KR20130104080A - Electroless plating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An electroless plating apparatus is provided to continuously coat a metal web as a plating solution quickly passes through a metal web. CONSTITUTION: An electroless plating apparatus comprises a plating tub (15), a dipping roller (20), a squeezing roller (25), a drying unit, and a spray unit. The plating tub is filled with a plating solution. The outer side of the dipping roller is under the plating solution. The squeezing roller is pressurized to the dipping roller. The drying unit is placed on a squeegeeing nip. The squeezing roller comprises an inner pipe, an inner layer, and an outer layer. The inner layer wraps the inner pipe. The outer layer is made of rubber with high intensity.

Description

Electroless plating apparatus

The present invention relates to an electroless plating apparatus for coating a metal film on a metal foil by an electroless plating method.

Metal foil coated with a metal coating is widely used in many fields such as electronic devices and information communication devices. For example, in a battery, a copper foil plated with chromium (Cr) is used to prevent oxidation. In order to obtain the metal foil plated in this way, an electrolytic plating method is generally selected. By the way, the electrolytic plating method takes a long time because the metal foil has to be submerged in the plating liquid until the plating on the surface of the metal foil is completed, and the cost of the plating becomes large. In addition, it is difficult to continuously plate the metal web supplied while the wound roller is unwound.

The present invention provides an electroless plating apparatus for rapidly plating a metal web through a plating solution.

The present invention also provides an electroless plating apparatus for continuously electroless plating a metal web.

The present invention is a plating bath containing a plating solution containing a plating material; A dipping roller in which a lower outer peripheral part is immersed in the plating liquid; A squeezing roller pressed against the dipping roller side such that a squeezing nip is formed at a position higher than the level of the plating liquid between the dipping roller; And a drying unit provided on the squeegeeing nip, wherein the continuously supplied metal web proceeds along the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller to be immersed in the plating liquid in the plating bath, and then out of the plating liquid. An electroless plating apparatus is provided that is configured to pass through a nip and pass through the drying unit.

The drying unit may have an air knife extending in the width direction of the metal web, for blowing air to both sides of the metal web.

The electroless plating apparatus of the present invention is a plating liquid injection unit for injecting a plating solution of the same type on one side of the metal web that is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the dipping roller before the metal web is submerged in the plating liquid in the plating tank It may be further provided.

The squeegee roller may have an inner pipe, an inner layer made of rubber of hardness 30 to 40 surrounding the inner pipe, and an outer layer made of rubber of hardness 50 to 60 surrounding the inner layer, wherein the inner layer and outer layer The thickness of may be 4.5 to 5.5mm each.

The outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller may be made of a material having a hardness of 80 to 100.

The metal web may be formed of a copper (Cu) material, and the plating solution may include a chromium (Cr) component.

The electroless plating apparatus of the present invention may further include a squeegee nip adjusting unit for adjusting the pressing force of the squeegeeing roller with respect to the dipping roller.

The squeegee nip adjusting unit includes a screw rotatable in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction; A squeegee roller shaft support member which supports a shaft of the squeegee roller and is movable in a direction toward or opposite to the dipping roller according to a rotational direction of the screw; And, a clamp for fixing the squeegee roller shaft support member to prevent movement thereof when tightened.

The squeegee nip adjustment unit, the squeegee roller shaft support member for supporting the shaft of the squeegee roller; An actuator for moving the squeegeeing roller shaft supporting member in a direction toward or opposite of the dipping roller; A dipping roller shaft support member for supporting a shaft of the dipping roller; A load cell fixedly mounted to the dipping roller shaft support member and transmitting an electrical signal corresponding to the pressing force when contacted and pressed by the squeezing roller shaft support member; And receiving the electrical signal of the load cell to estimate the pressing force of the squeegeeing roller, and to move the squeegeeing roller shaft support member in a direction in which the estimated value is equal to a predetermined reference value. It may be provided with; an actuator controller for controlling the drive.

According to the electroless plating apparatus of the present invention, the surface of the metal web can be continuously and rapidly plated with another kind of metal. In addition, the electroless plating method can be used to reduce the cost than the electrolytic plating method.

On the other hand, according to the embodiment of the present invention to control the nip interval between the dipping roller and the squeegee roller by the controller, it is possible to maintain a good plating quality irrespective of the user's work proficiency can reduce the work failure.

1 is a block diagram showing an electroless plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example of a squeezing nip adjusting unit of the electroless plating apparatus of FIG. 1.
3 is a plan view showing another example of the squeegee nip control unit of the electroless plating apparatus of FIG.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the electroless plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terminology used herein is a term used to properly express the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which may vary depending on the intention of the user or operator or the custom of the field to which the present invention belongs. Therefore, the definitions of the terms should be made based on the contents throughout the specification.

1 is a block diagram showing an electroless plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the electroless plating apparatus 10 has a different type of metal layer 5 such as chromium (Cr) on the surface of a metal web 3 made of a metal such as copper (Cu), for example. An electroless plating apparatus is provided with a plating bath 15, a dipping roller 20, a squeezing roller 25, a drying unit, and a plating liquid spraying unit.

The plating bath 15 contains, for example, a plating liquid 4 containing a plating material such as chromium (Cr), and the upper side thereof is opened. The dipping roller 20 is provided so that the lower outer peripheral part thereof is submerged in the plating liquid 4 of the plating bath 15. The squeezing roller 25 is pressed toward the dipping roller 20 to form a squeezing nip 35 between the squeezing roller 25 and the dipping roller 20. The squeegee nip 35 is formed at a position higher than the level of the plating liquid 4 contained in the plating bath 15.

The drying unit is provided on the squeezing nip 35 and has a pair of air knifes 18 which blow high pressure air to both sides of the metal web 3. The air knife 18 extends in the width direction of the metal web 3.

Meanwhile, the plating liquid spraying unit may include a plurality of plating liquid spraying nozzles 16 arranged at regular intervals in the width direction of the metal web 3. The plating liquid injection nozzle 16 is the same on one side of the metal web 3 in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller 20 before the metal web 3 is submerged in the plating liquid 4 in the plating bath 15. The plating liquid 4 of the above is injected. This is because when the metal web 3 is wound around the dipping roller 20, the surface contacting the dipping roller of the metal web 3 may not be sufficiently impregnated with the plating liquid 4 of the plating bath 15. Therefore, before the metal web 3 is wound on the dipping roller 20, the plating liquid injection nozzle 16 sufficiently supplies the plating liquid 4 to the surface on which the dipping roller 20 of the metal web 3 comes into contact with the dipping roller 20. The plating liquid injection nozzle 16 may be a sprinkler-type nozzle or a slit-type nozzle. The plating liquid injection nozzle 16 may be installed above the plating tank 15, and the plating liquid not attached to the metal web 3 may be transferred to the plating tank 15. You can also enter.

The electroless plating apparatus 10 further includes a supply support roller 11 for supporting the metal web 3 directed to the dipping roller 20 and a metal web 3 discharged through the squeegee nip 35. A discharge support roller 12 for supporting is further provided.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the metal web 3 is prepared while being wound on a roller, and the roller may be unwound and continuously supplied to the electroless plating apparatus 10. Furthermore, the metal web 3 in which the plating layer 5 is formed through the electroless plating apparatus 10 is wound continuously while being wound on another roller. The metal web 3 supplied to the electroless plating apparatus 10 is supported by the supply support roller 11 and the plating liquid 4 is sprayed on one side by the plating liquid injection nozzle 16 on the way to the dipping roller 20. And evenly applied on one side thereof.

The metal web 3 continuously runs along the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller 20 and is immersed in the plating liquid 4 in the plating bath 15. Accordingly, the plating liquid 4 is evenly applied to the other side of the metal web 3. Although one side of the metal web 3 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller 20, the plating solution 4 contained in the plating bath 15 is difficult to be applied, but the plating solution 4 injected from the plating liquid injection nozzle 16 is difficult to apply. ), It is sufficiently coated and does not affect the plating quality.

The metal web 3 immersed in the plating liquid 4 in the plating bath 15 moves along the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller 20 to leave the plating liquid 4, and subsequently passes through the squeegee nip 35. Since the squeegeeing roller 25 is pressed toward the dipping roller 20 side, the plating liquid 4 applied to both sides of the metal web 3 passes through the squeegee nip 35 to discharge components other than the metal component. The component is tightly bonded to the metal web 3.

The metal web 3 which has passed through the squeegee nip 35 passes between a pair of air knives 18 facing each other, during which high-pressure air is blown from the air knife 18 so that the plating solution 4 ) Is dried to form plating layers 5 on both sides of the metal web 3. The metal web 3 on which the plating layer 5 is formed is discharged from the electroless plating apparatus 10 so as to be supported by the discharge supporting roller 12 and collected while being wound on another roller (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example of a squeezing nip adjusting unit of the electroless plating apparatus of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the squeezing roller 25 includes an inner pipe 26, an inner layer 27 surrounding the inner pipe 26, and an outer layer 28 surrounding the inner layer 27. The outer layer 28 faces the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller 20 to form a squeegee nip 35. The inner pipe 26 is connected to the squeezing roller shaft 29 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and steel pipe is usually used. The inner layer 27 forms a squeezing nip 35 and buffers the shock when the squeezing roller 25 and the dipping roller 20 rotate and are sufficiently squeezed through the squeezing roller 25. It increases the contact force. The inner layer 27 has a Shore hardness It consists of 30-40 rubber, and thickness is 4.5-5.5 mm. More preferably, the acid resistance may be made of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer (M-class) rubber) material.

The outer layer 28 serves to attach the plating liquid 4 to the metal web 3 by applying a strong pressure to the metal web 3 passing through the squeegee nip 35. In order to maximize the so-called squeezing effect, the outer layer 28 is made of rubber having a Shore hardness of 50 to 60, and has a thickness of 4.5 to 5.5 mm. The outer layer 28 may also be made of EPDM material having strong acid resistance. Therefore, when passing through the squeegee nip 35, the thickness of the plating layer 5 on both surfaces of the metal web 3 can be made thin at 8 to 10 mu m, and the coating can be uniformly applied throughout the entire portion.

That is, according to the present invention, the squeegee roller 25 has a structure of wrapping the steel pipe with rubber having different strengths. That is, the inner layer 27 is wrapped on the steel pipe with a relatively low hardness, and the inner layer 27 is wrapped with the outer layer 28 having a high hardness. Accordingly, the buffering force is improved due to the relatively low strength of the inner layer 27, and due to the relatively high strength of the outer layer 28, the surface pressure is maximized to enable an ideal plating solution coating.

As described above, when the squeegeeing nip 35 is passed, the thickness of the plating layer 5 on both sides of the metal web 3 can be formed to a thin thickness of about 8 to 10 μm. By forming the thickness of the plating layer 5 thinner, Drying by an air knife is possible.

On the other hand, the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller 20 may be made of a material having a higher hardness than the inner layer and the outer layer of the squeegee roller, for example, Shore hardness of 80 to 100 and strong acid resistance. An example of the outer surface of the dipping roller may be an ebonite material.

The electroless plating apparatus 10 further includes a squeegee nip adjusting unit for adjusting the pressing force of the squeegee roller 25 against the dipping roller 20. The squeegee nip adjustment unit supports a screw 45 rotatable in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, fastened to the frame 40, and supports the squeezing roller shaft 29, and the direction of rotation of the screw 45. The squeegee roller shaft support member 43 movable in the direction toward the dipping roller 20 or vice versa is provided.

When the screw 45 rotates, the squeezing roller shaft support member 43 screwed to the screw 45 may be configured to move linearly without moving linearly with respect to the frame 40. When the member 43 and the screw 45 are connected and the screw 45 rotates, the screw 45 and the squeezing roller shaft support member 43 are configured to linearly move in the same direction with respect to the frame 40 at the same time. May be On the other hand, the shaft 22 of the dipping roller 20 is supported by the dipping roller shaft support member 41 fixedly fastened to the frame 40 so as not to be linearly moved.

The squeegee nip adjustment unit further includes a clamp 47. When the user rotates the screw 45 at an angle to adjust the pressing force of the squeegeeing roller 25 against the dipping roller 20 and tightens the clamp 47 to fix this setting, the squeegeeing roller shaft support member ( 43) is fixed to prevent movement. Therefore, the electroless plating operation can be carried out while maintaining an appropriate pressing force for the production of good products. On the other hand, when changing the pressing force setting or stopping the operation and repair the device, the clamping clamp 47 is released and the screw 45 can be rotated to move the squeegee roller shaft support member 43.

3 is a plan view showing another example of the squeegee nip control unit of the electroless plating apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 3, the members denoted by the same reference numerals as those of FIGS. 1 and 2 have been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and thus redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. 3, the squeegee nip control unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, to support the dipping roller shaft 22, the dipping roller shaft support member 51 fixedly fastened to the frame 50, Actuator for moving the squeegee roller shaft support member 55 for supporting the squeegee roller shaft 29 and the squeezing roller shaft support member 55 in the direction toward the dipping roller 20 or vice versa. 63 is provided. The actuator 63 may be an air cylinder and is fixedly coupled to the frame 50.

The squeegee roller shaft support member 55 includes a protrusion 57 protruding in the longitudinal direction of the squeegee roller 25. On the other hand, a load cell mounting portion 53 is provided on the inner surface of the dipping roller shaft support member 51, and a load cell 60 is mounted thereon. The load cell 60 may be contact and pressurized by the protrusion 57 when the squeezing roller shaft support member 55 moves toward the dipping roller 20 by the driving of the actuator 63. When the load cell 60 is pressed, an electrical signal corresponding to the magnitude of the pressing force is generated.

On the other hand, the squeegee nip adjustment unit further includes an actuator controller 65. The actuator controller 65 is electrically connected to receive an electrical signal from the load cell 60, and is electrically connected to the actuator 63 to transmit a control signal. When the load cell 60 is pressed, an electrical signal generated corresponding to the magnitude of the pressing force is received by the actuator controller 65, and the squeezing roller 25 presses the dipping roller 20 based on this electrical signal. The pressing force is estimated. The actuator controller 65 transmits a control signal to the actuator 63 so that the squeezing roller shaft support member 55 moves in the direction in which the estimated value and the predetermined reference value, the so-called default value, are equal. In response to this control signal, the actuator 63 moves the squeegee roller shaft support member 55 so that the squeegee roller 25 moves, so that the pressing force of the squeegee roller 25 is automatically adjusted to an appropriate level without user intervention. Can be maintained.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be defined only by the appended claims.

10: electroless plating device 15: plating bath
16: plating liquid injection nozzle 18: air knife
20: dipping roller 25: squeezing roller
27: inner layer 28: outer layer

Claims (10)

A plating bath containing a plating solution containing a plating material;
A dipping roller in which a lower outer peripheral part is immersed in the plating liquid;
A squeezing roller pressed against the dipping roller side such that a squeezing nip is formed at a position higher than the level of the plating liquid between the dipping roller; And
A drying unit provided on the squeegee nip;
A metal web continuously supplied along the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller to be immersed in the plating liquid in the plating bath, then leave the plating liquid, pass through the squeegee nip, and dry through the drying unit;
The squeegee roller has an inner pipe, an inner layer of a rubber material surrounding the inner pipe, and an outer layer made of rubber that surrounds the inner layer and is higher in hardness than the inner layer. The method according to claim 1,
And the drying unit has an air knife extending in the width direction of the metal web to blow air to both sides of the metal web. The method according to claim 1,
And a plating liquid spraying unit for spraying a plating liquid of the same type on one side of the metallic web which is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller before the metallic web is immersed in the plating liquid in the plating bath. Electroless plating device. The method according to claim 1,
The inner layer is made of rubber of Shore hardness (Shore hardness) of 30 to 40,
The outer layer is electroless plating apparatus, characterized in that the Shore hardness made of rubber of 50 to 60. 5. The method of claim 4,
Electroless plating device, characterized in that the thickness of the inner layer and the outer layer is 4.5 to 5.5mm respectively. The method according to claim 1,
The outer circumferential surface of the dipping roller is an electroless plating apparatus, characterized in that the Shore hardness made of a material of 80 to 100. The method according to claim 1,
The metal web is made of a copper (Cu) material, and the plating solution comprises a chromium (Cr) component. The method according to claim 1,
And a squeegee nip adjusting unit for adjusting the pressing force of the squeegeeing roller with respect to the dipping roller. The method of claim 8, wherein the squeegee nip adjustment unit,
Screws rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise;
A squeegee roller shaft support member which supports a shaft of the squeegee roller and is movable in a direction toward or opposite to the dipping roller according to a rotational direction of the screw; And
And a clamp to secure the squeegeeing roller shaft support member from being moved when tightened. The method of claim 8, wherein the squeegee nip adjustment unit,
A squeegee roller shaft support member for supporting the shaft of the squeegee roller;
An actuator for moving the squeegeeing roller shaft supporting member in a direction toward or opposite of the dipping roller;
A dipping roller shaft support member for supporting a shaft of the dipping roller;
A load cell fixedly mounted to the dipping roller shaft support member and transmitting an electrical signal corresponding to the pressing force when contacted and pressed by the squeezing roller shaft support member; And
Receiving an electrical signal of the load cell to estimate the pressing force of the squeegee roller, and drives the actuator to move the squeegee roller shaft support member in a direction in which the estimated value is equal to a predetermined reference value. And an actuator controller for controlling the electroless plating apparatus.

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