Printing plate roller semi-immersion type rotary electroplating device and electroplating method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of electroplating devices, in particular to a printing plate roller semi-immersion type rotary electroplating device and an electroplating method thereof.The printing plate roller semi-immersion type rotary electroplating device comprises a rack, an electroplating bath body is fixed to the rack, and a lifting frame vertically arranged on the rack in a sliding mode through a sliding assembly is arranged above the electroplating bath body; a lifting frame is installed on the rack, a bearing roller shaft used for bearing and installing a printing plate roller to be electroplated is rotatably installed on the lifting frame, a main transmission shaft and a driven transmission shaft are rotatably installed on the rack, the main transmission shaft and the driven transmission shaft are matched through a gear mechanism, and the main transmission shaft can drive the driven transmission shaft to rotate when rotating. The constant-speed rotation and the continuous slow descending of the printing plate roller are synchronously realized by matching with a mechanical linkage mechanism, so that the immersion depth of the printing plate roller is automatically, dynamically and accurately stabilized in an optimal semi-immersion range in the electroplating process, the liquid level descending is effectively compensated, the continuous stability of an electroplating environment is ensured, and the uniformity of a plating layer is obviously improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electroplating equipment technology, specifically to a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers and its electroplating method. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing and repair process of printing rollers, their surface often needs to be enhanced by electroplating to improve wear resistance, corrosion resistance and printability. The quality of electroplating, especially the uniformity of the coating thickness, directly determines the printing accuracy and service life of the roller. To obtain a uniform coating, roller electroplating is often used in industrial production. Among them, semi-immersion roller electroplating is widely studied because it facilitates the escape of air bubbles.

[0003] Traditional semi-immersion drum electroplating involves immersing the drum equipped with the plate roller in the electroplating solution and driving the drum to rotate at a constant speed. During rotation, the lower half of the drum is immersed in the solution for the electroplating reaction, while the upper half is exposed to the air, facilitating the escape of air bubbles adhering to the plate roller surface. Theoretically, this is beneficial for obtaining a more uniform coating. However, in actual production, this method still faces technical bottlenecks: during the electrolysis process, the effective components of the electroplating solution are continuously consumed, causing the total volume of the solution to slowly decrease, and the liquid level to drop accordingly. If no intervention is taken, the immersion depth of the drum will gradually decrease, eventually deviating from the preset optimal semi-immersion state, thus affecting the stability of the electroplating process and the uniformity of the coating. The traditional solution is for operators to periodically replenish the electroplating tank with fresh electrolyte to maintain the liquid level. This not only increases labor costs and operational complexity but also, because intermittent replenishment may introduce concentration and temperature fluctuations, adversely affecting the uniformity of the coating.

[0004] To address these issues, we provide a semi-immersion rotary electroplating apparatus for printing rollers and its electroplating method. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a semi-immersion rotary electroplating apparatus for printing rollers and an electroplating method thereof, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a frame, an electroplating tank fixed on the frame, a lifting frame vertically slidable on the frame above the electroplating tank via a sliding component, a support roller shaft for supporting the printing plate roller to be electroplated rotatably mounted on the lifting frame, a main drive shaft and a driven drive shaft rotatably mounted on the frame, the main drive shaft and the driven drive shaft are coupled by a gear mechanism, and the rotation of the main drive shaft will drive the driven drive shaft to rotate.

[0008] The main drive shaft and the support roller shaft are connected by a first linkage mechanism. When the main drive shaft rotates, it will drive the support roller shaft to rotate.

[0009] The driven drive shaft and the lifting frame are connected by a second linkage mechanism. When the driven drive shaft rotates, it will drive the lifting frame to rise and fall.

[0010] As described above, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a sliding assembly comprising a guide rail fixed on the frame and a slider fixed on the lifting frame, wherein the guide rail and the slider are in sliding engagement.

[0011] As described above, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a motor fixedly mounted on the frame, and the output end of the motor is connected to the main drive shaft via a coupling to drive the main drive shaft to rotate.

[0012] A printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device as described above: the gear mechanism includes a first gear fixed on the main drive shaft and a second gear fixed on the driven drive shaft, wherein the first gear meshes with the second gear.

