U.S. patent application number 15/099695 was filed with the patent office on 2017-10-19 for electroplating anode assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is BOARDTEK ELECTRONICS CORPORATION.. Invention is credited to Wen-Feng Cheng, Shun-Chang HSIAO, Chi-Chang HSU, Huan-Hsin LO, Shang-Pei Sun.
Application Number | 20170298530 15/099695 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60039398 |
Filed Date | 2017-10-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170298530 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cheng; Wen-Feng ; et
al. |
October 19, 2017 |
ELECTROPLATING ANODE ASSEMBLY
Abstract
An electroplating anode assembly includes primarily a bracket on
which plural anode elements are disposed, with which anode element
controlling the on or off of the circuit, respectively. The
electroplating anode assembly enables a variety of distribution of
the electric lines of force to be formed in an electroplating bath
through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In
particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or
the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is
changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of
force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an
electric current supplying loop, so as to secure the quality of
electroplating of the product using a more aggressive and reliable
means.
Inventors: |
Cheng; Wen-Feng; (TAOYUAN,
TW) ; HSIAO; Shun-Chang; (TAOYUAN, TW) ; LO;
Huan-Hsin; (TAOYUAN, TW) ; HSU; Chi-Chang;
(TAOYUAN, TW) ; Sun; Shang-Pei; (TAOYUAN,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BOARDTEK ELECTRONICS CORPORATION. |
TAOYUAN |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
60039398 |
Appl. No.: |
15/099695 |
Filed: |
April 15, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C25D 21/12 20130101;
C25D 17/12 20130101; C25D 17/007 20130101 |
International
Class: |
C25D 17/12 20060101
C25D017/12 |
Claims
1. An electroplating anode assembly, comprising a bracket and
plural anode elements, wherein the anode elements are disposed on
the bracket, with each anode element being insulative from one
another; in addition, plural conductive elements being provided,
with each conductive element being connected electrically with each
anode element, respectively.
2. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each conductive element is fixed on the bracket.
3. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, further
comprising a distributor for connecting with an external power
source, wherein the distributor provides for connecting
electrically with the conductive elements disposed on each anode
element and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each
switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each
anode element.
4. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, further
comprising a distributor for connecting with an external power
source, wherein the distributor provides for connecting
electrically with the conductive elements disposed on each anode
element and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each
switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each
anode element; each conductive element being fixed on the bracket;
the distributor being provided with plural lead wires, with each
lead wire being connected electrically with each conductive
element.
5. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element is provided with plural meshes.
6. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element manifests a rectangular outline.
7. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element manifests a circular outline.
8. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element manifests an elliptic outline.
9. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element manifests a triangular outline.
10. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element manifests a trapezoidal outline.
11. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
each anode element manifests an L-shaped outline.
12. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein
the bracket is provided with two anode elements in a different
outline.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to an electroplating system,
and more particularly to an electroplating anode assembly which
provides an electroplating system with an ability of adjusting the
electric power distribution, according to the shape of the product
or the configuration that the product is suspended and
disposed.
b) Description of the Prior Art
[0002] It is well known that the electroplating process is a method
of coating a layer of membrane on an object using the electrolytic
reduction reaction. The machine used in the electroplating process
depends upon the product to be electroplated, and no matter what
kind of machine is used, the electroplating region is designed with
a different number of electrode bars as the anodes, so as to result
in the ionization of metal ions in the electroplating solution;
whereas, the workpieces to be electroplated are usually designed as
the cathodes.
[0003] When performing the electroplating operation, an electric
voltage is applied to the anodes and the cathodes respectively,
allowing the metal ions to be precipitated in the electroplating
solution by the electrolytic reaction. These metal ions will be
deposited at the cathode end, forming a metal coating which is
plated on the surface of the workpiece to be electroplated after
being reduced at the cathodes. The existing electroplating system
is divided into a soluble anode electroplating system and an
insoluble anode electroplating system depending upon the method for
providing the electroplating metal.
[0004] In the insoluble anode electroplating system, when the
electric current flows from the top of an anode to the bottom of
the anode, the magnitude of electric current will decrease
gradually by the resistance. In other words, at the top of the
anode, more metal ions will be decomposed and released as the
electric current passing through this location is larger; on the
other hand, the electric current passing through the lower part of
the anode is less than the electric current passing through the
upper part of the anode, thus fewer metal ions will be decomposed
and released, which then results in the phenomenon that the
electric lines of force do not distribute uniformly (i.e., the
electric current density does not distribute uniformly) in the
electroplating bath.
[0005] This phenomenon will cause that the product coating is
thicker at the place where the electric current density is large
and the product coating is thinner at the place where the electric
current density is small. Therefore, the quality of product
(especially the sub-product) will be affected seriously as the
surface coating on the product is not uniform. Furthermore, under
some conditions, the product can be charred easily as the electric
current density is too large (the electric lines of force are too
dense). Accordingly, it has long been an issue to be solved by the
related industry to provide an electroplating anode assembly
allowing an electroplating system to have an ability of adjusting
the electric power distribution depending upon the shape of the
product or the configuration that the product is suspended and
disposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is
to provide an electroplating anode assembly which provides an
electroplating system with an ability of adjusting the electric
power distribution, according to the shape of the product or the
configuration that the product is suspended and disposed.
