US3904489A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for continuous selective electroplating
Assignee: Auric Corp
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Filing: 1973-07-13
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1993-07-13
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components. A movable plating belt adapted for carrying electroplating solution on the surface thereof, is continuously moved through an electroplating station, with the electroplating solution being applied to the belt upstream of the plating station. The components to be selectively plated are arrayed into a line and conveyed across the surface of the moving belt with the portions selected to be plated in contact with the electroplating solution. The direction of conveyance is skewed with respect to the line along which the said belt moves, whereby the trace of each conveyed component on the belt, continuously overlies fresh electroplating solution. A D.C. electrical potential is applied between the components and the backside of the plating belt, to enable the electroplating action.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank J Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:04
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS ELECTROPLATING OF SELECTED PORTIONS OF DISCRETE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, WHILE MINIMIZING THE PLATING OF NON-SELECTED PORTIONS OF SAID COMPONENTS, COMPRISING: AN ELECTROPLATING STATION, A MOVEABLE PLATING BELT ADAPTED FOR CARRYING ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION ON THE SURFACE THEREOF, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SAID BELT THROUGH SAID ELECTROPLATING STATION, MEANS FOR APPLYING ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION TO SAID BELT AT A POINT IN THE PROGRESSION THEREOF, UPSTREAM OF SAID ELECTROPLATING STATION, BELT MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID DISCRETE COMPONENTS AS AN ARRAY OF MUTUALLY SPACED ELEMENTS ACROSS THE SURFACE OF SAID MOVING PLATING BELT, WITH SUBSTANTIALLY ONLY THE PORTIONS OF SAID COMPONENTS SELECTED TO BE PLATED IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH SAID ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION ON SAID BELT, THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYED ARRAY BEING SUCH IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID BELT THAT THE TRACE OF EACH SAID COMPONENT ON SAID BELT CONTINUOUSLY OVERLIES FRESH ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION, AND MEANS FOR APPLYING A D.C. ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL BETWEEN SAID COMPONENT PORTIONS TO BE PLATED, AND THE BACKSIDE OF SAID PLATING BELT, TO ENABLE SAID PLATING.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS ELECTROPLATING OF SELECTED PORTIONS OF DISCRETE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, WHILE MINIMIZING THE PLATING OF NON-SELECTED PORTIONS OF SAID COMPONENTS, COMPRISING: AN ELECTROPLATING STATION, A MOVEABLE PLATING BELT ADAPTED FOR CARRYING ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION ON THE SURFACE THEREOF, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SAID BELT THROUGH SAID ELECTROPLATING STATION, MEANS FOR APPLYING ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION TO SAID BELT AT A POINT IN THE PROGRESSION THEREOF, UPSTREAM OF SAID ELECTROPLATING STATION, BELT MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID DISCRETE COMPONENTS AS AN ARRAY OF MUTUALLY SPACED ELEMENTS ACROSS THE SURFACE OF SAID MOVING PLATING BELT, WITH SUBSTANTIALLY ONLY THE PORTIONS OF SAID COMPONENTS SELECTED TO BE PLATED IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH SAID ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION ON SAID BELT, THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYED ARRAY BEING SUCH IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID BELT THAT THE TRACE OF EACH SAID COMPONENT ON SAID BELT CONTINUOUSLY OVERLIES FRESH ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION, AND MEANS FOR APPLYING A D.C. ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL BETWEEN SAID COMPONENT PORTIONS TO BE PLATED, AND THE BACKSIDE OF SAID PLATING BELT, TO ENABLE SAID PLATING.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plating belt is a continuous loop, whereby said solution applying means continuously replenishes the solution carried by said belt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said solution applying means comprises a reservoir for said solution, said loop passing through said reservoir.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
136 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said conveyor means comprises electrically conductive belt means including openings for supporting said components with the selected portions thereof projecting beneath said conductive belt means; means for maintaining said components in said supported position on said conductive belt means; means for moving said conductive belt means through said electroplating station in proximate relationship to said plating belt to effect said contact of said selected portions with said electroplating solution carried by said plating belt; and wherein said means for applying said potential includes a backing anodic electrode underlying said plating belt at said station and means for applying a potential to said conductive belt means to render said belt means and at least the portions of said component electrically continuous therewith, cathodic with respect to said backing anodic electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, further including means for pumping electroplating solution from said reservoir and discharging said solution onto said plating belt at a point proximate to said plating station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said conductive and plating belts substantially lie in planes during passage through said plating station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said conductive belt means comprises a pair of parallel moving conductive belts, said openings for supporting said components being defined by the spacing between said belts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said spacing between said belts is adjustable, to accommodate components of differing sizes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said conductive belt means comprises a closed loop.