US 5,236,566 A · Vertical type stream plating apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vertical type stream plating apparatus for plating the surface of a metal strip with tin, chromium, copper or the like. Fundamentally, the apparatus comprises an electrolyte feeding nozzle for feeding an electrolyte into a space between electrodes, a side seal provided on both sides in the widthwise direction of the electrode and a pressure equalizing chamber provided on the backside of the electrode. The apparatus further comprises a electrode having a plurality of through holes communicating with the pressure equalizing chamber provided in an electrode box, waste electrolyte equipment provided with a waste electrolyte box for gathering and discharging the electrolyte and a seal equipment provided at the lowermost portion of the apparatus for preventing the outflow of the electrolyte. The above constitution enables the flow rate distribution of the electrolyte in the widthwise direction of the strip to be made more homogeneous than the prior art and enables the flow rate of the electrolyte to be increased without causing problems of vibration (fluttering phenomenon) of the strip and adsorption of the strip to the electrode, which contributes to an increase in the speed of plating and an improvement in the quality of plating.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A vertical type stream plating apparatus for treating the surface of a metal comprising a pair of facing electrodes with a predetermined space therebetween;

said space containing an electrolyte stream in the longitudinal direction of said electrodes, a metal strip travelling through the space between said electrodes for electroplating said metal strip;
said plating apparatus further comprising:
a nozzle for feeding said electrolyte into the space between said electrodes to form said electrolyte stream;
said nozzle being provided at a bottom or upper portion of said apparatus;
an electrode box containing said electrodes therein, said electrode box having a pressure equalizing chamber for equalizing the pressure between the front face and the backside of said strip;
said pressure equalizing chamber being provided on the backside of each electrode having a plurality of through holes for conducting said electrolyte into said pressure equalizing chamber;
said pressure equalizing chamber having a sideseal formed at both ends of said electrodes by a plurality of short side blocks in the widthwise direction of each electrode;
waste electrolyte equipment provided with a waste electrolyte box for gathering and discharging the electrolyte discharged from said space between said electrodes;
and
seal equipment provided at the bottom portion of said stream plating apparatus for preventing the outflow of the electrolyte.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vertical type stream plating apparatus

Life of this patent

Vertical type stream plating apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8