Electroplating equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to electroplating equipment which comprises a carrier plate, an electroplating area, a material conveying device, a transfer device and a carrier plate cleaning area. The carrier plate is used for bearing materials and can move among the electroplating area, the transfer device and the carrier plate cleaning area; the electroplating area is used for electroplating the materials; the material conveying device is connected to the electroplating area and used for feeding materials to the carrier plate and discharging the materials from the carrier plate. The transfer device is connected between the electroplating area and the carrier plate cleaning area and used for transferring carrier plates between the electroplating area and the carrier plate cleaning area. According to the electroplating equipment, the carrier plate does not need to be disassembled, transferred and mounted manually, and electroplating process treatment on materials and cleaning of the carrier plate can be integrally achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of electroplating technology, and in particular to an electroplating device. Background Art

[0002] In the preparation process of solar cells, the gate line is usually prepared by electroplating process. During the electroplating process, copper gate lines and tin gate lines are electroplated inside the reserved grooves of the gate lines produced after development. The current electroplating process uses a hanging electroplating carrier. During the production process of the hanging electroplating carrier, it is easy for metal substances such as copper and tin and chemical liquids to remain on the carrier. Therefore, it is usually necessary to clean the hanging electroplating carrier. In the traditional cleaning method of the hanging electroplating carrier, it is necessary to remove the carrier from the electroplating machine and then transport it to the stripping and hanging machine for cleaning. After cleaning, the carrier is manually loaded and reinstalled on the electroplating machine. The workload is large when the carrier is manually transported, and the carrier moves back and forth between the stripping and hanging machine and the electroplating machine, which causes great wear on the track and moving support rod of the hanging electroplating carrier. Utility Model Content

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an electroplating equipment that does not require manual disassembly, transportation and installation of the carrier, and can realize integrated electroplating process processing of the material and cleaning of the carrier.

[0004] The present application provides an electroplating device, including a carrier, an electroplating area, a material conveying device, a transfer device and a carrier cleaning area;

[0005] The carrier is used to receive materials, and the carrier can be moved between the electroplating area, the transfer device and the carrier cleaning area;

[0006] The electroplating area is used to electroplate the material;

[0007] The material conveying device is connected to the electroplating area, and the material conveying device is used to load and unload materials onto and from the carrier;

[0008] The transfer device is connected between the electroplating area and the carrier cleaning area, and is used to transfer the carrier between the electroplating area and the carrier cleaning area.

[0009] In some embodiments, the transfer device includes a first transfer device and a second transfer device, and the material transfer device includes a material unloading device and a material loading device;

[0010] The unloading device is connected to the discharge end of the electroplating area, and the unloading device is used to unload materials from the carrier board;

[0011] The first transfer device is connected between the unloading device and the carrier cleaning area, and the first transfer device is used to transfer the carrier from the unloading device to the carrier cleaning area;

[0012] The loading device is connected between the discharge end of the carrier cleaning area and the second transfer device, and the loading device is used to load the carrier;

[0013] The second transfer device is connected to the feed end of the electroplating area, and the second transfer device is used to transfer the carrier from the loading device to the electroplating area.

[0014] In some embodiments, the electroplating area includes a first water washing tank, a first alkali washing tank, a first electroplating tank, and a second water washing tank connected in sequence; the first water washing tank is connected to the second transfer device;

[0015] The first water washing tank, the first alkali washing tank, the first electroplating tank and the second water washing tank are used for performing a first water washing, a first alkali washing, a first electroplating and a second water washing on the material, respectively.

[0016] In some embodiments, the electroplating area includes a damage removal tank, which is connected between the first water washing tank and the second transfer device; the damage removal tank is used to perform damage removal treatment on the material.

[0017] In some embodiments, the electroplating area includes a second electroplating tank, a second alkaline washing tank, a third water washing tank and a drying device connected in sequence; the second electroplating tank is connected to the second water washing tank;

[0018] The second electroplating tank, the second alkali washing tank, the third water washing tank and the drying device are used for performing a second electroplating tank, a second alkali washing, a third water washing and drying on the material respectively.

[0019] In some embodiments, the electroplating area includes an isolation tank, which is connected between the second electroplating tank and the second washing tank; the isolation tank is used to temporarily store materials.

[0020] In some embodiments, the substrate cleaning area includes a fourth water washing tank, a chemical cleaning chamber, and a fifth water washing tank connected in sequence; the fourth water washing tank is connected to the first transfer device;

[0021] The fourth water washing tank, the chemical cleaning chamber and the fifth water washing tank are used for performing a fourth water washing, a chemical cleaning and a fifth water washing on the carrier, respectively.

[0022] In some embodiments, the chemical cleaning chamber includes a first chemical cleaning tank, a second chemical cleaning tank, and a third chemical cleaning tank connected in sequence.

[0023] In some embodiments, the electroplating equipment includes a first cache chamber and / or a second cache chamber; the first cache chamber is connected between the first transfer device and the carrier cleaning area, and the first cache chamber is used to temporarily store the carriers to be peeled and hung; the second cache chamber is connected between the fourth water washing tank and the first transfer device, and the second cache chamber is used to temporarily store the carriers to be loaded after peeling and hanging.

[0024] In some embodiments, the electroplating equipment further comprises a liquid supply device, which is respectively connected to a feed end of the electroplating zone and a feed end of the carrier cleaning zone, and is used to supply liquid to the electroplating zone and the carrier cleaning zone respectively.

[0025] In the above-mentioned electroplating equipment, the material conveying device is used to load and unload materials onto and from the carrier, and the transfer device is used to transfer the carrier between the electroplating area and the carrier cleaning area. The carrier can be moved between the above-mentioned devices and areas. The equipment does not require manual disassembly, transfer and installation of the carrier, and can realize integrated electroplating process processing of the material and cleaning of the carrier. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electroplating device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electroplating device provided in another embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electroplating device provided in another embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Description of Reference Numerals

[0030] 100, electroplating area; 101, de-damping tank; 102, first water washing tank; 103, first alkali washing tank; 104, first electroplating tank; 105, second water washing tank; 106, isolation tank; 107, second electroplating tank; 108, second alkali washing tank; 109, third water washing tank; 110, drying device; 20, material transfer device; 200, material unloading device; 30, transfer device; 300, first transfer device; 400, carrier cleaning area; 410, fourth water washing tank; 420, chemical cleaning chamber; 421, first chemical cleaning tank; 422, second chemical cleaning tank; 423, third chemical cleaning tank; 430, fifth water washing tank; 500, material loading device; 600, second transfer device; 700, first cache chamber; 800, second cache chamber; 900, liquid loading device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present application belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0033] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0034] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0035] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0036] As shown in FIG1 , the present application provides an electroplating device, including a carrier, an electroplating area 100, a material transfer device 20, a transfer device 30, and a carrier cleaning area 400. The carrier is used to receive materials, and the carrier can move between the electroplating area 100, the transfer device 30, and the carrier cleaning area 400. The electroplating area 100 is used to electroplate the materials. The material transfer device 20 is connected to the electroplating area 100, and the material transfer device 20 is used to load and unload materials onto and from the carrier. The transfer device is connected between the electroplating area 100 and the carrier cleaning area 400, and the transfer device is used to transfer the carrier between the electroplating area 100 and the carrier cleaning area 400.

[0037] In the above electroplating equipment, the material conveying device 20 is used to load and unload the carrier, and the transfer device is used to transfer the carrier between the electroplating area 100 and the carrier cleaning area 400. The carrier can be automatically transferred between the above devices and areas. The equipment does not require manual removal, transfer and installation of the carrier, and can realize integrated electroplating process processing of the material and cleaning of the carrier. It can be understood that the material includes but is not limited to the solar cell substrate to be prepared as the electrode.

[0038] In some embodiments, the carrier is a hanger plating carrier.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the transfer device 30 includes a first transfer device 300 and a second transfer device 600, and the material transfer device 20 includes a material unloading device 200 and a material loading device 500. The material unloading device 200 is connected to the discharge end of the electroplating area 100, and the material unloading device 200 is used to unload the material from the carrier. The first transfer device 300 is connected between the material unloading device 200 and the carrier cleaning area 400, and the first transfer device 300 is used to transfer the carrier from the material unloading device 200 to the carrier cleaning area 400. The material loading device 500 is connected between the discharge end of the carrier cleaning area 400 and the second transfer device 600, and the material loading device 500 is used to load the carrier. The second transfer device 600 is connected to the feed end of the electroplating area 100, and the second transfer device 600 is used to transfer the carrier from the material loading device 500 to the electroplating area 100.

[0040] The electroplating area 100, the unloading device 200, the first transfer device 300, the carrier cleaning area 400, the loading device 500 and the second transfer device 600 are circularly connected. The equipment does not require manual disassembly, transfer and installation of the carrier, and can realize integrated electroplating process processing of the material and stripping and hanging process processing of the carrier.

[0041] 3, in some embodiments, the electroplating area 100 includes a first water washing tank 102, a first alkali washing tank 103, a first electroplating tank 104, and a second water washing tank 105 connected in sequence. The first water washing tank 102 is connected to the second transfer device 600. The first water washing tank 102, the first alkali washing tank 103, the first electroplating tank 104, and the second water washing tank 105 are used to perform a first water washing, a first alkali washing, a first electroplating, and a second water washing on the material, respectively.

[0042] The first water washing tank 102, the first alkali washing tank 103, the first electroplating tank 104 and the second water washing tank 105 are sequentially arranged to perform the first water washing and the first alkali washing on the material and then perform the first electroplating to prepare the metal conductive layer. At the same time, the second water washing tank can clean the electroplating solution remaining on the metal conductive layer after the electroplating.

[0043] In some embodiments, the electroplating area 100 includes a de-damping tank 101, which is connected between the first washing tank 102 and the second transfer device 600. The de-damping tank 101 is used to perform de-damping treatment on the material. Exemplarily, the de-damping tank 101 is used to perform de-damping treatment on the material using alkali solution.

[0044] In some embodiments, the electroplating area 100 includes a second electroplating tank 107, a second alkali washing tank 108, a third water washing tank 109 and a drying device 110 connected in sequence. The second electroplating tank 107 is connected to the second water washing tank 105. The second electroplating tank 107, the second alkali washing tank 108, the third water washing tank 109 and the drying device 110 are used to perform a second electroplating tank, a second alkali washing, a third water washing and drying on the material, respectively.

[0045] The second electroplating tank 107, the second alkali washing tank 108, and the third water washing tank 109 are sequentially arranged to perform the second electroplating, the second alkali washing, and the third water washing on the material. The electroplating of different materials can be achieved by adding a plating solution different from that in the first electroplating tank 104 to the second electroplating tank 107. At the same time, the drying device 110 can dry the material after the electroplating.

[0046] In some embodiments, the electroplating area 100 includes an isolation tank 106, and the isolation tank 106 is connected between the second electroplating tank 107 and the second washing tank 105. The isolation tank 106 is used to temporarily store materials.

[0047] By providing the isolation tank 106 , after the material completes the first electroplating process, it can be temporarily stored in the isolation tank 106 waiting for the electroplating solution in the second electroplating tank 107 to be added.

[0048] In some embodiments, the carrier cleaning area 400 includes a fourth water washing tank 410, a chemical cleaning chamber 420, and a fifth water washing tank 430 connected in sequence. The fourth water washing tank 410 is connected to the first transfer device 300. The fourth water washing tank 410, the chemical cleaning chamber 420, and the fifth water washing tank 430 are used to perform a fourth water washing, a chemical cleaning, and a fifth water washing on the carrier, respectively.

[0049] By means of the fourth water washing tank 410, the chemical cleaning chamber 420 and the fifth water washing tank 430 connected in sequence, the carrier board after electroplating can be subjected to the fourth water washing, the chemical cleaning and the fifth water washing in turn, so as to perform a stripping treatment on the carrier board, that is, to remove the metal substances such as copper and tin remaining on the surface of the carrier board and the waste chemical solution.

[0050] In some embodiments, the chemical cleaning chamber 420 includes a first chemical cleaning tank 421 , a second chemical cleaning tank 422 , and a third chemical cleaning tank 423 that are sequentially connected.

[0051] By sequentially connecting the first chemical cleaning tank 421 , the second chemical cleaning tank 422 and the third chemical cleaning tank 423 , different chemical cleaning agents can be added to the first chemical cleaning tank 421 , the second chemical cleaning tank 422 and the third chemical cleaning tank 423 respectively to achieve a better cleaning effect on the carrier.

[0052] In some embodiments, the electroplating equipment includes a first cache chamber 700 and / or a second cache chamber 800; the first cache chamber 700 is connected between the first transfer device 300 and the carrier cleaning area 400, and the first cache chamber 700 is used to temporarily store the carrier to be peeled and hung; the second cache chamber 800 is connected between the fourth washing tank 410 and the first transfer device 300, and the second cache chamber 800 is used to temporarily store the carrier to be loaded after peeling and hanging.

[0053] By providing the first buffer chamber 700 and / or the second buffer chamber 800 to temporarily store the carrier plates to be peeled or the carrier plates to be loaded after peeling, it is convenient to adjust and add the liquid in each tank.

[0054] In some embodiments, the electroplating equipment further includes a liquid supply device 900, which is respectively connected to the feed end of the electroplating area 100 and the feed end of the carrier cleaning area 400, and the liquid supply device 900 is used to supply liquid to the electroplating area 100 and the carrier cleaning area 400. The liquid supply device 900 is used to supply liquid to the electroplating area 100 and the carrier cleaning area 400, respectively, which is convenient to operate and has high production efficiency.

[0055] In some embodiments, the liquid loading device 900 is respectively connected to the feed ends of the first water washing tank 102, the first alkali washing tank 103, the first electroplating tank 104, the second water washing tank 105, the second electroplating tank 107, the second alkali washing tank 108, the third water washing tank 109, the fourth water washing tank 410, the first chemical cleaning tank 421, the second chemical cleaning tank 422, the third chemical cleaning tank 423 and the fifth water washing tank 430.

[0056] In some embodiments, the electroplating equipment includes a transmission device for transmitting the carrier between the electroplating area 100, the unloading device 200, the first transfer device 300, the carrier cleaning area 400, the loading device 500 and the second transfer device 600.

[0057] Referring again to Figure 3, in one embodiment, the electroplating equipment includes a de-damping tank 101, a first water washing tank 102, a first alkali washing tank 103, a first electroplating tank 104, a second water washing tank 105, an isolation tank 106, a second electroplating tank 107, a second alkali washing tank 108, a third water washing tank 109, a drying device 110, a unloading device 200, a first transfer device 300, a first cache chamber 700, a fourth water washing tank 410, a first chemical cleaning tank 421, a second chemical cleaning tank 422, a third chemical cleaning tank 423, a fifth water washing tank 430, a second cache chamber 800, a loading device 500 and a second transfer device 600, which are connected in sequence, and the discharge end of the second transfer device 600 is connected to the feed end of the de-damping tank 101. The electroplating equipment further includes a liquid supply device 900, which is respectively connected to the feed ends of the first water washing tank 102, the first alkali washing tank 103, the first electroplating tank 104, the second water washing tank 105, the second electroplating tank 107, the second alkali washing tank 108, the third water washing tank 109, the fourth water washing tank 410, the first chemical cleaning tank 421, the second chemical cleaning tank 422, the third chemical cleaning tank 423 and the fifth water washing tank 430. The electroplating equipment does not require manual disassembly, transportation and installation of the carrier, and can realize integrated electroplating process processing of the material and cleaning of the carrier.

[0058] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0059] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present application shall be subject to the attached claims, and the description and drawings may be used to interpret the contents of the claims.

Claims

1. An electroplating device, It is characterized in that It comprises a carrier plate, an electroplating area (100), a material transfer device (20), a transfer device (30) and a carrier plate cleaning area (400); The carrier is used to receive materials, and the carrier can move between the electroplating area (100), the transfer device (30) and the carrier cleaning area (400); The electroplating area (100) is used to electroplate the material; The material conveying device (20) is connected to the electroplating area (100), and the material conveying device (20) is used to load materials onto the carrier board and unload materials from the carrier board; The transfer device is connected between the electroplating area (100) and the carrier cleaning area (400), and the transfer device is used to transfer the carrier between the electroplating area (100) and the carrier cleaning area (400).

2. The electroplating equipment according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The transfer device (30) comprises a first transfer device (300) and a second transfer device (600), and the material transfer device (20) comprises a material unloading device (200) and a material loading device (500); The unloading device (200) is connected to the discharge end of the electroplating area (100), and the unloading device (200) is used to unload materials from the carrier board; The first transfer device (300) is connected between the unloading device (200) and the carrier cleaning area (400), and the first transfer device (300) is used to transfer the carrier from the unloading device (200) to the carrier cleaning area (400); The loading device (500) is connected between the discharge end of the carrier cleaning area (400) and the second transfer device (600), and the loading device (500) is used to load the carrier; The second transfer device (600) is connected to the feed end of the electroplating area (100), and the second transfer device (600) is used to transfer the carrier from the loading device (500) to the electroplating area (100).

3. The electroplating device according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The electroplating area (100) comprises a first water washing tank (102), a first alkali washing tank (103), a first electroplating tank (104) and a second water washing tank (105) which are connected in sequence; the first water washing tank (102) is connected to the second transfer device (600); The first water washing tank (102), the first alkali washing tank (103), the first electroplating tank (104) and the second water washing tank (105) are used to perform a first water washing, a first alkali washing, a first electroplating and a second water washing on the material, respectively.

4. The electroplating device according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The electroplating area (100) comprises a damage removal tank (101), and the damage removal tank (101) is connected between the first water washing tank (102) and the second transfer device (600); the damage removal tank (101) is used to perform damage removal treatment on materials.

5. The electroplating equipment according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The electroplating area (100) comprises a second electroplating tank (107), a second alkali washing tank (108), a third water washing tank (109) and a drying device (110) which are connected in sequence; the second electroplating tank (107) is connected to the second water washing tank (105); The second electroplating tank (107), the second alkali washing tank (108), the third water washing tank (109) and the drying device (110) are used to perform a second electroplating tank, a second alkali washing, a third water washing and drying on the material, respectively.

6. The electroplating device according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The electroplating area (100) comprises an isolation tank (106), wherein the isolation tank (106) is connected between the second electroplating tank (107) and the second washing tank (105); the isolation tank (106) is used for temporarily storing materials.

7. The electroplating equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 6, It is characterized in that The carrier cleaning area (400) comprises a fourth water washing tank (410), a chemical cleaning chamber (420) and a fifth water washing tank (430) which are connected in sequence; the fourth water washing tank (410) is connected to the first transfer device (300); The fourth water washing tank (410), the chemical cleaning chamber (420) and the fifth water washing tank (430) are used to perform a fourth water washing, a chemical cleaning and a fifth water washing on the carrier, respectively.

8. The electroplating device according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The chemical cleaning chamber (420) comprises a first chemical cleaning tank (421), a second chemical cleaning tank (422) and a third chemical cleaning tank (423) which are connected in sequence.

9. The electroplating device according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The electroplating equipment includes a first cache chamber (700) and / or a second cache chamber (800); the first cache chamber (700) is connected between the first transfer device (300) and the carrier cleaning area (400), and the first cache chamber (700) is used to temporarily store the carrier to be peeled and hung; the second cache chamber (800) is connected between the fourth washing tank (410) and the first transfer device (300), and the second cache chamber (800) is used to temporarily store the carrier to be loaded after peeling and hanging.

10. The electroplating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and 8 to 9, It is characterized in that The electroplating equipment comprises a liquid supply device (900), wherein the liquid supply device (900) is respectively connected to a feed end of the electroplating area (100) and a feed end of the carrier cleaning area (400), and the liquid supply device (900) is used to supply liquid to the electroplating area (100) and the carrier cleaning area (400) respectively.

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