Electric brush rolling shaft, electric brush plating device and use method of electric brush plating device

Abstract

The invention discloses an electric brush rolling shaft, an electric brush plating device and a use method thereof, the electric brush rolling shaft comprises a rolling shaft body, the surface of the rolling shaft body is provided with an annular groove which is recessed inwards, and the annular groove is arranged along the circumferential direction of the rolling shaft body; and the liquid absorption structure is arranged on the surface of the annular groove. The annular groove matched with the unconventional welding strip in shape is formed in the electric brush rolling shaft, the liquid absorption structure is arranged on the surface of the annular groove, under the action of an electric field, electroplating deposition can occur on the surface, making contact with the liquid absorption structure, of the unconventional welding strip, and electroplating deposition does not occur on other surfaces. Therefore, selective electroplating can be realized without mask protection, the process is simple, and the production cost is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electro-brush plating equipment, and particularly relates to an electro-brush roller, an electro-brush plating device and a using method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Photovoltaic solder tapes usually need to cover a thin film on the surface of the base solder tape to achieve different purposes and functions. Usually, there are hot dip plating, electroplating, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition methods, etc. Taking physical vapor deposition and electroplating methods as examples, if the photovoltaic solder tape is an unconventional-shaped solder tape (hereinafter simply referred to as an unconventional solder tape), such as a solder tape with a triangular cross-section, to selectively coat a local surface of the unconventional solder tape, it is usually necessary to use a mask and other protective layers to achieve, and the process is complex and the cost is high. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems in the related art to some extent. For this reason, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved electro-brush roller. Using this electro-brush roller can efficiently achieve selective coating of unconventional solder tapes, with a simple process and low cost.

[0004] Specifically, a first aspect of the present invention provides an electro-brush roller, including:

[0005] A roller body, on the surface of which there is an inwardly concave annular groove, and the annular groove is arranged along the circumferential direction of the roller body; and

[0006] A liquid absorption structure, which is arranged on the surface of the annular groove.

[0007] The present invention provides an annular groove on the electro-brush roller that is adapted to the shape of the unconventional solder tape, and a liquid absorption structure is arranged on the surface of the annular groove. Under the action of an electric field, electroplating deposition will occur on the surface of the unconventional solder tape in contact with the liquid absorption structure, while no electroplating deposition will occur on other surfaces. Therefore, the present invention can achieve selective electroplating without using a mask for protection, with a simple process and low production cost.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove includes any one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a semi-circle, and a serrated shape; the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove is adapted to the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the solder tape to be processed for accommodating the solder tape to be processed.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the connection manner between the liquid absorption structure and the surface of the annular groove is a detachable connection.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a removable adhesive layer is provided between the liquid absorption structure and the surface of the annular groove.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid absorption structure includes a felt.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid absorption structure completely covers all surfaces of the annular groove, or the liquid absorption structure covers a partial surface of the annular groove.

[0013] A second aspect of the present invention provides an electro-brush plating device, including an electro-brush plating unit, and the electro-brush plating unit includes:

[0014] A power supply;

[0015] An electroplating solution supply tank, which contains an electroplating solution;

[0016] An anode electrode, which is arranged in the electroplating solution and is connected to the positive pole of the power supply through a wire;

[0017] An electro-brush roller, which is the electro-brush roller of the first aspect of the present invention, the lower part of the electro-brush roller is immersed in the electroplating solution, and is located above the anode electrode, and the electro-brush roller rotates under the drive of a driving mechanism; and

[0018] A cathode electrode, which is connected to the negative pole of the power supply through a wire, and when the electro-brush plating device is working, the cathode electrode remains connected to the welding strip to be processed.

