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:
Jun. 03, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 23, 2001
Michael N. Miller, Austin, TX (US);
Steven Y. Yu, Austin, TX (US);
David J. Lentz, Leander, TX (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
An electrode assembly for electroplating conducting portions of nonconductors comprises an insulating frame having a first projection opposite a second projection. Preferably the insulating frame comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, polyvinyl chloride resins and polycarbonate resins. A metal filament, for connection to the negative pole of a source of electrical energy, extends from the first projection to the second projection. Adjacent to the metal filament a first conductive plate is attached to the insulating frame at a first distance from the metal filament. A second conductive plate attaches to the insulating frame at a second distance from the metal filament. The first plate and the second plate are adapted for connection to the positive pole of a source of electrical energy. The nonconductor is at least one optical fiber having a conducting portion in contact with the metal filament to provide connection of the conducting portion to a negative pole of the source of electrical energy. In one embodiment of an assembly according to the present invention, there is a plurality of optical fibers each having a conducting portion in contact with the metal filament. An electrode assembly may be used in a process according to the present invention to provide a conductive composite coating on the surface of a nonconductor, preferably an optical fiber.