Electroplating apparatus

• US 20060102469A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wang, Yu
• Application Number:
  US11/159,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20060102469A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/275.100
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 21/10 Agitating of electrolytes; Moving of racks
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/04 Tubes; Rings; Hollow bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0093 Manufacturing or repairing cooling fluid boxes, i.e. terminals of fluid cooled windings ensuring both electrical and fluid connection
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/12 Impregnating, heating or drying of windings, stators, rotors or machines

Abstract

The interior of a stator bar clip that is joined to the end of a stator bar is electroplated so that a metallic barrier coating overlies the braze joint between the stator bar and the clip to define a seal at and around the joint that is substantially impermeable to liquid.

Claims

1-2. -2. (canceled)

3. An apparatus for electroplating an interior of a component, comprising:

an inflow tube for flowing electroplating solution to an interior of said component;

an outflow tube for flowing electroplating solution out of an interior of said component;

a pump for conducting electroplating solution through said inflow tube and for drawing said electroplating solution through said outflow tube;

an anode disposed in said electroplating solution and electrically connected to a power supply; and

said component being electrically connected to said power supply as a cathode.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising an access tubing coupled to an inlet end of said component for defining an electroplating bath with said interior of said component.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said inflow tube extends through said access tubing.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said outflow tube extends through said access tubing.

7. An apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising a source of electroplating solution operatively coupled to said pump, said pump drawing electroplating solution from said reservoir and pumping the same through said inflow tube to said component interior.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said pump returns the electroplating solution drawn through said outflow tube to said reservoir.

9. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said anode is formed from at least one of nickel, chromium, zinc and copper.

10. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said anode comprises a consumable metal source.

11. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said anode comprises a length of copper wire that extends through said access tubing.

12-20. -20. (canceled)