Apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products

Claim 1

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for fully continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned, deoxidized and washed; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for final cleaning, rinsing and drying of said products; means for unloading said products from said transport means; and means for driving said transport means in a fully continuous mode.

Claim 2

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for fully continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned, deoxidized and washed; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for final cleaning, rinsing and drying of said products; means for unloading said products from said transport means; and means for driving said transport means in a fully continuous mode.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 8, further comprising two light-transmitting plates disposed between said mask and a light source for exposing the products, and means for transporting cooling liquid between said plates.

Claim 13

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist layer from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for a final cleaning treatment of said products; means for unloading said products from said transport means; and two light-transmitting plates disposed between said mask and a light source for exposing the products, and means for transporting cooling liquid between said plates.

Claim 14

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist layer from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for a final cleaning treatment of said products; means for unloading said products from said transport means; and two light-transmitting plates disposed between said mask and a light source for exposing the products, and means for transporting cooling liquid between said plates.

Claim 15

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist layer from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for final cleaning treatment of said products; means for unloading said products from said transport means; and a drying station, with a space provided for a coagulation section and with a predrying section disposed upstream thereof, and means for supplying hot air to the coagulation section and for diverting said hot air in order for said air to be passed through said predrying section.

Claim 16

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist layer from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for final cleaning treatment of said products; means for unloading said products from said transport means; and a drying station, with a space provided for a coagulation section and with a predrying section disposed upstream thereof, and means for supplying hot air to the coagulation section and for diverting said hot air in order for said air to be passed through said predrying section.

Claim 17

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist layer from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for a final cleaning treatment of said products; and means for unloading said products from said transport means; wherein said bath for plating products which are transported through said bath has a plurality of spaced-apart anodes which are arranged one behind the other in said bath, as seen in the intended direction of travel of the products, and partitions are disposed between said anodes, and means are provided, by which said anodes can be selectively connected to a power source.

Claim 18

An apparatus for selectively electroplating apertured metal or metallized products, the apparatus comprising: a loading station wherein said products are loaded onto means for continuously transporting said products through said apparatus; a pretreatment section wherein said products are cleaned; a bath for applying an electrophoretic photoresist layer to said products while said products are being transported through said bath; a source of direct current for providing a required current for an electrophoretic process for applying the photoresist layer from said bath; means for rinsing and drying of the electrophoretic photoresist layer on said products; means for exposing said photoresist layer; at least one photomask and means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask relative to the products under an influence of a detecting apparatus which detects marks present on the products and the photomask; means for moving said photomask, said detecting apparatus and said means for horizontally and vertically adjusting the photomask, along with the products during adjustment of the photomask and during exposure and, following exposure, moving in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the products; means for developing the exposed photoresist layer to remove the photoresist layer from areas which subsequently require a metal deposit; means for rinsing and activating said areas requiring a metal deposit; a bath for electrodeposition of a metallic coating on said areas which require a metal deposit; means for rinsing said products to remove remaining electrolyte; means for stripping the exposed photoresist layer which has served as a mask during the electrodeposition process; means for a final cleaning treatment of said products; and means for unloading said products from said transport means; wherein said bath for plating products which are transported through said bath has a plurality of spaced-apart anodes which are arranged one behind the other in said bath, as seen in the intended direction of travel of the products, and partitions are disposed between said anodes, and means are provided, by which said anodes can be selectively connected to a power source.