JP3198205B2 - Anode ball automatic feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically replenishing an electrolytic plating apparatus with an anode ball.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in an electrolytic plating apparatus used for plating a surface of an object to be processed such as a printed circuit board, a plating tank containing an electrolytic solution is connected to an anode (anode). A rod-shaped anode bar is attached so as to straddle the plating tank. On this anode bar, a plurality of substantially cylindrical anode cases made of a titanium net are attached so as to be suspended at predetermined intervals in a row, and connected so that electricity can be conducted from the anode. ing. Inside the anode case,
A plurality of copper balls (hereinafter, referred to as anode balls) are accommodated.

An object to be processed is suspended from a plurality of such anode cases at a predetermined distance from a rod-shaped cathode bar connected to a cathode (cathode). Electricity is conducted. A plurality of combinations of these anodes and cathodes are arranged in a plating tank.

[0004] In the electrolytic plating apparatus having such a configuration, the plating process is performed on the object to be processed. Since the anode ball is consumed by the plating process, the anode ball is supplied to each anode case at an appropriate time. There is a need. Conventionally, the anode ball has been replenished into the inside of the anode case by a human hand from an inlet provided at the upper opening end of the anode case.

In the conventional electroplating apparatus, replenishment of the anode ball must be performed manually after the apparatus is stopped by an operator crossing over an anode bar arranged so as to straddle the plating tank. No. Each anode ball is about 800 g and is usually handled in a box of 20 kg, so handling this on a plating tank is extremely dangerous.

[0006] In order to solve such a problem, an anode ball replenishing machine has been developed in which an anode ball can be replenished to the anode case without an operator climbing up the plating tank. Has also filed a separate application.

[0007]

However, in the supply of anode balls to the anode ball replenishing machine in the above-described anode case, an operator manually supplies anode balls corresponding to an appropriate supply amount. For this reason, one 8
It is extremely difficult for an operator to lift the 00 g anode ball to the replenisher provided above the plating tank.
The anode balls to be supplied are stacked near the plating tank in a state of being put in a box. However, there is little space around the plating tank for stacking a necessary amount of anode balls, and a box of stacked anode balls hinders the operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an anode ball automatic supply device capable of supplying as many anode balls as necessary to the vicinity of an electrolytic plating apparatus from a predetermined location.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a storage unit for storing a plurality of anode balls, a lift mechanism for lifting the anode balls one by one from the storage unit to a starting stage, and an electroplating apparatus from the starting stage. A transport path configured by laying a plurality of transport paths at gradually lower positions up to the final transport path laid in the vicinity of, and an arbitrary transport path among the plurality of transport paths configuring the transport path. A relay stage provided at a connection point with the next transport path after the arbitrary transport path, wherein after receiving the anode ball transported through the arbitrary transport path, the anode ball is transferred to the next transport path. And a relay stage for introducing the anode ball.

[0010]

According to the automatic anode ball supply device of the present invention, one anode ball is supplied from the storage unit by the lift mechanism.
Each is supplied to the departure stage. The anode ball is transported by gravity through a plurality of transport paths from a starting stage to a final transport path provided near the electrolytic plating apparatus. Here, when moving from an arbitrary transport path to the next transport path, the anode ball once falls into the relay stage and is then introduced into the next transport path, so that the impact of the drop of the anode ball damages the transport path. No worries, and the relay stage can be easily replaced.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general outline of the automatic anode ball supply device of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lift mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 1 includes a storage unit 13 for storing a plurality of anode balls 12. The storage unit 13 is mounted on the base unit 14. The platform 14 is provided with a lift 15. The lift section 15 includes a side wall section 16 attached to the base section 13 at a predetermined inclination, a support column 17 for supporting the side wall section 16, and rotating shafts 18 and 19 provided at upper and lower ends of the side wall section, respectively. And a belt 20 hung over the rotating shafts 18 and 19, and a ball holding member 21 mounted on the outer surface of the belt 20 and holding one anode ball 12 each. The rotating shaft 18 provided at the upper end of the side wall 16 is connected to a driving device 22 via a gear.
Is connected to the rotating shaft 23 of the first embodiment. A safety cover 24 is provided so as to surround the side wall 16, the belt 20, and the ball holding member 21, and a control box 25 for controlling the driving device 22 is attached to an outer surface of the side wall 16.

On the other hand, a ball receiving portion 27 is attached to the upper end portion of the side wall portion 16 at a position corresponding to a point 26 (hereinafter referred to as the highest point) where the belt 22 reaches the highest position. A discharge chute 28 having an opening 28a at a lower end is attached to an outer end of the 27.

In the vicinity of the lower end of the lift section 15, a ball supply section 29 for holding the anode ball 12 on the ball holding member 21 is provided. A ball discharge pipe 30 attached to the bottom of the storage unit 13 is connected to the ball supply unit 29. The anode ball 12 is a copper ball having a diameter of 5.5 cm and a weight of 800 g.

Below the discharge chute 28 of the lift mechanism 11, a departure stage 31 has a height of 2.155 m.
It is located at the position. The departure stage 31 is made of stainless steel, and has an anode ball 1
2 is provided with a rubber sheet for absorbing a shock at the time of falling. A proximity switch is attached to the exit of the departure stage 31.

In front of the discharge port 31a of the departure stage 31, an entrance 32a of the first transport path 32 is arranged.
The first transport path 32 is configured by a vinyl chloride pipe having an inner diameter of 65 mm. The first transport path 32 is inclined (for example, 1.8 °) in the transport direction of the anode ball 12 (indicated by an arrow in FIG. 11). First transport path 32
May be bent in the horizontal direction as necessary.

The exit side end 32b of the first transport path 32 is bent downward at a substantially right angle. Below this exit side end 32b, a relay stage 33 similar to the departure stage 31 is arranged at a height of 1.336 m. In front of the outlet 33a of the relay stage 33, a second
An entrance 34a of the transport path 34 is arranged. The second transport path 34 is formed of a stainless steel pipe having an inner diameter of 65 mm. Further, the second transport path 34 is provided with the anode ball 1
2 (for example, 2
°). The second transport path 34 may be bent in the horizontal direction as necessary.

A final stage 35 is disposed in front of the outlet 34b of the second transport path 34. On the final stage 35, the anode ball 12 is placed with an electrolytic plating device 36.
A transfer device 39 provided with an elevating stage 38 that lifts the anode balls 12 one by one to the height of the entrance side end 37a of the final transport path 37 provided along the side wall surface is provided. The final transport path 37 has a V-shaped cross section,
It is inclined (for example, 1.5 °) from the transfer device 39 toward the electrolytic plating device 36.

Above the electrolytic plating device 36,
An anode ball replenishing machine 43 having a plurality of drop ports 41 provided at positions corresponding to the anode case 40 and a guide rail 42 reaching the drop port 41 is arranged.

The anode ball 12 is supplied to the anode ball replenishing machine 43 provided in the electrolytic plating apparatus 36 by the anode ball automatic supply device 10 having the above-described configuration as follows.

First, the anode balls 12 stored in the storage section 13 reach the ball supply section 29 through the ball discharge pipe 30 as shown in FIG. In the ball supply unit 29, the anode ball 12 is
It is held individually. At this time, the belt 20 is
2, the ball holder 21 holding the anode ball 12 is transported upward. The ball holding portion 21 is positioned at the highest point 26 of the belt 20.
, The anode ball 12 held by the ball holding unit 21 falls to the ball receiving unit 27, and drops toward the starting stage 31 via the discharge chute 28. At this time, the proximity switch attached to the exit of the departure stage 31 is operated, and the number of the anode balls 12 is counted.

The anode ball 12 that has dropped onto the starting stage 31 is introduced into the first transport path 32 through the discharge port 31a. The anode ball 12 travels inside the second transport path 32 by gravity because the first transport path 32 is inclined.

When the anode ball 12 reaches the outlet end 32 b of the first transport path 32, it falls downward and is received by the relay stage 33. Next, the anode ball 1
2 is introduced into the second transport path 34 through the discharge port 33 a of the relay stage 33, travels inside the second transport path 34, and reaches the final stage 35.

After reaching the final stage 35, the anode ball 12 is placed on the elevating stage 38 of the transfer device 39, and then reaches the height (1.832 m) of the entrance side end 37 a of the final transport path 37. It is lifted and transferred to the final transport path 37. Thereafter, the anode ball 12 travels on the final conveyance path 37 by gravity, and the electrolytic plating apparatus 3
6 is conveyed to the vicinity of the anode ball replenishing machine 43 provided in 6. The transported anode ball 43 is supplied to the anode ball replenishing machine 43 by an operator and supplied to the anode case 40.

As described above, according to the anode ball supply device 10, the anode balls 12 are placed one by one from the storage unit 13 far from the electrolytic plating device 36, and the anode balls 12 are arranged in the vicinity of the electrolytic plating device 36. It can be easily transported to the transport path 37 using gravity. This eliminates the need for the operator to lift the anode ball 12 to the height (1.9 m) of the anode ball replenishing machine 43, so that the labor of the operator can be greatly reduced. Further, since it is not necessary to store a plurality of anode balls 12 around the electroplating apparatus 36, a sufficient working space can be secured around the electrolytic plating apparatus 36.

As described above, the relay stage 33 is provided between the first transport path 32 and the second transport path 34.
When the anode ball 12 is dropped between transport paths arranged at different heights, such as the first transport path 32 and the second transport path 34, the transport path is simply configured as shown in FIG. When the pipe is bent and connected, the falling anode ball 50 collides with the bent part 51 of the lower pipe, and the pipe is damaged by this impact. In the worst case, a hole is formed in the bent part 51. Sometimes.
For this reason, it is necessary to replace the entire conveyance path. However, in the anode ball automatic supply device 10 of the present embodiment,
After the anode ball 12 that has dropped from the exit side end 32b of the first transport path 32 is received by the relay stage 33,
It is introduced into the second transport path 34. Thereby, there is no fear that the transport path is damaged. Also, since the relay stage 33 can be easily replaced, maintenance of the transport path is extremely simple.

Since the proximity switch is attached to the starting stage 31 and the number of the anode balls 12 is counted, the operation of the lift mechanism 11 is stopped when the required number of the anode balls 12 are supplied. The supply of the ball 12 can be controlled.

In this embodiment, the case where the transport path is constituted by combining two transport paths of the first transport path 33 and the second transport path 34 has been described as an example.
Depending on the installation status of various devices of the electrolytic plating equipment, it can be configured by combining multiple transport paths,
Needless to say, a plurality of relay stages 33 can be arranged as needed.

[0030]

As described above, according to the automatic anode ball supplying apparatus of the present invention, the anode balls are introduced one by one from the storage section into the transport path by the lift mechanism, and are provided near the electrolytic plating apparatus. The anode ball can be transported to the final transport path using gravity. Therefore, the labor of the operator can be greatly reduced. Also, when moving from an arbitrary transport path to the next transport path, the anode ball once falls on the relay stage and is then introduced into the next transport path, so that the impact of the drop of the anode ball may damage the transport path. There is no. Further, since the relay stage can be easily replaced, maintenance of the transport path is extremely simple.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall outline of an automatic anode ball supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view showing a lift mechanism of the automatic anode ball supply device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a comparative example of a transfer path of the automatic anode ball supply device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Anode ball automatic supply apparatus, 11 ... Lift mechanism, 12 ... Anode ball, 13 ... Storage part, 31 ... Departure stage, 32 ... First conveyance path, 33 ... Relay stage, 3
4 2nd conveyance path, 35 ... final stage, 36 ... electrolytic plating apparatus, 37 ... final conveyance path, 39 ... transfer machine, 43 ...
Anode ball supply machine.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage unit in which a plurality of anode balls are stored, a lift mechanism for lifting the anode balls one by one from the storage unit to a starting stage, and a final transfer laid from the starting stage in the vicinity of an electrolytic plating apparatus. A transport path configured by laying a plurality of transport paths at gradually lower positions until reaching the path, and an arbitrary transport path among a plurality of transport paths configuring the transport path and a next to the arbitrary transport path. A relay stage provided at a connection point with a transport path, comprising: a relay stage that receives the anode ball transported through the arbitrary transport path and then introduces the anode ball into the next transport path. An anode ball automatic supply device characterized by the above-mentioned.