US3954569A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of electroforming nickel on printed circuit boards
Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Co
•
Filing: 1974-12-20
•
Granted: 1976-05-04
•
Expires: 1994-12-20
Abstract
Abstract Anode shields are provided around the anode baskets in an electroforming process.
Inventors
- 👤 Ramon D. Vanderveer
- 👤 William P. Dugan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:52
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/22; H05K3/24; H05K3/241; C; C25; C25D; C25D1/00; C25D21/00; C25D21/12; H05K3/40; H05K3/4092; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S204/00; Y10S204/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of electroforming nickel on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a bath of sulfamate nickel plating solution; immersing a printed circuit board cathode in the plating solution; immersing a titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution in an operational relationship to the cathode; shielding the anode in a non-conductive plastic shield having a plurality of openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the surface of said shield facing the cathode; and passing a current through said anode to electrodeposit nickel from said nickel chips on said printed circuit board cathode.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of electroforming nickel on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a bath of sulfamate nickel plating solution; immersing a printed circuit board cathode in the plating solution; immersing a titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution in an operational relationship to the cathode; shielding the anode in a non-conductive plastic shield having a plurality of openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the surface of said shield facing the cathode; and passing a current through said anode to electrodeposit nickel from said nickel chips on said printed circuit board cathode.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of electroforming nickel on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a bath of sulfamate nickel plating solution; immersing a printed circuit board cathode in the plating solution; immersing a first titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on one side of the cathode; immersing a second titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on the opposed side of the cathode; shielding the anodes in non-conductive plastic shields having a plurality of openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the surface of said shields facing the cathode; and passing a current through the anode to electrodeposit nickel from said nickel chips on said printed circuit board cathode.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of electroforming nickel on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a bath of sulfamate nickel plating solution; immersing a printed circuit board cathode in the plating solution; immersing a first titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on one side of the cathode; immersing a second titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on the opposed side of the cathode; shielding the anodes in non-conductive plastic shields having a plurality of openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the surface of said shields facing the cathode; and passing a current through the anode to electrodeposit nickel from said nickel chips on said printed circuit board cathode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the openings in the first anode shield are substantially greater than the openings in the second anode shield to electroform a greater thickness of nickel on the first anode side of said cathode than on the second anode side thereof.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of electroforming nickel on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a bath of sulfamate nickel plating solution; immersing a printed circuit board cathode having a redundant circuit side and an opposed true circuit side in the plating solution; immersing a first titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on the redundant circuit side of the cathode; immersing a second titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on the true circuit side of the cathode; shielding the first anode basket in a first non-conductive plastic anode shield having four substantially flat surfaces disposed around and substantially enclosing said first anode basket, said first anode shield having a plurality of vertically extending rectangular openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the one flat surface of said first shield facing the redundant circuit side of the cathode; shielding the second anode basket in a second non-conductive plastic anode shield having four substantially flat surfaces disposed around and substantially enclosing said second anode basket, said second anode shield having a plurality of spaced circular openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the one flat surface of said second anode shield facing the true circuit side of the cathode; and passing a current through the anodes to electrodeposit nickel on both the redundant circuit side and the true circuit side of said printed circuit board cathode.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of electroforming nickel on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a bath of sulfamate nickel plating solution; immersing a printed circuit board cathode having a redundant circuit side and an opposed true circuit side in the plating solution; immersing a first titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on the redundant circuit side of the cathode; immersing a second titanium wire anode basket containing nickel chips in the plating solution on the true circuit side of the cathode; shielding the first anode basket in a first non-conductive plastic anode shield having four substantially flat surfaces disposed around and substantially enclosing said first anode basket, said first anode shield having a plurality of vertically extending rectangular openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the one flat surface of said first shield facing the redundant circuit side of the cathode; shielding the second anode basket in a second non-conductive plastic anode shield having four substantially flat surfaces disposed around and substantially enclosing said second anode basket, said second anode shield having a plurality of spaced circular openings disposed in a predetermined pattern on the one flat surface of said second anode shield facing the true circuit side of the cathode; and passing a current through the anodes to electrodeposit nickel on both the redundant circuit side and the true circuit side of said printed circuit board cathode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the openings in the first anode shield are substantially greater in flat surface area than the openings in the second anode shield to electroform a greater thickness of nickel on the redundant circuit side of said cathode than on the true circuit side thereof.
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) | 1979-05-04 | 1979-11-03 | 1980-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-05-04 | 1983-11-03 | 1984-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-05-04 | 1987-11-03 | 1988-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |