CA1144522A - Continuous contact plater - Google Patents
Continuous contact platerInfo
- Publication number
- CA1144522A CA1144522A CA000377966A CA377966A CA1144522A CA 1144522 A CA1144522 A CA 1144522A CA 000377966 A CA000377966 A CA 000377966A CA 377966 A CA377966 A CA 377966A CA 1144522 A CA1144522 A CA 1144522A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- overlay
- plating
- metal
- plated
- roller
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A metallic electrical contact element is disclosed having a discrete convex curvilinear surface portion intended for electrical contact having a localized conductive electrodeposited contact point thereon. The contact point is produced by providing a roller carrying electrolyte on its periphery for plating said contact point, positioning the metal contact element transversely to the axis of the roller with the periphery of the roller in tangential engagement with the contact point, rotating the roller while passing on electric current between the contact point and the roller surface whereby a conductive electrical contact point is produced on the convex curvilinear surface. The thickness of the electrodeposited contact point smoothly decreases outwardly from the center thereof. Such a metallic contact element reduces the amount of material used in plating the electrical contact point.
A metallic electrical contact element is disclosed having a discrete convex curvilinear surface portion intended for electrical contact having a localized conductive electrodeposited contact point thereon. The contact point is produced by providing a roller carrying electrolyte on its periphery for plating said contact point, positioning the metal contact element transversely to the axis of the roller with the periphery of the roller in tangential engagement with the contact point, rotating the roller while passing on electric current between the contact point and the roller surface whereby a conductive electrical contact point is produced on the convex curvilinear surface. The thickness of the electrodeposited contact point smoothly decreases outwardly from the center thereof. Such a metallic contact element reduces the amount of material used in plating the electrical contact point.
Description
SZZ
1 FIELD _F_THE INVENTION
The field of the invention includes electrolytic treatment apparatus often found classified in the United States Patent Office under Class 204; and a process of exchanging metal on a workpiece often found classified in Class 204 as well.
DESC~IPTION OF THE PRIOR ART:
________________________ _ ___ The prior art is exemplified in United States Patents 936,472; 3,661,752; and 3,904,489; and also in French Patent 331930 and Patents in Great Britain Numbers 760016 and 18643 (the latter published in 1899).
In the prior art type devices, rotary members for light frictional engagement with the cathode are shown.
Moving contact is also shown for purposes of wiping away bubbles, electrodeposition, and the like, so that the electric plating action will proceed without contamination or film barriers on the surface to be plated. The prior art, however, fails to deal with the modern problems of gold plating, particularly as applicable to the plating of contact points on a curvilinear surface. In the plating of such contact points, the prior art techniques have involved dipping in the anode, and therefore plating portions of the contact which do not require plating.
Where precious metals such as gold are employed in the plating, this overplating even to the extent of 100 percent, doubles the cost of material which is a significant cost in the gold plating of any product.
Also because the prior art involves dipping, there is no way of discretely determining the specific area to be plated, much less determining the exact thickness to be ~"'~
45;~Z
1 plated Gn the discrete area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a method for continuous plating of a discrete area on a convex curvilinear surface of each of a plurality of aligned electronic contact points comprising the steps of:
confining and orientating the contact points to allow movement thereof along a fixed axis of travel, engaging the same orientated contact points to move the thus orientated contact points with their discrete area plated firmly against a plating member; applying a predetermined amount of plating solution on the plating member to constantly wet the same in a controllable electro-deposition quantity; electrically energizing the contact points as a cathode and the plating solution as an anode;
rotating the plating member to pass the plating solution on its surface onto the discrete area of the convex curvilLnear surface of the contact points which are passed against the plating member, whereby contact points cen be plated with a metal on the discrete area of the convex curvilinear surface intended for electrical contact with another member, without plating the rear portion or other portions of the contact points which otherwise have no electrical relationship in a circuit.
The invention also includes a device for continuous contact plating of a plurality of contact points having a curvilinear portion comprising, in combination, a plating member having an axis of rotation and a wettable surface, a bath for electrolytic solution for supplying such solution to said plating member, a transport means ~1~4SZZ
1 oriented to move such contact points across said plating member and in contact therewith, means for positioning a plurality of contact points along a bandolier for feeding the same into said transport means, and means for electrically energizing such contact points as a cathode and electrically energizing said bath as an anode, whereby the contact points may be passed against the wettable surface of the roller for plating of a discrete area of the curvilinear portion of such contact points.
Furthermore according to the present invention, an electrical connector with a contact point for engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprises a metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in the region, a conductive metal overlay plated onto the external surface of said region, and at least a portion of the periphery of said metal overlay smoothly decreasing in thickne~s to define at least a thin edge wheeein the conductive metal overlay i~ substantially free of plated metal buildup common to electrodeposition techniques using immersion plating.
According to an aspect of the invention, a method for plating a discrete contact point on a carrier of electronic contacts is disclosed.
According to another aspect of the invention is the plating of a contact point at only the point where the same will make electrical contact with a plated finger on a printed circuit board, and to control the plated dimensional portion of the contact as well as the thickness of the plated metal.
Still another aspect of the present invention is the continuous contact plating of a plurality of contacts secured to a bandolier or carrier, the length of which may 1 be effectively endless.
Still another aspect of the invention is an apparatus for carrying out the above which is readily adjustable in its basic respects, easy to service, and economical to construct, operate and maintain.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
________________________ _ _ Further objects and advantages of the present inventon will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective partially broken rear view of the subject continuous plate.
Figure 2 is an enlarged partially broken view illustrating the feed guide for delivering a plurality of bandolier secured contact points to the opposed driving belts.
Figure 3 is a partially diagrammatic broken view of a rear portion of the unit taken in perspective and illustrating particularly the relationship between the opposed jaws, the plating roller and the adjustment of the plating holder.
Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 3 in substantially the same scale.
Figure ~ is a partially diagrammatic view illustrating the drive mechanism for the carrier belts.
Figure 6 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Figures 3 and 4 in slightly enlarged scale.
Figure 7 is a top view of the jaws, driving belt, and anode roller broken at the midportion thereof.
Figure 8 is an enlarged, partially broken transverse ~452Z
1 sectional view of the relationship between the jaws, driving belt and roller taken along section line 8-8 of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a plan view of a typical bandolier of a pluarlity of contact points.
THE METHOD
__________ The method for continuous contact plating of a curvilinear contact point presupposes contacts 51 in a bandolier 50 as shown in Figure 9. The contact points are positior.ed 80 that the bandolier is essentially perpendicular to the contact point. Thereafter the contact points and bandolier are oriented to pass the same along a longitudinal axis. A roller having an absorbent peripheral surface is po6itioned for driving rotatably with its long axis in parallel relationship to the bandolier, and its longitudinal axis. An electrolytic bath is provided for fluid contact with an absorbent surface on the roller. The bandolier and its contained contact points are then moved along the axis parallel to the axis of the roller with the contact points in tangential contact with the absorbent surface. The resultant action is to follow a helical path along the absorbent surface of the roller with the contact points energized as a cathode, and the electrolytic solution electrically energized, particularly as to the absorbent portion of the roller, as an anode. The method also contemplates means in pressure relationship to the absorbent surface of the roller to control the amount of plating solution that is passed thereabout for purposes of plating.
1~45ZZ
1 THE_APPARATUS
The continuous plater 10 is shown in rear elevation, and perspectively, in Figure 1. There it will be seen that the continuous plater 10 includes a main frame 11, and a plurality of carrier belts 12. The carrier belts 12 include an upper belt 18 and a lower belt 19, which are positioned to tangentially engage each other and pass through the jaws 14 which orient the same for tangential helical trace contact with an anode roller 15. A plating solution tray 16 is positioned beneath the anode roller 15, and provided with an electrolytic solution for purposes of plating, usually plating gold to the contact points. The entire continuous plater 10 presupposes a treatment of the contact points prior to entering the plater and treatment thereafter. It is therefore a continuous plater 10, as a part of a total processing apparatus for contact points.
To be noted in Figure 1 is the drive motor 20 for the anode roller 15. A feed guide sprocket 21 is provided immediately adjacent the feed point 60, the same belng the point where the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 19 first come into continuous contact for the feeding of the contact points.
Turning now to Figure 8, it will be seen that the jaws 14 include an upper jaw 42 and a lower jaw 44. The same are secured to jaw bracket 41 which is permanently affixed to the frame 11 of the continuous plater 10. The bandolier 50 is grasped by the opposed upper belt 18 and lower belt 19, and so positioned that the contact point 56 is in contact relationship with the absorbent sleeve 24 1 of the roller 15. A meter roller 22 is provided for adjustable pressure contact against the porous sleeve 24, so that as the roller passes through the electrolyte 58, the amount of retained fluid after passing the metering roller 22 can be controlled by adjustment. The upper and lower belts 18, 19 may be of a closed cell foam-like material, or solid rubber, depending upon the contacts being fed.
The roller 15 allows transfer of the electrolytic solution from the plating solution tray 16 to roller 15 and subsequently to the contact points. This is preferably accomplished by use of the absorbent sleeve 24; however, other alternative6 are possible. The important feature i8 that the roller must transfer the plating solution from the solution tray to the electrical contact point or controllable electrodeposition quantity.
The contacts, while generally secured to a bandolier, may take varying forms. As shown in Figure 9, the Bandolier 50 has a plurality of contacts 51 secured thereto by means of a fastener 52, in this instance opposed jaws. The band 54 is provided with a pluarlity of drive holes 55 which permit it to be sprocket fed for movement.
The electrical contacts 51 shown in the enlargement of Figure 8 have the metal-plated area 100 which form the electrical contact point. The thickness of the contact point decreases radially outward from the center thereof along the axis of the contact and each contact point joins with the body of the contact 51 at the thin edge 102. Thus, it can be appreciated that the thickness of the contact point decreases to provide an ' '' 11~45ZZ
1 essentially flush junction wi~h the underlying support portion of the contact. Furthermore, the interaction o-f the rotating roller and the movement of the contacts reduce the possibility of bubbles thereby causing the density to be more uniform.
Turning now to Figure 3, it will be seen that the roller 15 is secured to a roller frame 25 which includes a pa~r of roller frame legs 26, a rollee frame base 28, and opposed roller frame posts 29 to which the roller 15 is mounted. The roller frame legs 26 are mounted at a pivot 30 to the main frame 11. A horizontal adjusting member 31 is provided at each end of the lower frame 25, immediately adjacent the pivot 30. Vertical adjustment means 32 are provided beneath the base 28 of the roller frame 25, as noted in Figure 4, by rotating the knob 34, the pads 59 bear upon the lower face of the base 28, and raise and lower the same.
Turning now to Figure 5, it will be seen that the upper and lower belts 18, 19 are driven by a belt motor 35 through a given sprocket mechanism to a plurality of belt pulleys 36. The upper belt and lower belt 18, 19 are reeved around the pulleys to insure a firm flow and continuous drive. The motor bracket 38 permits some adjustment of the belt motor 35, and cooperates with the idler adjustment 40 ~see Figure 1) to adju6tably secure , . . . _ , . .. .
1 the tension and frictional engagement of the belts 18, 19 with the pulleys 36.
In Figure 6 the bracket 45 for the metering rollers is disclosed, the same being urged by the spring 46 into compressive relationship with the roller 15. An adjustment nut 48 i8 provided to further adjust the yieldable relationship between the metering roll 22 and the anode roller 15, the bracket 45 pivoting around pivot point 49.
It is highly desirable to lead the bandolier 50 into the feed point 60 defined by the position where the upper belt 18 and lower belt 19 come together, the alignment to be as close as possible. It will be appreciated that to accomplish this purpose, a feed guide sprocket assembly 21 may be usefully employed ~see Figure 2). The assembly comprises an upper inner toothed wheel 61 and an upper outer toothed wheel 62. The teeth 66 are positioned circumferentially to penetrate the drive holes 55 of the bandolier 50. The driving effort of the upper and lower belts 18, 19, will rotate the toothed wheels 61, 62, and pull the bandolier 50 between the teeth 66 and the lower inner guide wheel 64 and the outer lower guide wheel 65.
Other alternatives are available for the feed guide sprocket assembly 21, such as a pair of opposed plates.
The principal result to be achieved is one of presenting the bandolier 50 in a path substantially coincident with the feed point 60, and the trace of the upper and lower belts 18, 19 as they pass through the opposed jaws 42, 44.
For purposes of cleaning, an eccentric tray mount assembly 70 (see Figure 1) in which a single crank 71 may be rotated to the end that the four contact rollers 72 ; ~
~f 1~4S2~2 1 supporting the tray 16 lower their contact points, and the tray 16 may be removed from its fluid bath relation-ship with the roller 15 for cleaning, replenishing the electrolytic solution, or otherwise engaging in the maintenance and operation of the subject continuous plater 10.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternatives, embodiments, usages and equivalents of a continuous contact plater and method as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification and the appended claims.
1 FIELD _F_THE INVENTION
The field of the invention includes electrolytic treatment apparatus often found classified in the United States Patent Office under Class 204; and a process of exchanging metal on a workpiece often found classified in Class 204 as well.
DESC~IPTION OF THE PRIOR ART:
________________________ _ ___ The prior art is exemplified in United States Patents 936,472; 3,661,752; and 3,904,489; and also in French Patent 331930 and Patents in Great Britain Numbers 760016 and 18643 (the latter published in 1899).
In the prior art type devices, rotary members for light frictional engagement with the cathode are shown.
Moving contact is also shown for purposes of wiping away bubbles, electrodeposition, and the like, so that the electric plating action will proceed without contamination or film barriers on the surface to be plated. The prior art, however, fails to deal with the modern problems of gold plating, particularly as applicable to the plating of contact points on a curvilinear surface. In the plating of such contact points, the prior art techniques have involved dipping in the anode, and therefore plating portions of the contact which do not require plating.
Where precious metals such as gold are employed in the plating, this overplating even to the extent of 100 percent, doubles the cost of material which is a significant cost in the gold plating of any product.
Also because the prior art involves dipping, there is no way of discretely determining the specific area to be plated, much less determining the exact thickness to be ~"'~
45;~Z
1 plated Gn the discrete area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a method for continuous plating of a discrete area on a convex curvilinear surface of each of a plurality of aligned electronic contact points comprising the steps of:
confining and orientating the contact points to allow movement thereof along a fixed axis of travel, engaging the same orientated contact points to move the thus orientated contact points with their discrete area plated firmly against a plating member; applying a predetermined amount of plating solution on the plating member to constantly wet the same in a controllable electro-deposition quantity; electrically energizing the contact points as a cathode and the plating solution as an anode;
rotating the plating member to pass the plating solution on its surface onto the discrete area of the convex curvilLnear surface of the contact points which are passed against the plating member, whereby contact points cen be plated with a metal on the discrete area of the convex curvilinear surface intended for electrical contact with another member, without plating the rear portion or other portions of the contact points which otherwise have no electrical relationship in a circuit.
The invention also includes a device for continuous contact plating of a plurality of contact points having a curvilinear portion comprising, in combination, a plating member having an axis of rotation and a wettable surface, a bath for electrolytic solution for supplying such solution to said plating member, a transport means ~1~4SZZ
1 oriented to move such contact points across said plating member and in contact therewith, means for positioning a plurality of contact points along a bandolier for feeding the same into said transport means, and means for electrically energizing such contact points as a cathode and electrically energizing said bath as an anode, whereby the contact points may be passed against the wettable surface of the roller for plating of a discrete area of the curvilinear portion of such contact points.
Furthermore according to the present invention, an electrical connector with a contact point for engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprises a metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in the region, a conductive metal overlay plated onto the external surface of said region, and at least a portion of the periphery of said metal overlay smoothly decreasing in thickne~s to define at least a thin edge wheeein the conductive metal overlay i~ substantially free of plated metal buildup common to electrodeposition techniques using immersion plating.
According to an aspect of the invention, a method for plating a discrete contact point on a carrier of electronic contacts is disclosed.
According to another aspect of the invention is the plating of a contact point at only the point where the same will make electrical contact with a plated finger on a printed circuit board, and to control the plated dimensional portion of the contact as well as the thickness of the plated metal.
Still another aspect of the present invention is the continuous contact plating of a plurality of contacts secured to a bandolier or carrier, the length of which may 1 be effectively endless.
Still another aspect of the invention is an apparatus for carrying out the above which is readily adjustable in its basic respects, easy to service, and economical to construct, operate and maintain.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
________________________ _ _ Further objects and advantages of the present inventon will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective partially broken rear view of the subject continuous plate.
Figure 2 is an enlarged partially broken view illustrating the feed guide for delivering a plurality of bandolier secured contact points to the opposed driving belts.
Figure 3 is a partially diagrammatic broken view of a rear portion of the unit taken in perspective and illustrating particularly the relationship between the opposed jaws, the plating roller and the adjustment of the plating holder.
Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 3 in substantially the same scale.
Figure ~ is a partially diagrammatic view illustrating the drive mechanism for the carrier belts.
Figure 6 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Figures 3 and 4 in slightly enlarged scale.
Figure 7 is a top view of the jaws, driving belt, and anode roller broken at the midportion thereof.
Figure 8 is an enlarged, partially broken transverse ~452Z
1 sectional view of the relationship between the jaws, driving belt and roller taken along section line 8-8 of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a plan view of a typical bandolier of a pluarlity of contact points.
THE METHOD
__________ The method for continuous contact plating of a curvilinear contact point presupposes contacts 51 in a bandolier 50 as shown in Figure 9. The contact points are positior.ed 80 that the bandolier is essentially perpendicular to the contact point. Thereafter the contact points and bandolier are oriented to pass the same along a longitudinal axis. A roller having an absorbent peripheral surface is po6itioned for driving rotatably with its long axis in parallel relationship to the bandolier, and its longitudinal axis. An electrolytic bath is provided for fluid contact with an absorbent surface on the roller. The bandolier and its contained contact points are then moved along the axis parallel to the axis of the roller with the contact points in tangential contact with the absorbent surface. The resultant action is to follow a helical path along the absorbent surface of the roller with the contact points energized as a cathode, and the electrolytic solution electrically energized, particularly as to the absorbent portion of the roller, as an anode. The method also contemplates means in pressure relationship to the absorbent surface of the roller to control the amount of plating solution that is passed thereabout for purposes of plating.
1~45ZZ
1 THE_APPARATUS
The continuous plater 10 is shown in rear elevation, and perspectively, in Figure 1. There it will be seen that the continuous plater 10 includes a main frame 11, and a plurality of carrier belts 12. The carrier belts 12 include an upper belt 18 and a lower belt 19, which are positioned to tangentially engage each other and pass through the jaws 14 which orient the same for tangential helical trace contact with an anode roller 15. A plating solution tray 16 is positioned beneath the anode roller 15, and provided with an electrolytic solution for purposes of plating, usually plating gold to the contact points. The entire continuous plater 10 presupposes a treatment of the contact points prior to entering the plater and treatment thereafter. It is therefore a continuous plater 10, as a part of a total processing apparatus for contact points.
To be noted in Figure 1 is the drive motor 20 for the anode roller 15. A feed guide sprocket 21 is provided immediately adjacent the feed point 60, the same belng the point where the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 19 first come into continuous contact for the feeding of the contact points.
Turning now to Figure 8, it will be seen that the jaws 14 include an upper jaw 42 and a lower jaw 44. The same are secured to jaw bracket 41 which is permanently affixed to the frame 11 of the continuous plater 10. The bandolier 50 is grasped by the opposed upper belt 18 and lower belt 19, and so positioned that the contact point 56 is in contact relationship with the absorbent sleeve 24 1 of the roller 15. A meter roller 22 is provided for adjustable pressure contact against the porous sleeve 24, so that as the roller passes through the electrolyte 58, the amount of retained fluid after passing the metering roller 22 can be controlled by adjustment. The upper and lower belts 18, 19 may be of a closed cell foam-like material, or solid rubber, depending upon the contacts being fed.
The roller 15 allows transfer of the electrolytic solution from the plating solution tray 16 to roller 15 and subsequently to the contact points. This is preferably accomplished by use of the absorbent sleeve 24; however, other alternative6 are possible. The important feature i8 that the roller must transfer the plating solution from the solution tray to the electrical contact point or controllable electrodeposition quantity.
The contacts, while generally secured to a bandolier, may take varying forms. As shown in Figure 9, the Bandolier 50 has a plurality of contacts 51 secured thereto by means of a fastener 52, in this instance opposed jaws. The band 54 is provided with a pluarlity of drive holes 55 which permit it to be sprocket fed for movement.
The electrical contacts 51 shown in the enlargement of Figure 8 have the metal-plated area 100 which form the electrical contact point. The thickness of the contact point decreases radially outward from the center thereof along the axis of the contact and each contact point joins with the body of the contact 51 at the thin edge 102. Thus, it can be appreciated that the thickness of the contact point decreases to provide an ' '' 11~45ZZ
1 essentially flush junction wi~h the underlying support portion of the contact. Furthermore, the interaction o-f the rotating roller and the movement of the contacts reduce the possibility of bubbles thereby causing the density to be more uniform.
Turning now to Figure 3, it will be seen that the roller 15 is secured to a roller frame 25 which includes a pa~r of roller frame legs 26, a rollee frame base 28, and opposed roller frame posts 29 to which the roller 15 is mounted. The roller frame legs 26 are mounted at a pivot 30 to the main frame 11. A horizontal adjusting member 31 is provided at each end of the lower frame 25, immediately adjacent the pivot 30. Vertical adjustment means 32 are provided beneath the base 28 of the roller frame 25, as noted in Figure 4, by rotating the knob 34, the pads 59 bear upon the lower face of the base 28, and raise and lower the same.
Turning now to Figure 5, it will be seen that the upper and lower belts 18, 19 are driven by a belt motor 35 through a given sprocket mechanism to a plurality of belt pulleys 36. The upper belt and lower belt 18, 19 are reeved around the pulleys to insure a firm flow and continuous drive. The motor bracket 38 permits some adjustment of the belt motor 35, and cooperates with the idler adjustment 40 ~see Figure 1) to adju6tably secure , . . . _ , . .. .
1 the tension and frictional engagement of the belts 18, 19 with the pulleys 36.
In Figure 6 the bracket 45 for the metering rollers is disclosed, the same being urged by the spring 46 into compressive relationship with the roller 15. An adjustment nut 48 i8 provided to further adjust the yieldable relationship between the metering roll 22 and the anode roller 15, the bracket 45 pivoting around pivot point 49.
It is highly desirable to lead the bandolier 50 into the feed point 60 defined by the position where the upper belt 18 and lower belt 19 come together, the alignment to be as close as possible. It will be appreciated that to accomplish this purpose, a feed guide sprocket assembly 21 may be usefully employed ~see Figure 2). The assembly comprises an upper inner toothed wheel 61 and an upper outer toothed wheel 62. The teeth 66 are positioned circumferentially to penetrate the drive holes 55 of the bandolier 50. The driving effort of the upper and lower belts 18, 19, will rotate the toothed wheels 61, 62, and pull the bandolier 50 between the teeth 66 and the lower inner guide wheel 64 and the outer lower guide wheel 65.
Other alternatives are available for the feed guide sprocket assembly 21, such as a pair of opposed plates.
The principal result to be achieved is one of presenting the bandolier 50 in a path substantially coincident with the feed point 60, and the trace of the upper and lower belts 18, 19 as they pass through the opposed jaws 42, 44.
For purposes of cleaning, an eccentric tray mount assembly 70 (see Figure 1) in which a single crank 71 may be rotated to the end that the four contact rollers 72 ; ~
~f 1~4S2~2 1 supporting the tray 16 lower their contact points, and the tray 16 may be removed from its fluid bath relation-ship with the roller 15 for cleaning, replenishing the electrolytic solution, or otherwise engaging in the maintenance and operation of the subject continuous plater 10.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternatives, embodiments, usages and equivalents of a continuous contact plater and method as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification and the appended claims.
