The present invention concerns the technical field of production of an object by means of one or more galvanic surface treatments.

More specifically, the present invention concerns a piece of equipment for the galvanic surface treatment of an object. The present invention also concerns a system comprising several pieces of equipment in series, each piece of equipment being suitable for the galvanic surface treatment of the same object.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

In the object manufacturing sector, the use of galvanic surface treatments is known, wherein said treatments can have a protective, functional and/or even aesthetic function for the processed object.

In a process known according to said technique, the treatment is carried out by immersing the object in special baths consisting of a tank containing a galvanic bath in which special chemical elements that are functional to the treatment to be performed are dissolved, such as, for example, a degreasing, washing, nickel plating, tin plating, gold plating treatment etc. An appropriate electrical circuit allows the passage of an electric current suited to obtain the desired phenomenon of electrolysis on the external surface of the object in contact with the galvanic bath.

The intensity of the current, the voltage applied, the bath temperature, the treatment time and the size of the surface of the object to be treated define essential parameters in the execution of the process.

According to a known technique, the same object is subjected to successive galvanic surface treatments during which the object is immersed in succession in special galvanic baths that carry out the desired treatment. For example, the same object is subjected in sequence to a degreasing operation that is followed by a washing operation and then a nickel-plating operation.

In a first solution of the known type, the object is moved between successive galvanic baths by means of an automated system that grips the object, immerses it in the galvanic bath for the required time, extracts it by lifting it up and moving it to the next bath, where it is immersed and subjected to the successive treatment, and so on.

In a second solution of the known type, the object or the objects to be treated consists/consist of a belt (solid or pre-cut) that is passed in succession over respective modules, arranged side-by-side and defining respective galvanic baths, so that it can receive the respective treatment inside them.

This type of processing is used, for example, in the electromechanical, electronics industry (for example, for the production of connectors, terminals and contacts for electronics and microelectronics).

The belt being processed is set in continuous motion and in the meantime the object/objects is/are subjected to the treatment inside the tank.

The surface entity of the galvanic treatment to which the belt is subjected inside each module is a function of the level of immersion of the belt in the galvanic bath inside the tank, and also of the other parameters used to manage the electrochemical process.

According to the known technique, the various modules are fixed and in order to adjust/set the treatment inside each of them complex adjustment operations must be carried out from time to time, such as: the adjustment of the level of the process liquid inside the tank with the aid of manual gate valves; the manual adjustment of the height of the slide belt during the setting up of the system; the manual adjustment of the relative position between the belt and the tank in which the belt runs.

However, the processing technique belonging to the state of the art has some drawbacks.

A drawback of said technique lies in the lack of precision in the treatment adjustment, which is due to the need for manual operations that depend mainly on the skills of the operator in charge with them. This results in poor repeatability and/or quality of the adjustment, since these depend on the skills of the operator entrusted with this task from time to time.

Another drawback of said technique lies in the waste of time caused by the setting operations: since they are carried out manually, it is sometimes necessary to proceed by trial and error, further lengthening the setting time.

A further drawback of said technique lies in that it is difficult to position the tanks at the right level with respect to the belt to allow the treatment to be carried out at the correct immersion level inside them.

The object of the present invention is therefore to at least partially overcome said drawbacks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a piece of equipment for galvanic surface treatments that guarantees a higher quality of the treatment compared to the systems of the known type, wherein said quality does not depend on the individual skills of the operators involved from time to time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a piece of equipment for galvanic surface treatments that favours the repeatability of the treatment itself.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a piece of equipment for galvanic surface treatments that is capable of reducing the technical time required for preparing/setting up the system and thus of reducing the processing costs compared to the known systems.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the subject of the same is a piece of equipment for the galvanic surface treatment of an object, said equipment comprising:

- a galvanic treatment tank suited to receive an electrolytic substance for said galvanic treatment and suited to receive said object so as to allow it to be at least partially immersed in said electrolytic substance;

- supporting means suited to support said object in said galvanic treatment tank;

- an external containment tank for said galvanic treatment tank;

- levelling means suited to maintain the level of said electrolytic substance in said galvanic treatment tank within a control range with respect to a predetermined fixed reference level, said levelling means being suited to discharge said electrolytic substance from said galvanic treatment tank into said external containment tank;

- means for conveying and/or replenishing said electrolytic substance in said galvanic treatment tank;

- power supply means suited to allow the passage of an electric current for said galvanic treatment; in which the equipment comprises automated displacement means associated with said galvanic treatment tank, said displacement means being suited to displace said electrolytic substance and said fixed reference level with respect to said supporting means.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the displacement means comprise means suited to displace at least the bottom of the galvanic treatment tank.

Preferably, the galvanic treatment tank comprises a bottom wall and one or more vertical side walls.

In a preferred embodiment, the galvanic treatment tank has the shape of a box comprising:

- a bottom wall;

- a right vertical side wall and a left vertical side wall facing the right vertical side wall;

- a front vertical side wall and a rear vertical side wall facing the front vertical side wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the displacement means comprise means suited to displace the bottom wall and the front and rear vertical side walls.

In a preferred embodiment, the supporting means include a supporting rail suited to support the object to be processed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the object to be processed consists of a belt that is passed through the galvanic treatment tank.

Preferably, the galvanic treatment tank is provided with an inlet slit and an outlet slit for the passage of the belt.

In a preferred embodiment, the equipment comprises hydraulic sealing means associated with the inlet slit and the outlet slit and suited to come into contact with the belt to limit the outflow of the electrolytic substance from the galvanic treatment tank.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the levelling means comprise an overflow surface made in at least one wall of the galvanic treatment tank.

Preferably, the equipment is provided with at least one level detector placed at the overflow surface.

In a preferred embodiment, the automated displacement means comprise at least one motor-driven device and a control unit for the motor-driven device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the subject of the same is a method for controlling the operation of a piece of equipment made as described above, wherein the method comprises at least one step of displacing said electrolytic substance and said fixed reference level with respect to said supporting means for adjusting the immersion level of said object in said galvanic treatment tank.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the subject of the same is a system for the surface galvanic treatment of an object, comprising a plurality of pieces of equipment arranged one after the other for the surface galvanic treatment of said object, wherein at least one of said plurality of pieces of equipment is made as described above.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the equipment comprises means for displacing the object through said plurality of pieces of equipment, said object to be processed being constituted by a belt that is passed through said plurality of pieces of equipment.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the subject of the same is a method for controlling the operation of a system made as described above, wherein in said at least one of said plurality of pieces of equipment at least one step of displacing said electrolytic substance and said fixed reference level with respect to said supporting means is carried out to adjust the immersion level of said object in said galvanic treatment tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, objects and characteristics as well as embodiments of the present invention are defined in the claims and clarified below by means of the following description, making reference to the attached drawings. More specifically, in the drawings:

- Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a system consisting of a plurality of pieces of equipment for the galvanic surface treatment of an object according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a schematic axonometric view of a piece of equipment according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 3 shows a simplified schematic view of the equipment of Figure 2 in a first operating position;

- Figure 4 shows the equipment of Figure 3 in a second operating position;

- Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the equipment of Figure 3 in the first operating position and with some elements removed;

- Figure 6 shows the equipment of Figure 5 in the second operating position consistent with Figure 4;

- Figure 7 shows a detail of Figure 5 isolated from the rest; - Figure 8 shows a partially exploded view of the detail shown in Figure 7;

- Figure 9 shows an axonometric view of an enlarged detail of the equipment that is the subject the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION.

Although the present invention is described below with reference to its embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below and illustrated in the drawings. On the contrary, the embodiment described below and illustrated in the drawings clarifies certain aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims.

The present invention has proved to be particularly advantageous when applied to objects that need coating surface treatments with deposition of material on their surface, such as nickel plating, tin plating, or gold plating processes. However, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the manufacture of objects that need coating layers. On the contrary, the present invention can be conveniently applied in all cases involving the manufacture of objects that require total or partial galvanic surface treatments such as, for example, galvanic surface treatments for cleaning or degreasing, which therefore do not require the deposition of material on the surface of the object.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a system 1 for the galvanic surface treatment of an object O, wherein the system 1 comprises a plurality of pieces of equipment 10, arranged in series one after the other, for the galvanic surface treatment according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the object O to be processed is constituted by a belt O that is moved forward along the pieces of equipment 10. For example, the object O to be processed is constituted by a belt O (solid or precut) that is passed in succession through the pieces of equipment 10. In a typical embodiment, said object/belt O is constituted by a plurality of connectors for electronics and microelectronics.

Preferably, the belt O to be processed is moved forward along the pieces of equipment 10 by suitable handling means 12, for example a towing system preferably including traction rollers.

In the illustrated embodiment, by way of example, the system 1 comprises three pieces of equipment 10 arranged one after the other for three galvanic surface treatments to be carried out in succession on the belt O. The belt O to be processed is gradually brought inside each piece of equipment 10, where it will be subjected to the corresponding galvanic treatment in a special treatment tank 20, as is better described below.

Obviously, in variant embodiments the number of pieces of equipment may be different and depend on the number and type of successive treatments to which the object is to be subjected.

For example, the initial object O undergoes in sequence a degreasing operation, followed by a washing operation and then a nickel plating operation in three corresponding pieces of equipment 10 suited to carry out the corresponding galvanic surface treatment.

The pieces of equipment 10 to be used for the treatment are indicated by the same reference number even though they are related to different treatments.

From a construction point of view, in fact, the pieces of equipment 10 are essentially the same and designed for carrying out a galvanic surface treatment. The treatments carried out in the pieces of equipment differ from one another due to the different chemical composition of the galvanic bath contained therein, while the construction structure of the pieces of equipment is the same.

According to a preferred embodiment, the belt O is moved forward with a continuous motion and is processed inside the respective treatment tank 20 as it moves.

In the embodiment illustrated, and merely by way of example, the belt O undergoes a nickel coating treatment (nickel plating) after a degreasing and a washing treatment.

A piece of equipment 10 for galvanic surface treatments according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, hereinafter also simply referred to as equipment 10, is described below with reference to Figures from 2 to 9.

The equipment 10 comprises a galvanic treatment tank 20, hereinafter also referred to as treatment tank 20, suited to receive an electrolytic substance S for the galvanic treatment. For example, in the case of nickel plating, the electrolytic substance S comprises a sulfamate-based nickel plating solution, in the case of the degreasing treatment the electrolytic substance S comprises a degreasing solution, in the case of the washing treatment the electrolytic substance S comprises a water-based washing solution.

The treatment tank 20 is configured to receive the object O to be processed and allow it to be immersed in the electrolytic substance S. More specifically, the treatment tank 20 is configured to allow the passage of the belt O to be processed, as is better described below.

According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures, the treatment tank 20 is preferably in the shape of a box, more preferably in the shape of a parallelepiped.

A bottom wall 22, a right vertical side wall 24 and a left vertical side wall 26 facing the right vertical side wall 24, a front vertical side wall 28 and a rear vertical side wall 30 facing the front vertical side wall 28 are defined.

The treatment tank 20 is received in an external containment tank 40.

The equipment 10 is configured to maintain the electrolytic substance S inside the treatment tank 10 at a predetermined fixed reference level, indicated by L in the figures.

For this purpose, levelling means 50 are provided to maintain the level of the electrolytic substance in the treatment tank 20 within a control range with respect to the predetermined fixed reference level L.

The levelling means 50 comprise at least one overflow surface 52 created in a wall 28 of the treatment tank 20. Preferably, an overflow surface 52 is created in the front vertical side wall 28. More preferably, another overflow surface (not visible in the figures) is created in the rear vertical side wall 30.

The overflow surface 52 is designed to discharge the electrolytic substance S from the treatment tank 20 into the external containment tank 40 so as to maintain the electrolytic substance S approximately at the predetermined fixed reference level L.

Means 60 for conveying and/or replenishing the electrolytic substance in the treatment tank are provided in order to maintain the electrolytic substance S at the predetermined fixed reference level L.

The conveying and/or replenishing means 60 preferably comprise hydraulic circuits 62 provided with one or more hydraulic pumps 62A (schematically shown in the figures) that are suited to supply the treatment tank 20 with the electrolytic solution S from the outside or to recirculate the electrolytic solution S poured into the external containment tank 40 and coming from the overflow surface 52.

Diffuser elements 63B are preferably positioned on the bottom of the treatment tank 20 to favour the correct distribution of the electrolytic substance S conveyed into the treatment tank 20 through said conveying and/or replenishing means 60. The hydraulic pumps 62A are conveniently controlled based on the values obtained from at least one suitable level detector 64 arranged at the overflow surface 52. The level detector 64 comprises a system for collecting a portion of the electrolytic solution S flowing out of the overflow surface 52, which makes it possible to verify the amount of electrolytic solution S conveyed into the treatment tank 20 and in particular to detect when the level reaches a predetermined minimum level Lmin or maximum level Lmax with respect to the predetermined fixed reference level L, that is, a Lmin-tLmax range with respect to the predetermined fixed reference level L. In particular, when the level of electrolytic solution S inside the treatment tank 20 lowers below the minimum level Lmin, the conveying system is conveniently controlled.

Power supply means 70 can also be identified, which are suited to allow the passage of an electric current for said galvanic treatment.

In the embodiment shown in the figure, the power supply system 70 comprises a power supply unit (not shown) electrically connected with a first one of its poles 71, for example the negative pole (cathode), to the object O to be processed and connected with its second pole, that is, the positive pole (anode), to electrodes 72 arranged inside the treatment tank 20.

Preferably, the cathode of the power supply unit is connected to the belt O by means of a rotary electrical contact 71a that ensures the passage of electric current between the cathode 71 and the belt O even during its movement.

Supporting means 80, suited to support the belt O in the treatment tank 20, are positioned inside the treatment tank 20. The supporting means 80 preferably comprise a rail 82 on which the belt O can slide.

In order to allow the passage/sliding movement of the belt O inside the treatment tank 20, there are suitable slits 24A, 26A, defined on the walls 24, 26 of the treatment tank 20.

Preferably, a first slit 24A (or outlet slit) is defined in the right vertical side wall 24 and a second slit 26 A (or inlet slit) is defined in the left vertical side wall 26. Hydraulic sealing means 124, 126, visible in Figure 8, are preferably defined at each slot 24A, 26A and are suited to limit the outflow of the electrolytic substance S from the treatment tank 20 through the slits 24A, 26A when the slits 24A, 26A receive the belt O sliding therethrough.

The hydraulic sealing means 124, 126 preferably comprise respective pairs of rollers 124a, 124b, 126a, 126b suited to rest on the belt O.

Again, in order to allow the passage/sliding movement of the belt O inside the treatment tank 20, suitable openings 42A, 42B are also defined on the walls of the containment tank 40.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the equipment 10 comprises displacement means 100 associated with the treatment tank 20. The displacement means 100, shown in detail in Figure 9, make it possible to displace the electrolytic substance S contained in the treatment tank 20. The electrolytic substance S is displaced and maintained at its fixed reference level L. The displacement of the electrolytic substance S thus occurs along the vertical direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the electrolytic substance S is displayed with respect to the means 80 supporting the belt O, which instead are held in a fixed position.

The expression “fixed position” means the predetermined vertical position in which the supporting media 80 are arranged and thus the predetermined vertical position in which the belt O runs.

The displacement means 100 preferably comprise a motor-driven device 102 associated with the bottom wall 22 of the treatment tank 20 and suited to raise or lower the bottom wall 22 itself.

A pair of support columns 102 A, 102B preferably help to support the bottom wall 22 of the treatment tank 20 and the electrolytic substance S contained therein.

The motor-driven device 102 preferably comprises an electric servomotor 104 powering a ball bearing screw 106 which sets a lifting plate 108 sliding on linear guides 110, as shown in detail in Figure 9. The lifting plate 108 is fixed to the bottom wall 22 of the treatment tank 20.

A control unit (not shown) is advantageously associated with the displacement means 100, more advantageously with the motor-driven device 102.

Preferably, the displacement means 100 allow the bottom wall 22 of the treatment tank 20 to be displaced vertically together with the front vertical side wall 28 and the rear vertical wall 30.

Preferably, on the other hand, the right vertical side wall 24 and the left vertical wall 26 remain in a fixed position.

Suitable guide means 128, 130, shown in Figures 7 and 8, allow the front vertical side wall 28 and the rear vertical side wall 30 to slide with respect to the right side wall 24 and left side wall 26.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the displacement means 100 make it possible to move and adjust the vertical position of the level L of the electrolytic substance S, and thus of the immersion level of the belt O in the electrolytic substance S, while the belt O is maintained in the predetermined vertical position. Thanks to the control of the electric servomotor 104, it is possible to quickly and precisely adjust the vertical position of the lifting plate 108 and thus the vertical position of the level L.

By way of example, Figures 3 and 5 show the equipment 10 in a first operating position in which the belt O is immersed to a first extent in the electrolytic substance S, while Figures 4 and 6 show the equipment 10 in a second operating position in which the belt O is immersed to a second extent, smaller than the first, in the electrolytic substance S.

According to a first advantageous aspect, the system that is the subject of the invention makes it possible to precisely adjust the desired immersion level of the object/belt O in the respective individual treatment tank 20.

The adjustment times are also considerably reduced compared to the known systems, with a corresponding reduction in the time required to prepare/set up the system, an operation that is typically performed manually by specialist operators. The adjustment quality /accuracy is therefore significantly higher compared to the known systems.

The repeatability of the galvanic treatment is thus guaranteed, meaning that it is possible to guarantee exactly the same processing conditions for the object, in particular the extent to which the object is immersed in the electrolytic solution. Still advantageously, with reference to the system 1 comprising several pieces of equipment 10 in series, the different levels within the respective treatment tanks 10 can be adjusted separately, independently and quickly by acting on the respective displacement means 100.

Advantageously, the belt O is maintained in its fixed vertical operating position while the processing levels in the various pieces of equipment are adjusted according to the needs, quickly and independently of each other, as mentioned above.

For this purpose, a control unit 4, shown in Figure 1, is provided to control the various displacement means 100 of the respective pieces of equipment 10 in the system 1.

The technical preparation/set-up times are therefore considerably reduced and, consequently, so are the processing costs.

The equipment according to the invention can also be preferably provided with further elements, not shown, which are suited to enable and guarantee the proper functioning of the equipment itself.

For example, the equipment 1 will be preferably provided with a heating system suited to bring and maintain the electrolytic substance at a desired temperature. The equipment will be provided with appropriate sensors to detect operating parameters such as, for example, temperature sensors for the electrolytic substance.

The equipment 1 can also be preferably provided with a filtering system designed to filter out any impurities present in the electrolytic substance.

According to the above description, therefore, it can be seen that the equipment and the system of the invention make it possible to achieve the intended purposes and, in particular, to guarantee a higher processing quality compared to the known systems.

Even though the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described herein; on the contrary, further variants of the described embodiment fall within the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the claims.