Belt plating method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A thin plastic elongate mask for use in continuously electroplating an elongate substrate comprising location features including dimples, moulded inserts of plastic, stamped-in metal studs, pins or rivets, or apertures all adapted to engage with corresponding features on an elongate substrate to be plated, said location features further including pin holes spaced at regular intervals, such that each adjacent pin hole is engageable with an adjacent spoke of a pin wheel.
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Abstract
A thin plastic elongate mask is disclosed for use in continuously electroplating an elongate substrate. Apparatus is disclosed wherein the mask is mated with the substrate, is passed through an electroplating zone, supported by support belts, such that only those areas of elongate substrate covered by plating cavities in the mask are plated. The mask may be located on the substrate by means of corresponding location features positioned on the elongate substrate and the mask. A method of continuously electroplating an elongate substrate using a thin plastic elongate mask is further disclosed.
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Citations
24 Claims
- 1. A thin plastic elongate mask for use in continuously electroplating an elongate substrate comprising location features including dimples, moulded inserts of plastic, stamped-in metal studs, pins or rivets, or apertures all adapted to engage with corresponding features on an elongate substrate to be plated, said location features further including pin holes spaced at regular intervals, such that each adjacent pin hole is engageable with an adjacent spoke of a pin wheel.
- 8. An apparatus for continuously electroplating an elongate substrate, the apparatus comprising an electroplating zone, at least one plastic elongate mask, mating means for releasably mating the mask with an elongate substrate, feeding means for feeding the mated mask and substrate through the electroplating zone so that, in use, only given areas of the substrate are plated, and a pin wheel having spokes extending radially therefrom, the mask comprising pin holes spaced along the mask so that, in use, adjacent pin holes of the mask are engageable with adjacent spokes of the pin wheel, and the spoke of the pin wheel being engageable with corresponding pin holes in an elongate substrate, said mating means comprising complementary location features positioned on the substrate and mask, respectively, said location features comprising corresponding projections and recesses, the projections being located on one of a substrate and the mask and the recesses being located on the other of the substrate and the mask.
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24. A method of continuously electroplating an elongate substrate, the method comprising providing a thin plastic elongate mask having location features including dimples, moulded inserts of plastic, stamped-in metal studs, pins or rivets, apertures all adapted to engage with corresponding features on an elongate substrate to be plated, or pin holes spaced at regular intervals such that each adjacent pin hole is engageable with an adjacent spoke of a pin wheel, mating an elongate substrate with the mask so that only given areas of the substrate are exposed by the mask, feeding the mated substrate mask through an electroplating zone so that the given areas are electroplated, and releasing the electroplated substrate from the mask.
Specification