KR102579796B1 - An electroplating machine and an electroplating method - Google Patents

Abstract

Electroplating machine and electroplating method
The electroplating machine 100, 200 includes tanks 102, 202 for containing an electroplating solution, each releasably engageable with an individual workpiece 205 to be electroplated, and the tanks 102, 202 A plurality of carriers 104, 204 movable for - each carrier 104, 204 is electrically connected to and movable simultaneously with two power sources 106a, 106b, 206a, 206b -, a common anode 108 , 110) or a grounded common conductor 230, and is disclosed as including at least one power source (106a, 106b, 206a, 206b) of each carrier (104, 204).

Description

Electroplating machine and electroplating method {AN ELECTROPLATING MACHINE AND AN ELECTROPLATING METHOD}

[0001] The present invention relates to electroplating machines, in particular, for example, machines with multiple mobile workpiece carriers, and to an electroplating method.

[0002] In a typical electroplating machine, shown in Figure 1 and generally designated as 10, a number of workpiece carriers 12 are moved through and about a tank 14 containing the electroplating solution. It is movable. Each workpiece carrier 12 can be releasably engaged with an individual workpiece to be electroplated. When the workpiece is engaged with the workpiece carrier 12, the workpiece and the workpiece carrier 12 are electrically connected to each other. The workpiece carriers 12 can be moved continuously through the tank 14 continuously, i.e. in a row, one after the other and so on, thereby allowing the workpieces to move continuously through the tank 14. do. Workpieces to be electroplated are generally rectangular and flat in shape. When the workpieces engage and are carried by the workpiece carriers 12, the major surfaces opposite the workpieces are turned sideways and the workpieces are oriented vertically. Therefore, the electroplating machine is called a vertical continuous electroplating machine.

[0003] A cathode bar 16 is fixed relative to the tank 14 of the electroplating machine 10, during movement of the workpiece carriers 12 through and relative to the tank 14. To be electrically connected to the bar 16, each of the workpiece carriers 12 is electrically connected to the cathode bar 16 through an individual sliding contact 18. A plurality of anode plates 20, each powered by a respective power source 22, are positioned on and secured to the tank 14. Accordingly, as the workpieces are moved through the electroplating solution in the tank 14 by the workpiece carriers 12, these workpieces experience an electric field between the cathode bar 16 and the anode plates 20, The metal from the electroplating solution is deposited on the workpieces.

[0004] It is generally known that the effective cover zone of such electroplating machines can be as short as the width of the workpiece. Controlling the amount of current supplied to each workpiece is important because the total amount of metal electroplated on the workpiece depends primarily on the amount of ampere hours the workpiece takes up in the electroplating solution during electroplating. However, in a typical electroplating machine 10, if the electrical resistance of the workpieces is different and the workpiece carriers 12 are different, the current supplied to each of the workpieces moving through the tank 14 is controlled. This is very difficult to do, because during electroplating, the workpieces and workpiece carriers 12 with lower electrical resistance will take up more current, and the workpieces and workpiece carriers 12 with higher electrical resistance will take up more current. This is because fields 12 will take up less current.

[0005] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electroplating machine and an electroplating method so that the above-mentioned drawbacks are alleviated or at least to provide the industry and the public with a useful alternative. In particular, it is found that it is possible to at least alleviate the above-described drawbacks by using further improvements and innovations based on the automated electroplating system, disclosed in Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN 103436946 A.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, an electroplating machine is provided, the electroplating machine comprising at least a tank for containing an electroplating solution, the first workpiece to be electroplated, and the electroplating machine comprising: a first carrier movable relative to the tank, a second carrier releasably engageable with a second workpiece to be electroplated and movable relative to the tank, the first carrier electrically connected to at least a first power source; connected and movable simultaneously, wherein the second carrier is electrically connected and movable simultaneously with at least a second power source, wherein the first power source and the second power source are electrically connected to at least a first common anode or at least a grounded common conductor. connected.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of electroplating at least one workpiece, the method comprising: (a) releasably engaging and electrically connecting a first workpiece with a first carrier; (b) moving the first carrier through and relative to a tank containing an electroplating solution, (c) applying at least a first power source to the first carrier so that it can move simultaneously with the first carrier. associating with a carrier, (d) allowing the first power source to power the first carrier, (e) releasably engaging and electrically connecting a second workpiece to the second carrier, (f) ) moving the second carrier through and relative to the tank containing the electroplating solution, (g) associating at least a second power source with the second carrier so as to enable movement simultaneously with the second carrier. (h) supplying power to the second carrier by the second power source, and (i) independently adjusting the current supplied to the first carrier and the current supplied to the second carrier. Includes.

[0008] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, in which:
1 is a schematic diagram of a typical electroplating machine.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an electroplating machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an electroplating machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] A schematic diagram of a vertical continuous electroplating machine according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 2 and is generally denoted as 100.

[0010] The electroplating machine 100 includes a tank 102 for containing an electroplating solution. A number of workpiece carriers 104 (five of which are shown in FIG. 2 ) are continuously movable through and relative to the tank 102 . Each workpiece carrier 104 can be releasably engaged so as to be physically and electrically connected to the workpiece to be electroplated, thereby establishing a physical and electrical connection with the workpiece to be electroplated.

[0011] Each workpiece carrier 104 is fixedly and electrically connected to a pair of power sources 106a, 106b, for example, current regulators. The power supplies 106a each connect the first common anode 108 via respective sliding contacts 112a for relative sliding movement with respect to the first common anode 108 while remaining electrically connected to the first common anode 108. is electrically connected to; And the power supplies 106b are each connected to the second common anode 110 through individual sliding contacts 112b for relative sliding movement with respect to the second common anode 110 while remaining electrically connected to the second common anode 110. ) is electrically connected to. Accordingly, each pair of power sources 106a, 106b is movable relative to the tank 102 simultaneously with the workpiece carrier 104, which is electrically and physically connected to each other and to the power sources 106a, 106b. do. Power source 106a is electrically connected between anode 108 and workpiece carrier 104; And the power source 106b is electrically connected between the anode 110 and the workpiece carrier 104. A number of anode plates 114 (six of them are shown in FIG. 2 ) are positioned on and secured to tank 102 .

[0012] Both anodes 108 and 110 may be grounded. Alternatively, the two anodes 108, 110 may be set to a voltage of, for example, 5 volts. If appropriate, the two anodes 108, 110 may each be set to different voltages.

[0013] The power supplied by each of the power sources 106a, 106b to each individual workpiece carrier 104 connected thereto is independently adjustable. In particular, the power sources 106a, 106b are set to a controlled current mode, so that the respective workpiece carriers 104 (and their Accordingly, the various power sources 106a and 106b can be controlled so that the current supplied to each workpiece carried by each workpiece carrier 104 is the same. All of the workpiece carriers 104 (and thus the By controlling all of the power sources 106a, 106b to provide the same current to all workpieces carried by 104, regardless of the possibly different electrical resistance of the individual workpiece carriers 104 and individual workpieces, More uniform and consistent electroplating results can be achieved.

[0014] A schematic diagram of a vertical continuous electroplating machine according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3 and is generally designated as 200.

[0015] The electroplating machine 200 includes a tank 202 for containing an electroplating solution. A number of workpiece carriers 204 are continuously movable through and relative to the tank 202 . Each workpiece carrier 204 can be releasably engaged so as to be physically and electrically connected to the individual workpiece 205 to be electroplated, thereby providing physical and electrical contact with the individual workpiece 205 to be electroplated. A connection is established.

[0016] Each workpiece carrier 204 is fixedly and electrically connected to a pair of power sources 206a, 206b, for example, current regulators. Power supplies 206a are connected to each segmented anode 208 via respective sliding contacts 212a for relative sliding movement with respect to the segmented anode 208 while remaining electrically connected to the segmented anode 208. are electrically connected. The power sources 206b are connected to the segmented anode 210, respectively, via respective sliding contacts 212b for relative sliding movement with respect to the segmented anode 210 while remaining electrically connected to the segmented anode 210. are electrically connected. Accordingly, each pair of power sources 206a, 206b is movable relative to the tank 202 simultaneously with the workpiece carrier 204, which is electrically and physically connected to each other and to the power sources 206a, 206b. do. Power source 206a is electrically connected between segmented anode 208 and workpiece carrier 204; And the power source 206b is electrically connected between the segmented anode 210 and the workpiece carrier 204.

[0017] As discussed above, both anodes 208 and 210 are segmented. In particular, the anode 208 is split at multiple locations 220 to form a plurality of electrically isolated segments 222. Accordingly, during operation of the electroplating machine 200 and movement of the workpieces 205 through and within the tank 202, the power sources 206a are sequentially arranged but electrically connected. separate, movable relative to the segments 222 of the anode 208 and electrically connected in series with the segments 222 of the anode 208; And the power sources 206b move relative to sequentially arranged but electrically separated segments 226 of the anode 210 and are electrically connected in series with the segments 226 of the anode 210. . For example, during movement of the workpiece carrier 204 electrically connected to the power source 206 through and about the tank 202 of the electroplating machine 200, the power source 206a is connected to the anode 208. ) is moved to be continuously electrically connected to the first segment 222, then the second segment 222, and then the third segment 222, and the first, second and third segments 222 are arranged sequentially, one behind the other, vertically, and are electrically separated from each other.

[0018] Through this arrangement, it is possible to independently control the voltage of each of the segments 222 of the anode 208, so that different electroplating effects can be obtained, or different products can be electroplated. . In particular, the anode 210 is split at multiple locations 224 to form a plurality of electrically isolated segments 226. Through this arrangement, it is possible to control the voltage of each of the segments 226 of the anode 210 independently, so that different electroplating effects can be obtained or different products can be electroplated. The respective cathode sides of the power sources 206a, 206b are electrically connected to a common conductor 230 that is grounded via respective sliding contacts 229, and thus the respective cathode sides of the power sources 206a, 206b (and thereto) The workpieces 205 carried by the corresponding workpiece carriers 204 are also connected to each other. Grounded common conductor 230 may be the grounded framework of electroplating machine 200.

[0019] The power supplied by each of the power sources 206a, 206b to each individual workpiece carrier 204 connected thereto is independently adjustable. In particular, the power sources 206a, 206b are set to a controlled current mode, so that the respective workpiece carriers 204 (and their Accordingly, the various power sources 206a, 206b connected to the same segment 226 of the anode 210 can be controlled such that the current supplied to each workpiece carried by each workpiece carrier 204 is the same. there is. Similarly, the same segment 222 of the anode 208 is used such that the current supplied to each of the workpiece carriers 204 (and thus to the individual workpiece carried by each workpiece carrier 204) is the same. ) and the various power sources 206a and 206b connected to it are controlled. Since the total amount of metal electroplated on the workpiece depends primarily on the amount of ampere hours the workpiece takes on during electroplating in tank 202, each individual segment 222 of the individual anodes 208, 210 , by controlling all of the power sources 206a, 206b to provide the same current to all of the workpiece carriers 204 (and thus all workpieces carried by the workpiece carriers 204) at 226, Regardless of the possibly different electrical resistance of the individual workpiece carriers 204 and individual workpieces, more uniform and consistent electroplating results can be achieved.

[0020] To the workpiece carriers 204 by electrically connecting the respective cathode sides of the power sources 206a, 206b to a grounded common conductor 230 (e.g., a grounded framework of the machine 200). The voltage across the workpieces 205 carried by is the same, thus the edging effect is reduced. In addition, in conventional electroplating machines, a large current is passed along the common cathode conductor causing additional potential differences between the workpieces 205. On the other hand, in the electroplating machine 200 according to the invention, since the power sources 206a, 206b generate electricity locally, there is no need to transmit large currents, which further connect the workpieces 205 Reduces potential differences between livers.

[0021] It should be understood that the above description merely illustrates examples by which the present invention may be practiced, and that various modifications and/or changes may be made to these examples without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0022] Additionally, it should be understood that certain features of the invention that are described in the context of separate embodiments for the sake of clarity may be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention that are described in the context of a single embodiment for the sake of brevity may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combinations.

Claims (27)

As an electroplating machine,
At least a tank for containing the electroplating solution,
a first carrier releasably engageable with a first workpiece to be electroplated and movable relative to the tank, and
a second carrier releasably engageable with a second workpiece to be electroplated and movable relative to the tank;
Including,
The first carrier is electrically connected to at least a first power source that supplies current to the first carrier and can move simultaneously with the first power source,
The second carrier is electrically connected to at least a second power source that supplies current to the second carrier and can move simultaneously with the second power source,
The first power source and the second power source are electrically connected to at least a first common anode or at least a grounded common conductor,
The first power source and the second power source are controllable so that the current supplied to the first carrier and the current supplied to the second carrier are substantially the same,
The first power source and the second power source are electrically connected to at least a segmented anode,
The grounded common conductor is the framework of the machine,
The cathode side of the first power source and the cathode side of the second power source are electrically connected to the grounded common conductor,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 1,
wherein the first power source is slidable relative to the first common anode or the grounded common conductor through a first sliding contact,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 1,
wherein the second power source is slidable relative to the first common anode or the grounded common conductor through a second sliding contact,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 1,
The first carrier is electrically connected to at least a third power source and is movable at the same time,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 4,
The second carrier is electrically connected to at least a fourth power source and is movable simultaneously,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 5,
The third power source and the fourth power source are electrically connected to a second common anode,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 6,
The second common anode is grounded,
Electroplating machine. delete According to claim 5,
The first power source, the second power source, the third power source, and the fourth power source are controllable so that the current supplied to the first carrier and the current supplied to the second carrier are substantially the same.
Electroplating machine. According to claim 1,
The first power source and the second power source are each a current regulator,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 5,
The third power source and the fourth power source are each a current regulator,
Electroplating machine. According to claim 1,
The power supplied to the first carrier and the power supplied to the second carrier are independently adjustable,
Electroplating machine. delete According to claim 1,
The segmented anode includes at least a first segment and a second segment that are electrically separated from each other,
Electroplating machine. delete delete A method of electroplating at least one workpiece, comprising:
(a) releasably engaging and electrically connecting the first workpiece with the first carrier,
(b) moving the first carrier through and relative to a tank containing an electroplating solution;
(c) associating at least a first power source with the first carrier so that it can move simultaneously with the first carrier;
(d) supplying power to the first carrier by the first power source,
(e) releasably engaging and electrically connecting the second workpiece with the second carrier,
(f) moving the second carrier through and relative to the tank containing the electroplating solution;
(g) associating at least a second power source with the second carrier so that it can move simultaneously with the second carrier;
(h) supplying power to the second carrier by the second power source,
(i) independently adjusting the current supplied to the first carrier and the current supplied to the second carrier,
(j) electrically connecting the first power source and the second power source to a first common anode or at least a grounded common conductor,
(n) electrically connecting the first power source and the second power source to a segmented anode comprising at least a first segment and a second segment electrically separated from each other - a cathode side of the first power source and a cathode side of the first power source. 2 The cathode side of the power source is electrically connected to a grounded common conductor -, and
(p) controlling the first power source and the second power source so that the current supplied to the first carrier and the current supplied to the second carrier are substantially the same.
Including,
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece. delete According to claim 17,
(k) associating a third power source with the first carrier so that it can move simultaneously with the first carrier, and
(l) associating a fourth power source with the second carrier so that it can move simultaneously with the second carrier.
Containing more,
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece. According to claim 19,
(m) electrically connecting the third power source and the fourth power source to a second common anode.
Containing more,
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece. delete According to claim 17,
The first power source is electrically connected to the first segment of the segmented anode, and the second power source is electrically connected to the second segment of the segmented anode.
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece. According to claim 17,
(o) electrically connecting at least the first power source with the first segment of the segmented anode, and then electrically connecting at least the first power source with the second segment of the segmented anode, Step of moving the first power source
Containing more,
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece. delete According to claim 17,
The grounded common conductor is the framework of the electroplating machine,
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece. delete According to claim 20,
(q) controlling the first power source, the second power source, the third power source, and the fourth power source so that the current supplied to the first carrier and the current supplied to the second carrier are substantially the same.
Containing more,
A method of electroplating at least one workpiece.