Clamp for electroplating articles
US6342138B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 1, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 29, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC25D17/06
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An electroplating rack includes a cathode flight bar from which depends an insulated rack bar over an acid bath. A clamp is fixed to the rack bar, and has a bridge electrically connected to the flight bar through a conducting core inside the insulated rack bar. The clamp has a main body made of plastic, which includes a slot in which protrudes the bridge. An electrically conducting spring clip is installed in the slot, and is formed of two arms continuously biased into a spreaded, opened condition in the slot. A screw carried by the main body, when rotated in a first direction, can force the spring clip into a closed condition, in which it can hold an article to be electroplated between its two arms, and in which one of the spring clip arms is forced against the bridge member. Thus, electrical current can pass through the rack flight bar and conducting core, then through the bridge member, the spring clip and finally into the article to be electroplated. Once the rack is lowered to submerge the article into the acid bath, the latter will be electroplated with this current passing through the article.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.