Patent US2142551A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4818349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Selective plating apparatus for zone plating
Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
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Filing: 1988-02-01
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Granted: 1989-04-04
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Expires: 2008-02-01
Abstract
Abstract A selective plating apparatus (20) for zone plating is comprised of a contained supply (22) of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape or nozzle (32) and anode means (42) mounted along the length of the avenue of escape (32) at a spaced location therefrom such that the plating solution leaving the supply (22) is charged by the anode means (42). The apparatus (20) further includes means (80, 94) for guiding a workpiece (120) having a zone (128) to be selectively plated through the apparatus (20) such that the zone (128) is proximate the avenue of escape (32), the workpiece (120) comprising a cathode means. The apparatus (20) includes means for maintaining a desired rate of plating solution through the avenue of escape (32) whereby the solution wets the selected zone (128) of the workpiece (120) and deposits a layer of plating in the desired zone (128) on the surface of the workpiece as it passes through the apparatus (20). The apparatus (20) is preferably comprised of two such contained supplies (22, 52) of plating solution having the respective avenues of escape (32, 68) on opposite sides (130, 132) of the workpiece (120) thus depositing plating on the selected zone (128) on both sides of the workpiece simultaneously.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark L. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 07:14
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/02; C25D5/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A selective plating apparatus for continuously plating a selected zone on a workpiece, said zone being intermediate the longitudinal edges of said workpiece, comprising: a contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the plating zone of said workpiece; anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the supply has been charged by said anode means; means for guiding a continuous strip of said workpiece with said zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus, said workpiece being oriented in a generally horizontal plane as said workpiece is moved through said apparatus, said guiding means being adapted to guide said workpiece such that said selected zone is proximate said avenue of escape, said strip comprising cathode means; and means for maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution through said avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surface of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A selective plating apparatus for continuously plating a selected zone on a workpiece, said zone being intermediate the longitudinal edges of said workpiece, comprising: a contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the plating zone of said workpiece; anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the supply has been charged by said anode means; means for guiding a continuous strip of said workpiece with said zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus, said workpiece being oriented in a generally horizontal plane as said workpiece is moved through said apparatus, said guiding means being adapted to guide said workpiece such that said selected zone is proximate said avenue of escape, said strip comprising cathode means; and means for maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution through said avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surface of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
199 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said selected plating zone is located on both opposed surfaces of said workpiece and said apparatus further comprises: another contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the opposed surface of said selected plating zone of said workpiece, said another supply further having another anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape of said another contained supply and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the another supply has been charged by said another anode means; said means for guiding said workpiece with said zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus includes means for guiding said opposed surfaces between said avenues of escape from respective contained supplies of plating solution, and said means for maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution includes means for maintaining the flow rate through said another avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the opposed surfaces of the selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surfaces of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said anode means is a soluble anode member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said anode means is an insoluble anode member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said anode means in said contained supplies are soluble anode members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said anode means in said contained supplies are insoluble anode members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said selected zone of plating is selectively plated without the need of masking said workpiece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said workpiece is a strip of electrical terminals and said selected zone is a contact zone of said terminals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
210 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said at least one selected plating zone is located on both opposed surfaces of said workpiece and said apparatus further comprises: another contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the opposed surface of said plating zone of said workpiece, said another supply further having another anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape of said another contained supply and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the another supply has been charged by said another anode means; said means for guiding said workpiece with said at least one zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus includes means for guiding said opposed surfaces between said avenues of escape from respective contained supplies of plating solution, and said means for maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution includes means for maintaining the flow rate through said another avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the opposed surfaces of the at least one selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the at least one selected zone on the surfaces of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for continuously plating a selected zone on a workpiece, said zone being intermediate the longitudinal edges of said workpiece, comprising the steps of: providing a contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the plating zone of said workpiece, said contained supply including anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the supply has been charged by said anode means; guiding a continuous strip of said workpiece with said zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus, said workpiece being oriented in a generally horizontal plane as said workpiece is moved through said apparatus, said guiding means being adapted to guide said workpiece such that said selected zone is proximate said avenue of escape, said strip comprising cathode means; and maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution through said avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surface of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for continuously plating a selected zone on a workpiece, said zone being intermediate the longitudinal edges of said workpiece, comprising the steps of: providing a contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the plating zone of said workpiece, said contained supply including anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the supply has been charged by said anode means; guiding a continuous strip of said workpiece with said zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus, said workpiece being oriented in a generally horizontal plane as said workpiece is moved through said apparatus, said guiding means being adapted to guide said workpiece such that said selected zone is proximate said avenue of escape, said strip comprising cathode means; and maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution through said avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surface of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
103 words
The method of continuously plating a selected zone on a workpiece as described in claim 10 wherein said selected zone is located on both opposed surfaces of said workpiece and wherein the method further includes the step of providing another contained supply of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate the selected plating zone of said workpiece, said another contained supply including anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the another supply has been charged by said anode means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of continuously plating a zone on a workpiece as described in claim 11 wherein said workpiece is guided between the avenues of escape of said contained supply of plating solution and said another contained supply of plating solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of continuously plating a zone on a workpiece as described in claim 10 wherein said workpiece is a strip of electrical terminals and said selected zone is a contact area of said terminals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
219 words
A selective plating apparatus for continuously plating at least one selected zone on a workpiece, said at least one zone being intermediate the longitudinal edges of said workpiece, comprising: at least one contained supply of plating solution, each supply having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate a respective one of said at least one plating zone of said workpiece; anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the supply has been charged by said anode means; means for guiding a continuous strip of said workpiece with said at least one zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus, said workpiece being oriented in a generally horizontal plane as said workpiece is moved through said apparatus, said guiding means being adaptable to guide said workpiece such that each said at least one selected zone is proximate a respective said avenue of escape, said strip comprising cathode means; and means for maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution through each said avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the at least one selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surface of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
219 words
A selective plating apparatus for continuously plating at least one selected zone on a workpiece, said at least one zone being intermediate the longitudinal edges of said workpiece, comprising: at least one contained supply of plating solution, each supply having an elongated avenue of escape, said avenue of escape being proximate a respective one of said at least one plating zone of said workpiece; anode means mounted along the length of said avenue of escape and at a spaced location therefrom such that all the plating solution leaving the supply has been charged by said anode means; means for guiding a continuous strip of said workpiece with said at least one zone to be selectively plated through said apparatus, said workpiece being oriented in a generally horizontal plane as said workpiece is moved through said apparatus, said guiding means being adaptable to guide said workpiece such that each said at least one selected zone is proximate a respective said avenue of escape, said strip comprising cathode means; and means for maintaining a desired flow rate of plating solution through each said avenue of escape, whereby said solution wets the at least one selected zone of said workpiece and deposits a layer of plating in the selected zone on the surface of said workpiece as it passes through said apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said at least one selected zone of plating is selectively plated without the need of masking said workpiece.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The selective plating apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said workpiece is a strip of electrical terminals and said at least one selected zone is a contact area of said terminals
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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) | 1992-04-03 | 1992-10-03 | 1993-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-04-03 | 1996-10-03 | 1997-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-04-03 | 2000-10-03 | 2001-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |