CN111247274A

CN111247274A - Surface treatment device

Info

Publication number: CN111247274A
Application number: CN201880067900.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 石井胜己; 渡边重幸
Original assignee: Almex PE Inc
Current assignee: Almex PE Inc
Priority date: 2017-10-20
Filing date: 2018-10-10
Publication date: 2020-06-05
Also published as: WO2019078065A1; JP6875758B2; TW201923165A; KR20200073243A; PH12020550789A1; JPWO2019078065A1; TWI677599B

Abstract

A surface treatment device (1) comprises: treatment tanks (3-1 to 3-n) in which a plurality of spray pipes (60) are arranged, the plurality of spray pipes (60) spraying a treatment liquid onto a plurality of workpieces (2) immersed in the treatment liquid; and a plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices (100). A plurality of treatment liquid circulating devices are respectively connected with one of a plurality of dividing areas (6), wherein the dividing areas (6) are formed by dividing the treatment tank into a plurality of parts in the length direction, each dividing area (6) comprises at least one of a plurality of spray pipes, and each treatment liquid circulating device adjusts the treatment liquid recovered from each dividing area (6) and then supplies the treatment liquid to at least one spray pipe arranged in each dividing area (6) in a backflow mode.

Description

Surface treatment device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a surface treatment apparatus such as a plating apparatus, and more particularly to a circulation system of a treatment liquid for adjusting the treatment liquid collected from a treatment tank and returning the adjusted treatment liquid to the treatment tank.

Background

The plating apparatus contains a plating solution in a treatment tank. Patent document 1 discloses a plating apparatus: an impurity removing member composed of a pump and a filter is provided outside the plating tank. The plating solution is discharged from the bottom of the plating tank, and a clean plating solution free from sludge is returned from the bottom of the plating tank into the plating tank through the impurity removing member to be circulated. Further, since the plating components such as copper oxide are consumed by being plated on the work, conventionally, copper oxide is supplied from a part of a long plating tank.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2003-013291

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In patent document 1, when clean plating liquid discharged from the bottom of the plating tank and from which sludge has been removed by the impurity removing member is circulated back into the plating tank from the bottom of the plating tank, the clean plating liquid is not distributed uniformly into the plating tank. In addition, conventionally, since the consumed copper oxide is supplied from a part of a long plating tank, there is a problem that the concentration of the plating liquid in the treatment tank varies.

An object of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a surface treatment apparatus capable of making the concentration of a fresh treatment liquid substantially uniform in a treatment tank.

Means for solving the problems

(1) One embodiment of the present invention relates to a surface treatment apparatus including:

a processing tank in which a plurality of nozzles that discharge a processing liquid to a plurality of workpieces immersed in the processing liquid are arranged; and

a plurality of treatment liquid circulating devices are arranged,

the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices are each connected to one of a plurality of divided regions each including at least one of the plurality of nozzles, the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices adjusting the treatment liquid collected from each of the plurality of divided regions and supplying the treatment liquid to the at least one nozzle provided in each of the plurality of divided regions in a backflow manner.

According to one aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices can adjust the treatment liquid collected from each of the plurality of divided regions into which the treatment tank is divided in the longitudinal direction, and then supply the treatment liquid to at least one nozzle provided in each of the plurality of divided regions by refluxing. Thus, the concentration of the fresh treatment liquid after adjustment is substantially equalized among the plurality of divided regions. In addition, since fresh treatment liquid is discharged from at least one nozzle toward the workpiece in each divided region of the treatment tank, the fresh treatment liquid is dispersed in each divided region, and the concentration of the treatment liquid is substantially uniform in each divided region. The divided regions of the processing bath are not limited to those physically divided, and may be configured to collect the processing liquid at least for each divided region.

(2) In one aspect (1) of the present invention, each of the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices may include: a circulation pump; and an adjustment tank that adjusts the processing liquid collected from one of the plurality of divided regions by the circulation pump into a resupply processing liquid, and that supplies the resupply processing liquid from the adjustment tank to the at least one nozzle by returning the resupply processing liquid to the circulation pump. In this way, the treatment liquid collected by the circulation pump is uniformly adjusted in the adjustment tank, and the treatment liquid for resupply from the adjustment tank can be returned and supplied to the at least one nozzle by the circulation pump.

(3) In the aspect (2) of the present invention, the conditioning tank may perform at least one of the following operations on the collected treatment liquid: charging the consumed ingredients; and adjusting the temperature. In the case where the surface treatment is, for example, plating, the consumed components are plating components, additives, or the like in the treatment liquid. In the case where the surface treatment is, for example, copper plating, the plating composition is copper oxide. In the case where the surface treatment is, for example, plating, the additive is a gloss agent, a smoothing agent, or the like. In the temperature adjustment, the temperature of the treatment liquid is adjusted to an optimum temperature specific to the surface treatment. By any of these adjustments, the recovered treatment liquid is adjusted to be a fresh treatment liquid for resupply. For example, the concentration of plating components, additives, and the like in the recovered processing liquid or the temperature of the processing liquid may be monitored by a sensor, and the concentration or the temperature may be adjusted when the concentration or the temperature deviates from an appropriate value.

(4) In the aspect (2) of the present invention, the processing liquid in the processing tank may be discharged from a bottom portion side of the processing tank and collected, and each of the plurality of processing liquid circulating apparatuses may further include a filter for filtering the resupply processing liquid from the adjustment tank. Impurities such as garbage having a relatively high specific gravity mixed in the treatment liquid in the treatment tank are accumulated in the bottom of the treatment tank. These impurities can be recovered together with the treatment liquid discharged from the bottom side of the treatment tank and removed by the filter.

(5) In the aspect (4) of the present invention, the surface treatment apparatus may further include an overflow tank adjacent to the treatment tank, and the treatment liquid in the treatment tank may be discharged through the overflow tank and collected. Impurities having a relatively low specific gravity mixed in the treatment liquid in the treatment tank are suspended above the treatment liquid in the treatment tank. These impurities can be recovered together with the treatment solution overflowing from the treatment tank by being discharged through the overflow tank, and can be removed by the filter in the same manner.

(6) In one aspect (1) to (5) of the present invention, the surface treatment apparatus may be formed by connecting a plurality of treatment units in the longitudinal direction, each of the plurality of treatment units may include a divided treatment tank for accommodating the treatment liquid, and each of the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices may be connected to the divided treatment tank of each of the plurality of treatment units. In this way, when the surface treatment apparatus is configured by connecting a plurality of treatment units, the treatment liquid circulation device can be attached to each treatment unit. Here, each processing unit may be provided with 2 or more processing liquid circulating devices.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a plating section in an intermittent feed type plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a processing unit of the plating apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a workpiece stopped in one processing unit and an anode.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a conveying jig that conveys a workpiece.

Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the connection of the anode, the conductive part on the cathode rail, and the rectifier.

Fig. 6 (a) and (B) are a front view and a cross-sectional view of the cathode rail.

Fig. 7 is a plane showing the nozzle reciprocating horizontal scanning movement within the unit.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the arrangement pitch of the ejection ports of the nozzle.

FIG. 9 is a view schematically showing a treatment liquid circulating apparatus connected to the divided treatment tanks.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. The present embodiment described below is not intended to unduly limit the contents of the present invention described in the claims, and all of the configurations described in the present embodiment are not necessarily essential as means for solving the present invention.

1. Multiple processing units

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a plating apparatus (broadly, a surface treatment apparatus) according to the present embodiment. In fig. 1, in the plating apparatus 1, a plating section for plating a work 2 such as a circuit board is constituted by connecting 1 or more processing units 3-1 to 3-n (n is a natural number). The plurality of processing units 3-1 to 3-n can have substantially the same structure. The work 2 may be conveyed continuously or the work 2 may be conveyed intermittently in each of the plurality of processing units 3-1 to 3-n. In the case of the intermittent conveyance type plating apparatus 1, at least one, M (M is an integer of 2 or more) workpieces 2 (for example, M is 4) in fig. 1 can be intermittently stopped in each of the plurality of processing units 3-1 to 3-n. Fig. 1 shows a workpiece 2 of a maximum size, and the plating apparatus 1 has versatility to be able to process workpieces 2 of this maximum size or less. Hereinafter, the intermittent conveyance type plating apparatus 1 will be described as an example.

The workpiece 2 is intermittently conveyed in the a direction sequentially from the current stop position toward the next stop position by an intermittent conveyance device such as a pusher. In the present embodiment, one workpiece 2 is stopped at 4 places in each processing unit. A carry-in unit 4 for carrying in the workpiece 2 by descending in the B direction may be connected to the upstream side of the most upstream processing unit 3-1. When the workpiece 2 in the processing unit 3-1 is intermittently conveyed, the workpiece 2 in the carry-in unit 4 is also intermittently conveyed and moved to the processing unit 3-1. A carry-out unit 5 may be connected to the downstream side of the most downstream processing unit 3-n, and the carry-out unit 5 may raise the workpiece 2 horizontally moved from the processing unit 3-n in the C direction and carry out the workpiece. The workpiece 2 in the carry-out unit 5 is carried out upward before the workpiece 2 in the processing unit 3-n is intermittently conveyed. However, the carry-in unit 4 and/or the carry-out unit 5 may be omitted. In this case, the workpiece 2 is lowered to the most upstream stop position of the processing unit 3-1, and the workpiece 2 at the most downstream stop position of the processing unit 3-n is raised and carried out.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a processing unit 3-1 having a structure common to the processing units 3-2 to 3-n. The processing unit 3-1 has a divided processing bath 6 for containing a plating liquid (broadly, a processing liquid). The work 2 is immersed in the plating liquid in the divided treatment tanks 6. The divided processing bath 6 is a substantially box body having an upper opening, and

openings

6A and 6B are provided in upstream and downstream partitions, respectively, to allow the horizontal movement of the workpiece 2 between the divided processing bath and an adjacent unit (processing unit, loading unit, or unloading unit).

In the present embodiment, at least one anode 20 is provided on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the workpiece 2 at a plurality of (e.g., 4) stop positions within the processing unit 3-1. In the present embodiment, there are provided: an anode 20A opposed to the front surface of each of the one workpieces 2 at each of the stop positions; and an anode 20B opposed to the back surface of the workpiece 2. Each of the anodes 20(20A, 20B) may include a plurality of divided anodes that are electrically connected to each other. In the present embodiment, the anode segment 20a1(20B1) on the upstream side and the anode segment 20a2(20B2) on the downstream side are divided. The anode 20 may include divided anodes divided into 3 or more, but can be regarded as one anode because of conduction between them.

Fig. 3 is a front view showing the positional relationship between the anodes 20a1, 20a2(20B1, 20B2) arranged in the process unit 3-1 and the workpiece 2. As shown in fig. 3, the workpiece 2 is held by the conveying jig 30. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the anodes 20(20A, 20B) are disposed at positions facing the workpieces 2 located at the 4 stop positions, respectively. In short, as shown in fig. 2, it is sufficient if a uniform electric field can be formed between the workpiece 2 set as a cathode and the anode 20. The shape of the anode 20 is not limited, and the anode shown in fig. 2 and 3 has a rectangular outline, but may have a circular outline in a plan view. The anode may be an insoluble anode or a soluble anode.

In the present embodiment, a shielding plate 23 for dividing one processing unit 3-1 into 4 units 11-1 to 11-4 may be provided. In each of the cells 11-1 to 11-4, anodes 20(20A1, 20A2, 20B1, 20B2) are arranged on both sides of the workpiece 2 in a plan view. The shield plate 23 is provided to block the influence of an electric field between adjacent cells (an anode-cathode electric field shown by an arrow in fig. 2). An opening 23A through which the workpiece 2 passes is formed in the shield plate 23.

2. Conveying clamp

Fig. 4 shows an example of the conveyance jig 30. The conveying jig 30 has a horizontal arm portion 300, a vertical arm portion 310, a workpiece holding portion 320, a guided portion 330, a supplied power portion 340, and a pushed piece 350. The horizontal arm portion 300 extends in a direction B perpendicular to the intermittent conveying direction a. The vertical arm portion 310 is held in a drooping manner to the horizontal arm portion 300. The workpiece holding portion 320 is fixed to the vertical arm portion 310. The workpiece holding portion 320 includes: an upper frame 321; and a lower frame 322 supported by the upper frame 321 so as to be able to be raised and lowered, for example. The upper frame 321 is provided with a plurality of clamps 323 for clamping the upper portion of the workpiece 2. The lower frame 322 is provided with a plurality of clamps 324 for clamping the lower portion of the workpiece 2. A downward tension is imparted to the workpiece 2 by the lower clamp 324. However, when the workpiece 2 is thick or when power is not supplied from the lower portion of the workpiece 2, the lower frame 322 and the clamp 324 may be omitted.

The guided portion 330 is disposed along the processing units 3-2 to 3-n, and is guided by a guide rail (not shown) divided for each of the processing units 3-2 to 3-n, for example, to linearly guide the conveying jig 30. The guided portion 330 may include: a roller 331 that is in rolling contact with the top surface of the guide rail; and rollers 332 that roll in contact with both side surfaces of the guide rail (only rollers that roll in contact with one side surface are illustrated in fig. 4).

The fed portion 340 is in contact with the cathode rail described in fig. 5 and 6, and the workpiece 2 is set as a cathode by the horizontal arm portion 300, the vertical arm portion 310, and the workpiece holding portion 320 of the conveying jig 30. The fed portion 340 includes 2

contacts

342, 343 supported on the upstream side and the downstream side of the support arm 341 extending in the intermittent conveyance direction a. The

contacts

342 and 343 are supported by the support arm 341 via a parallel link mechanism, and are urged by a spring to be pressed against the cathode rail. The 2

contacts

342, 343 are electrically connected to at least one of the

clamps

323, 324, whereby the workpiece 2 is set as a cathode.

The pushed piece 350 is fixed to the vertical arm 310, for example, and the pushed surface is vertically arranged at a position directly above the workpiece holding portion 320. The pushed piece 350 is pushed in the direction C shown in the figure by an intermittent conveyance device described later, and transmits an intermittent conveyance force to the conveyance jig 30. The conveyance jig 30 shown in fig. 4 is provided with the engaged portion 360 used in the continuous conveyance, and the conveyance jig 30 can be used for both the intermittent conveyance and the continuous conveyance.

3. Cathode rail and rectifier

As shown in FIG. 5, each of the processing units 3-1 to 3-n (only 2 processing units are shown in FIG. 5) has at least 1 cathode track 40. A plurality of cathode rails 40 may be arranged parallel to the conveyance direction a. In this case, the plurality of cathode rails 40 may be connected to the same rectifier, or may be connected to different rectifiers to control the current value independently for each power feeding portion. In the present embodiment, 1 cathode rail 40 is provided. The 1 cathode rail 40 preferably has a plurality of divided cathode rails 40-1 to 40-n (only 2 divided cathode rails 40-1 and 40-2 are shown in fig. 5) divided for each of the processing units 3-1 to 3-n, and the plurality of divided cathode rails 40-1 to 40-n are connected continuously in the transport direction a. As shown in fig. 5 and 6a, the divided cathode rails 40-1 to 40-n have 4 conductive portions 43 on a one-to-one basis for each unit in which the workpiece 2 is stopped, with spaces (non-conductive portions) 42 between the respective insulating rails 41. The 4 conductive portions 43 are each electrically connected to a power-supplied portion 340(2 contacts 342, 343) of the conveying jig 30 shown in fig. 4, which holds the workpiece 2 stopped at 4 stop positions of the respective processing units 3-1 to 3-n. FIG. 5 shows the liquid level L of the plating liquid contained in each of the processing units 3-1 to 3-n, and the work 2 is immersed in the plating liquid. As shown in fig. 6B,

partition walls

44 and 44 are provided at both ends of the cathode rail 40 in the width direction, so that a non-oily conductive fluid (e.g., water) 45 can be held on the conductive portion 43. Thus, the conductive fluid 45 can more reliably ensure the electrical contact between the power-supplied portion 340(2 contacts 342, 343) and the conductive portion 43. However, since the conductivity of water is much lower than that of the conductive portion 43 which is a metal, the insulation between the adjacent

conductive portions

43, 43 is maintained. As shown in fig. 6 (B), the bolts 46 for fixing the conductive portion 43 to the insulating rail 41 can be disposed on both sides of the travel path with the power-supplied portion 340 interposed therebetween. This eliminates the need to provide a counterbore for the bolt in the conductive portion 34, thereby eliminating a factor that becomes electric resistance.

Each of the processing units 3-1 to 3-n has a total of 4 rectifiers 50 (only one rectifier 50 is shown in FIG. 5) one for each unit where the workpiece 2 is stopped. The positive terminal 51 of each of the 4 rectifiers 50 is connected to the anode 20(20a1, 20a2, 20B1, 20B2) disposed in each cell. The negative terminal 52 of each of the 4 rectifiers 50 is connected to the conductive portion 43 corresponding to the cell of each of the divided cathode rails 40-1 to 40-n.

4. Current control when workpiece is stopped

The currents flowing into 4 workpieces 2 at 4 stop positions (cells) of each processing cell 3-1 to 3-n are independently controlled by 1 rectifier 50 provided for each cell. Further, since the cathodes are insulated from each other and the anodes are also insulated from each other between the cells, the workpieces 2 can be separated in an insulated manner, and the power supply control of the workpieces 2 can be performed individually by the rectifiers 50. Moreover, by separating the electric field by the shielding plate 23 between the cells, the influence between the cells is eliminated, and separate power supply to each workpiece 2 is ensured. This can improve the plating quality of the workpiece 2.

In contrast to the conventional continuous conveyance system, the intermittent conveyance system of the present embodiment always changes the positional relationship between the continuously conveyed workpiece (cathode) and the fixed anode, and the stopped workpiece (cathode) 2 of the present embodiment can be directly opposed to the anode 20. Thus, when the work 2 is stopped, the positional relationship between the cathode and the anode is fixed, and the works are subjected to the same plating conditions, and therefore, improvement in plating quality can be expected. In particular, since the fluctuation of the contact resistance disappears when the workpiece 2 is stopped, the current can be accurately controlled. Further, there are counterbores for fixing bolts and the like in the middle of a long cathode rail for continuous conveyance, and the resistance value of the cathode rail differs from place to place and does not become uniform. Therefore, although the current flowing through the workpiece differs depending on the position of the workpiece during continuous conveyance, such a problem can be solved in intermittent conveyance. Further, the present embodiment does not have the following situation as in the case of continuous conveyance: the plating quality is adversely affected depending on the continuous conveying speed of the work.

However, it is also possible that no completely separate supply of power as described above is necessary for the intermittent conveyance of the workpieces 2. That is, one or both of the cathode and the anode may be shared (common cathode and/or common anode) in 4 units 11-1 to 11-4 of each processing unit 3-1 to 3-n.

5. Moving scan of nozzle

In 4 units 11-1 to 11-4 of the respective processing units 3-1 to 3-n, as shown in fig. 8, at least one nozzle 60 may be further provided between each surface (front surface and back surface) of the workpiece 2 located at the stop position in a plan view and the anode 20. Since the nozzles 60 block the electric field formed between the workpiece (cathode) 2 and the anode 20, it is preferable to reduce the number of the nozzles 60 even when a plurality of the nozzles are provided. As shown in fig. 9, the nozzle 60 has a plurality of discharge ports 60A for discharging the plating liquid. The pitch P in the vertical direction of the discharge ports 60A of the nozzle 60 shown in fig. 9 is smaller than the pitch (for example, 7.5mm) used in the conventional continuous transport system, and can be set to be not less than the outer diameter of the discharge ports 60A but not more than 5 mm. This is to increase the supply amount of the plating liquid per unit time. Further, the pitch P is also preferably made small in order to uniformly supply the plating liquid to the chips or the fine patterns having a small size. In fig. 9, the nozzles 60 on the front and back surfaces of the workpiece 2 are arranged to face each other with the workpiece 2 interposed therebetween, but may be provided at positions other than the facing positions. When the workpieces 2 are arranged to face each other, the deformation of the workpieces 2 due to the hydraulic pressure can be eliminated, and when the workpieces 2 are not arranged to face each other, the plating liquid can be easily supplied to the through-holes of the workpieces 2. In addition, although the continuous transfer system is also provided with nozzles, the number thereof is as large as several tens of nozzles in one processing unit.

In the continuous work conveying system, a plurality of nozzles are fixed, but in the present embodiment employing the intermittent conveying system, at least one nozzle 60 is horizontally moved in a scanning manner, for example, in the directions of arrows a1 and a2 (both parallel to the intermittent conveying direction a) in each of the 4 units 11-1 to 11-4 of the processing units 3-1 to 3-n in the present embodiment of fig. 8. As a result, as shown in fig. 9, the plating liquid can be uniformly discharged to the entire surface of the workpiece 2. The moving speed of the nozzle 60 can be higher than the moving speed (for example, 0.8m/min) of the workpiece 2 in the continuous conveyance system. Thus, the amount of plating liquid supplied per unit time can be increased. In addition, in the continuous conveyance system, when the workpiece speed is increased, the total length of the processing tank is increased, and the apparatus is increased in size.

Although the reciprocating mechanism of the nozzle 60 is not shown, a known reciprocating linear mechanism (for example, a gear-rack mechanism driven by a reversible motor, a piston-crank mechanism, or the like) may be used. The reciprocating mechanism can move 2 nozzles 60 in the following manner: the scanning is repeated at least once in a cycle within a length range corresponding to at least the horizontal width of the workpiece 2 stopped in each cell. In this way, the in-plane uniformity of the processed workpiece 2 is improved. It is particularly preferred that the initial position of the nozzle 60 be cyclically scanned at least once and returned to the initial position. This is because the shadow of the nozzle 60 is substantially uniform in the workpiece surface. The nozzle 60 may continuously perform the reciprocating scanning movement during the start-up of the apparatus, or may stop the reciprocating scanning movement during the intermittent conveyance of the workpiece 2.

According to the present embodiment, at least one (for example, 2) nozzle pipes 60 can be moved by scanning with respect to the workpiece 2 in accordance with the stop position of the workpiece 2 with respect to the workpiece 2 which is intermittently stopped. As a result, the region that becomes a shadow of the nozzle 60 and blocks the electric field between the anode and the cathode moves with the movement of the nozzle 60, wherein the nozzle 60 is positioned between the workpiece 2 and the anode 20 in a plan view. Therefore, the region where the electric field is blocked by the nozzle 60 is not fixed, and the in-plane uniformity of the workpiece 2 to be processed is improved. In addition, the scanning movement direction of the nozzle 60 is not limited to the horizontal direction. For example, the nozzle 60 may be horizontally disposed and moved in a scanning manner along the vertical direction, and the scanning direction may be any of the horizontal and vertical directions.

The nozzle 60 can wind and discharge the plating liquid near the discharge port 60A in the divided treatment vessel by a known structure. This makes it possible to discharge the plating liquid rich in metal ions near the anode 20 toward the workpiece 2, thereby improving the yield.

The scanning movement of the nozzle 60 can be widely applied to the surface treatment apparatus of the intermittent conveyance system, and is not necessarily limited to the structure of the above-described embodiment, that is, the connection structure of the plurality of treatment units, the cathode division structure, the anode division structure, and the like. Further, the present invention is not necessarily applied to the intermittent conveyance type surface treatment apparatus, and therefore, at least one nozzle is fixedly disposed in the continuous conveyance type surface treatment apparatus.

6. Treatment liquid circulating device

FIG. 9 schematically shows a treatment liquid circulation apparatus 100 connected to each of the treatment units 3-1 to 3-n shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 9, the treatment liquid circulation device 100 is connected to the divided treatment tanks 6 of the treatment unit 3-1. However, a plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices 100 may be connected to the divided treatment tanks 6, and for example, one treatment liquid circulation device 100 may be connected to each of 4 units 11-1 to 11-4 shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, one treatment liquid circulation device 100 may be connected to each of the plurality of divided treatment tanks 6. However, the divided regions connecting the treatment liquid circulating apparatuses 100 are not limited to those physically divided as in the treatment units 3-1 to 3-n or the units 11-1 to 11-4.

In FIG. 9, the treatment liquid circulating apparatus 100 adjusts the plating liquid collected from the divided treatment vessels 6 and supplies the plating liquid to the nozzles 60 of 2 groups, or 8 groups in total, provided on both sides of the workpiece 2 in each of the units 11-1 to 11-4 of the divided treatment vessels 6 by returning the plating liquid. The treatment liquid circulation device 100 has a conditioning tank 110. The adjustment tank 110 communicates with the bottom of the divided processing tank 6 via, for example, a normally open valve 111. As shown in fig. 9, in the case where the divided treatment tank 6 has

overflow tanks

7A, 7B on both sides in the width direction, for example, the adjustment tank 110 also communicates with the bottoms of the

overflow tanks

7A, 7B.

The adjustment tank 110 may include a copper oxide input portion 112, an additive input portion 113, and a temperature control portion 114. The copper oxide and the additive are added to replenish components consumed by the copper plating. The temperature control is performed to adjust the temperature of the treatment liquid to an optimum temperature specific to the surface treatment. The 2

return paths

120A and 120B are connected to the downstream side of the adjustment tank 110. The return path 120A is connected to 1 group or 4 groups of nozzles 60 provided on the front surface side of the workpiece 2 in each of the units 11-1 to 11-4 of the divided processing bath 6. The return path 120B is connected to 1 group or 4 groups of nozzles 60 provided on the back side of the workpiece 2 in each of the units 11-1 to 11-4 of the divided processing bath 6. The 2

return paths

120A and 120B are provided with a circulation pump 121, a filter 122, and a flow meter 123, respectively.

According to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices 100 can adjust the plating liquid collected from each of the divided treatment vessels 6 into which the treatment vessels are divided in the longitudinal direction, and then supply the plating liquid as the resupply treatment liquid to the 8 sets of nozzles 60 provided in each of the divided treatment vessels 6 in total, in a backflow manner. Thus, the concentration of the fresh plating liquid after adjustment is substantially equalized among the plurality of divided treatment vessels 6. In each of the divided treatment tanks 6, fresh plating liquid is discharged toward the workpiece 2 from a total of 8 sets of nozzles 60 that are moved and scanned. Thus, fresh plating liquid is dispersed in each of the divided treatment vessels 6, and the concentration of the plating liquid is substantially equalized in each of the divided treatment vessels 6. Further, if the resupply process liquid is supplied from the upper side of the nozzle 60, deaeration can be performed.

The adjustment tank 110 can perform at least one of the following operations on the collected plating liquid: charging the consumed components such as copper oxide and/or additives; and adjusting the temperature. By any of these adjustments, the collected plating solution is adjusted to a fresh treatment solution for resupply.

Impurities having a high specific gravity (metal species, copper powder such as copper oxide) contained in the plating liquid collected from the bottom portion having the inclined surface 6C of the divided treatment vessel 6, or impurities having a low specific gravity (resin species, for example) contained in the plating liquid collected from the

overflow vessels

7A and 7B can be removed by the filter 122. This prevents contamination of the plating liquid to be resupplied and also prevents clogging of the nozzle 60. In particular, if the lines and spaces of the wiring formed on the workpiece 2 are small, even a minute impurity causes short-circuit failure. Since such impurities are removed by the filter 122, they can be removed from the plating liquid to be resupplied. Further, since the impurities having a large specific gravity are collected from the bottom of the treatment tank through the normally open nozzle 111, they can be prevented from remaining in the treatment tank during convection.

Although the present embodiment has been described in detail as above, it should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that a large number of modifications can be made without substantially departing from the novel matters and effects of the present invention. Therefore, all such modifications are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, in the specification or the drawings, a term described at least once together with a different term having a broader meaning or a same meaning can be replaced with a different term in any part of the specification or the drawings. All combinations of the embodiment and the modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention.

Description of the reference symbols

1: a surface treatment device; 2: a workpiece; 3-1 to 3-n: a processing unit; 6: dividing the treatment tank; 7A, 7B: an overflow trough; 20(20a1, 20a2, 20B1, 20B 2): an anode; 30: conveying the clamp; 40. 40-1, 40-2: cathode rails (split cathode rails); 41: an insulated rail; 42: a space (non-conductive portion); 43: a conductive portion; 50: a rectifier; 51: a positive terminal; 52: a negative terminal; 60: a nozzle; 60A: an ejection port; 100: a treatment liquid circulating device; 110: an adjustment groove; 112: a copper oxide input section; 113: an additive input part; 114: a temperature adjustment part; 120A, 120B: 1 st and 2 nd return paths; 121: a circulation pump; 122: and (3) a filter.

Claims

1. A surface treatment device is characterized in that,

the surface treatment device comprises:

a plurality of treatment liquid circulating devices are arranged,

2. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1,

the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices each include:

a circulation pump; and

an adjustment tank that adjusts the processing liquid collected from one of the plurality of divided regions by the circulation pump into a resupply processing liquid,

the resupply treatment liquid from the adjustment tank is returned and supplied to the at least one nozzle by the circulation pump.

3. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 2,

the conditioning tank performs at least one of the following operations on the recovered processing liquid: charging the consumed ingredients; and adjusting the temperature.

4. A surface treatment device according to claim 2 or 3,

the treatment liquid in the treatment tank is discharged from the bottom side of the treatment tank and recovered,

each of the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices further includes a filter for filtering the resupply treatment liquid from the adjustment tank.

5. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 4,

the surface treatment apparatus further has an overflow tank adjacent to the treatment tank,

the treatment liquid in the treatment tank is discharged through the overflow tank and recovered.

6. The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the surface treatment device is formed by connecting a plurality of treatment units in the longitudinal direction,

each of the plurality of processing units includes a divided processing tank for containing the processing liquid,

the plurality of treatment liquid circulation devices are connected to the divided treatment tanks of the plurality of treatment units, respectively.