The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 30, 1983
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1980
Adolph G Buschow, Largo, FL (US);
Charles D Eidschun, Seminole, FL (US);
Micro-Plate, Inc., Clearwater, FL (US);
Abstract
The present invention deals with the continuous metal exchange for workpieces such as a printed circuit board which can take place in a plating tank. The workpieces are conveyorized for continuous horizontal transport into and out of a plating tank. Opposite ends of the tank are provided with slots to receive and discharge the workpieces which are sealed, in the instance illustrated, by opposed rollers or an open slot of small area to prevent leakage in excess of the pump capacity. The workpieces are suspended at their upper portion by a non-conductive hanger, the lower portion of which is rendered conductive. When the workpiece enters the plating tank the conductive portion of the hanger suspending the workpiece from the conveyor, makes contact to energize bus bars thereby converting the workpiece to a cathode (or anode if metal is to be removed). A plating solution is inside of the tank and provided with anodes or cathodes energized for metal exchange. The method is directed to conveyorizing workpieces for continuous horizontal transport, sealing the opposite ends of a tank while providing for passing the workpieces through the seal at the ends of the tank, rendering the workpieces conductive while in the tank, and providing a fluid in the tank energized for metal exchange in ultimate contact with sufficient agitation (from the spargers) at the anodes and cathodes to prevent polarization during high speed plating.