Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Apparatus – Electrolytic
Patent
1993-06-30
1995-01-10
Niebling, John
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Apparatus
Electrolytic
269903, C25D 1704
Patent
active
053804180
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a rack bar for immersion electroplating of plate-shaped parts, in particular printed circuit boards, comprising holding devices at which the plates are held by clamping between a bearing face and a spring clip prestressed in the direction of the bearing face.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a known rack bar of this design the spring clips are movably arranged in bores formed in the rack bar. In their clamping position, the spring clips are aligned substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the rack bar. To load a plate to be coated and unload the coated plate, respectively, the known spring clips are lifted and swivelled aside. Since the spring clips formed as spring wire are rotatably supported in appropriate bores in the rack bar, there is the risk, due to the rotation of the spring clip during loading or unloading, of the coating of the rack bar becoming damaged in the area of the! bearing. Another drawback of the known arrangement is seen in the fact that, because of the alignment of the spring clip in the clamping position substantially perpendicular to the rack bar, the clamping clip protrudes with its clamping end relatively far into the plate to be coated so that the edge area of the plate which cannot be used is relatively large; in practice the width of the not usable plate edge is about 20 mm. Finally the swivelling of the spring clips according to the prior art is comparatively troublesome, because there is a relatively long moving distance of the spring clip and furthermore a rotation of about 90.degree. is necessary.
In another known embodiment of a rack bar each of the holding devices is in integrally formed holding block, and the holding blocks include recesses for inserting the plate to be coated, the plate being fixed by clamp bolts disposed in the holding blocks. It is considered to be a particular drawback in this arrangement that the plates cannot be loaded and unloaded frontally, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface, without moving apart the rack bars supported at the work rail, which is time-consuming and inconvenient, however.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore the problem underlying the invention primarily is to provide an improved rack bar which permits easy frontal loading and unloading of the plates, has little wear and moreover permits a maximum exploitation of the edge area of the plate.
According to the invention, this problem is substantially solved in that the spring clip is formed as an elongated member, and is rigidly fixed to the rack bar or the holding device with one of its ends. The spring clamp extends in the released state on the whole at a shall angle of less than 30.degree., preferably less than 10.degree. with respect to the longitudinal direction of the rack bar--seen in the plane of the bearing face--and is movable with its free end contacting the plate between a clamping position, in which the plate is clamped between the bearing face and the free end of the spring clip, and a disengagement position in which the whole spring clip lies beside the plate--seen in the plane of the bearing face.
As, in the case of the invention, the spring clip lies completely beside the plate in the disengagement position, a frontal loading and unloading of the plate is ensured. Since the whole spring clip forms an elongated member and extends substantially in parallel to the rack bar or only at a small angle with respect to the latter, the moving distance of the spring clip is very short and moreover substantially linear, which simplifies and accelerates the actuation of the spring clip. Finally as one end of the spring clip is rigidly fixed, the wear occurring in the prior art is avoided, and moreover a released position of the spring clip is defined, which is preferably either the disengagement position or the clamping position of the spring clip. For the other position in which the spring clip is provided in prestress preferably a locking means is provided which, in the simplest case, can be a locking recess o
REFERENCES:
patent: 4752371 (1988-06-01), Kreisel et al.
Mee Brendan
Niebling John
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