Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A tin, lead or tin-lead alloy plating bath, which comprises: (A) a principal plating bath containing an alkanesulfonic or alkanolsulfonic acid, and either a divalent tin salt or a divalent lead salt thereof or both; (B) a surfactant selected from the group consisting of (a) a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, alkyl pyridinium salts, alkyl imidazolinium salts and higher alkyl amine salts, (b) an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of betaines, and (c) a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of condensation products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a styrenated phenol, a higher alcohol, an alkyl phenol, an alkyl naphthol, a fatty acid amide, a sorbitan and a phosphate; and (C) a levelling agent selected from the group consisting of alkylidene sulfamic acids, quinolinol derivatives, benzotriazole derivatives, dialkylidene o-phenylene diamines, benzaldehyde derivatives, triazine derivatives, salicylic acid derivatives and nitriles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A tin, lead or tin-lead alloy plating bath, which comprises: (A) a principal plating bath containing an alkanesulfonic or alkanolsulfonic acid, and either a divalent tin salt or a divalent lead salt thereof or both; (B) a surfactant selected from the group consisting of (a) a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, alkyl pyridinium salts, alkyl imidazolinium salts and higher alkyl amine salts, (b) an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of betaines, and (c) a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of condensation products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a styrenated phenol, a higher alcohol, an alkyl phenol, an alkyl naphthol, a fatty acid amide, a sorbitan and a phosphate; and (C) a levelling agent selected from the group consisting of alkylidene sulfamic acids, quinolinol derivatives, benzotriazole derivatives, dialkylidene o-phenylene diamines, benzaldehyde derivatives, triazine derivatives, salicylic acid derivatives and nitriles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
A tin, lead or tin-lead alloy plating bath, which comprises: (A) a principal plating bath containing an alkanesulfonic or alkanolsulfonic acid, and either a divalent tin salt or a divalent lead salt thereof or both; (B) a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of condensation products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a styrenated phenol, a higher alcohol, an alkyl phenol, an alkyl naphthol, a fatty acid amide, a sorbitan and a phosphate; and (C) a levelling agent selected from the group consisting of alkylidene sulfamic acids, quinolinol derivatives, benzotriazole derivatives, dialkylidene o-phenylene diamines, benzaldehyde derivatives, triazine derivatives, salicylic acid derivatives and nitriles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
A tin, lead or tin-lead alloy plating bath, which comprises: (A) a principal plating bath containing an alkanesulfonic or alkanolsulfonic acid, and either a divalent tin salt or a divalent lead salt thereof or both; (B) a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of condensation products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a styrenated phenol, a higher alcohol, an alkyl phenol, an alkyl naphthol, a fatty acid amide, a sorbitan and a phosphate; and (C) a levelling agent selected from the group consisting of alkylidene sulfamic acids, quinolinol derivatives, benzotriazole derivatives, dialkylidene o-phenylene diamines, benzaldehyde derivatives, triazine derivatives, salicylic acid derivatives and nitriles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant further comprises a surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, alkyl pyridinium salts, alkyl imidazolinium salts, higher alkyl amine salts and betaines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The plating bath according to claim 3, in which said surfactant comprises a quaternary ammonium salt having the general formula I: ##STR17## wherein X represents a halogen, a hydroxyl group, or the residue of a C 1-5 alkanesulfonic acid; R 1 represents a C 8-20 alkyl group; R' and R" represent a C 1-4 alkyl group; and R"' represents a C 1-10 alkyl group or a benzyl group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The plating bath according to claim 3, in which said surfactant comprises an alkyl pyridinium salt having the general formula II: ##STR18## wherein X represents a halogen, a hydroxyl group or the residue of a C 1-5 alkanesulfonic acid; R 1 represents a C 8-20 alkyl group; and R a represents hydrogen or a C 1-4 alkyl group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
The plating bath according to claim 3, in which said surfactant comprises an imidazolinium salt having the general formula III: ##STR19## wherein X represents a halogen, a hydroxyl group, or the residue of a C 1-10 alkanesulfonic acid; R 1 represents a C 8-20 alkyl group; R d represents a hydroxy-containing C 1-5 alkyl group; and R"' represents a C 1-10 alkyl group or a benzyl group.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The plating bath according to claim 3, in which said surfactant comprises a higher alkyl amine salt having the general formula IV: [R.sub.1 --NH.sub.3 ].sup.⊕.CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --COO.sup.⊖ (IV) wherein R 1 represents a C 8-20 alkyl group; and n stands for an integer of 0 to 4.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The plating bath according to claim 3, in which said surfactant comprises a betaine having the general formula V: ##STR20## wherein R 1 represents a C 8-20 alkyl group; R' and R" represents a C 1-4 alkyl group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
97 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant comprises a condensation product of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a styrenated phenol having the general formula VI: ##STR21## wherein R A and R B represent hydrogen or --CH 3 with the proviso that R B represents --CH 3 when R A represents hydrogen, and vice versa; R b represents hydrogen, a C 1-4 alkyl group, or a phenyl group; m is an integer of 1 to 25; n is an integer of 0 to 25; and x is an integer of 1 to 3.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant comprises a condensation product of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a higher alcohol having the general formula VII: ##STR22## wherein R 1 represents a C 8-20 alkyl group; R A and R B represent hydrogen or --CH 3 , with the proviso that R B represents --CH 3 when R A represents hydrogen, and vice versa; m is an integer of 1 to 25 and n is an integer of 0 to 25.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
85 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant comprises a condensation product of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with an alkyl phenol having the general formula VIII: ##STR23## wherein R 2 represents a C 1-20 alkyl group; R A and R B represent hydrogen or --CH 3 , with the proviso that R B represents --CH 3 when R A represents hydrogen, and vice versa; m is an integer of 1 to 25 and n is an integer or 0 to 25.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant comprises a condensation product of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with an alkyl naphthol having the general formula IX: ##STR24## wherein R 2 represents a C 1-20 alkyl groupl R A and R B represent hydrogen or --CH 3 , with the proviso that R B represents --CH 3 when R A represents hydrogen, and vice versa; m is an integer of 1 to 25 and n is an integer of 0 to 25.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
90 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant comprises a condensation product of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with a phosphate having the general formula X: ##STR25## wherein R 2 represents a C 1-20 alkyl group, one of which may be hydrogen; R A and R B represent hydrogen or --CH 3 , with the proviso that R B represents --CH 3 when R A represents hydrogen, and vice versa; m is an integer of 1 to 25 and n is an integer of 0 to 25.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said surfactant is used in a concentration of 0.01 to 50 grams per liter of said bath.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises an alkylidene sulfamic acid having the general formula A: ##STR26## wherein R b represents hydrogen, a C 1-4 alkyl or phenyl group; R"" represents hydrogen or a hydroxyl group; A represents a single bond or a phenylene group; and R a represents hydrogen or a C 1-4 alkyl group.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a quinolinol derivative having the general formula B: ##STR27## wherein R a represents hydrogen or a C 1-4 alkyl group; R A represents hydrogen or --CH 3 ; and n' is an integer of 2 to 15.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a benzotriazole derivative having the general formula C: ##STR28## wherein R" a represents hydrogen, a halogen or a C 1-4 alkyl group; R"" represents hydrogen or a hydroxyl group; and n is an integer of 0 to 12.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a dialkylidene o-phenylene diamine having the general formula D: ##STR29## wherein R"" represents hydrogen or a hydroxyl group; and R' d represents a C 1-5 alkyl or hydroxyl-containing C 1-5 alkyl group.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a benzaldehyde derivative having the general formula E: ##STR30## wherein R e represents a nitro, amino, or C 1-5 alkyl group.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a triazine derivative having the general formula F: ##STR31## wherein R' a1 represents hydrogen or a C 1-10 alkyl group, and R' a2 represents a C 1-18 alkyl group.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a salicylic acid derivative having the general formula G: ##STR32## wherein R b represents hydrogen, a C 1-4 alkyl group, or a phenyl group.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent comprises a nitrile having the general formula H: R'.sub.b --CH═CH--C.tbd.N (H) wherein R' b represents hydrogen, a phenyl group, or a C 1-8 alkyl group.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said levelling agent is used in a concentration of 0.01 to 30 grams per liter of said bath.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said alkanesulfonic acid and alkanolsulfonic acid have the general formulas, respectively: R--SO.sub.3 H where R represents a C 1-12 alkyl group, and HO--R--SO.sub.3 H where R represents a C 1-12 alkyl group and the hydroxyl group may be situated in any position with respect to the alkyl group.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which said tin salt and/or lead salt of said alkanesulfonic or alkanolsulfonic acid is used in a concentration in terms of metal of 0.5 to 200 grams per liter of said bath.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The plating bath according to claim 2, in which the concentration of the free alkanesulfonic or alkanolsulfonic acid is at least stoichiometrically equivalent to the bivalent tin and/or lead ions.