Selective plating apparatus with optical alignment sensor

Claim 2

Apparatus for plating selected portions of a web being moved intermittently along a path of travel, comprising: a plating mask disposed along said path and having a web facing side, said plating mask having a plurality of apertures through said web facing side at predefined locations relative to each other to define said selected portions of said web relative to each other; means for sealing said web against said web facing side of said plating mask and for supplying a plating fluid through said apertures to said web during pauses in the movement of said web; and optical sensor means having an optical sensor surface disposed along said path of travel to detect registration of said web relative to said apertures, said optical sensor surface being rigidly attached to said plating mask.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising cleaning means for cleaning said optical sensor surface.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said cleaning means comprises means for forcing air across said optical sensor surface

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said cleaning means comprises means for forcing a cleaning liquid across said optical sensor surface during pauses in the movement of said web.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for forcing a cleaning liquid does so only on every n'th pause in the movement of said web, n>1.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said cleaning means comprises: means for forcing air across said optical sensor surface continuously; and means for forcing a cleaning liquid across said optical sensor surface during each n'th pause in the movement of said web, n>1.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical sensor means comprises: a light source and a detector; a first optical fiber optically coupled to receive light from said light source and having a distal end surface directed toward said web; and a second optical fiber optically coupled to transmit light to said detector and having a distal end surface directed toward said web and oriented to receive light transmitted by said first optical fiber, said optical sensor surface comprising said distal end surface of said second optical fiber.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said web includes reflective portions at predetermined longitudinal positions relative to said selected portions, and wherein said distal end surface of said second optical fiber is oriented to receive light from said first optical fiber which is reflected off said reflective portions of said web, said optical sensor surface further comprising said distal end surface of said first optical fiber.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising means for maintaining said web at a constant distance from said optical sensor surface at the longitudinal position along said path of travel where said web passes said optical sensor surface.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising isolation means for physically isolating said optical sensor means from the surrounding environment.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said isolation means comprises an enclosure enclosing said optical sensor means and means for supplying a purging gas into said enclosure to create a positive pressure therein.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising adjustable means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said optical sensor surface relative to said apertures and for maintaining said longitudinal position when not being adjusted.

Claim 14

Apparatus for plating selected portions of a web being moved intermittently along a path of travel, comprising: a plating mask disposed along said path and having a web facing side, said plating mask having a plurality of apertures through said web facing side at predefined locations relative to each other to define said selected portions of said web relative to each other; means for sealing said web against said web facing side of said plating mask and for supplying a plating fluid through said apertures to said web during pauses in the movement of said web; optical sensor means having an optical sensor surface disposed along said path of travel to detect registration of said web relative to said apertures; and cleaning means for cleaning said optical sensor surface.

Claim 15

Apparatus for plating selected portions of a web being moved intermittently along a path of travel, comprising: a plating mask disposed along said path and having a web facing side, said plating mask having a plurality of apertures through said web facing side at predefined locations relative to each other to define said selected portions of said web relative to each other; means for sealing said web against said web facing side of said plating mask and for supplying a plating fluid through said apertures to said web during pauses in the movement of said web; optical sensor means having an optical sensor surface disposed along said path of travel to detect registration of said web relative to said apertures; and cleaning means for cleaning said optical sensor surface.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said cleaning means comprises means for forcing air across said optical sensor surface.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said cleaning means comprises means for forcing a cleaning liquid across said optical sensor surface during pauses in the movement of said web.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said means for forcing a cleaning liquid does so only on every n'th pause in the movement of said web, n>1.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said cleaning means comprises: means for forcing air across said optical sensor surface continuously; and means for forcing a cleaning liquid across said optical sensor surface during each n'th pause in the movement of said web, n>1.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said optical sensor means comprises: a light source and a detector; a first optical fiber optically coupled to receive light from said light source and having a distal end surface directed toward said web; and a second optical fiber optically coupled to transmit light to said detector and having a distal end surface directed toward said web and oriented to receive light transmitted by said first optical fiber, said optical sensor surface comprising said distal end surface of said second optical fiber.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said web includes reflective portions at predetermined longitudinal positions relative to said selected portions, and wherein said distal end surface of said second optical fiber is oriented to receive light from said first optical fiber which is reflected off said reflective portions of said web, said optical sensor surface further comprising said distal end surface of said first optical fiber.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising isolation means for physically isolating said optical sensor means from the surrounding environment.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said isolation means comprises an enclosure enclosing said optical sensor means and means for supplying a purging gas into said enclosure to create a positive pressure therein.

Claim 24

Apparatus for plating selected portions of a web being moved intermittently along a path of travel, comprising: a plating mask disposed along said path and having a web facing side, said plating mask having a plurality of apertures through said web facing side at predefined locations relative to each other to define said selected portions of said web relative to each other; means for sealing said web against said web facing side of said plating mask and for supplying a plating fluid through said apertures to said web during pauses in the movement of said web; optical sensor means having an optical sensor surface disposed along said path of travel to detect registration of said web relative to said apertures, said optical sensor surface being rigidly attached to said plating mask; isolation means for physically isolating said optical sensor means from the surrounding environment; means for forcing air across said optical sensor surface continuously; and means for forcing a cleaning liquid across said optical sensor surface during each n'th pause in the movement of said web.

Claim 25

Apparatus for plating selected portions of a web being moved intermittently along a path of travel, comprising: a plating mask disposed along said path and having a web facing side, said plating mask having a plurality of apertures through said web facing side at predefined locations relative to each other to define said selected portions of said web relative to each other; means for sealing said web against said web facing side of said plating mask and for supplying a plating fluid through said apertures to said web during pauses in the movement of said web; optical sensor means having an optical sensor surface disposed along said path of travel to detect registration of said web relative to said apertures, said optical sensor surface being rigidly attached to said plating mask; isolation means for physically isolating said optical sensor means from the surrounding environment; means for forcing air across said optical sensor surface continuously; and means for forcing a cleaning liquid across said optical sensor surface during each n'th pause in the movement of said web.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising first and second rollers disposed along said path of travel respectively upstream and downstream of said optical sensor surface, disposed and oriented to press said web against said web-facing side of said plating mask.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising adjustable means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said optical sensor surface relative to said apertures and for maintaining said longitudinal position when not being adjusted.