[0013] As described above, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing rollers includes a first linkage mechanism comprising a first connecting plate and a second connecting plate. One end of the first connecting plate is hinged to a main drive shaft, and one end of the second connecting plate is hinged to a support roller shaft. The other ends of both the first and second connecting plates are simultaneously hinged to an intermediate drive shaft. The main drive shaft and the intermediate drive shaft are connected via a first pulley mechanism. When the main drive shaft rotates, it drives the intermediate drive shaft to rotate. The intermediate drive shaft and the support roller shaft are connected via a second pulley mechanism. When the intermediate drive shaft rotates, it drives the support roller shaft to rotate.

[0014] As described above, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a first drive pulley fixed on the main drive shaft and a first driven pulley fixed on the intermediate drive shaft. The first drive pulley and the first driven pulley are driven by a first transmission belt.

[0015] As described above, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a second drive pulley fixed on an intermediate transmission shaft and a second driven pulley fixed on a support roller shaft. The second drive pulley and the second driven pulley are driven by a second transmission belt.

[0016] As described above, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a second linkage mechanism comprising a third gear fixed on a driven transmission shaft and a rack fixed on a slider, wherein the rack meshes with the third gear.

[0017] A method for electroplating using the aforementioned semi-immersion rotary electroplating apparatus for printing plate rollers includes the following steps:

[0018] S1, Install the printing plate roller to be electroplated onto the support roller shaft;

[0019] S2, the start motor drives the main drive shaft to rotate, which drives the support roller shaft to rotate at a constant speed through the first linkage mechanism, and at the same time drives the lifting frame to lower the support roller shaft until the immersion depth of the printing plate roller reaches 45%-55% of its diameter;

[0020] S3, while the printing roller maintains the immersion depth and rotates at a constant speed, an electric current is applied to the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank to electroplat the printing roller;

[0021] S4. During the electroplating process, the support roller shaft is controlled to continuously rotate and move up and down until the coating on the surface of the printing roller reaches the preset thickness.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0023] This invention, through a mechanical linkage design, enables the support roller shaft carrying the printing plate roller to rotate at a constant speed to electroplate the printing plate roller under the drive of a single motor, while simultaneously descending automatically at a preset, extremely slow, and constant rate. This descent rate can be pre-matched and set according to the electrolysis consumption rate, thereby compensating in real time for the drop in liquid level caused by electrolysis consumption and evaporation without manual intervention or external sensor control. It automatically and accurately maintains the immersion depth of the printing plate roller within the optimal range, which completely overcomes the fundamental problem of changes in immersion depth caused by the drop in liquid level, thus affecting the stability of electroplating and creating a continuously stable physical environment for obtaining a uniform coating.

[0024] In addition, this invention abandons the traditional approach of requiring two independent motors and complex control systems to achieve rotation and lifting. Instead, it uses purely mechanical mechanisms such as gears, pulleys, connecting rods, and racks and pinions to synthesize and transmit motion. This design drives dual actions with a single power source, has a compact structure, a fixed transmission chain, and synchronization accuracy guaranteed by the machinery itself. It is reliable in operation, has strong anti-interference capabilities, and significantly reduces manufacturing costs and the complexity of later maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the decomposed part of the structure.

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2A schematic diagram of the decomposed part of the structure.

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A structural diagram from another perspective.

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the decomposed part of the structure.

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the decomposed part of the structure.

[0031] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A structural diagram from another perspective.

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Frame; 2. Electroplating tank; 3. Lifting frame; 4. Support roller shaft; 5. Printing roller; 6. Guide rail; 7. Slider; 8. Main drive shaft; 9. Driven drive shaft; 10. Motor; 11. First gear; 12. Second gear; 13. Rack; 14. Third gear; 15. First connecting plate; 16. Second connecting plate; 17. Intermediate drive shaft; 18. First driving pulley; 19. First driven pulley; 20. First drive belt; 21. Second driving pulley; 22. Second driven pulley; 23. Second drive belt. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0034] Please see Figures 1-7 As an embodiment of the present invention, a semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers includes a frame 1, an electroplating tank 2 fixed on the frame 1, a lifting frame 3 vertically slidably mounted on the frame 1 above the electroplating tank 2 via a sliding component, a support roller shaft 4 for supporting and mounting the printing plate roller 5 to be electroplated is rotatably mounted on the lifting frame 3, a main drive shaft 8 and a driven drive shaft 9 are rotatably mounted on the frame 1, the main drive shaft 8 and the driven drive shaft 9 are connected by a gear mechanism, and the main drive shaft 8 will drive the driven drive shaft 9 to rotate when it rotates;

[0035] The main drive shaft 8 and the support roller shaft 4 are connected by a first linkage mechanism. When the main drive shaft 8 rotates, it will drive the support roller shaft 4 to rotate.

[0036] The driven drive shaft 9 and the lifting frame 3 are connected by a second linkage mechanism. When the driven drive shaft 9 rotates, it will drive the lifting frame 3 to rise and fall.

[0037] In this embodiment, during use, the main drive shaft 8 rotates. The rotation of the main drive shaft 8 is transmitted to the support roller shaft 4, which supports the printing plate roller 5, through the first linkage mechanism, driving it to rotate uniformly around its own axis. This causes the surface of the printing plate roller 5, immersed in the electroplating solution, to undergo a uniform electroplating reaction. Simultaneously, the rotation of the main drive shaft 8 drives another driven drive shaft 9 to rotate synchronously through a gear mechanism meshing with it. The rotation of the driven drive shaft 9 is converted through the second linkage mechanism into driving the lifting frame 3, which is slidably mounted on the frame 1, to perform a slow, continuous, and stable vertical descent. Since the support roller shaft 4 is rotatably mounted on the lifting frame 3, the downward movement of the lifting frame 3 drives the entire support roller shaft 4 and the printing plate roller 5 on it to rotate. The printing roller 5 descends slowly together. Through the aforementioned mechanical linkage, driven by a single drive source, the device simultaneously achieves the two core actions of uniform rotation and slow descent of the printing roller 5. The descent rate of the support roller 4 can be preset by the mechanical transmission ratio to match the rate of liquid level drop caused by electrolyte consumption and evaporation during the electroplating process. Therefore, throughout the entire electroplating cycle, without external intervention, the immersion depth of the support roller 4 can be dynamically stabilized within the preset optimal range, such as 45%-55% of its diameter, thereby always maintaining an ideal semi-immersion working state. This effectively overcomes the impact of liquid level drop on process stability and provides a guarantee for obtaining a coating with uniform thickness.

[0038] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the sliding assembly includes a guide rail 6 fixed on the frame 1 and a slider 7 fixed on the lifting frame 3, wherein the guide rail 6 and the slider 7 are in sliding engagement.

[0039] In this embodiment, the guide rail 6 and the slider 7 form a vertical sliding pair, providing precise and stable vertical guidance for the lifting frame 3, ensuring that its lifting movement is smooth and stable without lateral deviation or jamming, thereby ensuring the positional accuracy and movement stability of the support roller shaft 4 and the printing plate roller 5 supported on it during the descent process.

[0040] As a further embodiment of the present invention, a motor 10 is fixedly installed on the frame 1, and the output end of the motor 10 is connected to the main drive shaft 8 through a coupling to drive the main drive shaft 8 to rotate.

[0041] In this embodiment, the motor 10 serves as the sole drive source for the entire device. After starting, it transmits power and rotational motion directly to the main drive shaft 8 via a coupling, providing an initial and unified power input for a series of subsequent mechanical linkages.

[0042] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the gear mechanism includes a first gear 11 fixed on the main drive shaft 8 and a second gear 12 fixed on the driven drive shaft 9, wherein the first gear 11 meshes with the second gear 12.

[0043] In this embodiment, the first gear 11 fixed on the main drive shaft 8 meshes with the second gear 12 fixed on the driven drive shaft 9. When the main drive shaft 8 rotates, the rotational motion can be reliably transmitted to the driven drive shaft 9 through the meshing of these two gears. By selecting different gear ratios, the rotational speed of the driven drive shaft 9 relative to the main drive shaft 8 can be precisely set, thereby indirectly setting the rate of lifting and lowering motion and achieving matching with the rate of liquid level drop.

[0044] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the first linkage mechanism includes a first connecting plate 15 and a second connecting plate 16. One end of the first connecting plate 15 is hinged to the main drive shaft 8, and one end of the second connecting plate 16 is hinged to the support roller shaft 4. The other ends of the first connecting plate 15 and the second connecting plate 16 are simultaneously hinged to an intermediate drive shaft 17. The main drive shaft 8 and the intermediate drive shaft 17 are connected through a first pulley mechanism. When the main drive shaft 8 rotates, it will drive the intermediate drive shaft 17 to rotate. The intermediate drive shaft 17 and the support roller shaft 4 are connected through a second pulley mechanism. When the intermediate drive shaft 17 rotates, it will drive the support roller shaft 4 to rotate.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first connecting plate 15 and the second connecting plate 16 together with the intermediate drive shaft 17 form part of a hinged quadrilateral, allowing the intermediate drive shaft 17 to swing within a certain range, thereby adapting to the change in the relative position between the support roller shaft 4 and the main drive shaft 8 during the lifting and lowering process. The rotation of the main drive shaft 8 drives the intermediate drive shaft 17 to rotate through the first pulley mechanism, and the rotation of the intermediate drive shaft 17 then drives the support roller shaft 4 to rotate through the second pulley mechanism. This design ensures that the uniform rotation of the main drive shaft 8 can reliably and smoothly drive the support roller shaft 4 to rotate regardless of the height of the support roller shaft 4.

[0046] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the first pulley mechanism includes a first driving pulley 18 fixed on the main drive shaft 8 and a first driven pulley 19 fixed on the intermediate drive shaft 17, and the first driving pulley 18 and the first driven pulley 19 are driven by a first transmission belt 20.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first driving pulley 18, the first driven pulley 19, and the first transmission belt 20 constitute the first stage of power transmission, which transmits the rotation of the main transmission shaft 8 to the intermediate transmission shaft 17 at a certain transmission ratio, driving the intermediate transmission shaft 17 to rotate.

[0048] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the second pulley mechanism includes a second driving pulley 21 fixed on the intermediate transmission shaft 17 and a second driven pulley 22 fixed on the support roller shaft 4, and the second driving pulley 21 and the second driven pulley 22 are driven by a second transmission belt 23.

[0049] In this embodiment, the second driving pulley 21, the second driven pulley 22, and the second transmission belt 23 constitute the second stage of power transmission, which transmits the rotation of the intermediate transmission shaft 17 to the support roller shaft 4, ultimately driving the support roller shaft 4 to rotate at a constant speed.

[0050] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the second linkage mechanism includes a third gear 14 fixed on the driven transmission shaft 9 and a rack 13 fixed on the slider 7, wherein the rack 13 meshes with the third gear 14.

[0051] In this embodiment, the third gear 14 fixed on the driven drive shaft 9 meshes with the rack 13 fixed on the slider 7 connected to the lifting frame 3, forming a gear and rack pair. When the driven drive shaft 9 rotates, it drives the third gear 14 to rotate. Through the meshing of the third gear 14 and the rack 13, the rotational motion of the driven drive shaft 9 is converted into the linear lifting motion of the rack 13 together with the entire lifting frame 3, thereby realizing the automatic and slow descent of the printing plate roller 5.

[0052] In use: Start the motor 10 to drive the main drive shaft 8 to rotate at a constant speed. The rotation of the main drive shaft 8 is transmitted to the support roller shaft 4 through the first linkage mechanism, driving it to rotate at a constant speed around its own axis, so that the printing plate roller 5 installed on it is evenly plated in the electroplating solution. At the same time, the rotation of the main drive shaft 8 meshes with the second gear 12 on the driven drive shaft 9 through the first gear 11 on it, driving the driven drive shaft 9 to rotate synchronously at a preset, slower speed. The rotation of the driven drive shaft 9 meshes with the rack 13 fixed on the slider 7 through the third gear 14 on it, converting the rotational motion into linear motion, thereby driving the lifting frame 3 fixed to the slider 7 to descend slowly, smoothly and continuously along the vertical guide rail composed of the guide rail 6 and the slider 7. Since the support roller shaft 4 is installed on the lifting frame 3, the support roller shaft 4 and the printing plate roller 5 on it also descend synchronously and slowly.

[0053] Therefore, throughout the entire electroplating cycle, the device automatically compensates for the drop in liquid level through pure mechanical linkage, so that the immersion depth of the printing roller 5 can be dynamically stabilized within the preset optimal half-immersion depth range. This composite motion of uniform rotation and synchronous slow descent ensures that the surface of the printing roller 5 is always in the optimal half-immersion electroplating environment, which is conducive to the timely escape of bubbles and avoids the drift of process parameters caused by the drop in liquid level. This significantly improves the uniformity of coating thickness and can stably achieve a high standard of ±2μm coating uniformity. The entire system has a compact structure, is driven by only a single motor, and the motion synchronization accuracy is guaranteed by the mechanical structure itself. It is reliable in operation, low in cost, and easy to maintain.

