Button plating jig and button plating method

Abstract

To provide a plating jig for buttons that can reduce the labor of attaching and detaching buttons.SOLUTION: The present invention pertains to a jig 100 used when electroplating metal buttons 10. The jig includes non-conductive front and back plates, each having a large number of holes for passing a plating solution, and one or more button housing parts 110A to 110D that are defined in a space between the front and back plates and can accommodate a plurality of buttons in a row so that the peripheral sides of two adjacent buttons face each other. The button housing parts include energizing bottoms 142 to 145 for energizing in contact with the plurality of buttons, and a button introduction port 111 provided on at least one of both ends of each of the button housing parts in a direction in which the plurality of buttons are arranged in a row. The jig further includes an opening / closing member 160 that can open / close the button introduction port and energizing vertical frames 102a, 102b for connecting the energizing bottom of each button housing part to a power supply.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plating jig for buttons and a method for plating buttons, and more particularly to a jig used when electroplating metal buttons, such as button bodies, snap buttons, and their components, and a method for electroplating buttons using this jig.

[0002] When electroplating a large number of metal buttons, etc., a plating jig with multiple horizontal bars with multiple hooks on the top and bottom is used. After the buttons to be plated are hooked onto each hook of the jig, the jig is immersed in a plating solution, and a voltage is applied from an external power source between each button and an electrode (anode) in the plating solution, causing a current to flow through the plating solution, plating each button. With this jig, it is necessary to hook each button onto the hook one by one and then remove each button from the hook one by one after plating, which is time-consuming. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0331924 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] One object of the present invention is to provide a plating jig for buttons that can reduce the effort required for attaching and detaching buttons.

[0005] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0331924 discloses a holder capable of holding multiple workpieces to be electroplated in guide tracks formed by rods. In this holder, the workpieces are closely arranged in each guide track so that they are in contact with each other. As a result, the contact points between two adjacent workpieces and between each workpiece and the rod may become fixed, which may cause plating defects at these contact points.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a plating jig for buttons and a method for plating buttons that are less likely to produce plating defects on buttons. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plating jig for buttons used when electroplating metal buttons, the jig comprising: non-conductive top and bottom plates each having a number of holes for passing a plating solution; and one or more button storage sections partitioned in the space between the top and bottom plates, each capable of storing a plurality of buttons arranged in a row so that the peripheral edges of two adjacent buttons face each other within each button storage section, each button storage section including an electric bottom section that comes into contact with the plurality of buttons stored in the button storage section to allow electricity to flow through it, and a button inlet provided on at least one of both ends of each button storage section in the direction in which the plurality of buttons are lined up in a row, the jig further comprising an opening / closing member that can open and close the button inlet, and an electric vertical frame that connects the electric bottom section of each button storage section to a power source.

[0008] In the present invention, metal buttons, particularly button bodies, snap buttons and their parts, are suitable targets for plating.

[0009] In the button plating jig of the present invention, one or more button storage compartments are defined between the top and bottom plates. Each button storage compartment contains a row of buttons, with the peripheral edges of adjacent buttons facing each other, i.e., with the peripheral edges of two adjacent buttons in contact with or adjacent to each other. After a number of buttons are introduced into each button storage compartment through a button inlet, each button inlet is closed with an opening / closing member. The jig is then immersed in a plating solution, and a voltage is applied between the jig and an anode in the plating solution using an external DC power source. The conductive bottom of each button storage compartment is connected to the negative terminal of the external DC power source via a vertical conductive frame or the like. The buttons in each button storage compartment are supported by the conductive bottom, and are in direct contact with the conductive bottom and with the plating solution flowing in through the numerous holes in the non-conductive top and bottom plates. This allows current to flow between the anode and each button via the plating solution or the like, plating each button.