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said means for maintaining said supported positions of said components, comprises an electrically non-conductive gripper belt means; means for applying said gripper belt means against a portion of said component opposite said conductive belt means; and means moving said gripper and conductive belt means through said electroplating station with said sandwiched portion of said component therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said conductive and gripper belt means each comprise closed loops in overlying relationship with respect to one another, said loops passing proximate to one another, and sandwiching said components at a flattened zone at said electroplating station.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further including lead contact means overlying said conductor and gripper belt means at said electroplating station, and movable with said belts, for electrically engaging flexible leads extending from said components, whereby a cathodic potential with respect to said anodic electrode, may be applied to portions of said components projecting beneath said conductive belt means which are in contact with said leads but electrically insulated from the remainder of said components.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said lead contact means comprises a movable belt provided with a resilient conductive surface; means for applying said cathodic Potential to said surface; and means moving said lead contact belt at a common velocity with said gripper and conductive belt means through said electroplating station.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components while minimizing the plating of non-selected portions of said components, comprising: a plating belt adapted for carrying electroplating solution; means for applying electroplating solution to said belt; belt means for forming said discrete components into an array of mutually spaced elements and bringing substantially only the said selected portions of said arrayed components into contact with said solution on said plating belt, and for providing relative movement between said belt and said arrayed components in a direction such that the path of movement of any said components does not substantially overlie an area on said belt previously depleted of solution by contact with another of said components; and means for applying a D.C. electrical potential between said component portions to be plated and said plating belt to enable said electroplating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components while minimizing the plating of non-selected portions of said components, comprising: a plating belt adapted for carrying electroplating solution; means for applying electroplating solution to said belt; belt means for forming said discrete components into an array of mutually spaced elements and bringing substantially only the said selected portions of said arrayed components into contact with said solution on said plating belt, and for providing relative movement between said belt and said arrayed components in a direction such that the path of movement of any said components does not substantially overlie an area on said belt previously depleted of solution by contact with another of said components; and means for applying a D.C. electrical potential between said component portions to be plated and said plating belt to enable said electroplating.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said means for providing movement between said belt and components, is adapted to advance said components as a line, the direction of movement of said aligned components being generally counter to the direction of movement of said belt, and said line making an angle with the line defining the direction of movement of said belt, which is less than 180*.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said means effecting said movement, include a conductive conveyor belt means including openings through which the said portions to be plated may project while said components are supported at the boundaries of said openings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 16, further including conveying gripper belt means, adapted to move with aaid conductive conveying belt means, while maintaining said components firmly in contact with said conveyor belt means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further including a flexible electrically conductive surface, said surface being movable on a conveyor belt including a portion spaced from and parallel to said conductive conveyor means and gripper belt means; said flexible surface being adapted to contact electrical leads extending from said components and electrically contacting at least some of said portions to be plated; and further including, means for rendering said electrically conductive flexible surface at a potential common with said conductive conveying belt means.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components while minimizing the plating of non-selected portions of said components, comprising: disposing electroplating solution upon a surface adapted for carrying said solution; providing an electrical potential between points underlying said surface and the portions of said components to be electroplated; arraying said discrete components as mutually spaced elements on a carrier belt and contacting substantially only the selected portions of said components to be electroplated with the solution on said surface, while providing relative sliding movement between said arrayed components and said surface; the direction of movement of said arrayed components with respect to said surface being such that individual of said components do not contact in their course of progression, areas which are depleted of electroplating solution by virtue of previous contact with other of said components.