JP4609997B2 - Long sheet plating equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a long sheet plating apparatus for continuously plating a long sheet such as a flexible circuit board.

  In recent years, flexible circuit boards are increasingly used in various electronic devices. Such a flexible substrate is required to have high reliability and low cost. For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a manufacturing method is proposed in which a substrate material wound on a reel is subjected to a plating process while being long. Has been. This Patent Document 1 discloses a plating solution storage unit for storing a plating solution, and a long substrate, which is a workpiece, that is immersed in the plating solution while being transported in the longitudinal direction with its width direction directed up and down. Means, a power supply electrode that is in electrical contact with the long substrate, and a support means that supports the long substrate by contacting the long substrate within the plating solution container.

  In Patent Document 1, when a power supply electrode is installed in a plating tank, plating also deposits on the power supply electrode portion, which causes troubles such as transportation and damage to the substrate. It is described that a part is installed and this is used as a roll that also serves as a means for conveying a long substrate. However, when power is supplied to the work with the power supply roll provided outside the plating tank before and after the plating tank, the current density of the work is high at both ends of the plating tank close to the power supply roll due to the electrical resistance of the substrate. It becomes low in the central part of the far plating tank. Therefore, the average plating current density cannot be increased so as not to cause pits or burns at both ends, and the plating tank length can be increased to ensure the minimum required current density even at the center. There wasn't.

  As described above, in the conventional plating apparatus, the average plating current density cannot be increased, and the length of the plating tank cannot be increased. Therefore, a large number of plating tanks are required to secure the necessary plating thickness. It is necessary to increase the plating time, but the plating tanks arranged in large numbers need to be equipped with a power supply roll and a liquid leakage prevention device for the work entrance and exit for each plating tank. As a result, there is a problem that the apparatus cost increases. Moreover, even if the average current density and the length of the plating tank are limited in this way, there is a difference in the current density of the work between the both end portions and the central portion of the plating tank, making it difficult to perform high-quality plating.

On the other hand, when plating a long work wound on a reel, if processing of the work wound on one reel is completed, the end of the work wound on the next reel is connected to the end of the work. However, in such a conventional plating apparatus, a large tension is applied to the work for transporting the work, so that a large strength is required for the connection part. Was difficult to implement due to the problem that the recovery procedure would be difficult. In addition, even when the processing is finished for each reel, there is a problem in that since the end is not held in the plating tank, it cannot be sent to the end, and the end portion cannot be plated, resulting in waste.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-321796

  The present invention solves the above problems, makes it possible to make the current density of the workpiece uniform, increase the current density, lengthen the plating tank to be one tank, and transfer the workpiece to the workpiece. The present invention has been made to provide a long sheet plating apparatus which does not apply a large tension.

  The long sheet plating apparatus of the present invention made to solve the above problems includes a work supply device that supplies a long sheet, which is a work wound on a reel, and a work take-up device that winds the work on a reel. A long-sheet plating apparatus for performing a plating process while continuously conveying a work from a work supply device to a work take-up device with a work surface arranged in a vertical direction between the work supply device and the work take-up device. The upper part of the tank is provided with a conveying device that conveys the workpiece while feeding it, and the workpiece holding unit that holds the workpiece of the conveying device descends in the processing tank to hold the workpiece, The workpiece conveyance speed by the apparatus is synchronized with the workpiece conveyance speed by the conveyance apparatus. Here, it is preferable that a large number of clampers that circulate in the conveying apparatus are provided at equal intervals, and a gripping portion that grips the workpieces of the numerous clampers is lowered in the processing tank.

  According to the present invention, since the conveying device that conveys the workpiece while holding the upper end of the workpiece while feeding is provided at the upper portion of the processing vessel, the workpiece is supplied with electric power from the upper end in the plating vessel. Even if it is long, there is an advantage that a uniform current is supplied to the workpiece and high-quality plating is applied. In addition, it is only necessary to provide one plating tank of the required length, and there is no need to arrange a large number of plating tanks, so there is only one set of liquid leakage prevention devices at the work entry / exit part that must be provided for each plating tank. As a result, there is an advantage that the entire length of the apparatus can be shortened because a power supply roll and a transport roll are not required. In addition, since the current density can be increased, there is an advantage that the length of the plating tank can be shortened and the work conveyance speed can be increased. Furthermore, since the workpiece is held and conveyed at the upper end and tension is not applied to the workpiece in the processing tank, even when the workpiece is connected and plated continuously, the connection does not require high strength and is easy. Even if workpieces are connected by a simple method, there is an advantage that they can be continuously conveyed.

Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a long sheet plating apparatus according to the present invention, which is a work supply device 1 for supplying a long sheet as a work wound on a reel, and a work winding for winding the work on a reel. Between the apparatus 2, the pretreatment tank 3, the plating tank 4, and the post-treatment tank 5 are arranged linearly. The pre-treatment tank 3 and the post-treatment tank 5 are composed of a plurality of tanks according to necessary processing steps. For example, the pre-treatment tank 3 can be used as a degreasing, rinsing, etching, rinsing, pickling, etc. The processing tank 5 shall be comprised from the washing tank, the dryer, etc. Although not shown in the figure, a liquid leakage prevention device is provided at the entrance and exit of the work in each tank as in the conventional long sheet plating device, and the liquid leakage prevention device is a seal roller, etc. Conventionally known ones can be used. Needless to say, an anode is disposed in the plating tank 4.

  A peeling tank 6 is arranged in parallel in the pretreatment tank 3, the plating tank 4 and the post-treatment tank 5, and a water washing tank 7 is provided on the workpiece supply apparatus 1 side of the peeling tank 6. This washing tank 7 is also composed of a plurality of tanks as necessary. Rails 8 are provided above the pretreatment tank 3, plating tank 4 and post-treatment tank 5 in parallel with the tank arrangement, and rails 9 are provided above the separation tank 6 and the washing tank 7 in parallel with the tank arrangement. is there. Both ends of the rail 8 and the rail 9 are connected by arc-shaped connecting rails 10 and 11 so as to have a continuous long oval shape. In addition, a chain 12 is stretched in a long oval shape along the rails 8 and 9 and the connecting rails 10 and 11 inside the rails 8 and 9 and the connecting rails 10 and 11, and the folded portion of the chain 12 is a sprocket 13. And 14 are supported. FIG. 2 shows the connecting rail 10 and the sprocket 13 in detail.

  The rails 8 and 9 are installed one level lower at the portion where the pretreatment tank 3, the plating tank 4 and the posttreatment tank 5 are arranged, and at the separation tank 6 and the washing tank 7, and a connecting slope is formed in the front and rear. It is. A large number of clampers 15, 15 are movably supported on the rails 8, 9 and the connecting rails 10, 11, and a driven rod 16 is provided on each clamper 15, and the driven rod 16 is attached to the chain 12. It is engaged. As a result, the clampers 15 and 15 follow the movement of the chain 12 and circulate while moving up and down along the rails 8 and 9 and the connecting rails 10 and 11. The rails 8 and 9, the connecting rails 10 and 11, the chain 12, the sprockets 13 and 14, and a large number of clampers 15 and 15 constitute a transport device that grips and transports the upper end of the workpiece.

  FIG. 3 shows a portion where the height of the rail 8 is lowered. A two-dot chain line A is the height of the upper surface of the wall of the processing tank, B is the height of the upper end of the workpiece, and C is the liquid level of the processing liquid. Respectively. The height of the rails 8 and 9 in a part with the processing tank is such that the lower end of the clamper 15 is higher than the liquid level of the processing liquid and can hold the upper end of the work, and the rails 8 and 9 in the part without the processing tank The height is such that the lower end of the clamper 15 is above the upper surface of the wall of the processing tank. Moreover, in the peeling tank 6 and the washing tank 7, the height of the liquid level is set to a height at which the tip of the clamper 15 is immersed. As a result, while the clamper 15 circulates, the clamper 15 descends after passing the front side wall of the pretreatment tank 3 in the workpiece traveling direction, and rises after the rear side wall of the posttreatment tank 5. In the peeling tank 6 and the rinsing tank 7, the lowering and raising are repeated.

  4 to 7 show an example of the clamper 15 used here. The base plate 17 is provided with leaf spring support bases 18 and 18, and the leaf spring support bases 18 and 18 are attached with leaf springs. A plate 19 is pivotally supported by a shaft 20 so as to be swingable. The plate spring mounting plate 19 has a pair of power supply plate springs 21 and work holding plate springs 22 arranged on both sides thereof, and the upper ends thereof are fixed to each other. One end of an opening spring 23 that is in contact with and supported by the plate 17 is attached, and the lower end of the power feeding plate spring 21 is biased away from the base plate 17. The power supply leaf spring 21 is preferably made of a material having a high conductivity, and the work holding leaf spring 22 is preferably made of a material having a large spring constant. Reference numerals 24 and 24 denote anti-slip protrusions made of a material such as rubber attached to the surface of the work holding leaf springs 22 and 22 in contact with the work.

  A presser fitting 25 is attached to the center of the power supply leaf spring 21, and a pressure rod 26 is provided on the presser fitting 25 in parallel with the surface of the power supply leaf spring 21. Both ends of the pressure rod 26 are extended to the front surfaces of the work holding plate springs 22 and 22, and the work holding plate springs 22 and 22 are simultaneously pushed backward when the presser fitting 25 is pushed backward. A front end of a hook 27 penetrating the power supply leaf spring 21 and the base plate 17 is pivotally attached to the pressure rod 26, and the hook 27 has a lower surface engaging portion 28 on the lower surface of the central portion and an upper surface of the rear portion. Upper surface engaging portions 29 are respectively provided. A hook receiver 30 is provided on the back surface of the base plate 17.

  Further, the base plate 17 has rollers 31, 31, 32, and 32 that are sandwiched from above and below and are rotatable about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the base plate 17, and a lower front portion of the rail and an upper rear portion of the rail. A roller 33 and rollers 34, 34 which are in contact with each other and are rotatable about a vertical axis parallel to the base plate 17 are provided on the rail so that the clamper 15 can move smoothly. A current collecting brush 35 is provided at a position in contact with the base plate 17 so as to guide the electric power supplied to the rail to the base plate 17.

  When the clamper 15 configured as described above is in a state where the clamper 15 shown in FIG. 6 is opened, the lower ends of the power supply leaf spring 21 and the workpiece holding leaf springs 22 and 22 are caused by the elastic force of the release spring 23. Hold open when pulled away from. At this time, excessive opening is restricted by the upper surface engaging portion 29 of the hook 27. When the presser fitting 25 is pushed rearward, as shown in FIG. 7, the power supply leaf spring 21 and the work holding leaf springs 22 and 22 rotate about the shaft 20, and the power supply leaf spring 21 and the work holding leaf spring are rotated. 22 and 22 bend and hold the upper end of the work between the lower end and the base plate 17. The lower surface engaging portion 28 of the hook 27 engages with the hook receiver 30 to maintain a state where the work is held, and returns when the hook 27 is operated to release the engagement between the lower surface engaging portion 28 and the hook receiver 30.

  A pressing mechanism (not shown) for pressing the presser fitting 25 is provided at the head of the pretreatment tank 3, and an opening mechanism (not shown) for operating the hook 27 is provided at the rear part of the posttreatment tank 5. The clamper 15 lowered after passing through the wall on the front side of the tank 3 is pushed by the presser fitting 25 and grips the upper end of the workpiece. In addition, the clamper 15 that moves while holding the upper end of the work is operated by the hook 27 before passing the wall on the rear surface side of the post-treatment tank 5 to release the upper end of the work, and then lifts.

  The workpiece supply apparatus 1 includes base material supply reels 36 and 37, a dummy material supply reel 38, and a protective paper take-up reel 39, and is provided with a plurality of guide rolls 40 and 40 and a buffer mechanism 41. The shock-absorbing mechanism 41 includes a damper roll 42, and a general mechanism that stores a workpiece by moving the damper roll 42 can be used. The workpiece supply apparatus 1 is configured such that the base material wound on one of the base material supply reels 36 and 37 or the dummy material wound on the dummy material supply reel 38 is transferred from the feed roll 43 to the pretreatment tank 3 as indicated by a one-dot chain line. The unwinding mechanism (not shown) is provided so as to pass through the buffer mechanism 41 in the middle and to rewind the work while applying an appropriate tension.

  The work take-up device 2 includes base material take-up reels 44 and 45, a dummy material take-up reel 46 and a protective paper supply reel 47, and is provided with a plurality of guide rolls 48 and 48 and a buffer mechanism 49. 49 can be a general mechanism having a damper roll 50 as with the shock absorber 41. The work take-up device 2 receives the work that has exited the post-treatment tank 5 by the receiving roll 51, and the base material is placed on one of the base material take-up reels 44 and 45 via the shock absorber 49 as shown by a one-dot chain line. The dummy materials are respectively wound around the dummy material take-up reel 46, and when the base material is taken up, the protective paper is supplied from the protective paper supply reel 47 and overlapped. The feed speed of the base material or dummy material in the receiving roll 51 is controlled to be the same as the feed speed of the clamper 15 by the chain 12.

  In the structure described above, a plating power source is connected to the rail 8 and the anode disposed in the plating tank 4 and the chain 12 is driven to supply a substrate as a workpiece from the workpiece supply device 1. The supplied base material is fed into the pretreatment tank 3 through the liquid leakage prevention device, and is clamped at the upper end by the clamper 15 descending over the tank wall in the pretreatment tank 3 along the rail 8. Thereafter, the substrate is held by the clamper 15 and sent. The current collecting brush 35 is in contact with the rail 8, and the electric power supplied to the rail 8 is supplied to the base material, which is a workpiece, through the base plate 17, the opening spring 23, and the power feeding plate spring 21. As a result, although plating is performed in the plating tank 4, current is supplied to the base material from the clamper 15 that holds the upper end, so that the current density does not fluctuate in the feeding direction, and there is an advantage that high-quality plating is performed. is there.

  The base material plated in the plating tank 4 and sent to the post-treatment tank 5 is unrolled by the clamper 15 in the post-treatment tank 5 and taken up by the workpiece winding device 2. The clamper 15 that has ungripped the base material rises and moves to the rail 9 through the connecting rail 11. Thereafter, the clamper 15 descends along the rail 9 in the peeling tank 6 and is immersed in a peeling solution to peel off the attached plating. Subsequently, after being lifted once, it is lowered and washed in the water washing tank 7, and then rises again to reach the rail 8 from the connecting rail 10, and then the clamper 15 circulates while moving up and down in the same manner. Between the pretreatment tank 3 and the posttreatment tank 5, the work is held and fed simultaneously by a number of clampers 15, and no great tension is applied in the feeding direction.

  At this time, in the workpiece supply apparatus 1, the base material wound around the base material supply reel 36 or 37 is rewound, and passes through the guide rolls 40 and 40, the shock absorber 41, and the delivery roll 43, and the pretreatment tank 3. In order to avoid direct contact between the substrates, the substrate is usually wrapped with protective paper and the protective paper is separated when the substrate is rewound. The protective paper take-up reel 39 is wound up. In the work take-up device 2, the base material that has left the post-treatment tank 5 and received by the receiving roll 51 is taken up by the base material take-up reel 44 or 45 via the buffer device 49 and the guide rolls 48 and 48. It is done. At this time, in order to avoid direct contact between the base materials, the protective paper wound around the protective paper supply reel 47 is rewound and stacked on the base material.

  When all the substrates wound on the substrate supply reel 36 or 37 are rewound, if the substrate wound on the other substrate supply reel 37 or 36 is connected and sent, continuous processing is possible. It is convenient. In the apparatus of the present invention, since a large tension is not applied in the workpiece feeding direction as described above, it can withstand feeding even with a simple connection method such as sticking an adhesive tape to a place where the substrates are abutted to each other. it can. While this connection is made, the unwinding of the base material is temporarily stopped. However, since the buffer device 41 is provided and the base material of a certain length is retained, the work is performed while the retained amount is sent. It will suffice if it ends.

  When the base material is connected and continuously sent as described above, the connected base material is of a different specification or lot, and the work take-up device 2 is a reel that takes up at the connection portion. Need to be switched. For example, when the connecting portion of the base material arrives while the base material take-up reel 44 or 45 is taking up, the base material sent after the disconnection is removed from the other base material take-up reel 45. Or it is necessary to wind up at 44. While this connection is removed and the reel is switched, the base material cannot be taken up. However, since the base material of a certain length can be stored in the shock absorber 49, the base material is stored in the shock absorber 49. You can just finish your work.

  When such a base material is connected and continuously processed, if the width dimension of the base material to be connected is different or the specifications are greatly different, a dummy material is once connected, and then another base material is connected. May be preferable to connect. In that case, the workpiece supply apparatus 1 connects the dummy material wound on the dummy material supply reel 38 when all the substrates wound on the substrate supply reel 36 or 37 are rewound, and the dummy material is removed. After feeding for a certain length, the dummy material is cut and the substrate wound on the other substrate supply reel 37 or 36 is connected.

  Further, if the dummy material is connected to either or both of the front end and the end of the base material to be the product, the quality can be ensured up to either the front end or the end of the base material or both. When the dummy material is connected to the workpiece winding device 2 and continuously sent, the connection between the base material and the dummy material is removed, the dummy material is placed on the dummy material take-up reel 46, and the base material is the base material. It is wound up by a take-up reel 44 or 45. Accordingly, when the base material, the dummy material, and the base material are connected and sent, the base material is first wound on the base material take-up reel 44 or 45, and the base material and the dummy material are disconnected. Then, the dummy material is taken up by the dummy material take-up reel 46, and then the connection between the dummy material and the base material is released, and the base material is taken up by the other base material take-up reel 45 or 44.

  As apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the base material, which is a long sheet of work, is held by the clamper 15 at the upper end, transferred through the processing tank, and supplied with power from the upper end. There is an advantage that a good current is supplied and high quality plating is applied. Further, since a large tension is not applied in the workpiece feeding direction, there is an advantage that the plating process can be continuously performed by connecting by a simple method. In the above-described embodiment, the clamper 15 is supported by the rails 8 and 9 having partially changed heights. However, the clamper 15 may be transferred through the processing tank while holding the upper end of the workpiece. For example, each clamper may be provided with an up-and-down mechanism of a gripping portion and can be moved up and down individually.

It is a top view of the plating apparatus of the elongate sheet | seat of this invention. It is a top view which shows the detail of a conveyance mechanism. It is a side view which shows the detail of a conveyance mechanism. It is a top view which shows an example of a clamper. It is the figure which looked at the clamper from the direction perpendicular | vertical to a workpiece | work. It is the figure which looked at the clamper from the advancing direction of the work. It is the figure which looked at the closed state of a clamper from the advancing direction of a work.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Work supply apparatus 2 Work winding apparatus 3 Pre-processing tank 4 Plating tank 5 Post-processing tank 6 Separation tank 7 Flushing tank 8, 9 Rail 10, 11 Connection rail 12 Chain 13, 14 Sprocket 15 Clamper 16 Follower 17 Base board 18 Leaf spring support 19 Leaf spring mounting plate 20 Axis 21 Feeding leaf spring 22 Work holding leaf spring 23 Release spring 24 Non-slip protrusion 25 Presser fitting 26 Pressure rod 27 Hook 28 Lower surface engaging portion 29 Upper surface engaging portion 30 Hook support 31, 32, 33, 34 Roller 35 Current collecting brush 36, 37 Base material supply reel 38 Dummy material supply reel 39 Protective paper take-up reel 40 Guide roll 41 Buffer mechanism 42 Damper roll 43 Delivery roll 44, 45 Base take-up Reel 46 Dummy material take-up reel 47 Protective paper supply reel 4 Guide rolls 49 buffering mechanism 50 damper roll 51 receiving roll

Claims (2)

  A processing tank is arranged between a workpiece supply device that supplies a long sheet, which is a workpiece wound on a reel, and a workpiece take-up device that winds the workpiece on a reel, and the workpiece surface is supplied with the workpiece surface vertical. It is a long sheet plating device that performs plating processing while continuously conveying the workpiece from the device to the workpiece winding device, and is provided with a conveying device that conveys the workpiece while feeding it while holding the upper end of the workpiece at the top of the treatment tank, The workpiece holding unit that holds the workpiece of the transfer device is lowered in the processing tank to hold the workpiece, and the workpiece transfer speed by the workpiece winding device and the workpiece transfer speed by the transfer device are synchronized. A long sheet plating apparatus. 2. A plurality of clampers that circulate in the conveying device are provided at equal intervals, and a gripping part that grips the workpieces of the multiple clampers is lowered in the processing tank. Long sheet plating equipment.

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