Clamp for use with electroplating apparatus and method of using the same

USRE37050E · kind E · reissue

Assignee

• Process Automation International Limited · CN

Inventor

• Paul Hennington · Tsuen Wan, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 30, 1998
• Grant date: Feb 13, 2001
• Expiry date: Dec 30, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

A clamp for use in an electrolytic plating bath is disclosed. The clamp comprises .[.two levers.]. .Iadd.at least two opposing levers, at least one lever being .Iaddend.pivotally attached to .[.each other at.]. a fulcrum wherein the clamp, when floating on top of a liquid, is in an open position but when submerged is caused, by virtue of its buoyancy, to move to a closed position. Each lever comprises a first part integrally attached to a second part. The first part and the second part are situated on opposite sides of the fulcrum from each other such that rotational movement about the fulcrum between the open position and the closed position causes the second parts of each lever to move from an upper position to a lower position. In operation, at least one substrate is supported in a substantially vertical plane for submersion into an electrolyte bath. The substrate is positioned over the electrolyte bath and then is submersed into it. The clamp clamps the substrate at its lower edge as the substrate enters the electrolyte bath.