Claims (9)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An electrical connector with a contact point for engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising a metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in said region, a conductive metal overlay plated onto the external surface of said region, and at least a portion of the periphery of said metal overlay smoothly decreasing in thickness to define at least a thin edge wherein the conductive metal overlay is substantially free of plated metal build up common to electrodeposition techniques using immersion plating.
2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least portion of said metal overlay is on either side of the center of said region with respect to the length of said metal underbody.
3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the overlay is made of gold and said at least portion of said metal underlay is on either side of the center of said region with respect to the length of said metal underbody.
4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein said plated metal overlay is approximately uniformly thick across said metal underbody.
5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said overlay fills in any pits which may exist in part of the surface of said plated underbody, such fill-ins containing significantly fewer and smaller bubbles than fill-ins of immersion electrodeposition.
6. A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising a metal underbody having an essentially uniform rectangular cross-section throughout a region and being longitudinally curvilinear in said region, and a conductive metal overlay plated onto the curvilinear surface of said region, said overlay (a) being located wholly or primarily on one side of said metal underbody, (b) terminating with an edge distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or that resulting from partial immersion plating, and further being distinct from the edges of a plated area produced by target plating with a shaped anode, (c) having at least a portion of the periphery of said metal overlay smoothly decreasing in the thickness so as to define at least a thin edge, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up and/or varying thickness characteristics of fluid plating regardless of anode shape and, (d) having a density different from that with immersion electrodeposition.
7. A connector with a contact point for yieldably engaging a further contact in electrical communication comprising a metal underbody having a surface portion approximating a spherical cap, and a conductive metal overlay plated onto said surface portion, said overlay (a) being located wholly on said surface portion, (b) terminating with an edge along the entire boundary of the overlay, such edge being distinct from the essentially abrupt edge resulting from fluid plating with masking or plating immersion of the plated object, and further being distinct from the edges of a plated area resulting from target plating with a shaped anode, (c) being approximately uniformly thick away from the edges, thus exhibiting an absence of edge build-up or varying thickness characteristic of fluid plating regardless of anode shape, and (d) having a density different from that with immersion electrodeposition.
8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 when produced by positioning said metal underbody transversely to the axis of a rotating roller carrying electrolyte on its periphery for plating conductive metal overlay, passing an electric current between said electric connector and the roller surface, wherein the roller and said connector are in tangential engagement during plating and wherein said metal overlay is gold.
9. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein the overlay fills in any pits which may exist in the part of the surface of the region to which the overlay is plated, such fill ins containing significantly fewer and smaller bubbles than fill ins characteristic of immersion electrodeposition.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000377966A CA1144522A (en) | 1977-09-09 | 1981-05-04 | Continuous contact plater |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA286,378A CA1132085A (en) | 1977-09-09 | 1977-09-09 | Continuous contact plater and method |
| CA000377966A CA1144522A (en) | 1977-09-09 | 1981-05-04 | Continuous contact plater |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1144522A true CA1144522A (en) | 1983-04-12 |
Family
ID=25668560
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000377966A Expired CA1144522A (en) | 1977-09-09 | 1981-05-04 | Continuous contact plater |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1144522A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6174417B1 (en) | 1998-05-20 | 2001-01-16 | Process Automation International Ltd. | Electroplating machine |
| US6261425B1 (en) | 1998-08-28 | 2001-07-17 | Process Automation International, Ltd. | Electroplating machine |
-
1981
- 1981-05-04 CA CA000377966A patent/CA1144522A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6174417B1 (en) | 1998-05-20 | 2001-01-16 | Process Automation International Ltd. | Electroplating machine |
| US6241860B1 (en) | 1998-05-20 | 2001-06-05 | Process Automation International, Ltd. | Electroplating machine |
| US6251234B1 (en) | 1998-05-20 | 2001-06-26 | Process Automation International, Ltd. | Electroplating machine |
| US6261425B1 (en) | 1998-08-28 | 2001-07-17 | Process Automation International, Ltd. | Electroplating machine |
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