JP3050819B2 - Plating equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plating apparatus, and more particularly to a plating apparatus, in which an object to be plated is horizontally moved along a plurality of linearly arranged electrodes by pressing the object with a pusher. The present invention relates to a pusher type plating apparatus for performing a plating process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Plating apparatuses include a carrier type and a pusher type. The carrier type plating apparatus carries out plating by transporting an object to be plated by a carrier and sequentially immersing the object in a plating solution in a plurality of plating tanks.

[0003] This carrier type plating apparatus is
The plating thickness can be adjusted by changing the time for immersing the object to be plated in the plating solution, and the plating thickness can be made relatively thick, so that it is suitable for decorative plating and corrosion-resistant plating.

On the other hand, a pusher type plating apparatus arranges a plurality of electrodes in a U-shape in a plating layer,
A plating process is performed by pressing an object to be plated with a pusher and horizontally moving the object along an electrode. This pusher type plating apparatus is suitable for precision plating of a printed circuit board or the like, because it can perform plating on a large number of objects to be plated under the same conditions.

[0005]

However, in the conventional pusher type plating apparatus, the object to be plated moves so that the object to be plated moves around the folded portion of the U-shaped electrode. However, there is a problem that the space required for the apparatus becomes large, and the apparatus becomes large.

Further, since the electrodes are arranged in two rows on both sides of the movement path of the object to be plated, the interval between the electrodes in the outer row and the inner row is different in the folded portion. There is a possibility that the plating process in the part becomes unstable and a defect occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve such problems, and to provide a pusher type plating apparatus capable of miniaturizing the apparatus and stabilizing the plating processing to prevent defects. It is in.

[0008]

The present invention is a plating apparatus, and is configured as follows to solve the above-mentioned technical problem. That is, the plating apparatus of the present invention comprises a first parallel plating means for performing plating on the object to be plated by horizontally moving the object to be plated along electrodes linearly arranged in a plating tank; A plating apparatus comprising: a second plating unit; and a transfer unit configured to transfer the object to be plated discharged from the first plating unit to the second plating unit, wherein the transfer unit includes:
Receiving means for receiving the object to be plated discharged from the first plating means; third plating means for plating the object to be plated under the same conditions as the first plating means; The reciprocating means for linearly reciprocating the third plating means between the discharge side of the first plating means and the supply side of the second plating means.

In this plating apparatus, the object to be plated discharged from the first plating means is transferred to the second plating means by being linearly moved by the transfer means. In this case, the transfer space can be reduced as compared with the case where the transfer is performed. Further, when transferring the object to be plated, the object to be plated is plated by the third plating means under the same conditions as the first plating means, so that the plating processing is stabilized.

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pusher type plating apparatus 1 according to the present invention. This plating apparatus 1
Is a pre-treatment means 11 for performing a pre-plating treatment on the object to be plated 10 (FIG. 3), a plating tank 12 in which a predetermined amount of a plating solution 42 such as copper sulfate is stored, It comprises a first plating means 13 and a second plating means 14 which are parallel to each other and which perform processing.

Further, the plating apparatus 1 holds the object to be plated 10 in the first plating means 13 or in the second plating means.
A plurality of holding means 15 movable within the plating means 14;
A first pusher means 16 and a second pusher means 17 for pressing these holding means 15 to move them by a predetermined distance.
Transfer means 18 for transferring the holding means 15 discharged from the first plating means 13 to the second plating means 14; and post-processing for performing post-plating processing on the workpiece 10 discharged from the second plating means 14. Means 19.

In the pretreatment means 11, the object to be plated 10 is subjected to pretreatment such as degreasing, washing with hot water, washing with water, and acid activity (only a part is shown). In the post-processing means 19, the plated object 10 is washed with water, rust-proof,
Post-plating treatment such as washing with water and washing with hot water (only some are shown) is performed. These pre-processing means 11 and post-processing means 19
Is the same as a general pusher type plating apparatus, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

First plating means 13 and second plating means 14
Are substantially the same, and here, the first plating means 13
Will be described. The first plating means 13 performs a plating process by horizontally moving the workpiece 10 along the first positive electrode 20 linearly arranged in the plating tank 12.

That is, the first plating means 13 includes a plurality of first positive electrodes 20 arranged in two rows in a straight line, and a position between the two rows of first positive electrodes 20 above the plating tank 12. And a long first negative electrode 21 arranged in the form of a guide rail. The first positive electrode 20 can be configured by inserting a plurality of copper balls into a rectangular tube formed of, for example, a titanium plate having many holes.

The distance between the two rows of the first positive electrodes 20 is set in accordance with the thickness of the plating applied to the object to be plated 10, and can be arbitrarily adjusted. Also, the first negative electrode 2
Numeral 1 is a long flat plate formed in a guide rail shape as shown in FIG. The first cathode 21 is provided with the holding means 1.
5 is slidably locked.

The holding means 15 includes a frame 25 and the frame 2
5 is provided with a power supply connection part 26 provided on the upper side and a locking part 27 provided on the upper side of the power supply connection part 26.
As shown in FIG. 3, the frame portion 25 includes vertical frames 30, 30 on both sides formed of, for example, stainless steel channels, and a long main bar 31 formed of a highly conductive plate material such as copper.
And a long horizontal frame 32 formed of a plate material having high insulating properties are formed in a quadrilateral having an appropriate size. Vertical frame 30, 3
0 is coated with, for example, a resin. The power supply connection portion 26 includes a power supply bar 33 formed of a highly conductive plate material such as copper, and a copper power supply plate 34 fixed to the upper side of the power supply bar 33. Power supply bar 3
3 is fixed to the main bar 31 of the frame 25.

The locking portion 27 includes a top bar 35, 35 made of a highly conductive plate material such as copper;
For example, stainless steel guides 36, 36 provided on the outer side surfaces of both ends of the top bar 35, and, for example, a stainless steel claw receiving part 3 fixed to both center side surfaces of the top bars 35, 35
7 and 37 and a pressing portion 38 made of, for example, copper and fixed between the claw receiving portions 37 and 37 on both sides. The top bars 35 are fixed to both sides of the power supply bar 33 of the power supply connection portion 26 as shown in FIG. The lower side of the guide 36 protrudes from the lower end surface of the top bar 35.

The holding means 15 is provided with a plurality of locking portions 40 at appropriate positions on the frame portion 25 as shown in FIG. 3, and as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A plurality of objects 10 can be attached to the locking portion 40. Alternatively, a frame-shaped copper jig (not shown) may be attached to the main bar 31, and the object to be plated 10 may be attached to the copper jig. By doing so, it is possible to hold various large and small objects to be plated 10.

The holding means 15 is slidably suspended by placing the top bar 35 on the first negative electrode 21 as shown in FIG. At this time, since the first negative electrode 21 is sandwiched between the guide 36 and the power supply plate 34, it is possible to prevent the holding means 15 from accidentally falling off.

The horizontal frame 32 of the frame 25 of the holding means 15
Is movably inserted with a slight gap between the guide rails 41 provided at predetermined intervals in the plating tank 12. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the holding means 15 from rattling. Further, since the holding means 15 is locked outside the first negative electrode 21, the holding means 15 can be easily removed from the outside of the plating tank 12 at the time of maintenance or the like.

When plating the object to be plated 10, a current is applied between the first positive electrode 20 and the first negative electrode 21. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the current flows through the power supply plate 34, the power supply bar 33, the main bar 31, the locking portion 40, the workpiece 10, and the plating solution 42 of the holding unit 15. As a result, the plating metal in the plating solution 42, in this example, copper, adheres to a predetermined position on the object 10 to be plated, and plating is performed.

A plurality of holding means 15 are continuously suspended from the first negative electrode 21. And these holding means 15
Are arranged at a predetermined interval.
For example, the frame 2
5 and slides on the first negative electrode 21.
Then, the holding means 15 in front of the pressed holding means 15 is also pressed, and all the holding means 15 on the first negative electrode 21 slide and move by one width. The first pusher means 16 is capable of moving vertically and horizontally.

As described above, the holding means 15 in the first plating means 13 is moved at a predetermined timing between the two rows of the first positive electrodes 20 by a predetermined distance, thereby plating the object 10 to be plated. The thickness gradually increases. And the first
When it passes through the plating means 13 to the end, the plating thickness of the object to be plated 10 becomes a predetermined thickness. The holding means 15 pushed out from the first plating means 13 is received by the transfer means 18 as shown in FIG.

This transfer means 18 is a first plating means 1
The plating object 10 discharged from 3 is passed through the plating tank 12 and transferred to the second plating means 14.
Receiving means for receiving the plating object 10 discharged from the first plating means 13, third plating means for plating the plating object 10 under the same conditions as the first plating means 13, reception means and third plating means And a reciprocating means for linearly reciprocating between the discharge side of the first plating means 13 and the supply side of the second plating means 14.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the transfer means 18 includes a hanging part 51, a third plating means 52 attached to the hanging part 51, and a reciprocating moving means 53.
And are provided. The suspension portion 51 is formed in a rectangular frame shape by appropriately combining, for example, stainless steel channels, plate members, and the like.

The third plating means 52 comprises a plurality of third positive electrodes 55 attached to the bottom plate 54 of the hanging portion 51 and a third negative electrode 56 provided above the third positive electrode 55. ing. The third positive electrode 55 is connected to the first plating unit 13.
The first positive electrode 20 is arranged in two rows in a straight line, and the distance between adjacent third positive electrodes 55 is the same as the distance between the first positive electrodes 20. When the transfer means 18 is moved toward the first plating means 13, the third positive electrode 55
Are aligned with the respective columns of the first positive electrode 20 of the first plating means 13.

The third negative electrode 56 is attached to the inner surface of the suspension portion 51, in this example, to the left inner surface via a bracket 57 and an insulating material 58. This third negative electrode 56
Is arranged at the same height as the first negative electrode 21 of the first plating means 13 as shown in FIG. 5, and functions as a receiving means.

Then, the transfer means 18 is the first plating means 1
3 side, the first negative electrode 21 and the third
The negative electrode 56 is aligned with the negative electrode 56, and a slight gap is formed therebetween. As a result, the holding means 15 pushed out from the first negative electrode 21 makes the first negative electrode 21
It is possible to smoothly transfer to the third positive electrode 55 without inadvertently falling out of the gap with the negative electrode 56.

The bottom plate 54 of the hanging portion 51 is further provided with a guide rail 59 for guiding the horizontal frame 32 of the holding means 15. Thus, it is possible to prevent the holding means 15 from rattling while the transfer means 18 is moving.

As shown in FIG. 5, the reciprocating means 53 comprises a motor 60, four guide wheels 61,
It has two rotating shafts 62 connecting the two guided wheels 61, 61, a bearing 63 supporting the rotating shaft 62, and a gear 64 fitted to one of the rotating shafts 62. The motor 60 and the bearing 63 are fixed to the upper surface of the suspension 51. Then, a pinion 65 (FIG. 4) attached to the rotation shaft 60 </ b> A of the motor 60 is engaged with the gear 64.

On the other hand, above the plating tank 12, two rails 66 and 67 formed of, for example, channels are horizontally provided at appropriate intervals. These races 66, 6
7 is held in the plating tank 12 by supporting portions 68 and 69. The rails 66, 67 extend over the entire width including the first plating means 13 and the second plating means 14, as shown in FIG. On these rails 66, 67,
Guided wheels 61 of reciprocating means 53 are mounted.

When the object 10 to be plated of the holding means 15 is transferred from the first plating means 13 to the second plating means 14, or the transfer means 18 is returned from the second plating means 14 to the first plating means 13 side. In such a case, the motor 60 is rotated in a predetermined direction. Then, the rotating shaft 62 and the guided wheels 61 attached to the rotating shaft 62 rotate,
The transfer means 18 moves between the discharge side of the first plating means 13 and the supply side of the second plating means 14.

Above the second plating means 14 and on the supply side, a second pusher means 17 is arranged as shown in FIG. When the transfer means 18 moves to the discharge side of the second plating means 14, the third negative electrode 5 of the transfer means 18 is moved.
The holding means 15 locked at 6 (FIG. 5) is slid by being pressed by the second pusher means 17 and supplied to the second plating means 14.

The second plating means 14 includes a second positive electrode 22 corresponding to the first positive electrode 20 of the first plating means 13 and a second negative electrode 23 corresponding to the first negative electrode 21.
Each part including these is configured similarly to the first plating means 13. Then, the holding means 15 pushed out from the transfer means 18 moves to the second negative electrode 23 of the second plating means 14. At this time, the holding means 15 is arranged outside the second negative electrode 23 as shown in FIG. by this,
For example, when performing maintenance, the holding unit 15 can be easily removed from the outside of the plating tank 12.

Next, the operation of the plating apparatus 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the object 10 to be plated is
5 is pre-processed by the pre-processing means 11 of FIG. 1 and then sent to the first plating means 13 while being attached to the holding means 15. In the first plating means 13, as shown in FIG.
The plating object 10 is subjected to a plating process when passing between the two rows of the first positive electrode 20 while being suspended by the negative electrode 21.

The thickness of the plating applied to the object to be plated 10 is determined according to the distance between the first positive electrodes 20 in each row, and the smaller the distance, the thicker the plating thickness. The plating apparatus 1 is capable of arbitrarily setting the plating thickness by adjusting the interval between the two rows of the first positive electrodes 20 as described above.

The holding means 15 in the first plating means 13
The first pusher means 16 intermittently presses and moves at a predetermined timing by a predetermined distance at a predetermined timing, and when passing through the inside of the first plating means 13, plating of a predetermined thickness is performed on the workpiece 10. . Then, the first negative electrode 21
5 is pushed out of the first negative electrode 21 by the operation of the first pusher means 16 and received by the third negative electrode 56 of the transfer means 18, as shown in FIG.

The transfer means 18 moves to the supply side of the second plating means 14 at a predetermined timing after receiving the holding means 15. At this time, in the transfer unit 18, the plating object 10 of the holding unit 15 is subjected to plating by the third plating unit 52. Here, the distance between the two rows of the third positive electrodes 55 and the distance between the third positive electrodes 55 in each row are the same as those of the first positive electrodes 20 of the first plating means 13.
0 is plated under the same conditions as the first plating means 13.

After the transfer means 18 moves to the second plating means 14 side, the second pusher means 17 operates at a predetermined timing as shown in FIG.
6 (FIG. 5).
It moves to the negative electrode 23. And the second pusher means 17
As a result, it is intermittently pressed at a predetermined timing and moves by a predetermined distance.

At this time, the object to be plated 10 is plated by the second positive electrode 22 and the second negative electrode 23.
Like the first plating means 13, the second plating means 14 can adjust the plating thickness by changing the interval between the two rows of the second positive electrodes 22. The holding means 15 at the tip of the second plating means 14 is pushed out by the operation of the second pusher means 17 and sent to the post-processing means 19 to be subjected to post-processing of the plating process.

As described above, this plating apparatus 1
The object to be plated 10 extruded from the first plating means 13 is transferred to the second plating means 14 by being translated by the transfer means 18, so that the transfer space is smaller than in the conventional case where the object to be plated is turned. Can be smaller. Therefore, the size of the device can be reduced as compared with the related art.

The transfer means 18 is provided with the first plating means 13.
Since the third plating means 52 for performing the plating process under the same conditions as described above is provided, the plating process can be performed stably when the object to be plated 10 is transferred. Therefore, it is possible to prevent plating defects, and it is also suitable for a case where a precise plating process is required such as a printed circuit board.

[0044]

As described above, according to the plating apparatus of the present invention, the object to be plated discharged from the first plating means is moved linearly by the transfer means to the second plating means. Since the transfer is performed, the transfer space can be reduced as compared with the conventional case where the object to be plated is rotated and transferred, and the apparatus can be downsized.

When the object to be plated discharged from the first plating means is transferred to the second plating means by the transfer means, the object to be plated is transferred by the third plating means under the same conditions as the first plating means. Since plating is applied to
The plating process can be stabilized, thereby preventing plating defects. Therefore, even when plating is performed on, for example, a printed circuit board or the like that requires precise plating, production efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a plating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plating apparatus 10 Object to be plated 12 Plating tank 13 First plating means 14 Second plating means 18 Transfer means 52 Third plating means 53 Reciprocating means 56 Third positive electrode (receiving means)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first plating means and a second plating means parallel to each other for plating an object to be plated by horizontally moving the object to be plated along electrodes linearly arranged in a plating tank. A transfer means for transferring the object to be plated discharged from the first plating means to the second plating means, wherein the transfer means is provided from the first plating means. Receiving means for receiving the discharged object to be plated; third plating means for plating the object to be plated under the same conditions as the first plating means; and the receiving means and the third plating means First
A reciprocating means for linearly reciprocating between a discharge side of the plating means and a supply side of the second plating means.