Contact element for use in electroplating
AssigneeAtotech Deutschland GmbH
InventorPeter Langheinrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
It is difficult to transmit large processing current on the surfaces of printed circuit boards (L) using clamp-type contact organs (6, 7). In order to solve said problem, contact elements (15, 16) having one or more contact surfaces (26) are disposed on the contact organs (6, 7). The shape of the contact surfaces (26) are configured in such a way that no damages occur in the areas of the conductive surfaces adjacent to the contact surfaces (26) when large currents are transmitted from the contact elements (15, 16) printed on the electrically conductive surface of printed board material (L) on the contact surfaces to the conductive surface.
Claims15
Contact element for supplying electric current to substantially board-shaped objects that are to be treated in an electrolytic process, the board-shaped objects each having an electrically conductive surface, the contact element comprising:
- one or more contact areas, at least one of said one or more contact areas having a shape configured in such a way that no damages occur in areas of the electrically conductive surface adjacent to said at least one of said one or more contact areas contact areas when large currents are transmitted from said contact element to the electrically conductive surface at least in part through said at least one of said one or more contact areas contact area placed in contact with the electrically conductive surface, said at least one of said one or more contact areas being bounded by a single closed boundary line, the shape of said at least one of said one or more contact areas being designed in such a way that the ratio V of the square of the overall length L of said single closed boundary line to the size F of said at least one of said one or more contact areas as given by the expression:
- V
- =
- L
- 2
- F
- is at least 25.
Contact organ for supplying electric current to substantially board-shaped objects that are to be treated by an electrolytic process, the board-shaped objects each having an electrically conductive surface, the contact organ comprising:
- at least one stem;
- and
- at least one contact element, said at least one contact element being arranged at one end of said stem, said stem being movable with said contact element by way of a restoring force in such a way that said contact element can be pressed onto the electrically conductive surface of the board-shaped objects,
- wherein said contact element has one or more contact areas, the shape of said one or more contact areas being configured in such a way that no damages occur in areas of the electrically conductive surface adjacent to the contact areas when large currents are transmitted from said contact element to the electrically conductive surface through said one or more contact areas placed in contact with the electrically conductive surface, at least one of said one or more each of said contact areas being bounded by a single closed boundary line, the shape of said at least one of said one or more contact areas being designed in such a way that the ratio V of the square of the overall length L of said single closed boundary line of said at least one of said one or more contact areas to the size F of said at least one of said one or more contact areas as given by the expression:
- V
- =
- L
- 2
- F
- is at least 25.
Method for supplying electric current to substantially board-shaped objects that are to be treated by an electrolytic process, the board-shaped objects each having an electrically conductive surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one contact element, wherein the contact element has one or more contact areas, the shape of said one or more contact areas being configured in such a way that no damages occur in areas of the electrically conductive surface adjacent to said one or more contact areas when large currents are transmitted from the contact element to the electrically conductive surface through said one or more contact areas placed in contact with the electrically conductive surface, at least one of said one or more contact areas being bounded by a single closed boundary line, the shape of said at least one of said one or more contact areas being designed in such a way that the ratio V of the square of the overall length L of said single closed boundary line of said at least one of said one or more contact areas to the size F of said at least one of said one or more contact areas as given by the expression:
- V
- =
- L
- 2
- F
- is at least 25;
- pressing the at least one contact element on the electrically conductive surface;
- and
- generating a flow of current between the contact element and the electrically conductive surface.
Contact element for supplying electric current to substantially board-shaped objects that are to be treated in an electrolytic process, the board-shaped objects each having a conductive surface, the contact element comprising:
- one or more contact areas, said contact areas having a shape configured in such a way that no damages occur in areas of the conductive surface adjacent to said contact areas when large currents are transmitted from said contact element to the conductive surface through said contact areas placed in contact with the conductive surface, said contact areas being limited by boundary lines, the shape of said contact areas being designed in such a way that the ratio V of the square of the overall length L of all boundary lines to the size F of all the contact areas as given by the expression:
- V
- =
- L
- 2
- F
- is at least 25, wherein the side faces of the contact element adjacent to the contact areas are exposed for cooling in such a way that the liquid for treatment may wash them, and
- wherein several grooves are provided that subdivide a circular surface into several contact areas which have the shape of a segment of a circle, the grooves intersecting the center of the circular surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.