JP7849982B2 - Masking material for partial plating and partial plating method - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a mask member for partial plating and a method for partial plating.

Patent Document 1 describes a plating masking jig provided on the circumferential surface of a cylindrical drum for transporting a long piece of material to be plated, for supplying a plating solution only to a desired portion of the material from the inside of the cylindrical drum. The jig comprises a grid-shaped roll frame and a rubber sheet provided on the circumferential surface of the roll frame, with plating holes formed at positions corresponding to the desired portion.

Patent Document 2 describes a plating apparatus comprising a fixed drum and a rotating cylinder rotatably arranged on the outer circumference of the fixed drum with a predetermined gap between them, on which a strip-shaped or linear workpiece, which is fed and moved in the longitudinal direction, is wound around the outer circumference within a predetermined winding angle range.
Furthermore, it is described that an annular groove is formed on the outer circumference of the rotating cylinder, around which the workpiece is tightly wrapped and fitted to the groove bottom surface, and an annular opening smaller than the width of the groove bottom surface is formed on the bottom surface of the annular groove.
Furthermore, it is stated that a mask defining the plating area is placed on the bottom surface of the annular groove, and that the workpiece can be wrapped around this mask.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-256680 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-183085

Through diligent research by the inventors, it has been discovered that the plating solution can leak from the gap between the workpiece (the material to be plated in Patent Document 1) and the mask (the rubber sheet in Patent Document 1) as described in Patent Document 2.

Leakage of the plating solution causes the plating to spread from the outer edge of the designated plating area (partially plated area). In other words, leakage of the plating solution causes the plating to extend beyond the partially plated area (the area to be plated) and form in areas that are not part of the partially plated area (areas where plating should not be applied). In this specification, "plating spread" refers to the formation of a plating layer thinner than the film thickness of the partially plated area in areas other than the partially plated area (areas where plating should not have been applied).

Plating bleeding results in wasted plating solution. If the plating is, for example, gold (Au), wasting the plating solution represents a significant economic loss.

The present invention aims to suppress plating bleeding when partial plating is applied to a workpiece.

A first aspect of the present invention is:
A drum-shaped jig having a jig opening region that connects the outer side and the inner side of the drum-shaped jig, and having a jig opening arrangement region which is a recess provided in a band shape along the circumferential direction with respect to the outer side of the drum-shaped jig,
A mask for filling the area where the jig opening is located, the mask having a mask opening at a location corresponding to the jig opening,
Equipped with,
The mask is placed in the jig opening arrangement area.
It has a through hole formed by the jig opening and the mask opening,
The edge of the mask opening is raised outwards towards the drum-shaped jig.
This is a mask component for partial plating.

A second aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in the first aspect,
At least the edge of the mask opening of the aforementioned mask is made of rubber.

A third aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in the first or second aspect,
In the jig opening arrangement area,
Multiple jig openings are arranged along the circumferential direction.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in any one of the first to third aspects,
In the aforementioned drum-shaped jig,
The jig openings are arranged in a predetermined pattern.
The mask is a state in which multiple parts are arranged, each having n mask units (where n is a natural number) that correspond to the pattern units of the predetermined pattern.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in any one of the first to fourth aspects,
The jig opening arrangement area is,
This is a band-shaped recess provided on the entire circumference of the outer side of the drum-shaped jig.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in any one of the first to fifth aspects,
The combination of the jig opening arrangement area and the mask is
The drum-shaped jig has multiple rows arranged in the vertical direction.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in any one of the first to sixth aspects,
In the aforementioned drum-shaped jig,
The jig opening arrangement area is,
Non-penetrating grooves,
Relative convex region and,
It has,
The back side of the aforementioned mask is
It has a shape that fits with the groove and the relative protruding region.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is an aspect described in any one of the first to seventh aspects,
The aforementioned mask opening is
It coincides with, or at least partially covers, the opening of the jig.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is:
This is a partial plating method in which a workpiece wrapped around a mask member for partial plating described in any one of the first to eighth embodiments is brought into contact with the workpiece through the through hole, thereby plating the workpiece.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mask member for partial plating and a partial plating method that can suppress the bleeding of plating in areas other than the partially plated region when partial plating is applied to a workpiece.

Figure 1 is a schematic, top-perspective view of a drum-type jig. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of a partial plating apparatus, cut horizontally. Figure 3A is a schematic front view of the partial plating mask member according to the first embodiment of this product. Figure 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the section A-A' in Figure 3A. Figure 4A is a schematic front view of the partial plating mask member according to the second embodiment (Example 1). Figure 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the section A-A' in Figure 4A. Figure 4C is a schematic front view of the drum-type jig according to the second embodiment (Example 1). Figure 5 is a schematic front view of the partial plating mask member according to the third embodiment of this invention. Figure 6 is a photograph showing the appearance of the partial plating on the workpiece obtained by Comparative Example 1. Figure 7 is a photograph showing the appearance of the partially plated workpiece obtained in Example 1.

The following describes this embodiment. "~" refers to a value greater than or equal to a predetermined value and less than or equal to a predetermined value.

<Partial Plating Masking Material>
The partial plating mask member according to this embodiment has the following configuration.
A drum-shaped jig 11 having a jig opening 13 that connects the outer side 16 and the inner side of the drum-shaped jig 11, and a jig opening arrangement region 17 which is a recess provided in a band shape along the circumferential direction relative to the outer side 16,
A mask 31 that fills the jig opening placement area 17, and has a mask opening 32 at a location corresponding to the jig opening 13,
Equipped with,
A mask 31 is placed in the jig opening placement area 17.
It has a through hole consisting of a jig opening 13 and a mask opening 32.
A mask component for partial plating, in which the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is raised toward the outside of the drum-shaped jig 11.

The overall mechanism of the partial plating mask member and the partial plating apparatus incorporating the partial plating mask member according to this embodiment will be described.

In this specification, each direction is defined as follows:
The upward direction is the Z direction, and the downward direction is the -Z direction.
As a direction perpendicular to the Z direction, the direction radially from the periphery towards the center is defined as the Y direction, and the opposite direction is defined as the -Y direction. The Y direction is also the direction from the outside to the inside of the drum-shaped jig 11, and is therefore also called the inward direction (front view). The -Y direction is also the direction from the inside to the outside of the drum-shaped jig 11, and is therefore also called the outward direction (rear view).
As directions perpendicular to the Z and Y directions, when viewed in the Y direction (front view), the right direction is defined as the X direction and the left direction as the -X direction.
The vertical direction is the Z direction, and the horizontal plane is composed of the X and Y directions.
The directions mentioned above are indicated in the respective diagrams of this application.

As shown in Figure 1, the drum-shaped jig 11 constituting the mask member for partial plating according to this embodiment has two annular bottom portions 14 and 15 arranged vertically (in the up-down direction). As shown in Figure 2, in the partial plating apparatus according to this embodiment, the strip-shaped metal material (hereinafter also referred to as workpiece 1) unwound from the unwinding device (not shown) is conveyed in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2 by the tension applied by the winding device (not shown). The thickness direction of the workpiece 1 is in the horizontal plane. Also, the radial direction of the drum-shaped jig 11 is in the horizontal plane.

Workpiece 1 is reversed in direction by the inlet support roll 61 and wound tightly around the mask 31 (described later) positioned on the outer side 16 of the drum-type jig 11. Then, workpiece 1 is reversed again by the outlet support roll 62 and wound up.

The drum-type jig 11 is a cylindrical jig that holds the workpiece 1 in close contact with its side and transports it along its outer circumference. Positioning pins 12 are provided on the side of the drum-type jig 11. These positioning pins 12 are fitted into guide holes formed in the workpiece 1, thereby fixing the position of the workpiece 1 on the drum-type jig 11. The jig opening 13 is formed on the side of the drum-type jig 11 so that when the position of the workpiece 1 is fixed, the planned terminal position (i.e., the area to be plated, the partial plating area) and the jig opening 13 coincide at the same position.

The workpiece 1 may be conveyed in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2, while being pressed toward the side of the drum-shaped jig 11 by a rubber pressure belt 22 provided on a belt mechanism 21 installed outside the drum-shaped jig 11.

The plating solution is pumped (not shown) into a plating solution jet cell 23 installed inside the drum-shaped jig 11, ejected from the plating solution ejection slit 24 which also serves as the anode, and supplied to the outside of the drum-shaped jig 11 through the jig opening 13.

When a workpiece 1 is attached to the partial plating mask member 50, which consists of a drum-type jig 11 and a mask 31 positioned in the jig opening area 17 of the drum-type jig 11 (described later), the plating solution is supplied to the surface portion of the workpiece 1 corresponding to the through-hole formed by the jig opening 13 and the mask opening 32 of the mask 31.

Plating solution is continuously supplied to the plating solution jet cell 23 from a pump, and the plating solution accumulated in the plating solution jet cell 23 is forcefully ejected from the plating solution ejection slit 24.

In this manner, the plating solution is sprayed onto the workpiece 1 while it is being transported, resulting in partial plating (partial plating) of the workpiece 1. After plating, the workpiece 1 is then rinsed with water and dried with hot air or the like as a post-treatment.

In this embodiment, the mask member for partial plating has a through-hole formed by a jig opening 13 and a mask opening 32 (described later) which serves as the plating solution supply port. The plating solution is supplied from the inside of the drum-type jig 11 toward the outside of the drum-type jig 11. Selective plating (partial plating) is applied to the portion of the workpiece 1 exposed from the plating solution supply port (also called a spot).

