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US3871914A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Etchant rinse apparatus

Assignee: Chemcut Corp
•
Filing: 1971-10-18
•
Granted: 1975-03-18
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Expires: 1991-10-18
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Abstract

Abstract Residual etchant, such as acid and the like remaining on articles such as printed circuit boards that have been etched, contains a metallic chemical component, such as copper. When this residual etchant is rinsed from the articles (such as printed circuit boards), it contaminates the water of the rinse. The chemical replacement of copper ions in the rinse with aluminum ions by passing the rinse through a basket filled with aluminum turnings, and recycling the rinse thus passed back for reuse at the rinsing station continuously renders the rinsing water free of copper, to permit periodic discharge of the rinse water to sewage or the like.

Inventors

  • 👤 Daniel L Goffredo
  • 👤 Jr John Alfred Dunkelberger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 23:18
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/66; C02F1/70; C02F1/705; C23; C23F; C23F1/00; C23F1/08; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/22; H05K3/26; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/07; H05K2203/0736; H05K2203/075; H05K2203/0756; H05K2203/0766; H05K2203/15; H05K2203/1509; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 176 words
A RINSING APPARTUS FOR RINSING ETCHING REACTANT FROM ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN ETCHED BY A REACTANT COMPRISING A RINSING CHAMBER, MEANS FOR CONVEYING ETCHED ARTICLES THROUGH THE CHAMBER, RINSE DISPENSING MEMBERS LOCATED IN SAID CHAMBER AND POSITIONED FOR DISPENSING RINSING LIQUID ONTO THE ARTICLES IN THE CHAMBER, A RINSE RESERVOIR FOR CONTAINING A RINSING LIQUID, MEANS FOR DELIVERING RINSING LIQUID FROM SAID RESERVOIR TO SAID DISPENSING MEMBERS, A REPLACEMENT CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED FOR RECEIVING RINSE LIQUID FROM SAID RESERVIOR AND HAVING AN OUTLET CONNECTED FOR RECYCLING THE RINSE LIQUID FOR DELIVERY TO THE RESERVOIR, SAID REPLACEMENT CHAMBER INCLUDING A TANK CONTAINING A DISPLACING MATERIAL AND MEANS FOR FACILITATING FLOW OF RINSE LIQUID FROM THE INLET THROUGH THE DISPLACING MATERIAL IN THE TANK AND TO THE OUTLET, WITH THE DISPLACING MATERIAL COMPRISING MEANS FACILITATING AN ION REPLACEMENT OF ETCHANT IONS IN THE RINSE LIQUID WITH IONS FROM THE DISPLACEING MATERIAL, WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR DELIVERING RINSING LIQUID INCLUDES PUMP MEANS FOR DELIVERY OF LIQUID SIMULTANEOUSLY TO BOTH THE RINSE DISPENSING MEMBERS AND THE REPLACEMENT CHAMBER.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 176 words
A RINSING APPARTUS FOR RINSING ETCHING REACTANT FROM ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN ETCHED BY A REACTANT COMPRISING A RINSING CHAMBER, MEANS FOR CONVEYING ETCHED ARTICLES THROUGH THE CHAMBER, RINSE DISPENSING MEMBERS LOCATED IN SAID CHAMBER AND POSITIONED FOR DISPENSING RINSING LIQUID ONTO THE ARTICLES IN THE CHAMBER, A RINSE RESERVOIR FOR CONTAINING A RINSING LIQUID, MEANS FOR DELIVERING RINSING LIQUID FROM SAID RESERVOIR TO SAID DISPENSING MEMBERS, A REPLACEMENT CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED FOR RECEIVING RINSE LIQUID FROM SAID RESERVIOR AND HAVING AN OUTLET CONNECTED FOR RECYCLING THE RINSE LIQUID FOR DELIVERY TO THE RESERVOIR, SAID REPLACEMENT CHAMBER INCLUDING A TANK CONTAINING A DISPLACING MATERIAL AND MEANS FOR FACILITATING FLOW OF RINSE LIQUID FROM THE INLET THROUGH THE DISPLACING MATERIAL IN THE TANK AND TO THE OUTLET, WITH THE DISPLACING MATERIAL COMPRISING MEANS FACILITATING AN ION REPLACEMENT OF ETCHANT IONS IN THE RINSE LIQUID WITH IONS FROM THE DISPLACEING MATERIAL, WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR DELIVERING RINSING LIQUID INCLUDES PUMP MEANS FOR DELIVERY OF LIQUID SIMULTANEOUSLY TO BOTH THE RINSE DISPENSING MEMBERS AND THE REPLACEMENT CHAMBER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 12 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said displacing material is particulate material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the articles being etched contain copper with the rinse containing a substantial concentration of copper ions, and wherein said particulate material comprises aluminum particles for chemical replacement of copper ions with aluminum ions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 128 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said pump means includes a pump, having a discharge therefrom bifurcated for delivery both to the rinsing members and to the replacement chamber, wherein said tank is disposed within said replacement chamber centrally thereof, and spaced from the walls of the chamber thereof, and with said flow facilitating means including a central inlet of rinse liquid to the tank, and with tank walls being perforate for discharge of liquid therethrough to the outlet of said replacement chamber, wherein said dispensing members comprise spray nozzles, and wherein said conveying means comprises means for moving the articles along a generally horizontal path, with said spray nozzles being disposed both above and below the path for spraying upper and lower sides of articles conveyed therealong.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
The aparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispensing members comprise spray nozzles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 60 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tank is disposed within said replacement chamber centrally thereof, and spaced from the walls of the chamber thereof, and with said flow facilitating means including a central inlet of rinse liquid to the tank, and with the tank walls being perforate for discharge of liquid therethrough to the outlet of said replacement chamber.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2440134A Cited
US3082774A Cited
US3255106A Cited
US3431921A Cited
US3603329A Cited
US3705061A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-03-17 1978-09-16 1979-03-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-03-17 1982-09-16 1983-03-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-03-17 1986-09-16 1987-03-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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