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components while minimizing the plating of non-selected portions of said components, comprising: disposing electroplating solution upon a surface adapted for carrying said solution; providing an electrical potential between points underlying said surface and the portions of said components to be electroplated; arraying said discrete components as mutually spaced elements on a carrier belt and contacting substantially only the selected portions of said components to be electroplated with the solution on said surface, while providing relative sliding movement between said arrayed components and said surface; the direction of movement of said arrayed components with respect to said surface being such that individual of said components do not contact in their course of progression, areas which are depleted of electroplating solution by virtue of previous contact with other of said components.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein said relative movement is provided by forming said surface upon a continuous closed loop, and advancing said loop continuously in lengthwise fashion, while continuously supplying electroplating solution to said surface at points spaced from the contact area with said components.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method in accordance witH claim 20, wherein said components are simultaneously moved as a continuous line across said surface, said line extending in a direction which is skewed with respect to a line parallel to the direction of movement of said loop.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the direction of movement of said components makes an angle with respect to the line defining the direction of movement of said surface, of less than 180* and more than about 90*.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 22, wherein said angle is between about 150* and 90*.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
243 words
A method for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components of the type comprising an electrically conductive body terminating in a die-receiving face; a plurality of electrical contacts formed as insulated islands at said die-receiving face; with flexible wire leads being connected to at least some of said contacts and extending oppositely from said die-receiving face beyond the body of said components, but at least some of said leads being electrically insulated from said body and from one another; said selected portions to be electroplated being said die-receiving face, and at least some of said electrical contacts; and said method comprising: continuously moving an applicator surface adapted for carrying electroplating solution through an electroplating station while applying electroplating solution to said applicator surface at a point in the progression thereof, upstream of said electroplating station; conveying said discrete components as an array through said electroplating station and across said applicator surface with said die-receiving face and electrical contacts in sliding contact with said electroplating solution on said surface; the direction of movement of said conveyed array being such in relationship to the movement of said surface that the trace of each said component on said surface continuously overlies fresh electroplating solution; and applying a cathodic D.C. potential to both said die-receiving face and the said leads connected to the insulated contacts to be plated, and an anodic D.C. potential at the backside of said applicator surface, to enable said selective plating.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
243 words
A method for continuous electroplating of selected portions of discrete electronic components of the type comprising an electrically conductive body terminating in a die-receiving face; a plurality of electrical contacts formed as insulated islands at said die-receiving face; with flexible wire leads being connected to at least some of said contacts and extending oppositely from said die-receiving face beyond the body of said components, but at least some of said leads being electrically insulated from said body and from one another; said selected portions to be electroplated being said die-receiving face, and at least some of said electrical contacts; and said method comprising: continuously moving an applicator surface adapted for carrying electroplating solution through an electroplating station while applying electroplating solution to said applicator surface at a point in the progression thereof, upstream of said electroplating station; conveying said discrete components as an array through said electroplating station and across said applicator surface with said die-receiving face and electrical contacts in sliding contact with said electroplating solution on said surface; the direction of movement of said conveyed array being such in relationship to the movement of said surface that the trace of each said component on said surface continuously overlies fresh electroplating solution; and applying a cathodic D.C. potential to both said die-receiving face and the said leads connected to the insulated contacts to be plated, and an anodic D.C. potential at the backside of said applicator surface, to enable said selective plating.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said applicator surface is formed upon a continuous closed loop.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein said loop comprises an applicator belt.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said discrete components are conveyed by an electrically conductive conveyor belt adapted for supporting said components, and said cathodic D.C. potential is applied to said die-receiving face by providing said cathodic potential to said conductive belt.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein said cathodic D.C. potential is applied to said flexible wire leads by a moveable lead contact belt overlying said electroplating station, and provided with a resilient conductive surface; said cathodic potential being applied to said resilient conductive surface; and said lead contact belt being moved through said electroplating station with said conductive surface in contact with said flexible leads.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |