the concentration of said additive in said bath, detecting and analyzing changes in said mixed potential for determining changes in said additive concentration in said bath, and automatically adding a selected amount of said organic additive from said second vessel into said first vessel in accordance with said determined changes in said additive concentration to maintain said desired concentration of said additive in said plating bath.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method for controlling the concentrations of a plating bath according to Claim 11, wherein said electrical measuring step is applied directly in situ to said plating bath in said first vessel, and wherein said electrical measurement step includes performing an electrolytic measurement of the mixed potential E of said bath.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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