US 6,184,613 B2 · Electrode assembly, cathode device and plating apparatus including a gap configured to eliminate a concentration of a line of electrical force at a boundary between a cathode and plate forming surface of an object

Abstract

An electrode assembly including a first cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion. The frame portion surrounding the hole has a contact surface that comes into contact with an object to be plated at one of its surfaces, and an insulating member is provided with holes and enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of the frame portion placed on top of another surface of the frame portion of the first cathode member. A second cathode member also provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of the frame portion placed on top of one surface of the other frame portion of the insulating member. The smallest bore diameter at the hole of the second cathode member is larger than the smallest bore diameter at the holes and of the insulating member.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An electrode assembly comprising

a first cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion and having a contact surface to come into contact with an object to be plated at one surface of said frame portion;
an insulating member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of said frame portion of said insulating member lying adjacent to another surface of said cathode member and said hole of said insulating member being concentric with said hole of said first cathode member;
and
a second cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of said frame portion of said second cathode member lying adjacent to another surface of said insulating member and said hole of said second cathode member being concentric with said hole of said insulating member;
wherein a smallest bore diameter of said hole of said second cathode member is set larger than a smallest bore diameter of said hole of said insulating member so as to form a gap created due to differences between said smallest bore diameter of said hole of said second cathode member and said smallest bore diameter of said hole of said insulating member;
and
wherein said gap is configured to eliminate a concentration of a line of electrical force at a boundary between said first cathode member and a plate forming surface of said object to be plated.

4 more elements

A cathode device comprising an electrode assembly and a holder;

said electrode assembly being supported by said holder and including:
a first cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion and having a contact surface to come into contact with an object to be plated at one surface of said frame portion;
an insulating member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of said frame portion of said insulating member lying adjacent to another surface of said cathode member and said hole of said insulating member being concentric with said hole of said first cathode member;
and
a second cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of said frame portion of said second cathode member lying adjacent to another surface of said insulating member and said hole of said second cathode member being concentric with said hole of said insulating member;
wherein a smallest bore diameter of said hole of said second cathode member is set larger than a smallest bore diameter of said hole of said insulating member so as to form a gap created due to differences between said smallest bore diameter of said hole of said second cathode member and said smallest bore diameter of said hole of said insulating member;
and
wherein said gap is configured to eliminate a concentration of a line of electrical force at a boundary between said first cathode member and a plate forming surface of said object to be plated.

5 more elements

A plating apparatus comprising:

a plating tank configured to store a plating bath solution;
a cathode device that includes an electrode assembly comprising:
a first cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion and having a contact surface to come into contact with an object to be plated at one surface of said frame portion;
an insulating member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of said frame portion of said insulating member lying adjacent to another surface of said cathode member and said hole of said insulating member being concentric with said hole of said first cathode member;
and
a second cathode member provided with a hole enclosed by a frame portion, with one surface of said frame portion of said second cathode member lying adjacent to another surface of said insulating member and said hole of said second cathode member being concentric with said hole of said insulating member, with a smallest bore diameter of said hole of said second cathode member being set larger than a smallest bore diameter of said hole of said insulating member so as to form a gap created due to differences between said smallest bore diameter of said hole of said second cathode member and said smallest bore diameter of said hole of said insulating member, said gap being configured to eliminate a concentration of a line of electrical force at a bound between said first cathode member and a plate forming surface of said object to be plated;
a holder configured to support said electrode assembly;
and
an anode device as an electrical circuit configured to plate together with said cathode device via said plating bath solution within said plating tank.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrode assembly, cathode device and plating apparatus including a gap configured to eliminate a concentration of a line of electrical force at a boundary between a cathode and plate forming surface of an object

Life of this patent

Electrode assembly, cathode device and plating apparatus including a gap configured to eliminate a concentration of a line of electrical force at a boundary between a cathode and plate forming surface of an object

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25