JP7810399B2 - Wet processing work holder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a work holder for wet processing, which supports a workpiece to be wet processed.

Electroless plating has often been used to form metal films on workpieces such as glass or silicon substrates. When performing electroless plating, the workpiece is often immersed in the plating bath while suspended from a work holder to bring the workpiece into contact with the plating solution.

However, if plating solution remains in contact with the workpiece supported by the work holder, the old plating solution cannot be replaced with new plating solution, which can cause problems such as metal ions not being smoothly supplied to the workpiece surface.

Consequently, prior art wet processing equipment employs a work holder feed mechanism that can raise and lower the workpiece while immersed in the processing liquid. It was believed that adopting such a configuration would enable uniform surface processing of the workpiece.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-179747

However, conventional work holders are designed to process workpieces of the same shape and size, and are therefore not suitable for processing multiple workpieces of different shapes and sizes.

Also, since the number of workpieces that can be stored per workpiece holder is usually fixed, it is difficult to handle situations where a small number of workpieces needs to be processed for development prototyping, or when an irregular number of workpieces needs to be processed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a highly versatile work holder for wet processing that can perform wet processing appropriately regardless of the shape, size, or quantity of the workpieces being processed.

The wet processing work holder of the present invention is used to support a workpiece to be wet processed. A typical example of wet processing is electroless plating, but it can also be used for other processes such as cleaning and etching.

This wet processing work holder comprises at least a holder body, a hanging portion, a work support portion, and legs. An example of a material for the work holder is stainless steel, but other materials such as other metals or resins can also be used as long as they meet the required conditions of corrosion resistance, workability, strength, etc.

The hanging part is used to suspend and support the holder body within a wet processing area (e.g., within a plating bath for electroless plating, within an etching tank for etching, etc.). The hanging part may be part of the holder body or a separate component.

The work support portion is supported by the holder body in a positionally adjustable state and is configured to support the workpiece. The work support portion has a positionally adjustable workpiece receiver configured to support the workpiece.

The work support portion may be part of the holder body, or it may be a separate component. If the work support portion is configured as an integral part of the holder body, the work support portion is configured by adjusting the position of the work receiver relative to the holder body.

The legs are configured to allow the holder body to stand on its own. The legs may be configured by shaping the lower part of the holder body to make it easier to stand on its own, or by attaching separate leg members to the holder body.

With this configuration, the position of the workpiece receiver can be adjusted appropriately to suit the shape and size of the workpiece, resulting in a highly versatile workpiece holder. This eliminates the need to prepare a dedicated jig for each workpiece to be processed, as was previously the case.

In addition, because the legs allow the holder body to stand on its own, it becomes easier to arrange the desired number of work holders at the desired pitch within the wet processing area. This makes it easier to accommodate fluctuations in the number of workpieces to be processed.

Furthermore, the product can be placed in a suitable location, such as on a workbench or desk, during processing before or after wet processing (cleaning, drying, firing, etc.) or while waiting to be processed, thereby improving work efficiency.

By using a work holder that can be hung or made to stand on its own, a work holder that can be used for a wide range of purposes, from development to mass production, is realized.

In the above-described configuration,
It is preferable that the holder body is plate-shaped, the work support portion is a work support member having a long, thin plate shape that can be attached to the holder body so as to be freely position-adjustable, and that multiple work receivers are provided on the work support member.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the workpiece receiving device has a support groove configured to support the workpiece, and is supported so as to be rotatable and slidable relative to the workpiece support member.

This invention makes it possible to realize a highly versatile wet processing work holder that can perform appropriate wet processing regardless of the shape, size, or quantity of the workpieces being processed.

1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a use situation of a work holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a work holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for using a work holder. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a plurality of work holders are connected together.

Figure 1 shows an example of a use state of a work holder 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The work holder 10 is configured to hold a workpiece 50 to be wet-treated.

In this embodiment, electroless plating is described as an example of wet processing, but the work holder 10 can also be used in other wet processing. Furthermore, the work holder 10 can also be used in processes before and after the wet processing (degreasing, cleaning, and heat treatment processes).

The electroless plating process uses a plating bath 60. In this embodiment, the plating bath 60 uses, for example, a plating solution containing copper ions and a reducing agent. The desired copper plating film is formed on the workpiece 50 by immersing the workpiece 50 in the plating bath 60 for a predetermined period of time while agitating the plating solution using an air bubbling mechanism (not shown) or the like.

For example, an example of the copper ion source in the plating bath 60 is copper sulfate (e.g., copper concentration of about 1 gram/liter to 5 grams/liter), an example of the complexing agent is EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), and an example of the reducing agent is formaldehyde (CH ₂ O).

A surfactant may be added to the plating bath 60 as appropriate. Furthermore, the metal ion source, complexing agent, and reducing agent used for film formation are not limited to those described above, and the work holder 10 can be used in a variety of wet processes.

In this embodiment, the temperature of the plating bath 60 is typically set to approximately 40 to 80°C. By immersing the workpiece 50 in this environment for approximately 5 to 30 minutes, a film approximately 0.2 to 0.8 μm thick is formed on the treated surface of the workpiece 50.

Figure 2 shows a schematic configuration of the work holder 10. As described above, the work holder 10 is configured to support a workpiece 50 to be electroless plated.

The work holder 10 comprises a holder body 12, a hanging member 14, a first work support member 16, a second work support member 18, a leg mounting portion 125, and a leg member 30.

The holder body 12 is made of stainless steel and has a U-shaped plate shape in plan view, with multiple elongated holes 40 arranged along its length. Both ends of the holder body 12 are bent at right angles, and these serve as leg attachment sections 125 to allow the holder body to stand on its own.

The hanging member 14 is a long, narrow plate made of stainless steel, with multiple long holes 40 arranged along its length. The hanging member 14 serves to suspend and support the holder body 12 within the plating bath 60. One end of the hanging member 14 is attached to the holder body 12 by a fastener 90, and the other end is suspended from a hook 70 attached to the workpiece transport mechanism or workpiece holding mechanism.

By selectively passing the hook 70 through a suitable slot 40 among the multiple slots 40 provided in the hanging member 14, it is possible to position the work holder 10 at a suitable height in the plating bath 60.

In this embodiment, the hanging member 14 is a separate, independent member from the holder main body 12, but a portion of the holder main body 12 may also be configured as the hanging portion.

The first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 are each a long, narrow plate made of stainless steel with multiple elongated holes 40 arranged along their longitudinal direction. The first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 are attached to the elongated holes 40 at desired positions on the holder body 12 with fasteners 90.

The positions of the first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 on the holder body 12 can be adjusted by selecting the elongated holes 40 to which the first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 are attached, or by loosening and sliding the fasteners 90 within the length of the elongated holes 40.

In this embodiment, the first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 are separate and independent members from the holder main body 12, but a portion of the holder main body 12 may also be configured as a work support portion.

The first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 each have a plurality of position-adjustable workpiece receivers 20 configured to support a workpiece 50.

The workpiece receiving device 20 is attached to the first workpiece support member 16 and the second workpiece support member 18 in a rotatable and slidable state. The workpiece receiving device 20 is provided with a support groove for supporting the workpiece 50. Note that the rotatable and slidable state here means that the angle and position can be adjusted when the fasteners 90 are loosened, and the position is fixed by tightening the fasteners 90.

In this embodiment, the work support portion of the present invention is made up of the first work support member 16, the second work support member 18, and the work receiver 20. However, if the work receiver 20 is attached directly to the holder body 12 at a desired position to support the workpiece 50, multiple work receivers 20 will correspond to the work support portion of the present invention.

The leg members 30 are attached to the leg mounting portions 125 of the holder body 12 in a manner that allows them to rotate and slide freely. The leg members 30 are elongated plates made of stainless steel, and are configured so that the holder body 12 can stand on its own by adjusting the angle of placement.

In this embodiment, the leg member 30 is a separate, independent member from the holder main body 12, but it may also be configured as a work support by modifying the shape of part of the holder main body 12 (e.g., by enlarging the area of the leg mounting portion 125).

Next, an example of how to use the work holder 10 will be explained using Figures 3(A) to 3(C). First, the mounting positions of the first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18 are determined based on the shape and size of the workpiece 50.

As shown in Figure 3(A), the most optimally positioned of the multiple elongated holes 40 in the holder body 12 is selected to determine the approximate height of the first work support member 16 and the second work support member 18. The height can then be fine-tuned by raising or lowering the elongated holes 40 within the length of the selected holes 40, and the positions can then be fixed by tightening the fasteners 90.

In this embodiment, a combination of bolts and nuts is used as the fastener 90, but screws, washers, springs, etc. can also be used as appropriate, or crimping can be used as appropriate.

Next, the position of the workpiece receiver 20 is adjusted as shown in Figure 3(B) so that the workpiece 50 can be stably held. In this embodiment, the angle of the workpiece receiver 20 is adjusted so that the support groove of the workpiece receiver 20 opens toward the center of the workpiece 50.

The adjustment method for the workpiece receiving devices 20 is not limited to this, and by adjusting the distance between the workpiece receiving devices 20 or adjusting their orientation, it is possible to universally accommodate workpieces 50 of various sizes and shapes.

If necessary, the angle of the leg members 30 can be adjusted as shown in Figure 3(C). Depending on the space available for placing the work holder 10 and the required level of stability, it is advisable to adjust the angle of the leg members 30 as appropriate, or replace them with leg members 30 of a different size.

The work holder 10 can be used in processes before and after the electroless plating process, reducing the number of workpiece 50 transfer operations in the process.

The work holder 10 does not apply a clamping force to the workpiece 50, so there is no problem with pinching marks. Furthermore, because it supports the lower part of the workpiece 50 (the area below the center of the workpiece 50), it is expected to be effective in preventing contamination caused by dripping plating liquid.

In addition, the shape and thickness of the groove in the receiving jig 20 can be easily adjusted, making it possible to accommodate a wider variety of workpieces.

Furthermore, the work holder 10 as a whole is provided with a large number of long holes 40, which allows for a lightweight design and makes it less likely for plating solution to stagnate.

Each work holder 10 is self-standing and can accommodate a variety of workpieces 50, making it suitable for a wide range of uses, from the development stage to mass production. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, multiple work holders 10 can be connected to form a single workpiece holding structure, making it easier to handle multiple workpieces 50.

As shown in Figure 4, by fixing the leg mounting portion 125 of the work holder 10 to the desired position on the connecting member 80 and connecting the upper parts of multiple work holders 10 to which the leg mounting portions 125 are connected with a connecting pole 85, it becomes possible to simultaneously handle a large number of workpieces 50 (including a mixture of different types of workpieces).

When adopting this type of configuration, if the work holders 10 are arranged too closely together, this can cause plating solution to stagnate or drip, so it is best to leave an appropriate spacing between them. This configuration can be used when processing workpieces 50 of different sizes all at once, and is expected to improve productivity.

The above-described embodiments should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications that are equivalent in meaning to and within the scope of the claims.

10 - work holder 12 - holder body 14 - hanging member 16 - first work support member 18 - second work support member 20 - work receiver 30 - leg member 40 - elongated hole 50 - work 60 - plating bath 70 - hook 80 - connecting member 85 - connecting pole 90 - fastener

Claims (3)

A wet processing work holder for supporting a workpiece to be wet processed, comprising:
A holder body;
a hanging portion for suspending and supporting the holder body within a wet processing area;
a workpiece support portion that is supported by the holder main body in a positionally adjustable state and that is configured to support the workpiece;
a leg portion configured to allow the holder body to stand on its own;
At least
10. A work holder for wet processing, wherein the work support portion has a position-adjustable work receiving tool configured to support the work. The holder body has a plate shape,
the workpiece support portion is a workpiece support member having a long and narrow plate shape that can be attached to the holder main body so as to be positionally adjustable;
2. The wet processing work holder according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the workpiece receivers are provided on the workpiece support member. The wet processing work holder according to claim 2, characterized in that the work receiving device has a support groove configured to support a workpiece, and is supported so as to be rotatable and slidable relative to the work support member.