The plating solution supplied to the jig opening 13 (plating solution supply port) eventually falls downward and is collected in a plating solution tank (not shown) located at the bottom of the drum-type jig 11. The collected plating solution may be circulated using a plating solution recovery device (not shown), such as a pump, and reused for partial plating.

There are no limitations on the material and form of Workpiece 1, as long as it can be wrapped around the outer side 16 of the mask member for partial plating and is capable of partial plating. Preferred materials for Workpiece 1 include copper alloys such as copper and brass, and iron alloys such as ordinary steel, special steel, and stainless steel. Preferred forms include strips (bars, coils) and plates. The thickness of Workpiece 1 can be appropriately selected depending on the application, preferably around 0.1 to 3.0 mm, and may be 0.8 mm or less.

Partial plating is applied to electronic materials such as connectors and terminals, but in this embodiment, there are no limitations on the type of metal used for partial plating. While expensive precious metals such as gold (Au) and silver (Ag) are commonly used for partial plating of electronic materials, prior to this, a base plating of nickel, copper, or other metals may be applied to the entire or partial surface of the strip-shaped workpiece 1. Furthermore, this base plating can be performed continuously by connecting a reel-to-reel base plating system with the partial plating apparatus according to this embodiment.

The details of the mask member for partial plating according to this embodiment will be described below.

The drum-shaped jig 11, a component of the partial plating mask member in this embodiment, is not limited in terms of specific material or form, as long as it can be used for the same purposes as the drum-shaped jig 11 described in, for example, Patent Document 2. Examples of materials include insulating polyvinyl chloride, PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin, and other engineering plastics. As an example of form, the drum-shaped jig 11 has two annular (or disc-shaped) upper bottom portions 14 and lower bottom portions 15, and a cylindrical side surface formed by a cylindrical member sandwiched between the two bottom portions 14 and 15.

The drum-shaped jig 11 constituting the partial plating mask member 50 according to the first embodiment shown in Figures 3A and 3B has a jig opening arrangement region 17, which is a recess (a single row) provided in a band shape along the circumferential direction on the outer side surface 16 of the cylindrical member (relative to the outer side surface 16 (side end 18) of the cylindrical member). A portion of this jig opening arrangement region 17 is formed by a jig opening 13 that connects the outer side surface 16 and the inner side surface of the cylindrical member. Furthermore, the portion of the outer side surface 16 of the cylindrical member other than the jig opening arrangement region 17 is the side end 18.

The jig opening placement area 17 is preferable if it is a band-shaped recess extending across the entire circumference of the drum-type jig 11, as this expands the area where the jig opening 13 can be secured. This case is illustrated in the first to third embodiments. Alternatively, the jig opening placement area 17 may be a recess extending only to a portion of the circumference, rather than the entire circumference. In other words, the recess may not be provided in a portion of the circumference, and a starting and ending point may be provided for the band-shaped recess.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, in the partial plating mask member of the first embodiment, multiple jig openings 13 are arranged in a single row along the circumferential direction in the jig opening arrangement region 17 of the drum-type jig 11. In another embodiment, only one jig opening 13 may be provided along the circumferential direction.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the second embodiment of the partial plating mask member illustrates a case where the drum-type jig 11 has two adjacent rows of jig opening arrangement areas 17 in the vertical direction. In Figure 4C, the parts that come into contact with each other when the two adjacent rows of jig opening arrangement areas 17 are shown by dashed lines. Of course, the number of rows may exceed two. In the example shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the jig openings 13 in the upper and lower jig opening arrangement areas 17 are designed to be staggered, with the jig openings 13 formed at the center of the approximately square relative convex areas 41 arranged circumferentially, skipping one opening in the circumferential (horizontal) direction and offset vertically.

In this second embodiment, the jig opening placement area 17, which is a recess, is formed in two adjacent rows in the vertical direction. Therefore, the two rows of jig opening placement areas 17 form a wide, single-row, band-shaped recessed area (a hole area 170 consisting of two adjacent jig opening placement areas 17) on the outer side 16 of the cylindrical member of the drum-type jig 11. The outer side 16 of the drum-type jig 11 is not exposed between the two jig opening placement areas 17. Therefore, the mask 31, which is shaped to correspond to the recess of the recessed area (hole area 170) where the jig opening placement area 17 is provided, and which is placed in the hole area 170 (consisting of two adjacent jig opening placement areas 17) (filling the hole area 170), appears in a front view as a wide, single-row shape (band-shaped) along the circumferential direction, as shown in Figure 4A.

Furthermore, in the upper and lower jig opening arrangement areas 17, the jig openings 13 may or may not be aligned vertically, depending on the partial plating area of the workpiece 1. If they are not aligned vertically, the upper and lower jig openings 13 may be arranged alternately in a staggered pattern in the circumferential direction, as shown in Figures 4A to 4C.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, in the drum-shaped jig 11 constituting the partial plating mask member 50, the jig opening arrangement region 17 preferably has a non-penetrating groove 42 (the bottom surface of the groove 42 corresponds, for example, to the bottom surface of the recessed region) and a relative convex region 41 (formed by the groove 42), and the back surface of the mask 31 preferably has a shape that fits with the groove 42 and the relative convex region 41. This configuration ensures a good fit between the drum-shaped jig 11 and the mask 31. Note that the relative convex region 41 in Figure 4C is recessed compared to the outer side surface 16. A method for achieving this shape is, for example, to machine the outer side surface 16 of the drum-shaped jig 11, and then machine the groove 42 by machining.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, when the drum-type jig 11 has two adjacent rows of jig opening arrangement areas 17 in the vertical direction, it is preferable that there be projections and grooves extending circumferentially from the cylindrical member between the upper and lower jig opening arrangement areas 17. Furthermore, it is preferable that the back surface of the mask 31 (i.e., the surface that contacts the drum-type jig 11) be provided with a configuration that fits with the projections and grooves on the drum-type jig 11 (i.e., corresponding grooves and projections). This configuration ensures a good fit between the drum-type jig 11 and the mask 31.

In addition to being formed across the circumferential direction of the cylindrical member between the upper and lower jig opening arrangement regions 17, the projections and grooves in the drum-type jig 11 are preferably provided within a single row of jig opening arrangement regions 17.

To illustrate with a specific example, as shown in Figures 4A to 4C, in the recessed jig opening arrangement area 17, two relative convex areas 41 (the protrusions mentioned above) that are rectangular in front view are arranged vertically, and two other rectangular relative convex areas 41 (e.g., elongated rectangles in the vertical direction) are arranged side by side vertically in the circumferential direction (e.g., left side in front view) of each of the two rectangles, through grooves 42 (non-penetrating). These grooves 42 may also be referred to as relative concave areas with respect to the relative convex areas 41.

As described above, in Figures 4A to 4C, a relative protrusion region 41 extending in the circumferential direction is provided between the two rows of jig opening arrangement regions 17. Grooves 42 may be provided above and below this relative protrusion region 41. The grooves 42 adjacent to the relative protrusion region 41 correspond to the "projections and grooves extending circumferentially across the cylindrical member between the upper and lower jig opening arrangement regions 17."

In Figures 4A to 4C, the two rows of jig opening arrangement areas 17 are each filled with a mask 31, and the relative protruding areas 41 extending in the circumferential direction are also filled (covered by the mask 31). It is preferable to provide finely spaced grooves 42 (i.e., increase the number of relative protruding areas 41 and grooves 42) to suppress displacement of the mask 31 when the conveyed workpiece 1 rubs against the drum-type jig 11.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, in the upper row of jig opening placement areas 17, a jig opening 13 can be provided at the center of the relative convex area 41 (approximately square in the example of Figure 4C) on the vertically central side of the drum-type jig 11. The height of each relative convex area 41 is lower than the side edge 18. The heights of each relative convex area 41 may be the same or different. Each relative convex area 41 is covered (filled by the mask 31) when the mask 31 is placed.

There is no limit to the number of jig openings 13. When multiple jig openings 13 are arranged in a single line along the circumference, all jig openings 13 may or may not be arranged in a specific pattern. Here, "pattern" refers to a pattern consisting of the jig openings 13 and the other parts (each relative protruding region 41 and groove 42). The pattern may be formed by the continuous arrangement of these pattern units in the circumferential direction.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, in a single row of jig opening arrangement areas 17, two relative protrusion areas 41 are arranged vertically, and two sets of these relative protrusion areas 41 (2 x 2 = 4 in this example) are arranged circumferentially. These relative protrusion areas 41 and grooves 42 are also referred to as "pattern units." The spacing (pitch) between these pattern units may be the distance between the centers (centers of gravity) of the jig openings 13 (and thus through holes) arranged circumferentially.

There is no limit to the number of relative convex regions 41 in a pattern unit. For example, grooves may be provided in the relative convex regions 41 extending in the circumferential direction, resulting in three in the vertical direction and two sets in the circumferential direction, i.e., a total of six relative convex regions 41.

The shape of the above-mentioned protrusions (relative convex region 41) and grooves 42 is not limited as long as they are configured to fit with the back surface of the mask 31. Here, "back surface of the mask 31" refers to the surface that contacts the jig opening placement region 17 formed on the outer side 16 of the drum-type jig 11 when the mask 31 is placed (embedded) in the jig opening placement region 17. The surface of the mask 31 opposite to the back surface, i.e., the surface that contacts the workpiece 1, is also referred to as the "front surface of the mask 31."

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, in this second embodiment, the outermost surface of the partial plating mask member 50 that contacts the surface of the workpiece 1 is composed of the surface of the mask 31 and the side end 18 of the drum-type jig 11. The side end 18 is the portion that connects the jig opening arrangement area 17 and the bottom portions 14 and 15 of the drum-type jig 11, and is a portion that is convex relative to the jig opening arrangement area 17. The workpiece 1 can be placed on the upper and lower side end 18 of the drum-type jig 11 and the mask 31. It is preferable that the height of the surface of the side end 18 and the mask 31, i.e., the height of the area in contact with the workpiece 1, are the same.

In the third embodiment shown in Figure 5, a central side portion 19 (which is the outer side portion 16) may be formed on the side surface of the drum-type jig 11, between the jig opening arrangement regions 17 arranged vertically, and flush with the side end portion 18 (at the same height). (Note that, as shown in Figure 4C, it does not have to be flush, and the central side portion 19 may be lower than the side end portion 18.)

As shown in Figures 3A, 3B, and 4A-4C, when a mask 31 is placed in the jig opening area 17 of the drum-type jig 11 to produce a mask member 50 for partial plating, the base portion 34 of the mask 31's surface (specifically, the outermost surface portion excluding the edge 33) has a roughly cylindrical side shape because it covers the drum-type jig 11. The edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is raised (convex) above the base portion 34 of the mask 31's surface.

In the jig opening arrangement area 17 of the drum-type jig 11, for example, an opening (through hole) separate from the jig opening 13 (not shown) may be provided near the bottom 14, 15 of the drum-type jig 11. A projection (also called the mask 31's foot) relatively long relative to the thickness of the cylindrical member constituting the drum-type jig 11 may be provided on the back surface of the mask 31, and this foot may be fitted into the opening. This configuration makes it difficult for the mask 31 to detach from the drum-type jig 11, resulting in a better fit between the two. Furthermore, with this configuration, when fitting the two, pulling the mask 31's foot from the inside of the drum-type jig 11 further improves the fit and allows for easy adjustment of the fit. There is no limit to the number of openings; one or more may be provided per mask unit (details described later).

There are no limitations on the shape of the jig opening 13. In this embodiment, the example shows the jig opening 13 as rectangular (square or rectangular) when viewed from the outside, but it may be circular, elliptical, or other polygonal shapes depending on the required shape of the partially plated area of the electronic component such as a terminal.

The size of the jig opening 13 is not limited as long as it is large enough to perform appropriate partial plating. An example of a specific size is given in the "Examples" section below. It is preferable that the jig opening 13 corresponds to the shape and size of the partial plating area required for electronic components such as connectors and terminals.

The mask 31 according to this embodiment fills (covers) the recessed jig opening placement area 17. The mask 31 according to this embodiment has a mask opening 32 at a location corresponding to the jig opening 13. When the mask 31 according to this embodiment is fitted (placed) into the jig opening placement area 17, a through-hole is formed by the jig opening 13 and the mask opening 32. This through-hole becomes the plating solution supply port.

In this embodiment, the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 (more specifically, the entire edge 33, that is, the edge 33 surrounding the mask opening 32) is raised outwards. This configuration suppresses leakage of the plating solution. The reason for this is as follows:

When the workpiece 1 is wrapped around the outer side 16 of the partial plating mask member 50 according to this embodiment, the workpiece 1 is pressed against the surface of the mask 31 (and the side of the drum-type jig 11) which is the outermost surface. Because the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is raised, the workpiece 1 is pressed against the edge 33 of the mask opening 32, causing the edge 33 to deform. This prevents the plating solution from entering between the mask 31 and the workpiece 1 at the outer periphery (edge 33) of the mask opening 32. Therefore, plating bleeding is also suppressed. Furthermore, the plating solution is not wasted, thus reducing economic losses.

As long as the above configuration is present, there are no limitations on the material and form of the mask 31 according to this embodiment. On the other hand, it is preferable that at least the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 of the mask 31 be made of rubber. Considering the effort involved in processing, it is preferable that the entire mask 31 be made of rubber.

While there are no limitations on the type of rubber used, examples include natural rubber, synthetic natural rubber, butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, silicone rubber (this embodiment exemplifies this), acrylic rubber, urethane rubber, and fluororubber. If the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is made of rubber, when the workpiece 1 is pressed against the surface of the mask 31, the edge 33 deforms in accordance with the pressing force. As a result, the adhesion between the workpiece 1 and the edge 33 is improved, and leakage of the plating solution can be suppressed more effectively. It is preferable to use silicone rubber, which has high chemical resistance to the plating solution's chemicals.

The dimensions of the raised edge 33 of the mask opening 32 (the distance and height of the protrusion from the base portion 34 other than the edge 33, as viewed from the outer side 16 towards the inner side) should be set appropriately according to the various plating conditions. These plating conditions include the shape of the jig opening placement area 17, the shape of the jig opening 13, the planned plating thickness, the characteristics of the plating solution, and the material of the entire mask 31 or the mask opening 32.

One specific example of the height of the raised edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is that it may be 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less, or 0.15 to 0.4 mm. The height of the raised edge 33 of the mask opening 32 refers to the degree of raised area (distance in the front view direction) from the base portion 34 other than the edge 33 of the mask opening 32. If the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is made of rubber, and the raised height of the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is 0.5 mm or less, when the workpiece 1 is wrapped around the surface of the mask 31 and the edge 33 is crushed, the area of the through-hole in the front view will not be excessively reduced, and a sufficient plating area can be secured. On the other hand, if the raised height is too small, there is a risk of the plating solution seeping in from between the mask 31 and the workpiece 1. Furthermore, the width of the edge 33 of the opening 32 in the front view is preferably 0.2 to 2.0 mm.

In this embodiment, the distance between the mask opening 32 and the side end 18 of the drum-type jig 11 is preferably 5.0 mm or more.

When viewed from the front, the mask 31 according to this embodiment preferably fills (covers) the entire recessed jig opening placement area 17, and this embodiment illustrates that case.

Furthermore, in the drum-type jig 11 of the third embodiment shown in Figure 5, the thickness of the mask 31 (distance from the outer side 16 to the inner side) may be set so that the parts other than the jig opening arrangement area 17 (side edges 18, side center 19) and the base portion 34 of the mask 31 are flush. Alternatively, the thickness of the mask 31 may be increased so that the entire mask 31 protrudes (or "becomes higher") than the side edges 18 and side center 19.

Conversely, in the mask 31, the portion of the mask opening 32 other than the edge 33 may be lower than the side edge 18. Even in this case, if the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is raised compared to the side edge 18 and the central side portion 19, leakage of the plating solution can be suppressed, and consequently, bleeding of the plating can also be suppressed.

In this embodiment, the mask 31 is preferably constructed by assembling multiple parts, each having n mask units (for example, the region P enclosed by the dashed lines in Figures 3A and 4A) corresponding to the pattern units of a predetermined pattern on the drum-type jig 11 (where n is a natural number). Alternatively, one pattern unit of the drum-type jig 11 may be considered as one mask unit. Furthermore, for example, if the mask 31 covers a portion of the jig opening 13 of the drum-type jig 11 as shown in Figures 4A and 4C, two (or more) pattern units of the drum-type jig 11 may be considered as one mask unit.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, in the third embodiment of this partial plating mask member, the combination of the jig opening arrangement area 17 and the mask 31 may be arranged in multiple rows in the vertical direction.

The part may be molded separately for each individual mask unit, or it may be formed by integrally molding multiple mask units (n units).

Furthermore, for example, in the third embodiment shown in Figure 5, two masks 31, each consisting of a long part corresponding to the entire circumference of a row, may be prepared and arranged vertically, with the parts fitted onto the outer side 16 of the drum-shaped jig 11. In this case, the number of mask units possessed by each part is equal to the number of jig openings 13 arranged circumferentially in the jig opening arrangement area 17 of a row. Note that the masks 31, consisting of multiple parts, do not necessarily have to correspond to pattern units, and the parts may be of different sizes; they can be designed as appropriate.

In any case, if the mask 31 is composed of multiple such parts, even if one part is damaged, only that part needs to be replaced, improving work efficiency.

In this embodiment, a configuration was described in which the shape, dimensions, and position of the mask opening 32 and the jig opening 13 coincide when the mask 31 and the drum-type jig 11 are fitted together. However, within the scope of achieving the effects of the present invention, the mask opening 32 and the jig opening 13 may be misaligned when the mask 31 and the drum-type jig 11 are fitted together. Such configurations include a configuration in which the positions of the jig opening 13 and the mask opening 32 are misaligned, and a configuration in which the mask opening 32 is smaller than the jig opening 13.

If the mask opening 32 is smaller than the jig opening 13, the lower part of the mask opening 32 may overlap the lower contour of the jig opening 13.

Incidentally, there are no limitations on the shape of the edge of the jig opening 13; it is sufficient that the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 is raised when the mask 31 fills the jig opening placement area 17. The shape of the edge of the jig opening 13 may be different from the edge 33 of the mask opening 32, for example, being flat or concave.

The following are preferred examples of the size and positional relationship of the jig opening 13 of the drum-type jig 11. As a preferred example below, the contents described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-165378 by the present applicant (particularly the contents related to Figures 3 to 5 of said publication; the drum-type jig 11 of the present invention corresponds to the mask member 102 of said publication) may be used.

Similar to the mask member 102 described in the publication, in the second embodiment shown in Figure 4B, it is preferable that when the jig opening 13 is viewed from the inside of the drum-type jig 11 (rear view), the outer contour of the jig opening 13 (outside 13a of the jig opening 13) fits within the inner contour of the jig opening 13 (inside 13b of the jig opening 13). In this case, the angle of the slope may be larger on the lower side than on the upper side.

