Electroplating device and method for manufacturing plated product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022411951-A1
Application number	US-201917780006-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 24, 2019
Priority date	Dec 24, 2019
Publication date	Dec 29, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Electroplating apparatus includes an electroplating tank that stores an electrolyte solution in which at least objects to be electroplated and magnetic media sink, and at least one magnetic rotator rotatably arranged under the electroplating tank so as to generate an alternating magnetic field. The magnetic rotator is arranged to section an internal space of the electroplating tank into a first space occupying a space above the magnetic rotator and a second space occupying a remaining space other than the first space. The magnetic rotator is arranged to be movable in a lateral direction intersecting a rotational axis of the magnetic rotator, allowing the objects to be shifted between a condition of being present in the electrolyte solution and in the first space and a condition of being present in the electrolyte solution and in the second space.

First claim

1 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
an electroplating tank that stores an electrolyte solution in which at least to-be-electroplated objects and magnetic media sink; and at least one magnetic rotator rotatably arranged under the electroplating tank so as to generate an alternating magnetic field, wherein said at least one magnetic rotator is arranged to section an internal space of the electroplating tank into a first space occupying a space above the magnetic rotator and a second space occupying a remaining space other than the first space, said at least one magnetic rotator is arranged to be movable in a lateral direction intersecting a rotational axis of the magnetic rotator, allowing the objects to be shifted between a condition of being present in the electrolyte solution and in the first space and a condition of being present in the electrolyte solution and in the second space.

2 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic rotator is moved along the lateral direction to a position where an outer periphery of the magnetic rotator protrudes from the electroplating tank in the lateral direction.

3 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the electroplating tank has a bottom first region corresponding to the first space and a bottom second region corresponding to the second space, an area of the bottom second region greater than an area of the bottom first region.

4 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the electroplating tank is shaped to be elongated so as to have first and second ends, and the magnetic rotator is moved to reciprocate between a first end position directly under the first end and a second end position directly under the second end.

5 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising: a rotational force generator that supplies rotational force to the magnetic rotator; and
a transferring assembly configured to transfer the rotational force generator in the lateral direction.

6 . A method of producing electroplated objects, the method comprising:
electroplating to-be-electroplated objects in an electroplating tank that stores an electrolyte solution in which at least the objects and magnetic media have sunken; rotating a magnetic rotator under the electroplating tank so as to move the magnetic media in the electrolyte solution in accordance with magnetic attraction and magnetic repulsion, an internal space of the electroplating tank being sectioned into a first space occupying a space above the magnetic rotator and a second space occupying a remaining space other than the first space; and transferring the magnetic rotator in a lateral direction intersecting a rotational axis of the magnetic rotator such that the objects are shifted between a condition of being present in the electrolyte solution and in the first space and a condition of being present in the electrolyte solution and in the second space.

7 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electroplating tank has a bottom first region corresponding to the first space and a bottom second region corresponding to the second space, an area of the bottom second region greater than an area of the bottom first region.

8 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electroplating tank is shaped to be elongated so as to have first and second ends, and the magnetic rotator is moved to reciprocate between a first end position directly under the first end and a second end position directly under the second end.

9 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotational force generator that supplies rotational force to the magnetic rotator; and a transferring assembly configured to transfer the rotational force generator in the lateral direction.

Assignees

• Ykk Corp

Inventors

• Iimori Masayuki
• Takeda Ryosuke

Classifications

• C25D21/10

  Agitating of electrolytes; Moving of racks · CPC title

• C25D5/22

  Electroplating combined with mechanical treatment during the deposition · CPC title

• C25D17/02 Primary

  Tanks; Installations therefor · CPC title

• B24B31/112

  using magnetically consolidated grinding powder, moved relatively to the workpiece under the influence of pressure · CPC title

• C25D5/007 Primary

  Electroplating using magnetic fields, e.g. magnets · CPC title