Patent US38759A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4672844A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3663376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Selective spot plating of lead frame sheets
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-03-17
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1991-03-17
Abstract
Abstract Relatively small apertures or passages in a sheet are masked to prevent their plating during the electroplating of selected zones of one side of the sheet by filling the apertures with a readily deformable, photo-hardenable material. A photosensitive facing is applied to each side of the sheet and the side including the plated zones is masked with a shield placed thereover to define the zones. Thereafter, both sheet sides are subjected to light, the shield is removed and the sheet is placed in a developing tank for removal of facing portions overlying the zones and the zones of the sheet are electroplated. Thereafter, the remaining facings and the photo-hardenable material are stripped to bare both sheet sides and the apertures for the subsequent use of the sheet.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary Uchytil
- 👤 Franz Kolterer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 16:45
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/30; C; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/02; G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; H10W70/00; H10W70/01; H10W70/04; H10W72/071; H10W72/073; H10W72/07331; H10W72/07336
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of removing the opening blocking comprises the step of dissolving the blocking simultaneously with the step of dissolving the material and the facing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the opening blocking is a material permitting the passage of radiant energy therethrough, and wherein the step of subjecting the material to radiant energy comprises the step of subjecting the material to radiant energy from both ends of the opening to facilitate the speed with which the material is hardened.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of blocking one aperture end comprises the step of adhering another photosensitive facing that is dissolvable in the same solution as the first mentioned facing to the side of the sheet on which the opening is to be blocked, and wherein the step of subjecting the facing and the material to radiant energy includes the step of subjecting all of the other facing to the radiant energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the material and the photosensitive facing comprises the step of directing collimated light perpendicularly to the sheet towards the material and the photosensitive facing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the photosensitive surface and the material to radiant energy comprises the step of subjecting them to light of a wave length between about 3,280 to about 3,720 Angstroms.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of selectively plating at least portions of at least one side of a three dimensional sheet having a plurality of narrow passages through the sheet without plating the passages comprising the steps of: placing a photosensitive facing over one side of the sheet to extend across ends of the passages, the sheet being of the type that permits the passage of light and dissolves in a solution only where it has not been subjected to light, filling at least some of the passages with a photo-hardenable material, placing a second photosensitive facing over the other side of the sheet, masking the portions of the sheet that are to be plated, exposing both sides of the sheet to radiant enErgy to thereby harden the material and enable the dissolution of the unmasked portions of at least one facing, developing the photosensitive facings to remove the portions of the facing that have been masked, electroplating the portions of the sheet from which the facing has been removed, and then dissolving remaining photosensitive facings and the material to bare the unplated portions of the sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 7 including the step of controlling the exposing step to obtain a substantially complete hardening of the material and prevent a separation between the material and the openings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of exposing includes the step of collimating light directed at the sheet before it strikes the facings to obtain sharp edges between exposed and unexposed facing portions after the developing step and to thus assure that the edges of the plating deposits are sharp.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of exposing comprises the step of providing a fiber optic light source, and passing the light source in a rectilinear path over the sheet.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
247 words
A method of manufacturing lead frames having plated leads from a large sheet having a multiplicity of spaced apart passages through the sheet by electroplating selected portions of at least one side of the sheet without plating the openings, and thereafter severing lead frames each having at least one opening from the sheet, the method comprising the steps of: adhering a first facing to one side of the sheet to thereby close one end of the openings to be masked, placing a plastically deformable material that hardens without shrinkage when subjected to light on the other side of the sheet, squeegeeing the material into the openings to fully fill the apertures and substantially completely remove all excess material from the other side of the sheet, masking those portions of the facing that overlie the selected portions of the sheet, subjecting both sides of the sheet to radiant energy of a wave length of between about 3,280 to about 3,720 Angstroms and a sufficient intensity and for a sufficient length of time to substantially fully harden the material without separating it from the apertures and thereby also expose the unmasked portions of the facing, developing the facing in a solution to remove unexposed portions thereof, electroplating the selected sheet portions from which the facing had been removed, and chemically dissolving the materials and the exposed facing portions before severing the sheet into frames to bare the portions of the sheet covered by the material and the exposed facing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 11 including the step of adhering a facing constructed of the same substance as the first mentioned facing to the other side of the sheet prior to the step of subjecting the facing and the material to light to thereby close the openings and prevent the plating of the other sheet side.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein the step of adhering comprises the step of providing photosensitive polymer sheets, placing the polymer sheets against sides of the first mentioned sheet, heating the polymer sheets to soften them and form an adhesion between the polymer sheets and said first mentioned sheet, and then cooling the sheets to adhere the polymer facings to the first mentioned sheet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |