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:
Nov. 07, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 01, 1998
William J Copping, Youngstown, NY (US);
Paul M Bronschidle, Sanborn, NY (US);
Richard J Zimmermann, Tomawanda, NY (US);
Precious Plate Inc., Niagara Falls, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for continuously electroplating metal webs by coating a masking ink thereto in a fashion resembling flexographic printing, then electroplating the uncoated areas of the web and finally removing the ink, is described. The masking ink is applied continuously from a reservoir to an 'anilox' roller which synchronously and rotatingly contacts either a plate roller or an intermediate roller. Contact between the rollers transfers the masking ink from one roller to the other. The plate roller has 'proud' or raised areas in which the ink is drawn and contacts a guided metal web that is coated with the ink in a pattern matching that of the plate roller. Electroplating is effected after cleaning the inked web in an aqueous acid media. Finally, the masking ink is removed in an alkali medium.