Amp LLC

Richard M Wagner

Mark L Smith

John P Redmond

Thomas Francis Davis

Richard Henry Zimmerman

Joseph F Merlina

George Ulbrich

An improved apparatus 10 for plating interior surfaces of electrical terminals is disclosed which comprises a mandrel having first and second portions 11, 119, the first portion 11 being dielectric and the second portion 119 being conductive. The first portion 11 is mounted for rotation on a stationary conductive shaft 52 as strip fed terminals are continuously fed to, wrapped against and exited from the first portion. The second portion is mounted in a stationary position on the shaft 52. The first portion 11 includes a plurality of nozzles 49 a like plurality of anode members 80, each associated with a respective nozzle, and reciprocally movable between a plating position within a terminal 172 and a retracted position outside a terminal 172. Plating solution is supplied under pressure through the nozzles and upon respective anode members 80 and a source of electrical potential supplies electrical current flow from anode members 81, through said plating solution and into the interiors 180 of said terminals 172. Apparatus 10 is characterized in that individually biasing means is mounted on respective shaft members to define anode assemblies (80), the biasing means including a spring member (88) being cooperable with push surfaces (95) on the anode assembly (80). The means for moving the anode assemblies (80) are fixedly mounted to the conductive shaft (52) at the rear of the mandrel and the forward face of the moving means (120) defines a stop surface (133) for retaining the anode assemblies (80) in the apparatus (10). The rearward face of the moving means provides a camming surface (132). Cam followers (92) on the anode assemblies are continuously biased against a cam surface (132) of the moving means (120).

Apparatus for selectively plating interior surfaces of electrical

An anode assembly 30 for selectively plating contact areas 102 on the interior surface of cathodically charged socket terminals 96 is disclosed, which comprises a conductive body member 32 having an anode means or member 54 extending forwardly from a body section 38, a dielectric body member 58 adapted to be secured to a forward portion 34 of said conductive body member 32 and having a passageway 62 therethrough for receiving the anode means 54; sheath means 64 extending forwardly from the dielectric body member and along the anode means 54 and extending angularly around at least one selected circumferential portion thereof, and lateral edge surfaces 68 of the sheath means 64 defining at least one slot 70 extending axially along the anode means 54 such that at least one axially extending portion 55 of the anode means 54 is exposed along the slot 70, the sheath means 64 having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of a terminal 96 to be plated; and means for securing said dielectric body member 58 to said forward portion 34 of said conductive body member 32. Upon moving the sheathed anode means 54 into the interior of an electrical terminal 96, supplying plating solution upon the exposed anode portion 55 of the anode means 54, and providing an electrical current flow from the anode means 54, through the plating solution and into the cathodically charged terminal 96, a layer of plating is selectively deposited on the internal surface portion 102 of the terminal 96 that is generally aligned with the at least one exposed anode portion 55, the sheath means 64 providing a barrier to prevent plating on the remaining internal terminal surface portions.

Anode assembly for selectively plating interior surfaces of electrical

An apparatus for plating interior surfaces of electrical terminals that are attached to a carrier strip comprises a mandrel having first and second portions, the first portion being comprised of dielectric members which are mounted for rotation on a shaft as strip fed terminals are continuously fed to the first portion; wrapped against it and exited therefrom; and a second conductive portion mounted in a stationary portion on the same shaft. First dielectric portion includes a plurality of nozzles distributed about its axis of rotation. A plurality of anode members are mounted within the nozzles, the anode members being movable into and out of interiors of terminals that are wrapped against the dielectric portion. A conduit supplies plating solution under pressure through the nozzles and upon anode members. A source of electrical potential supplies electrical current flow from anode members through plating solution and into interiors of terminals thus forming a plurality of plating cells about the dielectric portion. The apparatus includes means for assuring electrical engagement between the anode assemblies and the conductive portion so that an essentially uniform current is suppled to each plating cell. The apparatus further includes camming means which cooperates with a camming engagement member on each anode assembly to ensure retraction of each assembly from its corresponding terminal.

Selective plating apparatus

An anode assembly for plating contact areas within socket terminals is comprised of a conductive body member having an anode means extending forwardly from a body section, and a dielectric shroud having a profiled passageway extending axially therethrough, the dielectric shroud being removable mounted to said body section that said shroud extends coaxially around said anode means. The profiled passageway of the shroud includes a terminal receiving section which is disposed around the anode means, extends forwardly thereof, and has an inner diameter selected to be just greater than the outside diameter of a terminal to be plated. The terminal receiving section further includes lead-in means whereby a terminal members is relatively received into the terminal receiving section and locatable concentrically about the anode member.

Anode assembly for selectively plating electrical terminals

An apparatus for continuously plating interior surfaces of loose piece electrical terminals is characterized in that loose piece terminals are continuously fed to a continuously rotating mandrel, are held against the mandrel during the plating process by retaining means and are released from the mandrel, the mandrel having a plurality of anode containing nozzles therein, the anodes being mounted for reciprocation into and out of the interior of the terminals that are against the mandrel. A conduit supplies plating solution under pressure through the nozzles and upon the anodes and into the interiors of the terminals in which the anodes are received. The retaining means is an elongated resiliently mounted member which surrounds a portion of a rotating mandrel whereby the loose pieces are held against the mandrel during the plating process wherein the anodes move into the interiors of the terminals, plating solution is injected over the anodes and the anodes are retracted from the terminals, the terminals being released from the mandrel after the anodes have been retracted and the terminals have passed the end of the retaining means.

Selectively plating interior surfaces of loose piece electrical terminals

The present invention is characterized in that, a mandrel is rotated continuously as strip fed electrical terminals are strip fed continuously to the mandrel, and partially wrapped against the mandrel and exited from the mandrel, a conduit supplying plating fluid under pressure opens into a plurality of nozzles on the mandrel, anodes are mounted within the nozzles for reciprocation into and out of the interiors of the terminals that are against the mandrel, the conduit supplies plating solution under pressure to the nozzles, the nozzles inject plating solution into the interiors of those terminals in which the anodes are received, a source of electrical current supplies electrical current flowing from the anodes, through the plating solution and to the interiors of those terminals in which the anodes are received, and the anodes are constructed for withdrawal from the interiors of those terminals prior to those terminals exiting from the mandrel.

Selective plating interior surfaces of electrical terminals

Plating interior surfaces of electrical terminals

An integrated circuit package for establishing electrical contact with the terminal areas or pads of an integrated circuit chip comprises an insulating substrate having a flat surface in which there are embedded a plurality of electrodeposited conductors. The conductors have inner ends in a chip-receiving zone of the flat surface and have outer end portions which are remote from the chip-receiving zone. The inner ends of the conductors have contact bumps or promontories extending above the flat surface and located such that when a chip is placed on the promontories, they will be against the terminal areas of the chip. The chip can be held against the promontories by a suitable clamping means and contact established with the conductors at their outer ends by suitable connecting means. The device is particularly useful for testing chips prior to their being placed in service. The integrated circuit package is produced by etching depressions in a copper foil, electrodepositing conductors in the depressions and on the surface of the foil while controlling the locations of the conductors by suitable masking, molding the substrate against the foil so that the conductors are embedded in the substrate, and then etching away the copper foil.

Integrated circuit package and manufacturing method

Membrane switch assembly comprises a transparent laminate comprised of three sheets of cellulose acetate material. The intermediate sheet has an opening therein which defines a switch site. Hairline conductors on the internal surfaces of the outer sheets cross each other at the switch site so that the switch is closed when one of the outer sheets is pressed at the switch site. The conductors are produced on the surfaces of the outer sheets by a process including electroless deposition of blanket coatings of conductive metal, selective deposition along lines which define the conductors and selective etching of the blanket coating to leave the hairline conductors.

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Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

Richard M Wagner