[0007] To achieve the abovementioned object, the electroplating
anode assembly of the present invention includes a bracket and
plural anode elements, wherein the anode elements are disposed on
the bracket, with each anode element being insulative from one
another. In addition, there are plural conductive elements which
are connected electrically with each anode element,
respectively.
[0008] By using the abovementioned structure features, with the
electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, a variety
of distribution of the electric lines of force is able to be formed
in an electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of
anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be
electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended
and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the
electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of
switching an electric current supplying loop. Therefore, the
quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and
reliable means to result in good benefits.
[0009] In the electroplating anode assembly disclosed by the
present invention, plural anode elements, each of which is able to
control the on or off of the circuit, are used primarily, such that
a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force can be
formed in the electroplating bath through energizing one or any
number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the
product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product
is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding
distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only
through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying
loop. Therefore, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a
more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.
[0010] To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and
the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief
description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed
description of the preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of appearance of a
first embodiment of an electroplating anode assembly, according to
the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a structural schematic view of a second
embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a structural schematic view of a third
embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 shows a structural schematic view of a fourth
embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the
present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an operation of the
electroplating anode assembly, according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] The present invention provides primarily an electroplating
anode assembly which provides an electroplating system with an
ability of adjusting the electric power distribution, according to
the shape of the product or the configuration that the product is
suspended and disposed. As shown in FIG. 1, the electroplating
anode assembly of the present invention comprises a bracket 10 and
plural anode elements 20, wherein the anode elements 20 are
disposed on the bracket 10, with which anode element 20 being
insulative from one another. In addition, there are plural
conductive elements 30 which are connected electrically with each
anode element 20, respectively.
[0017] In principle, when practically using the electroplating
anode assembly of the present invention, the electroplating anode
assembly can be disposed in pairs in the electroplating bath,
opposite to two sides of a cathode respectively. The product to be
electroplated, whereas, is suspended on the cathode. Therefore,
when the electric current is applied respectively to the anode end
and the cathode end, metal ions will be precipitated and deposited
on the cathode end in the electroplating solution in the
electroplating bath due to the electrolytic reaction. When the
metal ions are reduced on the cathode, a metal coating will be
plated on the surface of the product.
[0018] As the electroplating anode assembly of the present
invention is provided with a bracket 10 on which plural anode
elements 20, with each anode element 20 being able to control the
on or off of the circuit, are disposed, a variety of distribution
of the electric lines of force can be formed in the electroplating
bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements 20. In
particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or
the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is
changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of
force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an
electric current supplying loop. Therefore, the quality of
electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable
means to result in good benefits.
[0019] Upon implementing the electroplating anode assembly of the
present invention, the said each conductive element 30 can be fixed
on the bracket 10, and it is preferred that an end of each
conductive element 30 is extended out of the bracket 10 by a
predetermined length, which not only facilitates the installation
of the entire electroplating anode assembly, but also is easier to
connect electrically the conductive elements 30 with an external
power source.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 2 at a same time, the electroplating anode
assembly of the present invention can further include a distributor
40 to connect with the external power source. The distributor 40
provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements
30 disposed on the anode elements 20, and is provided with plural
switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off
of the circuit of each anode element 20.
[0021] A preferred structure configuration of the present invention
is that the electroplating anode assembly further includes a
distributor 40 to connect with an external power source, the
distributor 40 provides for connecting electrically with the
conductive elements 30 disposed on the anode elements 20, is
provided with plural switch circuits with each switch circuit
controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element 20,
each conductive element 30 is fixed on the bracket 10, an end of
each conductive element 30 is extended out of the bracket 10 by an
predetermined length, and the distributor 40 is provided with
plural lead wires 41 for connecting electrically with each
conductive element 30, respectively.
[0022] Under all kinds of the abovementioned structure patterns
that can be implemented, in the electroplating anode assembly of
the present invention, the said each anode element 20 is provided
with plural meshes 21. In other words, the said anode element 20
can manifest as a structure pattern of a net or basket, so that the
metal ions in the electroplating bath can have a better
fluidity.
[0023] In addition, in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the said
each anode element 20 is provided with a rectangular outline. Upon
implementation, the said each anode element 20 can manifest as a
circular outline as shown in FIG. 2, a square outline as shown in
FIG. 3, or even an elliptic, triangular, trapezoidal or L-shaped
outline as shown in FIG. 4. When necessary, the said electroplating
anode assembly can be also provided on the bracket 10 with at least
two anode elements 20 in a different outline. Furthermore, as shown
in FIG. 5, the anode element 20 can be disposed at two sides of a
workpiece 50, achieving an effect that the coating is more
uniform.
[0024] Specifically, in the electroplating anode assembly disclosed
by the present invention, plural anode elements, each of which is
able to control the on or off of the circuit, are used primarily to
form a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force in
the electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of
anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be
electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended
and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the
electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of
switching an electric current supplying loop. Accordingly, the
quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and
reliable means to result in good benefits.
[0025] It is of course to be understood that the embodiments
described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the
invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be
effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following
claims.
* * * * *