Method of an apparatus for selectively surface-treating preselected areas on a body
AssigneeNorthern Telecom Limited
InventorAmir Salama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The treatment of a selected area of a body by a solution is obtained by ejecting the solution towards the body and ejecting gas to control the flow of solution to restrict contact between solution and body to the selected area. The invention is particularly concerned with the plating of part of one surface of a rectangular cross-sectioned pin, for example a terminal pin. A particular example is the gold plating of one end of one surface of a rectangular terminal pin, while preventing plating of the other surfaces. Pins, in bandoliers, are carried through a tank, with nozzles on each side. Solution is ejected at one side and a gas at the other side. The gas flows round the pins and restricts wetting to one surface of the pin.
Claims21
A method of electro-plating a front surface of an elongate terminal pin having a rectangular cross-section;
- including ejecting a plating solution against the front surface of said pin and ejecting a gas to prevent wetting of a back surface and both side surfaces of the pin.
Apparatus for electro-plating a front surface of a rectangular terminal pin, comprising means for ejecting a plating solution toward said front surface;
- and means for ejecting a gas towards a back surface of the pin, and across a side surface on each side of a pin, said gas controlling the flow of the plating solution in contact with said pin to permit contact by said plating solution only on said front surface.
Apparatus for continuously plating at least a part of one surface of a plurality of elongate terminal pins having a rectangular cross-section, comprising:
- a tank;
- means for moving said pins in vertical array successively along a path through said tank;
- a first manifold positioned on one side of said path;
- means for supplying a controlled flow of plating solution to said first manifold;
- said first manifold including at least one nozzle facing towards said path for ejection of plating solution towards said pins;
- a second manifold positioned on the other side of said path;
- means for supplying a controlled flow of gas to said second manifold;
- said second manifold including at least one nozzle facing towards said path;
- said gas flow controlling the flow of said plating solution in contact with said pin to permit contact by said plating solution only on said part of one surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.