Method and apparatuses for electrochemically treating an article
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsChristopher T. Shallow, Robert B. Parrish
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrochemical cell for use in electrochemical processes, such as plating processes, has a first electrode which extends circumferentially about at least a portion of an electrode chamber. The article being treated is the second electrode and is disposed within the chamber. Electrolyte is flowed between the two electrodes. Various construction details of the electrochemical cell are developed which facilitate a plating process. In one embodiment, a supply conduit to the electrode chamber has a swirler.
Claims18
An electrochemical cell having an operative condition for electrochemically treating an article, which comprises:
- a first electrode which is integrally attached to the electrochemical cell and which has an electrode chamber for receiving an electrolyte and for receiving a second electrode, the first electrode having a portion of the electrode which extends about the electrode chamber;
- a second electrode which is the article being treated and which is removably disposed in the electrode chamber at a location inwardly of said portion of the first electrode under said operative condition;
- a first conduit for supplying electrolyte to the electrode chamber under said operative condition;
- a second conduit for removing electrolyte from the electrode chamber under said operative conditions;
- wherein the electrochemical cell has an opening for removably receiving the article which forms the second electrode and through which the electrode extends under said normal operative condition;
- and wherein the first electrode extends about the second electrode leaving a gap therebetween which is adapted to provide an electrolyte passage under said operative condition, the electrolyte passage having a first opening formed by the gap which extends about the second electrode and which places the electrolyte passage in flow communication with the first conduit for supplying electrolyte to the electrolyte passage under said operative condition and a second opening formed by the gap which is spaced axially from the first opening, the second opening extending about the second electrode which places the electrolyte passage in flow communication with the second conduit for removing electrolyte from the electrolyte passage under said operative condition.
An electrochemical cell having an operative condition for electrochemically treating an article, which comprises:
- a first conduit for supplying electrolyte under said operative condition;
- a second conduit for removing electrolyte under said operative condition;
- a first electrode which extends circumferentially about an axis A to form an electrode chamber;
- a second electrode which extends about the axis A, which is the article and which is removable disposed in the electrode chamber;
- wherein the electrochemical cell has an opening for removably receiving the article which forms the second electrode;
- and, wherein the first electrode extends about the second electrode leaving a gap G therebetween which is adapted to form an annular electrolyte passage, the electrolyte passage having a first opening formed by the gap which is annular, which is circumferentially continuous and which extends about the second electrode and which places the electrolyte passage in flow communication with the first conduit for supplying electrolyte to the electrolyte passage under said operative condition and a second opening formed by the gap which is spaced axially from the first opening, the second opening extending about the second electrode which places the electrolyte passage in flow communication with the second conduit for removing electrolyte from the electrolyte passage under said operative condition.
A method of electrochemically treating an article by passing an electrical current through an electrolyte, comprising:
- disposing a first electrode having an axis A about the article by relative movement along the axis between the first electrode and the article to form at least a portion of an electrode chamber for receiving an electrolyte and into which the article extends from the exterior of the first electrode;
- disposing electrolyte in the chamber;
- placing the article in electrical communication with the first electrode such that the article forms the second electrode;
- passing electrical current between the electrodes to electrochemically affect a surface of the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.