US3701726A - Support assembly for electrolytic deposition on contact element - Google Patents

Support assembly for electrolytic deposition on contact element Download PDF

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Publication number
US3701726A
US3701726A US97131A US3701726DA US3701726A US 3701726 A US3701726 A US 3701726A US 97131 A US97131 A US 97131A US 3701726D A US3701726D A US 3701726DA US 3701726 A US3701726 A US 3701726A
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United States
Prior art keywords
contact
support
lyres
support assembly
contact points
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Expired - Lifetime
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US97131A
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English (en)
Inventor
Bernard Andre Laboue
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Bull SAS
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Societe Industrielle Honeywell Bull
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D5/00—Electroplating characterised by the process; Pretreatment or after-treatment of workpieces
    • C25D5/02—Electroplating of selected surface areas
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D17/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic coating
    • C25D17/06—Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated
    • C25D17/08—Supporting racks, i.e. not for suspending

Definitions

  • a support providing for the selective electroplating of the contact points of a pair of contact elements having arch-shaped portions, each element having a contact point at each extremity of the arch-shaped portions thereof, the two contact elements being electroplated with the archshaped portions thereof mutually opposed; whein an insulated spacing member extends between the two archshaped portions to protect such portions from the electroplating solution, but wherein the contact points extend beyond the spacing member; wherein a fiat electrode is supported by the spacing member and extends between each opposed pair of contact points of the contact elements, and wherein when the support is immersed in an electrolytic solution, metal is selectively deposited on the contact points opposite to the electrode.
  • the present invention concerns a support assembly especially suitable to enable effecting an electrolytic deposit of a precious metal selectively on the contact points of the contact elements of electric connectors and more particularly for some contact elements of connectors adapted for receiving printed circuit boards.
  • Some connectors for printed circuit boards comprise in general at least one row of contact elements provided with flexible arms presenting contact surfaces called contact points because of their small area, and disposed for engaging in contact, under predetermined pressure, with other contact surfaces arranged along an edge of a printed circuit board when the latter is introduced into a connector. Because of their particular form, the flexible arms of the contact elements are frequently termed lyres.
  • the metal employed for this purpose is frequently of gold or an alloy of gold or another precious metal, of which the cost is always relatively very great.
  • a layer of this metal, of sufficient thickness, must be electrolytically deposited on at least the contact points of the contact elements.
  • a substantial quantity of the metal is also deposited on other portions of the elements immersed in the electrolysis bath, thereby entailing an unnecessary consumption of the precision metal.
  • the present invention relates to a support assembly especially adapted for taking advantage of the pecularity pointed out above under particularly advantageous conditions with the object of obtaining directly by electrolysis a deposit of precious metal, of a predetermined thickness and selectively localized in desired locations, in this instance on the contact points of the lyres of contact elements, whereas the thickness of the metal deposited on the other immersed portions of these contact elements is practically null or negligible, permitting the realization of a significant economy of precious metal.
  • the invention concerns a support assembly for effecting an electrolytic deposit of a precious metal selectively on the contact points of a plurality of pairs of contact lyres of conducting metal, these lyres being joined by a thin strip where they are disposed in such a way that, in each pair of lyres, two prominent contact points are separated by a certain distance and disposed symmetrically in relation to an axis of symmetry of the pair of lyres, the lyres being symmetrically opposed.
  • the support assembly comprises a support body permitting the mounting and stacking of a predetermined number of strips of lyres.
  • the support body comprises a wall of insulating material having at right angles to each of the axes of symmetry a support finger of form adapted to the two opposed lyres.
  • a conductive electrode forming an anode is incorporated in each support finger and has a length and a thickness such that each of the two extremities of this electrode is found opposite to, and at a relatively small distance from, a contact point of the corresponding lyre, in order to concentrate on the such contact point a deposit of precious metal at the time of the electrolysis process.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a connector described in the above-mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,543,226;
  • FIG. 2 shows a portion of a strip of contact lyres cutout for a connector of the type shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 shows a portion of a strip of contact lyres for a connector of the type which has been described in the above-mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,118,716;
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a support assembly, taken on the section 4--4 of FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 5 shows separately different parts of the support assembly of FIG. 4
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view, in large scale, of a support assembly, taken on section 6-6 of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 7 shows separately a removable element of the support block for the lyres
  • FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a support assembly, taken on section 8-8 of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 9 is a plan view of several support assemblies placed in a movable frame disposed above an electrolysis tank.
  • the connector shown partly in section in FIG. 1 comprises a connector body 1 of molded electrically insulating material and two rows of contact elements.
  • the upper row comprises contact elements A1, A2, A3, and the lower row comprises. elements B1, B2, B3,
  • Each contact element comprises a flexible portion BF, prolonged at one end thereof by a wedge-shaped part C, which is introduced by force into a socket of appropriate shape arranged in the connector body.
  • the portion BF is prolonged v.at the other end thereof by a flexible curved portion PR which provides two contact points CT1 and GT2.
  • Contact points CT1 and CTZ are disposed for engaging in contact with and exerting predetermined pressure respectively at two points with a contact pad PC of a printedcircuit board 3, engaged in the connector.
  • the portions BF and PR of a contact element form together that which has been termed a contact lyre.
  • the part C is prolonged toward the exterior of the connector body by a rectilinear part Q, termed a lug.
  • a contact element B1 is disposed symmetrically in relation to the contact element A1 for engaging in contact with a contact pad that is disposed on the other surface of the printed circuit board.
  • the contact elements shown in FIG. 2 comprise only a single lyre each, and are obtained by cutting from a strip of metal. However, also shown in this figure are connecting ribs 4, which join together the contact elements, particularly for the operation of gilding the contact points. These connecting ribs are separated from the contact elements, for example by cutting, before proceeding to. the mounting, of the contact elements into a connector body. In a strip of contact elements so shaped the lyres are disposed in pairs, the lyres of a pair being symmetrical in relation to an axis of symmetry 5. These axes 5 are separated to maintain a particular spacing between the lyres of two adjacent pairs.
  • each of the contact elements 8, FIG. 3 comprise twocontact lyres L10 and L20, which are joined to a single lug and are disposed symmetrically in the same plane relative to an axis 5D.
  • two contact pads on opposite surfaces of the same printed circuit board are electrically connected together by the, contact points CT of the portions 7A and 7B of the lyres of the same contact element.
  • This invention concerns a support assembly presenting particular arrangements for permitting the depositing of a precious metal only on the contact points of contact elements, as will be described hereinafter.
  • This support can receive equally wellstrips of contact lyres analogous to those represented by the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • the support assembly proper comprises a vertical support wall 10 of insulating material, FIG. 5, which is provided with support fingers 11A, 11B, 11F, FIG. 4.
  • the spacing between these support fingers corresponds, FIGS. 4 and 7, to the spacing of the axes of symmetry 5 of the contact lyres as they are disposed along the cutout strips.
  • the length of the support fingers is adapted for the fingers to be able to receive a stack of a predetermined number of strips comprising preferably, contact elements of the same shape. These strips are pressed together by means of a removable cover 13 to form a block, BL, FIGS. 5, 6 and 8.
  • wall is formed of a plurality of removable support blocks 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, assembled together by means of assemblage bars 17 and 18, FIGS. 5 and 6, which are electrically connected together by means of screws. These bars are further connected by any suitable means to the terminal of negative polarity (cathode) of a source of electric current. Through the assembling bars, the strips of lyres pressed together in the support are electrically connected to the negative terminal of the current source.
  • the removable cover 13 of the support is similarly formed of an assemblage of removable insulating blocks 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, FIGS. 4, 5, -6 and 8, assembled together by means of conductive bars, 20 and 21, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.
  • FIG. 7 shows separately a removable support block 10C
  • FIG. 4 This block is provided with two support fingers 11E and 11F, similarly visible in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8.
  • Each finger is provided with a fiat anode, such as anode 23 of finger (11B and anode 24 of finger 11F.
  • Each anode is formed of a strip of platinum iridium, each such strip being soldered to a copper lead 25 which, similarly to the strip, is partly embedded in the mass of insulating material forming the support block.
  • FIG. 7 shows, by dashed lines, the outlines of a portion of a stack of strips of lyres engaged on the support fingers of a support block 10C, in order to show the positions of the extremities ANl, AN2, AN3, and AN4 of anodes 23 and 24 in relation to the contact points CT of the lyres.
  • the distance between the surface of the extremities of the anodes and the surfaces of the contact points CT of the lyres is about 0.3 to 0.4 millimeter.
  • the thickness of each support finger, such as fingers 11B and 11 F, is such that when the strips of lyres are engaged by force on these fingers, the separation of the lower and upper contact points CT is the same as when a printed circuit board is plugged into a connector.
