Continuous contact plater with absorbent roller - in fluid contact with electroplating bath for controlled plating on discrete areas

摘要

Contacts having curvilinear contact points are continuously electroplated by engaging the contact points with a roller having an absorbent peripheral surface which is in fluid contact relationship with an electroplating bath. The roller is positioned in axial parallel relationship to the aligned contact points. The contact points are moved along an axis parallel to the roller axis while the roller is rotated so that the contacts trace a helical path on the roller surface. The contact points are electrically energised as the cathode and the electrolytic soln. and absorbent portion of the roller are electrically energised as an anode. Used for continuous contact electroplating, e.g. with gold. A consistent amount of fluid is applied on the roller surface and the bath is maintained to constantly wet the roller surface in a controllable electrodeposition quantity. A contact point can be plated in the curvilinear portion without plating the near portion or other portions which have no electrical relationship in a circuit. This presents considerable savings in plating material.