Electroplating Substrate Holding Device with Electrical Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electroplating devices face challenges in handling and processing sensitive substrates like thin solar cells, which are fragile and require careful handling, often leading to increased mechanical effort or slower processing due to their sensitivity.
Innovation Solution
A device with a frame and frame legs forming receiving fields, equipped with projections for mechanical support and electrical contacting, allowing for the simultaneous handling and processing of multiple substrates without individual manipulation, reducing mechanical stress and enabling precise electrical contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If substrates are transported on transport rollers in the manner of a roller conveyor, then handling is simplified, but mechanical stress on fragile substrates increases and processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a receiving device with frame legs and supports as an intermediary carrier between the substrate and transport rollers. The substrate rests on the supports rather than directly on rollers, distributing mechanical stress through the frame structure while maintaining ease of transport. This intermediary device protects fragile substrates during handling and transport through the electroplating device.
2Reliability
If individual substrate handling is performed with care, then substrate damage is reduced, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple substrates onto a single receiving device with multiple supports, allowing simultaneous transport and processing of multiple substrates. The frame structure with multiple frame legs and supports enables batch handling, where several substrates are processed together rather than individually, significantly increasing productivity while maintaining protection through the shared frame structure.
3Reliability
If mechanical gripping devices are used for careful handling, then substrate protection improves, but mechanical effort and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving device with its frame legs and supports provides self-service protection for substrates. The passive structural design inherently distributes and reduces mechanical stress without requiring active gripping mechanisms. The substrate is supported by the frame structure itself, eliminating the need for complex mechanical grippers while maintaining careful handling through the distributed support system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables robust and precise handling of sensitive substrates, reducing mechanical stress and allowing for efficient processing and transport of multiple substrates simultaneously, while maintaining electrical contact and minimizing coating deposition on contacting devices.
Implementation Method 1
an electroplating device with a flow path for substrates through a treatment chamber
Implementation Method 2
electrical contact is made to the substrate side in contact with the supports
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6
AI summary
In order to treat solar cells (26) in an electroplating device (30), they can be inserted into a grid-like or tray-like picking-up device (11). They are thus mechanically held and electrical contact is made with them via contacts (24). Instead of individual solar cells (26), the picking-up devices (11) are moved with a large number of inserted solar cells through the electroplating device (30) for treatment. Electrical contact is in this case made with the solar cells (26) by means of the contacts (24) and the frame limbs (12, 14) on a projecting angle section (16) together with edge strips (17) of the pick-up. Contact rollers (42) rest on the edge strips and are connected to an electrical power source (44).