A sealed electroplating hood and electroplating device
By combining a sealed electroplating enclosure, an electroplating anode, and a soft gasket, a sealed electroplating solution containment cavity is formed, solving the problem that existing electroplating methods cannot be applied under special conditions, and achieving efficient electroplating solution circulation and electroplating efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUAZHONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
Smart Images
Figure CN224548595U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of electroplating technology, and more specifically, relates to a sealed electroplating cover and an electroplating device. Background Technology
[0002] Electroplating is a technique that uses the principle of electrolysis to deposit a metal layer onto the surface of a workpiece. In the electroplating process, the plating material or other insoluble material is generally used as the anode, the workpiece to be plated is used as the cathode, and a solution containing the cations of the plating material is used as the electroplating solution. The plating material cations are reduced on the surface of the workpiece to form the plating layer by the action of an electric current.
[0003] Currently, the common electroplating method involves immersing the entire workpiece in the electroplating bath, ensuring that the electroplating solution is in contact with all surfaces of the workpiece. However, this method cannot be applied in certain special scenarios (such as when the substrate of the workpiece is absorbent and cannot be immersed for a long time, or when there are components on the non-electroplating surfaces of the workpiece that cannot be soaked in water).
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design an electroplating device that isolates the non-electroplated surface of the workpiece from contact with the electroplating solution. Summary of the Invention
[0005] To address the aforementioned deficiencies or improvement needs of existing technologies, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a sealed electroplating cover and electroplating device. By improving the specific structure of the sealed electroplating cover, and utilizing the cooperation of the sealed electroplating cover body, the electroplating anode, and the soft gasket, a sealed electroplating solution containment cavity can be formed between the cover body and the workpiece to be plated. With the coordination of the liquid inlet and outlet, the electroplating solution can flow within the containment cavity, and electroplating of a specific surface of the workpiece can be achieved by applying an electroplating current. This utility model of a sealed electroplating cover and electroplating device has a simple structure, is convenient and practical, and can isolate the non-electroplated surface from contact with the electroplating solution during electroplating, meeting the electroplating requirements under some special conditions (such as when the substrate of the workpiece cannot be immersed for a long time or the non-electroplated surface of the workpiece cannot be soaked in water), and is especially suitable for electroplating of sheet surfaces (including planar substrates or curved substrates).
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of this utility model, a sealing electroplating cover is provided, characterized in that it comprises a sealing electroplating cover body (1), an electro-anode (2), and a soft gasket (3), wherein, The sealed electroplating cover (1) has an electroplating liquid containing cavity groove on the working surface facing the workpiece (4) to be plated, for containing electroplating liquid; and an anode fixing groove is also provided on the bottom surface of the electroplating liquid containing cavity groove, and a through hole is provided on the bottom surface of the anode fixing groove for conducting electricity; the electroplating liquid containing cavity groove is also provided with liquid inlet and outlet, which are used as channels for electroplating liquid to enter and exit. The electroplating anode (2) includes a metal substrate and a metal strip connected to the metal substrate; the electroplating anode (2) is embedded in the anode fixing groove, and the metal strip is in contact with the outside through the through hole; the sealed electroplating cover (1) and the electroplating anode (2) are sealed together. The soft gasket (3) is in the shape of a "U" or ring and is used to be placed between the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover (1) and the workpiece (4) to be plated. It also acts as a sealing ring to seal the sealed electroplating cover (1) and the workpiece (4) to be plated when it is compressed. The working surface of the sealed electroplating cover (1) and the metal substrate in the electroplating anode (2) are both curved or both are flat.
[0007] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, when the surface to be plated of the workpiece (4) is a curved surface, the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover (1) is a curved surface shape that can fit with the surface to be plated.
[0008] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the soft washer (3) is "U" shaped, and its overall length and width dimensions are the same as the overall length and width dimensions of the working surface; The electroplating solution receiving cavity is a rectangular parallelepiped planar or curved groove, with its length and width dimensions being 10-15 mm smaller than the overall length and width dimensions of the working surface; when the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover (1) is a planar surface, the electroplating solution receiving cavity is a rectangular parallelepiped planar groove; when the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover (1) is a curved surface, the electroplating solution receiving cavity is a rectangular parallelepiped curved groove. The anode fixing groove is a rectangular planar or curved groove, and its length and width are 10-20 mm smaller than the length and width of the electroplating solution receiving cavity. When the electroplating solution receiving cavity is a rectangular planar groove, the anode fixing groove is a rectangular planar groove; when the electroplating solution receiving cavity is a rectangular curved groove, the anode fixing groove is a rectangular curved groove. The size of the metal substrate in the anode (2) is determined by the anode fixing groove. The length, width and height of the metal substrate are the same as the length, width and depth of the anode fixing groove, respectively. When the anode fixing groove is a cuboid planar groove, the metal substrate is a cuboid plate. When the anode fixing groove is a cuboid curved groove, the metal substrate is a cuboid curved plate.
[0009] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the anode fixing groove is disposed at the center of the bottom surface of the electroplating solution containing cavity, and the liquid inlet and outlet are disposed around the anode fixing groove; The liquid inlet and outlet are several through holes with a diameter of less than 10 mm.
[0010] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the sealed electroplating cover (1) is a resin sealed electroplating cover; The sealed electroplating cover (1) and the lead anode (2) are connected by a potting compound. The soft gasket (3) is a PDMS gasket.
[0011] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the overall thickness of the sealed electroplated cover (1) is 15~25mm; The thickness of the soft gasket (3) is 4~8mm; Without considering the anode fixing tank, the depth of the electroplating solution containing cavity is 6~12mm; The depth of the anode fixing groove is 1~3mm.
[0012] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the metal strip is a metal column, and the through hole is a cylindrical through hole; The length of the metal strip is greater than the depth of the through hole.
[0013] As a further preferred embodiment of this invention, the through hole is located at the center of the bottom surface of the anode fixing groove, and has a diameter of 1~3mm.
[0014] According to another aspect of this utility model, this utility model provides a sealed electroplating device, characterized in that it includes a clamp (5), a power supply (6), an electroplating solution storage tank (7), a plating solution pump (8), and the aforementioned sealed electroplating cover, wherein, The sealing electroplating cover is used to be placed above the workpiece (4) to be plated, wherein the soft gasket (3) is placed between the working surface of the sealing electroplating cover body (1) and the workpiece (4) to be plated; the clamp (5) is used to make the sealing electroplating cover and the workpiece (4) to be plated tightly connected. The positive terminal of the power supply (6) is connected to the anode in the sealed electroplating cover, and the negative terminal is used to connect to the workpiece (4) to be plated. The electroplating solution storage tank (7) is connected to the liquid inlet and outlet in the sealed electroplating hood via a hose, and the plating solution pump (8) is installed on the hose to provide the driving force for the flow of the electroplating solution.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention utilizes a specially designed sealed electroplating cover to clamp the cover and gasket onto the surface of the workpiece to be plated, creating a sealed cavity through which the electroplating solution flows only on the surface to be plated. Through the structural design of the sealed electroplating cover and the lead-in anode in this invention, the cover and the lead-in anode are connected together using potting compound, ensuring a tight seal while allowing the metal strip in contact with the outside to connect to the power anode. Combined with the lead-in anode and the plating solution channel, it can meet the requirements of current application and plating solution circulation in the electroplating process.
[0016] In this invention, the length and width of the sealing electroplating cover can be adaptively adjusted according to the size of the workpiece surface, and the shape of the cover can also be adjusted according to the curvature of the workpiece surface. It is suitable for processing both planar and curved substrates. The three-layer structure of the electroplating cover, soft gasket, and substrate, when clamped together, creates a sealed cavity, isolating the non-electroplated surface from the electroplating solution and meeting the electroplating requirements of special application scenarios. The soft gasket acts as a sealing ring, clamped between the substrate and the electroplating cover to ensure good sealing of the internal cavity and prevent leakage of the electroplating solution. The depth of the sealed electroplating cavity can be set to 6~12mm (e.g., 7mm), resulting in a smaller cavity and higher utilization of the plating solution, overcoming the disadvantage of large footprint of traditional electroplating tanks. Multiple plating solution channels can also be set, improving the flow of the plating solution within the cavity and increasing the plating solution circulation efficiency and electroplating efficiency. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the sealing electroplating cover and the workpiece to be plated provided in Embodiment 1 of this application (before clamping).
[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the sealed electroplating cover structure provided in Embodiment 1 of this application.
[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing electroplating device provided in Embodiment 1 of this application.
[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sealed electroplating cover structure provided in Embodiment 2 of this application.
[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sealed electroplating cover structure provided in Embodiment 3 of this application.
[0022] Figure 1 and Figure 3 The meanings of the markings on each accessory are as follows: 1: Sealed electroplating enclosure; 2: Leading anode; 3: Soft gasket (e.g., PDMS gasket); 4: Workpiece to be plated; 5: Fixture; 6: Power supply; 7: Electroplating solution storage tank; 8: Plating solution pump. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the components in the drawings may be shown exaggeratedly for illustrative purposes and are not necessarily to scale. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for components that are identical or have the same function.
