US4364802A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Scanning electrode vibration electrodeposition method
Assignee: Japan Kinoko Research Center Foundation
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Filing: 1981-03-05
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Granted: 1982-12-21
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Expires: 2001-03-05
Abstract
Abstract An electrodeposition method and apparatus, particularly suitable for electrodeposition of a substrate of large area and intricate contour, uses an electrode having a small electrode area adapted to be spacedly juxtaposed with a portion of the substrate to define a small electrodeposition gap flushed with a stream of liquid electrolyte. High-frequency and small mechanical vibrations are imparted to the electrode while an electrodeposition current, preferably in the form of pulses, is passed between the electrode and the workpiece, which are relatively displaced by a drive unit to cause the electrode area to sweep three-dimensionally over a selected surface area of the substrate, thereby forming a layer of the electrodeposition thereon of a desired uniform thickness with an increased rate. The electrode is preferably constituted as an electrode assembly comprising an electromechanical transducer, a horn and the electrode attached in sequence. Drive means responds to a numerical controller to produce a three-dimensional displacement between the electrode assembly and the substrate. An automatic electrode changing unit is associated with the numerical controller for successively bringing a plurality of different electrodes into electrodeposition positions to act on successive surface regions of the contoured substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyoshi Inoue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 08:58
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/18; C25D5/04; C25D21/00; C25D21/12; C25D5/60; C25D5/615; C25D5/617
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of electrodeposition, comprising the steps of: spacedly juxtaposing a substrate with an electrode having a relatively small area in the region thereof confronting said substrate to define a small electrodeposition gap therebetween; flushing said electrodeposition gap with a liquid electrolyte; passing an electric current through said gap between said electrode and said substrate to electrodeposit a metallic substance from said liquid electrolyte onto said substrate; imparting high-frequency mechanical vibrations to said electrode; and relatively displacing said electrode and said substrate to cause said electrode area to sweep over at least a selected surface area of said substrate, thereby forming thereon a layer of the electrodeposition of a predetermined thickness.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of electrodeposition, comprising the steps of: spacedly juxtaposing a substrate with an electrode having a relatively small area in the region thereof confronting said substrate to define a small electrodeposition gap therebetween; flushing said electrodeposition gap with a liquid electrolyte; passing an electric current through said gap between said electrode and said substrate to electrodeposit a metallic substance from said liquid electrolyte onto said substrate; imparting high-frequency mechanical vibrations to said electrode; and relatively displacing said electrode and said substrate to cause said electrode area to sweep over at least a selected surface area of said substrate, thereby forming thereon a layer of the electrodeposition of a predetermined thickness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said electrodeposition gap is of a size not greater than 1 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 2 wherein said size is not greater than 0.5 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said vibrations are of a frequency between 50 Hz and 1 MHz.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 4 wherein said frequency is between 1 kHz and 500 kHz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said mechanical vibrations are of an amplitude not greater than 1 mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said vibrations is not greater than 0.5 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method defined in claim 4 wherein said mechanical vibrations have a low-frequency component of a frequency between 50 and 500 Hz and a high-frequency component of a frequency between 1 kHz and 500 kHz superimposed thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 5 wherein said electric current is in the form of a succession of pulses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method defined in claim 9 wherein said pulses are produced in synchronism with said mechanical vibrations so that each instant said electrode comes closest to said substrate during each stroke of said mechanical vibrations, each of said pulses is passed through said electrodeposition gap.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein each of said pulses is in the form of a train of elementary pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 9 wherein the frequency of said pulses is slightly greater than the frequency of said mechanical vibrations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said electrode is a portion of an electrode assembly including an electromechanical transducer energized by a power supply for producing mechanical oscillatory signals therein and a horn body attached at its portion of greater cross section to said transducer and at its portion of smaller cross section to said electrode for transmitting said mechanical oscillatory signals to said electrode, thereby providing said mechanical vibrations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said substrate has an intricate surface contour and said gap spacing is maintained substantially constant while said electrode and said substrate are relatively displaced.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method defined in claim 1 using a plurality of such electrodes for a plurality of such surface areas of said substrate of an intricate contour, each of said electrode having an electrode area with a geometrical characteristic preselected in conjunction with a geometrical characteristic of each of said surface areas for electrodeposition therewith to extend said layer of electrodeposition over an entire area of said substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method defined in claim 15, further comprising, upon forming each layer of electrodeposition on each of said surface areas, replacing the one of said electrodes which was used therefor by another of said electrodes which is preselected for a next of said surface areas to be electrodeposited.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method defined in claim 13 using a plurality of such electrode assemblies for a plurality of such surface areas of said substrate of an intricate contour, each of said assemblies carrying such an electrode having an electrode area with a geometrical characteristic preselected in conjunction with a geometrical characteristic of each of said surface areas for electrodeposition therewith to extend said layer of electrodeposition over an entire area of said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method defined in claim 17, further comprising, upon forming each layer of electrodeposition on each of said surface areas, replacing the one of said electrode assemblies which was used therefor by another of said electrode assemblies which is preselected for a next of said surface areas to be electrodeposited.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
The method defined in claim 16 or claim 18, further comprising the step of increasing the thickness of said layer electrodeposited over said entire region of said substrate by juxtaposing said electrodeposited substrate of intricate contour with a planar electrode having an electrode area greater than said relatively small area confronting said substrate to define a large gap therebetween which is much greater than said electrodeposition gap in the presence of said liquid electrolyte; and passing an electric current through said large gap to electrodeposit said metallic substance from said liquid electrolyte onto the previously electrodeposited substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said metallic substance is a metal selected from the group which consists of nickel, chronium, copper, gold and platinum.
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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) | 1985-12-20 | 1986-06-21 | 1986-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-20 | 1990-06-21 | 1990-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-20 | 1994-06-21 | 1994-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |