US4568431A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for producing electroplated and/or treated metal foil
Assignee: Olin Corp
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Filing: 1985-06-24
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Granted: 1986-02-04
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Expires: 2005-06-24
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a system and a process for producing improved quality electrodeposited and/or treated metal or metal alloy foil to be used in electrical and electronic applications. The quality of the foil being produced and/or treated by the system is improved by providing each treatment tank in the system with a dual filtration system. The dual filtration system for each tank comprises a filter conditioning loop for substantially continuously withdrawing solution from the tank and removing particulate matter from the withdrawn solution and a system for removing surface impurities from the solution. In a first embodiment, the surface impurities removing system comprises an off-line solution filtration and replenishment system. In a second embodiment, the surface impurities removing system comprises a skimmer floating on the surface of the solution. The present invention has particular utility in systems for producing electrodeposited and/or treated copper foils.
Inventors
- 👤 Ned W. Polan
- 👤 Raymond J. Smialek
- 👤 Arvind Parthasarathi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:33
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D21/00; C25D21/16; C25D21/18; C25D21/06; H; H05; H05K; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/0332; H05K2201/0335; H05K2201/0355; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/03; H05K2203/0307; H05K2203/0392; H05K2203/07; H05K2203/0703; H05K2203/0723; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S204/00; Y10S204/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A process for producing metal or metal alloy foil, said process comprising: providing at least one treatment tank containing a solution to treat or produce said foil; substantially continuously withdrawing said solution from said tank and removing particulate matter from said withdrawn solution; and further improving the quality of said solution in said tank by removing impurities floating on the surface of said solution.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
A process for producing metal or metal alloy foil, said process comprising: providing at least one treatment tank containing a solution to treat or produce said foil; substantially continuously withdrawing said solution from said tank and removing particulate matter from said withdrawn solution; and further improving the quality of said solution in said tank by removing impurities floating on the surface of said solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said solution withdrawing and particulate matter removing step comprises: providing a solution conditioning loop for each said tank comprising conduit means for withdrawing said solution from and returning fresh solution to said tank, a pump for circulating said solution through said loop and a first filtering means for removing said particulate matter; and passing said withdrawn solution through said conditioning loop.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 2 further comprising: modifying the temperature of the withdrawn solution as it passes through said solution conditioning loop.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said surface impurities removing step comprises: providing means for skimming the surface of said solution; and removing said surface impurities with said skimming means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 4 further comprising: connecting said skimming means to said pump in said conditioning loop; and passing said skimmed solution through said first filtering means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said surface impurities removing step comprises: providing a solution filtration loop separate from said solution conditioning loop for each said tank; withdrawing solution above a desired level from said tank; and circulating said withdrawn solution through said solution filtration loop.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 6 further comprising: substantially continuously withdrawing said solution above said desired level and replacing said solution with fresh solution.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 6 further comprising: withdrawing said solution in response to a sensed condition of said solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 6 further comprising: providing said solution filtration loop with an off-line solution replenishment tank; circulating said withdrawn solution to said off-line tank; adding replenishment materials to said solution in said off-line tank; and providing replenished solution back to said treatment tank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 9 further comprising: filtering said replenished solution prior to returning it to said treatment tank.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 6 further comprising: improving the laminate adhesion of said metal or metal alloy foil, said laminate adhesion improving step comprising electrodepositing a plurality of dendritic structures on and bonding them to at least one surface of said foil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 11 wherein said electrodepositing step comprises: providing a mineral acid solution in a first treatment tank; at least partially immersing said foil in said mineral acid solution; and applying a cathodic current to said at least partially immersed foil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 12 wherein said current applying step comprises applying a pulsed cathodic current to said foil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 12 further comprising: forming a fresh metal layer on said at least one surface prior to electrodepositing said dendritic structures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 14 wherein said fresh metal layer forming step comprises: providing a mineral acid solution in a second treatment tank; at least partially immersing said foil in said solution in said second tank; and applying a cathodic current to said at least partially immersed foil.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 15 further comprising: said mineral acid solution in said second tank being the same as the mineral acid solution in said first tank; and maintaining said solution in said second tank at a higher temperature than that of said solution in said first tank.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 15 further comprising: cleaning said foil in a caustic cleaning solution prior to forming said fresh metal layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 17 further comprising: applying an anti-tarnishing treatment to said foil after said dendritic structures have been bonded to said foil.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
118 words
The process of claim 18 wherein: said metal or metal alloy foil comprises a copper base material; said cleaning step comprising immersing said copper base material in an aqueous NaOH solution and applying a cathodic current to said copper base material; said fresh metal layer forming step comprising at least partially immersing said copper base material in a first aqueous copper sulfate-sulfuric acid solution and applying a cathodic current to said copper base material; said electrodeposition step comprising at least partially immersing said copper base material in a second copper sulfate-sulfuric acid solution and applying a cathodic current to said copper base material; and said anti-tarnishing step comprising immersing said copper base material in a chromic acid solution.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
91 words
The process of claim 6 further comprising: said at least one treatment tank providing step comprising providing a treatment tank containing an electrochemical solution having a concentration of metal values; at least partially immersing at least one anode and at least one cathode in said electrochemical solution; and electroforming said metal or metal alloy foil by applying a current to said at least one anode and said at least one cathode and causing said metal values in said solution to be plated onto a surface of said at least one cathode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 20 further comprising: providing said solution filtration loop with an off-line solution replenishment tank; and replenishing depleted metal values in said withdrawn solution in said off-line replenishment tank.
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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) | 1989-02-03 | 1989-08-05 | 1990-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-02-03 | 1993-08-05 | 1994-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-02-03 | 1997-08-05 | 1998-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |