Metal deforming – With cutting – By composite tool
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-29
2001-11-13
Crane, Daniel C. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
With cutting
By composite tool
C072S047000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314785
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a plated product in which the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is plated, and to a method and apparatus for producing it.
2 Prior Art
When the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is to be plated, it has been conventionally attempted to form fine recesses on the material before plating it, so as to enhance the adhesion of the material with a thin film of metal (plating). To form the recesses, various methods have been proposed. For example, in a certain method, fine powder particles are caused to hit the material. In another method, a certain kind of substance or fine particles that are dissolvable in a specified solution are previously embedded near the surface of the material, or mixed with the material, and the substance or fine particles are then dissolved in the solution.
In the former method, the sizes of the fine powder particles range from several tens to several hundreds of &mgr;m. Therefore, the fine recesses are formed by plastic deformation or a cutting force resulting from the collisions of the powder particles with the material to be plated. FIG.
1
(
a
) shows a recess mainly formed by the plastic deformation made by the powder particles hitting the surface of the material at substantially right angles to it. FIG.
1
(
b
) shows a recess mainly formed by the cutting force formed by the powder particles hitting the surface of the material at an acute angle of incidence to the surface. Each of these recesses has a form that opens outwards, like a state after a meteorite has collided with a planet. Therefore, when the surface of the material is plated, the adhesion of the thin film of metal to the surface depends on the thin film of metal's own adhesive force, the resistance due to the uneven surface of the material, and the area of adhesion. Therefore, the following problems have occurred:
When a force is applied in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the material, not only the thin film of metal's own adhesive force, but also a resistant force (peeling resistance) is generated, in response to the resistance due to the uneven surface of the material, and to the size of the area where the metal adheres to the surface of the material to be plated. When a force is applied at substantially right angles to the surface of the material, the adhesion of the thin film of metal to the surface of the material depends only on the adhesion force of the thin film of metal, and the resistance due to the uneven surface of the material and the size of the adhered area do not contribute to the retention of the thin film of metal on the surface of the material. Thus, when a mechanically great force such as a strong hitting force is applied to a part of the plated surface, a phenomenon of fine peeling occurs on that part of the plating. Further, if the force is repeated, then the peeling increases, so that the thin film of metal peels off the material.
In the latter method, the sizes of the fine recesses on the surface of the material depend on the sizes of the substance or the particles embedded or mixed. The sizes of the fine recesses are less than 2~3 &mgr;m. As in
FIG. 2
(a), the size of the opening of a recess is small as compared with the size of the entire recess. Therefore, in plating a material, the metal tends not to enter the recess. FIG.
2
(
b
) shows that the thin film of metal only blocks the opening of the recess. This leads to the adhesion of the thin film of metal to the surface of the material depending only on the thin film of metal's own adhesive force. Thus, when a mechanically large force is applied to the plated material, and is applied to a particular point on its surface, at right angles, the thin film of metal at that point peels off the material.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
This invention has been created to resolve the above problems. Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide a plated product in which the thin film of metal tends not to peel off the surface of the material, and a method and apparatus for producing it.
Another object of this invention is to provide a plated product in which the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is plated, that comprises a material of which the surface has many recesses, each having an opening of 5~100 &mgr;m and a depth of 0.2 d~d (d: the diameter of the opening of a recess, &mgr;m), and having an anchor portion, and a thin film of metal which covers the surface of said material and a portion of which film enters each said recess.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of producing a plated product in which the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is plated, that comprises causing the tip of a needle or a drawn wire material of a diameter of 3~95 &mgr;m to penetrate said surface of said material at angles of less than 90 degrees, but more than 45 degrees, withdrawing said needle or said drawn wire material from said material and repeating this process so as to provide at said surface of said material many recesses, each having an opening of 5~100 &mgr;m and a depth of 0.2 d~d (d: the size of the opening of a recess, &mgr;m) and having an anchor portion, and covering said surface of said material that includes said recesses with a thin film of metal.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for producing a plated product in which the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is plated, that comprises a needle or a drawn wire material of a diameter of 3~95 &mgr;m, a retainer means for retaining the base portion of said needle or said drawn wire material so that said needle or drawn wire material is inclined at angles larger than 45 degrees, but less than 90 degrees, to said surface of said material, a material-fixing means to fix the material, and a means for elevating or lowering said retainer means.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a plated product in which the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is plated, characterized by a plurality of grooves formed on the surface of said material, the width of the opening of each groove being 5~100 &mgr;m and the depth of each groove being 0.2 b~b (b: said width of the opening, &mgr;m), and the angle of each said groove to the surface of said material being within a range of more than 45 degrees, but less than 90 degrees.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a method of producing a plated product in which the surface of a metallic or nonmetallic material is plated, comprising causing a cutting blade having a thickness of 3~95 &mgr;m to penetrate said surface of said material while said cutting blade is inclined to said surface of said material at angles within a range of more than 45 degrees, but less than 90 degrees, moving said cutting blade or said material to cause them to move relative to each other and repeating this process so as to provide at said surface of said material a plurality of grooves, many running in different directions, the width of the opening of each groove being 5~100 &mgr;m and the depth of each groove being 0.2 b~b (b: said width of the opening, &mgr;m), and covering said surface of said material that includes said grooves with a thin film of metal.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a plurality of grooves on the surface of a nonmetallic or metallic material for a plated product, comprising a retainer means for retaining the base portion of said cutting blade having a thickness of 3~95 &mgr;m so that said cutting blade is inclined to said surface of said material at angles within a range of more than 45 degrees, but less than 90 degrees, a material-fixing means to fix said material, a means for elevating or lowering said retainer, a first moving means to move said retainer means in the direction that the blade of said cutting blade is directed, and a second moving means to move said material-fixing means horizontally.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a plated product in wh
Abe Seietsu
Kato Shinobu
Ota Kunio
Rokutanda Hitoshi
Suzuki Hiroaki
Crane Daniel C.
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich L.L.P.
Sintokogio Ltd.
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