Patent US4220504A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4220504A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Selective electroplating
Assignee: Burton Silverplating Co
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Filing: 1979-04-16
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Granted: 1980-09-02
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Expires: 1999-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A method for electroplating a selective area of a part is disclosed comprising the steps of rotating a disc having an absorbent upper surface, maintaining electrolytic solution on the absorbent upper surface of the disc. While such disc is charged anodically and the part is charged cathodically, the part is passed across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates with the selective area of the part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the rotating disc.
Inventors
- 👤 William H. Hanley
- 👤 Clarence O. Schrader
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:10
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/02; C25D5/04; C25D5/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of electroplating a selective area of a part comprising the steps of: rotating a disc, said disc having an absorbent upper surface, continuously maintaining electrolytic solution on the absorbent upper surface of the disc, maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, maintaining a cathodic charge on the part to be electroplated, and passing the part to be electroplated across at least a portion of a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of the part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc continuously brushing the selective area in a variety of directions and at a variety of speeds as the part passes across the disc.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of electroplating a selective area of a part comprising the steps of: rotating a disc, said disc having an absorbent upper surface, continuously maintaining electrolytic solution on the absorbent upper surface of the disc, maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, maintaining a cathodic charge on the part to be electroplated, and passing the part to be electroplated across at least a portion of a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of the part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc continuously brushing the selective area in a variety of directions and at a variety of speeds as the part passes across the disc.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electrolytic solution is maintained by depositing the solution onto the disc at a location near the center point of the disc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein a string of substantially identical parts connected by a metallic band is continuously passed across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of each part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc as the parts pass across the disc.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the part is electroplated with a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, nickel, copper, rhodium, paladium, indium, tin, and aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the part is an electrical component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the electrical component is an electrical contact.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the electrical contact is provided with a selective area consisting of a generally curved portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the curved portion is convex.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the convex portion is at one end of the electrical contact.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of passing the cathodically charged part across a chord of a circle within which a second anodically charged disc rotates, with the selective area of the part in contact with an electrolytic solution on an absorbent surface of the second disc as the parts pass across the disc.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of passing a second string of identical, cathodically charged parts to be electroplated, said parts being connected by a metallic band, across a second chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, said chords not intersecting, with the selective area of each part in the second string of parts in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc as said parts pass across the disc.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of electroplating gold onto selective areas of substantially identical parts uniformly mounted on a metallic band, comprising the steps of: rotating a disc, having an absorbent upper surface, substantially in a horizontal plane, continuously depositing an electrolytic solution onto the absorbent upper surface of the disc, maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, and while maintaining a cathodic charge on the parts, continuously passing the string of parts to be electroplated across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of each part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc, continuously brushing the selective area in a variety of directions and at a variety of speeds as each part passes across the disc.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of electroplating gold onto selective areas of substantially identical parts uniformly mounted on a metallic band, comprising the steps of: rotating a disc, having an absorbent upper surface, substantially in a horizontal plane, continuously depositing an electrolytic solution onto the absorbent upper surface of the disc, maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, and while maintaining a cathodic charge on the parts, continuously passing the string of parts to be electroplated across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of each part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc, continuously brushing the selective area in a variety of directions and at a variety of speeds as each part passes across the disc.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for electroplating a selective area of a part comprising: a rotatable disc having an absorbent upper surface, means for rotating said disc, means for continuously maintaining an electrolytic solution on the absorbent upper surface of the disc, means for maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, means for maintaining a cathodic charge on the part to be electroplated, and means for passing the part to be plated across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of the part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for electroplating a selective area of a part comprising: a rotatable disc having an absorbent upper surface, means for rotating said disc, means for continuously maintaining an electrolytic solution on the absorbent upper surface of the disc, means for maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, means for maintaining a cathodic charge on the part to be electroplated, and means for passing the part to be plated across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, with the selective area of the part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the means for maintaining an electrolytic solution on the absorbent surface includes means for depositing the electrolytic solution through a spout having a discharge port located near the center of the disc.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the part passing means comprises a driving mechanism located downstream of the disc to which one end of a string of identical parts mounted on a metallic band is connected, and a pair of opposed guide plates stationarily mounted across the chord of the circle within which the disc rotates through which the string of parts passes such that the selective area of each part contacts the electrolytic solution on the disc as each part passes across the disc.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the driving mechanism is a take-up reel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the driving mechanism is a tractor device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the guide plates are cathodically charged and such charge is tranferred to the parts as said parts pass through said guide plates.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including means for passing the cathodically charged part across a chord of a circle within which a second anodically charged disc rotates, with the selective area of the part in contact with an electrolytic solution on an absorbent surface of the second disc.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further including means for passing a second string of identical, cathodically charges parts to be electroplated, said parts mounted on a metallic band, across a second chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, said chords not intersecting, with the selective area of each part in the second string of parts in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc as the parts pass across the disc.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
127 words
An apparatus for electroplating gold onto selective areas of substantially identical parts uniformly mounted on a metallic band, comprising: a rotatable, anodically charged disc having an absorbent upper surface, lying substantially in a horizontal plane, means for rotating said disc, means for continuously depositing an electrolytic solution onto the absorbent upper surface of the disc at a location near the center of the disc, a pair of opposed guide plates cathodically charged, and stationarily mounted across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, and means for continuously passing the string of parts through the guide plates with the selective area of each part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc as each part passes through the guide plates and across the disc.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
127 words
An apparatus for electroplating gold onto selective areas of substantially identical parts uniformly mounted on a metallic band, comprising: a rotatable, anodically charged disc having an absorbent upper surface, lying substantially in a horizontal plane, means for rotating said disc, means for continuously depositing an electrolytic solution onto the absorbent upper surface of the disc at a location near the center of the disc, a pair of opposed guide plates cathodically charged, and stationarily mounted across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates, and means for continuously passing the string of parts through the guide plates with the selective area of each part in contact with the electrolytic solution on the disc as each part passes through the guide plates and across the disc.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
116 words
An electrical contact having a selective surface area electroplated by providing a rotatable disc with an absorbent upper surface, rotating said disc, continuously depositing an electrolytic solution onto the absorbent upper surface of the disc, maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, and a cathodic charge on the part to be electroplated, and passing the electrical contact across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates with the selective surface area of the electrical contact in contact with the electrolytic solution continuously brushing the selective surface area of the electrical contact in a variety of directions and at a variety of speeds as the part passes across the disc.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
116 words
An electrical contact having a selective surface area electroplated by providing a rotatable disc with an absorbent upper surface, rotating said disc, continuously depositing an electrolytic solution onto the absorbent upper surface of the disc, maintaining an anodic charge on the disc and the electrolytic solution thereon, and a cathodic charge on the part to be electroplated, and passing the electrical contact across a chord of the circle within which the disc rotates with the selective surface area of the electrical contact in contact with the electrolytic solution continuously brushing the selective surface area of the electrical contact in a variety of directions and at a variety of speeds as the part passes across the disc.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-09-02 | 1984-03-03 | 1984-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-09-02 | 1988-03-03 | 1988-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-09-02 | 1992-03-03 | 1992-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |