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(11) | EP 1 347 081 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
A plating method and apparatus with fixed immersed plating tool Plattierungsvorrichtung und -verfahren mit befestigtem eingetauchtem Plattierungswerkzeug Procédé et appareil de placage ayant un instrument de placage immergé fixé |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] The invention relates to a plating method, in which the object to be coated is immersed in a bath in a basin, a plating tool is kept permanently immersed in the bath in the basin and the object to be coated is not placed in conjunction with the plating tool until inside the bath. The invention also relates to a plating apparatus, which comprises a plating basin containing the liquid bath and the plating tool immersed permanently in the liquid bath.
[0003] When objects are plated electrolytically with chromium, the plating period is long, which is often due to the thick plating layer required, and the fact that in electrolysis, chromium is reduced poorly and requires much electricity. This necessitates strong electric fields, and it must be possible to direct them to a desired point at the desired intensity.
[0004] In the methods currently applied the plating tool, such as anode plates, electric field screens, etc., is fixed to the object to be coated outside the bath and then immersed in the bath together with the object to be coated. The anodes are often contaminated and difficult to handle.
[0005] From the inventor's certificate SU 509664 is known a method and apparatus of the type mentioned above. In this known solution, the anode acting as the plating tool is fixed around a mounting bar in the basin. The electric current for this anode must be provided by a particular contactor arrangement located on a cover which can be opened and closed.
[0006] The aim of the invention is to improve known methods and apparatuses in such a way that the handling of plating tools will be substantially facilitated and production will thus be increased.
[0007] This aim is achieved by means of the invention, in accordance with the characteristics presented in the accompanying claims. Claim 1 discloses the characteristic features of the method and claim 4 discloses the characteristic features of the apparatus.
[0008] Since in the solution according to the invention the tool is permanently in the basin and the object to be coated is placed in conjunction with the tool inside the bath, only the object to be coated needs to be changed. The attachments of the tool or the supply of electricity or chemicals to the tool do not have to be disassembled and reassembled when objects are changed.
[0009] One embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a section of the plating basin with its plating apparatus, by means of which the method according to the invention can be implemented.
[0010] In the following, the invention is described when applied to electrolytic plating, but it may be applied more widely in hydrometallurgy, in which case a pipe or duct 3 arranged in the basin 1 will serve the supply of chemicals or when, for example, technical nickel plating is carried out without electricity by means of reduction on desired surfaces. Reducing chemicals or electrolytes in general can be supplied through the pipe 3 to the tool.
[0011] Most preferably the invention is, however, applicable to electrolytic plating with chromium (hard chromium plating).
[0012] In the embodiment described, the plating basin 1 is, for example, a plastic-coated steel basin containing electrolytic liquid 2. The basin 1 comprises one or more vertical pipes 3 passing through the bottom of the basin, the upper ends of which extend above the liquid surface. In the pipe 3 is located a conductor rail which is fixed to a plate 6 resting on the upper end of the pipe 3, the plate being of electrically extremely conductive material, for example, copper. On the plate 6 are suspended the anode plates 5, which settle around the pipe 3 in a circle. Through the pipe 3 can also be arranged current supply to the cathode. This type of an arrangement may advantageously be used in the processing industry for the internal plating of tubular objects.
[0013] The object 7 to be coated is immersed in the basin 1 by means of a suspender 8 supported on the upper end of the pipe 3 which comprises a lifting lug 8a. Reference numeral 9 denotes the plating precipitated on the inner surface of the object 7.
[0014] In addition to the anodes 5, the plating tool often comprises current screens located, for example, in the vicinity of the ends of the object 7. This type of current screens or other components of the apparatus associated with the plating tool may also be supported or suspended on the pipe 3 in such a way that they will be permanently in the basin for as long as identical objects are being coated. When the object to be coated changes, the plating tools are changed or replaced in accordance with the object to be coated.
[0015] Through the pipe 3 may also be conducted cooling water or compressed air or the hydraulics required, for example, for expanding or contracting the anodes.
[0017] In the following is in addition a short list of essential features relating to the invention:
- 1. The plating tools are fixedly in the basin (conventional method: the tool is lifted into the basin together with the object to be coated)
- 2. The objects to be coated are placed in tools already present in the basin (conventional method: the object to be coated is fixed on the plating tool outside the basin)
- 3. The new basin makes possible efficient serial working, which saves time and work substantially
- 4. Makes possible automated operation
- 5. Applicable for use in both chemical and electrical precipitation
- 6. The apparatus is particularly well suited for internal plating
- 7. The supply of electrical current or chemicals used in the plating takes place mainly through ducts passed through the bottom of the basin
- 8. The apparatus is also suitable for electrolytic polishing
- 9. The basin system also comprises all other auxiliary equipment required for managing the bath (e.g. heating, cooling, filtration, chemicals' supply, etc.) located either in the plating basin itself, an auxiliary basin or in the vicinity of the basin.
1. A plating method, in which an object (7) to be coated is immersed in a liquid bath
(2) in a basin (1), a plating tool (5) is kept permanently immersed in the bath (2)
in the basin (2) and the object (7) to be coated is placed in conjunction with the
plating tool (5) not until inside the bath (2), characterised In that the plating tool (5) is kept outside a pipe or duct (3) passed through the basin,
the pipe or duct (3) being empty of but surrounded by the liquid bath, that the object
(7), to be coated is immersed In the basin (1) outside the pipe or duct (3), and that
electric current and/or chemicals are supplied to the plating tool (5) through the
said pipe or duct (3).
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 for electrolytic plating, characterised in that the plating tool, which comprises anodes (5), is kept permanently In the basin around
the pipe or duct (3), that the current is conveyed to the anodes (5) by means of a
conductor rail (4) located in the pipe (3) in the basin, the pipe (3) being surrounded
by electrolytic liquid (2) and extends above the liquid surface.
3. A method as claimed In claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the object (7) to be coated is immersed In the basin (1) by means of a suspender
(8) supported on the upper end of the pipe (3).
4. A plating apparatus, which comprises a plating basin (1) containing a liquid bath
(2) and a plating tool (5) immersed in the liquid bath (2), the said tool being permanently
in the basin, characterised in that in the basin is a pipe (3) surrounded by the liquid bath (2), the pipe being empty
of the liquid bath, and that the plating tool (5) is arranged in conjunction with
the pipe outside the pipe and that the pipe comprises means (4) for supplying electricity
or chemicals to the plating tool (5).
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 for electrolytic plating, characterised In that the plating tool comprises anodes (5) to which a current is supplied by means of
a conductor rail (4) located in the pipe (3) in the basin (1), which the electrolytic
liquid (2) surrounds and which extends above the liquid surface.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterised in that one or more vertical pipes (3) pass through the bottom of the basin (1).
7. An apparatus as claimed in any of the claims 4 to 6, characterised in that an object (7) to be coated can be immersed in the basin (1) by means of a suspender
(8) supported on the upper end of the pipe (3).
8. An apparatus as claimed in any of the claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the anode plates (5) comprised in the plating tools are arranged in a circle surrounding
the pipe (3) and the arrangement is used for the internal plating of tubular objects
of the processing industry.
9. An apparatus as claimed In any of the claims 4 to 8, characterised in that one or more pipes (3) surrounded by the liquid bath (2) are located symmetrically
in the basin (1).
10. The use of the method according to any of the claims 1 to 3 or of the apparatus according
to any of the claims 4 to 8 for plating objects with an internal chromium coating
(9).
1. Plattierverfahren, in welchem ein zu beschichtender Gegenstand (7) in ein Flüssigkeitsbad
(2) in einem Becken (1) getaucht wird, ein Plattierwerkzeug (5) dauerhaft in das Bad
(2) in dem Becken (1) getaucht gehalten wird und der zu beschichtende Gegenstand (7)
so lange nicht in Verbindung mit dem Plattierwerkzeug (5) angeordnet wird, bis er
sich im Bad (2) befindet, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Plattierwerkzeug (5) außerhalb einer Leitung oder eines Kanals (3) gehalten wird,
die/der durch das Becken verläuft, wobei die Leitung oder der Kanal (3) nicht mit
dem Flüssigkeitsbad gefüllt ist, aber von ihm umgeben ist, dadurch, dass der zu beschichtende Gegenstand (7) außerhalb der Leitung oder des Kanals (3)
in das Becken (1) getaucht wird und dadurch, dass dem Plattierwerkzeug (5) durch die Leitung oder den Kanal (3) elektrischer
Strom und/oder Chemikalien zugeführt werden.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 zum elektrolytischen Plattieren, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Plattierwerkzeug, das Anoden (5) umfasst, dauerhaft in das Becken um die Leitung
oder den Kanal (3) gehalten wird, dadurch, dass der Strom mit Hilfe einer Stromschiene (4), die in der Leitung (3) in dem Becken
angeordnet ist, zu den Anoden (5) geleitet wird, wobei die Leitung (3) von Elektrolyseflüssigkeit
(2) umgeben ist und über der Flüssigkeitsoberfläche verläuft.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zu beschichtende Gegenstand (7) mit Hilfe einer Aufhängung (8), die vom oberen
Ende der Leitung (3) gestützt wird, in das Becken (1) getaucht wird.
4. Plattiervorrichtung, die ein Plattierbecken (1), das ein Flüssigkeitsbad (2) enthält,
und ein Plattierwerkzeug (5), das in das Flüssigkeitsbad (2) getaucht ist, umfasst,
wobei sich das Werkzeug dauerhaft im Becken befindet, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sich im Becken eine Leitung (3) befindet, die von dem Flüssigkeitsbad (2) umgeben
ist, wobei die Leitung nicht mit dem Flüssigkeitsbad gefüllt ist, und dadurch, dass das Plattierwerkzeug (5) außerhalb der Leitung in Verbindung mit der Leitung
angeordnet ist und dass die Leitung Mittel (4) umfasst, um dem Plattierwerkzeug (5)
Elektrizität oder Chemikalien zuzuführen.
5. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 4 zum elektrolytischen Plattieren, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Plattierwerkzeug Anoden (5) umfasst, denen mit Hilfe einer Stromschiene (4),
die in der Leitung (3) im Becken (1) angeordnet ist, die von der Elektrolyseflüssigkeit
(2) umgeben ist und die über der Flüssigkeitsoberfläche verläuft, ein Strom zugeführt
wird.
6. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 4 oder 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass durch den Boden des Beckens (1) eine oder mehrere vertikale Leitungen (3) verlaufen.
7. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 4 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein zu beschichtender Gegenstand (7) mit Hilfe einer Aufhängung (8), die vom oberen
Ende der Leitung (3) gestützt ist, in das Becken (1) getaucht werden kann.
8. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 4 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die in den Plattierwerkzeugen enthaltenen Anodenplatten (5) in einem Kreis angeordnet
sind, der die Leitung (3) umgibt, und dass die Anordnung für das innenseitige Plattieren
röhrenförmiger Gegenstände der verarbeitenden Industrie verwendet wird.
9. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 4 bis 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass eine oder mehrere Leitungen (3), die vom Flüssigkeitsbad (2) umgeben sind, im Becken
(1) symmetrisch angeordnet sind.
10. Verwendung des Verfahrens nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3 oder der Vorrichtung nach
einem der Ansprüche 4 bis 8 zum Plattieren von Gegenständen mit einer innenseitigen
Chrombeschichtung (9).
1. Procédé de placage, dans lequel un objet (7) à revêtir est immergé dans un bain liquide
(2) dans une bassine (1), un outil de placage (5) est gardé immergé en permanence
dans le bain (2) dans le bassin (1) et l'objet (7) à revêtir est placé en conjonction
avec l'outil de placage (5) pas jusque dans l'intérieur du bain (2), caractérisé en ce que l'outil de placage (5) est gardé à l'extérieur d'un tuyau ou d'une conduite (3) passant
à travers le bassin, le tuyau ou la conduite (3) étant vide mais entouré par le bain
liquide, que l'objet (7) à plaquer est immergé dans le bassin (1) en dehors du tuyau
ou de la conduite (3) et que du courant électrique et/ou des produits chimiques sont
apportés à l'outil de placage (5) par ledit tuyau ou ladite conduite (3).
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1 pour le placage électrolytique, caractérisé en ce que l'outil de placage qui comprend des anodes (5) est gardé en permanence dans le bassin
autour du tuyau ou de la conduite (3), que le courant est amené aux anodes (5) au
moyen d'un rail conducteur (4) situé dans le tuyau (3) dans le bassin, le tuyau (3)
étant entouré par un liquide électrolytique (2) et s'étendant au-dessus de la surface
liquide.
3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que l'objet (7) à plaquer est immergé dans le bassin (1) au moins d'un suspenseur (8)
supporté par l'extrémité supérieure du tuyau (3).
4. Appareil de placage, comprenant un bassin de placage (1) contenant un bain liquide
(2) et un outil de placage (5) immergé dans le bain liquide (2), ledit outil étant
en permanence dans le bassin, caractérisé en ce que le bassin est un tuyau (3) entouré par le bain liquide (2), le tuyau étant vide de
bain liquide, et que l'outil de placage (5) est disposé en conjonction avec le tuyau
à l'extérieur du tuyau et que le tuyau comprend des moyens (4) de fourniture d'électricité
ou de produits chimiques à l'outil de placage (5).
5. Appareil selon la revendication 4 pour le placage électrolytique, caractérisé en ce que l'outil de placage comprend des anodes (5) auxquelles un courant est fourni au moyen
d'un rail conducteur (4) situé dans le tuyau (3) dans le bassin (1) et qui est entouré
par le liquide électrolytique (2) et s'étend au-dessus de la surface du liquide.
6. Appareil selon la revendication 4 ou 5, caractérisé en ce qu'une ou plusieurs conduites verticales (3) passent à travers le fond du bassin (1).
7. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 6, caractérisé en ce qu'un objet (7) à plaquer peut être immergé dans le bassin (1) au moyen d'un suspenseur
(8) supporté par l'extrémité supérieure du tuyau (3).
8. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 6, caractérisé en ce que les plaques d'anode (5) comprises dans les outils de placage sont disposées en un
cercle entourant le tuyau (3) et que cet agencement est utilisé pour le placage interne
d'objets tubulaires de l'industrie de transformation.
9. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 6, caractérisé en ce qu'un ou plusieurs tuyaux (3) entourés par le bain de liquide (2) sont placés symétriquement
dans le bassin (1).
10. Utilisation du procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3 ou de l'appareil
selon l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 8 pour plaquer des objets avec un revêtement
de chrome intérieur (9).