Electroplating Method and Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020095700-A1
Application number	US-201716495733-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 11, 2017
Priority date	Apr 14, 2017
Publication date	Mar 26, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes: agitating base members that has been immersed in an electrolytic solution inside of an electroplating tank so as to flow in a circumference direction along an inner wall of the electroplating tank; and electroplating the base members flowing along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank. The flow of the base members along the circumference direction is caused by a flow of magnetic media along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank or is caused by rotation of an agitation unit provided at a bottom side of the electroplating tank. At least one of the base members touches a bottom cathode, and a base member positioned upward relative to the base member touching the bottom cathode is electrically connected to the bottom cathode via at least the base member touching the bottom cathode.

First claim

1 . A method for electroplating, comprising:
a step of agitating a multiple of base members that has been immersed in an electrolytic solution inside of an electroplating tank so as to flow in a circumference direction along an inner wall of the electroplating tank; and a step of electroplating the multiple of base members that is flowing along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank, wherein the flow of the multiple of base members along the circumference direction is caused by a flow of magnetic media along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank or is caused by rotation of an agitation unit provided at a bottom side of the electroplating tank, wherein at least one of the multiple of base members that is flowing along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank touches a bottom cathode provided at a bottom side of the electroplating tank, and a base member positioned upward relative to said base member touching the bottom cathode is electrically connected to the bottom cathode via at least said base member touching the bottom cathode.

2 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein the bottom cathode extends along the circumference direction nearby the inner wall that is provided at a bottom side of a tubular portion of the electroplating tank.

3 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein a top anode provided upward relative to the bottom cathode extends along the circumference direction.

4 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein the agitation unit is provided in a rotatable manner at a bottom side of the electroplating tank and configures at least a portion of a bottom portion of the electroplating tank.

5 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein the electroplating tank includes a tubular portion, and the tubular portion is a stationary member.

6 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic media are bar-like or needle-like members.

7 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein the maximum rpm of the base members inside of the electroplating tank is less than 40 rpm.

8 . A method for electroplating of claim 1 , wherein the base member includes one or more base member-metallic elements, wherein
an electroplated layer is formed directly on the base member by the step of electroplating, the electroplated layer including at least a first electroplated layer-metallic element and a second electroplated layer-metallic element that is different from the first electroplated layer-metallic element, wherein the second electroplated layer-metallic element is a metallic element that is identical to at least one of the one or more base member-metallic elements, and wherein a ratio of the second electroplated layer-metallic element in the electroplated layer is continuously decreased as being away from the base member in the thickness direction of the electroplated layer and/or a clear interface does not exist between the base member and the electroplated layer.

9 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the electroplated layer where the ratio of the second electroplated layer-metallic element is continuously decreased as being away from the base member in the thickness direction thereof is equal to or greater than 10 nm or 20 nm or 60 nm.

10 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the electroplated layer where the ratio of the second electroplated layer-metallic element is continuously decreased as being away from the base member in the thickness direction thereof is equal to or less than 80 nm or 60 nm or 30 nm or 20 nm.

11 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the first electroplated layer-metallic element at a surface of the electroplated layer ( 52 ) is less than 100% or 90%.

12 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the electroplated layer is equal to or less than 150 nm or 100 nm.

13 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein the electroplated layer has an opposite surface that is positioned opposite to the base member, and wherein decrease of the ratio of the second electroplated layer-metallic element in the electroplated layer continues up to the opposite surface or to proximity of the opposite surface in the thickness direction of the electroplated layer.

14 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein the base member includes a plurality of the base member-metallic elements, the electroplated layer includes a plurality of the second electroplated layer-metallic elements, and the respective ratios of the second electroplated layer-metallic elements in the electroplated layer are decreased as being away from the base member in the thickness direction of the electroplated layer.

15 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the first electroplated layer-metallic element in the electroplated layer is decreased as being closer to the base member in the thickness direction of the electroplated layer.

16 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein the base member is metal or alloy at least including copper as the base member-metallic element.

17 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein the electroplated layer is metal or alloy at least including tin as the first electroplated layer-metallic element.

18 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein the electroplated layer has an opposite surface that is positioned opposite to the base member, and particle-like portions and/or nubby portions are two-dimensionally densely formed in the opposite surface.

19 . A method for electroplating of claim 8 , wherein an electroplated article including the base member and the electroplated layer is at least a part of a costumery part.

20 . An apparatus for electroplating, comprising:
an electroplating tank filled with an electrolytic solution, the electroplating tank including a bottom cathode provided at a bottom side of the electroplating tank and a top anode provided upward relative to the bottom cathode; an agitation mechanism that causes a multiple of base members that have been immersed in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank to flow in a circumference direction along an inner wall of the electroplating tank, wherein the flow of the multiple of base members along the circumference direction is caused by a flow of magnetic media along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank or is caused by rotation of an agitation unit provided at a bottom side of the electroplating tank, and wherein at least one of the multiple of base members that is flowing along the circumference direction in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank touches the bottom cathode, and a base member positioned upward relative to said base member touching the bottom cathode is electrically connected to the bottom cathode via at least said base member touching the bottom cathode.

21 . The apparatus for electroplating of claim 20 , wherein the agitation mechanism magnetically affects a multiple of magnetic media in the electrolytic solution inside of the electroplating tank to flow the multiple of magnetic media along the circumference direction, thereby causing the flow of the multiple of base members along the circumference direction.

Assignees

• Ykk Corp

Inventors

• Iimori Masayuki
• Takeda Ryosuke

Classifications

• C25D17/16

  Apparatus for electrolytic coating of small objects in bulk · CPC title

• C25D3/60

  containing more than 50% by weight of tin · CPC title

• A44B19/26

  Sliders · CPC title

• C25D3/56

  of alloys · CPC title

• C25D3/58

  containing more than 50% by weight of copper · CPC title