[0019] Since the electro-brush plating device of the present invention adopts the electro-brush roller of the first aspect of the present invention, it has all the advantages of the electro-brush roller, which will not be elaborated here.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the electro-brush plating unit includes a plurality of the electro-brush rollers, the plurality of the electro-brush rollers are arranged at the same height level, the lower part of each electro-brush roller is immersed in the electroplating solution in the electroplating solution supply tank, and is located above the anode electrode, and each electro-brush roller rotates under the drive of a driving mechanism.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of electro-brush rollers are arranged in different electroplating solution supply tanks.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the electro-brush plating device includes a plurality of the electro-brush plating units; the plurality of electro-brush plating units are arranged at different height levels, and the electro-brush rollers in the plurality of electro-brush plating units are arranged in parallel in the same inclined straight line direction, the included angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction is within the range of 30° - 60°, and the axial direction of the electro-brush roller is perpendicular to the inclined straight line direction.

[0023] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for electro-brush plating using the electro-brush plating device of the second aspect of the present invention, including the following steps:

[0024] Place the solder strip to be processed in the annular groove of the brush roller, making it contact with the liquid absorption structure that absorbs the electroplating solution and contact with the cathode electrode;

[0025] Turn on the power supply and the driving mechanism. Under the action of the electric field, the cations in the electroplating solution are reduced, so as to deposit on the surface to be plated of the solder strip to be processed. At the same time, under the action of friction, with the rotation of the brush roller, the conveyance of the solder strip to be processed is realized.

[0026] Since the brush roller of the first aspect of the present invention is used, the method of the present invention has all the advantages of the brush roller and will not be elaborated herein.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the brush plating unit includes a plurality of the brush rollers. The plurality of brush rollers are arranged at the same height level. The lower part of each brush roller is immersed in the electroplating solution in the electroplating solution supply tank and is located above the anode electrode. Each brush roller rotates under the drive of the driving mechanism; the step of placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular groove of the brush roller includes: placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular grooves of the plurality of brush rollers along its length direction, so as to perform brush plating by using multiple-stage brush rollers, wherein the solder strip to be processed is conveyed horizontally.

[0028] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of brush rollers are arranged in different electroplating solution supply tanks, and different electroplating solutions are contained in the different electroplating solution supply tanks.

[0029] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the brush plating device includes a plurality of the brush plating units; the plurality of brush plating units are arranged at different height levels, and the brush rollers in the plurality of brush plating units are arranged in parallel in the same inclined straight line direction. The included angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction is within the range of 30°-60°, and the axial direction of the brush roller is perpendicular to the inclined straight line direction; the step of placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular groove of the brush roller includes: placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular grooves of the plurality of brush rollers along its length direction, so as to perform brush plating by using multiple-stage brush rollers, wherein the solder strip to be processed is conveyed along an inclined direction.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present invention, different electroplating solutions are contained in the electroplating solution supply tanks of the plurality of brush plating units.

[0031] The additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be partially given in the following description, partially become apparent from the following description, or be understood through the practice of the present invention. Description of the Drawings

[0032] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and be readily understood from the following description of embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 is a side view of an exemplary brush roller of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 is Figure 1 the front view of the brush roller of

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary brush plating device of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of another exemplary brush plating device of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of yet another exemplary brush plating device of the present invention.

[0038] Reference numerals:

[0039] 100, brush roller; 1, roller body; 2, annular groove; 3, liquid absorption structure; 4, rotating shaft; 1000, brush plating device; 200, brush plating unit; 5, power supply; 6, electroplating solution supply tank; 7, electroplating solution; 8, anode electrode; 9, cathode electrode; 10, weld strip to be processed; 11, electroplating solution replenishment port; 12, angle between the weld strip to be processed and the horizontal direction. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0040] Embodiments of the technical solutions of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application more clearly, and thus are only examples and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish different objects and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity, specific order or primary-secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, "a plurality of" means two or more unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0043] References to "embodiments" in this specification mean that the particular features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiments can be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The phrase appears in various places in the specification and does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will explicitly and implicitly understand that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inclined", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation", "connection", "connection", "fixation", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can also be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0046] Photovoltaic solder tapes usually need to cover a thin film on the surface of the base solder tape to achieve different purposes and functions. Usually, there are hot dip plating, electroplating, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition methods, etc. Taking physical vapor deposition and electroplating methods as examples, physical vapor deposition mainly uses magnetron sputtering method, bombarding the coating metal target with argon ions to make the surface atoms break away and deposit the required coating on the surface of the base solder tape. Electroplating is achieved by immersing the base solder tape in the electroplating solution; in the electroplating solution, under the action of an electric current, the positively charged metal cations move to the cathode base solder tape and obtain electrons there to be reduced to metal, forming a uniform metal coating. If the base solder tape is an unconventional-shaped solder tape (hereinafter simply referred to as an unconventional solder tape), such as a solder tape with a triangular cross-section, to selectively coat a local surface of the unconventional solder tape using these methods, it usually requires the use of a protective layer such as a mask, and the process is complex and costly.

[0047] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an improved brush roller. Using this brush roller can efficiently achieve selective coating of unconventional solder tapes, with a simple process and low cost.

[0048] Specifically, referring to Figure 1 - Figure 2 , a first aspect of the present invention provides a brush roller 100, including: a roller body 1, on the surface of the roller body 1, there is an inwardly recessed annular groove 2, and the annular groove 2 is arranged along the circumferential direction of the roller body 1; and a liquid absorption structure 3, and the liquid absorption structure 3 is arranged on the surface of the annular groove 2.

[0049] The present invention provides an annular groove on the brush roller that is adapted to the shape of the unconventional solder tape, and a liquid absorption structure is provided on the surface of the annular groove. Under the action of an electric field, electroplating deposition will occur on the surface of the unconventional solder tape in contact with the liquid absorption structure, while no electroplating deposition will occur on other surfaces. Therefore, the present invention can achieve selective electroplating without using a mask for protection, with a simple process and low production cost.

[0050] In some embodiments, the roller body 1 is in the shape of a hollow cylinder, and the hollow part is adapted to the rotating shaft 4. One end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixedly connected to the roller body 1 at the hollow part, and the other end is fixedly connected to a driving mechanism (such as a motor, not shown in the figure). The fixed connections of the rotating shaft 4 with the roller body 1 and with the driving mechanism can be realized by conventional structures in the art. Under the driving action of the driving motor, the rotating shaft 4 drives the roller body 1 to rotate, thereby realizing the rotation of the brush roller 100. The brush roller 100 realizes the conveyance of the solder tape 10 to be processed through friction and relative movement with the solder tape 10 to be processed, thereby completing the brush plating process.

[0051] In some embodiments, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove 2 includes any one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a semi-circle, and a serrated shape. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove 2 is adapted to the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the solder tape to be processed and is used to accommodate the solder tape to be processed. The present invention has no particular limitation on the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove 2, as long as it can be adapted to the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the solder tape to be processed. For example, when the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the solder tape to be processed is triangular, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove 2 is also triangular. The solder tape to be processed is placed in the annular groove 2, so that two surfaces of the solder tape to be processed are in contact with the liquid absorption structure 3. Under the action of an electric field, metal ions in the electroplating solution absorbed by the liquid absorption structure 3 are reduced to metal atoms and deposited on the two contact surfaces, thereby realizing selective electroplating of the solder tape to be processed. The entire brush plating process does not require the use of a protective layer structure such as a mask, and only needs to provide an annular groove 2 on the conventional brush roller 100, with simple operation and low process cost.

[0052] In some embodiments, the connection between the liquid absorption structure 3 and the surface of the annular groove 2 is a detachable connection. The liquid absorption structure 3 is in direct contact with the solder strip to be processed. Due to the friction and relative movement between the two, the liquid absorption structure 3 has a wear problem after long-term operation. The use of a detachable connection can achieve the replacement of the liquid absorption structure 3, which is more cost-saving compared to a fixed connection.

[0053] In some embodiments, a removable adhesive layer is provided between the liquid absorption structure 3 and the surface of the annular groove 2. The liquid absorption structure 3 is fixed to the surface of the annular groove 2 using an adhesive to ensure that the liquid absorption structure 3 stably and continuously supplies the electroplating solution during the electro-brush plating process. At the same time, the adhesive is removable. After the liquid absorption structure 3 is worn, the removable adhesive layer can be removed, thereby peeling the liquid absorption structure 3 from the surface of the annular groove 2. After replacing the new liquid absorption structure 3, the electro-brush roller 100 can be reused, saving costs.

[0054] In some embodiments, the liquid absorption structure 3 includes felt. Felt is a commonly used liquid absorption material in the electro-brush plating process. Of course, the liquid absorption structure 3 of the present invention is not limited to felt, and other suitable liquid absorption materials can also be used in the present invention.

[0055] In some specific embodiments, the liquid absorption structure 3 can completely cover all surfaces of the annular groove 2, or alternatively, the liquid absorption structure 3 can only cover a part of the surface of the annular groove 2. The installation position of the liquid absorption structure 3 can be selected according to actual needs, and the liquid absorption structure 3 only needs to be provided in the corresponding area where electroplating deposition is required, so as to achieve diverse and patterned electroplating requirements.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 As shown in [reference figure], a second aspect of the present invention provides an electro-brush plating device 1000, which includes an electro-brush plating unit 200. The electro-brush plating unit 200 includes: a power supply 5; an electroplating solution supply tank 6, in which an electroplating solution 7 is contained; an anode electrode 8, which is disposed in the electroplating solution 7 and is connected to the positive electrode of the power supply 5 through a wire; an electro-brush roller 100, which is the electro-brush roller of the first aspect of the present invention, the lower part of the electro-brush roller 100 is immersed in the electroplating solution 7 and is located above the anode electrode 8, and the electro-brush roller 100 rotates under the drive of a driving mechanism; and a cathode electrode 9, which is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply 5 through a wire, and when the electro-brush plating device 1000 is working, the cathode electrode 9 remains connected to the solder strip 10 to be processed.

[0057] The electro-brush plating device 1000 of the present invention adopts the electro-brush roller 100 of the first aspect of the present invention. Therefore, this device can achieve selective electroplating and does not require the use of protective layers such as masks, and the process is simple and the cost is low.

[0058] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4, the electro-brush plating unit 200 includes a plurality of brush rollers 100. The plurality of brush rollers 100 are arranged at the same horizontal height. The lower part of each brush roller 100 is immersed in the electroplating solution 7 in the electroplating solution supply tank 6 and is located above the anode electrode 8. Each brush roller 100 rotates under the drive of the drive mechanism. The number of brush rollers 100 can be 2 - 10, such as 2 - 3, 2 - 5 or 5 - 10. By arranging a plurality of brush rollers 100, multi-stage roller joint operation can be realized, electroplating in multiple processes at the same time, with a high electroplating rate and low power consumption, achieving the purpose of quickly obtaining a coating and controlling the coating thickness. The coating thickness can be controlled at the nanometer level. In the electro-brush plating unit of the present invention, the brush roller 100 is partially immersed in the electroplating solution 7, and the electroplating solution supply is maintained by the rotation of the brush roller 100, so the consumption of the electroplating solution is less than that of the conventional electroplating tank electroplating scheme, saving the cost of waste liquid recovery in the production process.

[0059] In some specific embodiments, a plurality of brush rollers 100 are arranged in the same electroplating solution supply tank 6. The specifications and structures of the plurality of brush rollers 100 can be the same as each other. In other specific embodiments, a plurality of brush rollers 100 can be arranged in different electroplating solution supply tanks, and different electroplating solutions can be contained in different electroplating solution supply tanks. Thus, a set of electro-brush plating device can electroplate a variety of composite coatings, so as to achieve different purposes and effects.

[0060] In some specific embodiments, all the brush rollers 100 are located above the anode electrode 8. The length of the anode electrode 8 is greater than the distance from the leftmost of the first-stage brush roller to the rightmost of the last-stage brush roller (taking the to-be-processed solder strip being conveyed from left to right as an example), so as to ensure the electric field intensity of each stage of brush roller.

[0061] In some specific embodiments, the brush roller 100 is placed close to the anode electrode 8 and does not contact each other. For example, the distance between the two can be 5 mm - 15 mm, such as 5 mm, 10 mm or 15 mm.

[0062] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 5, the electro-brush plating device 1000 includes a plurality of electro-brush plating units 200; the plurality of electro-brush plating units 200 are arranged at different height levels, and the brush rollers 100 in the plurality of electro-brush plating units 200 are arranged in parallel in the same inclined straight line direction, and the included angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction is within the range of 30° - 60°, and the axial direction of the brush roller 100 is perpendicular to the inclined straight line direction. In this embodiment, the plurality of brush rollers 100 are arranged obliquely, so that the to-be-processed solder strip 10 is conveyed along the inclined direction, and the included angle 12 between the to-be-processed solder strip and the horizontal direction is 30° - 60°, for example, 30°, 40°, 50° or 60°. By means of gravity, the residual electroplating solution on the solder strip is assisted to flow back into the electroplating solution supply tank, improving the electroplating effect of the subsequent electroplating process, reducing the consumption of the electroplating solution, reducing the cleaning cost, and saving the cost of waste liquid recovery in the production process; at the same time, it can also ensure that the electroplating solution will not spread to the surface that does not need to be electroplated.

[0063] In some specific embodiments, the number of the electro-brush plating units 200 can be 2 - 10, for example, 2 - 3, 2 - 5 or 5 - 10. Each electro-brush plating unit 200 may include one brush roller 100. The structures of the plurality of electro-brush plating units 200 may be the same as each other. In particular, the specifications and structures of the brush rollers 100 in the plurality of electro-brush plating units 200 may be the same as each other. Particularly, different levels of electroplating solution supply tanks may contain different electroplating solutions, so that a set of electro-brush plating device can electroplate a variety of composite coatings, thereby achieving different purposes and effects.

[0064] In some specific embodiments, the included angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction may be 30°, 40°, 50° or 60°.

[0065] In some embodiments, an electroplating solution replenishment port 11 is provided on the electroplating solution supply tank 6. The electroplating solution replenishment port 11 is provided at the upper part of the side wall of the electroplating solution supply tank 6. The concentration of the electroplating solution can be adjusted and replenished in real time through the electroplating solution replenishment port 11.

[0066] In some embodiments, the anode electrode 8 can be a soluble or insoluble anode according to the type of electroplated metal ions.

[0067] Reference Figure 3 , the third aspect of the present invention provides a method for electro-brush plating using the electro-brush plating device of the second aspect of the present invention, including the following steps:

[0068] Place the to-be-processed solder strip 10 in the annular groove of the brush roller 100, make it contact with the liquid-absorbing structure absorbing the electroplating solution, and contact with the cathode electrode 9;

[0069] Turn on the power supply 5 and the drive mechanism. Under the action of the electric field, the cations in the electroplating solution are reduced, and thus deposited on the surface to be plated of the strip to be processed 10. At the same time, under the action of friction, with the rotation of the brush roller 100, the conveyance of the strip to be processed 10 is realized.

[0070] Due to the use of the brush roller 100 of the first aspect of the present invention, the brush plating method of the present invention can achieve selective electroplating and does not require the use of protective layers such as masks, with a simple process and low cost.

[0071] The working principle of the brush plating device 1000 of the present invention is as follows: Before starting electroplating, one end of the strip to be processed 10 can be placed in the annular groove of the brush roller 100 and contacted with the liquid absorption structure, and the shape of the annular groove is adapted to the shape of the strip to be processed 10. With the power supply 5 and the drive mechanism turned on, under the action of the electric field, the metal cations in the electroplating solution in the liquid absorption structure are reduced and deposited on the contact surface between the strip to be processed and the liquid absorption structure, thereby realizing selective electroplating deposition. Due to the friction between the strip and the liquid absorption structure, under the driving action of the drive mechanism, the strip is continuously conveyed, so that the entire strip can be selectively electroplated and deposited.

[0072] The rotation speed of the brush roller 100 affects the transmission of the electroplating solution. If the rotation speed is too small, the electroplating solution cannot be replenished in time, and the upper limit of the current density will decrease. If the rotation speed is too large, the centrifugal force will increase, resulting in the diffusion of the electroplating solution at the contact point, and the effect of the selective coating will be weakened. Generally, the rotation speed of the brush roller 100 is set within the range of 60 rpm to 700 rpm. For example, the rotation speed of the brush roller 100 can be 60 rpm, 100 rpm, 150 rpm, 200 rpm, 250 rpm, 300 rpm, 350 rpm, 400 rpm, 450 rpm, 500 rpm, 550 rpm, 600 rpm, 650 rpm or 700 rpm.

[0073] Since there is relative movement between the cathode electrode 9 and the brush roller 100, the brush plating device 1000 of the present invention allows the use of a relatively high current density, which is several times to dozens of times larger than the current density used in tank plating. The current density used in the brush plating device 1000 of the present invention can be 5 A / dm 2 ~20 A / dm 2 , for example, it can be 5 A / dm 2 , 10 A / dm 2 , 15 A / dm 2 or 20 A / dm 2 . In addition, the content of metal ions in the electroplating solution 7 of the present invention is high (it can be 0.2 mol / L to 0.8 mol / L, for example, 0.2 mol / L, 0.4 mol / L, 0.6 mol / L or 0.8 mol / L), so the plating rate is fast (5 to 10 times faster than the plating rate of tank plating).

[0074] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 4 , the electro-brush plating unit 200 includes a plurality of electro-brush rollers 100, for example, 2 to 10, such as 2 to 3, 2 to 5, or 5 to 10. The plurality of electro-brush rollers 100 are arranged at the same height level. The lower part of each electro-brush roller 100 is immersed in the electroplating solution 7 in the electroplating solution supply tank 6 and is located above the anode electrode 8. Each electro-brush roller 100 rotates under the drive of the driving mechanism. In this case, placing the to-be-processed solder strip 10 in the annular groove of the electro-brush roller 100 includes: placing the to-be-processed solder strip 10 in the annular grooves of the plurality of electro-brush rollers 100 along its length direction, so as to perform electro-brush plating using the multi-stage electro-brush rollers 100, wherein the to-be-processed solder strip 10 is conveyed in the horizontal direction.

[0075] By increasing the number of electro-brush rollers 100 in the present invention, the wire feeding speed of the to-be-processed solder strip 10 can be increased, and there is a linear proportional relationship between the number of electro-brush rollers 100 and the wire feeding speed of the to-be-processed solder strip 10. For example, when the wire feeding speed corresponding to a single roller is 70 mm / min, after 3 electro-brush rollers 100 are connected in series, the wire feeding speed of the to-be-processed solder strip 10 can be increased to 210 mm / min.

[0076] In particular, in the case of using a plurality of electro-brush rollers, the morphology and properties of the coating can also be changed by adjusting the rotation speeds of different electro-brush rollers, so as to achieve different purposes and effects. For example, the rotation speed of the first-stage electro-brush roller can be increased to improve the bonding strength of the coating.

[0077] In some embodiments, the plurality of electro-brush rollers 100 are arranged in different electroplating solution supply tanks, and different electroplating solutions are contained in the different electroplating solution supply tanks. Thus, a set of electro-brush plating device can electroplate a variety of composite coatings, so as to achieve different purposes and effects.

[0078] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 5, the electro-brush plating device 1000 includes a plurality of electro-brush plating units 200, such as 2 - 10, such as 2 - 3, 2 - 5 or 5 - 10. The plurality of electro-brush plating units 200 are arranged at different height levels, and the brush rollers 100 in the plurality of electro-brush plating units 200 are arranged in parallel in the same inclined straight line direction, and the included angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction is in the range of 30° - 60° (for example, 30°, 40°, 50° or 60°), and the axial direction of the brush roller 100 is perpendicular to the inclined straight line direction. In this case, placing the to-be-processed solder strip 10 in the annular groove of the brush roller 100 includes: placing the to-be-processed solder strip 10 in the annular grooves of the plurality of brush rollers 100 along its length direction, so as to perform electro-brush plating by using the multi-stage brush rollers 100, wherein the to-be-processed solder strip 10 is conveyed along the inclined direction. Thereby, the residual electroplating solution on the solder strip is assisted to flow back to the electroplating solution supply tank by gravity, improving the electroplating effect of subsequent electroplating processes, reducing the consumption of electroplating solution, reducing the cleaning cost, and saving the cost of waste liquid recovery in the production process; at the same time, it can also ensure that the electroplating solution will not spread to the surface that does not need electroplating.

[0079] In some embodiments, different electroplating solutions are contained in the electroplating solution supply tanks of the plurality of electro-brush plating units 200. Thus, a set of electro-brush plating device can electroplate multiple composite coatings, so as to achieve different purposes and effects.

[0080] In some embodiments, the method further includes a pre-treatment and a post-treatment cleaning process. The pre-treatment includes processes such as ultrasonic cleaning for degreasing, organic solvent cleaning for degreasing or alkaline cleaning for degreasing, and pickling for removing oxide film. The post-treatment cleaning includes processes such as water washing and drying.

[0081] The present invention will be described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that these embodiments are merely descriptive and do not limit the present invention in any way.

[0082] Embodiment 1

[0083] As Figure 4As shown in the figure, the brush electroplating device 1000 includes a power supply 5, a cathode electrode 9, an anode electrode 8, an electroplating solution supply tank 6, an electroplating solution replenishment port 11, an electroplating solution 7, and a plurality of brush rollers 100. The anode electrode 8 is connected to the positive pole of the power supply 5, and the cathode electrode 9 is connected to the negative pole of the power supply 5. The plurality of brush rollers 100 are arranged at the same height level. The lower part of each brush roller 100 is immersed in the electroplating solution 7 in the electroplating solution supply tank 6 and is located above the anode electrode 8. The brush roller 100 is fixedly connected to one end of the rotating shaft 4. The other end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixedly connected to a driving mechanism (not shown in the figure). Each brush roller 100 rotates under the drive of the driving mechanism. A to-be-processed solder strip 10 is clamped in the annular grooves of the plurality of brush rollers 100 along its length direction and is connected to the cathode electrode 9. The upper part of the side wall of the electroplating solution supply tank 6 is provided with an electroplating solution replenishment port 11. The concentration of the electroplating solution 7 can be adjusted and replenished in real time through the electroplating solution replenishment port 11.

[0084] After starting the power supply 5 and the driving mechanism, under the action of friction, the to-be-processed solder strip 10 is horizontally conveyed from the left side to the right side. The liquid absorption structure absorbs the electroplating solution from the electroplating solution supply tank 6 as the brush roller 100 rotates. Under the action of the electric field, the cations in the electroplating solution are reduced by combining electrons at the contact point between the liquid absorption structure and the to-be-processed solder strip 10 and are deposited on the surface to be plated.

[0085] Embodiment 2

[0086] As Figure 5 shown in the figure, the brush electroplating device 1000 includes two identical brush electroplating units 200. Each brush electroplating unit 200 includes a power supply 5, a cathode electrode 9, an anode electrode 8, an electroplating solution supply tank 6, an electroplating solution replenishment port 11, an electroplating solution 7, and one brush roller 100. The two brush electroplating units 200 are arranged at different height levels, and the brush rollers 100 in the two brush electroplating units 200 are arranged in parallel in the same inclined straight line direction. The included angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction is within the range of 30° - 60°. The axial direction of the brush roller 100 is perpendicular to the inclined straight line direction. In each brush electroplating unit 200, the anode electrode 8 is connected to the positive pole of the power supply 5, and the cathode electrode 9 is connected to the negative pole of the power supply 5. The lower part of the brush roller 100 is immersed in the electroplating solution 7 in the electroplating solution supply tank 6 and is located above the anode electrode 8. The brush roller 100 is fixedly connected to one end of the rotating shaft 4. The other end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixedly connected to a driving mechanism (not shown in the figure). The brush rollers 100 all rotate under the drive of the driving mechanism. A to-be-processed solder strip 10 is clamped in the annular grooves of the two brush rollers 100 along its length direction and is connected to the cathode electrode 9. The upper part of the side wall of the electroplating solution supply tank 6 is also provided with an electroplating solution replenishment port 11. The electroplating solution concentration can be adjusted and replenished in real time through the electroplating solution replenishment port 11.