[0054] The above embodiments are exemplary and not restrictive. Therefore, any technical solutions that can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A semi-immersion rotary electroplating apparatus for printing plate rollers, comprising a frame (1), characterized in that, An electroplating tank (2) is fixed on the frame (1). A lifting frame (3) is vertically slidably mounted on the frame (1) above the electroplating tank (2) via a sliding component. A support roller shaft (4) for supporting the printing plate roller (5) to be electroplated is rotatably mounted on the lifting frame (3). A main drive shaft (8) and a driven drive shaft (9) are rotatably mounted on the frame (1). The main drive shaft (8) and the driven drive shaft (9) are connected by a gear mechanism. When the main drive shaft (8) rotates, it will drive the driven drive shaft (9) to rotate. The main drive shaft (8) and the support roller shaft (4) are connected by a first linkage mechanism. When the main drive shaft (8) rotates, it will drive the support roller shaft (4) to rotate. The driven drive shaft (9) and the lifting frame (3) are connected by a second linkage mechanism. When the driven drive shaft (9) rotates, it will drive the lifting frame (3) to rise and fall.

2. The printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding assembly includes a guide rail (6) fixed on the frame (1) and a slider (7) fixed on the lifting frame (3), wherein the guide rail (6) and the slider (7) are in sliding engagement.

3. The printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A motor (10) is fixedly installed on the frame (1). The output end of the motor (10) is connected to the main drive shaft (8) through a coupling to drive the main drive shaft (8) to rotate.

4. The printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gear mechanism includes a first gear (11) fixed on the main drive shaft (8) and a second gear (12) fixed on the driven drive shaft (9), wherein the first gear (11) meshes with the second gear (12).

5. The printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first linkage mechanism includes a first connecting plate (15) and a second connecting plate (16). One end of the first connecting plate (15) is hinged to the main drive shaft (8), and one end of the second connecting plate (16) is hinged to the support roller shaft (4). The other end of the first connecting plate (15) and the other end of the second connecting plate (16) are simultaneously hinged to an intermediate drive shaft (17). The main drive shaft (8) and the intermediate drive shaft (17) are connected through a first pulley mechanism. When the main drive shaft (8) rotates, it will drive the intermediate drive shaft (17) to rotate. The intermediate drive shaft (17) and the support roller shaft (4) are connected through a second pulley mechanism. When the intermediate drive shaft (17) rotates, it will drive the support roller shaft (4) to rotate.

6. The printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first pulley mechanism includes a first driving pulley (18) fixed on the main drive shaft (8) and a first driven pulley (19) fixed on the intermediate drive shaft (17). The first driving pulley (18) and the first driven pulley (19) are driven by a first drive belt (20).

7. A semi-immersion rotary electroplating device for printing plate rollers according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second pulley mechanism includes a second driving pulley (21) fixed on the intermediate transmission shaft (17) and a second driven pulley (22) fixed on the support roller shaft (4). The second driving pulley (21) and the second driven pulley (22) are driven by a second transmission belt (23).

8. The printing plate roller semi-immersion rotary electroplating device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second linkage mechanism includes a third gear (14) fixed on the driven transmission shaft (9) and a rack (13) fixed on the slider (7), wherein the rack (13) meshes with the third gear (14).

9. A method for electroplating using a semi-immersion rotary electroplating apparatus for printing rollers as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps, S1, install the printing plate roller (5) to be electroplated onto the support roller shaft (4); S2, start the motor (10) to drive the main drive shaft (8) to rotate, drive the support roller shaft (4) to rotate at a constant speed through the first linkage mechanism, and at the same time drive the lifting frame (3) to drive the support roller shaft (4) to descend until the immersion depth of the printing plate roller (5) reaches 45%-55% of its diameter; S3, while the printing roller (5) is maintaining the immersion depth and rotating at a constant speed, an electric current is applied to the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank to electroplat the printing roller (5); S4. During the electroplating process, the support roller shaft (4) is controlled to rotate and move up and down continuously until the coating on the surface of the printing roller (5) reaches the preset thickness.

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