A flexible conductive roller and electroplating method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible conductive roller and an electroplating system, comprising a flexible conductive tube, an axis, a flexible conductive tube disposed outside the axis, and a filling medium between the axis and the flexible conductive tube. The present invention has a compact and reasonable structure and is easy to operate. Through various combinations of the axis, the flexible conductive tube and the filling medium, the electroplating can be realized while the solar cell is flexibly transported, and the contact area between the flexible conductive roller and the solar cell is increased, thereby improving the conductive efficiency and the electroplating effect. In addition, the system can better fit the uneven surface of the solar cell and the grid line, thereby realizing uniform thickness electroplating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of electroplating technology, in particular to cathode contact technology in electroplating solar cell technology. Background Art

[0002] Silver paste is commonly used in the electrodes of solar cells due to its excellent conductivity and compatibility with battery materials. However, as the demand for silver paste in solar cells continues to grow, the cost of silver paste continues to increase, posing a challenge to reducing the production cost of solar cells. Therefore, replacing silver paste with copper electrodes has become increasingly popular. Compared to silver, copper is more abundant and economical, making it a viable alternative for large-scale solar cell production.

[0003] One of the feasible technologies for applying copper to solar cells to form electrodes is to use electroplating technology. Further, among various electroplating technologies, horizontal electroplating has shown advantages over vertical electroplating. Compared with vertical electroplating, horizontal electroplating technology has the advantages of large production capacity, low fragmentation rate, easy production management, and small equipment footprint.

[0004] Of course, the prerequisite for achieving the above advantages of horizontal electroplating is to ensure uniform contact between the cathode and the battery surface during the electroplating process. In other words, a key challenge of horizontal electroplating is how the cathode in the electroplating process can establish reliable electrical contact with the solar cell.

[0005] Chinese patent CN 114990659 A discloses a horizontal electroplating device, electroplating method and use of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. In the patent, the cathode adopts a conductive brush structure to contact and conduct electricity with the battery cell. However, in the actual working process, the conductive brush will damage the surface of the battery cell, affecting the product quality. In addition, since the conductive brush will also be electroplated after contacting the electroplating solution, it is necessary to frequently clean the coating on its surface. Moreover, since the electroplating area of ​​the solar cell, that is, the width of the grid line electroplating tank, is only tens of microns, the traditional brush bristles are relatively large in diameter and it is difficult to directly contact the grid line electroplating tank, affecting the electroplating effect of the grid line.

[0006] Chinese patent CN214848658U proposes a method for contacting the cathode with the surface of the battery in an electroplating process. The method uses a cathode roller to contact the surface of the solar cell. Since solar cells are very brittle, one of the disadvantages of this method is that the cathode roller can easily cause fragments of the solar cell. Another disadvantage of this method is that the maximum contact area between the cathode roller and the solar cell is a line. The maximum area refers to the fact that the thickness of the two sides of the solar cell is not equal. That is, one side is thick and the other side is thin, so the cathode roller cannot guarantee that it can contact the surface of the entire solar cell.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks. Summary of the invention

[0008] In view of the shortcomings of the above-mentioned existing production technology, the applicant provides a flexible conductive roller and a method for using the same. The flexible conductive roller and the method for using the same can achieve the following when the solar cell is horizontally and continuously electroplated: the flexible conductive roller of the present invention neither rubs against the surface of the solar cell nor generates resistance to the moving solar cell, thereby reducing the contact resistance between the flexible conductive roller and the surface of the solar cell and improving the electroplating effect.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0010] A flexible conductive roller, comprising at least:

[0011] An axis, a flexible conductive tube, and a transmission block, wherein the inner diameter of the flexible conductive tube is larger than the outer diameter of the axis, the transmission block positions the axis and the flexible conductive tube, and the outer surface of the flexible conductive tube contacts the surface of the workpiece to be electroplated.

[0012] In one embodiment, the flexible conductive tube is a single-layer flexible conductive tube, such as a single-layer conductive rubber tube or a single-layer conductive plastic.

[0013] In another embodiment, the flexible conductive tube is a multi-layer flexible conductive tube composed of multiple layers of materials. For example, the multi-layer flexible conductive tube can be composed of a non-conductive tube and a conductive medium. The non-conductive tube can be a plastic tube or a rubber tube, and the conductive medium includes metal wire, metal sheet, metal mesh, conductive coating, conductive fiber, conductive carbon wire, or other conductive materials.

[0014] In another embodiment, the axis of the flexible conductive roller is made of metal material, or plastic, or carbon fiber material.

[0015] In another embodiment, there is a filling medium between the axis of the flexible conductive roller and the outer layer of the flexible conductive roller. Furthermore, the filling medium can be more than one medium, for example, a combination of a solid filling medium and a liquid filling medium.

[0016] In another embodiment, the axis of the flexible conductive roller is connected to the flexible conductive tube through a transmission block, and a conductive ring connected to the flexible conductive tube is also provided on the conductive axis.

[0017] In another embodiment, the flexible conductive roller is connected to a rotating device to drive the flexible conductive roller to rotate.

[0018] An electroplating method, using the flexible conductive roller wheel described above, further comprising:

[0019] an electroplating tank containing an electroplating solution;

[0020] A lower roller assembly is arranged in the electroplating tank, and the lower roller assembly includes a plurality of lower rollers for supporting the workpiece to be electroplated;

[0021] Among them, the solar workpiece to be electroplated is arranged above the lower roller group and below the flexible conductive roller. The lower roller group, or the flexible conductive roller cooperates with the lower roller group to drive the workpiece to be electroplated to move horizontally. The liquid level of the plating liquid in the plating tank contacts the lower surface of the solar workpiece to be electroplated and does not submerge the upper surface of the workpiece to be electroplated.

[0022] In another embodiment, an electrode having electrical polarity opposite to that of the flexible conductive roller is disposed in the electroplating tank, and the electrode is in contact with the electroplating solution.

[0023] In another embodiment, the workpiece to be electroplated is a solar cell, and the flexible conductive roller is in contact with the upper surface of the solar cell, or with the grid lines on the upper surface of the solar cell at the same time.

[0024] In another embodiment, the flexible conductive roller is in surface-to-surface contact with the solar cell sheet.

[0025] In another embodiment, the lower roller set is connected to a rotating device to drive the workpiece to be electroplated to move. In another embodiment, the outer surface of the flexible conductive roller is attached with a plating solution that contacts the grid line plating tank.

[0026] In another embodiment, a liquid replenishing device for continuously adding liquid to the flexible conductive roller is further provided on one side of the flexible conductive roller.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0028] The present invention has a compact and reasonable structure and is easy to operate. Through various combinations of the axis of the flexible conductive roller, the flexible conductive tube and the filling medium, the contact area between the flexible conductive roller and the surface of the workpiece to be electroplated can be increased, thereby improving the conductivity and the electroplating effect. In addition, it can better fit the uneven surface of the solar cell and the grid line, thereby achieving uniform thickness electroplating. The present invention also has the following advantages:

[0029] (1) The flexible conductive roller can be used as one of the driving wheels to provide power for the movement of the solar cell. At the same time, when the linear speed of the flexible conductive roller is consistent with the linear speed of the horizontal movement of the solar cell, the risk of scratching the surface of the solar cell is avoided. Furthermore, when multiple flexible conductive rollers are arranged, the movement of the solar cell is also ensured not to be affected.

[0030] (2) Since the outer diameter of the axis of the flexible conductive roller is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer layer of the flexible conductive roller, that is, there is a gap between the axis of the flexible conductive roller and the flexible conductive tube, even after the axis of the flexible conductive roller is combined with the flexible conductive tube, as long as the flexible conductive tube is not rigid, the flexible conductive roller is not rigid either. This allows the flexible conductive roller to be in flexible contact with the solar cell, thereby achieving flexible conductivity, that is, both conductivity and flexible contact can be ensured. Even if there is a certain degree of unevenness or uneven thickness on the surface of the workpiece to be electroplated, the flexible conductive roller can maintain good contact therewith, thereby achieving uniform current distribution and electroplating effect.

[0031] (3) Furthermore, since the axis of the flexible conductive roller of the present invention is not in direct contact with the flexible conductive tube, a gravity medium is filled between the axis of the flexible conductive roller and the flexible conductive tube. Under the action of the gravity medium, the flexible conductive tube deviates from the center of the axis and sinks downward, thereby increasing the conductive contact area and improving the electroplating effect.

[0032] (4) The flexible conductive roller of the present invention has the characteristic of sinking slightly in most applications, so when working, it can bring the plating liquid in the plating tank to the upper surface of the solar cell, thereby improving the contact effect and improving the plating effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the flexible conductive roller of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the force on the flexible conductive tube of the flexible conductive roller of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 3( a ) is a schematic diagram showing the contact between a rigid roller and a solar cell sheet in the prior art.

[0036] FIG3( b ) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the deformation of the flexible conductive roller of the present invention after contacting a solar cell sheet.

[0037] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the electroplating method of the present invention.

[0038] Among them: 100, flexible conductive roller; 200, electroplating tank; 300, lower roller group; 400, solar cell; 500, electroplating anode; 700, line contact; 800, point contact; 900, rigid roller;

[0039] 101. Axis; 102. Filling medium; 103. Flexible conductive tube; 104. Transmission block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The specific implementation of the present invention will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0041] The present embodiment relates to the field of electroplating technology, and in particular to the electroplating process of fragile workpieces such as solar cells 400, and proposes a flexible conductive roller and an electroplating method, aiming to solve the problems of solar cell breakage, uneven electroplating, and scratches caused by the use of metal rollers in the prior art.

[0042] Figure 1 A flexible conductive roller 100 in this embodiment is shown, which not only ensures good conductive performance, but also achieves flexible contact with the workpiece to be electroplated, thereby effectively avoiding the problems of solar cell breakage and uneven electroplating caused by traditional metal rollers.

[0043] The flexible conductive roller 100 mainly includes three parts: a guide shaft 101, a flexible conductive tube 103 and a transmission block 104. The shaft 101 serves as a core component for driving the flexible conductive tube to rotate. The shaft 101 is made of a material that is not easily deformed, such as a metal rod or a metal tube, a carbon fiber rod or a carbon fiber tube, a hard plastic rod or a hard plastic tube. Preferably, the shaft is a metal rod or a metal tube, such as a stainless steel rod or a stainless steel tube, or a titanium rod or a titanium tube, which has the advantage of being not easily deformed and can be used as a conductive material to connect the conductive port outside the electroplating tank 200 and the flexible conductive tube 103. The electroplating power source, or the electricity generated by the solar cell, is transmitted to the flexible conductive tube 103 through the conductive port and the shaft 101.

[0044] The flexible conductive tube 103 of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention is a flexible tube. The flexible conductive tube 103 can be a single-layer tube, such as a conductive rubber conductive tube and a plastic conductive tube. The flexible conductive tube 103 can also be a multi-layer tube, for example, other conductive materials are sprayed on the outer surface of a general flexible tube, for example, a conductive layer is sprayed on the outer surface of a flexible plastic tube. Further, the flexible conductive tube 103 of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention can also be a layer of conductive material wrapped outside a flexible tube, for example, stainless steel foil is wrapped outside a flexible plastic tube, carbon filament is wrapped outside a flexible plastic tube, etc. Further, there are various choices for wrapping a layer of conductive material outside a flexible tube, which can be a metal wire, a metal sheet, a metal mesh or a conductive coating, etc. In this embodiment, a strip of metal sheet is used and is wound in contact with the outer surface of the flexible tube, and the metal sheet is made to span the outer surface of the flexible tube, and at the same time, the two ends of the metal sheet are respectively connected to the axis 100 to improve the conductivity efficiency.

[0045] The flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention further comprises a transmission block 104. Figure 1As shown in FIG. 1 , the inner diameter of the flexible conductive tube 103 is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 100, or there is a gap between the flexible conductive tube 103 and the shaft 100. Therefore, one of the functions of the transmission block 104 in the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention is to transmit the rotational power of the shaft to the flexible conductive tube 103. Most solid materials can be used as the material of the transmission block 104 of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention. After the liquid medium 102 is filled in the gap between the flexible conductive tube 103 and the shaft 100, the transmission block 104 of the present invention can also be used as a seal to prevent the liquid medium 102 from leaking.

[0046] Figure 2 The force diagram of the flexible conductive tube 103 of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention is shown. One of the characteristics of the flexible conductive tube 103 of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention is that the flexible conductive tube 103 may be deformed under its own gravity or under the action of the gravity of the filling medium. Specifically, the flexible conductive tube 103 of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention may sink under the action of various gravity. The required sinking degree of the flexible conductive tube 103 can be achieved by optimizing the material and thickness of the flexible conductive tube 103. The optimization scheme of the present invention is to fill various media 102, such as liquid media, between the axis 100 of the flexible conductive roller and the flexible conductive tube 103, and use the gravity of various media 102 to deform the flexible conductive tube 103. In short, the material of the flexible conductive tube 103, the thickness of the flexible conductive tube 103, the amount of the liquid medium 102 added, and the density of the liquid medium can be optimized to achieve a suitable deformation of the flexible conductive tube 103, or a suitable sinking degree.

[0047] FIG3 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention in contact with a solar cell after deformation. When the existing rigid roller 900 contacts the solar cell 400, see FIG3(a), the existing rigid roller 900 and the solar cell 400 are in point contact 800 in the cross section, and in line contact along the length direction of the rigid roller 900, that is, the contact area between the rigid roller 900 and the solar cell 400 is a line. See FIG3(b), because the flexible conductive tube 103 of the present invention is flexible, under the action of its own gravity, or under the action of the gravity of the filling medium 102, the flexible conductive tube 103 sinks after deformation, resulting in the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention in contact with the solar cell 400. Line contact 700 in the cross section, and surface contact along the length direction of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention. Obviously, the surface contact along the length direction of the flexible conductive roller 100 of the present invention increases the conductive contact area, that is, improves the electroplating efficiency.

[0048] In another embodiment, a conductive ring connected to the flexible conductive tube 103 is provided on the shaft 101. The conductive ring serves as an interface for current input or output and is connected to an external power supply or other parts of the electroplating system. The flexible conductive tube 103 can also be directly connected to the shaft 101.

[0049] In another embodiment, the transmission block 104 is made of conductive material. In this case, the conductive ring can be discarded, and the transmission block 104 and the flexible conductive tube 103 are directly conductively connected.

[0050] When the flexible conductive roller 100 is working, the current is transmitted to the outer surface of the flexible conductive tube 103 through the shaft 101 or the conductive ring, and then forms electrical contact with the solar cell 400 to be electroplated. Due to the existence of the flexible conductive tube 103, even if the surface of the solar cell to be electroplated is uneven or the thickness is uneven, the flexible conductive tube 103 can maintain good contact with it, thereby achieving uniform current distribution and electroplating effect.

