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:
Feb. 17, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 09, 2001
Louis Charles Morin, Edmonton, CA;
Angie Kathleen Molnar, Edmonton, CA;
The Westaim Corporation, Fort Saskatchewan, CA;
Abstract
The invention provides a pretreatment process for electroplating aluminum parts or strip, in which the zincating solution is modified to improve the adhesion of the subsequent electroplate to the substrate. The aluminum part or strip, such as an aluminum coin blank or strip for coin blanks, is pretreated with an improved zincate solution which provides hydroxide ions in an amount in the range of 75-175 gpl, zinc ions in an amount in the range of 15-40 gpl, nickel ions in an amount in the range of 2-10 gpl and copper ions in an amount in the range of 1.5-5 gpl. The pretreatment process preferably includes a copper strike applied from a copper cyanide strike bath at a pH in the range of 8.5-11.0, using a current density in the range of 0.1-10 A/dm . The pretreatment and electroplating steps are preferably conducted by barrel plating, in accordance with another aspect of the invention.