  • the assemblage constituting support wall 10 is attached to an upper insulating plate 26 through the intermediary of two insulating uprights 27 and 28, each aflixed respectively at one end thereof to the upper plate, FIGS. 4, 5 and 9, and at the other end thereof to conductive bar 17, FIGS. 5, 6 and 9.
  • Upper plate 26 is provided toward each of its ends with contact plates 29A and 29B, FIGS. 4, 5 and 9, which in turn, are provided with contact plugs 30.
  • Contact plate 29A is electrically connected through a conductor 31, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, to leads 25 of the removable support blocks constituting wall 10, whereas contact plate 293 is electrically connected, FIG. 5, through a conductor 32 to conductive bar 17.
  • the support blocks and the cover blocks are provided respectively with openings 34, 35, 36 and 37, each presenting a corresponding funnelshaped portion, which openings are disposed for assisting providing an intense circulation of the electrolyte around the anodes when a fabrication support is moved in an electrolysis tank 40.
  • FIG. 9 is a plan view of an electrolytic apparatus comprising six support assemblies emplaced in a movable support frame 41.
  • Frame 41 is provided with insulating support plates 42 and 43.
  • Insulating support plate 42 is provided with a contact bus 44, FIGS. 4 and 9, which is connected to the positive terminal of the current source.
  • a contact bus 45 of insulating plate 43 is connected to the negative terminal of the current source and receives the contact plugs of contact plates 29B, which are electrically connected through conductors 32 to the strips of lyres which are stacked in each fabrication support.
  • the upper plates of the fabrication supports are positioned in movable frame 41 by means of pins 47, which are affixed to insulating plates 42 and 43.
  • each support assembly is engaged at one extremity under a flange 48 of support frame 41, FIG. 4, in order to prevent the rocking of the support assemblies in the movable frame when the latter is moved longitudinally along the top of tank 40.
  • FIG. 4 shows that the upper portion of tank 40 supports rollers 50, which are engaged in channels 51 provided on the lower face of two opposite edges of the movable frame. Channels 51 are disposed for permitting an oscillatory longitudinal movement of the frame along the top of the .tank in the direction of arrows M1 and M2, FIGS. 6 and 9, under the action of a crank and rod mechanism 53, which is driven by a motor 52.
  • FIGS. 4 and 6 show that the tank is provided internally with stationary partitions 54 disposed on both sides of each support assembly in order to inhibit the electrolyte from moving in the tank when the support assemblies are moved, and in order to intensify the movement of the electrolyte around the anodes when they are moved.
  • One installation providing characteristics analogous to those which have been described permits, using a gold acid bath with cobalt, maintained at a temperature about 30 centigrade and for a current density of 2.4 amperes per square decimeter, of obtaining in ten minutes a deposit of gold localized at the level of the contact points of the lyres. The minimum thickness of such deposit is 1.5 microns and the deposit presents a Vickers hardness of about 180.
  • the sectional view of FIG. 8 is taken on the section 8-8 of FIG. 6 at substantially the level of the contact points CT disposed on each side of the flat anodes 23 and- 24.
  • the metal is deposited along paths extending over the entire thickness of the stack of lyres.
  • the metal deposited is sufliciently thin and sufiiciently adherent to permit subsequently separating the strips of lyres, one from the other, without the danger of tearing away the metal deposited on each contact.
  • FIG. 8 shows that the anodes are slightly narrower than the total thickness of the stack of lyres.
  • the contact elements treated in the support can present parts cutout and stamped or be formed by bending conductive wires, according to the type of connector.
  • a support assembly comprising a vertical wall formed on an electrical insulating material, insulating support means projecting from said wall for receiving pairs of lyres in stacked relation thereon parallel to said wall and with contact points of each pair of lyres in predetermined spaced apart opposed positions, said support means being in the form of a finger projecting from said wall generally at right angles thereto, a contact plate carried by said wall spaced from said finger for engaging lyres mounted on said finger, and an elongated conductive anode partly embedded in said finger with said anode extending substantially parallel to said wall and projecting at opposite ends from said finger, each opposite end portion of said anode being aligned with the space between the predetermined spaced apart positions of a pair of contact points and in immediate proximity thereto in order to concentrate a metal deposit at said pre
  • the support assembly of claim l further including means for connecting said contact plate to one terminal of a source of electroplating current and means for connecting said anode to the other terminal of said source.
  • said wall includes a support bar, a plurality of separate support blocks, and means separately securing each support block to said support bar, and each support block having at least one of said fingers.
  • each extremity of said anode is spaced from an adjacent one of said predetermined lyre contact point positions between 0.3 and 0.4 millimeters.
  • said electrolytic apparatus includes means adapted to hold an electrolytic bath, and a movable support frame supporting said vwall for movement in said electrolyticibath.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electroplating Methods And Accessories (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Switches (AREA)
US97131A 1969-12-17 1970-12-11 Support assembly for electrolytic deposition on contact element Expired - Lifetime US3701726A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR6943700A FR2071087A5 (fr) 1969-12-17 1969-12-17 Montage-support pour depot electrolytique sur des elements de contact

