EP0254962B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for electroplating platelike articles, particularly circuit boards
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1987-07-15
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Granted: 1991-12-18
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Expires: 2007-07-15
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for electroplating plate-shaped workpieces, such as a printed circuit board, having a cell, an arrangement for conducting the workpiece through the cell, and anodes arranged in the cell in contact with the electrolyte solution characterized by an arrangement to cathodically connect the workpiece including at least one tong-shaped contact clamp for gripping the workpiece and arrangement for moving the clamp along with the workpiece, as is conveyed through the cell. Preferably, the arrangement for moving is an endless drive of a continuous member, such as a chain or a plurality of belts, and a plurality of contact clamps are spaced along this member to grip the edge portion of the workpieces.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Hosten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:26
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/22; H05K3/24; H05K3/241; C; C25; C25D; C25D17/00; C25D17/005; C25D17/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
Electroplating apparatus for workpieces to be treated in horizontal flow, preferably printed circuit boards, having at least one anode arranged in the electrolyte solution and having at least one laterally arranged contact device for making cathodic contact with the workpieces passing through, characterised in that the contact device is formed by a tong-shaped contact terminal (Kk1; Kk2) which can be conveyed laterally with the workpiece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that a plurality of contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2) which can be conveyed laterally with the workpiece are provided at a distance from one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2) which can be conveyed laterally with the workpiece are provided on both sides of the flow path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one endless drive is arranged on at least one side of the flow path, as a conveyable carrier of tong-shaped contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised in that the endless drive is formed by a chain (Ke).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised in that the endless drive is formed by at least one toothed belt (Zro, Zru).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 6, characterised in that an upper toothed belt (Zro) is allocated to the upper clamping jaws (Kbo2) of the contact terminals (Kk2) and in that a lower toothed belt (Zru) is allocated to the lower clamping jaws (Kbu2) of the contact terminals (Kk2).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of Claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the endless drive can be driven and forms a transportation apparatus for the horizontal flow of the workpieces, with the tong-shaped contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2) as drive catches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of Claims 4 to 8, characterised in that at least one cleaning apparatus (RE1; RE2) is arranged in the region of the returning strand of the endless drive for the mechanical and/or chemical cleaning of the contact surfaces (Kfo1, Kfu1; Kfo2, Kfu2) of the contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cathode current can be supplied to the contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2) by means of a sliding contact.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 10, characterised in that the cathode current can be supplied separately to the upper side and to the lower side of the workpieces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the cathode current can be supplied separately to both sides of the workpieces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the cathode current can be supplied via at least two separate longitudinal sections, seen in the direction of flow of the workpieces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 13, characterised in that the cathode current can be supplied to the upper clamping jaws (Kbo1) of the contact terminals (Kk1) via an upper live rail (Sso) and can be supplied to the lower clamping jaws (Kbu1) of the contact terminals (Kk1) via a lower live rail (Ssu).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 14, characterised in that the upper live rail (Sso) and the lower live rail (Ssu) are arranged in a manner such that they are used at the same time as detents for closing the contact terminals (Kk1) in the electroplating area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 13, characterised in that the cathode current can be supplied to the upper clamping jaws (Kbo2) of the contact terminals (Kk2) via an upper brush (Bo) extending in the direction of flow, and can be supplied to the lower clamping jaws (Kbu2) of the contact terminals (Kk2) via a lower brush (Bu) extending in the direction of flow.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 16, characterised in that current pick-offs (Sao), integrally formed on the rear of the upper clamping jaws (Kbo2), are allocated to the upper brush (Bo), and in that current pick-offs (Sau), integrally formed on the rear of the lower clamping jaws (Kbu2), are allocated to the lower brush (Bu).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 14, 16 or 17, characterised in that the contact pressure of a contact terminal (Kk2) can be applied by a locking spring (Sf), and in that detent controls are provided, acting to open the contact terminal (Kk2) in the inflow and outflow area of the workpieces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
Electroplating apparatus according to Claim 18, characterised in that an opening bolt (Ob) of the contact terminal (Kk2), acting against the force of the locking spring (Sf), is allocated to the detent control.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
Electroplating apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the contact terminals (Kk1; Kk2) are screened against the ingress of electrolyte solution by means of a seal (D) abutting against the respective workpiece and extending laterally in the direction of flow.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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