[0024] In this utility model, the various embodiments are merely intended to illustrate the solution of this utility model and should not be construed as limiting.
[0025] It should also be noted here that in the embodiments of the present utility model, for the sake of clarity and simplicity, only a part of the components or assemblies may be shown. However, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that under the teaching of the present utility model, the required components or assemblies can be added according to the specific scenario requirements.
[0026] The present utility model will be further elaborated below in conjunction with the specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0027] Embodiment 1 Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the main structure of the sealed cover type electroplating cover and the workpiece to be electroplated in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model, including: a sealed electroplating cover body 1, a conductive anode 2, a PDMS gasket 3, and a workpiece to be electroplated 4. Figure 2 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the sealed electroplating cover body in Embodiment 1.
[0028] In this embodiment, the electroplating device structure is described by electroplating a planar substrate workpiece with dimensions of 12 cm × 12 cm × 1 mm. The material of the sealed electroplating cover body 1 is PMMA, which is a cuboid with an overall size of 100 mm × 100 mm × 15 mm. As Figure 2 shown, a plating solution containing cavity groove with dimensions of 80 mm × 80 mm × 7 mm is opened at the center of the working surface (the working surface is the bottom surface of the sealed electroplating cover body 1 opposite to the workpiece to be electroplated as shown), which is used as the cavity for plating solution circulation and provides a space for the electroplating surface to contact the plating solution; a cuboid anode fixing groove with dimensions of 60 mm × 60 mm × 1 mm is also opened at the center of the bottom of the groove body (that is, as Figure 1 shown, a stepped rectangular groove is machined at the center of the plating solution containing cavity and used as the anode fixing groove; due to the influence of the anode fixing groove, the bottom surface of the plating solution containing cavity presents a "hui" character shape), and then it is used for the potting connection with the conductive anode 2; a through hole with a diameter of 2 mm is opened at the center of the bottom of the anode fixing groove for electricity conduction, serving as the electricity conduction connection hole; four through holes with a diameter of 6 mm are opened at the four corners of the bottom of the plating solution containing cavity groove, which are used as the plating solution channels, among which 3 are inlet ports and the remaining one is the outlet port. Figure 2 The overall shape of the conductive anode 2 is a metal column connected to the metal substrate. The size of the metal substrate is the same as that of the anode fixing groove, which is 60 mm × 60 mm × 1 mm; the diameter of the metal column is 2 mm and the length is 30 mm (the length only needs to be longer than the depth of the electricity conduction connection hole); the material of the conductive anode 2 is the metal to be electroplated, which is copper in this embodiment.
[0029] The PDMS gasket 3 is a "hui" character shaped soft PDMS thick film with an outer ring size of 100 mm × 100 mm (the overall length and width dimensions of the PDMS gasket are the same as those of the working surface of the electroplating cover body), an inner ring size of 80 mm × 80 mm, and a thickness of 6 mm.
[0030] The PDMS gasket 3 is a "hui" character shaped soft PDMS thick film with an outer ring size of (the overall length and width dimensions of the PDMS gasket are the same as those of the working surface of the electroplating cover body), an inner ring size of 80 mm × 80 mm, and a thickness of 6 mm.
[0031] The workpiece 4 to be plated is a copper-clad board with dimensions of 120mm×120mm×1mm and a center area of 80mm×80mm to be plated.
[0032] In application, the corresponding electroplating device consists of a three-layer structure: an electroplating cover (sealed lead anode), a PDMS gasket, and a substrate. After alignment and clamping, the power anode is connected to the lead anode metal column, and the power cathode is connected to the substrate. A water head is inserted into the electroplating solution through-hole on the cover, and a flexible hose connects to the plating solution pump. The electroplating cover and PDMS gasket are clamped together on the surface of the workpiece to be plated, forming a cavity on the workpiece surface that can hold the electroplating solution. A peristaltic pump is connected through the inlet and outlet of the cover to achieve plating solution circulation. Electroplating is achieved after the power is turned on. Specifically: First, the lead anode 2 and the sealed electroplating cover 1 are sealed together using potting compound (the lead anode 2 is embedded from the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover 1, so that the metal substrate in the lead anode 2 is embedded into the anode fixing groove, and the metal column in the lead anode 2 is introduced from the through-hole at the bottom center of the anode fixing groove), ensuring that the two are firmly bonded and the lead channel is completely sealed. Align the sealed electroplating enclosure 1, PDMS gasket 3, and workpiece 4 in vertical order, and clamp them using clamp 5 to ensure good sealing of the internal cavity; connect the exposed part of the lead anode 2 to the anode of the power supply 6, and connect the surface of the workpiece 4 to be plated to the cathode; insert the hose connectors into the four plating solution channels on the surface of the sealed electroplating enclosure 1, and connect them to the electroplating solution storage tank 7 and plating solution pump 8; thus forming... Figure 3 The electroplating apparatus shown.
[0033] During the electroplating process, the electroplating solution in the electroplating solution storage tank 7 is drawn in by the plating solution pump 8 and fills the sealed electroplating cavity through three inlets. The cavity has dimensions of 80mm × 80mm × 13mm. Under pressure from the cavity, the overflowing electroplating solution flows back to the electroplating solution storage tank 7 through the outlet via a pipeline. The electroplating solution thoroughly rinses the surface of the workpiece to be plated without leakage. Under the influence of an electric field, electrodeposition occurs on the area to be plated of the workpiece 4. The electrodeposition process can be controlled by at least one of the following two methods: i) adjusting the power supply parameters to change the current density, and ii) controlling the flow rate of the plating solution pump to control the circulation and rinsing speed of the plating solution.
[0034] It should be noted that the dimensions of the sealed electroplating cover 1, the lead-in anode 2, and the PDMS gasket 3 can be freely customized according to the conditions of the workpiece 4 to be plated. The dimensions in Example 1 are only one design method.
[0035] Example 2 In Example 2, the workpiece to be plated is a curved substrate, with dimensions similar to the planar workpiece 4 in Example 1. In this case, the sealed electroplating cover 1 can be designed as follows: Figure 4The curved structure shown (that is, in this embodiment, the workpiece 4 to be plated is a curved surface, and the sealed electroplating cover 1 can be processed into a shape that fits with the curved substrate) also changes the shape of the metal substrate in the electro-anode to a curved surface, while keeping the size unchanged. The curved working surface can fit with the curved surface to be plated, thereby achieving curved sealed electroplating thickening.
[0036] Example 3 In Example 3, the workpiece to be plated is larger, with both length and width exceeding 20cm. In this case, the sealed electroplating enclosure can be designed as follows: Figure 5 The structure shown has overall dimensions of 200mm×200mm×15mm, electroplating solution containment chamber dimensions of 180mm×180mm×7mm, anode fixing tank dimensions of 160mm×160mm×1mm, current-leading through-hole diameter of 2mm, PDMS gasket dimensions of outer ring 200mm×200mm, inner ring 180mm×180mm, thickness of 6mm, and current-leading anode metal substrate dimensions of 160mm×160mm×1mm.
[0037] In this embodiment, eight inlet and outlet ports are designed, with the same dimensions as in Embodiment 1 (four of these eight ports are inlets and four are outlets). This is because as the volume of the electroplating solution containment cavity increases, the flow of the plating solution on the surface of the workpiece to be plated slows down under the same plating solution pump flow rate, which affects the rate and uniformity of the electroplating process. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately increase the number of plating solution channels.
[0038] The sealed electroplating apparatus illustrated in Examples 1-3 above is suitable for electroplating thickening of multi-sized planar and curved substrates. The sealed electroplating feature isolates the non-plated surface from the electroplating solution, meeting the electroplating requirements of special application scenarios. It also overcomes the shortcomings of traditional electroplating tanks, such as low electroplating solution utilization efficiency and large footprint, resulting in higher solution circulation efficiency, more complete solution flow, and higher electroplating efficiency.
[0039] The above embodiments are merely examples. For instance, besides using PDMS to form PDMS gaskets, the soft gasket can also be made of other elastic soft materials; the connection between the sealed electroplating cover and the lead-in anode can be made of other waterproof sealing materials besides potting compound; the number of metal pillars and corresponding through holes can be other than those exemplified in Examples 1-3; the cross-section of the metal pillars and corresponding through holes can be other shapes (such as rectangles) besides circles. Furthermore, the length and width dimensions of the sealed electroplating cover can vary with the size of the workpiece to be plated, being smaller than the workpiece size; the thickness can also be adjusted according to actual conditions; the number of liquid inlets and outlets and their specific positions around the anode fixing groove can be adjusted with the size of the cover, serving as channels for the electroplating solution.
[0040] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not as limitations. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications, and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments disclosed above, but should be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A sealed electroplating cover, characterized in that, It includes a sealed electroplating cover body (1), a current-carrying anode (2), and a soft washer (3). Among them, on the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover body (1) facing the workpiece to be electroplated (4), an electroplating solution containing cavity groove is provided for containing the electroplating solution; and, on the bottom surface of the electroplating solution containing cavity groove, an anode fixing groove is further provided, and a through hole is provided on the bottom surface of the anode fixing groove for conducting electricity; a liquid flow inlet and outlet is also provided on the electroplating solution containing cavity groove, which is used as a channel for the electroplating solution to enter and exit; the current-carrying anode (2) includes a metal substrate and a metal strip connected to the metal substrate; the current-carrying anode (2) is embedded in the anode fixing groove, and the metal strip contacts the outside through the through hole; the sealed electroplating cover body (1) and the current-carrying anode (2) are sealed and connected; the soft washer (3) is in the shape of "return" or ring, and is used to be arranged between the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover body (1) and the workpiece to be electroplated (4), and as a sealing ring, after being compressed, it makes the sealed electroplating cover body (1) and the workpiece to be electroplated (4) be sealed and connected; both the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover body (1) and the metal substrate in the current-carrying anode (2) are curved surfaces or both are flat surfaces.
2. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the surface to be electroplated of the workpiece to be electroplated (4) is a curved surface, the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover body (1) is a curved surface shape that can fit the surface to be electroplated.
3. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The soft washer (3) is in the shape of "return", and the overall length and width dimensions are the same as the overall length and width dimensions of the working surface; the electroplating solution containing cavity groove is a cuboid-shaped flat or curved groove, and the length and width dimensions are 10 - 15 mm smaller than the overall length and width dimensions of the working surface; when the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover body (1) is a flat surface, the electroplating solution containing cavity groove is a cuboid-shaped flat groove; when the working surface of the sealed electroplating cover body (1) is a curved surface, the electroplating solution containing cavity groove is a cuboid-shaped curved groove; the anode fixing groove is a cuboid-shaped flat or curved groove, and the length and width dimensions are 10 - 20 mm smaller than the length and width dimensions of the electroplating solution containing cavity groove; when the electroplating solution containing cavity groove is a cuboid-shaped flat groove, the anode fixing groove is a cuboid-shaped flat groove; when the electroplating solution containing cavity groove is a cuboid-shaped curved groove, the anode fixing groove is a cuboid-shaped curved groove; the size of the metal substrate in the current-carrying anode (2) is determined by the anode fixing groove, and the length, width, and height of the metal substrate are respectively the same as the length, width, and depth of the anode fixing groove; when the anode fixing groove is a cuboid-shaped flat groove, the metal substrate is a cuboid-shaped flat plate; when the anode fixing groove is a cuboid-shaped curved groove, the metal substrate is a cuboid-shaped curved plate.
4. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The anode fixing groove is arranged at the center of the bottom surface of the electroplating solution containing cavity groove, and the liquid flow inlet and outlet are arranged around the anode fixing groove; the liquid flow inlet and outlet are a plurality of through holes with a diameter less than 10 mm.
5. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sealed electroplating cover body (1) is a resin sealed electroplating cover body; the sealed electroplating cover body (1) and the current-carrying anode (2) are sealed and connected through potting glue; The soft washer (3) is a PDMS washer.
6. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The overall thickness of the sealed electroplated cover (1) is 15~25mm; The thickness of the soft gasket (3) is 4~8mm; Without considering the anode fixing tank, the depth of the electroplating solution containing cavity is 6~12mm; The depth of the anode fixing groove is 1~3mm.
7. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The metal strip is a metal column, and the through hole is a cylindrical through hole; The length of the metal strip is greater than the depth of the through hole.
8. The sealing electroplating cover as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The through hole is located at the center of the bottom surface of the anode fixing groove, and has a diameter of 1~3mm.
9. A sealed electroplating apparatus, characterized in that, Includes a clamp (5), a power supply (6), an electroplating solution storage tank (7), a plating solution pump (8), and a sealed electroplating cover as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The sealing electroplating cover is used to be placed above the workpiece (4) to be plated, wherein the soft gasket (3) is placed between the working surface of the sealing electroplating cover body (1) and the workpiece (4) to be plated; the clamp (5) is used to make the sealing electroplating cover and the workpiece (4) to be plated tightly connected. The positive terminal of the power supply (6) is connected to the anode in the sealed electroplating cover, and the negative terminal is used to connect to the workpiece (4) to be plated. The electroplating solution storage tank (7) is connected to the liquid inlet and outlet in the sealed electroplating hood via a hose, and the plating solution pump (8) is installed on the hose to provide the driving force for the flow of the electroplating solution.