WO2017082721A1 - Device for galvanizing planar substrates - Google Patents

Device for galvanizing planar substrates Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017082721A1
WO2017082721A1 PCT/NL2016/050744 NL2016050744W WO2017082721A1 WO 2017082721 A1 WO2017082721 A1 WO 2017082721A1 NL 2016050744 W NL2016050744 W NL 2016050744W WO 2017082721 A1 WO2017082721 A1 WO 2017082721A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
rod
bath
transverse
substrates
transport
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2016/050744
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Marc Henricus Marinus KIVITS
Original Assignee
Meco Equipment Engineers B.V.
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Meco Equipment Engineers B.V. filed Critical Meco Equipment Engineers B.V.
Publication of WO2017082721A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017082721A1/en

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Classifications

    • 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • C25D17/004—Sealing devices
    • 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
    • C25D17/02—Tanks; Installations therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67703—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations between different workstations
    • H01L21/67712—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations between different workstations the substrate being handled substantially vertically
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67739—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber
    • H01L21/6776—Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L31/1804—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/547—Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P70/00—Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
    • Y02P70/50—Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for galvanizing planar substrates, such as vitreous substrates for solar cells.
  • the invention is especially, though not exclusively, aimed at the use of the transport member with non-metallic, vitreous substrates and/or substrates of a semiconductor material, such as in particular of silicon, for the manufacture of solar cells.
  • a "substrate” in the context of the present invention is understood to be a planar or plate-shaped element, in particular a rectangular silicon wafer for a solar cell.
  • NL 1 035 265 discloses a known device for electrolytically galvanizing substrates such as those for solar cells.
  • a device for electrolytically galvanizing substrates such as those for solar cells, which comprises a continuous belt-type transport member arranged around pulleys for transporting a substrate in a suspended position through an electrolytic bath.
  • the transport member is provided with clamping members for holding on to a substrate with clamping force.
  • the transport member is guided through the bath by means of guide pulleys constructed as pairs of a geared wheel and a counter roller between which the transport member is guided.
  • the electrolytic bath for example manufactured from synthetic resin, is provided on a frame of the device.
  • a rod extends in the bath above the electrolytic solution, from which rod the guide pulleys are suspended.
  • the rod is suspended from the frame of the device by means of support arms extending at right angles to the rod.
  • the bath inside the device is subdivided into a number of separate compartments through which the substrates are passed in succession during operation, said compartments being delimited in the transport direction by lock elements which are each provided in a sealing wall that is connected to the bottom and the two longitudinal side walls of the device in a sealed manner.
  • the substrates can pass through the lock elements while the electrolytic liquid is at least substantially fully retained in the compartment of the bath by the lock elements.
  • substrates in particular very fragile substrates such as silicon wafers for solar cells, suffer fractures or damage more often than is desirable after their passage through the bath owing to collisions with lock elements. Fragments of substrates end up in the bath as a result. This leads to production losses because the device has to be stopped in order to remove such fragments from the bath.
  • the present invention accordingly has for its object to provide a device wherein the risk of fracture or damage to the substrates during their transport through the bath is reduced.
  • - a bath comprising a bottom, two mutually opposed longitudinal side walls and two mutually opposed end walls,
  • the transport means for transporting substrates in succession in a transport direction along a horizontal transport path parallel to the longitudinal side walls through the bath during operation, said transport means comprising a continuous belt-type transport member that is provided with clamping members designed for clamping a substrate so as to suspend said substrate, and said transport means comprising pulleys around which the transport member is arranged, wherein the bath comprises, in the transport direction, at least one compartment for a galvanic solution through which the successive substrates are conducted one after the other, said at least one compartment being delimited at its downstream and at its upstream end by a respective lock element through which the substrates can pass, wherein the device comprises guide pulleys provided in the bath at intervals for guiding the transport member such that the substrates pass through the lock elements,
  • the device comprises a rod extending in the transport direction at an upper side of the bath so as to lie above the solution during operation, to which rod the guide pulleys are fastened with rotation possibility, and
  • the bath comprises transverse elements which extend between the two longitudinal side walls and are fastened thereto, while the rod and the lock elements are connected to the transverse elements in such a manner that at least a transverse position, i.e. transverse to the transport direction, of the rod relative to the lock elements is defined.
  • the inventors have recognized that, in spite of a comparatively high temperature dependence as regards expansion of the material of the bath, preferably a synthetic resin, during operation of the device, it is yet advantageous to position the rod in relation to the bath itself, i.e. to walls thereof, since the lock elements are also positioned in relation to the bath itself.
  • the guide pulleys fastened to the rod remain accurately in relative positions with respect to the lock elements with a high degree of independence of expansion or contraction of the bath caused by temperature fluctuations during operation.
  • the guide pulleys determine the position of the transport member in this location.
  • This highly accurate relative position means that the position of the transport member relative to the lock elements remains unchanged, so that the substrates suspended from the transport member will pass through the lock elements in a predefined desired position or alignment, as viewed in a direction transverse to the bath, whereby the risk of fracture or damage to the substrates upon their passage through the lock elements is substantially reduced.
  • the device according to the invention is highly suitable for use in an electroless, or e-less, plating process wherein, for example, nickel is galvanically deposited on a substrate, for example of a glass type or of synthetic resin, as well as for use in electrolytic plating of planar substrates, which in the latter case should each have an electrically conductive material on at least one side.
  • the term "vertical” is here understood to denote a direction that is at least substantially parallel to the direction of gravity.
  • the transport member is driven by drive means during operation.
  • at least one of the pulleys is connected to a drive member such as an electric motor, and the transport member moves in an at least substantially horizontal direction through the bath, i.e. transverse to the direction of gravity.
  • the transport member constructed as a continuous belt.
  • the transport member is preferably made of stainless steel and flexible.
  • the device may comprise several successive baths, each having one or more compartments.
  • the transport member may then extend through all of the baths.
  • the at least one compartment is in fact a plurality of individual compartments which lie one behind the other in the transport direction and through which the substrates are passed during operation.
  • the lock elements preferably have a vertical gap, preferably sloping against the direction of transport, for allowing the suspended substrates to pass.
  • a sloping gap effects that each substrate can be introduced into the bath in a gradual manner such that the upper side of each substrate enters the bath first and/or leaves the bath again first. This considerably reduces the mechanical load on the substrates.
  • the lock elements preferably comprise two pressure rollers which are in contact with one another and which define said gap between them, which gap is closed if no substrate is passing between the pressure rollers, whereas the pressure rollers, or at least the surfaces thereof, are forced away from one another by a substrate when this substrate is passing between them.
  • the pressure rollers may be at least partly resilient or be resiliently suspended.
  • the downstream and the upstream lock element of a compartment are each provided in a respective sealing wall, which sealing wall is connected to the bottom and to the two longitudinal side walls of a bath in a sealed manner.
  • the individual compartments of a bath are effectively separated from one another in this manner. It is favourable here if an overflow location is present between mutually adjoining compartments for discharging any galvanic solution originating from the respective adjoining compartments, which further enhances the effective separation of the compartments.
  • downstream and the upstream lock element of a compartment are each provided in a respective sealing wall, which sealing wall constitutes one transverse element from among said transverse elements and is connected to the bottom and to the two longitudinal side walls of the bath in a manner so as to be sealed against the solution, preferably durably connected such as by a (fusion) welded joint.
  • transverse of the transverse elements is provided in the immediate vicinity of each lock element, preferably in the form of a sealing wall of a lock element, to which the rod is fastened. If the lock element and the rod are provided in the same transverse element formed by said sealing wall, their mutual positioning is particularly strongly safeguarded. It is favourable if the transverse elements have passages extending from a free upper wall thereof in downward direction, the rod extending through said passages, which are designed so as to define the transverse position of the rod in an interlocking manner.
  • each transverse element is provided for each transverse element so as to force the rod in downward direction against a lower boundary edge of the passage in the respective transverse element.
  • the vertical position of the rod is also effectively defined thereby.
  • the clamping element extends around the rod and is designed at a lower side thereof, below the rod, to be in engagement with the transverse element from below.
  • the clamping element is preferably designed and placed such that it allows a relative movement of the rod parallel to the transport direction with respect to the transverse element caused by a difference in coefficient of expansion between the materials of the rod and the bath when the rod and the bath are being heated up during operation of the device.
  • one clamping element connected to the rod is designed and put in place for preventing mutual displacements of the rod and the transverse element in the transport direction.
  • the rod's position in the transport direction at the area of said clamping element is thus defined to a higher degree while some mutual movement arising from temperature effects of the rod and the other transverse elements is made possible.
  • the rod at least in its mounted state in the device, is preferably V- shaped in cross-section at its lower side and rests with its V-shape against a matching, at least partly V-shaped passage in each of the transverse elements.
  • the transverse position can be accurately defined thereby.
  • the rod is non-circular, preferably square, diamond- shaped or triangular in cross-section.
  • a non-circular cross-section facilitates the accurate relative positioning of the rod and the components connected thereto, such as a transverse element or a guide pulley.
  • the rod is preferably manufactured from a metal, preferably from stainless steel or titanium.
  • the bottom and the longitudinal side walls, and preferably also the end faces, of the bath are manufactured from a synthetic resin, preferably from a polyolefin, more preferably from polypropylene.
  • the transverse elements are preferably fastened to the mutually opposed side walls by means of (fusion) welds.
  • the clamping members are preferably designed for providing a free suspension of the substrate.
  • the transport member preferably comprises a flexible belt that extends along a continuous horizontal track.
  • the transport member comprises an electrically conducting material by means of which the substrates can be cathodically connected, as is necessary in that case.
  • openings are provided in the flexible belt at regular intervals for driving the transport member, and the transport means further comprise at least one driving geared pulley whose teeth come into engagement with said openings.
  • openings are rectangular and the teeth have a cross-section that is at least substantially triangular in horizontal cross-section, an extremely stable and rectilinear transport of the substrates through the solution can be achieved without even limited undulating movements of the substrates in vertical direction.
  • Figure 1 shows part of a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention in isometric view, partly broken away;
  • Figure 2 shows the device of figure 1 in isometric view, partly broken away, with various parts omitted and with parts in exploded view;
  • Figure 3 shows detail A from figure 2 in isometric view
  • Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing wall with a lock element, taken in the transport direction from a compartment 3a of the bath of the device.
  • FIG. 1 shows part of a device 1 to which the invention relates.
  • the device 1 is designed for electroplating rectangular planar substrates 2. These substrates may be rectangular silicon panels whose sides have a length of between approximately 125 mm and 210 mm and which have a thickness lying between 50 ⁇ and 300 ⁇ . It is characteristic of this type of material that it is highly fragile and quickly breaks up into fragments. Such substrates are used in the manufacture of solar cells and, for example, batteries.
  • An electrically conductive material has been provided as a seed layer on one side of each substrate 2, for example by means of vapour deposition or printing, here in the form of two (vertically oriented) auxiliary main tracks and a larger number of (horizontally oriented) auxiliary tracks which each intersect the main tracks and accordingly are in electrical contact with them.
  • the substrate may alternatively have more or fewer than two main tracks.
  • the thickness of the seed layer should be at most 5 ⁇ prior to electroplating, and preferably lie between 0.02 and 2 ⁇ .
  • the invention is also highly suitable for use with substrates having a seed layer at both the front and rear face, for substrates having an exposed outer layer for light induced plating, and for substrates having a thin conductive layer as their outer layer, of metal such as, for example, copper or nickel, or of a conductive oxide, wherein those portions of the layer that are not to be galvanized are covered with photoresist.
  • the device 1 comprises a bath 3 for an electrolytic solution, at least in the present embodiment which is designed for electroplating.
  • the bath 3 has mutually opposed side walls 4, mutually opposed end walls 5, and a bottom 6.
  • the side wall 4 closest to the viewer is not shown in figure 1 for greater clarity, such that the interior of the bath 3 is visible.
  • the bath 3 has two compartments 3a and 3b one behind the other in a transport direction 22.
  • a vertical feed tube 1 1 extending through the bottom 6 is provided in each compartment 3a, 3b for the supply of an electrolytic solution which is continuously circulated by pumping means (not shown) during operation.
  • An anode (not shown in the figures) extending parallel to one of the side walls 4 is further provided inside the bath 3.
  • the anode is planar and in the form of a grid.
  • the anode is connected anodically to a rectifier.
  • the device 1 comprises a continuous belt-type transport member 21 to be described in more detail below, from which the substrates 2 are suspended for the transport of said substrates 2.
  • the object being to admit the substrates 2 to the bath, i.e. to the compartments 3a, 3b, said substrates 2 are transported by the continuous transport member 21 along a horizontal transport path 9 in the transport direction 22, while a vertical passage 23 is provided in the frontmost or upstream end wall 5.
  • the device 1 may have a plurality of consecutive baths, each having one or several compartments, in which case the transport member extends through each of these baths.
  • the substrate 2 is galvanically processed during its stay in a compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3, in the present example by electroplating.
  • the electrolytic solution is continuously circulated in the compartment 3a, 3b during this process, as was mentioned above. More specifically, purified electrolytic solution enters the compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3 and flows mainly in the direction of the mutually opposed side walls 4, from where it flows upward.
  • the electrolytic solution may become enriched, especially at the side of the anode, with metal ions dissolving from the anode into the electrolytic solution.
  • the electrolytic solution will deposit metal ions on the substrate 2 such that the electrically conductive material thereon is augmented.
  • a continuous transport member 21 is used for transporting the substrates 2 through the bath 3.
  • Said continuous transport member 21 comprises a continuous belt 51 which is arranged, for example, around two pulleys 80 which are indicated diagrammatically only in figure 1 and which are mounted, possibly by means of a supporting frame, in a fixed position relative to the bath 3 with rotation possibility about a vertical shaft 81 , at least one of said pulleys being drivable by drive means, such as an electric motor, which are not indicated in any detail in the figure.
  • the transport member 21 is guided in the bath 3 by guide pulleys formed by pairs of a gear 75 and a counter roller 76, while the drive of the transport member takes place by means of driven pulleys 80.
  • one pair 75, 76 is provided in each compartment 3a, 3b.
  • the gears 75 and the counter rollers 76 are manufactured from an electrically insulating material.
  • the teeth of the gears 75 form an exception: they are manufactured from a metal, such as stainless steel, because of its favourable wear characteristics.
  • a groove is provided in the counter rollers 76 at the same level as the teeth, into which groove extend those teeth which are present at the side of the gear 75 that faces the counter roller 76.
  • the belt 51 is provided with regularly spaced holes whose shape matches the shape of the teeth and which cooperate with the teeth of the gears 75. The transport member 21 is guided in this manner.
  • the continuous transport member 21 further comprises resilient contact members at regular intervals. These render it possible to grip each substrate 2 with clamping force by means of, for example, two contact members.
  • the compartments 3a, 3b of the bath 3 are each delimited at an upstream and a downstream end by lock elements 40.
  • Each lock element 40 is provided in a sealing wall 51 that is connected to the bottom 6 and the two longitudinal side walls 4 of the bath 3 in a sealed manner.
  • the walls 4, 5 and the bottom 6 of the bath 3 are made from polypropylene.
  • the sealed joint of the wall 51 and further walls 52 yet to be discussed is realized by means of a (fusion) welded connection to the material, also polypropylene, of the walls 4 and the bottom 6.
  • Each lock element 40 has a slot 41 that is inclined against the transport direction 22 such that the upper side of a substrate 2 passes the slot 41 earlier than the lower side of the same substrate 2.
  • the lock elements 40 comprise two pressure rollers 42 which are designed such that they are in contact with one another when no substrate 2 passes between them, i.e. the slot 41 is closed.
  • the pressure rollers 42 are forced apart by the substrate 2, i.e. they make way for the substrate 2.
  • the pressure rollers 42 then roll over the surfaces on the two sides of the substrate 2. It is important for this that the substrate 2 should hit against the two pressure rollers 42 simultaneously, accurately centred in a position aligned with the slot to be formed by the substrate between the pressure rollers 42. This is achieved to a high degree by the construction according to the invention, in which the guide pulleys are and remain very accurately aligned with the lock elements.
  • electrolytic solution present in the compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3 has a tendency to leave its compartment through the slots 41 in the upstream and downstream lock elements 40. Therefore, the compartments 3a, 3b are not provided immediately next to one another, neither do they directly adjoin an end wall 5 of the bath 3.
  • An overflow section 30 is present immediately upstream and downstream of each compartment 3a, 3b. Any electrolytic solution escaping through the lock elements 40 or, for example, flowing over an overflow edge into a sealing wall 51 will enter an overflow collection location from where it can flow from the bath 3 via a discharge line 31 .
  • the bath 3 further comprises an intermediate portion 32 between the overflow sections 30 that lie between the two compartments, in which portion 32 the substrates 2 are given a rinsing treatment by a rinsing element 33 and a blow cleaning treatment by a blower device 34.
  • Such treatments as well as any further treatments may also take place in other locations within the bath 3, but outside the compartments 3a, 3b, whether or not in an overflow section 30 as shown in the figures, to achieve a further reduction of contamination of the respective downstream compartment or bath.
  • the device 1 comprises a rod 50 that extends in the transport direction 22 at the upper side of the bath 3, i.e. above the electrolytic solution during operation, to which rod the guide pulleys formed by gears 75 and counter rollers 76 are fastened, more precisely suspended with rotation possibility.
  • the rod 50 is positioned in the bath by means of transverse elements which extend between the two longitudinal side walls 4 and are fastened thereto. Accordingly, at least a transverse position of the rod 50 in the bath 3, and thus also of the guide pulleys, is defined thereby at the area of each of the transverse elements.
  • the transverse elements in the present example are formed by partitioning walls, such as the sealing walls 51 referred to above, in each of which a lock element 40 is provided, and are connected in a sealed manner to the bottom 6 and the two longitudinal side walls 4 of the bath 3. Further partitioning walls 52 outside the compartments 3a, 3b also constitute such transverse elements by means of which the rod 50 is positioned in the bath.
  • the transverse elements or partitioning walls 51 , 52 have passages
  • a width, i.e. in transverse direction, of the passages 54 is thus equal to the width of the rod 50 in transverse direction in the mounted state.
  • the lock element 40 has not been shown in the wall 51 in figures 2 and 3.
  • a clamping element 55 is provided for each wall 51 , 52 to urge the rod 50 in downward direction against a lower abutment edge 56 of the passage 54.
  • the clamping element 55 extends around the rod 50 and is designed at its lower side, below the rod 50, for being in engagement with the wall 51 , 52 from below.
  • a tag 57 is provided at the clamping element, extends below the rod 50 parallel thereto, and hooks itself underneath a contact surface 58 in the relevant wall 51 , 52 in the mounted state.
  • Each clamping element 55 has at its upper side a threaded hole 59 into which a screw 60 can be turned.
  • the screw 60 is tightened against the upper side of the rod 50, so that the clamping element 55 is pressed against the edge 56 and the tag 57 is forced against the surface 58.
  • the lower side of the rod 50 lies clear of the clamping element 55. This implies that the hole 61 in the clamping element 55 through which the rod 50 extends is such that the rod 50 does not come into contact with a lower abutment edge of this hole.
  • the clamping elements 55 are designed and positioned such that they allow a relative movement parallel to the transport direction of the rod 50 and the wall to which the clamping element 55 is mounted caused by a difference in the coefficients of expansion between the materials of the rod 50 and the bath 3 when the rod and the bath are heated up during operation of the device. This is possible because the tag 57 can shift over the surface 58.
  • One clamping element 55a connected to the rod 50 is designed and positioned so as to prevent a mutual movement in the transport direction between the rod 50 and the wall to which said one clamping element 55a is mounted.
  • This one clamping element 55a is provided in the extreme downstream wall of the bath 3. As figure 1 shows, this is a wall 52. This latter measure achieves that there will be no stresses in the bath as a result of said difference in coefficients of expansion.
  • the rod 50 has a square cross-section and has been rotated through 45° relative to the perpendicular such that it is V-shaped in cross-section at its lower side when in the mounted state in the device.
  • the lower boundary edges 56 of the passages 54 are similarly V-shaped.
  • the passages 54 are provided centrally in the bath as viewed in transverse direction. As a result, the rod 50 is particularly accurately positioned centrally in the bath 3 as viewed in transverse direction.

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  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
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Abstract

The invention relates to a device for galvanizing planar substrates, comprising a bath having a bottom, longitudinal side walls, and end walls, transport means for transporting substrates through the bath during operation, said transport means comprising a continuous belt-type transport member provided with clamping members for clamping a substrate so as to suspend said substrate, and said transport means comprising pulleys around which the transport member is arranged, wherein the bath comprises a compartment for a galvanic solution through which the substrates are conducted, said compartment being delimited at its downstream and at its upstream end by a lock element through which the substrates can pass, wherein the device comprises guide pulleys for guiding the transport member and a rod to which the guide pulleys are fastened with rotation possibility, and wherein the bath comprises transverse elements which extend between the longitudinal side walls, while the rod and the lock elements are connected to the transverse elements in such a manner that a transverse position of the rod is defined.

Description

Title: Device for galvanizing planar substrates
Description
The invention relates to a device for galvanizing planar substrates, such as vitreous substrates for solar cells.
The invention is especially, though not exclusively, aimed at the use of the transport member with non-metallic, vitreous substrates and/or substrates of a semiconductor material, such as in particular of silicon, for the manufacture of solar cells. A "substrate" in the context of the present invention is understood to be a planar or plate-shaped element, in particular a rectangular silicon wafer for a solar cell.
NL 1 035 265 discloses a known device for electrolytically galvanizing substrates such as those for solar cells.
Also known is a device for electrolytically galvanizing substrates such as those for solar cells, which comprises a continuous belt-type transport member arranged around pulleys for transporting a substrate in a suspended position through an electrolytic bath. The transport member is provided with clamping members for holding on to a substrate with clamping force. The transport member is guided through the bath by means of guide pulleys constructed as pairs of a geared wheel and a counter roller between which the transport member is guided. The electrolytic bath, for example manufactured from synthetic resin, is provided on a frame of the device. A rod extends in the bath above the electrolytic solution, from which rod the guide pulleys are suspended. The rod is suspended from the frame of the device by means of support arms extending at right angles to the rod. The bath inside the device is subdivided into a number of separate compartments through which the substrates are passed in succession during operation, said compartments being delimited in the transport direction by lock elements which are each provided in a sealing wall that is connected to the bottom and the two longitudinal side walls of the device in a sealed manner. The substrates can pass through the lock elements while the electrolytic liquid is at least substantially fully retained in the compartment of the bath by the lock elements.
Although the device described above functions satisfactorily in principle, it is found that substrates, in particular very fragile substrates such as silicon wafers for solar cells, suffer fractures or damage more often than is desirable after their passage through the bath owing to collisions with lock elements. Fragments of substrates end up in the bath as a result. This leads to production losses because the device has to be stopped in order to remove such fragments from the bath.
The present invention accordingly has for its object to provide a device wherein the risk of fracture or damage to the substrates during their transport through the bath is reduced.
Said object is achieved by a device according to the invention as defined in claim 1 for galvanizing planar substrates, such as vitreous substrates for solar cells, which device comprises:
- a bath comprising a bottom, two mutually opposed longitudinal side walls and two mutually opposed end walls,
- transport means for transporting substrates in succession in a transport direction along a horizontal transport path parallel to the longitudinal side walls through the bath during operation, said transport means comprising a continuous belt-type transport member that is provided with clamping members designed for clamping a substrate so as to suspend said substrate, and said transport means comprising pulleys around which the transport member is arranged, wherein the bath comprises, in the transport direction, at least one compartment for a galvanic solution through which the successive substrates are conducted one after the other, said at least one compartment being delimited at its downstream and at its upstream end by a respective lock element through which the substrates can pass, wherein the device comprises guide pulleys provided in the bath at intervals for guiding the transport member such that the substrates pass through the lock elements,
wherein the device comprises a rod extending in the transport direction at an upper side of the bath so as to lie above the solution during operation, to which rod the guide pulleys are fastened with rotation possibility, and
wherein the bath comprises transverse elements which extend between the two longitudinal side walls and are fastened thereto, while the rod and the lock elements are connected to the transverse elements in such a manner that at least a transverse position, i.e. transverse to the transport direction, of the rod relative to the lock elements is defined. An advantage of the device according to the present invention is that the direct fastening of the rod to the longitudinal side walls of the bath, i.e. the definition of the transverse position of the rod relative to the longitudinal side walls, leads to much less breakage and damage to substrates during operation of the device. The inventors have recognized that, in spite of a comparatively high temperature dependence as regards expansion of the material of the bath, preferably a synthetic resin, during operation of the device, it is yet advantageous to position the rod in relation to the bath itself, i.e. to walls thereof, since the lock elements are also positioned in relation to the bath itself. As a result, the guide pulleys fastened to the rod remain accurately in relative positions with respect to the lock elements with a high degree of independence of expansion or contraction of the bath caused by temperature fluctuations during operation. The guide pulleys determine the position of the transport member in this location. This highly accurate relative position means that the position of the transport member relative to the lock elements remains unchanged, so that the substrates suspended from the transport member will pass through the lock elements in a predefined desired position or alignment, as viewed in a direction transverse to the bath, whereby the risk of fracture or damage to the substrates upon their passage through the lock elements is substantially reduced.
The device according to the invention is highly suitable for use in an electroless, or e-less, plating process wherein, for example, nickel is galvanically deposited on a substrate, for example of a glass type or of synthetic resin, as well as for use in electrolytic plating of planar substrates, which in the latter case should each have an electrically conductive material on at least one side.
The term "vertical" is here understood to denote a direction that is at least substantially parallel to the direction of gravity. The transport member is driven by drive means during operation. Preferably, at least one of the pulleys is connected to a drive member such as an electric motor, and the transport member moves in an at least substantially horizontal direction through the bath, i.e. transverse to the direction of gravity. The transport member constructed as a continuous belt. The transport member is preferably made of stainless steel and flexible.
The device may comprise several successive baths, each having one or more compartments. The transport member may then extend through all of the baths. In a favourable embodiment, the at least one compartment is in fact a plurality of individual compartments which lie one behind the other in the transport direction and through which the substrates are passed during operation.
The lock elements preferably have a vertical gap, preferably sloping against the direction of transport, for allowing the suspended substrates to pass. A sloping gap effects that each substrate can be introduced into the bath in a gradual manner such that the upper side of each substrate enters the bath first and/or leaves the bath again first. This considerably reduces the mechanical load on the substrates.
The lock elements preferably comprise two pressure rollers which are in contact with one another and which define said gap between them, which gap is closed if no substrate is passing between the pressure rollers, whereas the pressure rollers, or at least the surfaces thereof, are forced away from one another by a substrate when this substrate is passing between them. To achieve this, the pressure rollers may be at least partly resilient or be resiliently suspended.
Preferably, the downstream and the upstream lock element of a compartment are each provided in a respective sealing wall, which sealing wall is connected to the bottom and to the two longitudinal side walls of a bath in a sealed manner. The individual compartments of a bath are effectively separated from one another in this manner. It is favourable here if an overflow location is present between mutually adjoining compartments for discharging any galvanic solution originating from the respective adjoining compartments, which further enhances the effective separation of the compartments.
Preferably, the downstream and the upstream lock element of a compartment are each provided in a respective sealing wall, which sealing wall constitutes one transverse element from among said transverse elements and is connected to the bottom and to the two longitudinal side walls of the bath in a manner so as to be sealed against the solution, preferably durably connected such as by a (fusion) welded joint.
It is favourable if a transverse of the transverse elements is provided in the immediate vicinity of each lock element, preferably in the form of a sealing wall of a lock element, to which the rod is fastened. If the lock element and the rod are provided in the same transverse element formed by said sealing wall, their mutual positioning is particularly strongly safeguarded. It is favourable if the transverse elements have passages extending from a free upper wall thereof in downward direction, the rod extending through said passages, which are designed so as to define the transverse position of the rod in an interlocking manner.
It is favourable if a clamping element is provided for each transverse element so as to force the rod in downward direction against a lower boundary edge of the passage in the respective transverse element. The vertical position of the rod is also effectively defined thereby.
It is favourable in this case if the clamping element extends around the rod and is designed at a lower side thereof, below the rod, to be in engagement with the transverse element from below.
The clamping element is preferably designed and placed such that it allows a relative movement of the rod parallel to the transport direction with respect to the transverse element caused by a difference in coefficient of expansion between the materials of the rod and the bath when the rod and the bath are being heated up during operation of the device.
It is furthermore favourable herein if one clamping element connected to the rod is designed and put in place for preventing mutual displacements of the rod and the transverse element in the transport direction. The rod's position in the transport direction at the area of said clamping element is thus defined to a higher degree while some mutual movement arising from temperature effects of the rod and the other transverse elements is made possible.
The rod, at least in its mounted state in the device, is preferably V- shaped in cross-section at its lower side and rests with its V-shape against a matching, at least partly V-shaped passage in each of the transverse elements. The transverse position can be accurately defined thereby.
It is favourable if the rod is non-circular, preferably square, diamond- shaped or triangular in cross-section. A non-circular cross-section facilitates the accurate relative positioning of the rod and the components connected thereto, such as a transverse element or a guide pulley.
The rod is preferably manufactured from a metal, preferably from stainless steel or titanium.
It is furthermore favourable if at least the bottom and the longitudinal side walls, and preferably also the end faces, of the bath are manufactured from a synthetic resin, preferably from a polyolefin, more preferably from polypropylene. The transverse elements are preferably fastened to the mutually opposed side walls by means of (fusion) welds.
The clamping members are preferably designed for providing a free suspension of the substrate.
The transport member preferably comprises a flexible belt that extends along a continuous horizontal track.
In the case of electrolytic galvanizing, i.e. electroplating, it is advantageous if the transport member comprises an electrically conducting material by means of which the substrates can be cathodically connected, as is necessary in that case.
Advantageously, openings are provided in the flexible belt at regular intervals for driving the transport member, and the transport means further comprise at least one driving geared pulley whose teeth come into engagement with said openings.
If said openings are rectangular and the teeth have a cross-section that is at least substantially triangular in horizontal cross-section, an extremely stable and rectilinear transport of the substrates through the solution can be achieved without even limited undulating movements of the substrates in vertical direction.
The invention will now be explained in more detail in a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the appended figures, in which :
Figure 1 shows part of a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention in isometric view, partly broken away;
Figure 2 shows the device of figure 1 in isometric view, partly broken away, with various parts omitted and with parts in exploded view;
Figure 3 shows detail A from figure 2 in isometric view; and
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing wall with a lock element, taken in the transport direction from a compartment 3a of the bath of the device.
The invention will be explained below with reference to an example of a device for electrolytic galvanizing or electroplating. However, the invention is also applicable to the e-less plating process referred to further above. In that case the presence of an anode as mentioned in the ensuing description is not relevant. Figure 1 shows part of a device 1 to which the invention relates. The device 1 is designed for electroplating rectangular planar substrates 2. These substrates may be rectangular silicon panels whose sides have a length of between approximately 125 mm and 210 mm and which have a thickness lying between 50 μηι and 300 μηι. It is characteristic of this type of material that it is highly fragile and quickly breaks up into fragments. Such substrates are used in the manufacture of solar cells and, for example, batteries. An electrically conductive material has been provided as a seed layer on one side of each substrate 2, for example by means of vapour deposition or printing, here in the form of two (vertically oriented) auxiliary main tracks and a larger number of (horizontally oriented) auxiliary tracks which each intersect the main tracks and accordingly are in electrical contact with them. The substrate may alternatively have more or fewer than two main tracks. The thickness of the seed layer should be at most 5 μηι prior to electroplating, and preferably lie between 0.02 and 2 μηι.
The invention is also highly suitable for use with substrates having a seed layer at both the front and rear face, for substrates having an exposed outer layer for light induced plating, and for substrates having a thin conductive layer as their outer layer, of metal such as, for example, copper or nickel, or of a conductive oxide, wherein those portions of the layer that are not to be galvanized are covered with photoresist.
The device 1 comprises a bath 3 for an electrolytic solution, at least in the present embodiment which is designed for electroplating. The bath 3 has mutually opposed side walls 4, mutually opposed end walls 5, and a bottom 6. The side wall 4 closest to the viewer is not shown in figure 1 for greater clarity, such that the interior of the bath 3 is visible. The bath 3 has two compartments 3a and 3b one behind the other in a transport direction 22. A vertical feed tube 1 1 extending through the bottom 6 is provided in each compartment 3a, 3b for the supply of an electrolytic solution which is continuously circulated by pumping means (not shown) during operation.
An anode (not shown in the figures) extending parallel to one of the side walls 4 is further provided inside the bath 3. The anode is planar and in the form of a grid. The anode is connected anodically to a rectifier.
The device 1 comprises a continuous belt-type transport member 21 to be described in more detail below, from which the substrates 2 are suspended for the transport of said substrates 2. The object being to admit the substrates 2 to the bath, i.e. to the compartments 3a, 3b, said substrates 2 are transported by the continuous transport member 21 along a horizontal transport path 9 in the transport direction 22, while a vertical passage 23 is provided in the frontmost or upstream end wall 5. The same is true for the downstream end wall 5. The device 1 may have a plurality of consecutive baths, each having one or several compartments, in which case the transport member extends through each of these baths.
The substrate 2 is galvanically processed during its stay in a compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3, in the present example by electroplating. The electrolytic solution is continuously circulated in the compartment 3a, 3b during this process, as was mentioned above. More specifically, purified electrolytic solution enters the compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3 and flows mainly in the direction of the mutually opposed side walls 4, from where it flows upward. The electrolytic solution may become enriched, especially at the side of the anode, with metal ions dissolving from the anode into the electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution will deposit metal ions on the substrate 2 such that the electrically conductive material thereon is augmented.
As was noted above, a continuous transport member 21 is used for transporting the substrates 2 through the bath 3. Said continuous transport member 21 comprises a continuous belt 51 which is arranged, for example, around two pulleys 80 which are indicated diagrammatically only in figure 1 and which are mounted, possibly by means of a supporting frame, in a fixed position relative to the bath 3 with rotation possibility about a vertical shaft 81 , at least one of said pulleys being drivable by drive means, such as an electric motor, which are not indicated in any detail in the figure. The transport member 21 is guided in the bath 3 by guide pulleys formed by pairs of a gear 75 and a counter roller 76, while the drive of the transport member takes place by means of driven pulleys 80. As is shown in the figures, one pair 75, 76 is provided in each compartment 3a, 3b. The gears 75 and the counter rollers 76 are manufactured from an electrically insulating material. The teeth of the gears 75 form an exception: they are manufactured from a metal, such as stainless steel, because of its favourable wear characteristics. A groove is provided in the counter rollers 76 at the same level as the teeth, into which groove extend those teeth which are present at the side of the gear 75 that faces the counter roller 76. The belt 51 is provided with regularly spaced holes whose shape matches the shape of the teeth and which cooperate with the teeth of the gears 75. The transport member 21 is guided in this manner.
The continuous transport member 21 further comprises resilient contact members at regular intervals. These render it possible to grip each substrate 2 with clamping force by means of, for example, two contact members.
The compartments 3a, 3b of the bath 3 are each delimited at an upstream and a downstream end by lock elements 40. Each lock element 40 is provided in a sealing wall 51 that is connected to the bottom 6 and the two longitudinal side walls 4 of the bath 3 in a sealed manner. The walls 4, 5 and the bottom 6 of the bath 3 are made from polypropylene. The sealed joint of the wall 51 and further walls 52 yet to be discussed is realized by means of a (fusion) welded connection to the material, also polypropylene, of the walls 4 and the bottom 6. Each lock element 40 has a slot 41 that is inclined against the transport direction 22 such that the upper side of a substrate 2 passes the slot 41 earlier than the lower side of the same substrate 2. Each substrate 2 thus moves through the slot 41 gradually into the compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3, at least at the upstream lock element 40 of a compartment 3a, 3b, with the result that the mechanical load on the substrate 2 remains limited. The lock elements 40 comprise two pressure rollers 42 which are designed such that they are in contact with one another when no substrate 2 passes between them, i.e. the slot 41 is closed. When a substrate 2 passes through, the pressure rollers 42 are forced apart by the substrate 2, i.e. they make way for the substrate 2. The pressure rollers 42 then roll over the surfaces on the two sides of the substrate 2. It is important for this that the substrate 2 should hit against the two pressure rollers 42 simultaneously, accurately centred in a position aligned with the slot to be formed by the substrate between the pressure rollers 42. This is achieved to a high degree by the construction according to the invention, in which the guide pulleys are and remain very accurately aligned with the lock elements.
It should be considered that electrolytic solution present in the compartment 3a, 3b of the bath 3 has a tendency to leave its compartment through the slots 41 in the upstream and downstream lock elements 40. Therefore, the compartments 3a, 3b are not provided immediately next to one another, neither do they directly adjoin an end wall 5 of the bath 3. An overflow section 30 is present immediately upstream and downstream of each compartment 3a, 3b. Any electrolytic solution escaping through the lock elements 40 or, for example, flowing over an overflow edge into a sealing wall 51 will enter an overflow collection location from where it can flow from the bath 3 via a discharge line 31 .
The bath 3 further comprises an intermediate portion 32 between the overflow sections 30 that lie between the two compartments, in which portion 32 the substrates 2 are given a rinsing treatment by a rinsing element 33 and a blow cleaning treatment by a blower device 34. Such treatments as well as any further treatments may also take place in other locations within the bath 3, but outside the compartments 3a, 3b, whether or not in an overflow section 30 as shown in the figures, to achieve a further reduction of contamination of the respective downstream compartment or bath.
The device 1 comprises a rod 50 that extends in the transport direction 22 at the upper side of the bath 3, i.e. above the electrolytic solution during operation, to which rod the guide pulleys formed by gears 75 and counter rollers 76 are fastened, more precisely suspended with rotation possibility. The rod 50 is positioned in the bath by means of transverse elements which extend between the two longitudinal side walls 4 and are fastened thereto. Accordingly, at least a transverse position of the rod 50 in the bath 3, and thus also of the guide pulleys, is defined thereby at the area of each of the transverse elements. The transverse elements in the present example are formed by partitioning walls, such as the sealing walls 51 referred to above, in each of which a lock element 40 is provided, and are connected in a sealed manner to the bottom 6 and the two longitudinal side walls 4 of the bath 3. Further partitioning walls 52 outside the compartments 3a, 3b also constitute such transverse elements by means of which the rod 50 is positioned in the bath.
The transverse elements or partitioning walls 51 , 52 have passages
54 that extend from a free upper edge in downward direction, through which passages the rod 50 extends, said passages 54 being designed to define the transverse position of the rod 50 in an interlocking manner, viz. in particular figure 3. A width, i.e. in transverse direction, of the passages 54 is thus equal to the width of the rod 50 in transverse direction in the mounted state. The lock element 40 has not been shown in the wall 51 in figures 2 and 3.