The technical concept of the present invention is also reflected in the partial plating method, in which a workpiece 1 wrapped around a partial plating mask member according to this embodiment is plated by supplying a plating solution to the jig opening 13 and the mask opening 32. Other known plating methods besides the partial plating mask member according to this embodiment may be used.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also includes various modified and improved forms that can derive specific effects from the constituent elements of the invention or combinations thereof.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to examples. The present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[Comparative Example 1, Example 1]
(Mask component and drum-type jig for partial plating)
In Example 1, the mask member for partial plating had the same configuration as in Figures 4A to 4C, and was equipped with multiple through holes arranged in a staggered pattern in two rows, upper and lower, that were positioned circumferentially. The number of through holes in each row was the same. In Example 1, the two jig opening arrangement areas 17 in the upper and lower rows were adjacent, and the mask 31 was positioned (mounted) in the jig opening arrangement area 17.
In Comparative Example 1, the drum-shaped jig 11 does not have a jig opening arrangement area 17, which is a recess provided in a band shape along the circumferential direction on the outer side 16 of the side surface, and the mask 31 is not provided either. In other words, the mask member for partial plating of the present invention is not used, and a drum-shaped jig 11 is used as a jig for partial plating, in which a jig opening 13 is provided on the side surface, but the band-shaped recess including the jig opening 13 is not provided.

[Comparative Example 1]
As the test material (plated material), a strip-shaped workpiece 1 (width 50 mm x thickness 0.2 mm) was used, which was a copper alloy sheet material NB109-EH (Cu-Ni-Sn-P copper alloy) manufactured by DOWA Metaltech Co., Ltd., coated with a 1.2 μm thick Ni plating as an undercoat.

The opening (through hole) of the drum-type jig used for partial plating in this comparative example, which is rectangular in front view, has dimensions of 2.5 mm in the vertical direction and 1.5 mm in the circumferential direction (the same applies to the following examples).

For partial plating, a hard Au plating solution with an Au concentration of 20 g/L, a Co concentration of 0.3 g/L, and a pH of 4.15 was used. Electroplating was performed for 4 seconds under conditions of a solution temperature of 55°C and a current density ^of 27 A/dm², thereby forming a spot-like partial Au plating M with a target thickness of 0.4 μm on the surface of the strip-shaped workpiece 1 facing the through-hole.

[Example 1]
The mask member for partial plating has two adjacent jig opening placement areas 17 with a vertical width of 14 mm, and the corresponding mask 31 is constructed by combining 15 parts. When each part is embedded (placed) in each jig opening placement area 17, no gaps are created between the ends of each part.

Each jig opening 13 and each mask opening 32 of the drum-type jig 11 is a rectangle measuring 2.5 mm in the vertical direction and 1.5 mm in the circumferential direction, forming a through-hole of the same dimensions consisting of the jig opening 13 and the mask opening 32. A raised edge 33 is formed around the entire perimeter of each mask opening 32, with a height of 0.2 mm and a width of 0.5 mm. In addition, spot-shaped partial Au plating with a target thickness of 0.4 μm was performed in the same manner as in Comparative Example ¹ , except that the current density was 17 A/dm².

Figure 6 is a photograph showing the appearance of one partial Au plating on workpiece 1 obtained by Comparative Example 1.
Figure 7 is a photograph showing the appearance of one portion of the Au plating on workpiece 1 obtained in Example 1.

As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, Example 1 showed significantly less plating bleeding compared to Comparative Example 1.

[Plating bleeding amount (evaluation of Au adhesion amount)]
The amount of Au deposited was evaluated by dissolving the Au spot plating (partial Au plating) formed on the surface of workpiece 1 with an Au stripping solution and quantitatively analyzing the Au in the stripping solution using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).
The above-mentioned through-hole is rectangular with dimensions of 2.5 mm in the vertical direction and 1.5 mm in the circumferential direction. Au (spot) plating is formed in the area corresponding to the through-hole (plating area). The amount of Au deposited per Au spot plating was 0.0397 mg in Comparative Example 1 and 0.0279 mg in Example 1.
In other words, even with the same area and target thickness of Au spot plating, the amount of Au deposited in Example 1 was reduced by approximately 30% compared to the amount of Au deposited in Comparative Example 1.
This is because, in Comparative Example 1, bleeding of the Au plating occurred (a thin Au plating film was formed outside the plating area corresponding to the through hole), and unwanted Au plating adhered to the workpiece.
The plating thickness in Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 was similar, at approximately 0.4 μm. In Comparative Example 1, there was a significant loss of Au deposition due to bleeding of the partial Au plating, so it was necessary to increase the current density to achieve the same plating thickness in the same partial Au plating time.

[Comparative Example 2]
Spot-like partial Au plating was performed using a drum-type jig 11 (without the mask 31 attached) in the same manner as in Comparative Example ¹ (including the Au plating time), except that the current density was set to 17 A/dm².
As a result, similar to Comparative Example 1, bleeding of the Au plating was observed outside the predetermined spot areas (partially plated regions). Furthermore, although the amount of Au deposited in Comparative Example 2 was equivalent to that in Example 1 due to the same current density and Au plating time, the Au plating thickness in the Au spot plated areas was only about 0.25 μm due to the aforementioned bleeding.

[Comparative Example 3]
As shown in Figure 5, the partial plating mask member of Comparative Example 3 has two rows of jig opening arrangement areas 17 formed on the side surface of the drum-shaped jig 11, and a central side portion 19 is provided flush with the side end portion 18 of the drum-shaped jig 11. Multiple through holes arranged in the circumferential direction are arranged in two rows, one above the other, and the number of through holes in each row is the same.
Each jig opening 13 and each mask opening 32 of the drum-type jig 11 is a rectangle measuring 2.5 mm in the vertical direction and 1.5 mm in the circumferential direction, forming a through hole of the same size consisting of the jig opening 13 and the mask opening 32. However, a partial plating mask member was used in which the edge 33 of the mask opening 32 was not formed with a raised edge.

For partial plating, a hard Au plating solution with an Au concentration of 21 g/L and a Co concentration of 0.2 g/L was used. Electroplating was performed in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that the solution temperature was 55°C, pH 4.15, current density 29 A/ ^dm² , target plating thickness 1.15 μm, and Au plating time 15 seconds. This resulted in the formation of spot-like partial Au plating on the surface of the strip-shaped workpiece 1 facing the through-hole.

In Comparative Example 3, similar to Comparative Example 1, significant bleeding occurred in the plating of workpiece 1.

[Example 2]
Using the drum-type jig from Example 1, partial Au spot plating was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the current density was 30 A/ ^dm² , the plating time was 11 seconds, and the target plating thickness was 1.3 μm.

[Comparative Example 4]
Partial Au spot plating was formed in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that the drum-type jig of Comparative Example 1 was used, the current density was 30 A/ ^dm² , and the plating time was 11 seconds.

As a result, Example 2 showed less plating bleeding compared to Comparative Example 4.
Furthermore, since the current density and Au plating time were the same, the amount of Au deposited in Comparative Example 4 was equivalent to that in Example 2. However, due to the aforementioned bleeding, the Au plating thickness of the Au spot plated area in Comparative Example 4 was approximately 1.0 μm, while that of Example 2 was approximately 1.3 μm.

1...Workpiece 11...Drum-type jig 12...Positioning pin (of the workpiece) 13...Jig opening 13a...Outside (of the jig opening) 13b...Inside (of the jig opening) 14...Upper bottom 15...Lower bottom 16...Side outer 17...Jig opening placement area 170...Hole area 18...Side end 19...Side center 21...Belt mechanism 22...Pressing belt 23...Plating solution jet cell 24...Plating solution jet slit 31...Mask 32...Mask opening 33...Edge 34...Base portion 41...Relative convex area (within the jig opening placement area) 42...Groove (within the jig opening placement area) 50...Mask member for partial plating 61...Inlet side support roll 62...Outlet side support roll P...Mask unit M...Partial Au plating

Claims (8)

A drum-shaped jig having a jig opening region that connects the outer side and the inner side of the drum-shaped jig, and having a jig opening arrangement region which is a recess provided in a band shape along the circumferential direction with respect to the outer side of the drum-shaped jig,
A mask for filling the area where the jig opening is located, the mask having a mask opening at a location corresponding to the jig opening,
Equipped with,
The mask is placed in the jig opening arrangement area.
It has a through hole formed by the jig opening and the mask opening,
The edge of the mask opening rises outward from the drum-shaped jig.
In the jig opening arrangement area,
Multiple jig openings are arranged along the circumferential direction.
Mask component for partial plating. At least the edge of the mask opening of the aforementioned mask is made of rubber.
A mask member for partial plating according to claim 1. In the aforementioned drum-shaped jig,
The jig openings are arranged in a predetermined pattern.
The mask is a state in which multiple parts are arranged, each having n mask units (where n is a natural number) that correspond to the pattern units of the predetermined pattern.
A mask member for partial plating according to claim 1 or 2 . The jig opening arrangement area is,
This is a recess provided in a band shape on the entire circumference of the outer side of the drum-shaped jig.
A mask member for partial plating according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The combination of the jig opening arrangement area and the mask is
The drum-shaped jig has multiple rows arranged in the vertical direction,
A mask member for partial plating according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . In the aforementioned drum-shaped jig,
The jig opening arrangement area is,
Non-penetrating grooves,
Relative convex region and,
It has,
The back side of the aforementioned mask is
Having a shape that fits with the groove and the relative protruding region,
A mask member for partial plating according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The aforementioned mask opening is
Coinciding with, or at least partially covering, the opening of the jig
A mask member for partial plating according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . A partial plating method comprising bringing a plating solution into contact with a workpiece wrapped around a partial plating mask member according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , and plating the workpiece.