[0051] In this embodiment, in order to cooperate with the movement of the solar cell sheet during the electroplating process, the axis 101 is also connected to a rotating device. The rotating device can be a motor or other mechanism that can drive the axis 101 to rotate. Driven by the rotating device, the flexible conductive roller 100 can drive the workpiece to be electroplated to move horizontally in the electroplating tank 200 to ensure the smooth progress of the electroplating process. This is because the contact area between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the solar cell sheet 400 to be electroplated is large. If the flexible conductive roller 100 does not rotate, the friction force will be very large. At the same time, the flexible conductive roller 100 actively rotates, which will provide a moving direction of the solar cell sheet to be electroplated and a vertical downward force, which can improve the efficiency of transportation, and also improve the contact area between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the solar cell sheet to be electroplated.

[0052] Figure 4 An electroplating method in this embodiment is demonstrated. This embodiment also provides an electroplating system using the above-mentioned flexible conductive roller 100, which can achieve efficient and uniform electroplating of fragile workpieces such as solar cells.

[0053] The electroplating system in this embodiment mainly includes an electroplating tank 200, a lower roller group 300, a flexible conductive roller 100, a solar cell 400, an electroplating anode 500 and an electroplating power source 600.

[0054] The electroplating system in this embodiment includes a plurality of conductive rolling wheels 100 , and the axes of the plurality of flexible conductive rollers 100 are located on the same horizontal plane.

[0055] The lower roller assembly 300 includes a plurality of lower rollers on the same horizontal plane, and the solar cell sheet 400 to be electroplated is located between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the lower rollers 300 .

[0056] In this embodiment, the upper end surface of the solar cell to be electroplated is in contact with the flexible conductive tube 103 of the flexible conductive roller 100 .

[0057] The electroplating tank 200 contains an electroplating solution for providing the metal ions and electrolyte environment required for electroplating. The lower roller group 300 is arranged in the electroplating tank 200, and its structure includes a plurality of lower rollers for supporting the workpiece to be electroplated. These lower rollers not only play the role of supporting and transmitting the workpiece, but also drive the workpiece to move in the electroplating tank 200 through their rotational motion.

[0058] The flexible conductive roller 100 in this embodiment is arranged above the electroplating tank 200 and cooperates with the lower roller group 300. The workpiece to be electroplated is placed between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the lower roller group 300, and horizontal movement is achieved through the common drive of the two.

[0059] The liquid surface of the electroplating solution in this embodiment contacts the lower surface of the workpiece to be electroplated but does not cover the upper surface thereof, thereby ensuring that the electroplating process only occurs on the lower surface of the workpiece.

[0060] The workpiece to be electroplated in the present embodiment is a solar cell 400, and the surface of the solar cell 400 is provided with a grid line opened by a laser. In the electroplating system, the flexible conductive roller 100 is in contact with the upper surface of the solar cell 400, or the grid line on the upper surface. Since the flexible conductive roller 100 has good flexibility and conductivity, it can closely fit the surface morphology of the workpiece and achieve uniform current distribution. At the same time, an electrode-electroplating anode 500 with opposite electrical properties to the flexible conductive roller 100 is also provided in the electroplating tank 200, and the electroplating anode 500 is in contact with the electroplating solution to form an electric field environment required for electroplating.

[0061] When the electroplating system starts working, the current of the DC power supply 600 flows to the workpiece 400 to be electroplated through the electroplating anode 500, then flows into the flexible conductive roller 100, and finally flows back to the DC power supply 600, completing a current loop. In this process, metal ions (such as copper ions) in the electroplating solution move toward the cathode (i.e., the workpiece to be electroplated) under the action of the electric field, and obtain electrons on its surface and deposit, thereby forming a copper electrode. Due to the good contact between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the workpiece 400 and the uniformity of the current distribution, uniform copper deposition can be achieved on the surface of the workpiece.

[0062] The flexible conductive roller 100 provided in this embodiment can solve this problem well. Due to the presence of the flexible conductive tube 103, the flexible conductive roller 100 can closely fit the surface morphology of the solar cell 400, including the grid line part, thereby achieving uniform electroplating at the grid line. This not only improves the quality of electroplating, but also ensures the photoelectric conversion efficiency and service life of the solar cell 400.

[0063] In this embodiment, the lower roller is connected to a rotating device, which can be a motor, a sprocket chain or other mechanism capable of driving the lower roller to rotate. Driven by the rotating device, the lower roller 300 can drive the workpiece to be electroplated to move horizontally in the electroplating tank 200, and cooperate with the flexible conductive roller 100. At the same time, the rotation speed and direction of the lower roller 300 can also be adjusted according to the requirements of the electroplating process to achieve the best electroplating effect.

[0064] By actively rotating the flexible conductive roller 100, the contact area between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the solar cell 400 is increased, that is, a surface-to-surface structural connection method is realized, thereby improving the conductivity efficiency, and the flexible conductive tube 103 can better fit the surface of the solar cell 400, and fit tightly to the uneven surface and the grid line, thereby improving the uniformity of electroplating.

[0065] Moreover, the design of the flexible conductive roller 100 and the coordinated transmission between the lower roller make the contact between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the solar cell 400 softer, effectively avoiding the damage and scratch problems caused by traditional metal rollers.

[0066] The outer surface of the flexible conductive roller 100 in this embodiment is attached with a plating liquid in contact with the grid line plating tank. When the flexible conductive roller 100 contacts the surface of the solar cell 400, the plating liquid attached to its surface will penetrate into the grid line plating tank, thereby increasing the contact area between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the grid line plating tank, thereby better improving the conductive performance.

[0067] In another embodiment, a refilling device for continuously adding liquid to the flexible conductive roller 100 is further provided on one side of the flexible conductive roller 100. Because the flexible conductive roller 100 will consume the plating liquid on its surface after continuous contact with the solar cell 400, the refilling device is required to replenish it at all times. The refilling device can add the plating liquid to the flexible conductive roller 100 by spraying or brushing, thereby achieving long-term stable operation.

[0068] In this embodiment, the electroplating system is single-sided electroplating. After electroplating one side, the other side of the solar cell 400 can be electroplated by reversing the direction. At this time, the grid lines on the upper end surface after electroplating are protruding outward. If the conductive brush in the background technology is used, the grid lines will also be worn. The flexible conductive roller 100 in this application has a flexible feature that can better adapt to the protruding grid lines, and can also increase the contact area and improve the electroplating effect.

[0069] A specific example is given below to further illustrate:

[0070] Embodiment 1: A flexible conductive roller 100 comprises an axis 101 and a flexible conductive tube 103. The axis 101 is made of copper material and has good conductivity and mechanical strength. The flexible conductive tube 103 is made of conductive rubber material, which ensures both flexibility and conductivity. The outer surface of the flexible conductive tube 103 is connected with a metal mesh as a conductive medium. The filling medium between the axis 101 and the flexible conductive tube 103 is water. The axis 101 is tightly connected to the flexible conductive tube 103 through a transmission block 104, and a conductive ring is provided on the transmission block 104 disk as the conduction between the axis 101 and the flexible conductive tube 103. The axis 101 is also connected with a motor as a rotating device for driving the rotation of the flexible conductive roller 100.

[0071] Embodiment 2: A plating system, which includes the flexible conductive roller 100 in embodiment 1, including a plating tank 200, a lower roller group 300 and a flexible conductive roller 100. The plating tank 200 contains a plating solution containing copper ions. The lower roller group 300 is composed of a plurality of copper lower rollers and is driven to rotate by a sprocket chain. The solar cell 400 to be electroplated is placed between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the lower roller group 300, and the liquid surface of the plating solution contacts the lower surface of the solar cell 400. The flexible conductive roller 100 is in close contact with the upper surface and grid line of the solar cell 400, forming a good electrical contact. The flexible conductive roller 100 is connected to the cathode of a DC power supply 600, and a plating anode 500 is also provided in the plating tank 200. The plating anode 500 is connected to the positive pole of the DC power supply. When the electroplating system starts working, the current flows from the anode plate into the electroplating solution, then flows through the solar cell 400 to the flexible conductive roller and the axis, and finally flows back to the power supply. In this process, the copper ions in the electroplating solution move toward the solar cell under the action of the electric field and deposit on its lower surface to form a copper electrode. Due to the close contact between the flexible conductive roller 100 and the solar cell 400 and the uniformity of the current distribution, uniform copper deposition can be achieved on the surface of the solar cell 400.

[0072] It can be seen from the above embodiments that the flexible conductive roller 100 and the electroplating system of this embodiment have significant technical advantages and practical application value. It not only solves the problems of damage, uneven electroplating and scratches caused by traditional metal rollers, but also improves the quality and efficiency of electroplating, and provides a new solution for the electroplating process of vulnerable workpieces such as solar cells.

[0073] The above description is an explanation of the present invention, not a limitation of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined in the claims. Any form of modification may be made within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible conductive roller, characterized in that: The flexible conductive roller at least comprises: An axis, a flexible conductive tube, and a transmission block, wherein the inner diameter of the flexible conductive tube is larger than the outer diameter of the axis, the transmission block positions the axis and the flexible conductive tube, and the outer surface of the flexible conductive tube contacts the surface of the workpiece to be electroplated.

2. A flexible conductive roller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible conductive tube is a single-layer flexible conductive tube with certain flexibility, including a single-layer conductive rubber tube or a single-layer conductive plastic.

3. A flexible conductive roller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible conductive tube is a multi-layer flexible conductive tube composed of multiple layers of materials. The multi-layer flexible conductive tube can be composed of a flexible non-conductive tube and a flexible conductive medium. The flexible non-conductive tube can be a plastic tube or a rubber tube. The flexible conductive medium includes metal wire, metal sheet, metal mesh, conductive coating, conductive fiber, conductive carbon wire, or other conductive materials.

4. A flexible conductive roller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The axis of the flexible conductive roller includes metal material, plastic or carbon fiber material.

5. A flexible conductive roller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: There is a filling medium between the axis of the flexible conductive roller and the flexible conductive tube, and the filling medium can be more than one medium.

6. A flexible conductive roller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The axis of the flexible conductive roller is connected to the flexible conductive tube through a transmission block, and a conductive ring connected to the flexible conductive tube is also arranged on the axis.

7. A flexible conductive roller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible conductive roller is connected to a rotating device to drive the flexible conductive roller to rotate.

8. An electroplating method, using a flexible conductive roller as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: an electroplating tank containing an electroplating solution; A lower roller assembly is arranged in the electroplating tank, and the lower roller assembly includes a plurality of lower rollers for supporting the workpiece to be electroplated; Among them, the workpiece to be electroplated is arranged above the lower roller group and below the flexible conductive roller. The lower roller group, or the flexible conductive roller cooperates with the lower roller group to drive the workpiece to be electroplated to move horizontally. The plating liquid level in the plating tank contacts the lower surface of the workpiece to be electroplated and does not submerge the upper surface of the workpiece to be electroplated.

9. An electroplating method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that: An electrode having electrical properties opposite to those of the flexible conductive roller is arranged in the electroplating tank, and the electrode is in contact with the electroplating solution.

10. An electroplating method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The workpiece to be electroplated is a solar cell, and the flexible conductive roller is in contact with the upper surface of the solar cell, or with the grid lines on the upper surface of the solar cell at the same time.

11. An electroplating method according to claim 10, characterized in that: The flexible conductive roller is in surface-to-surface contact with the solar cell sheet.

12. An electroplating method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that: The lower roller set is connected with a rotating device to drive the workpiece to be electroplated to move.

13. An electroplating method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The outer surface of the flexible conductive roller is adhered with a plating solution in contact with the grid line plating tank.

14. An electroplating method according to claim 13, characterized in that: A liquid replenishing device for continuously adding liquid to the flexible conductive roller is also provided on one side of the flexible conductive roller.

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