A clamping element 55 is provided for each wall 51 , 52 to urge the rod 50 in downward direction against a lower abutment edge 56 of the passage 54. The clamping element 55 extends around the rod 50 and is designed at its lower side, below the rod 50, for being in engagement with the wall 51 , 52 from below. For this purpose, a tag 57 is provided at the clamping element, extends below the rod 50 parallel thereto, and hooks itself underneath a contact surface 58 in the relevant wall 51 , 52 in the mounted state. Each clamping element 55 has at its upper side a threaded hole 59 into which a screw 60 can be turned. The screw 60 is tightened against the upper side of the rod 50, so that the clamping element 55 is pressed against the edge 56 and the tag 57 is forced against the surface 58. The lower side of the rod 50 lies clear of the clamping element 55. This implies that the hole 61 in the clamping element 55 through which the rod 50 extends is such that the rod 50 does not come into contact with a lower abutment edge of this hole.
The clamping elements 55 are designed and positioned such that they allow a relative movement parallel to the transport direction of the rod 50 and the wall to which the clamping element 55 is mounted caused by a difference in the coefficients of expansion between the materials of the rod 50 and the bath 3 when the rod and the bath are heated up during operation of the device. This is possible because the tag 57 can shift over the surface 58.
One clamping element 55a connected to the rod 50, however, is designed and positioned so as to prevent a mutual movement in the transport direction between the rod 50 and the wall to which said one clamping element 55a is mounted. This one clamping element 55a is provided in the extreme downstream wall of the bath 3. As figure 1 shows, this is a wall 52. This latter measure achieves that there will be no stresses in the bath as a result of said difference in coefficients of expansion.
It is alternatively favourable in this connection when clamping elements that clamp the rod 50 to sealing walls 51 are provided at that side of the relevant sealing wall that faces the compartment 3a, 3b bounded by that sealing wall 51 .
The rod 50 has a square cross-section and has been rotated through 45° relative to the perpendicular such that it is V-shaped in cross-section at its lower side when in the mounted state in the device. The lower boundary edges 56 of the passages 54 are similarly V-shaped. The passages 54 are provided centrally in the bath as viewed in transverse direction. As a result, the rod 50 is particularly accurately positioned centrally in the bath 3 as viewed in transverse direction.

Claims

1 . A device for galvanizing planar substrates, such as vitreous substrates for solar cells, said device comprising:
- a bath comprising a bottom, two mutually opposed longitudinal side walls and two mutually opposed end walls,
- transport means for transporting substrates in succession in a transport direction along a horizontal transport path parallel to the longitudinal side walls through the bath during operation, said transport means comprising a continuous belt-type transport member that is provided with clamping members designed for clamping a substrate so as to suspend said substrate, and said transport means comprising pulleys around which the transport member is arranged, wherein the bath comprises, in the transport direction, at least one compartment for a galvanic solution through which the successive substrates are conducted one after the other, said at least one compartment being delimited at its downstream and at its upstream end by a respective lock element through which the substrates can pass,
wherein the device comprises guide pulleys provided in the bath at intervals for guiding the transport member such that the substrates pass through the lock elements,
wherein the device comprises a rod extending in the transport direction at an upper side of the bath, to which rod the guide pulleys are fastened with rotation possibility,
and wherein the bath comprises transverse elements which extend between the two longitudinal side walls and are fastened thereto, while the rod and the lock elements are connected to the transverse elements in such a manner that at least a transverse position, i.e. transverse to the transport direction, of the rod relative to the lock elements is defined.
2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one compartment is in fact a plurality of individual compartments which lie one behind the other in the transport direction and through which the substrates are passed during operation.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the downstream and the upstream lock element of a compartment are each provided in a respective sealing wall, which sealing wall constitutes one transverse element from among said transverse elements and is connected to the bottom and to the two longitudinal side walls of the bath in a sealed manner.
4. A device according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein a transverse element of the transverse elements is provided in the immediate vicinity of each lock element, preferably in the form of a sealing wall of a lock element, to which the rod is fastened.
5. A device according to any one or several of the preceding claims, wherein the transverse elements have passages extending from a free upper wall thereof in downward direction, the rod extending through said passages, which are designed so as to define the transverse position of the rod in an interlocking manner.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein a clamping element is provided for each transverse element so as to force the rod in downward direction against a lower boundary edge of the passage in the respective transverse element.
7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the clamping element extends around the rod and is designed at a lower side thereof, below the rod, to be in engagement with the transverse element from below.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the clamping element is designed and placed such that it allows a relative movement of the rod with respect to the transverse element parallel to the transport direction caused by a difference in coefficient of expansion between the materials of the rod and the bath when the rod and the bath are being heated up during operation of the device.
9. A device according to claim 8, wherein one clamping element connected to the rod is designed and positioned so as to prevent mutual displacements of the rod and the transverse element in the transport direction.
10. A device according to any one or several of the preceding claims, wherein the rod is non-circular, preferably square, diamond-shaped or triangular in cross-section.
1 1 . A device according to any one or several of the preceding claims, wherein the rod, at least in its mounted state in the device, is V-shaped in cross- section at its lower side and rests in a matching, at least partly V-shaped passage in each of the transverse elements.
12. A device according to any one or several of the preceding claims, wherein the rod is manufactured from a metal, preferably from stainless steel or titanium.
13. A device according to any one or several of the preceding claims, wherein at least the bottom and the longitudinal side walls, and preferably also the end walls, of the bath are manufactured from a synthetic resin, preferably from a polyolefin, more preferably from polypropylene.
PCT/NL2016/050744 2015-11-09 2016-10-26 Device for galvanizing planar substrates WO2017082721A1 (en)

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