Publications (1)

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US3701726A true US3701726A (en) 1972-10-31

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US97131A Expired - Lifetime US3701726A (en) 1969-12-17 1970-12-11 Support assembly for electrolytic deposition on contact element

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US (1) US3701726A (fr)
JP (1) JPS5128340B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE2061572C2 (fr)
FR (1) FR2071087A5 (fr)
GB (1) GB1335221A (fr)
NL (1) NL170650C (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3951761A (en) * 1975-01-31 1976-04-20 Bunker Ramo Corporation Method and apparatus for electro-plating strip contacts
US3997421A (en) * 1976-02-02 1976-12-14 Cominco Ltd. Top-mounted anode spacer clip
US4088559A (en) * 1975-01-17 1978-05-09 Sulzer Brothers Ltd. Holding device for small parts to be electroplated
US6483036B1 (en) * 2001-01-16 2002-11-19 Quadna, Inc. Arrangement for spacing electrowinning electrodes
US20070063521A1 (en) * 2004-12-03 2007-03-22 Lancashire Christopher L Method and apparatus for plating automotive bumpers
EP1801267A1 (fr) 2005-12-02 2007-06-27 A.G. Simpson Automotive Inc. Méthode et appareil pour le placage de pare-chocs de vehicules
US20150096895A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2015-04-09 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3051633A (en) * 1959-03-16 1962-08-28 Sealed Power Corp Process of chromium plating vented piston rings
US3043767A (en) * 1959-05-12 1962-07-10 Alton E Tobey Electroplating apparatus

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4088559A (en) * 1975-01-17 1978-05-09 Sulzer Brothers Ltd. Holding device for small parts to be electroplated
US3951761A (en) * 1975-01-31 1976-04-20 Bunker Ramo Corporation Method and apparatus for electro-plating strip contacts
US3997421A (en) * 1976-02-02 1976-12-14 Cominco Ltd. Top-mounted anode spacer clip
US6483036B1 (en) * 2001-01-16 2002-11-19 Quadna, Inc. Arrangement for spacing electrowinning electrodes
US20070063521A1 (en) * 2004-12-03 2007-03-22 Lancashire Christopher L Method and apparatus for plating automotive bumpers
EP1801267A1 (fr) 2005-12-02 2007-06-27 A.G. Simpson Automotive Inc. Méthode et appareil pour le placage de pare-chocs de vehicules
US20150096895A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2015-04-09 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece
CN104603334A (zh) * 2012-04-25 2015-05-06 埃托特克德国有限公司 用于在工件上电解式沉积一种沉积金属的方法及装置
CN104603334B (zh) * 2012-04-25 2017-03-29 埃托特克德国有限公司 用于在工件上电解式沉积一种沉积金属的方法及装置
US9745665B2 (en) * 2012-04-25 2017-08-29 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece
US20170335485A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2017-11-23 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece
US10774437B2 (en) 2012-04-25 2020-09-15 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5128340B1 (fr) 1976-08-18
DE2061572A1 (de) 1971-06-24
FR2071087A5 (fr) 1971-09-17
NL7016923A (fr) 1971-06-21
NL170650B (nl) 1982-07-01
NL170650C (nl) 1982-12-01
GB1335221A (en) 1973-10-24
DE2061572C2 (de) 1984-02-16

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