[0010] In the button plating jig of the present invention, multiple buttons are fed into each button storage section through the button inlet, and the button inlet is closed with the opening / closing member to complete the setting of the buttons in the jig. After plating, the buttons can be removed from the jig by ejecting them from each button storage section through the button inlet. This reduces the effort required to install and remove buttons. Buttons can be inserted into and removed from each button storage section by tilting the jig as needed so that the buttons roll or slide from their peripheral edges along the conductive bottom.

[0011] In the present invention, each button housing can have a gap that allows each button to swing in the arranging direction when it contains the most buttons and the opening / closing member closes the button introduction port. In this case, each button housing is designed so that when buttons are packed most densely in each button housing and the button introduction port is closed by the opening / closing member, there remains a gap, i.e., a margin, for swinging each button in one direction or the other in the arranging direction. This gap allows the buttons in each button housing to swing in the arranging direction during plating, changing the contact points between each button and the conductive bottom in the arranging direction. This prevents the contact points from becoming fixed, making plating defects less likely to occur.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the jig includes a jig body including the top plate, the back plate, and the one or more button storage compartments, and the vertical conductive frame includes an angled upper portion extending upward at an angle relative to the jig body. In this case, when the button plating jig is placed in a plating tank, the angled upper portion of the vertical conductive frame is vertical. This allows the jig body to be tilted relative to the vertical, minimizing contact of the buttons with the top plate during plating. Note that if the buttons come into contact with the top plate during plating, the buttons' surfaces may be scraped or scratched. The angle of the angled upper portion relative to the jig body can be set, for example, to be between 15° and 45°.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a frame jig that can use a plurality of the above-described button plating jigs according to the present invention and arrange them in parallel at an incline. By using such a frame jig, a plurality of button plating jigs can be arranged in parallel in a plating tank at an incline relative to the vertical. This makes it possible to plate a large number of buttons at once while minimizing contact of the buttons with the top plate during plating.

[0014] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for electroplating metal buttons using a jig, comprising: a first step of arranging a plurality of buttons in a row in one or more button storage sections of the jig so that the peripheral sides of two adjacent buttons face each other; and a second step of immersing the jig in a plating solution and passing an electric current through the plating solution from an external power source, wherein in the second step, the plurality of buttons in each button storage section are swung in a direction in which the plurality of buttons are lined up in a row.

[0015] In the method for plating buttons according to the present invention, in the second step of immersing the jig in the plating solution and passing a current from an external power source through the plating solution, the buttons in each button storage compartment are swung in the direction of their arrangement, which prevents the electrical contacts of the buttons from becoming fixed, making plating defects less likely to occur. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] In the button plating jig according to the present invention, multiple buttons are fed into each button storage section through the button inlet, and the button inlet is closed with the opening / closing member to complete the setting of the buttons in the jig. After plating, the buttons can be removed from the jig by ejecting them from each button storage section through the button inlet. This reduces the effort required to install and remove buttons.

[0017] In addition, in the button plating jig and button plating method of the present invention, by allowing the buttons in each button storage section to swing in the aligned direction during plating, the electrical contacts of each button do not become fixed, making it less likely that plating defects will occur. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a plating jig for buttons according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the empty state before buttons are stored therein. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the plating jig for buttons, showing the state in which the buttons are being placed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway plan view of the plating jig for buttons, showing the state after the buttons have been placed therein. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the buttons. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view schematically showing a state in which a jig according to a second embodiment of the present invention is placed in a plating tank. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which, as an example, four plating jigs for buttons are tilted and arranged in parallel on a frame jig according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of FIG. 7, but only the jig is shown. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway plan view of the jig shown in FIG. 7 and other figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and can be modified within the scope of the claims.

[0020] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a plating jig for buttons (hereinafter also simply referred to as "jig") 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the empty state before buttons 10 (see FIGS. 2, 4, etc.) are accommodated. FIG. 2 is a plan view with a portion of the jig 100 cut away, showing the state in the middle of accommodating buttons 10. FIG. 3 is also a plan view with a portion of the jig 100 cut away, showing the state after buttons 10 have been accommodated. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3. In the following description, the up-down and left-right directions of the jig 100 are based on the plane of FIG. 1. Furthermore, the front and back sides of the jig 100 (and buttons 10) correspond to the left and right sides, respectively, on the plane of FIG. 4.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a side view of a button 10. The button 10 is an example of a metal button that can be electroplated using the jig 100. The button 10 is, for example, a cap portion of a snap button, which includes a leg portion with a protrusion extending from the center of one main surface of a flat plate, and a cap portion covering the other main surface of the leg and the peripheral edge of the one main surface of the leg. The button 10 includes a disk-shaped top plate 11 and a peripheral side plate 12 that serves as a peripheral side portion extending from the radially outer end of the top plate 11 to the back side. In this embodiment, the surface 11a of the top plate 11 is flat or a curved surface that is slightly convex toward the front side (upward in the plane of FIG. 5). Hereinafter, the surface 11a of the top plate 11 will be described based on FIG. 5 as being a curved surface that is slightly convex upward, but the surface 11a may also be flat. In this embodiment, the center 11b of the surface 11a protrudes most toward the front side. The inner and outer diameters of the peripheral side plate 12 are substantially constant in the axial direction (front-to-back direction) of the button 10. In this embodiment, the main targets of electroplating on the buttons 10 are the surface 11a of the top plate 11 and the outer surface 12a of the peripheral plate 12, but this is not limited thereto, and the back surface of the top plate 11 of the buttons 10 and the inner surface of the peripheral plate 12 may also be targets. In this embodiment, the thickness T of the buttons 10 is defined as the distance along the axial direction between the center 11b of the surface 11a of the top plate 11 and the back edge of the peripheral plate 12. Reference numeral D in FIG. 5 represents the diameter of the buttons 10. The diameter of the buttons 10 is, for example, Φ16 mm.

[0022] 1 to 4, a plating jig 100 for buttons includes a substantially rectangular box-shaped jig body 101 and two conductive vertical frames 102a, 102b connected to the left and right sides of the jig body 101 and extending upward from the jig body 101. The jig body 101 includes a front plate 120 and a back plate 130 each having a rectangular shape elongated in the left-right direction, five horizontal frames 140 that vertically divide the space between the front and back plates 120, 130 into, for example, four sections, a left-closing vertical frame 150 that closes the left end of the space between the front and back plates 120, 130, and a stopper 160 that serves as an opening / closing member that can open and close the right end of the space between the front and back plates 120, 130. The jig body 101 includes four button storage compartments 110 vertically divided by the five horizontal frames 140 between the front and back plates 120, 130. The left end of each button storage section 110 is closed by a left closing vertical frame 150. The right end of each button storage section 110 is open as a button introduction port 111 for introducing buttons 10 into each button storage section 110, and each button introduction port 111 is opened and closed by a stopper 160.

[0023] The lower portion of the conductive vertical frame 102a is connected to the jig body 101 so as to abut the left side of the left closing vertical frame 150. The left end of each button storage section 110 may be closed by the lower portion of the conductive vertical frame 102a rather than the left closing vertical frame 150. The area of ​​the jig body 101 near the button introduction port 111 of each button storage section 110 is reinforced by the right vertical frame 170. The lower portion of the conductive vertical frame 102b is connected to the jig body 101 so as to abut the right side of the right vertical frame 170. The right vertical frame 170 and the conductive vertical frame 102b leave the button introduction port 111 of each button storage section 110 open. The conductive vertical frames 102a and 102b are connected to the negative pole of an external DC power supply (not shown) via an electric wire or the like during plating. During plating, the vertical current-carrying frames 102a and 102b are driven by an actuator (not shown) so as to continuously swing left and right.

[0024] 1 and 3 show the stopper 160 closing the button introduction ports 111 of each button storage section 110 (closed state), while FIG. 2 shows the stopper 160 opening each button introduction port 111. The stopper 160 has a base 161 that is long in the vertical direction and four stopper portions 162 that protrude leftward from the base 161 and extend vertically. The back plate 130 of the jig body 101 includes an extension portion 130a (see FIG. 2) that extends rightward beyond the front plate 120. Screw-type fasteners 163 for fixing the stopper 160 in the closed state are disposed near the upper and lower ends of the front side of the extension portion 130a. Notches 164 for receiving the fasteners 163 are provided near the upper and lower ends of the base 161 of the stopper 160. Stopper 160 is placed in a closed state by arranging fasteners 163 so that they are received in notches 164, and then tightening the screws of fasteners 163. Each button introduction port 111 can be opened by loosening the screws of each fastener 163 and removing stopper 160. Referring to FIG. 3, when stopper 160 is in the closed state, each plug portion 162 of stopper 160 slightly extends from each button introduction port 111 toward each button storage portion 110. Furthermore, in the closed state, the right end of base 161 of stopper 160 coincides with the right end of extension portion 130a of back plate 130.

[0025] The front plate 120 and the back plate 130 are each made of a non-conductive material and have numerous holes 121, 131 (see FIG. 4, etc.) for passing a plating solution through the button storage section 110. In this embodiment, the front plate 120 is a mesh sheet made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene, and the back plate 130 is a polyvinyl chloride plate with numerous punched holes (131). As can be seen from FIG. 4, the thickness of the back plate 130 is greater than that of the front plate 120, but may be the same. The holes 121, 131 of the front plate 120 and the back plate 130 are large enough to prevent the buttons 10 from passing through. The distance between the front plate 120 and the back plate 130, i.e., the length of the button storage section 110 in the front-to-back direction, is set to be slightly larger than the thickness T of the buttons 10 but less than twice the thickness T of the buttons 10.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 3, the five horizontal frames 140 are, from top to bottom, a first horizontal frame 141, a second horizontal frame 142, a third horizontal frame 143, a fourth horizontal frame 144, and a fifth horizontal frame 145. Hereinafter, the four button storage compartments 110 are also referred to as a first storage compartment 110A, a second storage compartment 110B, a third storage compartment 110C, and a fourth storage compartment 110D, from top to bottom. The first horizontal frame 141 closes the space between the upper ends of the front and back plates 120 and 130 and defines the top surface of the first storage compartment 110A. The second horizontal frame 142 defines the bottom surface of the first storage compartment 110A and the top surface of the second storage compartment 110B. The third horizontal frame 143 is located in the vertical middle of the front and back plates 120 and 130 and defines the bottom surface of the second storage compartment 110B and the top surface of the third storage compartment 110C. The fourth horizontal frame 144 defines the bottom surface of the third storage section 110C and the top surface of the fourth storage section 110D. The fifth horizontal frame 145 closes the space between the lower ends of the front and back plates 120 and 130 and defines the bottom surface of the fourth storage section 110D. In this embodiment, the thickness of the first, third, and fifth horizontal frames 141, 143, and 145 in the front-to-back direction is slightly greater than the distance between the front and back plates 120 and 130, and the front and back surfaces of the first, third, and fifth horizontal frames 141, 143, and 145 are exposed to the outside of the jig body 101. The thickness of the second and fourth horizontal frames 142 and 144 in the front-to-back direction is approximately the same as the distance between the front and back plates 120 and 130, and the second and fourth horizontal frames 142 and 144 fit between the front and back plates 120 and 130. The front and back surfaces of the left closed vertical frame 150 and the right vertical frame 170 are flush with the front and back surfaces of the first, third and fifth horizontal frames 141, 143, 145.

[0027] The buttons 10 are introduced into each button housing 110 through the corresponding button introduction port 111. Each button housing 110 has substantially the same dimensions, and the distance between each button housing 110 in the front-to-back direction is set to be slightly greater than the thickness T of the buttons 10 but less than twice the thickness T, as described above. This prevents two buttons 10 from overlapping in the front-to-back direction of the button housing 110. The length of each button housing 110 in the up-to-down direction is set to be slightly greater than the diameter D of the buttons 10. The length of each button housing 110 in the up-to-down direction is less than twice the diameter D of the buttons 10. This prevents two buttons 10 from overlapping in the up-to-down direction of each button housing 110. The multiple buttons 10 introduced into each button housing 110 are lined up in a row so that the peripheral side plates 12 of two horizontally adjacent buttons 10 face each other. The direction in which the buttons 10 are lined up in a row in each button storage section 110 is referred to as the "line-up direction" in this specification.

[0028] The left-right length of each button storage section 110 is defined as the distance between the right side of the left closing vertical frame 150 that closes the left end of each button storage section 110 and the left end face of each stopper section 162 of the stopper 160 in the closed state. The left-right length of this button storage section 110 is set so that when each button storage section 110 contains the maximum number of buttons 10, there is a gap M (see FIG. 3) that allows the buttons 10 to swing in the arrangement direction. This gap M is less than the diameter D of the buttons 10, and is preferably about half the diameter D.

[0029] The second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145 that define the bottom surfaces of the first to fourth housing sections 110A, 110B, 110C, and 110D, respectively, are conductive bottom sections that come into contact with the plurality of buttons 10 housed in each button housing section 110 to allow electricity to flow through them. More specifically, the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145 are made of a conductive material and support the plurality of buttons 10 housed in each button housing section 110 so as to be in direct contact with the buttons 10. During plating, electricity flows between the buttons 10 and the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145. The first horizontal frame 141 may also be made of a conductive material, but is preferably made of a non-conductive material in terms of the durability of the jig 100.

[0030] The second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145 are electrically connected to the current-carrying vertical frames 102a and 102b. In this embodiment, referring to Fig. 4, the current-carrying vertical frames 102a and 102b are fastened to the left and right ends of the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145 with non-conductive screws 103, thereby bringing the current-carrying vertical frames 102a and 102b into contact with the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145, thereby conducting electricity.

[0031] Next, the process (first process) of storing multiple buttons 10 in each button storage section 110 of the jig 100 will be described. First, multiple buttons 10 are fed into each button storage section 110 of the jig body 101 through the button introduction port 111. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the jig body 101 is tilted so that the left side faces downward. This allows each button 10 to roll or slide from the button introduction port 111 to the left end of each button storage section 110 on the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145, making the button storage process easier. As an example, the maximum number of buttons 10 can be placed in the lowest fourth storage section 110D, followed by the third storage section 110C, the second storage section 110B, and the first storage section 110A, with the same number of buttons 10. While each button storage section 110 stores the maximum number of buttons 10, this is not limiting. The centers of the buttons 10 in each button storage section 110 are aligned on a straight line along the direction of arrangement. After the buttons 10 have been stored in each button storage section 110, the stopper 160 is closed. This completes the setting of the buttons 10 in the jig 100.

[0032] Next, the plating step (second step) will be described. First, the jig body 101 of the jig 100 is immersed in a plating solution (not shown) in a plating tank (see reference number 1 in FIG. 6). An anode (see reference number 2 in FIG. 6) is placed in the plating solution and connected to the positive terminal of a DC power supply outside the plating solution. The vertical current-carrying frames 102a and 102b of the jig 100 are connected to the negative terminal of the DC power supply. As an example, a plate-shaped anode is placed vertically in the plating solution, and the distance between this anode and the jig 100 is preferably, for example, approximately 300 mm. Furthermore, although not shown, the upper ends of the vertical current-carrying frames 102a and 102b exposed to the outside of the plating solution are connected to the output portion of an actuator for swinging the jig body 101 left and right. In this state, a voltage is applied between the anode in the plating solution and the jig body 101 from an external power supply, causing a current to flow through the plating solution. As a result, each button 10 housed in the jig body 101 is electrified through the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, 145 which are the conductive bottom of each button housing section 110, and each button 10 is plated.

[0033] During the plating process, the jig body 101 is continuously oscillated back and forth by the actuator. The oscillation conditions are, for example, an oscillation speed of 50 reciprocations per minute and a lateral oscillation stroke of 94 mm. This causes each button 10 in each button storage section 110 to oscillate back and forth in the arranging direction during plating. That is, each button 10 rolls or slides on the second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145 in one direction in the arranging direction, then rolls or slides to the other direction in the arranging direction, repeating this movement back and forth in the arranging direction. This causes the contact points between each button 10 and the conductive bottom (second to fifth horizontal frames 142, 143, 144, and 145) to shift in the arranging direction, preventing plating defects such as plating burns. It also reduces uneven plating thickness.

[0034] Once the plating process and subsequent processing are completed, the stopper 160 is removed from the jig body 101, the jig body 101 is tilted so that the right side is downward, and the buttons 10 in each button storage section 110 can be easily discharged through the open button inlet 111.

[0035] [Second embodiment] FIG. 6 is a side view schematically illustrating a jig 100a according to a second embodiment of the present invention placed in a plating tank 1. The jig 100a of the second embodiment differs from the jig 100 of the first embodiment in that the portions of the conductive vertical frames 102a and 102b extending upward from the jig body 101 are angled and connected to the jig body 101 as angled upper portions 102c. The configuration of the jig 100a other than the angled upper portions 102c is substantially the same as that of the jig 100; therefore, in FIG. 6, the jig body is designated by the reference numeral 101 and the front plate is designated by the reference numeral 120. Referring to FIG. 6, when placing the jig 100a in the plating tank 1, the angled upper portions 102c are vertical. This allows the jig body 101 to be tilted at an angle θ relative to the vertical. The angle θ can be, for example, 15° to 45°, more preferably 20°. During plating, particularly when the jig 100a is oscillated, the surfaces 11a of the buttons 10 may come into contact with and rub against the front plate 120 of the jig body 101, scratching the surface 11a and resulting in poor appearance. By tilting the jig body 101 at an angle θ, it is possible to reduce contact between the surfaces 11a of the buttons 10 and the front plate 120 of the jig body 101 during oscillation, thereby preventing poor appearance.

[0036] 6, as an example, a plate-shaped anode 2 is placed vertically in the plating tank 1. If the distance between the anode 2 and the jig body 101 is too short, plating burns may occur. Therefore, as an example, plating burns can be effectively prevented by setting the distance D1 between the anode 2 and the upper end of the jig body 101 to 300 mm or more and the distance D2 between the anode 2 and the lower end of the jig body 101 to 260 mm or more.

[0037] [Third embodiment] FIG. 7 is a side view showing four button plating jigs 100A arranged in a tilted parallel arrangement on a frame jig 200 according to the present invention, as an example. FIG. 8 is a front view of FIG. 7, but only one jig 100A is shown. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway plan view of the jig 100A shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Referring to FIG. 9, the jig 100A according to the present invention differs from the jig 100 of the first embodiment mainly in the following respects: the left and right conductive vertical frames 102aA and 102bA of the jig 100A do not extend above the jig body 101A. Furthermore, the jig body 101A is longer in the left-right direction than the jig body 101, which increases the number of buttons 10 that can be accommodated in each button accommodating section 110E. Other than these points, the configuration of jig 100A is substantially the same as jig 100, and jig 100A includes a front plate 120A, a back plate 130A, second to fifth horizontal frames 142A, 143A, 144A, 145A, a stopper 160A, etc. The second to fifth horizontal frames 142A, 143A, 144A, 145A serve as conductive bottoms of the corresponding button storage compartments 110E.

[0038] 7 and 8, multiple jigs 100A are connected to the frame jig 200 in parallel at an angle. Specifically, the jigs 100A are connected to the frame jig 200 at an angle of 15° to 45°, more preferably 20°, similar to the angle θ (see FIG. 6) described above in connection with the second embodiment. By setting such an angle, contact of the surfaces 11a of the buttons 10 with the front panel 120A of the jigs 100A can be reduced, thereby preventing poor appearance. The frame jig 200 is configured in a substantially rectangular box shape, consisting of left and right vertical frames 201 and multiple horizontal frames 202 arranged above and below. An extension member 203 extending upward is added to the top horizontal frame 202. These vertical frame 201, horizontal frame 202 and extension member 203 are electrically conductive, and jig 100A is attached to frame jig 200 using conductive screws or the like so as to be electrically connected to electrically conductive vertical frames 102aA, 102bA of jig 100A. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10 Buttons 12 Peripheral side plate (peripheral side part) 100, 100a, 100A Button plating jig 101, 101A Jig body 102a, 102b, 102aA, 102bA Conductive vertical frame 110, 110E Button storage section 110A First storage section 110B Second storage section 110C Third storage section 110D 4th storage compartment 111 Button inlet 120, 120A top plate 121 holes 130, 130A back plate 131 holes 140 Horizontal frame 142, 142A 2nd horizontal frame (current carrying bottom) 143, 143A 3rd horizontal frame (current carrying bottom) 144, 144A 4th horizontal frame (current carrying bottom) 145, 145A 5th horizontal frame (current carrying bottom) 150 Left closed vertical frame 160, 160A Stopper (opening and closing part) 162 Plug part

Claims

1. A jig used when electroplating metal buttons, a non-conductive front plate and a back plate, each of which has a number of holes for passing a plating solution; one or more button storage sections defined in the space between the front plate and the back plate, each capable of storing a plurality of buttons arranged in a line such that the peripheral sides of two adjacent buttons in each button storage section face each other; Each button storage section is a conductive bottom portion that is arranged along the direction in which the plurality of buttons are lined up in a row so as to define the bottom surface of each of the button housing portions, and that comes into contact with the plurality of buttons housed in each of the button housing portions to allow electricity to flow therethrough; a button introduction port provided at at least one of both end portions in the arrangement direction of each of the button storage sections, The jig is an opening / closing member capable of opening and closing the button introduction port; A plating jig for buttons, characterized in that it further comprises an electrically conductive vertical frame connected to the end of the electrically conductive bottom of each button storage section so as to be in electrical communication with the electrically conductive bottom, for connecting the electrically conductive bottom to a power source.

2. 2. The plating jig for buttons as described in claim 1, wherein each of the button storage sections has a gap that allows each button to swing in the arrangement direction when it stores the largest number of buttons and the opening / closing member closes the button inlet.

3. 3. The plating jig for buttons according to claim 1, wherein the button inlet is provided at only one of both end portions of each button storage section in the arrangement direction.

4. a jig body including the front plate, the back plate, and the one or more button accommodating portions, A plating jig for buttons as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conductive vertical frame includes an angled upper portion connected to the jig body so as to extend at an angle relative to the front plate of the jig body.

5. A plating jig for buttons as described in Claim 4, wherein when the conductive vertical frame is positioned vertically, the jig body is connected at an angle that is greater than 15° and less than 45° relative to the vertical.

6. A frame jig having electrical conductivity that can be arranged vertically with a plurality of plating jigs for buttons according to any one of claims 1 to 3 tilted, A frame jig comprising a vertical frame, a horizontal frame connected to the vertical frame, and an extension member connected to the top horizontal frame, and the frame jig is attached so that the conductive vertical frames of a plurality of the plating jigs for buttons are electrically connected to each other.

7. A method for electroplating metal buttons using the jig according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: a first step of accommodating a plurality of buttons in a line in one or more button accommodating sections of the jig so that the peripheral sides of two adjacent buttons face each other; a second step of immersing the jig in a plating solution and passing a current from an external power source through the plating solution; A button plating method characterized in that in the second step, the multiple buttons in each button storage section are swung in a direction in which the multiple buttons are lined up in a single row.

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