ELECTROPLATING ANODE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

An electroplating anode assembly includes primarily a bracket on which plural anode elements are disposed, with which anode element controlling the on or off of the circuit, respectively. The electroplating anode assembly enables a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force to be formed in an electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop, so as to secure the quality of electroplating of the product using a more aggressive and reliable means.

Claims

1. An electroplating anode assembly, comprising a bracket and plural anode elements, wherein the anode elements are disposed on the bracket, with each anode element being insulative from one another; in addition, plural conductive elements being provided, with each conductive element being connected electrically with each anode element, respectively.

2. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each conductive element is fixed on the bracket.

3. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a distributor for connecting with an external power source, wherein the distributor provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements disposed on each anode element and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element.

4. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a distributor for connecting with an external power source, wherein the distributor provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements disposed on each anode element and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element; each conductive element being fixed on the bracket; the distributor being provided with plural lead wires, with each lead wire being connected electrically with each conductive element.

5. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element is provided with plural meshes.

6. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a rectangular outline.

7. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a circular outline.

8. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests an elliptic outline.

9. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a triangular outline.

10. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a trapezoidal outline.

11. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests an L-shaped outline.

12. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is provided with two anode elements in a different outline.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of appearance of a first embodiment of an electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 shows a structural schematic view of a second embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows a structural schematic view of a third embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows a structural schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an operation of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The present invention provides primarily an electroplating anode assembly which provides an electroplating system with an ability of adjusting the electric power distribution, according to the shape of the product or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed. As shown in FIG. 1, the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention comprises a bracket 10 and plural anode elements 20, wherein the anode elements 20 are disposed on the bracket 10, with which anode element 20 being insulative from one another. In addition, there are plural conductive elements 30 which are connected electrically with each anode element 20, respectively.

[0017] In principle, when practically using the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, the electroplating anode assembly can be disposed in pairs in the electroplating bath, opposite to two sides of a cathode respectively. The product to be electroplated, whereas, is suspended on the cathode. Therefore, when the electric current is applied respectively to the anode end and the cathode end, metal ions will be precipitated and deposited on the cathode end in the electroplating solution in the electroplating bath due to the electrolytic reaction. When the metal ions are reduced on the cathode, a metal coating will be plated on the surface of the product.

[0018] As the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention is provided with a bracket 10 on which plural anode elements 20, with each anode element 20 being able to control the on or off of the circuit, are disposed, a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed in the electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements 20. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop. Therefore, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.

[0019] Upon implementing the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, the said each conductive element 30 can be fixed on the bracket 10, and it is preferred that an end of each conductive element 30 is extended out of the bracket 10 by a predetermined length, which not only facilitates the installation of the entire electroplating anode assembly, but also is easier to connect electrically the conductive elements 30 with an external power source.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 2 at a same time, the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention can further include a distributor 40 to connect with the external power source. The distributor 40 provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements 30 disposed on the anode elements 20, and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element 20.

[0021] A preferred structure configuration of the present invention is that the electroplating anode assembly further includes a distributor 40 to connect with an external power source, the distributor 40 provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements 30 disposed on the anode elements 20, is provided with plural switch circuits with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element 20, each conductive element 30 is fixed on the bracket 10, an end of each conductive element 30 is extended out of the bracket 10 by an predetermined length, and the distributor 40 is provided with plural lead wires 41 for connecting electrically with each conductive element 30, respectively.

[0022] Under all kinds of the abovementioned structure patterns that can be implemented, in the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, the said each anode element 20 is provided with plural meshes 21. In other words, the said anode element 20 can manifest as a structure pattern of a net or basket, so that the metal ions in the electroplating bath can have a better fluidity.

[0023] In addition, in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the said each anode element 20 is provided with a rectangular outline. Upon implementation, the said each anode element 20 can manifest as a circular outline as shown in FIG. 2, a square outline as shown in FIG. 3, or even an elliptic, triangular, trapezoidal or L-shaped outline as shown in FIG. 4. When necessary, the said electroplating anode assembly can be also provided on the bracket 10 with at least two anode elements 20 in a different outline. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the anode element 20 can be disposed at two sides of a workpiece 50, achieving an effect that the coating is more uniform.

[0024] Specifically, in the electroplating anode assembly disclosed by the present invention, plural anode elements, each of which is able to control the on or off of the circuit, are used primarily to form a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force in the electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop. Accordingly, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.

[0025] It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.