[0087] After starting the power supply 5 and the driving mechanism, under the action of friction, the solder strip 10 to be processed is sequentially conveyed from the upper left to the upper right from the previous electroplating process to the next process. The solder strip 10 to be processed forms a certain angle (30° - 60°) with the horizontal plane, and with the aid of gravity, the residual electroplating solution on the solder strip is assisted to flow back into the electroplating solution supply tank, improving the electroplating effect of the subsequent electroplating process, reducing the cleaning and recycling cost, and at the same time ensuring that the electroplating solution will not spread to the surface that does not need to be electroplated.

[0088] In summary, the present invention provides an improved brush roller, a brush plating device including the same, and a method of electroplating using the device. By using this brush roller, selective coating of unconventional solder strips can be efficiently achieved, with a simple process and low cost.

[0089] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0090] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A brush roller, characterized in that: include: A roller body, wherein the surface of the roller body is provided with an inwardly recessed annular groove, and the annular groove is arranged along the circumference of the roller body; as well as A liquid absorption structure is arranged on the surface of the annular groove.

2. The brush roller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove includes any one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a semicircle, and a sawtooth shape; the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular groove is adapted to the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the welding strip to be processed, and is used to accommodate the welding strip to be processed.

3. The brush roller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection between the liquid absorption structure and the surface of the annular groove is detachable.

4. The brush roller according to claim 3, characterized in that: A removable adhesive layer is arranged between the liquid absorbing structure and the surface of the annular groove.

5. The brush roller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wicking structure includes felt.

6. The brush roller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid absorbing structure completely covers all surfaces of the annular groove, or the liquid absorbing structure covers part of the surface of the annular groove.

7. A brush plating device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a brush plating unit, wherein the brush plating unit comprises: power supply; an electroplating solution supply tank, wherein the electroplating solution is contained in the electroplating solution supply tank; an anode electrode, the anode electrode being disposed in the electroplating solution and connected to the positive electrode of the power source through a wire; A brush roller, wherein the brush roller is the brush roller according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lower portion of the brush roller is immersed in the electroplating solution and is located above the anode electrode, and the brush roller rotates under the drive of a driving mechanism; and A cathode electrode is connected to the negative electrode of the power source through a wire, and when the brush plating device is working, the cathode electrode is connected to the welding strip to be processed.

8. The brush plating device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The brush plating unit includes a plurality of brush rollers, which are arranged at the same height level, the lower part of each brush roller is immersed in the plating liquid in the plating liquid supply tank, and each is located above the anode electrode, and each brush roller rotates under the drive of the driving mechanism.

9. The brush plating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The plurality of brush rollers are arranged in different plating liquid supply tanks.

10. The brush plating device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The brush plating device comprises a plurality of the brush plating units; the plurality of the brush plating units are arranged at different height levels, and the brush rollers in the plurality of the brush plating units are arranged in parallel in the same inclined straight line direction, the angle between the inclined straight line direction and the horizontal direction is in the range of 30°-60°, and the axial direction of the brush roller is perpendicular to the inclined straight line direction.

11. A method for brush plating using the brush plating device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The welding strip to be processed is placed in the annular groove of the brush roller so that it contacts with the liquid absorbing structure containing the electroplating liquid and contacts with the cathode electrode; Turn on the power supply and the driving mechanism, and under the action of the electric field, the cations in the electroplating solution are reduced, so as to be deposited on the surface to be plated of the welding strip to be processed. At the same time, under the action of friction, the brush roller rotates to realize the transmission of the welding strip to be processed.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The brush plating device is the brush plating device according to claim 8, and placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular groove of the brush roller includes: placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular grooves of multiple brush rollers along its length direction, thereby using multi-stage brush rollers for brush plating, wherein the solder strip to be processed is conveyed in a horizontal direction.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that The plurality of brush rollers are arranged in different plating liquid supply tanks, and different plating liquid supply tanks are filled with different plating liquids.

14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The brush plating device is the brush plating device according to claim 10, and placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular groove of the brush roller includes: placing the solder strip to be processed in the annular grooves of multiple brush rollers along its length direction, thereby using multi-stage brush rollers for brush plating, wherein the solder strip to be processed is conveyed in an inclined direction.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The plating solution supply tanks of the plurality of brush plating units are filled with different plating solutions.

Images