Flexible substrate plating rack
US6299745A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 3, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 9, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 3, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC25D17/08
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A rack suitable for holding a flexible substrate panel, the rack having a plurality of clamps for providing current to a panel clamped to the rack, the clamps being positioned to uniformly distribute current to the substrate. Seven clamps are used to hold a flexible substrate panel bearing a copper seed or other conductive layer in place on the rack wherein one tautens the substrate while attaching the clamps so as to clamp the substrate in a "wrinkle free" manner. The seven clamps are arranged with 3 clamps on each of the left and right sides and one clamp on the bottom, the clamps making electrical contact with conductive layers of both the front and back surfaces of the substrate panel. The arrangement of the clamps provides adequate support to the substrate, provides for a good and uniform current distribution on the substrate, and allows a relatively large amount of current to flow through the panel without burning off the conductive/seed layers. In one rack, a spring clamp biased open is used wherein a thumbscrew is tightened against a surface of the clamp to force it against its spring into a closed, clamping position. The use of the spring clamp prevents the rotating pressu…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.